Rush: “Hold Your Fire” – 30 years old

[yamishogun]

Yeah, I'd like a reference for this one. I've never heard this, nor has Rush ever been a band to even have leftovers.

Yes, Rush has leftovers from the Signals era, although really 1980 to 1982. It depends on what you call a leftover, I guess. Anyway, a few posts above I explained I meant it sounded like a Geddy Lee leftover to me.

[yamishogun]

I think this is a good reading of it. As I said, I wouldn't expect Neil to write a "All You Need is Love" type song about love. This is a Rush song about Love. But it's still about Love.

By 1987, Peart had not touched Ayn Rand for a decade. The song is about the general condition of emotions and all relationships. One happens to be love at that one line.

When we lift the covers from our feelings
We expose our insecure spots
Trust is just as rare as devotion
Forgive us our cynical thoughts
If we need too much attention
Not content with being cool
We must throw ourselves wide open
And start acting like a fool
If we need too much approval
Then the cuts can seem too cruel

Right to the heart of the matter
Right to the beautiful part
Illusions are painfully shattered
Right where discovery starts
In the secret wells of emotion
Buried deep in our hearts

It's true that love can change us
But never quite enough
Sometimes we are too tender
Sometimes we're too tough
If we get too much attention
It gets hard to overrule
So often fragile power turns
To scorn and ridicule
Sometimes our big splashes
Are just ripples in the pool
Feelings run high

The bold part is the essence of the song. I don't have a Ph.D. in Rush for nothing.

[Scott Bails]

“bravado” is one of my all time favourite RUSH songs. it had all the destiny to end up as an album sleeper track; instead it became a live favourite which resonates with both and and audience on several levels. sublime – and absolutely devastating in a live setting with the extended instrumental coda.

Absolutely agree.

I also love "Available Light" - possibly Geddy's best vocal performance.

[Nearfest2]

Yes, Rush has leftovers from the Signals era, although really 1980 to 1982. It depends on what you call a leftover, I guess.

And where did you read this? "Tough Break" by Jack Secret doesn't count.

[JKL2000]

I don't have a Ph.D. in Rush

I fixed that for you.

[yamishogun]

I fixed that for you.

It was from the U. of Toronto where Neil Peart got his P.hD. in literature.

[Nearfest2]

(Psst. I think it was a joke. )

[Facelift]

(Psst. I think it was a joke. )

Ah. Point taken.

[ytserush]

^
* Rush never sang about love before "Open Secrets". They didn't do it well with "The Speed of Love" but did with "Cold Fire." "Open Secrets" seems forced with the lyrics not flowing in places and not up to anything lyrically on the previous Power Windows. The drumming is fun to listen to, though.

A very quick rundown of Rush songs about love prior to Hold Your Fire:

Need Some Love
In The Mood
Tears
Madrigal
Entre Nous
Different Strings
Emotion Detector

[ytserush]

No love before "Open Secrets"?? How about the "Panacea" section from Fountain of Lamneth on Caress of Steel?

Or if ya really want to press it, "Need Some Love" from the first album, but those were Geddy's lyrics...

Can't believe I forgot about Panacea. Someone shoot me.

[ytserush]

“bravado” is one of my all time favourite RUSH songs. it had all the destiny to end up as an album sleeper track; instead it became a live favourite which resonates with both and and audience on several levels. sublime – and absolutely devastating in a live setting with the extended instrumental coda.

Devastating is an understatement when talking about live Bravado.

I've never bothered to make a list of favorite live Rush songs, but if I did Bravado would be on it.

[ytserush]

And where did you read this? "Tough Break" by Jack Secret doesn't count.

There are no leftovers. But you know that already.

[ThomasKDye]

There are no leftovers. But you know that already.

If there had been a leftover track from the "Signals" sessions, they wouldn't have needed to hastily cobble together "New World Man" to fit exactly three minutes and forty-two seconds of the second side so that the sides came out even.

They used everything. EVERYTHING. "Fancy Dancer" is probably the only bonus song you'll ever get from Rush.

[iguana]

Devastating is an understatement when talking about live Bravado.

this. alex. lifeson. celestial.

[JKL2000]

^ Yep, that was some good shit!

[Scott Bails]

I've always love "Bravado." Good to see that others enjoy it, as well. It's kind of an outlier in their catalog.

[Nearfest2]

If there had been a leftover track from the "Signals" sessions, they wouldn't have needed to hastily cobble together "New World Man" to fit exactly three minutes and forty-two seconds of the second side so that the sides came out even.

Agreed. Good point. Everything I've ever read has stated that there are zero leftovers, no extra tracks anywhere. However, Geddy did mention a 19-minute version of "The Main Monkey Business" in an interview focused on S&A. He also could have been exaggerating about a jam that turned into TMMB. Who knows.

They used everything. EVERYTHING. "Fancy Dancer" is probably the only bonus song you'll ever get from Rush.

What about "Garden Road"?

[yamishogun]

Agreed. Good point. Everything I've ever read has stated that there are zero leftovers, no extra tracks anywhere.

Why would you take this at face value? They probably didn't want to be bothered with this question throughout their careers. They can also define "no leftovers" any way they want to. Anyway, I know what I heard. It isn't like it is a lost album, just songs and parts of songs. "Freeze" was developed in 2001 from an idea around 1980.

[JKL2000]

They have their whole, unreleased "Love Suite" from 1978! 20+ minutes long and all about love, valentines day, etc.

[helix]

this. alex. lifeson. celestial.

always loved when he plucks that bass note in the middle of this main solo

[ThomasKDye]

I've always love "Bravado." Good to see that others enjoy it, as well. It's kind of an outlier in their catalog.

I'll out and out say it -- I think "Roll the Bones" is a great album; in fact, it's the last Rush album they put out where I like ALL the songs. No, it doesn't sound like "Motion Pictures." But it has a lot of solid, catchy material -- yes, even "Neurotica" -- and it has a lot of energy for me. I don't know what people are listening to when they say this is a pallid album.

[Nearfest2]

Why would you take this at face value? They probably didn't want to be bothered with this question throughout their careers. They can also define "no leftovers" any way they want to. Anyway, I know what I heard. It isn't like it is a lost album, just songs and parts of songs. "Freeze" was developed in 2001 from an idea around 1980.

Why assume they are lying? They've always been very upfront with their fans. I have no reason not to believe what they've said repeatedly in interviews for years. Every band has leftover bits, lyric snippets, what-have-you, but we are talking about leftover complete songs.

[Scott Bails]

I'll out and out say it -- I think "Roll the Bones" is a great album; in fact, it's the last Rush album they put out where I like ALL the songs. No, it doesn't sound like "Motion Pictures." But it has a lot of solid, catchy material -- yes, even "Neurotica" -- and it has a lot of energy for me. I don't know what people are listening to when they say this is a pallid album.

I've always liked it.

Except for "Neurotica."

[yamishogun]

Why assume they are lying? They've always been very upfront with their fans. I have no reason not to believe what they've said repeatedly in interviews for years. Every band has leftover bits, lyric snippets, what-have-you, but we are talking about leftover complete songs.

All they did was define it so that a complete song is only one that goes through the final production and engineering to be on an album. I didn't get to take the CD out of the bar to listen to. The owner put it on for me since as a big Rush fan he knew I was as well. I'm not saying there is 45 minutes worth of complete songs. Some are since around five minutes and the shortest I heard wasn't since around two minutes. I also heard it only one time so didn't get the five times it takes for me to get unfamiliar material. It was a sureal experience. Back then, you could only put so much on an album and by the time a new album is made, the older songs may not fit the new style.

[Fracktured]

I've always thought that RUSH were the consummate rock act that didn't want unfinished, out of time or awful sounding demos to be released. If this is the case than us fans should just respect that.


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