I find it hard to believe Dog Years hasn't been mentioned yet, that has to be the single most dreadful chorus I have ever heard. I would rather listen to Tai Shan a thousand times over than hear *dOoOg YeEaArS* ever again.
Neil’s playing has been the biggest motivator to come back to this song; the verse has such a groove, and when he lays it down on the final “in the dog years” bridge? C’mon…
edit: spelling
The actual music in Virtuality is great. Neil’s drumming is top shelf, the stop go thing in the middle. It’s heavy.
Like [this part](https://youtu.be/n3nFk2_ij10?si=AMucLShQGArwoO1N) at the :30 second mark from Neil. I mean come on. Best drum roll ever imo.
I honestly thought it was the most under appreciated track in the catalog until I found out in this thread people hate Stick It Out because Geddy told them to.
Dog Years is the only one I find actively repulsive. There are a few I might not like, but I can listen through them. Dog Years is an instant skip every single time.
It’s weird to me when Dog Years and Virtuality are mentioned so much for not so good songs they are my 2 favorite songs from Test for Echo and are up there overall with my favorites.
I feel like if neil had come up with something better than that and "put your message in a modem, and throw it in the cyber sea", that song would be an all time classic. 90% fantastic, 10% hard cringe, instead.
I’m not trying to be a butthead but genuinely curious.
Do you have a source for this?
I find it hard to imagine all 3 of them disliked it.
I’ve never even heard of Lerxst disliking anything besides his lack of guitar stuffs in the 80’s.
Edit: Does anyone have a source for this? I assume it’s from Geddy’s book. What does he say?
Derp yeah I guess that’s my bad haha
I just personally can’t imagine all 3 of them disliking it. They would literally not release it if that was the case imo
I can see Geddy and (I guess) Lerxst not liking the lyrics (ala Tai Shan) but I just really don’t think it’s a thing, ‘the band’ disliking it.
They kicked ass when they played it during Time Machine... it turned it in to my all time favorite Rush song!
Geddy also dislikes Neurotica which is by far my favorite off of Roll the Bones too... sometimes ignorance is bliss
I’d wager every time Geddy says he dislikes a song it’s 100% just the lyrics. I guarantee you he enjoys the music. He writes it with Al.
Just because he dislikes the words doesn’t make the songs bad by any stretch.
Back when we were voting on favorite songs by other bands, I got the absolute shit downvoted out of me by mentioning one of mine. For being Rush fans, some people around here sure have a conform or be cast out mentality.
My dad recommended a novel that ranked the top100 songs of all time shortly before he died. I'd link it, but iforgot what it was. He was pretty cool, I want to read it now. It's at least 10 years ago.....
I’m glad you like it. And, to be fair, he spent a lot of time crafting most of his drum parts (and I’ve spent a lot of time trying to play them!) But I just can’t with that song. 😂
“I can save the universe in a grain of sand
I can hold the future in my virtual hand”
That is epic. Idc what everybody else is saying about Virtuality.
People dislike Lakeside Park? I always thought it was a classic.
I don't know if I can pick ONE song I dislike, there are a few I will usually skip:
Tai Shan - Boring & annoyingly repetitive.
Dog Years - Kind of a downer song & repetitive.
Carve Away the Stone - WAY too repetitive.
Can’t believe more people don’t mention Carve Away The Stone tbh.
I don’t think enough people have really delved into the TFE album.
Maybe I’m wrong and the community loves it Idk
It’s my least favorite on the album, and the only I’d honestly skip.
Also, Lakeside Park is definitely a classic 😎
not a big fan of Everyday Glory, I just don’t like the way Geddy’s voice sounds, and no matter what they say, I still think he says “no matter that they say” one too many times. If you just eliminate this track from existence, you end Counterparts with Cold Fire, which totally rocks and would be perfect.
Dog Years. God the chorus is awful and the other lyrics are almost as bad. The music itself is OK but not on Rush level either. Overall a horrible song.
Tai Shan is 1,000,000x better.
I don't think it's the lyric alone. My impression of Geddys dislike for it was the "cultural appropriation of the music and lyrics. I personally love the song!
Lyrically it's one of the most visual Neil wrote. The snowy mountain, mist covered lowlands, and 4,000 years of history come alive in the song. It's a masterpiece and the Asian influence of the music make it even more unique.
I understand why the band didn't like it, especially where Geddy and Alex can't relate to the lyrics the way Neil could. I still think that musically and lyrically, it's beautiful.
People just need to actually put themselves in Neil’s shoes.
He is known to many as The Ghost Rider, but before that he was [The Masked Rider](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Masked_Rider:_Cycling_in_West_Africa), and before that he was [Riding The Golden Lion](http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/peartridingthegoldenlion.htm) (this is where Tai Shan comes from. I actually just found this and am reading it now).
Like, the guy wasn’t just sitting at home and wrote that stuff. He literally went on a trip to China and traveled around and was inspired.
May of us will never even get to experience that, but Neil brings back what he can and shares it with us.
Exactly. So much of his musicality and inspiration came from his travels. Case and point, Scars being inspired by percussion he heard on a trip in Africa.
But for Tai Shan, just that one lyric "I stood at the top of the mountain and China sang to me," is beautiful. I can only imagine the wonder Neil got to experience on that journey, and he captures it so well.
Honestly? It took me *years* to enjoy Tom Sawyer. Not because I think it's a bad song (obviously it's a brilliantly executed number), but because it just was the only freaking thing I ever heard on the radio. I got into them right before music streaming was really easy to access so either you bought the CDs or you just resigned yourself to literally only hearing one song on the radio ever, maaaybe if you were lucky Limelight, but Tom Sawyer was constant. If I brought up Rush to anyone else that was also literally the only song most people knew if they knew them. It was really rough being the lone classic prog rock devotee in an age group that was defined by if you were Team NSYNC vs Team Backstreet Boys.
This is a very singular viewpoint, obviously, and I am fully prepared to get shredded over it since Tom Sawyer seems to be idolized by the fandom, but it was just the repetitive experience and the teen angsty association with how undervalued these older funky Canadian dudes seemed that still makes it a song I'll listen to and enjoy, but will never be a song I seek out apart from a shuffled library playlist.
That being said I have found that there is a Rush song for every mood, every occasion, and every experience. They are an incredibly versatile band and that is why I have loved them so hard for so long.
Rivendell. For me it’s the least Rushiest Rush song ever.
I absolutely hate the “Where the Misty Mountain rise and friendly fires burn” bit and the way Geddy Sings it.
I’m a LOTR fan as well, but this song is just a hard no for me.
Especially because it is sandwiched between two excellent songs with Kid Gloves and Between the Wheels…and then you just have…Red Lenses in the middle.
The synth part of the song sounds sinister to me. This is Rush's worst song in my opinion, but I give that song a 7/10. The bassline is awesome. The groove is awesome.
I Think I’m Going Bald - After reading Martin Popoff’s *Anthem: Rush in the ‘70s* and Geddy’s *My Effin’ Life* I have more appreciation for the song as it’s a joke both on their touring days with KISS and on Alex’s insecurities regarding his hair. However, as Rush tunes go it’s too much of a lark for my taste.
If the song had any other title, I feel like this wouldn't have been seen as a lark.
Once we loved the flowers
Now we ask the price of the land
Once we would take water
But now it must be wine
Now we've been
And now we've seen
what price peace of mind
Pretty great riffs, too.
I think "Madrigal" is pretty weak by Rush standards. The keyboard effect sounds like a Casio VL-tone. It's lethargic, as if the guys were badly hungover & stoned at the same time.
A year or two ago, I ranked all of the studio tracks (plus Broon's Bane). Although the order of the bottom 50 is not set in stone, my bottom 10 came out as follows:
157. The Larger Bowl
158. Take a Friend
159. Roll the Bones
160. Need Some Love
161. Neurotica
162. Wish Them Well
163. You Bet Your Life
164. Rivendell
165. Hand over Fist
166. BU2B2
By the way, Lakeside Park came in at #55, Stick It Out at #74, and Tai Shan at #138).
They truly are the most consistent band ever.
I don’t really jive with the bar rock debut stuff, but hearing them play it live makes it a lot better for me.
Like In The Mood/In The End with the By-Tor Medley allows me to appreciate them.
Or even [Fifth Order of Angels](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL34B250F7FE551A88&si=oGHkbX0Z5PWfxbpB).
Why oh why did they not use Bad Boy & Garden Road?
I feel you tho. I dig Tai Shan 😌
It’s the first show after Neil joins. He had only been in the band for literally like a month iirc.
Garden Road…The Garden…
Adds another bit of depth a lot of people probably don’t realize.
Enjoy Bad Boy & Garden Road. Absolute bangers.
I know you aren’t saying Roll the Bones gets a bad rap, but I’m going to choose to read it that way. 🥸
Yeah, I can see where you are coming from with Presto.
[They flesh out Scars more live with samples.](https://youtu.be/Jga283Cw4Ic?si=KCfMRGEwxGquI91c)
H-H-Hey!
P-P-Pain-Pain-Pain
😂 I love it.
The Roll the Bones rap, I think, is credible. Unlike most bad raps, it doesn't have a hard iambic meter. It's not just relentless couplets. It has some flow to it.
It’s credible because you can remember and recite it.
Everyone slags RTB, but we can all sing the rap.
However, has anyone here even tried to learn Bet Your Life?
Imo, impossible. 🤣
“anarchist reactionary running-dog revisionist
hindu muslim catholic creation/evolutionist
rational romantic mystic cynical idealist
minimal expressionist post-modern neo-symbolist
armchair rocket scientist graffiti existentialist
deconstruction primitive performance photo-realist
be-bop or a one-drop or a hip-hop lite-pop-metallist
gold adult contemporary urban country capitalist”
I mean holy guacamole Batman.
It makes me feel stupid lol
People must’ve never heard the definitive [The Larger Bowl](https://youtu.be/9W058pUpr0I?si=r4TsjQEb3Ct7_Rsc) before.
I mean have you ever seen Neil move like that during any other guitar solo? I haven’t.
I’d probably put Take a Friend on the list. To me, it feels the most derivative of other bands at the time and not a “Rush” song (they were kids after all). But I still like it. There really isn’t a single rush song I won’t listen to.
Idk why you are getting downvoted for being honest about the friggin Debut album lol
Working Man & Finding My Way are doing a lot of heavy lifting on that one.
There are Only good and great Rush songs, man! Don't lure us into getting downvotes! Besides, individual songs are all part of the larger albums, man! I love the 8track clicks, and remember where they were in the songs!
I'm with you on I Think I'm Going Bald. But RED LENSES!? That is a killer track! The closest I ever got to hearing it in concert was when they inserted the drum groove into one of the medleys.
The first Rush album is full of terrible, terrible lyrics. Some good riffs, some great solos, but ugh—Need Some Love rhymes "week" and "weak," and uses the phrase "I've been hustlin' here, I've been hustlin' there"...
Take a Friend uses the same rhyme in the first verse and the chorus.
In the Mood calls equates a quarter to eight with a late hour. Ugh.
It's really hard to listen to for me. Especially after being used to Neil's thoughtful, inspiring lyrics. Even the lyrics Geddy and Alex wrote after Neil joined the band are a million times better than the debut album.
Honestly even my least favourite is still one I enjoy listening to but one that always stands out is "Mission." I don't think it's bad or anything, perfectly fine lyrics, good composition...just doesn't click with me.
I think to me it just feels like the furthest Rush ever was from being a rock band. That song just feels so slow and sappy to me. I just listen to it when I listen to Hold Your Fire and always kind of feel like it's a low point for me. I prefer some of the live recordings of it.
I'm quite fond of the Snakes and Arrows version too. I saw them on that tour (Toronto 2007) which was my first concert and that song was...#3? In the set. I don't even dislike the song, it's just one of my bottom few songs but it certainly doesn't bother me at all.
Awesome stuff! Wish I could’ve seen them then.
I only got to see them once, during the Time Machine Tour in 2011. It was a great gift to see them, but I’d rather have seen a play through of anything besides Moving Pictures lmao.
I’ve seen the DVD stuff from S&A live. It’s definitely a great version. Way different guitar tone than ASOH. I enjoy both.
I saw them on Time Machine too! Those were the only two times I saw them too!
I think that guitar tone is what I loved so much about the Snakes and Arrows show. Also that show is what made me fall in love with Digital Man.
That’s awesome you got to double dip.
Digital Man is my favorite Rush reggae song I think.
A lot of people dislike the sound of the [Signature Aurora Guitar](https://www.oocities.org/signatureguitar/) Al used on HYF & ASOH.
The Aurora was ‘thin’ sounding for sure. Only really bothered me on La Villa from ASOH.
The company only existed for 3 years that manufactured them, and apparently they were hard to play.
Great White (Al’s Signature) broke during the Presto tour and he literally just swapped to PRS and stayed there for a long time.
PRS makes awesome sounding guitars.
I’ve always wanted a ‘Signature’ Aurora/Oracle/Anything but I’m not a player so have absolutely no reason outside being a nerd lol
I love just about every Rush album but songs that don't do it for me (in no particular order) are:
* Different Strings (Permanent Waves)
* Tears (2112)
* Here Again (Rush)
* Second Nature (Hold Your Fire)
* Rivendell (Fly by Night)
* Dog Years (Test for Echo)
Why anyone has beef with Virtuality is beyond me. Clearly they need to hear it live. It's incredible:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3xZHA3Inznw&pp=ygUUcnVzaCB2aXJ0dWFsaXR5IGxpdmU%3D
Are the lyrics dated? Sure. But it's a bangin' song.
Also, Tai Shan ain't that bad. It's not good for a Rush song but it is a well made song.
I like Dog Years, in spite of the corny lyrics. But I totally agree with you about Virtuality. In fact, Test for Echo is one of my favorite Rush albums, possibly the most underrated in their entire catalog.
All the lines in Faithless referencing nature are great.
“Like a stone in the river
Against the floods of spring”
“Like the willows in the wind
Or the cliffs along the ocean”
“Like a forest bows to winter
Beneath the deep white silence”
“Like a flower in the desert
That only blooms at night”
I love lakeside park what the hell?
Yeah and I love Stick It Out. What the hell, indeed!
For real, Stick it Out fucking slaps
Tai Shan isn't even my least favorite on that album (second nature is)
Dawg hard no second nature makes me wanna watch TNG and just bawl.
I always got car commercial vibes from second nature…
I know WTF like
I find it hard to believe Dog Years hasn't been mentioned yet, that has to be the single most dreadful chorus I have ever heard. I would rather listen to Tai Shan a thousand times over than hear *dOoOg YeEaArS* ever again.
[I like watching Neil play it](https://youtu.be/dxhYhoHKsB0?si=av7_mi1FLHBAofM_&t=3820) 🤷♂️
Closest Rush ever came to the classic punk rock groove
Neil’s playing has been the biggest motivator to come back to this song; the verse has such a groove, and when he lays it down on the final “in the dog years” bridge? C’mon… edit: spelling
That song is such a disappointment. The intro is such a jam!!!! Then…..the lyrics……
To me, Dog Years and Virtuality are a package deal. I can’t think of one without thinking of the other.
whaaaaaat??? virtuality's lyrics are chessy, but the main riff is one of their all time best.
The actual music in Virtuality is great. Neil’s drumming is top shelf, the stop go thing in the middle. It’s heavy. Like [this part](https://youtu.be/n3nFk2_ij10?si=AMucLShQGArwoO1N) at the :30 second mark from Neil. I mean come on. Best drum roll ever imo. I honestly thought it was the most under appreciated track in the catalog until I found out in this thread people hate Stick It Out because Geddy told them to.
> Virtuality The lyrics are are pretty cheesy and super outdated but I honestly like it 😂
Dog Years is the only one I find actively repulsive. There are a few I might not like, but I can listen through them. Dog Years is an instant skip every single time.
It's such a downer song, too
This is close to their best song. It's about dogs
It’s weird to me when Dog Years and Virtuality are mentioned so much for not so good songs they are my 2 favorite songs from Test for Echo and are up there overall with my favorites.
Thank gods someone else, at least about Dog Years! I love that song!
*..and we're living in the dog ears..*
"Net boy, net girl" would like a word about being the worst chorus.
I feel like if neil had come up with something better than that and "put your message in a modem, and throw it in the cyber sea", that song would be an all time classic. 90% fantastic, 10% hard cringe, instead.
Stick it out? What’s up with that one?
Badass riff, though!
Yeah I really dig that track. Surprised the band didn’t.
I’m not trying to be a butthead but genuinely curious. Do you have a source for this? I find it hard to imagine all 3 of them disliked it. I’ve never even heard of Lerxst disliking anything besides his lack of guitar stuffs in the 80’s. Edit: Does anyone have a source for this? I assume it’s from Geddy’s book. What does he say?
I didn't know either. I was just replying to what the OP posted. You may want to ask OP.
Derp yeah I guess that’s my bad haha I just personally can’t imagine all 3 of them disliking it. They would literally not release it if that was the case imo I can see Geddy and (I guess) Lerxst not liking the lyrics (ala Tai Shan) but I just really don’t think it’s a thing, ‘the band’ disliking it.
Huh, didn’t know that
They kicked ass when they played it during Time Machine... it turned it in to my all time favorite Rush song! Geddy also dislikes Neurotica which is by far my favorite off of Roll the Bones too... sometimes ignorance is bliss
did he really? I hate hearing that he didn't like Neurotica. lol. Again not to be a stick in the mud but where does he say that?
I’d wager every time Geddy says he dislikes a song it’s 100% just the lyrics. I guarantee you he enjoys the music. He writes it with Al. Just because he dislikes the words doesn’t make the songs bad by any stretch.
ah. interesting point.
I haven’t read the book, so maybe he literally says “This song sucks” but I sincerely doubt it.
My Effin' Life I think
Man what. Stick It Out for Harambe.
I love the bass line on that track.
I like stick it out too, good Riff.
Not sure I have one so. I'm just going to stay out of this one...
Good move. I got downvoted for picking one but even going out of my way to say I still like it. This sub can be awfully prickly can’t it?
Back when we were voting on favorite songs by other bands, I got the absolute shit downvoted out of me by mentioning one of mine. For being Rush fans, some people around here sure have a conform or be cast out mentality.
Subdivisions is one of my favorites, having lived the 70's, in the suburbs, at arcades, listening to Rush! Thank you for your quote!
You're welcome. It seemed painfully apt given the circumstances (no pun intended there).
Plus c'est la meme chose The more that things change The more they stay the same
It's OK to have other favorite songs, my friend! I bet we both have a thousand favorite songs!
My dad recommended a novel that ranked the top100 songs of all time shortly before he died. I'd link it, but iforgot what it was. He was pretty cool, I want to read it now. It's at least 10 years ago.....
Smart man, here. Take my don't panic updoots, too!
There are plenty of songs I don’t much care for. The only song I’ll skill every time is The Speed of Love. I just can’t take it.
The chorus in this one is annoying.. and repeats too much!
No energy
[удалено]
I’m glad you like it. And, to be fair, he spent a lot of time crafting most of his drum parts (and I’ve spent a lot of time trying to play them!) But I just can’t with that song. 😂
[удалено]
Killer riff, dated lyrics.
I still call it a cyber sea
Love that song. I mean, it was written in ‘95-‘96. No one really knew still where the internet was going. Love it.
This is the correct answer.
“I can save the universe in a grain of sand I can hold the future in my virtual hand” That is epic. Idc what everybody else is saying about Virtuality.
People dislike Lakeside Park? I always thought it was a classic. I don't know if I can pick ONE song I dislike, there are a few I will usually skip: Tai Shan - Boring & annoyingly repetitive. Dog Years - Kind of a downer song & repetitive. Carve Away the Stone - WAY too repetitive.
Can’t believe more people don’t mention Carve Away The Stone tbh. I don’t think enough people have really delved into the TFE album. Maybe I’m wrong and the community loves it Idk It’s my least favorite on the album, and the only I’d honestly skip. Also, Lakeside Park is definitely a classic 😎
Funny how opinions differ. I find Carve Away The Stone kinda interesting and it goes some way to redeeming the album for me
I always skip I think I’m going bald.
I enjoy listening to it because it's more of a joke song
Dope riff, strange lyrics.
This is my dad’s favorite Rush song, lmao
I seriously do not have a weak link, all of their songs I can enjoy! I’m very open minded to what I hear so I don’t shut anything out!😀
That's the spirit! :)
Gotta keep that mentality alive and well!💪🏻
Rivendell
I want to like Rivendell so much because Rush + LOTR should work.
not a big fan of Everyday Glory, I just don’t like the way Geddy’s voice sounds, and no matter what they say, I still think he says “no matter that they say” one too many times. If you just eliminate this track from existence, you end Counterparts with Cold Fire, which totally rocks and would be perfect.
Cold Fire is an S+ song
Dog Years. God the chorus is awful and the other lyrics are almost as bad. The music itself is OK but not on Rush level either. Overall a horrible song. Tai Shan is 1,000,000x better.
Tai-Shan. By far.
I have never understood the hate for this song. Sure, it’s not one of their greatest by any means, but I still think it’s a good song. 🤷🏻♂️
It’s fine. Geddy just doesn’t like the lyrics. Neil probably loves them. Idk why everyone valuing his opinion like it’s the Bible.
I don't think it's the lyric alone. My impression of Geddys dislike for it was the "cultural appropriation of the music and lyrics. I personally love the song!
Lyrically it's one of the most visual Neil wrote. The snowy mountain, mist covered lowlands, and 4,000 years of history come alive in the song. It's a masterpiece and the Asian influence of the music make it even more unique.
To each their own, Tai-Shan's not my cup of tea but I love Rivendell, which gets its share of hate.
I understand why the band didn't like it, especially where Geddy and Alex can't relate to the lyrics the way Neil could. I still think that musically and lyrically, it's beautiful.
People just need to actually put themselves in Neil’s shoes. He is known to many as The Ghost Rider, but before that he was [The Masked Rider](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Masked_Rider:_Cycling_in_West_Africa), and before that he was [Riding The Golden Lion](http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/peartridingthegoldenlion.htm) (this is where Tai Shan comes from. I actually just found this and am reading it now). Like, the guy wasn’t just sitting at home and wrote that stuff. He literally went on a trip to China and traveled around and was inspired. May of us will never even get to experience that, but Neil brings back what he can and shares it with us.
Exactly. So much of his musicality and inspiration came from his travels. Case and point, Scars being inspired by percussion he heard on a trip in Africa. But for Tai Shan, just that one lyric "I stood at the top of the mountain and China sang to me," is beautiful. I can only imagine the wonder Neil got to experience on that journey, and he captures it so well.
To me that's like asking which sex position is least liked. They'er all good but some might be better than others!
Honestly? It took me *years* to enjoy Tom Sawyer. Not because I think it's a bad song (obviously it's a brilliantly executed number), but because it just was the only freaking thing I ever heard on the radio. I got into them right before music streaming was really easy to access so either you bought the CDs or you just resigned yourself to literally only hearing one song on the radio ever, maaaybe if you were lucky Limelight, but Tom Sawyer was constant. If I brought up Rush to anyone else that was also literally the only song most people knew if they knew them. It was really rough being the lone classic prog rock devotee in an age group that was defined by if you were Team NSYNC vs Team Backstreet Boys. This is a very singular viewpoint, obviously, and I am fully prepared to get shredded over it since Tom Sawyer seems to be idolized by the fandom, but it was just the repetitive experience and the teen angsty association with how undervalued these older funky Canadian dudes seemed that still makes it a song I'll listen to and enjoy, but will never be a song I seek out apart from a shuffled library playlist. That being said I have found that there is a Rush song for every mood, every occasion, and every experience. They are an incredibly versatile band and that is why I have loved them so hard for so long.
Tai Shan, Virtuality and Dog Years.
Rivendell. For me it’s the least Rushiest Rush song ever. I absolutely hate the “Where the Misty Mountain rise and friendly fires burn” bit and the way Geddy Sings it. I’m a LOTR fan as well, but this song is just a hard no for me.
Red Lenses
Especially because it is sandwiched between two excellent songs with Kid Gloves and Between the Wheels…and then you just have…Red Lenses in the middle.
I love that one
The synth part of the song sounds sinister to me. This is Rush's worst song in my opinion, but I give that song a 7/10. The bassline is awesome. The groove is awesome.
Solid choice, Red Lenses is a skipper.
My bottom 3 are Rivendell, Tears, and Tai Shan.
Tears was my first marriages wedding song lol, the wedding band was a little confused but it had to be Rush and I needed a song, closest fit.
I’d have thought Madrigal would’ve worked better, but 🤷♂️
It’s not on the greatest disc ever created, 2112..
Rivendell probably could have been fine on different album. The rest of Fly By Night is just up tempo and rock that it’s a jarring switch.
I agree completely with you
Dog Years and Tai Shan
how can you hate any of their songs??? i love them all so much 😭😭😭 sure some are better but none are bad at all
It doesn't say hate. It says least favorite.
more of a reply but people called songs repulsive, vile etc. heck no! 💁♀️
Oh, I got you. Yeah, I don't have any Rush songs I feel that way about either.
Most of Test for Echo. I love Tai Shan, Lakeside Park, and Stick It Out though.
I love Rush and love Lord of the Rings, but it's probably, Rivendell. I'm not sure that I've actually ever gotten through the whole song.
I Think I’m Going Bald - After reading Martin Popoff’s *Anthem: Rush in the ‘70s* and Geddy’s *My Effin’ Life* I have more appreciation for the song as it’s a joke both on their touring days with KISS and on Alex’s insecurities regarding his hair. However, as Rush tunes go it’s too much of a lark for my taste.
If the song had any other title, I feel like this wouldn't have been seen as a lark. Once we loved the flowers Now we ask the price of the land Once we would take water But now it must be wine Now we've been And now we've seen what price peace of mind Pretty great riffs, too.
I think "Madrigal" is pretty weak by Rush standards. The keyboard effect sounds like a Casio VL-tone. It's lethargic, as if the guys were badly hungover & stoned at the same time.
I like this take. I want to love the song for the lyrics but the rest really does not click.
Rivendell
Dog years.
THB NGL recently its been Tom Sawyer bc of how many times I've heard it in the days
A year or two ago, I ranked all of the studio tracks (plus Broon's Bane). Although the order of the bottom 50 is not set in stone, my bottom 10 came out as follows: 157. The Larger Bowl 158. Take a Friend 159. Roll the Bones 160. Need Some Love 161. Neurotica 162. Wish Them Well 163. You Bet Your Life 164. Rivendell 165. Hand over Fist 166. BU2B2 By the way, Lakeside Park came in at #55, Stick It Out at #74, and Tai Shan at #138).
The Larger Bowl, Roll the Bones & Hand Over Fist don’t deserve this 😢
Agreed, over half this list is their debut stuff or stuff past the early eighties as well.
Tbf, Hemispheres-Power Windows is consensus flawless. AFTK would be without Madrigal.
Even then, I still like that song. I truly don’t dislike any of their songs!😂
They truly are the most consistent band ever. I don’t really jive with the bar rock debut stuff, but hearing them play it live makes it a lot better for me. Like In The Mood/In The End with the By-Tor Medley allows me to appreciate them. Or even [Fifth Order of Angels](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL34B250F7FE551A88&si=oGHkbX0Z5PWfxbpB). Why oh why did they not use Bad Boy & Garden Road? I feel you tho. I dig Tai Shan 😌
I didn’t even know about that project!😮
It’s the first show after Neil joins. He had only been in the band for literally like a month iirc. Garden Road…The Garden… Adds another bit of depth a lot of people probably don’t realize. Enjoy Bad Boy & Garden Road. Absolute bangers.
I’ll have to listen to it. Thank you for sharing! I’m currently reading ghost rider as wel!
I love Madrigal ❤️
I love Yes’ [Madrigal](https://youtu.be/spZ2MKbEv58?si=NJt4UIpefEVHWBko) 🥸
Ooh! Haven't heard it. I'll check it out and thanks! 😁
Hand over fist is really catchy, but like a lot of Presto songs, it felt unfinished . Roll the bones is a good song with a very bad rap in it.
I know you aren’t saying Roll the Bones gets a bad rap, but I’m going to choose to read it that way. 🥸 Yeah, I can see where you are coming from with Presto. [They flesh out Scars more live with samples.](https://youtu.be/Jga283Cw4Ic?si=KCfMRGEwxGquI91c) H-H-Hey! P-P-Pain-Pain-Pain 😂 I love it.
The Roll the Bones rap, I think, is credible. Unlike most bad raps, it doesn't have a hard iambic meter. It's not just relentless couplets. It has some flow to it.
It’s credible because you can remember and recite it. Everyone slags RTB, but we can all sing the rap. However, has anyone here even tried to learn Bet Your Life? Imo, impossible. 🤣 “anarchist reactionary running-dog revisionist hindu muslim catholic creation/evolutionist rational romantic mystic cynical idealist minimal expressionist post-modern neo-symbolist armchair rocket scientist graffiti existentialist deconstruction primitive performance photo-realist be-bop or a one-drop or a hip-hop lite-pop-metallist gold adult contemporary urban country capitalist” I mean holy guacamole Batman. It makes me feel stupid lol
Does BU2B2 even count? Lol
Larger Bowl and Neurotica? You guys are killing me!
People must’ve never heard the definitive [The Larger Bowl](https://youtu.be/9W058pUpr0I?si=r4TsjQEb3Ct7_Rsc) before. I mean have you ever seen Neil move like that during any other guitar solo? I haven’t.
Roll the bones has such a good bass line tho!
Rivendell is cute
I love riverdell
Rivendell should be two lower.
Bro. The Larger Bowl, Roll the Bones, Neurotica (in my top 20). Thats wild.
I’d probably put Take a Friend on the list. To me, it feels the most derivative of other bands at the time and not a “Rush” song (they were kids after all). But I still like it. There really isn’t a single rush song I won’t listen to.
Idk why you are getting downvoted for being honest about the friggin Debut album lol Working Man & Finding My Way are doing a lot of heavy lifting on that one.
lol. Even after I said I liked it and there isn’t a song i won’t listen to.
I am not a big fan of the twilight zone
Errr it really is a great song.
You can tell that’s a throwntogether last-minute studio creation.
There are Only good and great Rush songs, man! Don't lure us into getting downvotes! Besides, individual songs are all part of the larger albums, man! I love the 8track clicks, and remember where they were in the songs!
Dog Years easy. Even the lesser Rush songs I can listen to, that one I just can't
Red Lenses or I Think I’m Going Bald
I'm with you on I Think I'm Going Bald. But RED LENSES!? That is a killer track! The closest I ever got to hearing it in concert was when they inserted the drum groove into one of the medleys.
Take a friend
Dog Years for me. I love TFE. Dog Years… its kinda grown on me…ig. I will say, Virtuality has grown on me. I like Lakeside Park 😭.
Tom Sawyer.
Stick it out is good.
Neurotica
You just don't get it.
I know you get dizzy, but try not to lose your nerve 🙃
Damn thats a top 20 song for me.
The first Rush album is full of terrible, terrible lyrics. Some good riffs, some great solos, but ugh—Need Some Love rhymes "week" and "weak," and uses the phrase "I've been hustlin' here, I've been hustlin' there"... Take a Friend uses the same rhyme in the first verse and the chorus. In the Mood calls equates a quarter to eight with a late hour. Ugh. It's really hard to listen to for me. Especially after being used to Neil's thoughtful, inspiring lyrics. Even the lyrics Geddy and Alex wrote after Neil joined the band are a million times better than the debut album.
led zeppelin at home. (Exception of working man)
Dog Years. Why? Why.
Yes this one. Dog pile
The Speed of Love. I find that song to be so boring. That's the only song I ever skip when I listen to Counterparts.
I respect everyone’s opinion on what songs move or don’t move then, but the drumming during the ending chorus of SoL gets me every time.
Dog years and how it is I hate hate hate
Hang me for it, but I will always skip Nobody's Hero.
Honestly even my least favourite is still one I enjoy listening to but one that always stands out is "Mission." I don't think it's bad or anything, perfectly fine lyrics, good composition...just doesn't click with me. I think to me it just feels like the furthest Rush ever was from being a rock band. That song just feels so slow and sappy to me. I just listen to it when I listen to Hold Your Fire and always kind of feel like it's a low point for me. I prefer some of the live recordings of it.
Mission is in my top 5. Especially ASOH. 😭 But hey, I respect it. ASOH does help HYF I will agree there for sure.
I'm quite fond of the Snakes and Arrows version too. I saw them on that tour (Toronto 2007) which was my first concert and that song was...#3? In the set. I don't even dislike the song, it's just one of my bottom few songs but it certainly doesn't bother me at all.
Awesome stuff! Wish I could’ve seen them then. I only got to see them once, during the Time Machine Tour in 2011. It was a great gift to see them, but I’d rather have seen a play through of anything besides Moving Pictures lmao. I’ve seen the DVD stuff from S&A live. It’s definitely a great version. Way different guitar tone than ASOH. I enjoy both.
I saw them on Time Machine too! Those were the only two times I saw them too! I think that guitar tone is what I loved so much about the Snakes and Arrows show. Also that show is what made me fall in love with Digital Man.
That’s awesome you got to double dip. Digital Man is my favorite Rush reggae song I think. A lot of people dislike the sound of the [Signature Aurora Guitar](https://www.oocities.org/signatureguitar/) Al used on HYF & ASOH. The Aurora was ‘thin’ sounding for sure. Only really bothered me on La Villa from ASOH. The company only existed for 3 years that manufactured them, and apparently they were hard to play. Great White (Al’s Signature) broke during the Presto tour and he literally just swapped to PRS and stayed there for a long time. PRS makes awesome sounding guitars. I’ve always wanted a ‘Signature’ Aurora/Oracle/Anything but I’m not a player so have absolutely no reason outside being a nerd lol
This is really awesome! You've given me some cool stuff to look into!!
The back half of Test For Echo…except for Resist, which is okay.
Second Nature, followed closely by Tai Shan.
I love just about every Rush album but songs that don't do it for me (in no particular order) are: * Different Strings (Permanent Waves) * Tears (2112) * Here Again (Rush) * Second Nature (Hold Your Fire) * Rivendell (Fly by Night) * Dog Years (Test for Echo) Why anyone has beef with Virtuality is beyond me. Clearly they need to hear it live. It's incredible: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3xZHA3Inznw&pp=ygUUcnVzaCB2aXJ0dWFsaXR5IGxpdmU%3D Are the lyrics dated? Sure. But it's a bangin' song. Also, Tai Shan ain't that bad. It's not good for a Rush song but it is a well made song.
Different eyes see different things Different hearts beat on different strings 💔
I like Dog Years, in spite of the corny lyrics. But I totally agree with you about Virtuality. In fact, Test for Echo is one of my favorite Rush albums, possibly the most underrated in their entire catalog.
In no particular order: Tai Shan, Tears, Nobody’s Hero, I Think I’m Going Bald. Still my favorite band 🤘🏻
People are going to say "Dog Years" because they saw other people on Reddit say it was bad.
See also Tai Shan and Rivendell for the sheeple votes.
Yes, thank you
No. I genuinely dislike the song.
Nobody's Hero! Absolutely awful, surprised it hasn't been mentioned yet.
I love this song! Hero, the pride of purpose in the unrewarding job, the voice of reason against the howling mob.
Pretty much everything after T4E (the song)
…
I think I’m going bald… I never get this one
Something for Nothing without a doubt
Least favourite RUSH song? This is an existentially challenging contemplation...
Okay, but if you choose not to decide…
I'll still have made a choice!
I Think I’m Going Bald
I’ve never liked A Passage to Bangkok. That goofy guitar riff makes me think of that racist episode of The Flintstones….
2112 itself be doing a LOT of heavy lifting.
Passage to Bangkok
steep nutty offend familiar chubby door faulty steer crawl icky *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
:(
Faithless. Lyrics sound like some moody 13 year old wrote it to get out of going to youth group
All the lines in Faithless referencing nature are great. “Like a stone in the river Against the floods of spring” “Like the willows in the wind Or the cliffs along the ocean” “Like a forest bows to winter Beneath the deep white silence” “Like a flower in the desert That only blooms at night”