| Rush – The Fountain Of Lamneth Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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This piece has several different layers of interpretation. It is clearly about the journey through life, but with plenty of psychedelic overtones; a perspective, perhaps, on the journey of life from the psychedelic perspective. I'm hesitant to interpet it so linearly though as many people here have. The lessons of each part of this journey through life can be found not only at their relative linear points (birth, adolescence, etc), but also cumulatively at any one point in a person's life. It is really a brilliant illustration of the fractal nature of our life's journey. For instance: In the Valley shows the individual opening his/her mind to new ideas, to new perspectives, and being joyously overwhelmed by them. Diadicts an Narpits is the contradictory tensions which are drawn as these new ideas seep their way through the ego and into the real world, as we constantly wrestle with ourselves over what is right. No one at the bridge confronts the terrifying idea of ego death, when what we had believed to be true falls away and theres "no one there to steer." Which reminds me of a Tool lyric (Jimmy), which puts quite eloquently, "What was it like to see the face of your own stability suddenly turn away, leaving you with the dead and hopeless?" Note, too, that ego death is often inherently tied with the psychedelic experience (which is part of what can make it so terrifying for someone who isn't ready to embrace that) Panacea illustrates, to me at least, these ephemeral moments of enlightenment which we experience (also very psychedelic, though not strictly so), and we are left in awe of the beauty of ourselves and nature. Then those moments fade as we are drawn back to the drone of life - but "my heart will lie beside you, as my wandering body grieves." Bacchus Plateau echoes back to Diadicts and Narpits, facing contradictory influences, but this time from a more mature, experienced perspective (rather than the dualistic rebellious tendencies of adolescence). We are drawn between our most enlightened moments and our endless days. We long for our own spirituality, but we are almost trapped here. And with neither road seeming truer than the other, this leaves us in confusion. The Fountain sums up the journey pretty well, and I read it as even when you think you've found "the answer," you're left with only more questions and more confusion. Moral being that as much as we stive to reach our goals, it is really the journey that is important, not the ends "the point of a journey is not to arrive" I guess thats just one layer to read it from. I think the whole thing can be read as an LSD trip too. Perhaps implying that life is just one big, long trip in itself. |
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| Rush – Animate Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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"Animate" itself is a pun on the Jungian concepts of anima / animus; the subconscious manifestations of the masculine and feminine. Western culture likes to create dualisms, and gender is no different. As such, the western school of thought is to presume a man is to be fully masculine and a woman to be fully feminine (add into this the cultural distortions of gender thereupon, and you can get a good image of why this becomes problematic). The idea expressed here is to recognize that we possess both masculine and feminine identities and characteristics, and integrate our two halves so that we may become more balanced, complete individuals. "Counterparts" as an album is about seeking balance, internal and external: making peace with yourself and extending that harmony to those around you. It is a very personally mature body of work in this regard. It recognizes that we all have demons that we must embrace (Stick it Out), but also not to let our own problems drag others down and to view others with love and compassion no matter how different they are or what their situation (Nobody's Hero). |
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| Rush – New World Man Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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He is the one pushing forward into the future... the one who rides the wake and feels the ebb and flow. Lost in his fractal boundary, neither here nor there and torn between the push from the old and the pull towards the new, and trying to find himself amidst those tidal forces which surround him. He is independent and free thinking, but keeps an open ear and mind to the noise which is around him. He is the artist and the philosopher. He is the one who deals with the present as it shows itself, and gives his insight back to those around him. The New World Man is the most important in any society because he is the one who pushes everyone else forward, even if begrudgingly or unwittingly. I think this entire album is about the individual, the intellectual and the new world man coming to grips with himself and his wold in the middle of this seemingly chaotic maelstrom of progress. |
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