Know your place in life is where you want to be
Don't let them tell you that you owe it all to me
Keep on looking forward; no use in looking 'round
Hold your head above the ground and they won't bring you down
Anthem of the heart and anthem of the mind
A funeral dirge for eyes gone blind
We marvel after those who sought
New wonders in the world, wonders in the world,
Wonders in the world they wrought.
Live for yourself -- there's no one else
More worth living for
Begging hands and bleeding hearts will
Only cry out for more
Well, I know they've always told you
Selfishness was wrong
Yet it was for me, not you, I
Came to write this song
Don't let them tell you that you owe it all to me
Keep on looking forward; no use in looking 'round
Hold your head above the ground and they won't bring you down
A funeral dirge for eyes gone blind
We marvel after those who sought
New wonders in the world, wonders in the world,
Wonders in the world they wrought.
More worth living for
Begging hands and bleeding hearts will
Only cry out for more
Selfishness was wrong
Yet it was for me, not you, I
Came to write this song
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This song is amazing. This song makes you realize how amazing Geddy Lee's voice is. Its so original, yet so amazing. He has such a unique voice but its unbelievable. I heard about how Rush dedicated some of their stuff to Ayn Rand and I would be very interested to read some of her stuff. I love Neil Pearts lyrics and themes so I would think I would like her type of work.
But this song is amazing, and I think the lyrics are good. I dont no what your talking about Brat Moj, but the meaning to me is your mind and heart will get you where you want to be in life. It's ok to be selfish sometimes becuase you should live for you. Strive for yourself, and do what you want to do in life. At least that is what I got from the song. I think the music is just amazing. Neil Peart and Alex Lifeson do a great job in this song....the beat is amazing and the ending just blows you away....I love it...No band will ever be like Rush...they are seriously one of a kind....
@steel07 thats interesting about Ayn Rand, I think I knew about that. I have idolized Rush over the years but I found out you got to be careful that your idols idols are not necessarily folks to be idolized. At least from what I gather about Ayn Rand. I don't think her ideas were anything special. ... http://activatecomix.com/162-1-1.comic
@steel07 thats interesting about Ayn Rand, I think I knew about that. I have idolized Rush over the years but I found out you got to be careful that your idols idols are not necessarily folks to be idolized. At least from what I gather about Ayn Rand. I don't think her ideas were anything special. ... http://activatecomix.com/162-1-1.comic
(http://activatecomix.com/162-1-1.comic)
(http://activatecomix.com/162-1-1.comic)
Brat's clearly thinks we should be one collective/hive, like a hedge row where the tallest branches are pruned to be the same height as the slower growing branches. A very unnatural condition.
Brat's clearly thinks we should be one collective/hive, like a hedge row where the tallest branches are pruned to be the same height as the slower growing branches. A very unnatural condition.
Any Rand supported individualism, allowing people to fail or succeed based on their effort, talent, choices, etc. In her childhood in Russia, she saw the horrors of Comrade Lenin's tactics firsthand, all in the name of "the people". She escaped to the United States and spent the rest of her life promoting freedom and celebrating individuals. http://aynrandlexicon.com/lexicon/socialism.html
Any Rand supported individualism, allowing people to fail or succeed based on their effort, talent, choices, etc. In her childhood in Russia, she saw the horrors of Comrade Lenin's tactics firsthand, all in the name of "the people". She escaped to the United States and spent the rest of her life promoting freedom and celebrating individuals. http://aynrandlexicon.com/lexicon/socialism.html
Brat Mo clearly thinks we should be one collective/hive, like a hedge row where the tallest branches are pruned to be the same height as the slower growing branches. A very unnatural condition.
Brat Mo clearly thinks we should be one collective/hive, like a hedge row where the tallest branches are pruned to be the same height as the slower growing branches. A very unnatural condition.
Any Rand supported individualism, allowing people to fail or succeed based on their effort, talent, choices, etc. In her childhood in Russia, she saw the horrors of Comrade Lenin's tactics firsthand, all in the name of "the people". She escaped to the United States and spent the rest of her life promoting freedom and celebrating individuals. http://aynrandlexicon.com/lexicon/socialism.html
Any Rand supported individualism, allowing people to fail or succeed based on their effort, talent, choices, etc. In her childhood in Russia, she saw the horrors of Comrade Lenin's tactics firsthand, all in the name of "the people". She escaped to the United States and spent the rest of her life promoting freedom and celebrating individuals. http://aynrandlexicon.com/lexicon/socialism.html
32 seconds into the song, and Neil Peart has established that he effing means business.
The lyrics "Know your place in life is where you want to be" refers to the fact that everybody with a fully functioning mind is exactly who what and where they are socially, economically, in fact in every facet of life, because in the end that is truly where they want to be. An overweight person chooses that extra jelly donut because they place more value on the pleasure of the moment rather than having an excellent physique. Yet they bemoan their undesireable current circumstance and say that life is not fair. They are exactly where they are because that is truly where they want to be, and their actions reflect that fact. They are unwilling to do the more difficult thing for the long term benefit. If they are in an impoverished state due to lack of employment and subsequently money, they exist in that state because it is acceptable to them given the alternative of working for extra money to have a better life yet they complain that life is not fair and they are unlucky, the fact is they are unwilling to do the more difficult thing and improve their value to the marketplace by improving themselves through education or whatever is necessary to bring them more money. You are who you are and what you are because in the end that is truly where you want to be.
@lethalfirestorm to many, this type of clarity and honesty sounds very harsh. Well stated.
@lethalfirestorm to many, this type of clarity and honesty sounds very harsh. Well stated.
The simple fact is, every one of us is sitting where we are right now, as a result of every choice made in our life up to this very moment. We are all responsible for our own situations in life, no matter what the politicians, salesmen and society may tell you.
The simple fact is, every one of us is sitting where we are right now, as a result of every choice made in our life up to this very moment. We are all responsible for our own situations in life, no matter what the politicians, salesmen and society may tell you.
Best lyrics in rock history
Neil Peart and Ayn Rand have it right. Selfishness, an animal instinct/emotion, promotes self preservation. Without it we would cease to exist, that's why socialism tends to not work. Ultimately, take care of your self first then you will be able take care of the needy ("Begging Hands and Bleeding Hearts..") so hopefully they can get back to taking care of themselves (...will only cry out for more).
I'd recommend starting with the novella Anthem. It's a quick introduction to the philosophy of Ayn Rand, kown as objectivism, which is present in many of Peart's lyrics and themes. Plus, the storyline in 2112 was based off Anthem.
@IRONxxxMAIDEN 44 don't forget The Trees. The idea expressed with "now the trees are all kept equal, by hatchet, axe and saw" truly sums up the Socialist/Collectivist ideal. We cannot allow the successful to grow tall so all must be restricted to the level of the lowest achiever. Bring us all down to the lowest level so "we are all equal" in failure and despair .
@IRONxxxMAIDEN 44 don't forget The Trees. The idea expressed with "now the trees are all kept equal, by hatchet, axe and saw" truly sums up the Socialist/Collectivist ideal. We cannot allow the successful to grow tall so all must be restricted to the level of the lowest achiever. Bring us all down to the lowest level so "we are all equal" in failure and despair .
I can't believe this band isn't in the rock and roll hall of fame already because they are one of the most surreal rock acts of the 1970s and 80s. People ignore anything that comes from Canada unless it's Neil Young, Joni Mitchell or The Band. Being a Canadian myself this really disturbs me. Anyways this song has a spectacular rhythm especially in the intro where Neal Peart plays along with the guitars perfectly. Rush's record label is also called "Anthem" but i'm not sure if the song was made before they signed with anthem. I'd need some confirmation. RUSH FOREVER!
@ Brat Moj: I might be as staunch a fiscal liberal as anyone I know, but I can still keep an open mind, I can get behind a lyric like "Know your place in life is where you want to be" or "Live for yourself -- there's no one else/More worth living for".
The title of this song, "Anthem", is the name of a short story by Ayn Rand that was the thematic inspiration of side one of Rush's later 2112 album. In a nutshell, it's a story of a society wherein individualism is systematically suppressed, where the protagonist rediscovers individual identity. To me, the lyric "Live for yourself, there's no one else more worth living for" sums it up quite nicely.
If you like this song, you should read some of Ayn Rand's work. I would start with The Fountainhead, and then read Atlas Shrugged.
One of their albums, I believe 2112, is dedicated to her.