It's not how fast you can go
The force goes into the flow
If you pick up the beat
You can forget about the heat
More than just survival
More than just a flash
More than just a dotted line
More than just a dash
It's a test of ultimate will
The heartbreak climb uphill
Got to pick up the pace
If you want to stay in the race
More than blind ambition
More than simple greed
More than a finish line
Must feed this burning need
In the long run
From first to last
The peak is never passed
Something always fires the light
That gets in your eyes
One moment's high
And glory rolls on by
Like a streak of lightning
That flashes and fades
In the summer sky
Your meters may overload
You can rest at the side of the road
You can miss a stride
But nobody gets a free ride
More than high performance
More than just a spark
More than just the bottom line
Or a lucky shot in the dark
In the long run
You can do a lot in a lifetime
If you don't burn out too fast
You can make the most of the distance
First you need endurance
First you've got to last
The force goes into the flow
If you pick up the beat
You can forget about the heat
More than just survival
More than just a flash
More than just a dotted line
More than just a dash
The heartbreak climb uphill
Got to pick up the pace
If you want to stay in the race
More than blind ambition
More than simple greed
More than a finish line
Must feed this burning need
In the long run
The peak is never passed
Something always fires the light
That gets in your eyes
One moment's high
And glory rolls on by
Like a streak of lightning
That flashes and fades
In the summer sky
You can rest at the side of the road
You can miss a stride
But nobody gets a free ride
More than high performance
More than just a spark
More than just the bottom line
Or a lucky shot in the dark
In the long run
If you don't burn out too fast
You can make the most of the distance
First you need endurance
First you've got to last
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
This song analyzes our potential as human beings to desire, create and achieve goals in our "lifetime". The metaphors may be used to reflect our potential as individuals. Neil Peart once explained that this song was inspired by the Chinese proverb "A journey of 1000 miles starts with the first step", that can be associated with "You can do a lot in your lifetime, if you don´t burn out too fast", Peart here is evoking our capacity to understand our pace in Life, be patient and strive for great deeds and to maximize our existence, not with "ambition or greed", but with the joy of achieving our inner dreams. It´s probably the only way to respect our human nature. The main differential with other species is that we have imagination and emotions, why not use this capacities as a trigger for the realization of our mission?
Power Windows = Best Rush Album
i love this song so much. i have it on a work out cd i made and it just keeps me going when im running.
A Rush song that I don't remember liking the first time I heard it, but now that I listened to it a second time it's grown on me.
I agree with floydfan, I didn't like it at first but then started loving it, like most other songs on power windows.
Power Windows is a terribly underrated album - it's definitely their prize from their experimentation with synthesizers and electronics - they still remained edgy, with a rock-taste but had that 80s flare - that flare that defined what the 80s was. I feel that Rush is probably one of those up there that defined the electronic sound of the 80s (sure there were pop artists, heavy metal artists, and dedicated electronic artists, but Rush definitely stood out).
Anyway moving on, I personally didn't like Big Money but it was more of a radio-single than anything profound. But Mystic Rhythms, Marathon and Middletown Dreams are my favourite songs - that kind of cry out to you.
Rush== Pinnacle of 80s Awesomeness. I wish I were about 15 years older just so I could have grown up to Rush: (
personally i think alex is genious on this entire album...yea their 80s stuff went more poppy and geddy loved his synths but alex really shows the emotion he puts into his playing, you can really tell in the solo of this song.
I too, didn't care for the song much, at first...but it has grown to be one of my favorites. I like the live version on A Show of Hands best. That powerful ending is in full force on that one, whereas it fades out on the studio version, and can easily go unnoticed,
I disagree with Number 4. I think Hold Your Fire is their best album...but Power Windows is certainly not too far behind.
As far as the meaning of the lyrics goes, (the whole point of this website, remember?), I think it is pretty self-explanatory in this song. There have been a number of flash-in-the-pans in most fields of endeavor. Brilliant people who came along, with great feats...only to vanish as fast as they appeared. They allowed success to go to their heads, thought themselves invincible...and self-destructed. Sadly, not many stick around and keep producing, year after year.
Rush practised what they preached in this song. They were in it for the long-haul, and did a lot in their lifetime.
to NUMBER 4 ....
top 3 albums for sure, arguably top 2, behind moving pictures...but hemispheres gets a vote...
This song analyzes our potential as human beings to desire, create and achieve goals in our "lifetime". The metaphors may be used to reflect our potential as individuals. Neil Peart once explained that this song was inspired by the Chinese proverb "A journey of 1000 miles starts with the first step", that can be associated with "You can do a lot in your lifetime, if you don´t burn out too fast", Peart here is evoking our capacity to understand our pace in Life, be patient and strive for great deeds and to maximize our existence, not with "ambition or greed", but with the joy of achieving our inner dreams. It´s probably the only way to respect our human nature. The main differential with other species is that we have imagination and emotions, why not use this capacities as a trigger for the realization of our mission?