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Something For Nothing Lyrics
Waiting for the winds of change
To sweep the clouds away
Waiting for the rainbow's end
To cast its gold your way
Countless ways
You pass the days
Waiting for someone to call
And turn your world around
Looking for an answer to
The question you have found
Looking for
An open door
You don't get something for nothing
You don't get freedom for free
You won't get wise
With the sleep still in your eyes
No matter what your dreams might be
What you own is your own kingdom
What you do is your own glory
What you love is your own power
What you live is your own story
In your head is the answer
Let it guide you along
Let your heart be the anchor
And the beat of your own song
It's not: You don't get something for nothing You don't get freedom for free
It's: You don't get something for nothing You can't have freedom for free
This song is a statement that you must work to earn that which you desire, or you will not receive it.
The first two verses describe that which is done commonly. "Waiting for the winds of change/ To sweep the clouds away, etc...." Most people wait for good fortune to come to them, they are looking for an open door.
Well, the chorus is an answer to this outlook; no matter what it is you want, you won't get it without some kind of effort. Put up or shut up. TANSTAAFL!
~this is another awsome song from this CD ( best rush CD - my opinoin )
~great base in this song too =)
~im definitly suprized to see only 3 commments =\
I agree with TheSuperSpud...your right the song is about having to put some kind of effort to get what you want in life. You can't just take the easy way out or "looking for an open door" ...life just doesn't work that way...
in order to have a good life, have a good house, job, etc...you must work at it, you wont just get wise/smart/rich if your lazy or don't do anything....the song shows one that they should strive to reach the life they want
This is one of my favorite Rush songs because it has my all-time favorite quote... "In your head is the answer Let it guide you along Let your heart be the anchor And the beat of your song"
that quote right there shows what the whole song is about; how one should live their life use your head/your brain/your mind/ your ego to get you where you want in life; use that as your "answer"
and I LOVE the comparison of your heart being your "anchor"...its so original and so true...an anchor, yes is something that docks a ship, but its also defined as a source of security, stability, and support....is that not what love is?
when your in love you feel stable/ secure with that person...if you follow your heart it will lead you to that path of love....
i also LOVE how Rush compares your life being a song, "and the beat of your own song" this maybe a stretch but I think it means, a song that is written by you; the lyrics represent what YOU do with your life...the BEAT is the emotional/love factor that your heart provides
Rush is my favorite band ever....I just dont think lyrics like this song or Cinderella Man, or Xanadu, or Closer to the Heart....can get any better
Wow, I can't believe no one has commented on this song. I bet that is a new saying. Well to me this song means that you have to live with what you get. And when you do get something, you owe something in return. "You don't get somethign for nothing, you don't get freedom for free." Well that is what it means to me.
Definitely my favorite lines in the song:
What you own is your own kingdom What you do is your own glory What you love is your own power What you live is your own story
Your life is YOUR story, nobody else's. Thats what this song is trying to say! Live your own lives! Don't rely on other people and follow your heart!
"Let your heart be the anchor And the beat to your own song!"
Its a call to find "your particular" inner monads divine will for your life. Its the need for us to come into contact with the consciousness of god so that our will-power over sensual desires that overwhelm us in our sensory being in this day and age. That is the metaphor "you won't get wise with the sleep still in your eyes" its not about laziness it is reference to most people sleepwalking letting their animal nature guide them forming haze eluded to the first opening line. Waiting for the winds of change to sweep the clouds away. This...
Its a call to find "your particular" inner monads divine will for your life. Its the need for us to come into contact with the consciousness of god so that our will-power over sensual desires that overwhelm us in our sensory being in this day and age. That is the metaphor "you won't get wise with the sleep still in your eyes" its not about laziness it is reference to most people sleepwalking letting their animal nature guide them forming haze eluded to the first opening line. Waiting for the winds of change to sweep the clouds away. This is related to the spirit of god is described as wind. It is the classic quest for the grail. Seek and you shall find. Build and they will come. Its like a force feedback loop from the 10 emanations of Gods aspects known as the tree of life. With regards to the heart comment posted by the previous comment. One can also look at what the bible says of the heart. It talk of replacing the heart or making it new. It never says to heal it. It says to guard your heart above your life, that it is easily corrupt. This cannot mean that it is bad just that the forces that it works with are powerful. It influenced by the thought-form that roosts in the blood and sexual fluids. If you have within it lust then you are a sucker too. pound a few out and see if the lust is still attached to the fucker. If so drop it like its hot and get a new one from al-fredo harturi
Definitely one of Neil Peart's most preachy songs. Peart was an Ayn Rand adept and you really hear it coming through in this song. In reality, Rush was an "open door" for Peart. He learned about the opportunity to audition for Rush through an associate. He was "looking for" such an opportunity at that time. The band was not his invention. It's worth noting because "open doors" are a necessary component in anyone's success.
The risk with Rand, and with what Peart might suggest to some with this song, is an idealized self-hero worship that's a little out of touch with reality. Something tells me Peart would be the first to agree with me. Rush would probably be nowhere without Gene Simmons of Kiss who invited the band to tour with them in the early 1970s when Rush was an almost unknown one-hit wonder with their tune Working Man. Another open door. Success is not made of whole cloth or pure toil.
No doubt Peart is talking from some experience. He is clearly a guy who has worked very hard to develop his talent. You just know that he met lots of other drummers while in school who had much different ideas about how they would be successful. He was also blessed with a profound talent. Good for him. He is one who could afford to go with his heart and it eventually panned out pretty damn well!
One of the greatest rock tunes of all time for its positive import. Taken to heart in the right spirit it could be very motivating and awakening. It honors the unique self on its journey and the necessity of sustained effort. The other comments here did a pretty good job of covering the details. Hopefully there will be more.
@gifthorselyrics Meh. Peart busted his but for years and developed himself into the person who could open that door and walk through it to become the drummer for Rush. It wasn't a gift. Kiss was not an open door either. In 1975, Fly by Night won the Juno award. The follow-up, Caress of Steel disdained by both fans & critics. Peart responded by penning "2112" in 1976. The album, despite record company indifference, became their breakthrough. Hard work pays off!
@gifthorselyrics Meh. Peart busted his but for years and developed himself into the person who could open that door and walk through it to become the drummer for Rush. It wasn't a gift. Kiss was not an open door either. In 1975, Fly by Night won the Juno award. The follow-up, Caress of Steel disdained by both fans & critics. Peart responded by penning "2112" in 1976. The album, despite record company indifference, became their breakthrough. Hard work pays off!
@Farranger: You're right. If you, or Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, had been left to write this song, that's what the lyrics would have said: "Hard work pays off, baby. Yeah, whoa Yeah! Hard work pays off, baby baby!" The song title would be "Hard Work Pays," not Something for Nothing. Neil did transform the character of the band even when he was inspired by Ayn Rand's bullshit. Rush went from being a couple of Toronto dorks with guitars trying to sing about chicks and other masculine themes to being an art band over night. Neil Peart was an open...
@Farranger: You're right. If you, or Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, had been left to write this song, that's what the lyrics would have said: "Hard work pays off, baby. Yeah, whoa Yeah! Hard work pays off, baby baby!" The song title would be "Hard Work Pays," not Something for Nothing. Neil did transform the character of the band even when he was inspired by Ayn Rand's bullshit. Rush went from being a couple of Toronto dorks with guitars trying to sing about chicks and other masculine themes to being an art band over night. Neil Peart was an open door to another dimension for the fledgling Rush.
@Farranger: Here's another open door story about Rush you might appreciate.
@Farranger: Here's another open door story about Rush you might appreciate.
During the Grace Under Pressure tour I won two tickets and backstage passes in a KQRS 92 call in contest. You had to be caller number 9 or 2. I was caller number 9. Backstage Neil was nowhere to be found. It was almost an afterthought when I realized we weren't going to meet him because the other guys were so much fun and easy to talk to. They were mostly clowning around the whole time and razzing us about the Minnesota Twins. There were lots of people milling...
During the Grace Under Pressure tour I won two tickets and backstage passes in a KQRS 92 call in contest. You had to be caller number 9 or 2. I was caller number 9. Backstage Neil was nowhere to be found. It was almost an afterthought when I realized we weren't going to meet him because the other guys were so much fun and easy to talk to. They were mostly clowning around the whole time and razzing us about the Minnesota Twins. There were lots of people milling about including press and local radio personalities plus the number 2 callers who were snapping photos of Geddy and Alex like fools.
So while we were backstage bouncing around like pin balls we decided to explore. We went off limits down a quiet corridor and that's when I stumbled into a very cluttered Rush dressing room.
There I found Alex Lifeson's sock which I still have framed and hanging on my bedroom wall. Yes, I stole your sock Alex. So if you ever wondered what happened to it. That was me. I stuffed it down my pants and walked back to the car. I couldn't help it. I'll never part with it. It's one of my prized possessions.
It's a white cotton crew athletic sock and has the Rush starman logo printed on both ankles in black. It's fuckin cool. And it's got LERXST written in magic marker on the sole, that's how I know it was his.
And that's how I know about open doors. They do exist. You should look for them. And you should walk through them when they appear. Neil, Alex, and Geddy understand this basic principle of success very well. And now Alex knows not to leave a door unlocked if he values his socks.
@gifthorselyrics @gifthorselyrics yeah I agree with others. Rush was not an "open door" for Neil. He busted his ass to be good enough to audition for them. If that was my "open door", guess what? I would not have been hired! The reason why he was hired was because he put a LOT of work into what he did. He had a love of music and a love of playing drums. He didn't just walk into the job! Truly lifee works like that. The more you put into it, the more you get out of it. Lay around on the floor,...
@gifthorselyrics @gifthorselyrics yeah I agree with others. Rush was not an "open door" for Neil. He busted his ass to be good enough to audition for them. If that was my "open door", guess what? I would not have been hired! The reason why he was hired was because he put a LOT of work into what he did. He had a love of music and a love of playing drums. He didn't just walk into the job! Truly lifee works like that. The more you put into it, the more you get out of it. Lay around on the floor, do nothing, and see what happens to you. If he didn't make it with Rush, or even in music, he still would have been successful. He had the aptitude to be successful. Even if he stayed at that shop in St Catherine's with his dad he would have been successful.
I must add that I like the wordplay in this song. From wind and clouds to rainbow and (pot of) gold. From call to answer to answer of questions. From sleep to dreams. The words kingdom, power, glory, and story all fit well together. And yes, I can read into it an Ayn Rand influence and Objectivism, but I prefer the simpler and more direct take - don't sit around and wait for the world to come to you and solve your problems, go out and solve your own problems. Don't wait for someone to give you what you think you deserve, rather go out and earn it (what you want) or take it (opportunities). It is certainly a message that I need to hear from time to time, that I think we can all use being reminded of.
Farts! It's about farts people. You all read too much into it! :)
I always thought 2112 was overrated. 2112 itself is good but, all the songs on side two are filler. I think that Caress Of Steel had much better short songs + The Necromancer than 2112. I'm thinking that 2112 and The Fountain Of Lamneth are a tie though. Still, did these guys put out a mediocre album before 2002? No!