In a world lit only by fire
Long train of flares under piercing stars
I stand watching the steamliners roll by
The caravan thunders onward
To the distant dream of the city
The caravan carries me onward
On my way at last
On my way at last
I can't stop thinking big
I can't stop thinking big
On a road lit only by fire
Going where I want, instead of where I should
I peer out at the passing shadows
Carried through the night into the city
Where a young man has a chance of making good
A chance to break from the past
The caravan thunders onward
Stars winking through the canvas hood
On my way at last
I can't stop thinking big
I can't stop thinking big
In a world where I feel so small,
I can't stop thinking big
Long train of flares under piercing stars
I stand watching the steamliners roll by
To the distant dream of the city
The caravan carries me onward
On my way at last
On my way at last
I can't stop thinking big
Going where I want, instead of where I should
I peer out at the passing shadows
Carried through the night into the city
Where a young man has a chance of making good
A chance to break from the past
The caravan thunders onward
Stars winking through the canvas hood
On my way at last
I can't stop thinking big
In a world where I feel so small,
I can't stop thinking big
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
I feel like what it's doing is combining old and modern settings to tell something. A caravan is probably mostly used when talking about the Oregon Trail. And really, the Oregon trail was for one thing. To accomplish dreams.
I mean, there's a lot of parallels. "In a world lit only by fire." Yah, they didn't really have electricity. "A long train of flares." Caravans would travel in trains. "Going where I want, instead of where I should." It would probably be more common and safer to stay in civilization. But they didn't! They had dreams and aspirations, and they were "Thinking Big!"
But I find it interesting that it talks about the "city". There weren't cities on the Oregon Trail. So this is probably where a modern setting comes in. The city is a major focal point of a lot of rush songs. And why shouldn't it be? The city is so fascinating.
So basically, this song is to inspire us to go for our dreams, no matter how many trials you may come across, and no matter what the norm is.
Yeh this song really rocks, really like the new sound they have been goin with since snakes and arrows. As for its meaning I think the caravan is a metaphor for the band as a whole going forward and pressing on. Something else I thought of was the movie back to the future with the the lyric on a road lit only by fire. The time travel theme would work with my theory of them as a whole looking to the future and thinking bigger and bigger with their music.
You're exactly right.
You're exactly right.
It's a song about the band and how they've pressed forward in the face of adversity (Neil's tragedy and much criticism for the mainstream) and how they've never stopped "thinking big" and doing what they "want instead of what they should".
Speaks to Rush's uniqueness and power as a band that has existed and flourished slightly on the outside. Very deep.
great comment!
great comment!
Neil writes so with many common threads, multi-leveled,and semi-thematically, as usual. The two previous comments here sum up this great rocking song so eloquently. I can’t wait to see the second leg of the Time Machine Tour and the DVD likely to come out later. The band is planning to film it in Cleveland (as most of you know) and the first DVD filmed in the USA. Cleveland is where they got their big break and ironically the home of the Rock and Roll Hall of -facade. I’m from that region of the country originally (Youngstown, Oh) and those fans are always really fired up for RUSH !Also I love the seemingly histornic hard rocking aspect and the interesting rhythm section in the later half of this one too! What an awesome and entertaining band.
What an awesome song. Gives me the chills. (The whole CD does...!) I see this simply as following your heart and dreams despite adversity. I picture myself on my way to achieving all my dreams despite how lofty many may believe they are. Barreling down fire lined roads in a caravan, alone, but somehow laying in the back seat, gazing at the stars with a feeling of enthralling uneasiness and determination and the anticipation of the life I'm eternally dedicated to crafting by my own hand.
It touches on a pervading theme in Neil's lyrics of Objectivism and individuality, a large portion of it seemingly inspired by the writings of Ayn Rand.
Unreal. Rush and Neil's lyrics are just unreal. Love, Geddycorn
No comments yet? Both these new Rush tunes are fuckin great.
Yeh this song really rocks, really like the new sound they have been goin with since snakes and arrows. As for its meaning I think the caravan is a metaphor for the band as a whole going forward and pressing on. Something else I thought of was the movie back to the future with the the lyric on a road lit only by fire. The time travel theme would work with my theory of them as a whole looking to the future and thinking bigger and bigger with their music.
Yeh this song really rocks, really like the new sound they have been goin with since snakes and arrows. As for its meaning I think the caravan is a metaphor for the band as a whole going forward and pressing on. Something else I thought of was the movie back to the future with the the lyric on a road lit only by fire. The time travel theme would work with my theory of them as a whole looking to the future and thinking bigger and bigger with their music.
This is the best they can do now? I'm one of the hugest Rush fans and like all their mood changes but, everything Vapor Trails and after is mediocre and anyone who disagrees is kidding themselves. The live show aren't over but, the music is. There albums used to be different! Moving Pictures and Signals for example. Vapor Trail to now has sounded exactly the same.
It's not that bad. I'd prefer some more variety too, but the music is still good.
It's not that bad. I'd prefer some more variety too, but the music is still good.
This album rocks.
This album rocks.
@digitalman The only person "kidding themselves" is you and your small mind and can't appreciate that the band has changed with the times and improved their sound!.You say "I'm one of the hugest Rush fans and like all their mood changes but, everything Vapor Trails and after is mediocre and anyone who disagrees is kidding themselves".And to say everything now sounds the same is absolutely ridiculous ,it's obvious you're not a real fan and that's good, or sad ,cause if you were you'd be at the bottom , us real fans grow with the band not complain that it's...
@digitalman The only person "kidding themselves" is you and your small mind and can't appreciate that the band has changed with the times and improved their sound!.You say "I'm one of the hugest Rush fans and like all their mood changes but, everything Vapor Trails and after is mediocre and anyone who disagrees is kidding themselves".And to say everything now sounds the same is absolutely ridiculous ,it's obvious you're not a real fan and that's good, or sad ,cause if you were you'd be at the bottom , us real fans grow with the band not complain that it's not like Moving Pictures a great album, they're just not that kind of band ,and I'm thankful for that,it's just too bad you didn't grow up like they did!