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The Garden Lyrics
In this one of many possible worlds, all for the best, or some bizarre test?
It is what it is -- and whatever
Time is still the infinite jest
The arrow flies when you dream, the hours tick away -- the cells tick away
The Watchmaker keeps to his schemes
The hours tick away -- they tick away
The measure of a life is a measure of love and respect
So hard to earn, so easily burned
In the fullness of time
A garden to nurture and protect
In the rise and the set of the sun
'Til the stars go spinning -- spinning 'round the night
It is what it is -- and forever
Each moment a memory in flight
The arrow flies while you breathe, the hours tick away -- the cells tick away
The Watchmaker has time up his sleeves
The hours tick away -- they tick away
The treasure of a life is a measure of love and respect
The way you live, the gifts that you give
In the fullness of time
It's the only return that you expect
The future disappears into memory
With only a moment between
Forever dwells in that moment
Hope is what remains to be seen
It is what it is -- and whatever
Time is still the infinite jest
The Watchmaker keeps to his schemes
The hours tick away -- they tick away
So hard to earn, so easily burned
In the fullness of time
A garden to nurture and protect
'Til the stars go spinning -- spinning 'round the night
It is what it is -- and forever
Each moment a memory in flight
The Watchmaker has time up his sleeves
The hours tick away -- they tick away
The way you live, the gifts that you give
In the fullness of time
It's the only return that you expect
With only a moment between
Forever dwells in that moment
Hope is what remains to be seen
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As a guy in my early 40's a song like this strikes a chord in me about how I would want to be remembered by friends, family etc.....I am a lifelong Rush fan, and recognize that their lyrics are almost shakespearian in the rock world anyway....listening to this song literally makes you want to be a better man / person etc knowing that you will be judged by your peers and the generations to follow. I leterally was moved to tears the first half dozen times I heard this song.....It also made me reminice about my how my father, passing in is late 50's over 10 years ago, was viewed with such respect and love, as the song so eloquently states......It was an instant favorite for me, right up there with bravado.
That was moving. I completely resonate with your experience and impressions of the band and song.
That was moving. I completely resonate with your experience and impressions of the band and song.
Lol i'm only Thirteen! This is my favorite band of all time though and this song is AMAZING!!! It has a lot of meaning behind it and i think it came from Neil Peart completely because of his family losses...you can tell by "The treasure of a life is a measure of love and respect" and "Time is still the infinite jest" I think that what he's saying is that time passed by so fast with him and that he wished he had more time to spend with his loved ones that passed away.
Lol i'm only Thirteen! This is my favorite band of all time though and this song is AMAZING!!! It has a lot of meaning behind it and i think it came from Neil Peart completely because of his family losses...you can tell by "The treasure of a life is a measure of love and respect" and "Time is still the infinite jest" I think that what he's saying is that time passed by so fast with him and that he wished he had more time to spend with his loved ones that passed away.
That's is an excellent post. I'm a 49 year old, Huge Rush fan since 77 and their lyrics have always resonated through my life. From the moment I used The Trees in a Sociology exam up until today. This song is beautiful and the haunting piano leading into the "Future disappears.." verse then the guitar solo is a truly wonderful passage and more than capable of moving a man to tears...
Like many of Peart's interpretations of various philosophical constructs, this song points out the pointless of what we do through the span of time, yet every moment means something that define who and what we are. It is the ultimate dichotomy. Literally, in universal time, we are nothing more than nanoseconds of nanoseconds of existence, yet even when we take what we do, and look it from the perspective of what happens just before it, and just after it (Peart's moment), these collective moments are meant to define us. For Peart, a solid reputation and being liked/loved by all seems to be the human ideal. Easily destroyed with a singular action(s), we must consciously approach everything we do with deliberate thought so as to make every moment matter. But in the end, Time is the ultimate jest. It doesn't matter.
Treat one another well while we are here, for our time is short. and even for those times we are remembered beyond our mortal coils, we may be lucky enough to have something nice to be remembered by. The human ideal.
Musical poetry has always had a way of asserting and inserting itself in my life at the most appropriate moments, and this beautiful piece is no exception.
No, obviously this song is not about losing your dog, it's about making the best of the short time we all have and trying to learn from our regrets. But as I left the veterinarians office this morning with my friend and companion of 10 years and a cancer diagnosis, the random (is it?) shuffle of my music library cued this song up and moved me to tears.
I love this song, beautiful solo by Alex. To me with all the shit and unhappiness life can bring. We in the moment can still hold on to some of the real things that really matter in life. Tending the garden - life needs constant maintenance.
I played this song at my daughter's wedding for our father-daughter dance. It was one of the most memorable and intimate moments of my life. I couldn't help myself and sang the whole song while dancing with her. It was magic. One of the best moments of my life! Time stood still, it was just me and her, and I was proud and overflowing with love and happiness for her next chapter in life. Powerful.
As Greg R. so eloquently posted, "Treat one another well while we are here, for our time is short. and even for those times we are remembered beyond our mortal coils, we may be lucky enough to have something nice to be remembered by. The human ideal."