Freewill -Rush

Freewill by Rush


There are those who think
That life has nothing left to chance
A host of holy horrors
To direct our aimless dance

A planet of playthings
We dance on the strings of powers we cannot perceive
The stars aren't aligned or the gods are malign
Blame is better to give than receive

You can choose a ready guide in some celestial voice
If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice
You can choose from phantom fears and kindness that can kill
I will choose a path that's clear, I will choose freewill

There are those who think
That they were dealt a losing hand
The cards were stacked against them
They weren't born in Lotus Land

All preordained, a prisoner in chains
A victim of venomous fate
Kicked in the face, you can pray for a place
In heaven's unearthly estate

You can choose a ready guide in some celestial voice
If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice
You can choose from phantom fears and kindness that can kill
I will choose a path that's clear, I will choose freewill

Each of us, a cell of awareness
Imperfect and incomplete
Genetic blends with uncertain ends
On a fortune hunt that's far too fleet

You can choose a ready guide in some celestial voice
If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice
You can choose from phantom fears and kindness that can kill
I will choose a path that's clear, I will choose freewill




Great band and a great song but I had never really paid much attention to the lyrics until recently.

Maybe it's just me but there seems to be a bit of trend when it comes to bands from the 70's & 80's to have songs about something more to this world. Look at Phil Collins song 'Wake up Call'



This is your wake up call
Young hearts be free

Get up, get on, get out about and shout it
Tell 'em all you're dressed and on your way
Oh there's absolutely no doubt about it
This is your wake up call
You're gonna miss it all

Am I the only one out there that's listening?
'Cause it's such a lovely noise that I can hear
Eyes are opening up to all around them
This is their wake up call
They're gonna miss it all

Can you feel what's happening here?
Everything is changing all around you
It's in the air, electricity
Everybody, yes everybody's waking up
Good morning to you

You're not the only one out there who's running
But the man who's sitting next to you's asleep
So pick him up and shake him till he hears you
This is his wake up call
He's gonna miss it all

Can you feel what's happening here?
Everything is changing all around you
It's in the air, electricity
Everybody, yes everybody's waking up
Good morning to you

Those who've done all they can do sleep easy
Those that turn away, they sleep alone
But there's no doubt about it absolutely
Yes, this is your wake up call
You're gonna miss it all

This is your wake up call
I'm talkin' to you
This is your wake up call
You're gonna miss it all

This is your wake up call
You're gonna miss it all
You're gonna miss it
You're gonna miss it all

You're gonna miss it all
I'm talkin' to you
You're gonna miss it all
This is your wake up call
You're gonna miss it all
This is your wake up call

I'm talkin' to you, yeah
This is your wake up call
Yes I am, you're right
This is your wake up call
You and me, we're gonna miss it all
We're gonna miss it
We're gonna miss it all
We're gonna miss it

I'm sure some will just say it's because of the drugs & booze they did & nothing more to it than that but maybe they were able to see more in an altered state?

Either way, enjoy the legendary Canadian band, Rush

Yes!

I will choose free will!

Rush is one of the best bands of all time, hands down.

a reply to: Sabiduria

This thread will probably start growing cobwebs soon, considering Rush is an acquired taste in music.
But me being a musician and a HUGE Rush fan, I'm showing the love.

Thanks for sharing and trying to spread the Word!

a reply to: the_philth

Yea I guess they are an acquired taste after they reinvented themselves.

I was raised on Rush so I love them so much. (My folks raised me on Classic Rock.)

Great song, actually just recently I been listening to more RUSH. Specifically audience sourced recording's of soundboard stuff. I have quite the collection actually and they all sound sweet.

I will choose Tom Sawyer or Limelight!

Neil Peart is a god! - Brian Griffin

a reply to: Sabiduria

Great song! I actually bought a copy last year because I couldn't find my vinyl.

I grew up understanding that questioning authority was the responsibility of each and every one of us.

It used to be the norm, not the basis for a diagnosis of "Oppositional Defiance Disorder" (Yes, I poop you not, that is an actual thing now).

a reply to: tvtexan

Those are great songs too.

Tom Sawyer & Limelight don't have the same meaning behind them like Freewill does & that was what I wanted to talk about in this thread.

Even some bands today have lyrics with a deeper meaning like the bands Muse, Linkin Park, and all three bands of Maynard James Keenan (Tool, Pusicfer & A Perfect Circle.)

a reply to: greencmp

My Dad used to have a great vinyl collection of classic rock but my folks place got busted into & the vinyls were one of the things taken.

I grew up understanding that questioning authority was the responsibility of each and every one of us.

I did too but I surpassed my parents. Both my parents are open minded, my Dad is more willing to accept the stuff I tell him that goes against what he was raised to believe. My Mom tends to hold onto things more & won't change her mind until more people share the same opinion.

It used to be the norm, not the basis for a diagnosis of "Oppositional Defiance Disorder" (Yes, I poop you not, that is an actual thing now).

Yes it is insane that what I grew up knowing ODD as has now been changed to Oppositional Defiance Disorder.

Rush are my favourite band and Neil's drumming is what inspired me to learn the drums.

He is also an excellent lyricist and writer - i've read most of his books and they are very interesting and also amusing at times!

Great song too

Well, since you guys started it, I'll add this fun article and shamelessly pimp my thread.

Why Anti-Authoritarians Are Diagnosed As Mentally Ill

Many moons ago there was a letter to the editor in Circus or Hit Parader magazine. The guy was a guitar playing priest that was going off about Satanism and all that junk that went with it back then. He brought up Freewill as a example. I had only paid attention to the song and it's killer solo section but noticed it had some killer lyrics as well. While it's in your face if you read the lyrics it still took me a while to actually get around to doing that. Some songs, it happens. There's been some that took me ten, twenty or more years before I really "got it".

I recently watched Snakes & Arrows - Live and CMFA Live(that would be Clockwork MoFo Angel's). Pure bliss. There is little I enjoy in this life and Rush is one of those things.