#RUSH

Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About #RUSH's 1981 Hit #Limelight (But Were Afraid To Ask)... A deep dive from a #songwriting, #arrangement & #composition perspective.

00:00 - prologue
02:40 - intro
07:15 - riff & verses
10:15 - chorus
18:10 - the big solo
20:10 - outro
22:45 - the band’s influences
24:50 - Rush songwriting
28:10 - imagining the composition
31:07 - reimagining the composition
38:00 - other artists’ arrangements
42:34 - final what-ifs
46:10 - epilogue

SOURCES...

Books—
"My Effin' Life" by Geddy Lee
"Traveling Music" by Neil Peart
"Limelight: Rush in the 80's" by Martin Popoff
"Rush: Wandering The Face of the Earth" by Skip Daly and Eric Hansen

DVDs—
"Classic Albums: the Making of 2112 & Moving Pictures"
"Rush Behind The Lighted Stage"
Neil Peart "Taking Center Stage"
Rush "Time Machine Live"
Rush "Snakes and Arrows Live"
Rush "Exit Stage Left"
Rush "Rush in Rio"

Websites—
https://www.Rush.com
https://www.Cygnus-X1.net
https://www.rushisaband.com

YT Channels—
‪@StickHits‬
‪@pat_finnerty‬
‪@12tone‬
‪@AdamNeely‬
‪@RickBeato‬
‪@JCM-LedZeppelin-Stories‬
‪@TheCharismaticVoice‬
‪@Rushfans‬
‪@YogevGabay‬
‪@DrumeoOfficial‬
‪@8020drummer‬
‪@pdbass‬
‪@ChananHanspal‬
‪@AndrewRooneyDrums‬
‪@GeorgeCollier‬

Movie Clips—
Monty Python's Flying Circus, Alice in Wonderland, The Hangover, Avengers Endgame, The Royal Tenenbaums, Young Frankenstein

YT videos—
iVideo tutorial by Alex Lifeson:    • How to Play Limelight by RUSH on Guitar  
Live performances:
   • RUSH In 4K - "Limelight" Live Soundch...  
   • Rush - Limelight  
   • Limelight - Rush - Live - Lyrics  
   • Rush - Limelight  
   • Limelight Soundcheck from the Rush 20...  
   • Billy Corgan Live at the RSA | Tonigh...  
   • RUSH - The Spirit Of Radio - Live In ...  
   • Neil Peart Faster Than...  
   • Tragically Hip - Limelight - (Rush Co...  
Tutorials:
   • The Genius Of Neil Peart  
   • Neil Peart - Taking Center Stage: Lim...  
   • How To Play The G#7sus4 Chord On Guit...  
   • Rush - Limelight (Bass Cover with Tab)  
   • Neil Peart - Taking Center Stage: Lim...  
   • What Makes this Song Great? "Limeligh...  
   • Greatest Riffs: „No Quarter“ Led Zepp...  
   • The Spirit Of Radio Trinity Grade 8 G...  
   • Rush Tabs - The Trees  
Interviews:
   • Alex Lifeson on the hardest Rush song...  
   • Behind The Vinyl - "Limelight" with A...  
   • Live at Massey Hall: Geddy Lee  
   • GEDDY LEE - MY EFFIN LIFE TOUR@The Me...  
   • Strombo's Lit with Rush's Geddy Lee, ...  

Articles—
https://www.loudersound.com/features/...
https://www.loudersound.com/features/...
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/mu...
Scans of Circus Magazine 1976 from the author's collection
Images from Ecosia image search

Thanks to Sammy James Jr and Timothy Robertson for invaluable feedback.

#musicanalysis #QandA #prog #classicrock #GeddyLee #AlexLifeson #NeilPeart #musicappreciation #hardrock #FMradio #progmetal