Rush's Greatest Song

[Slim]

According to Rick Beato. I'm watching this for the first time while I'm typing this, and guessing he's going to say Limelight, although I wouldn't agree.

[Slim]

Ah! Turns out he was even wronger than that.

[David L]

That was great. I will listen to Xanadu with a greater appreciation than before, I'm sure.  The structure never really floated my boat though, very similar to The Camera Eye in that respect - long intro, verse twice and finish on a solo.
On longer songs I think I prefer the structure of Jacob's Ladder or Natural Science where the parts are distinct musical themes and not simply a repetition of what has gone before.  Both Xanadu and The Camera Eye are huge crowd pleasers live though, has to be said.

[Jonners]

I struggle to look any further than LVS (is it a song if there are no words?

If it has to have words, my 3 would be:

Limelight (its perfect!)
SoR (hear it too much now, but its just so joyful)
Xanadu (never get bored of hearing it)

[Slim]

Xanadu is just so repetitive, overblown, padded out .. there's probably a decent 5 minute tune in there. Take out the overlong intro and the scale practice and you'd improve it no end.

I can think of at least one Bucks Fizz tune I enjoy more than Xanadu. Actually Olivia Newton-John's version is stronger. So is this, by Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich

[Nickslikk2112]

First single I ever bought was Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich's Legend of Xanadu
and Rush's Xanadu will always be up there in the Rush canon for me.

However, all the criticism such as Slim level at Xanadu can be applied to The Camera Eye. Moving Pictures really was the beginning of the end for Rush.

[Slim]

For me The Camera Eye has a direction and energy that justifies what repetition there is, also it's mostly backing for a vocal that does have a direction and a momentum.

[Jonners]

Camera eye vocals are very good (relatively speaking)

If I ever get the time and motivation, im going to analyse the number of words per rush song/per minute? , and see how that has increased over time

In a band where the vocalist became a significant weak point as time went on, the over reliance on words in the songs rather than instrumental parts seems like utter madness to me

If Alex has stopped being able to create solos, they wouldnt have suddenly starting going all Iron Maiden and putting 3 or more in every song!

[Fishy]

Side 1 of AFTK is just great.. never tire of listening to it.. was the first album I heard so always have a nice feeling when I hear it.. side 2 on the other hand not so much.. Cygnus I have to say just bores me now.. Madrigal you got to wonder like why??? the other two tracks.. a couple of inoffensive radio friendly songs

[Jonners]

Its certainly a game of two halves, but then again so is CoS, 2112, Hemispheres, maybe MP

I certainly think a change of running order on AFTK would not have hurt

[Rufus_the_dawg]

Best Rush song is impossible to answer.

Maybe The weapon live but then it might be Marathon or The Mission or LVS or AFTKs then I love Territories. No I can not answer this conundrum. I would take Xanadu over Camera eye though, I have only just started to like CE, I don't like the opening riff.

[pdw1]

I struggle to look any further than LVS (is it a song if there are no words?

If it has to have words, my 3 would be:

Limelight (its perfect!)
SoR (hear it too much now, but its just so joyful)
Xanadu (never get bored of hearing it)

good set of songs but I would swop out SoR for TS

[Jonners]

yep, couldnt argue if someone did that.

If I was choosing 3 songs that I absolutely adore, but fly completely below the radar/deep cuts, then I immediately go:

Afterimage
Emotion Detector
Middletown Dreams

[pxr5]

Mm, Xanadu. Great and I love it - I really like the long intro and its prog roots are there to behold. Best Rush song for me will always be LVS though, but side one of AFTK is pretty perfect. In fact I like side nearly as much, but Cinderella Man and Madrigal are the only slightly minor points before the mighty Cygnus X-1.

[Rufus_the_dawg]

Xanadu is just so repetitive, overblown, padded out .. there's probably a decent 5 minute tune in there. Take out the overlong intro and the scale practice and you'd improve it no end.

I can think of at least one Bucks Fizz tune I enjoy more than Xanadu. Actually Olivia Newton-John's version is stronger. So is this, by Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich

Some people think Gun n roses sweet child o' mine sounds like Xanadu?!