Rush achieved commercial success in the 1970s with Fly by Night (1975), 2112 (1976), A Farewell to Kings (1977) and Hemispheres (1978). The band's popularity continued throughout the 1980s and 1990s, with albums charting highly in Canada, the US and the UK, including Permanent Waves (1980), Moving Pictures (1981), Signals (1982), Grace Under Pressure (1984) and Counterparts (1993). Rush continued to record and perform until 1997, after which the band entered a four-year hiatus due to personal tragedies in Peart's life. The trio regrouped in 2001 and released three more studio albums: Vapor Trails (2002), Snakes & Arrows (2007), and Clockwork Angels (2012). Rush ceased touring at the end of 2015, and Lifeson announced in January 2018 that the band would not continue, which was cemented by Peart's death from glioblastoma, a type of brain cancer, on January 7, 2020, at the age of 67.
Rush were known for their musicianship, complex compositions and eclectic lyrical motifs drawing heavily on science fiction, fantasy and philosophy. The band's style changed over the years, from a blues-inspired hard rock beginning, later moving into progressive rock, then a period in the 1980s marked by heavy use of synthesizers, before returning to guitar-driven hard rock at the end of the 1980s. Their final work from 2012, marked a return to progressive rock. The members of Rush have been acknowledged as some of the most proficient players on their respective instruments, with each winning numerous awards in magazine readers' polls over the years.
As of 2022, Rush ranks 84th in the U.S. with sales of 26 million albums and industry sources estimate their total worldwide album sales at over 42 million. Rush has been awarded 14 platinum and 3 multi-platinum albums in the US plus 17 platinum albums in Canada. Rush was nominated for seven Grammy Awards, won several Juno Awards, and won an International Achievement Award at the 2009 SOCAN Awards. The band was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1994 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rush_(band)
Studio albums
Rush (1974)
Fly by Night (1975)
Caress of Steel (1975)
2112 (1976)
A Farewell to Kings (1977)
Hemispheres (1978)
Permanent Waves (1980)
Moving Pictures (1981)
Signals (1982)
Grace Under Pressure (1984)
Power Windows (1985)
Hold Your Fire (1987)
Presto (1989)
Roll the Bones (1991)
Counterparts (1993)
Test for Echo (1996)
Vapor Trails (2002)
Snakes & Arrows (2007)
Clockwork Angels (2012)
Tom Sawyer
Rush Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mean, mean stride
Today's Tom Sawyer
Mean, mean pride
Though his mind is not for rent
Don't put him down as arrogant
His reserve, a quiet defense
Riding out the day's events
The river
What you say about his company
Is what you say about society
Catch the mist, catch the myth
Catch the mystery, catch the drift
The world is, the world is
Love and life are deep
Maybe as his skies are wide
Today's Tom Sawyer, he gets high on you
And the space he invades, he gets by on you
No, his mind is not for rent
To any god or government
Always hopeful, yet discontent
He knows changes aren't permanent
But change is
And what you say about his company
Is what you say about society
Catch the witness, catch the wit
Catch the spirit, catch the spit
The world is, the world is
Love and life are deep
Maybe as his eyes are wide
Exit the warrior
Today's Tom Sawyer
He gets high on you
And the energy you trade
He gets right on to
The friction of the day
The lyrics of Rush's song Tom Sawyer speaks about a modern-day warrior, Tom Sawyer. Tom is a prideful character who strides through life with an attitude of non-conformity. He stays true to himself, and even though people may misunderstand him or view him as arrogant, Tom's mind is not for rent. He uses his reserve as a quiet defense, which helps him ride the day's events without being caught up in the chaos.
The chorus of the song states that what people say about Tom Sawyer's company is what they say about society. It's a statement about how individuals tend to view society as a whole. People tend to generalize society based on the actions or words of one person, which is not fair. The lines "catch the mist, catch the myth, catch the mystery, catch the drift" is a reference to the idea of catching or experiencing life's intangibles, which are often hard to articulate.
The song's message is about embracing change and individuality, as opposed to following what society deems as normal. The line "the world is, the world is love and life, are deep" speaks to the idea that there is much more to life than what meets the eye. The song's final line, "he gets right on to the friction of the day" refers to Tom Sawyer's ability to thrive in the midst of daily challenges.
Line by Line Meaning
A modern-day warrior
Tom Sawyer is someone who is a fighter and isn't daunted by the challenges of today's world.
Mean, mean stride
Tom Sawyer is confident and determined to overcome his challenges.
Today's Tom Sawyer
Tom Sawyer is the embodiment of today's modern heroes.
Mean, mean pride
He is fiercely proud of who he is and, as such, always works hard to be his best self.
Though his mind is not for rent
Tom Sawyer isn't easily swayed or persuaded by external forces, his mind belongs to him.
Don't put him down as arrogant
Tom Sawyer is anything but arrogant or self-centered, and as such he doesn't deserve to be put down as such.
His reserve, a quiet defense
Tom Sawyer uses his quiet nature as a defense mechanism to protect himself.
Riding out the day's events
Each day, Tom Sawyer takes the world by the horns and tames it. He goes through every event of the day with great determination and focus.
The river
The river is a metaphor for life, with its twists and turns, ebbs and flows.
What you say about his company
The way you talk about the people Tom Sawyer surrounds himself with says a lot about society in general.
Is what you say about society
If you judge Tom's company harshly, you're essentially judging the society in which they exist
Catch the mist, catch the myth
If you can understand the myths and mysteries surrounding Tom Sawyer, you will understand more about the world than meets the eye.
Catch the mystery, catch the drift
Understanding the mysteries and secrets around Tom Sawyer will give you a broader perspective on life.
The world is, the world is
The world is massive and full of possibilities, but also overwhelmed with its own problems.
Love and life are deep
Love and life are two things that are intricate and complex in their own right.
Maybe as his skies are wide
As much as Tom Sawyer's mind is wide and complex, so too life is complex and confusing.
Today's Tom Sawyer, he gets high on you
Tom Sawyer is someone who appreciates the people around him, and gets a high from being around them.
And the space he invades, he gets by on you
Tom Sawyer is someone who invades the space of those around him, but is also supported by them.
No, his mind is not for rent
Tom Sawyer's independent and doesn't let himself be swayed by others.
To any god or government
Whether it's a government or religious group, Tom Sawyer won't be influenced by them.
Always hopeful, yet discontent
Tom Sawyer is optimistic about the future but is always worried about the problems of the present.
He knows changes aren't permanent
Tom Sawyer realises changes are a normal part of life - nothing ever stays the same.
But change is
The only constant in life is change.
Catch the witness, catch the wit
If you can understand Tom Sawyer's wit,humour, and intelligence and apply them in your life, you'll be successful.
Catch the spirit, catch the spit
Truly understanding Tom Sawyer's spirit and charm will help you gain wisdom and success.
Exit the warrior
Tom Sawyer leaves his battles behind and moves on to the next challenge.
He gets high on you
Tom Sawyer feeds off the energy from the surrounding people and environment.
And the energy you trade
His high is sustained by the positive energy and vibes of the people around him.
He gets right on to
Tom Sawyer is quick to adapt to and absorb the energy of his surroundings.
The friction of the day
The friction of the day represents the daily struggles and challenges Tom Sawyer faces and embraces full-on.
Lyrics © Anthem Entertainment
Written by: Alexandar Zivojinovich, Geddy Lee Weinrib, Neil Elwood Peart, Paul Phillip Woods
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Peter Pumkinghead
on Tom Sawyer (Live)
Lil' RUSH