The Garden
Clockwork Angels String Ensemble; Rush Lyrics
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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 measure of a life is a measure of love and respect
So hard to earn, so easily burned
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
Oh, 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 sleeve
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
It's a measure of a life
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
Is 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
Forever dwells in that moment
Hope is what remains to be seen
In the fullness of time
A garden to nurture and protect
It's a measure of a life
In the fullness of time
A garden to nurture and protect
It's a measure of a life
In the fullness of time
A garden to nurture and protect
It's a measure of a life
In the fullness of time
A garden to nurture and protect
It's a measure of a life
It's a measure of a life
It's a measure of a life
It's a measure of a life
Clockwork Angels, the final album by Canadian rock legends Rush, ends with a beautifully poetic song called "The Garden." The song contemplates the meaning of life, as it is what it is and we must take it as it comes. The lyrics ask whether life is all for the best or some bizarre test, leaving the answer to the listener to decide. Time is described as the infinite jest, a play on words from Shakespeare's Hamlet, illustrating the idea that time can be both a source of humor and tragedy.
The overall message of the song is that the measure of a life is love and respect, which is hard to earn and easily burned. Life is referred to as a garden that needs nurturing and protecting, symbolizing the importance of taking care of ourselves and our relationships. The lyrics remind us that it's not what we take from life but what we give that matters, as the way we live and the gifts we give are the treasures of a life.
The song is musically haunting and serene, with its beauty coming from its simplicity. The Clockwork Angels String Ensemble provides a graceful accompaniment, highlighting the emotional depth of the lyrics. The song features a unique structure, where the second verse is a variation of the first, with slight modifications in the lyrics and melody. The song builds to a crescendo towards the end, with the repeated chorus of "It's a measure of a life" becoming more powerful with each repetition. "The Garden" is a poignant album closer and a reminder to savor life's moments, as forever dwells in that moment, and hope is what remains to be seen.
Line by Line Meaning
In this one of many possible worlds
It is acknowledging that we exist in one of multiple worlds.
All for the best or some bizarre test?
The question of whether there is an ultimate purpose to our existence.
It is what it is and whatever
Accepting things the way they are.
Time is still the infinite jest
Time is something that continues, regardless of how we perceive it.
The arrow flies when you dream
Time seems to take on a different pace when we dream.
The hours tick away, the cells tick away
The time continues to move, for both the universe and human bodies' processes.
The Watchmaker keeps to his schemes
The reference to the master of time, who maintains the balance of time.
The hours tick away, they tick away
Continuing the concept and acknowledgement of time passing.
The measure of a life is a measure of love and respect
One's value is measured by how much love and respect they receive and give.
So hard to earn, so easily burned
It is difficult to earn and maintain respect and love, but it can easily be lost.
In the fullness of time, A garden to nurture and protect
There is something to protect that grows and develops with time.
In the rise and the set of the sun
A description of the concept of day and night passing with the sun's movement.
Till the stars go spinning spinning 'round the night
Acknowledging the Earth's rotation and the stars moving throughout the night.
Oh, it is what it is and forever
Once again, accepting what is and recognizing eternity's existence.
Each moment a memory in flight
All moments are memories that will be gone soon after, reminding us to cherish the time.
The arrow flies while you breathe
Our lifetime is fleeting, passing by while taking every breath.
The Watchmaker has time up his sleeve
The imagery conveying the watcher and maintainer of time's power and control.
The measure of a life is a measure of love and respect
A repetition of the earlier idea.
So hard to earn, so easily burned
A refrain of the earlier idea.
The treasure of a life is a measure of love and respect
One's life's value is a reflection of how much love and respect they receive and give to others.
The way you live, the gifts that you give
Our contribution to others is what ultimately makes us valuable.
In the fullness of time, Is the only return that you expect
With time, one should expect personal growth and progression.
The future disappears into memory
The future is fleeting, already paving its way into memory.
With only a moment between
Only having one chance to make an impact with your life.
Forever dwells in that moment
Eternity can be found through singular moments.
Hope is what remains to be seen
There is hope in every moment for something greater or better.
In the fullness of time, A garden to nurture and protect
Repetition of previous ideas to emphasize the importance of patience and growth.
It's a measure of a life
The reflection on one's legacy and contributions towards creating a better world.
It's a measure of a life
A repetition of the previous line, affirming its importance.
It's a measure of a life
Lastly, driving home the vital concept that how one lives their life is what counts.
Lyrics © OLE MEDIA MANAGEMENT LP
Written by: Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, Neil Elwood Peart
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lgd1974
6 Rush songs whose lyrics of Neil Peart move me to tears
Afterimage - Written about the death of Robbie Whelan, the sound engineer for the Permanent Waves album. The lyric that gets me:
_Suddenly, you were gone
From all the lives you left your mark upon_
Red Sector A - Written about the atrocity of Geddy's parents in Nazi concentration camps. The lyric that gets me:
_I hear the sound of gunfire at the prison gate
Are the liberators here, do I hope or do I fear?
For my father and my brother, it's too late
But I must help my mother stand up straight_
Losing It - Written about those who've had a talent or skill, and have lost it...leaving them heartbroken. The lyric that gets me:
_Thirty years ago, how the words would flow
With passion and precision
But now his mind is dark and dulled
By sickness and indecision
And he stares out the kitchen door
Where the sun will rise no more_
Nobody's Hero - Written about the death of a gay friend to either Neil or Geddy(unsure), and of the death of girl who grew up in Geddy's childhood neighborhood. The lyric that gets me:
_As the years went by, we drifted apart
When I heard that he was gone
I felt a shadow cross my heart
But he's nobody's...Hero_
Ghost Rider- Written about Neil's travels trying to overcome the sudden deaths of his daughter and first wife. The lyric that gets me:
_Pack up all those phantoms
Shoulder that invisible load
Keep on riding north and west
Haunting that wilderness road
Like a ghost rider_
The Garden - Neil's swan song.The last song, of the last album Rush ever recorded. The lyric that gets me:
_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_
I am devastated by the loss of a musician whose lyrics have been with me since I was 13. I am now 45, and in tears.
#RIPNeilPeart #neilpeart #Rush
@samsam18200
I'll never forget where I was: in the car with my dad coming home from a short day-trip. The album had released the week before, but we didn't have time to listen to it and swore not to listen to it until we could listen together. The album was such an incredible, roasting jam, and then The Garden came on. That was one of the only five times (I'm 20 now) I've ever seen my dad cry. We didn't say anything, but we both knew that this song was a farewell, at least from the studio.
Their last message to the fans was to cherish every moment we have because they won't last forever. Forever dwells in that moment, but that moment does not live forever. The only thing we can do is have hope for another day, another moment.
I've been lucky to attend 5 concerts from the time I was 8 (Snakes and Arrows) until I was 15 (R40). All front row. 2 meet and greets. 1 time backstage. My dad absolutely abused the fact that I was a cute little 8-year old that knew RUSH lyrics to get some backstage passes when the roadies were setting up at Kansas City on the Snakes tour, and I'm so grateful for it. Neil gave Lorne his sticks from the first set and told him to give them to me. All. five. times. Neil recognized me as I grew up, or just appreciated a kid air-drumming his heart out. We still have those beaten up sticks, and they are priceless to us. No amount of money in the world could ever make us sell those sticks.
To Geddy and Alex: Thank you for your music. It truly has impacted people on a deep, personal level, and we will always be forever grateful for it. We all wish Neil could still be here, but we know how close he was to you guys, and we could never come close to imagining the pain that you are probably going through and have gone through over the last few years. Wishing you both the best health and love. Thank you.
@lisalee84
I'm gutted. I'm sobbing in my kitchen. I know you all are, too. Neil, thank you for all the words.
But if they taught us anything, why are we here? because we're here. Roll the bones. Take a chance. Do good.
LIVE while you're alive. Love while you're here. Do good where you can.
Now is the time to turn the tide
Now is the time to fight
Let us not go gently
To the endless winter night
Now is the time to make the time
While hope is still in sight
Let us not go gently
To the endless winter night
@exitstage1eft
From Rush.com...
LONG AGO I READ A STORY FROM ANOTHER TIMELINE about a character named Candide. He also survived a harrowing series of misadventures and tragedies, then settled on a farm near Constantinople. Listening to a philosophical rant, Candide replied, “That is all very well, but now we must tend our garden.”
I have now arrived at that point in my own story. There is a metaphorical garden in the acts and attitudes of a person’s life, and the treasures of that garden are love and respect. I have come to realize that the gathering of love and respect – from others and for myself – has been the real quest of my life.
“Now we must tend our garden.”
- You'll always be missed Neil -
@MattSmith-iq1ld
I have talked to many Rush fans about this song. Fans of the 70's material. Fans of the 80's material. Fans of the band's entire catalog. ALL FANS I SPOKE WITH ARE IN AGREEMENT THAT 'THE GARDEN" IS ONE OF THE ABSOLUTE GREATEST SONGS THAT RUSH EVER WROTE.
@HaraldLabout
The whole album is a masterpiece.
@victorbelleisoares2135
Agreed
@glennrager3684
Gives me goosebumps, so it must be great.
@Jllyrol311
As long as you did your due diligence
@apieceofdirt4681
Yep. It sums up their entire career.
@spencerlent6660
The greatest final track of a final album of all time
@TheVAGNETTO
That was the last song Rush have ever written?!
@birdofsong
@VAGNETTO Maybe. It was the last song on their last studio album. It is my ultimate favorite Rush song. I cry every time I hear it.
@TheVAGNETTO
@@birdofsong exactly! It feels like something, that sums up all the years of heard work! I'm in love with this song!