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)
The Garden
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
The lyrics of Rush's song The Garden contemplate the meaning of life, exploring the idea that life is neither predetermined nor simply the product of chance, but rather a complex combination of both. The opening verse poses the question of whether everything in life happens for a specific reason or is simply a test of some kind, but ultimately concludes that "it is what it is and whatever." Time, however, is described as "the infinite jest," suggesting that it is both playful and endlessly unpredictable.
The song then goes on to reflect on the passage of time, comparing life to a garden that must be nurtured and protected in the fullness of time. The chorus emphasizes the importance of love and respect in measuring the worth of a life, but acknowledges that earning these things can be incredibly difficult and losing them can be all too easy. The second verse further explores the idea that life is a journey that must be lived fully, with every moment being a memory in flight and hope being the only thing left in the face of an uncertain future.
Ultimately, the song suggests that life is both precious and fleeting, and that the way we live, the gifts we give, and the love and respect we earn are what truly matter in the end. The garden that we are tasked with nurturing and protecting is not just a metaphor, but a reflection of the delicate balance that we must strike between the forces of chance and intentionality in our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
In this one of many possible worlds
In this world out of many
All for the best or some bizarre test?
Is everything happening for a reason or is it just random?
It is what it is and whatever
Things are what they are and there's no changing that
Time is still the infinite jest
Time keeps moving despite life's ups and downs
The arrow flies when you dream
Time passes even while you're asleep
The hours tick away, the cells tick away
Time never stops and we age with every tick
The Watchmaker keeps to his schemes
God or fate has a plan for our lives
The measure of a life is a measure of love and respect
What truly matters in life is how much love and respect we give and receive
So hard to earn, so easily burned
Love and respect are hard to gain but easy to lose
In the fullness of time
Eventually
A garden to nurture and protect
Life is like a garden that we must take care of and cherish
In the rise and the set of the sun
Throughout the day
'Til the stars go spinning
Until the day is done and night falls
Spinning 'round the night
The stars continue to spin in the sky
Oh, it is what it is and forever
Things are what they are, even after we're gone
Each moment a memory in flight
Every moment quickly becomes a memory
The arrow flies while you breathe
Time never stops, even while we're alive
The Watchmaker has time up his sleeve
God or fate has control over time
The treasure of a life
The most valuable thing in life
Is a measure of love and respect
Is the amount of love and respect we give and receive
The way you live, the gifts that you give
The way we live and the things we do for others define our legacy
Is the only return that you expect
That's the only thing we can expect in the end
The future disappears into memory
The future quickly becomes the past
With only a moment between
There's only a brief moment of time separating the past and future
Forever dwells in that moment
The only thing that truly lasts is the memories we create in those moments
Hope is what remains to be seen
We never know what the future holds, so hope is all we have left
It's a measure of a life
The value of our lives is measured by the love and respect we give and receive
Lyrics © Anthem Entertainment
Written by: Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, Neil Elwood Peart
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Peter Pumkinghead
on Tom Sawyer (Live)
Lil' RUSH