Rush v. Dirk, Pratt, & Lerxst

[jammindude]

This feels like gaslighting. I still hear “the spirit of the radio” plain as day and this is the first time I’ve ever run into anyone (much less an entire group) that did not hear that.

I acknowledge that it’s a mistake on Geddy‘s part. Very similar to the “especially special” mishap by our favorite house band.

Now I have to go find that article where Geddy admitted it.  But it was back in the days of print so it probably doesn’t exist anymore.

[jammindude]

A thorough search of the Internet reveals no official source. But several reviews (some professional, some not) that hear the same thing I do.

I pretty much had accepted this as canon for decades, and I’m not alone in this. I’m just genuinely shocked that anyone hears anything else. It’s seems so obvious to me.

Maybe we have a Rush based “Yanni or Laurel” debate here.

[Lethean]

Maybe you should play it at a slower speed - I think if you do, it's more clear that he doesn't add the "the."

[pg1067]

Same here.  Today, it just annoys me greatly.  So I'm making progress.  I feel like by time I've been dead for 30 years, it won't bother me anymore.

I am guessing your favorite part of 2112 is "Temples of the Syrinx," right?

The Working Man
Fly by the Night
Fountain of the Lamneth
A Farewell to the Kings
La Villa de Strangiato
The Lock and the Key
Hand over the Fist
The Armor and the Sword

Maybe you should play it at a slower speed - I think if you do, it's more clear that he doesn't add the "the."

I would't have the slightest idea how to do that.

[The Letter M]

Maybe you should play it at a slower speed - I think if you do, it's more clear that he doesn't add the "the."

I would't have the slightest idea how to do that.

Find any version of the song on YouTube and hit the settings gear, and you can choose the playback speed, as I said I did earlier in the thread. It's pretty simple, and you can clearly hear Geddy say "This is The Spirit Of Radio" just before Alex comes in.

-Marc.

[jammindude]

I just played it at 1/4 speed end it only made me more convinced that he does say it.

“This is the spirit of the radio”

Are you seriously NOT hearing it? I’m starting to feel like you’re putting me on.

[jammindude]

Maybe it’s more clear if I explain it phonetically.

When I parrot him (as I often do when I’m singing along to this track) it’s stated very quickly, but very obviously.

“This is the spirit ovthradio”

[The Letter M]

Maybe it’s more clear if I explain it phonetically.

When I parrot him (as I often do when I’m singing along to this track) it’s stated very quickly, but very obviously.

“This is the spirit ovthradio”

"ovth" = of

I guess because I've always known the song by its proper title, I've only ever heard Geddy say it by that, especially on ESL.

-Marc.

[jammindude]

I’m honestly  but I secretly think you guys are insane. 

[Stadler]

Grace Under The Pressure still blows.   

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

Grace Under The Pressure still blows.

Good thing Power the Windows exists

I’m honestly  but I secretly think you guys are insane. 

I think you are yanking our chains 

[ytserush]

First of all, I was trying to be funny with my "30 years" remark, because obviously I won't care about anything by then.  It used to piss me off, but now it just bothers me.

The name song is "The Spirit of Radio".  That's just a fact.  I had a roommate years ago who called it "Spirit of the Radio" and I corrected him, but he didn't care.  "Well, that's what I call it."  Later I ran into someone else who called it "Spirit of the Radio".  Eventually I realized that there's an entire segment of the population who doesn't know the name of one of Rush's most popular songs, and for some reason that bugs me.  It bugs me when people call things by the wrong name, and just don't give a shit that they're wrong.  "That's what I call it, and if you don't like that, you can fuck off."

But now that I'm older, and the song has been around a lot longer, I've gotten to where it bothers me less because I get it now; some people just choose to be ignorant.  I'm sorry if that comes across as a personal attack.  It's not you, personally.  I just always like to know what something is actually called, not just make up my own name for it and figure people will know what I mean.  I consider people who don't bother learning the proper names of things to be lazy, and laziness bothers me.

I mean, if you like something, wouldn't you want to know the actual correct name of it?  Why would you choose to not bother with the correct name, once it's been pointed out?

I'm less bothered by it now too but I agree with you in principle more generally.

[ytserush]

Ironically, the record company released a promo single of the song and titled it "The Spirit Of The Radio". 

Covering both bases, just in case? 

Or just conceding that they're gonna be wrong either way? 

Proofers must have had a bad time with that album as the original US version of  the lyric sheet for Freewill reads "You cannot have made a choice."

[ytserush]

I'm more with Orbert on this.  If someone makes a mistake, that's cool.  If they make a mistake after being corrected, that's cool.  But to just say "well that's what I call it" - yeah no.  Same with the pronunciation of Peart.  If you mispronounced it for 10+ years before learning the correct pronunciation, of course it's going to be hard to unlearn that. You'll probably make mistakes. But at least make the effort.

That one bothers me a bit more as Neil repeatedly explained the pronunciation over the years although at this point it just gets noted and you move on.

[ytserush]

WHAT?   No..    ESL was one of my first ever Rush albums and I've been listening to it on headphones for 38 years.   I just checked on YT, and it sounds TO ME like he says "This is the Spirit of the Radio".   

In fact, I've even had forum discussions about this where the fans admit that Geddy got it wrong.  I thought even Geddy admitted it in an interview once. 

EDIT - I just triple checked.  Listen to it again.  He definitely says "the spirit of the radio"

Um. No. 

This Is... The Spirit... Of Radio... <Alex>

[ytserush]

Maybe we should avoid the controversy and instead listen to YYZeeeeee

...you mean "Y Y Zed"...

 

-Marc.

yes, yes... that was my point actually 

Less obvious, but yeah....

[ytserush]

A thorough search of the Internet reveals no official source. But several reviews (some professional, some not) that hear the same thing I do.

I pretty much had accepted this as canon for decades, and I’m not alone in this. I’m just genuinely shocked that anyone hears anything else. It’s seems so obvious to me.

Maybe we have a Rush based “Yanni or Laurel” debate here.

Wrong canon?

[ytserush]

Same here.  Today, it just annoys me greatly.  So I'm making progress.  I feel like by time I've been dead for 30 years, it won't bother me anymore.

I am guessing your favorite part of 2112 is "Temples of the Syrinx," right?

The Working Man
Fly by the Night
Fountain of the Lamneth
A Farewell to the Kings
La Villa de Strangiato
The Lock and the Key
Hand over the Fist
The Armor and the Sword

Monty The Python

[ytserush]

I’m honestly  but I secretly think you guys are insane. 

That may be true but it's still OVVVRADIO.

[pg1067]

Regardless of the playback speed, there's only one "the" in there, and it's at the beginning.  Not even a pretense of a "the" between "of" and "radio."

[Setlist Scotty]

Well folks, after taking the time to listen very carefully to the first few seconds of ESL, after not having heard it for (likely) well over 2 decades, I have come to the conclusion that jammindude is actually right!

[jammindude]

Well folks, after taking the time to listen very carefully to the first few seconds of ESL, after not having heard it for (likely) well over 2 decades, I have come to the conclusion that jammindude is actually right!

I’m tellin ya guys...

[425]

I've gotta say, I don't hear anything clearly in between the beginning of "of" and "radio." It could be a long "of," it could be a "the," I'd believe either one.

[jammindude]

I heard from Weymo....the wookie says you’re wrong.

I hear it, Scott hears it, the wookie hears it. It is there.

This is now my life’s quest. 

[Podaar]

It depends on what you are listening for. Your expectations will be met either way. I can clearly hear it either way. You'd probably need to ask Geddy for a definitive answer. Of course, you'd have to get lucky for him to give a shit about it--at least enough to answer the question and not call security.

[TAC]

Why would there even be a debate? He clearly says "The".

[WildRanger]

Am I alone in thinking that "The Trees" has very goofy lyrics?

[DTA]

Am I alone in thinking that "The Trees" has very goofy lyrics?

They're goofy, but fitting for Rush. Which is why people hating Dog Years lyrics always surprises me...just as silly as The Trees

[jammindude]

I always thought The Trees was quite profound.

[KevShmev]

I always thought The Trees was quite profound.

Yep.  It is quite obviously meant to be metaphorical. 

 

[jammindude]

Why would there even be a debate? He clearly says "The".

Yup! Both times! 

[TAC]

Next thing you know, someone's going to say, "I don't hear him say Radio at all."

[The Letter M]

Next thing you know, someone's going to say, "I don't hear him say Radio at all."

Some might even question if that is really Geddy speaking at the beginning of the track!!!

-Marc.

[Orbert]

Didn't they dub Geddy's voice in later?

[pg1067]

Regardless of the playback speed, there's only one "the" in there, and it's at the beginning.  Not even a pretense of a "the" between "of" and "radio."

Aside from the fact that the second "the" just isn't there, the show from which the ESL recording was taken was the 156th show in a row where TSOR was played.  I highly doubt that, by that point, Geddy was going to mess up the name of the song.  I also highly doubt they'd have used that spoken intro if he had messed it up.