Official Top 75 Rush songs Thread!!! (Top 2 revealed!!)

[ReaperKK]

I love both of these songs. Marathon placed at 14 for me and 2112 was at 30. Marathon is a great example of the music matching the lyrical content. I'm gonna go off and listen to it now

[King Postwhore]

Ah.  My #1 song.  What an uplifting song and just as uplifting live.

2112 was my #10.  My 1st epic song I ever heard.  Learned it on guitar with my guitar teacher.  Love the memory of that.

[SoundscapeMN]

Marathon at #10?...nuff said.

[romdrums]

10. Marathon (7). Hell yeah.  I go back and forth between this and Manhattan Project as the best song on Power Windows.  Everything about this song is killer.

9. 2112 (65).  Thought this would finish higher, honestly.  Anyway, still a great song.  It sits kinda low on my ranker, but I think it points to the strength of Rush's catalog.  Not to mention, this song may be the most important thing they ever wrote.

[Stadler]

I only saw the first one. Did they make more? Was it the same dog in all of them?

 

[HOF]

Marathon was my number 15, but top 10 is well deserved. An epic track in a relatively small package. Really love the instrumental section. Great, inspirational lyrics. Yeah, this has everything that makes Rush great. “Like a streak of lightning flashes and fades in the summer sky.” So good. A little surprised it made 24 lists given the pushback from certain quarters to Power Windows, but even the haters have to admit this is a great tack I guess! And it’s still only the 5th highest from Power Windows on my list.

I’m the lone did not rank on 2112, and I’m relieved it didn’t finish at number 1. I’ve said it before, but 2112 almost put me off of 70s prog Rush altogether when I was first getting into the band. I just didn’t like it. It seemed awkward musically and lyrically, and I thought Geddy sounded awful. I remember thinking “well if this is their prog masterpiece, I’ll stick with the 80s and 90s stuff that I like.” I’ve gained a little more appreciation for it as I’ve come to enjoy the 70s era more over time, but at the time it just wasn’t what I wanted to listen to. Now it was in my top 100 when I first started putting my list together before we knew we were only doing 75, but there was no chance of it getting up in the top 75 for me.

[TAC]

10 Marathon
Appeared on 24 of 25 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 8
Highest Ranking: 1 (kingshmegland)

09 2112
Appeared on 24 of 25 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 8
Highest Ranking: 1 (KevShmev, Cool Chris, The Realm)

I had Marathon at #60. And honestly had I never experienced it live, it may not have even made the list. I thought the live production really brought the song to life.


I had 2112 at #3. Great song. Nice story, and I love how it's presented. Each section is unique but the whole piece never feels choppy.

[TAC]

Oh, and I'm going to check out Sirius by the APP. Maybe I have heard it before, but I absolutely do not recognize it by name.


EDIT: Yes, I have heard that before. At least the beginning. I feel like I've heard that in ads or film, but I've never heard it on the radio as a kid, and had no idea what it was called or who played it.

[nick_z]

Top 10!!

Marathon (ranked #11)

Pretty much in line with the aggregate. So happy it made the top 10. It's just a great song. It's arguably the "proggiest" number on Power Windows (thanks to that wonderful instrumental jam), but my appreciation for it goes beyond that, of course.

2112 (ranked #17)

As mentioned before, this is iconic, and deservedly so. Not necessarily my favorite Rush sound/era, but I LOVE this one.

[Deadeye21]

Time to begin the top 10!!  And we start with two songs that are very different from one another.  Both are the highest ranking songs from their respective albums.


10 Marathon
Appeared on 24 of 25 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 8
Highest Ranking: 1 (kingshmegland)

09 2112
Appeared on 24 of 25 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 8
Highest Ranking: 1 (KevShmev, Cool Chris, The Realm)

Marathon was, undeservedly, my number 66. If I remade my list this week, this’d be way up there. This is a banger, a motivator, and an all time great for Rush.

2112 was my number 18. This isn’t their best side long track. Hell, this is far more of a Suite than an epic. The start/stop nature of this track just takes me out of it every time. I appreciate this for what it did for Rush. I believe that at least part of it being played at most shows in their time was well deserved. The iconography of this album staying with them for years is awesome. But, to me, this isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Maybe it was then. It isn’t now, and never was to my ear.

[HOF]

Oh, and I'm going to check out Sirius by the APP. Maybe I have heard it before, but I absolutely do not recognize it by name.


EDIT: Yes, I have heard that before. At least the beginning. I feel like I've heard that in ads or film, but I've never heard it on the radio as a kid, and had no idea what it was called or who played it.

If you ever watched the player intros for a Bulls home game on TV in the 90s you’ve heard it.

I remember playing Metropolis pt. 1 for a friend in college, and he was like “they play that at Spurs games!” Turns out they used to use it for their lineup intro for a little while.

[TAC]

Oh, and I'm going to check out Sirius by the APP. Maybe I have heard it before, but I absolutely do not recognize it by name.


EDIT: Yes, I have heard that before. At least the beginning. I feel like I've heard that in ads or film, but I've never heard it on the radio as a kid, and had no idea what it was called or who played it.

If you ever watched the player intros for a Bulls home game on TV in the 90s you’ve heard it.

No, I would've never heard that. I have just heard it on TV in spots.

Oh, and Spotify has it parenthetically titled Chiccago Bulls Intro Song.

[Stadler]

Fire On High? I have never heard of that.

*goes over to Spotify to check it out*

Nope. Never heard that before.

Tim, I'm actually shocked you never heard that instrumental.

I looked it up as well. I've never heard that before, and I can guarantee I'll never hear it again.

Count me in on that too; I just listened to it (not all the way through, but skipping through to get all the sections) and that is, to my knowlege, the first time I've ever heard that.

[Stadler]

Time to begin the top 10!!  And we start with two songs that are very different from one another.  Both are the highest ranking songs from their respective albums.


10 Marathon
Appeared on 24 of 25 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 8
Highest Ranking: 1 (kingshmegland)

This was my number 6 song, but even I am a tad surprised it is finishing top 10.  I figured top 20, but was thrilled to see such great support for it to where it finished in the top 10. Well done, DTF. 


09 2112
Appeared on 24 of 25 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 8
Highest Ranking: 1 (KevShmev, Cool Chris, The Realm)

On the flip side, my number 1 song (by Rush AND all-time) finishing at 9 is a bit of a head-scratcher, but I won't quibble too much considering all of the heavyweights still to come.  This is, for me, still the greatest rock song ever.  Perfection in every way imaginable.

Marathon was #26 on my list, and 2112 was #36.  Marathon suffered from how good Manhattan Project is, but it easily could have been higher on any given day. It's a great song, and made even better by the live presentation.  The Power Windows tour was my first time with Rush, and it was an experience to behold.    As for 2112, I like it, don't love it; for comparison, I have Hemispheres (at #15) and The Fountain of Lamneth (at #29) higher.

Really excited for the home stretch.  Though by my count, I only have five songs in my top 25 that haven't been declared yet, so there are four songs that I'm going to really object to. Hahaha. 

[KevShmev]

Stadler is going to object to something. Someone alert the 6 o'clock news!!

[romdrums]

Stadler is going to object to something. Someone alert the 6 o'clock news!!

In other news, water is wet.  Back to you Kev! 

[nick_z]

Now that we know 2112 is done (it hasn't been said officially, but I assume that's the case) and Power Windows is done (because, well, ALL songs made the top 75  ), here's where we stand:

1   Power Windows   353
2   Grace Under Pressure   248
3   Signals   198
4   Moving Pictures   185
5   Permanent Waves   168
6   Hemispheres   151
7   A Farewell to Kings   136
8   Clockwork Angels   134
9   Counterparts   128
10   Presto   119
11   Hold Your Fire   107
12   Roll the Bones   104
13   2112   98
14   Fly By Night   84
15   Caress of Steel   26
16   Rush   20
17   Test for Echo   19
18   Vapor Trails   0
19   Snake and Arrows   0

[HOF]

Now that we know 2112 is done (it hasn't been said officially, but I assume that's the case) and Power Windows is done (because, well, ALL songs made the top 75  ), here's where we stand:

1   Power Windows   353
2   Grace Under Pressure   248
3   Signals   198
4   Moving Pictures   185
5   Permanent Waves   168
6   Hemispheres   151
7   A Farewell to Kings   136
8   Clockwork Angels   134
9   Counterparts   128
10   Presto   119
11   Hold Your Fire   107
12   Roll the Bones   104
13   2112   98
14   Fly By Night   84
15   Caress of Steel   26
16   Rush   20
17   Test for Echo   19
18   Vapor Trails   0
19   Snake and Arrows   0

If we could just freeze things right here, that top 3 is awfully close to my top 3 (I’d probably rank them Power Windows, Signals, Presto, Grace Under Pressure, but there’s wiggle room there for everything after Power Windows for me).

[pg1067]

Years ago when I listened to classic rock radio, they played Frankenstein and Jessica all the time. Memory might fail me here, but those two instrumentals were played far and away more than any other that I can think of. Hocus Pocus got occasional air time, Fire on High and YYZ even less.

Fire On High? I have never heard of that.

*goes over to Spotify to check it out*

Nope. Never heard that before.

So...I'm listening on YouTube right now.  Jessica:  I recognize the main riff but not the rest of the song.  Not sure where I might have heard it other than on the radio.  Boring....  Fire on High:  a full minute of uninteresting intro....  Now at the two minute mark, and I got nothing....  Acoustic guitar kicks in at 2:42.  Not bad.  But nope...never heard this.  Just checked the Satriani song.  That's familiar from the dying days of KNAC.

Tim will tell us next that he never hear A Fifth Of Beethoven.

I only saw the first one. Did they make more? Was it the same dog in all of them?

 

I never knew that Bulls song was an actual song! I assumed it was just something a guy in their front office wrote for their introductions.

Bulls song?

I too would be awfully surprised if non-hard rock fans knew YYZ.  I've heard both Hocus Pocus and Frankenstein on the radio more (and I have heard YYZ on the radio).  I'm not sure casual fans would know those songs by name.  I know Cliffs of Dover by name, but I don't know the other three by name.  I haven't the slightest idea what gets played on the radio these days since I haven't listened to anything other than sports talk since the turn of the century.

Well, back in the day, there was a video game called Guitar Hero II. It introduced a whole lot of (then) younger audiences to a lot of classic hard rocking tunes sprinkled between some more modern tracks. One of the tracks on that game was YYZ.
Much like how Cliffs of Dover and Through The Fire and Flames are somewhat known because of the follow up game, Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, YYZ and Free Bird were the big tracks from the second game IIRC.

I had GH3.  Didn't know 2008 was "back in the day"!   

Anyway....

[The Letter M]

10 Marathon
Appeared on 24 of 25 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 8
Highest Ranking: 1 (kingshmegland)

VERY happy to see, what is *my* personal favorite POW song, make it into the Top 10. At this point, it would be repetitive of me to mention that I should've edited my sorted list, because "Marathon" ended up at 28th on my list, behind all of the other POW songs except "The Big Money" and "Emotion Detector". Here's how my sorted list ended up for POW:

9   Mystic Rhythms
10   Grand Designs
12   Manhattan Project
23   Territories
24   Middletown Dreams
28   Marathon
29   The Big Money
30   Emotion Detector

I honestly would've put "Marathon" at the top with "Manhattan Project", and maybe "Grand Designs" at the bottom with "Emotion Detector". They're all great songs, either way, but I'm surprised it ended up so low on my own list. Either way, extremely happy that all of Power Windows made it into the Top 75!

09 2112
Appeared on 24 of 25 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 8
Highest Ranking: 1 (KevShmev, Cool Chris, The Realm)

"2112" ended up third in my sorted list, and rightfully so. It is one of the more well-known prog side-long epics, and it was a break-through album/song for Rush. Definitely deserving of a Top 10 spot, though I figured it would've been at least in the Top 5. Now I'm really curious as to what remains in the top 8 considering I can only think of 7 songs that haven't been posted yet. This is a real nail-biter! (EDIT - I just realized what the 8th song was. Well, now to see how these final eight fall into place)

RE: Fire On High - I listened to it on YouTube and I can safely say I have never heard that song in my entire life, on the radio or anywhere else. Was that a bigger hit for ELO, or one of those kinds of hits that you only really know if you're already a fan of ELO?

-Marc.

[pg1067]

10 Marathon
Appeared on 24 of 25 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 8
Highest Ranking: 1 (kingshmegland)

This was my number 6 song, but even I am a tad surprised it is finishing top 10.  I figured top 20, but was thrilled to see such great support for it to where it finished in the top 10. Well done, DTF. 

Marathon's a really good song and far and away the best song on POW, but top 10?  Geddy is the superstar here:  playing those bass figures during the verses while singing is just nutso.  I had it at #40.

09 2112
Appeared on 24 of 25 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 8
Highest Ranking: 1 (KevShmev, Cool Chris, The Realm)

On the flip side, my number 1 song (by Rush AND all-time) finishing at 9 is a bit of a head-scratcher, but I won't quibble too much considering all of the heavyweights still to come.  This is, for me, still the greatest rock song ever.  Perfection in every way imaginable.

Someone left 21-f'ing-12 out of the top 75?!  SMH.  It's the song that probably cemented Rush for half of us.  My first exposure to Rush was the videos on MTV.  I then heard all of MP and then PEW, and I'm pretty sure 2112 was next.  Side 1 was a game changer.  Ultimately, it's little more than a bunch of I-vi-vii progressions in E and A, but holy crap did they run the gamut.  The story's cool, but it's a complete ripoff of Ayn Rand's Anthem with a different ending.  A well-done ripoff, but a ripoff nonetheless.  I had it at #19.


The Score So Far
- Rush - 1 song of 8 (12.5% or 17.86% of album time):  Working Man - #56)
- Fly by Night - 3 songs of 8 (37.5% or 43.67% of album time):  Fly by Night - #70; By-Tor and the Snow Dog - #38; Anthem - #36
- Caress of Steel - 2 songs of 5 (40% or 38.15% of album time):  The Necromancer - #67; Bastille Day - #59
- 2112 - 3 songs of 6 (50% or 72.57% of album time):  Something for Nothing - #63; A Passage to Bangkok - #58; 2112 - #9
- A Farewell to Kings - 3 songs of 6 (50% or 51.57% of album time):  Closer to the Heart - #43; A Farewell to Kings - #26; Cygnus X-1 Book I: The Voyage - #23
- Hemispheres - 3 songs of 4 (75% or 73.51% of album time):  Circumstances - #45; The Trees - #18; Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres - #14
- Permanent Waves - 4 songs of 6 (66.67% or 60.04% of album time):  Different Strings - #57; Entre Nous - #53; Jacob's Ladder - #15; Freewill - #11
- Moving Pictures - 4 songs of 7 (57.14% or 62.33% of album time):  Vital Signs - #51; Witch Hunt - #38; The Camera Eye - #17; YYZ - #12
- Signals - 6 songs of 8 (75% or 75.22% of album time):  Countdown - #68; New World Man - #54; The Weapon - #48; Digital Man - #47; Losing It - #25; The Analog Kid - #16
- Grace Under Pressure - 5 songs of 8 (62.5% or 64.51% of album time):  The Enemy Within - #49; Afterimage - #29; Red Sector A - #21; Distant Early Warning - #20; Between the Wheels - #13
- Power Windows - 8 songs of 8 (100%):  Emotion Detector - #66; Grand Designs - #37; Mystic Rhythms - #35; Middletown Dreams - #31; The Big Money - #30; Territories #24; Manhattan Project - #22; Marathon - #10
- Hold Your Fire - 5 songs of 10 (50% or 40.19% of album time):  Prime Mover - #73; Open Secrets - #72; Force Ten - #50; Mission - #44; Time Stand Still - #34
- Presto - 4 songs of 11 (36.36% or 39.62% of album time):  Presto - #69; Show Don't Tell - #64; The Pass - #33; Available Light - #19
- Roll the Bones - 4 songs of 10 (40% or 41.62% of album time):  Roll the Bones - #75; Ghost of a Chance - #52; Bravado - #41; Dreamline - #32
- Counterparts - 6 songs of 11 (54.55% or 54.24% of album time):  Double Agent - #74; Everyday Glory - #65; Cut to the Chase - #61; Cold Fire - #60; Leave That Thing Alone - #40; Animate - #28
- Test for Echo - 2 songs of 11 (18.18% or 19.41% of album time):  Test for Echo - #71; Driven - #62
- Vapor Trails - NO SONGS (0%)
- Snakes & Arrows - NO SONGS (0%)
- Clockwork Angels - 4 songs of 12 (33.33% or 41.58% of album time):  Clockwork Angels - #55; Headlong Flight - #46; Caravan - #42; The Garden - #27

And Power Windows becomes the first of three albums to be fully represented in the rankings.

[HOF]

In keeping with my practice of listening to the songs as they are revealed on the list. I guess I have to listen to 2112 today. It’s been a while.

[pg1067]

Now that we know 2112 is done (it hasn't been said officially, but I assume that's the case) and Power Windows is done (because, well, ALL songs made the top 75  ), here's where we stand:

1   Power Windows   353
2   Grace Under Pressure   248
3   Signals   198
4   Moving Pictures   185
5   Permanent Waves   168
6   Hemispheres   151
7   A Farewell to Kings   136
8   Clockwork Angels   134
9   Counterparts   128
10   Presto   119
11   Hold Your Fire   107
12   Roll the Bones   104
13   2112   98
14   Fly By Night   84
15   Caress of Steel   26
16   Rush   20
17   Test for Echo   19
18   Vapor Trails   0
19   Snake and Arrows   0

Not that anyone asked, but my album rankings (based only on songs in the top 75) are

1. Moving Pictures - 374 (7/7 songs)
2. Permanent Waves - 339 (6/6 songs)
3. Signals - 324 (7/8 songs)
4. A Farewell to Kings - 276 (5/6 songs)
5. Hemispheres - 248 (4/4 songs)
6. Fly by Night - 156 (4/8 songs)
7. Caress of Steel - 155 (4/5 songs)
8. Presto - 150 (6/11 songs)
9. Vapor Trails - 137 (5/13 songs)
10. Grace Under Pressure - 112 (4/8 songs)
11. 2112 - 104 (4/6 songs)
12. Clockwork Angels - 100 (3/12 songs)
13. Snakes & Arrows - 88 (2/13 songs)
14. Counterparts - 74 (4/11 songs)
15. Rush - 65 (2/8 songs)
16. Power Windows - 59 (3/8 songs)
17. Hold Your Fire - 35 (1/10 songs)
18. Test for Echo - 32 (4/11 songs)
19. Roll the Bones - 22 (1/10 songs)

It's interesting how this reverse point system really skews things.  There is NO WAY that I'd rank GUP over 2112 or Clockwork Angels at #12.  All four Hemispheres songs are in my top 26, but that's only good enough for 5th place because there are only four songs.  I wonder how it would shake out if I did the complete list.

[Cool Chris]

We should definitely all post our aggregate album rankings by point total when this is all said and done.

[nick_z]

Agreed. I have mine ready to go...

[nick_z]

Not that anyone asked, but my album rankings (based only on songs in the top 75) are

1. Moving Pictures - 374 (7/7 songs)
2. Permanent Waves - 339 (6/6 songs)
3. Signals - 324 (7/8 songs)
4. A Farewell to Kings - 276 (5/6 songs)
5. Hemispheres - 248 (4/4 songs)
6. Fly by Night - 156 (4/8 songs)
7. Caress of Steel - 155 (4/5 songs)
8. Presto - 150 (6/11 songs)
9. Vapor Trails - 137 (5/13 songs)
10. Grace Under Pressure - 112 (4/8 songs)
11. 2112 - 104 (4/6 songs)
12. Clockwork Angels - 100 (3/12 songs)
13. Snakes & Arrows - 88 (2/13 songs)
14. Counterparts - 74 (4/11 songs)
15. Rush - 65 (2/8 songs)
16. Power Windows - 59 (3/8 songs)
17. Hold Your Fire - 35 (1/10 songs)
18. Test for Echo - 32 (4/11 songs)
19. Roll the Bones - 22 (1/10 songs)

It's interesting how this reverse point system really skews things.  There is NO WAY that I'd rank GUP over 2112 or Clockwork Angels at #12.  All four Hemispheres songs are in my top 26, but that's only good enough for 5th place because there are only four songs.  I wonder how it would shake out if I did the complete list.

I had some surprises too, compared to my prior Rush album ranking...I mean - no huge shocks, but definitely some reshuffling due to this point-counting methodology...

[DragonAttack]

10.  Marathon (NR)  It's a nice Side One closer, but it simply doesn't register for me.  To suffer my punishment now, and try and prevent any future condescension.......

09. 2112 (#11)  (to get back into your good graces?)  I saw them at Central Michigan in September '79.  In fact, I was playing mixed doubles with my roommate and two female friends when we heard music coming from Rose Arena.  We walked over to and into the building, and were able to listen and watch about ten minutes of the soundcheck before being asked to leave. 

My first ever bootleg was the King Biscuit Flower Hour St. Louis concert  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQWYIIV9lbU  I like the edited version here and on ATWAS.  I actually prefer them over the studio album, though those versions of 'Overture / The Temples of Syrinx' start off my 'best ofs' and 'Grand Finale' ends that first disc.

[Stadler]

Stadler is going to object to something. Someone alert the 6 o'clock news!!

In other news, water is wet.  Back to you Kev! 

Haha, maybe "object" is the wrong word.  I just mean have a differing opinion on.   Some of the more loved songs - Afterimage, Freewill, Between The Wheels, Cygnus X-1, Natural Science - I don't rate as high. 

[TAC]

I'm floored that Marathon is a Top 10 song.

[devieira73]

10 Marathon (#10. bingo!) - It totally deserves to be in the Top 10, it's one of their masterpieces. My second favorite Rush's lyrics - like HOF pointed out, chills everytime on “Like a streak of lightning flashes and fades in the summer sky.” The solo section enhancing by NP destroying everything on drums is beyond amazing - as well the choir section at the end.

09 2112 (#11) - Love this song, it's great the way it's crafted, very inspired, relentless almost all the time and, as big fan of classic sci-fi, I love its story. It's a detail, but Lifeson's guitar in Discovery is very clever in portraying the main character discovering the guitar and how to make music through it - really creative!

[King Postwhore]

I'm floored that Marathon is a Top 10 song.

I think it's because it was at the time you fell of the Rush bandwagon while others were getting on the Rush keyboard era, and that's shocking to you.

[HOF]

In keeping with my practice of listening to the songs as they are revealed on the list. I guess I have to listen to 2112 today. It’s been a while.

Nah, still don't like it. I really dislike all of the vocal melodies (and the way Geddy sings). The Overture is the best part. Alex's solo towards the end is pretty cool too. Ending is pretty strong too. So basically just eliminate all the singing parts and it would be ok.

[TAC]

I'm floored that Marathon is a Top 10 song.

I think it's because it was at the time you fell of the Rush bandwagon while others were getting on the Rush keyboard era, and that's shocking to you.

Well, I think it's more than that, honestly. I got off the Rush train with Signals, and I can name 15 other 80's Era tracks that I think are better than Marathon. So it's not shocking to me that an 80's song came in at #10. What's surprising to me was the one that it is.

[King Postwhore]

Again, that's surprising to me since you've read so many of us on this forum guffawing over Marathon. 

[The Realm]

I'm floored that Marathon is a Top 10 song.

I totally agree. Couldn't say it better myself but sorry guys I don't see how Marathon is a top 10 song. For me it 31.

2112 - As stated this was my number 1. Actually surprised to not be alone in this choice (well done Kev and Cool Chris). Really wasn't sure what the consensus would be. This song is just brilliant and I love every part of it. I'm actually a huge fan of the 2112 album, so it is strange to me that only 3 songs ended up being ranked (compared to Power Windows - whole album!)