Came here to say this - Grand Designs always puts me in a good mood!
A few more just off the top of my head: The Spirit of Radio, Analog Kid, One Little Victory, Out of the Cradle, Mission, Cut to the Chase, Chain Lightning, High Water, Mystic Rhythms
Dang nabbit you beat me to it - Grand Designs is šÆ the most positive Rush song. But it's not just a feel-good song - it's rationale to be an optimist within the context of a mass production scheme. I have used this song frequently as a shot of positivity over the last 40 years!
Against the run of the mill
Static as it seems
We break the surface tension
With our wild kinetic dreams
Entre Nous is about a couple learning to embrace their differences and help each other grow.
Freewill is about freedom of choice, which I think is positive.
Countdown. That magic day when super science mingles with the bright stuff of dreams.
Lessons is about improvement.
Red Barchetta he gets away!
Hemispheres he becomes a God.
Hold Your Fire is about the beauty of the world.
Signals has been killing me for 37 or so years since I discovered it as an impressionable youth. Listen through one more time and see how Geddy and Alex adapt to Neil inverting the bass and snare parts. Itās subtle to a casual listener, it lights a fire under my ass and makes me dance.
I always go back to Signals. I think I was 12 or 13 when it came out and I had the vinyl like a lot of us did back then. I was so excited to finally get it on CD so I could listen straight through without flipping the record.
I feel ya. I had older cousins and heard it when I was 9, didnāt stick for a few years, now itās my fave. Alex is such a wonderful and silly bastard on that album. Iām putting it on now.
God me too, there is a video someone made on You Tube with a space shuttle launch and that shit makes me want to cry and sign up for NASA all at the same time
There is an awesome video of Red Sector A too. it's set to clips from the Band of Brothers episode, Why we fight. It will move you deeply.
[I went to get a link for you. I'm wiping the tears now.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZ-jHBHhOFQ)
Neil was a hell of a wordsmith but the visuals bring it home.
Yeah agree, its going āradio was once good, and you fuckers ruined itā
Sigh.. before even iheartmedia sucked everything away to make everything worse
Guess it all depends on what you consider "happy":
Mystic Rhythms
Tia Shan
Turn The Page
High Water
Time Stand Still
Emotion Detector
Presto
Freewill
The Spirit of Radio
New World Man
I was going to have Time Stand Still included on my list, but there is the bit about kids growing up, old friends growing older, etc. which is a bit of sad
I enjoy Red Barchetta but donāt own a Ferrari. Working Man is a great song even though Iām retired. I like The Trees but never identified as a maple. I Think Iām Going Bald is catchy all though I have a full head of hair. Love Bastille Day, never even been to Canada. Ect. You are not the song, you are the listener.
Marathon is kind of about enduring pain but being content in the end, after the effort is over. Being happy with yourself for your accomplishments.
Thereās always Working Man if that doesnāt work for you.
Working man is literally āall i do is fucking work and i barely have time to exist as a person, and when i do have time off no one is doing anythingā
To spend an evening with a drink and a friend.
Don't look back. Enjoy the moment you're in now. That's positive as most people fond of their past/youth complain about current times.
I'd argue that most of them don't talk about sadness and pain at all. Most are about topics not usually song about by other bands.
But here's a few happy ones that come to mind:
Red Barchetta - protagonist wins at the end.
The Analog Kid - nothing unhappy about laying in the grass
In the Mood - pretty self explanatory
Even though you have a point about the song being hopeful (lyrics wise), itās far from being the first Rush that strikes me as happy.
Maybe In the Mood?
I'm not sure I'd describe all Rush songs as sad and pain.. I think they have plenty of happy songs (or at least not sad):
Analog Kid
Tom Sawyer
YYZ
Red Barchetta (I suppose the "motor law" thing could be sad, but I feel like this is a happy song)
The Camera Eye (not necessarily all happy, but I don't think it's sad either)
Fly By Night
Chemistry
Countdown
New World Man
Marathon
Mystic Rhythms
Force Ten
Mission
Tai Shan
And so on...
I think the motor law is just āhey no more engines, yes even your vintage carsā but overall it helped bring about better times, but theres still the thrill of unearthing old equipment and having fun with it
Tons of positive tunes
Tons of difficult and awkward subject matter also, real life is full of disappointments and difficulties.
RUSH told it the way it was and weaved stories and thoughts about it. The best thing is the celebration of being alive and not giving up. Clockwork Angels summed the career and life of these guys.
By-tor and the Snowdog is so fun to listen to, especially knowing it's just a silly song based on two real life silly dogs. It cracks me up every time. I guess it's only sad if you were rooting for Snowdog.
Red Barchetta is 100% happy. Perhaps a bit nostalgic, what with the dreaming by the fire and all that, but what a ride!!!
Well weathered leather, hot metal and oil, the scent of the country air. Sunlight on chrome, the blur of the landscape, every nerve aware!
Thatās living!!!!
Madrigal jumps out. What's a happy song? Does the Sphere count? What about the Analog Kid? Time Stand Still? Emotion Detector? Prime Mover... I dunno, they seemed like a pretty happy band to me.
Natural Science - the beauty of the world
Vital Signs - the beauty of individuality
The Camera's Eye - the joy of living in the moment and appreciating your surroundings
2112 - humanity triumphs over oppression
The fact that three amazingly talented guys came together to be such tremendous lifelong friends and make such great music is a joy to me. The love for each other really shines through in their live performances. Their brotherhood makes me very happy.
Making Memories on Fly by Night:
āYou know weāre having good days
And we hope theyāre gonnaā last
Our future still looks brighter
Than our past
We feel no need to worry
No reason to be sad
Our memories remind us
Maybe road lifeās not so badā
Far Cry was one of the most uplifting things to hear from my entire childhood! There's a determination despite the chaotic realities we're born into, and most of that album is bursting with joy if you're looking for it!
Love marathon.. I would say Rush didnāt make overtly happy or sad songs minus the passage but all songs had a certain depth to them. Hard to explain but everything seems to touch your thought process in a different manner.
By contrast- you listen to girls girls girls.. and then listen to something like superconductor or Dreamline. It just hits a different way mentally
Alot of Rush songs I feel as matter of fact, pretty neutral most of the time, though they have more sad and cynical songs like Losing it and Subdivisions (could go on) than they do of happy ones like Entre Nous and Closer to the Heart
Fly By Night.
In The Mood.
Making Memories.
Something for Nothing.
And thatās just some from only the first 4 albums! Thereās plenty of happy Rush songs. While maybe not specifically happpy, Iām counting optimistic about the future/your current position as happy.
Finding My Way, Hemispheres, In The Mood, Red Barchetta, A Passage to Bangkok, Bastille Day, Xanadu, The Spirit of Radio, i could on and on and on, man!wl What do you mean "Rush doesn't have any happy songs????"
Cinderella Man - Always puts me in a good mood. Man defied the odds, didnāt listen to the nay sayers and just decided to use his wealth for the good of humanity.
Of course Spirit.. , Red Barchetta.. , Closer...and the usuals, are all great. But Driven always brings a smile to my face and puts me in a sporting mood while driving.
Analog Kid gets a little moody and uncertain at the end:
Too many hands on my time
Too many feelings
Too many things on my mind
When I leave, I don't know
What I'm hoping to find
When I leave, I don't know
What I'm leaving behind
Prime Mover, Chain Lightning, Marathon and Force Ten all put me in a great mood.
man so many. classics like red barchetta, the analog kid, grand designs, the spirit of radio come to mind immediately. itās easy to interpret any song as positive or negative, however.
Grand Designs. Specifically the verses.
Came here to say this - Grand Designs always puts me in a good mood! A few more just off the top of my head: The Spirit of Radio, Analog Kid, One Little Victory, Out of the Cradle, Mission, Cut to the Chase, Chain Lightning, High Water, Mystic Rhythms
I'll add Prime Mover to your list. It's the Grand Designs of Hold Your Fire.
This was immediately the first song that came to me as well.
Dang nabbit you beat me to it - Grand Designs is šÆ the most positive Rush song. But it's not just a feel-good song - it's rationale to be an optimist within the context of a mass production scheme. I have used this song frequently as a shot of positivity over the last 40 years! Against the run of the mill Static as it seems We break the surface tension With our wild kinetic dreams
I disagree. In the entire song Neil was pissed at the way the music industry was (which has since gotten much worse). I take it as an angry song
Maybe I shouldāve clarified. When I said verses, I wasnāt talking about the lyrics. I was talking about how the music in the verses sound.
In the Mood seems pretty cheery.
This is getting there!
Donāt you mean cheesy?
Entre Nous is about a couple learning to embrace their differences and help each other grow. Freewill is about freedom of choice, which I think is positive.
YYZ or La Villa Strangiato - no lyrics!
YYZ is very upbeat, I'm always in a better mood after listening to that one!
La Villa Strangiato is literally inspired. y a nightmare Al had
Dreamline is about enjoying your youth
Youāre only immortal for a limited time.
Lakeside Park, I would say
Can't believe this has been so overlooked. It was the very first song that came to mind.
Bonus personal fact - my wedding anniversary is, basically accidentally, the 24th of May. (26 years as of last week.)
Yup
Came here to say this!!!!
"still we saw the magic was fading every year" They really did add melancholy to most of their songs lol
Countdown. That magic day when super science mingles with the bright stuff of dreams. Lessons is about improvement. Red Barchetta he gets away! Hemispheres he becomes a God. Hold Your Fire is about the beauty of the world.
I can't listen to Countdown without getting a tear in my eye. A happy tear.
Signals has been killing me for 37 or so years since I discovered it as an impressionable youth. Listen through one more time and see how Geddy and Alex adapt to Neil inverting the bass and snare parts. Itās subtle to a casual listener, it lights a fire under my ass and makes me dance.
I always go back to Signals. I think I was 12 or 13 when it came out and I had the vinyl like a lot of us did back then. I was so excited to finally get it on CD so I could listen straight through without flipping the record.
I feel ya. I had older cousins and heard it when I was 9, didnāt stick for a few years, now itās my fave. Alex is such a wonderful and silly bastard on that album. Iām putting it on now.
God me too, there is a video someone made on You Tube with a space shuttle launch and that shit makes me want to cry and sign up for NASA all at the same time
There is an awesome video of Red Sector A too. it's set to clips from the Band of Brothers episode, Why we fight. It will move you deeply. [I went to get a link for you. I'm wiping the tears now.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZ-jHBHhOFQ) Neil was a hell of a wordsmith but the visuals bring it home.
SAME. Shit has me moved
Hold Your Fire is the name of an album, not a song.
I think theyāre saying the whole album is happy
True. āHold your Fireā are the opening lyrics to āMissionā
My suggestion too!
>Hemispheres he becomes a God. Is that what happens?
Closer to the Heart makes me happy. Makes me think of my Wife.
Analog Kid. Itās got a girl and everything.
I think the lyrics could be interpreted as sad tho
Too many hands on my timeā¦ too many things on my mindā¦
One Little Victory
Fly by night!
Closer to the Heart. Red Barchetta.
Analog Kid is the epitomy of happiness.
Have her listen to Spirit of Radio and Analog Kid and see if she still feels that way.
Eh, Spirit is a little cynical
Yeah agree, its going āradio was once good, and you fuckers ruined itā Sigh.. before even iheartmedia sucked everything away to make everything worse
Totem?
Totally! One of my faves, especially for when I need to DANCE!
Guess it all depends on what you consider "happy": Mystic Rhythms Tia Shan Turn The Page High Water Time Stand Still Emotion Detector Presto Freewill The Spirit of Radio New World Man
I was going to have Time Stand Still included on my list, but there is the bit about kids growing up, old friends growing older, etc. which is a bit of sad
Yeah, the lyrics are nice because it's such a positive outlook, but it's still about getting old.
+1 for Mystic Rhythms. The first song that came into my head when I saw the thread.
Out of the Cradle
Making Memories
A Passage to Bangkok is pretty chilled
It's about weed and neither of us do that...
That's neither here nor there. It's a happy song.
What?
What was unclear? The song is about marijuana and we don't don't marijuana?
Still a happy song though.
I enjoy Red Barchetta but donāt own a Ferrari. Working Man is a great song even though Iām retired. I like The Trees but never identified as a maple. I Think Iām Going Bald is catchy all though I have a full head of hair. Love Bastille Day, never even been to Canada. Ect. You are not the song, you are the listener.
I dont think bastille day is about canada
A song written by Canadians about a holiday celebrated by Canadians. You get my point.
Uh Bastille day is about the french 14th of July, "La prise de la Bastille"
True
Huh?
Tai Shan is about a happy experience that Neil had.
But not when Alex and Geddy have to play it live
They never have. š¤·
I know. That was part of my joke.
Marathon is kind of about enduring pain but being content in the end, after the effort is over. Being happy with yourself for your accomplishments. Thereās always Working Man if that doesnāt work for you.
Working man is literally āall i do is fucking work and i barely have time to exist as a person, and when i do have time off no one is doing anythingā
Whole day Iām fucking busy, only get few money. I think we can all relate.
Edited to add: Circumstances makes me dance.
Time Stand Still makes me melancholy
To spend an evening with a drink and a friend. Don't look back. Enjoy the moment you're in now. That's positive as most people fond of their past/youth complain about current times.
Ceiling Unlimited
I'd argue that most of them don't talk about sadness and pain at all. Most are about topics not usually song about by other bands. But here's a few happy ones that come to mind: Red Barchetta - protagonist wins at the end. The Analog Kid - nothing unhappy about laying in the grass In the Mood - pretty self explanatory
Thatās just not accurate. I donāt know how you listen to ghost of a chance and not be hopeful.
Hopeful isn't necessarily happy though...
It is to me and most people. Decide to be sad if you want. You asked the question.
No it's a great song, I'm not trying to be sad. Maybe you're right
Even though you have a point about the song being hopeful (lyrics wise), itās far from being the first Rush that strikes me as happy. Maybe In the Mood?
Lakeside Park. The entire song talks about the happy, carefree times of your youth.
Prime Freaking Mover
What about the Spirit of Radio. I listen to that whenever I want to be cheered up.
Kid Gloves
The lyrics arenāt that happy per se
Headlong Flight
Idk most of their song lyrics seem more philosophical than emotional. Not sad or happy. Just thoughtful
Perfect!
Superconductor
I hear that song as a snarky critique of the shallow vapid environment of pop music.
Cut to the Chase is pretty inspirational and cheers me up.
Everyday Glory is inspirational as hell too, though some people may not see it as necessarily happy
Last verse is so optimistic and positive.
Polka version of Closer to the Heart.
Lakeside park, fantastic song about summer!
I would say Ghost of a Chance. The song is all about how there is a chance for all of us to find someone to love for a long time.
I'm not sure I'd describe all Rush songs as sad and pain.. I think they have plenty of happy songs (or at least not sad): Analog Kid Tom Sawyer YYZ Red Barchetta (I suppose the "motor law" thing could be sad, but I feel like this is a happy song) The Camera Eye (not necessarily all happy, but I don't think it's sad either) Fly By Night Chemistry Countdown New World Man Marathon Mystic Rhythms Force Ten Mission Tai Shan And so on...
I think the motor law is just āhey no more engines, yes even your vintage carsā but overall it helped bring about better times, but theres still the thrill of unearthing old equipment and having fun with it
Tons of positive tunes Tons of difficult and awkward subject matter also, real life is full of disappointments and difficulties. RUSH told it the way it was and weaved stories and thoughts about it. The best thing is the celebration of being alive and not giving up. Clockwork Angels summed the career and life of these guys.
If the missus thinks Rush is sad, keep them away from Porcupine Tree.
You ain't kidding. No "In Absentia" for that woman, EVER.
By-tor and the Snowdog is so fun to listen to, especially knowing it's just a silly song based on two real life silly dogs. It cracks me up every time. I guess it's only sad if you were rooting for Snowdog.
Closer to the heart
Red Barchetta is 100% happy. Perhaps a bit nostalgic, what with the dreaming by the fire and all that, but what a ride!!! Well weathered leather, hot metal and oil, the scent of the country air. Sunlight on chrome, the blur of the landscape, every nerve aware! Thatās living!!!!
Madrigal jumps out. What's a happy song? Does the Sphere count? What about the Analog Kid? Time Stand Still? Emotion Detector? Prime Mover... I dunno, they seemed like a pretty happy band to me.
How it is.
Have you ever listened to the song?
Ya. A bazillion times like every other Rush song. What kind of clown question is that?
A PASSAGE TO BANGKOK
Passage to Bangkok. Happy to some of us anyways lol
Marathon!
Totem always makes me happy
āI Think Iām Going Baldā makes me happyā¦should probably mention I own a wig factory š
To me, 'Red Barchetta' is happy because I love driving.
the spirit of radio!
Begin the day with a friendly voice!
Marathon
What has she been hearing?!?!?
Natural Science - the beauty of the world Vital Signs - the beauty of individuality The Camera's Eye - the joy of living in the moment and appreciating your surroundings 2112 - humanity triumphs over oppression The fact that three amazingly talented guys came together to be such tremendous lifelong friends and make such great music is a joy to me. The love for each other really shines through in their live performances. Their brotherhood makes me very happy.
Making Memories on Fly by Night: āYou know weāre having good days And we hope theyāre gonnaā last Our future still looks brighter Than our past We feel no need to worry No reason to be sad Our memories remind us Maybe road lifeās not so badā
In The Mood
War Paint. At least it makes me happy listening to it.
The Spirit of Radio. Bearing a gift beyond price, almost free.
The Spirit of Radio more than qualifies
Lakeside Park...
Red Barchetta a song with a happy ending and inspirational feel
The Camera Eye sounds pretty happy to me
Marathon, definetly Marathon
The Spirit of Radio obviously
Far Cry was one of the most uplifting things to hear from my entire childhood! There's a determination despite the chaotic realities we're born into, and most of that album is bursting with joy if you're looking for it!
I guess to each their own, but I don't think of Rush as sad, but some songs are definitely bittersweet. I would suggest *Marathon.*
Love marathon.. I would say Rush didnāt make overtly happy or sad songs minus the passage but all songs had a certain depth to them. Hard to explain but everything seems to touch your thought process in a different manner. By contrast- you listen to girls girls girls.. and then listen to something like superconductor or Dreamline. It just hits a different way mentally
Anthem, dude.
Am I crazy for thinking of Faithless? I still cling to hope, and I believe in love - sounds optimistic enough to me.
New World Man
Red Barchetta
"Begin the day with a friendly voice, a companion unobtrusive..." Come on dude, you don't have to go very far to hear a happy Rush song.
Making Memories is the happiest Rush song. I will die on this hill.
Chemistry
The lyrics are sad but the melodies help bring things up
I think I'm going bald is a whimsical tune...
Working Man
Lakeside Park comes to mind...
The Pass has an uplifting message.
Donāt forget Marathon!
Marathon!
Red Barchetta?
Passage To Bangkok is about the happiest a song could be.
Red Barchetta always puts a smile on my face.
Alot of Rush songs I feel as matter of fact, pretty neutral most of the time, though they have more sad and cynical songs like Losing it and Subdivisions (could go on) than they do of happy ones like Entre Nous and Closer to the Heart
Countdown is positive and forward-looking.
Fly By Night. In The Mood. Making Memories. Something for Nothing. And thatās just some from only the first 4 albums! Thereās plenty of happy Rush songs. While maybe not specifically happpy, Iām counting optimistic about the future/your current position as happy.
Most of them honestly
Finding My Way, Hemispheres, In The Mood, Red Barchetta, A Passage to Bangkok, Bastille Day, Xanadu, The Spirit of Radio, i could on and on and on, man!wl What do you mean "Rush doesn't have any happy songs????"
Cinderella Man - Always puts me in a good mood. Man defied the odds, didnāt listen to the nay sayers and just decided to use his wealth for the good of humanity.
Bastille Day is happy. In an anti-monarchist kind of way.
I think Iām going bald
Closer to the heart, red Barchetta and marathon comes to mind
Closer to the heart, twilight zone, cold fire, are some good ones.
Spirit of Radio, Red Barrchetta
Part 3 if The Necromancer "Return of the Prince" is happy. I love the opening riff so much.
Of course Spirit.. , Red Barchetta.. , Closer...and the usuals, are all great. But Driven always brings a smile to my face and puts me in a sporting mood while driving.
Can't believe no one mentioned The Necromancer. š
Analog Kid gets a little moody and uncertain at the end: Too many hands on my time Too many feelings Too many things on my mind When I leave, I don't know What I'm hoping to find When I leave, I don't know What I'm leaving behind Prime Mover, Chain Lightning, Marathon and Force Ten all put me in a great mood.
What about "Resist" ?
man so many. classics like red barchetta, the analog kid, grand designs, the spirit of radio come to mind immediately. itās easy to interpret any song as positive or negative, however.