So this is it. At the end of this road I wanna thank you JP for the ride, your no BS and non biased comments. And your sense of humour. Even though this whole last album might not be a winner for you, I'm pretty sure you know by now how great this band was and why we fans love them so much.
This is such a beautiful heart wrenching song. On tour it is Alex who plays the piano part. I truly love this whole album and I hope with more listens you will hear more that stands out to you. Well, you did it! You made it to the end and I really appreciate all the other things you did besides the albums. There are still lots of interviews and other Rush related things out there so I know it is not quite over. This song is gorgeous live.
Emotional, beautiful, a masterpiece and a fitting last song to brilliant careers. As a Canadian, an Ontarian and a Torontonian, thank you Neil, Alex and Geddy, a huge part of my personal musical journey and I am proud of you. This was an amazing journey Justin, thank you for sticking with it and I know you have gained a greater appreciation for the music of Rush.
For dedicated Rush fans in general and Neil Peart in particular, we know what this song represented… Made only more poignant with the end of touring and the untimely death of Neil… Love, respect, and loyalty cannot embrace objectivity… If you can’t see we understand it’s OK… For us, the forty plus year fans, Rush has been a soundtrack of our life. So thank you for being respectful and for your reactions and review. Thank you Rush and goodbye again Neil… I love you guys!
the guitar solo on this is so great. i always pump-up the volume,🤘🎸🤘what a career, 40 years of hits,one of a kind band,we enjoy the ride,looking forward, justin, and new band ??? 🤘🤘🤘
Gary says write this: Justin says the garden and Cinderella Man were two songs that after the first listen he just had to immediately listen to again with Cinderella Man being his favorite song of all time…here comes the emojis: 😝😝😝🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻🔥🔥🔥
I know the music didn’t grab you so my comments won’t change that unless multiple listens helped. But like you, this song was the only that jumped out at me on first listen. Very different from all the other songs and I thought maybe this was written at a different time than others but don’t think that is the case. So when I listen to the entire album and how it’s so heavy in the beginning and then end on this note, I think of it more like the man’s life was kind of chaos and felt trapped and heavy in life. Then goes on his adventure which obviously don’t work out as planned and then we end on this more calming and beautiful song. I consider this song to be the man at peace in life and understanding of his role in life and what is truly important. When I consider the flow of the album, it does start to get less heavy as it progresses (with exception of headlong flight but that is still less….deep/heavy). Like the character is growing throughout the album until he hits that point of self worth. It is probably not written that way and maybe they could have written that album to be more like that but it is what I hear when I listen to the album from start to finish. It goes beyond the words for me. I do agree that some of the songs are just not strong to the point where you’d go looking for it. Carnies….nope. Lol. As for piano, Alex was possibly playing it on the recording. Not sure. He does play that part in concert. It’s a little longer in the concert. Congrats on getting through this. Remember, it’s took most of us 30+ years to hear all of this so the reactions from one record to the next was very different due to not actually knowing what they were doing and waiting years at times for one to come out. A bad Rush album was welcomed because of that. This album became much more important to us fans not just because it moved them back into more proggy stuff but also due to it being the last. Once Neil passed, it was like getting hit over the head that we will never hear him play again.
So this is the end of the road. I daresay no Rush fan can listen to this song without feeling a little twinge of emotion, particularly at 5:55 after the piano interlude when Alex's solo begins.
I decided to watch and listen to this for a second time. It hits me right where I live the more times I hear it. I have said for a few years now when I breathe my last breath and friends and family gather I want this song played. Who did you touch in your life? What good did you do? Add it up. Was it a life worth living? This is what I get from it. The Watchmaker to me represents God if you are a believer but that's neither here nor there as far as the depth of this song goes. It forces me to reflect. Cheers 74'-84'....
Justin, what blew me away is the live version of "The Garden" Alex played the piano/keyboard part. I'm not sure if Alex played the piano/keyboard part on the album. This song is so different than the entire 40 plus years of Rush's incredible catalog of music and lyrics. Songs that blew me away through the decades of Rush music and lyrics 1. Natural Science 2. Jacob's Ladder 3. Anthem 4. Grand Design. 5. The Garden 6. 2112 7. Subdivisions. 8. Freewill 9. Closer to the Heart. 10. Enemy Within. I'm grateful you thought the Garden was great.
I have drummer friend that didn’t care for Clockwork Angles at 1st. But…, he went back a little later and said “you know,it was pretty good”. It’s a masterpiece, especially live…
I've said it before and I'll say it again the garden is by far my favorite song which was only made more so with Neil's passing 😢 Thank you for taking this journey I think that I speak for most of us when I say that it was an adventure 😊😊
Ok this is my favourite and it is going to be played when I you know what eventually at my, you get it let's all be happy. Piano played by Alex bless him great job JPan
It took me quite awhile to warm up to this record. Meanwhile a lot of younger fans kept talking about how great it was so that got me to listen more and I kept finding more stuff to like. Then the fan vid of Headlong flight came out and helped me hear that song in a different way. The first 2 tracks that you warmed up to I got into more when I played them really loud. I guess my hesitancy came mostly from Geds vocals which I guess I just had to get over it even though I didn’t want to. I actually think the song writing is good and I never really think of the concept too much when I listen because I can’t get a full grasp of it just from the songs so I just think of them as individual songs. Separate The Anarchist from the concept and it’s actually a really good song in my opinion. Anyways. What a career for these guys.
The perfect swan song for this band IMO. A beautiful song with a beautiful message. The reason I believe many of us Rush fans call this a masterpiece is because we look upon this song reflectively. We grew up listening to this band. Cruising in our cars with their songs being played on the radio. Waiting in anticipation for their next album to come out. Hanging out with friends as we put on that new record and listening to it for the first time. Remembering the experience of being at one of their concerts. This song signifies the end of all of that. Also, a lot has happened since 2012. This song is relatable to life in general. Musically and lyrically, this song evokes an emotional response for many. So yeah, a masterpiece!
Life long fan and love all albums...some better live than studio in certain eras. Just cant get into this song, trying again tonight but i dont hold favour of faith it'll happen. As I listen a little more, drawing more closer to understanding.....thank you buddy! From west coast Canada 🇨🇦, peace.
Congrats on (I'm assuming) the only full Rush discography (honest) reaction on youtube 😮👍 I'm still hoping to hear that the Grace Under Pressure effect kicked in as you re-listened to Clockwork... For me, The Garden is the next Closer to the Heart, but the album is definitely the next Grace Under Pressure in the way it all holds together, and also a bit of a diversion from what you were thinking their next album would be like....
Every record was like this for me until I saw the new stuff live. Then I wore them out in the car and could hear things I missed until seeing it. Hope you enjoy the concert.
Take a breath, maybe you will find some magic on second or third listens. I really didn't like Snakes and Arrows until I was in a different place in my life. We are all different for a reason. That being said, this song is the most perfect bookend I have heard in context with a band I love and the expanse of their journey. I'm just happy to have been around in the right era to experience them. Thank you for the rabbit hole dive, Justin. You are a good man.
I can't wait to see your reaction to the album tomorrow, after hearing it a kazillion more times. Truth be told, after I heard it a ton, my second favorite on the album after "The Garden" is "The Anarchist." LOL. And congratulations to whoever wins the book. My copy is showing its use.
@@mikemurphymagicAnd, now, I can't wait until Justin reacts to R40 (CA Live first)!! With his new favorite song "The Anarchist" somewhere there! JK, Justin, but I have had R40 playing in my car an awful lot these last few years. I'll save the rest of my comments on R40 for when you go through the toll booth for THAT portion of your journey.
Congrats on finishing the discography, Justin! I'm not sure it's a matter of Rush getting lost in the concept, but that frankly you're not as huge a fan of the bands more proggy -hard rock-instrumental side that many of us are. Cuz this album is a major celebration of that side of Rush, the "By Tor"/"Cygnus-X1"/"Anthem" legacy. And on those terms I think it succeeds. Are things like "Caravan" and "Headlong Flight" *great songs* like you "The Garden" is? I would say they're just very different. All that instrumental craziness is what attracted me to Rush and what I still think is their basic reason for being. The fact that they can write a nice mid-tempo ballady soft rock song is nice, but it's not what I pull out Rush CDs to hear. In case you can't already tell, I'm not the fan of this one that so many others are, although to be fair I do like how it closes out the album. Considering how much of this album is a throwback to the band's glory days, it's nice that for this one they went back to an acoustic song that evoked things like the end of "Hemispheres" or "Closer to the Heart". Anyways, good job on making it all the way through such a huge catalog of music. I know you still have a couple concerts to do and I'm looking forward to those!
In my opinion, this is a great song and a fitting end to an epic band. Thanks for all your hard work on their catalog. It has been been quite a rush from a 74 to 84 Rush fan. 😂
Finally a reaction video that is a little critical of the song. Not that I agree with you but...so many reaction videos are the creator falling all over themself praising what they just listened to. It feels like you could play a Milli Vanilli song for them and they would think it was the best thing since sliced bread. It's nice to see someone who gives an honest reaction. You aren't going to like every song. I'll amend that to say you aren't going to like every song the first time you hear it. Some songs have to grow on you. As a lifelong Rush fan I used to look forward the the release of every new album. When I got Clockwork Angels I was a little underwhelmed. I liked The Anarchist and Headlong Flight right away but it took some time for the other songs to grow on me. I think the issue is that there aren't a lot of hooky songs on this album. By hooky I mean songs that have that hook - the thing that makes you sing it in the shower or go "Wow! That was cool" the first time you hear it. Think of songs like Closer to the Heart or The Spirit of Radio. Those are hooky songs. Clockwork Angels is a great album but it doesn't immediatly reach out and grab you. It takes a few listens to sink in.
You want critical? They don't say i'm unnecessarily harsh for nothing lol yeah if I don't like something or I see how something could be better i say it lol not everyone likes that
Best song on the album. The piano part was written by Alex. On the studio recording it was played by Jason Sniderman. Alex played the part for live performances.
RIP NP My sensai. I still cannot listen to The Garden with dry eyes.I'm the same on this one. I will say that Geddy is on it vocally! Caravan is a jam! Still love CWA
"Just write good songs" ha! Gotta believe you have warmed up to this album...even with a few more listens it may still not grab you whole heartedly...it even took this 40yr fan a few months. I think all the songs are really solid, with the Anarchist and Headlong my 2 faves by a mile...of course writing a song like The Garden was apropos to close their recording career🤘
"Just write good songs". I almost threw my iPad across the room when Justin said that. Because it felt like he was saying that these were objectively not well written. I think he was saying "Just write songs I like." But "in the fullness of time", fans love this album full of GREAT well-written songs. I don't know. I feel like my comment here is the kind of comment that Justin would rightfully laugh and make fun of. hahaha. But "it's just my opinion."
@@mikemurphymagic I guess many of us were hooked by their lyrics from the get go along with their superb musicianship. The expectation for every new record was itself a trip. It's difficult for me to be unbiased when I always find good things in every Rush song
@mikemurphymagic yeah I wasn't surprised at his initial reaction, hopefully he had a good dozen listens and recorded his overview a couple days ago before the release.
So this must be the last album. I'm a pretty big fan but I guess I didn't follow them all the way to the end. I've picked up a lot lately though on catching up. Cool song. Monumental band. And I think the nicest guys in rock.
Yup, this song is a masterpiece. Really nice change of pace and they crush it. Definitively among the best on the album, if not THE best. Regarding your impression of the album as a whole, I think reading the lyrics and the intro to follow along with the concept both helped and hurt you. In my opinion, and this is only my opinion, you have missed a lot of what makes many of these songs great on this first listen. For example, the song Clockwork Angels is bar none one of the best tracks they've ever recorded, but your first impression is that it's OK - I really really really think that's going to change once you have multiple listens of it under your belt AND you're able to just focus on the song and music without thinking and following the lyrics and story. There are some others that I think are fantastic but you need to kind of get used to them. Or songs like The Wreckers that are really simple and mostly straight forward, but after you listen to it a few times you just cannot get it out of your head because there's just something about it that's addictive - it may be my favorite track on the album! I'm not going to argue the whole 74 - 85 thing too much, despite the fact I think their post-Neil tragedy albums are among the best they recorded, other than to say I think you're underselling Vapor Trails. Yeah it has 2 or 3 clunkers but the good songs are fantastic. And you're extremely wrong about Earthshine (sorry, just couldn't help myself :) ). Anyway, I'm looking forward to hearing your opinion after you've heard the album more. And another thing to keep in mind is that sometimes Rush albums take YEARS before you realize they're great. In my case, Signals was among my LEAST favorite Rush albums for nearly a DECADE, until it FINALLY sunk in. Now I think it's among their best. Random side note - I agree Grace Under Pressure is criminally underrated. Thanks again for taking on this monumental task and letting us come along for the ride!
This was great. Re: Signals, I remember being sooo disappointed with the first NEW Rush album I ever experienced ... Signals. So disappointed. I got into Rush during Moving Pictures, and gobbled up all their previous albums, and I was so looking forward to Signals, and we got New World Man on the radio. What? Ugh. They're "Losing It" already. haha. But decades later, like you said, I love Signals as much as or even more than Moving Pictures.
Yes. I think it's hard to be super creative like they were in the first albums with Neil and then up to GUP but while I did enjoy HYF more than you I found less and less in their later albums and this last one just seems like they are lost in overproduced goo. The Garden has a lot more going for it but I keep getting whacked out of the mood by the cliche'd "It is what it is"... Argggg! Someone please smack me hard if I ever write a song or poem remotely like it. Congrats! You made it through! :)
I challenge you to bring the wife in for a first and “live” reaction(hers)and review 2nd time for you(or more)and not talk about or hint at what you think of it until it’s over🙏🤘🖖✌️🎹🎸🥁🎤😎
Got to agree with you Justin about writing a good song and the album, I find it an awkward album to listen to bookended by BU2B and the Garden which are standout for me, there's so much excellent stuff in the back catalogue that it doesn't really matter and I'm sure that there are enough fans who love the music.
When I heard The Garden, I thought it was beautiful. I still cry when I hear it. But after repeated listens, I keep thinking they could have written The Garden a little better. :) I'm just saying! That's my opinion! It definitely has its moments. But it's weirdly repetitive. Like why repeat that line instead of writing another line? And I still don't get the vocals during the piano part. And Alex's solo is in his top 20 in my opinion, but I think he left a lot to be desired. So after, what ... 8 years now, I rarely listen to The Garden. And I only listen because it's a significant song because of its position in their discography. The songs I listen to over and over are Caravan, BU2B, The Anarchist, Carnies, Headlong Flight, and The Wreckers. Because these songs were better than anything they've done since ... Moving Pictures in my opinion, probably. So, we disagree at this moment.
A question for Justin: if it's just so easy to write a good song, why is the top 40 today almost always completely bereft of even one legitimately good or even decent song? It's a bunch of horseshit. Even back when I was growing up in the 1970s and 1980s, when music was orders of magnitude better (on this, there can be no debate), there were rarely more than a half dozen genuinely good songs, with maybe another half dozen decent songs. The rest was mostly vacuous dreck... whereas today, it's all vacuous dreck. Easy to write good songs? I think not.
Did I say it was easy to write a good song? Pretty sure I didn't. soooooo huh?! Top 40 is how it is for many reasons. Among them, if everyone is trying to write a hit song what is the best (maybe not best, but one) way to do that?? Copy/emulate the current hits. Which over time (decades), has gotten us to where we are in Top 40. The best and easiest way to write good songs is to write 100 songs, then another 100, then another 100, etc. Then throw away 95% or release them on Test For Echo lol.
@@JustinPanariello , I meant no disrespect, but you did berate them for not churning out 12 good songs like it was no big whoop to conjure up good songs on demand. My argument is, if writing good songs was so easy, we would be inundated with them just in the top 40 (popular music), but that's obviously not the case. You can color me as a Rush apologist, but I claim that, taking their entire discography into consideration, a healthy 75 percent of it is what I consider "good songs," duds like Test For Echo and Hold Your Fire notwithstanding (although Resist and Turn The Page are amazing songs). Compared to the other hard rock acts of their era, I'd say that's not too shabby. But then again, I'm biased and a complete layman when it comes to music.
I thought they wrote good songs but missed the mark on the execution of several of them. When I listen to this album, I hear great musicianship and great production. Did we expect every song to be a hit? Absolutely not. It's RUSH. Do we ever expect a hit at all? Never. What I found from this album is sonically, they were on fire. Lyrically? Not Neil's best due to a novel getting in the way. Had the novel not come first, perhaps better lyrics would have accompanied a lot of the great music they put together. But, this song is a fitting end to the career of a band and to Neil.
No, don't agree with you. If you've truly read the book, the songs go perfect with the plots of the story.; and not GOOD songs??? Uh, I respect your opinion, but "not good songs" doesn't fit here dude Lol
Gary says: Hard to believe and yet appropriate that this would be the last song Neil Peart would ever write for RUSH! It seems to sum up his life in many ways! RIP PROFESSOR there will never be another like you! God broke the mold when he made you!
Justin it’s been a incredible ride with you for this Rush journey. You took on this massive endeavor and true to your word you completed it. Bravo my friend, well done. 👏👏🔥👍
There is actually material they did before their debut album. There's a vinyl 45 they put out with an original song and a Buddy Holly cover, and there are a number of songs they did live that bootleg recordings were made of. One called Garden Road can be found on UA-cam.
Congrats for taking the whole trip. Quite the achievement. I'm not sure if Rush knew this would be their last song but it sure is a fitting end. You committed to taking the whole trip and I tip my hat to you for making it. I wonder how these sings will resonate with you over time. Rush has been a lifetime commitment for many of us fans. The relationship with the band was as much a part of the experience as the music. Especially watching them develop over the years. Catching all the tours. I truly miss this band. Cheers!
They "found their way" to "the garden". Although I'm sure this isn't why, I've always enjoyed the thought that Neil's late entry into the song represents how he came into the band.
I try to avoid hyperbole like “masterpiece” etc, but I think the message and music of this song is very nice and a fitting way to wrap up their recording career.
Every time I hear this song, I think of my dear friend Sean, a former radio host in Toronto, who passed at the beginning of this year. He loved Rush, music, and life.
All throughout our journey, I've always appreciated the emotional undertones of Rush's music, and this one had me crying my eyes out; my mother died of cancer about a month before the CA video was released, my brother lost his own battle last October, and I'm about to close the sale on the house in which we'd lived our whole lives, and I'm highly appreciative of his friends, who are now my friends helping me through it. It really helps us to understand that it is the relationships with our friends and loved ones, like the relationships among Neil, Geddy, and Alex, that will create our strongest and most enduring legacy. Rest in peace Professor; your garden is being well looked after. 🎤 🎹 🎸 🥁 🎸 🐐 🐐 🐐
It's not Geddy playing the piano, it's guest Jason Sniderman (who also played on Presto). Alex plays it live - not sure if he also wrote that part but I remember he wrote the string parts for this song because he used a keyboard to do it, and said "I don't hate keyboards that much" 😄 Edit: I've just seen an interview with Nick Raskulinecz - Alex did write the piano part, they just brought in a pianist to play it for the recording on a 'real' Steinway piano.
That’s after saying years ago - “what’s with all these keyboards - it’s not even a real instrument.” He said this when they we’re entering the studio the record Counterparts.
@@roberthussey595 that quote is from Beyond the Lighted Stage and I don't think he's being completely serious - he was into the band using the keyboards in the beginning, wrote some of their keyboard parts himself, and even played them on his own album - but yes, by Counterparts it sounds like his patience finally ran out 😏
A fine end to a good album by a great band. It’s a difficult ask expecting lots of good songs so late in their career. History tells us that rarely happens. In that context it’s a good album and a fitting way to sign out.
Well, here comes the waterworks again. Shameful. Thanks to Justin for taking this journey. It was an interesting experience for me as a life-long fan. He's doing God's work.
This song closed out Rush's career with a bang, without anyone realizing at first when this album came out 11 years ago. Looking back now, this song radiates a lot more than ever since it came out, the R40 Tour, and Neil's passing, it hit's a lot more harder. I don't think there's anyone out there, at least on UA-cam anyway, who has done a full discography of Rush and go into detail and analysis of every song and and overview of the album after. Amazing job! Thank you for this!
UA-camr John Slop did, and he's a bass player like Justin. But Justin has been way more thorough and actually gave an overview after each album. Justin also is doing their entire live discography as well as studio, which I don't think John did.
Oh yeah I think you are the first to actually make it all the way through Rush’s discography on UA-cam even though several started so congrats on that.
@@jasonbromano, yes, I was going to mention John Slop. Assuming he wasn't just exaggerating his reactions to ingratiate himself with Rush fans, he enjoyed their music much more than Justin. You can tell they made an indelible impression on him. I don't think the same thing can be said about Justin. I'm sure Justin isn't lying when he says he thinks Rush was a really good band, but it's pretty obvious they just weren't his cup of tea. That's life... and chess.
I’m still holding out hope you’re gonna come back around on the rest of the album… This is an amazing and maybe perfect track. But there are many other good songs on this album maybe some great ones if you give it time. After many many years as a Rush fan, thinking I had listened to about as much as I could of the earlier music, I found the one album that I played even more over and over again was this one. And as much as you’re down on Anarchist and actually now is one of my top 5 Rush songs. As you would say - unbelievable. Hey congrats, by the way, you did it!! And there’s still more to come with all your extras!
The Garden is the best combination of lyrics and melody I've ever heard. One of the most beautiful and profound songs I've ever heard in my life. in addition to the identification and connection I have (due to my life experiences) it is as if it were speaking directly to me. I've lost count of how many times I've cried listening to this song.
I dunno Justin, to me there is something magical about this album music and lyrics wise, that make this one of my top 6 albums by them. I adore every song on this album, it is to me, just a great piece.
Adult contemporary, sure... But this is a "meta" song... It's within the concept of the album but moreover, it's the perfect rolling credits soundtrack to their entire career, a Rock fairy-tale. 🎸🔥🍁🇨🇦🌈
This is the first time I’ve listened to these songs since the album’s release and subsequent tours. As far as the concept goes, I’d take the priests over the watchmaker & “assuming control” over “The Garden” everyday & twice on Sundays.
It was great adventure from tenuous beginnings to Permanent Waves & Hall of Fames, thru Hurricanes, HYF, & "haters", there was Grace Under Pressure thru the Wreckers and the final echos of a Cello - even Palm Tree Planters. Ulysses would be impressed. 🎉 🎉 🎉 As Barry Manilow said, "Looks Like We Made It"😃
Glad that you were able to last through every album. I think this song is the best song on the album, but it stands out for RUSH fans more because of the fact that it was the LAST song RUSH ever did, and the fact that it is talking about the “measure of a life” and then a couple of years later Neil passes.
Growing up outside Toronto I was a huge Rush fan in my teens. They played our high school, I went to two of the Massey Hall shows that were used for their first Live album All The World’s A Stage. I loved the albums from the early to late 70s. Then University, work, family, mortgage and life and music wasn’t my primary and sole passion. I lost touch, heard the albums from the 80s to mid 90s. I went to a few Rush shows in Toronto then in the mid 90s went back and caught up. My musical tastes are eclectic, I pretty much like anything but Rush ranks in my top 3. I met Geddy Lee about five years ago. I was filling up my car in northern Ontario when a Dark blue Bentley convertible pulls up and guess who’s driving with his wife and two small dogs strapped in the back seat? I nodded and thanked him for the music. He smiled, pointed to my Blue Jays hat and said “Go Jays”. I like the Clockwork Angels album, but I think The Garden is in my top ten Rush Songs.
I think this is similar to how I felt on my first listen too. Eventually I read the books and evolved with it while growing into an adult and it became arguably my favorite album for a while.
Always brings a tear to my eye. Last song from their last ever album. Also there were some reflections with this song after Neil's death. Thank you Rush for leaving us with such an amazing album catalogue 👍🎤
I think what you are hitting on here is this one truly stands on its own. I do think several others do work on their own once you've done a listen through (they just need some context). Think about a Broadway musical - the lyrics and music are absolutely intertwined but the best Broadway songs are the ones that stand alone, but that doesn't make the other musicals bad. Context...
It does have parallels to the 2112 suite in that sense, even though 2112 is "One musical piece" they really are individual songs just strung together in a conceptual flow. They're shortened, but in theory each song could stand on its own. But a lot of them are very weak outside of the context of the whole thing. Like the Oracle. But doing an album listen through with something like CA or 2112, you don't hear each song on their own, because all the previous music still echoes in the memory and moves you forward to the next piece. Its a cumulative effect. so It boils down to whether the concept itself is compelling, and does the music do something musical to convey the story and the emotions of the protagonist, etc.
Justin's first reaction to Clockwork Angels reminds me of my own first reaction to Snakes and Arrows. A handful of great tracks and a bunch not grabbing me. Thankfully, that did change somewhat with more spins. I'm thinking Justin will eventually like this record quite a bit. Thanks for the RUSH journey Justin. I'm envious. Wish I could hear all these songs over again for the first time.
So this is it. At the end of this road I wanna thank you JP for the ride, your no BS and non biased comments. And your sense of humour. Even though this whole last album
might not be a winner for you, I'm pretty sure you know by now how great this band was and why we fans love them so much.
Here's to you, J.P.
This is such a beautiful heart wrenching song. On tour it is Alex who plays the piano part. I truly love this whole album and I hope with more listens you will hear more that stands out to you. Well, you did it! You made it to the end and I really appreciate all the other things you did besides the albums. There are still lots of interviews and other Rush related things out there so I know it is not quite over. This song is gorgeous live.
Hands down the best track of the album imo. And probably the most memorable last song from a last record from any rock band ever.
Emotional, beautiful, a masterpiece and a fitting last song to brilliant careers. As a Canadian, an Ontarian and a Torontonian, thank you Neil, Alex and Geddy, a huge part of my personal musical journey and I am proud of you.
This was an amazing journey Justin, thank you for sticking with it and I know you have gained a greater appreciation for the music of Rush.
This song is a perfect bookend to an expansive career. It transcends this album and it’s storyline.
For dedicated Rush fans in general and Neil Peart in particular, we know what this song represented… Made only more poignant with the end of touring and the untimely death of Neil… Love, respect, and loyalty cannot embrace objectivity… If you can’t see we understand it’s OK… For us, the forty plus year fans, Rush has been a soundtrack of our life. So thank you for being respectful and for your reactions and review. Thank you Rush and goodbye again Neil… I love you guys!
I dont' know if it's a masterpiece, but I think it's beautiful and absolutely the most fitting song for the end of a career.
You did it, JPan. The whole discography. Thank you, and congrats! 🤩
This song is great. It would be better if I could listen to it without being an emotional wreck at the end of it.
Yep! 😭
the guitar solo on this is so great. i always pump-up the volume,🤘🎸🤘what a career, 40 years of hits,one of a kind band,we enjoy the ride,looking forward, justin, and new band ??? 🤘🤘🤘
Simply one of the most beautiful songs Rush ever wrote. The fact that it is the last song on their epic 40 year discography is poetic!
Gary says write this: Justin says the garden and Cinderella Man were two songs that after the first listen he just had to immediately listen to again with Cinderella Man being his favorite song of all time…here comes the emojis: 😝😝😝🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻🔥🔥🔥
I know the music didn’t grab you so my comments won’t change that unless multiple listens helped. But like you, this song was the only that jumped out at me on first listen. Very different from all the other songs and I thought maybe this was written at a different time than others but don’t think that is the case.
So when I listen to the entire album and how it’s so heavy in the beginning and then end on this note, I think of it more like the man’s life was kind of chaos and felt trapped and heavy in life. Then goes on his adventure which obviously don’t work out as planned and then we end on this more calming and beautiful song. I consider this song to be the man at peace in life and understanding of his role in life and what is truly important.
When I consider the flow of the album, it does start to get less heavy as it progresses (with exception of headlong flight but that is still less….deep/heavy). Like the character is growing throughout the album until he hits that point of self worth.
It is probably not written that way and maybe they could have written that album to be more like that but it is what I hear when I listen to the album from start to finish. It goes beyond the words for me.
I do agree that some of the songs are just not strong to the point where you’d go looking for it. Carnies….nope. Lol.
As for piano, Alex was possibly playing it on the recording. Not sure. He does play that part in concert. It’s a little longer in the concert.
Congrats on getting through this. Remember, it’s took most of us 30+ years to hear all of this so the reactions from one record to the next was very different due to not actually knowing what they were doing and waiting years at times for one to come out. A bad Rush album was welcomed because of that. This album became much more important to us fans not just because it moved them back into more proggy stuff but also due to it being the last. Once Neil passed, it was like getting hit over the head that we will never hear him play again.
i read The Garden and The Anarchist were written early on, around the same time as Caravan and BU2B.
So this is the end of the road. I daresay no Rush fan can listen to this song without feeling a little twinge of emotion, particularly at 5:55 after the piano interlude when Alex's solo begins.
Yup! Along with the little drum fill that leads into it. Not super flashy; just perfect.
My favourite song. It eclipses every other song they have made for me. Maybe i am bias. It hit at the perfect time. Long lifer of Rush.
I decided to watch and listen to this for a second time. It hits me right where I live the more times I hear it. I have said for a few years now when I breathe my last breath and friends and family gather I want this song played. Who did you touch in your life? What good did you do? Add it up. Was it a life worth living? This is what I get from it. The Watchmaker to me represents God if you are a believer but that's neither here nor there as far as the depth of this song goes. It forces me to reflect. Cheers 74'-84'....
Told my family the same❤
Justin, what blew me away is the live version of "The Garden" Alex played the piano/keyboard part. I'm not sure if Alex played the piano/keyboard part on the album. This song is so different than the entire 40 plus years of Rush's incredible catalog of music and lyrics. Songs that blew me away through the decades of Rush music and lyrics 1. Natural Science 2. Jacob's Ladder 3. Anthem 4. Grand Design. 5. The Garden 6. 2112 7. Subdivisions. 8. Freewill 9. Closer to the Heart. 10. Enemy Within. I'm grateful you thought the Garden was great.
I have drummer friend that didn’t care for Clockwork Angles at 1st. But…, he went back a little later and said “you know,it was pretty good”. It’s a masterpiece, especially live…
I've said it before and I'll say it again the garden is by far my favorite song which was only made more so with Neil's passing 😢 Thank you for taking this journey I think that I speak for most of us when I say that it was an adventure 😊😊
Headlong flight. Wreckers, Caravan, and The Garden are some of the best songs they ever wrote.
Don't know if everyone's aware, but the clock on the album cover is at 9:12. In military time, it's 21:12. Coincidence?
And it's Neil's birthday also. With Rush there are no coincidences.
Famous Alice Cooper quote.”I get it, your angry… but where’s the song?”
Ok this is my favourite and it is going to be played when I you know what eventually at my, you get it let's all be happy. Piano played by Alex bless him great job JPan
Goosebumps...😎
It took me quite awhile to warm up to this record. Meanwhile a lot of younger fans kept talking about how great it was so that got me to listen more and I kept finding more stuff to like. Then the fan vid of Headlong flight came out and helped me hear that song in a different way. The first 2 tracks that you warmed up to I got into more when I played them really loud. I guess my hesitancy came mostly from Geds vocals which I guess I just had to get over it even though I didn’t want to. I actually think the song writing is good and I never really think of the concept too much when I listen because I can’t get a full grasp of it just from the songs so I just think of them as individual songs. Separate The Anarchist from the concept and it’s actually a really good song in my opinion. Anyways. What a career for these guys.
It’s funny you say that. I find that I like this album Particularly headlong flight cranked up loud too
The perfect swan song for this band IMO. A beautiful song with a beautiful message. The reason I believe many of us Rush fans call this a masterpiece is because we look upon this song reflectively. We grew up listening to this band. Cruising in our cars with their songs being played on the radio. Waiting in anticipation for their next album to come out. Hanging out with friends as we put on that new record and listening to it for the first time. Remembering the experience of being at one of their concerts. This song signifies the end of all of that. Also, a lot has happened since 2012. This song is relatable to life in general. Musically and lyrically, this song evokes an emotional response for many. So yeah, a masterpiece!
The other tracks will grow on you. I promise. And i say that as someone who last enjoyed Signals. Clockwork Angels is a masterpiece.
Great hearing your thoughts about this last recorded album of such a remarkable band.
Life long fan and love all albums...some better live than studio in certain eras.
Just cant get into this song, trying again tonight but i dont hold favour of faith it'll happen.
As I listen a little more, drawing more
closer to understanding.....thank you buddy!
From west coast Canada 🇨🇦, peace.
Congrats on (I'm assuming) the only full Rush discography (honest) reaction on youtube 😮👍 I'm still hoping to hear that the Grace Under Pressure effect kicked in as you re-listened to Clockwork... For me, The Garden is the next Closer to the Heart, but the album is definitely the next Grace Under Pressure in the way it all holds together, and also a bit of a diversion from what you were thinking their next album would be like....
What a song to go out with and end a stunning journey that has lasted over 40 years
Every record was like this for me until I saw the new stuff live. Then I wore them out in the car and could hear things I missed until seeing it. Hope you enjoy the concert.
It took a few listens with the rest of the album. The Garden jumped out at me immediately and became one of my favorite Rush songs
Take a breath, maybe you will find some magic on second or third listens. I really didn't like Snakes and Arrows until I was in a different place in my life. We are all different for a reason. That being said, this song is the most perfect bookend I have heard in context with a band I love and the expanse of their journey. I'm just happy to have been around in the right era to experience them. Thank you for the rabbit hole dive, Justin. You are a good man.
Eyes wet 2 seconds into it... 😢
I can't wait to see your reaction to the album tomorrow, after hearing it a kazillion more times. Truth be told, after I heard it a ton, my second favorite on the album after "The Garden" is "The Anarchist." LOL. And congratulations to whoever wins the book. My copy is showing its use.
Totally. I was surprised he didn't at least think the Anarchist was "fine" at first. It's such a good song! It was the R40 opener ffs. I love it.
@@mikemurphymagicAnd, now, I can't wait until Justin reacts to R40 (CA Live first)!! With his new favorite song "The Anarchist" somewhere there! JK, Justin, but I have had R40 playing in my car an awful lot these last few years. I'll save the rest of my comments on R40 for when you go through the toll booth for THAT portion of your journey.
Congrats on finishing the discography, Justin!
I'm not sure it's a matter of Rush getting lost in the concept, but that frankly you're not as huge a fan of the bands more proggy -hard rock-instrumental side that many of us are. Cuz this album is a major celebration of that side of Rush, the "By Tor"/"Cygnus-X1"/"Anthem" legacy. And on those terms I think it succeeds. Are things like "Caravan" and "Headlong Flight" *great songs* like you "The Garden" is? I would say they're just very different. All that instrumental craziness is what attracted me to Rush and what I still think is their basic reason for being. The fact that they can write a nice mid-tempo ballady soft rock song is nice, but it's not what I pull out Rush CDs to hear.
In case you can't already tell, I'm not the fan of this one that so many others are, although to be fair I do like how it closes out the album. Considering how much of this album is a throwback to the band's glory days, it's nice that for this one they went back to an acoustic song that evoked things like the end of "Hemispheres" or "Closer to the Heart". Anyways, good job on making it all the way through such a huge catalog of music. I know you still have a couple concerts to do and I'm looking forward to those!
One of the many Rush songs that is better live. IMO.
Just remembered you did do the live. Version of this song , A different opion then 😉about the song
What a beautiful song! Not my favourite though, the best song of this album for me is The Wreckers, but this one is fantastic too 🤩🤩
You can read the books if you would like. Neil and Kevin Anderson wrote a trilogy about clockwork angels.
C+ Adult Contemporary 🐾
A+ Ear Candy lol
In my opinion, this is a great song and a fitting end to an epic band. Thanks for all your hard work on their catalog. It has been been quite a rush from a 74 to 84 Rush fan. 😂
A absolutely beautiful song to end an absolutely wonderful career
Finally a reaction video that is a little critical of the song. Not that I agree with you but...so many reaction videos are the creator falling all over themself praising what they just listened to. It feels like you could play a Milli Vanilli song for them and they would think it was the best thing since sliced bread. It's nice to see someone who gives an honest reaction. You aren't going to like every song. I'll amend that to say you aren't going to like every song the first time you hear it. Some songs have to grow on you.
As a lifelong Rush fan I used to look forward the the release of every new album. When I got Clockwork Angels I was a little underwhelmed. I liked The Anarchist and Headlong Flight right away but it took some time for the other songs to grow on me. I think the issue is that there aren't a lot of hooky songs on this album. By hooky I mean songs that have that hook - the thing that makes you sing it in the shower or go "Wow! That was cool" the first time you hear it. Think of songs like Closer to the Heart or The Spirit of Radio. Those are hooky songs. Clockwork Angels is a great album but it doesn't immediatly reach out and grab you. It takes a few listens to sink in.
You want critical? They don't say i'm unnecessarily harsh for nothing lol yeah if I don't like something or I see how something could be better i say it lol not everyone likes that
Best song on the album. The piano part was written by Alex. On the studio recording it was played by Jason Sniderman. Alex played the part for live performances.
EXACTLY. You hit the nail on the head.
RIP NP My sensai. I still cannot listen to The Garden with dry eyes.I'm the same on this one. I will say that Geddy is on it vocally! Caravan is a jam! Still love CWA
"Just write good songs" ha! Gotta believe you have warmed up to this album...even with a few more listens it may still not grab you whole heartedly...it even took this 40yr fan a few months. I think all the songs are really solid, with the Anarchist and Headlong my 2 faves by a mile...of course writing a song like The Garden was apropos to close their recording career🤘
"Just write good songs". I almost threw my iPad across the room when Justin said that. Because it felt like he was saying that these were objectively not well written. I think he was saying "Just write songs I like." But "in the fullness of time", fans love this album full of GREAT well-written songs. I don't know. I feel like my comment here is the kind of comment that Justin would rightfully laugh and make fun of. hahaha. But "it's just my opinion."
@@mikemurphymagic I guess many of us were hooked by their lyrics from the get go along with their superb musicianship. The expectation for every new record was itself a trip. It's difficult for me to be unbiased when I always find good things in every Rush song
@mikemurphymagic yeah I wasn't surprised at his initial reaction, hopefully he had a good dozen listens and recorded his overview a couple days ago before the release.
love the piano in the middle. Easy top 10.
How ironic that a simple, great tune like this would be their last.
So this must be the last album. I'm a pretty big fan but I guess I didn't follow them all the way to the end. I've picked up a lot lately though on catching up. Cool song. Monumental band. And I think the nicest guys in rock.
Yup, this song is a masterpiece. Really nice change of pace and they crush it. Definitively among the best on the album, if not THE best.
Regarding your impression of the album as a whole, I think reading the lyrics and the intro to follow along with the concept both helped and hurt you. In my opinion, and this is only my opinion, you have missed a lot of what makes many of these songs great on this first listen.
For example, the song Clockwork Angels is bar none one of the best tracks they've ever recorded, but your first impression is that it's OK - I really really really think that's going to change once you have multiple listens of it under your belt AND you're able to just focus on the song and music without thinking and following the lyrics and story. There are some others that I think are fantastic but you need to kind of get used to them. Or songs like The Wreckers that are really simple and mostly straight forward, but after you listen to it a few times you just cannot get it out of your head because there's just something about it that's addictive - it may be my favorite track on the album!
I'm not going to argue the whole 74 - 85 thing too much, despite the fact I think their post-Neil tragedy albums are among the best they recorded, other than to say I think you're underselling Vapor Trails. Yeah it has 2 or 3 clunkers but the good songs are fantastic. And you're extremely wrong about Earthshine (sorry, just couldn't help myself :) ).
Anyway, I'm looking forward to hearing your opinion after you've heard the album more. And another thing to keep in mind is that sometimes Rush albums take YEARS before you realize they're great. In my case, Signals was among my LEAST favorite Rush albums for nearly a DECADE, until it FINALLY sunk in. Now I think it's among their best. Random side note - I agree Grace Under Pressure is criminally underrated.
Thanks again for taking on this monumental task and letting us come along for the ride!
Earthshine is like The Wreckers or even Wish Them Well (more like Wreckers really). Lucky guy.
This was great. Re: Signals, I remember being sooo disappointed with the first NEW Rush album I ever experienced ... Signals. So disappointed. I got into Rush during Moving Pictures, and gobbled up all their previous albums, and I was so looking forward to Signals, and we got New World Man on the radio. What? Ugh. They're "Losing It" already. haha. But decades later, like you said, I love Signals as much as or even more than Moving Pictures.
Yes. I think it's hard to be super creative like they were in the first albums with Neil and then up to GUP but while I did enjoy HYF more than you I found less and less in their later albums and this last one just seems like they are lost in overproduced goo.
The Garden has a lot more going for it but I keep getting whacked out of the mood by the cliche'd "It is what it is"... Argggg! Someone please smack me hard if I ever write a song or poem remotely like it.
Congrats! You made it through! :)
I challenge you to bring the wife in for a first and “live” reaction(hers)and review 2nd time for you(or more)and not talk about or hint at what you think of it until it’s over🙏🤘🖖✌️🎹🎸🥁🎤😎
Got to agree with you Justin about writing a good song and the album, I find it an awkward album to listen to bookended by BU2B and the Garden which are standout for me, there's so much excellent stuff in the back catalogue that it doesn't really matter and I'm sure that there are enough fans who love the music.
Alex on piano.
L. O. V. E.
When I heard The Garden, I thought it was beautiful. I still cry when I hear it. But after repeated listens, I keep thinking they could have written The Garden a little better. :) I'm just saying! That's my opinion! It definitely has its moments. But it's weirdly repetitive. Like why repeat that line instead of writing another line? And I still don't get the vocals during the piano part. And Alex's solo is in his top 20 in my opinion, but I think he left a lot to be desired. So after, what ... 8 years now, I rarely listen to The Garden. And I only listen because it's a significant song because of its position in their discography. The songs I listen to over and over are Caravan, BU2B, The Anarchist, Carnies, Headlong Flight, and The Wreckers. Because these songs were better than anything they've done since ... Moving Pictures in my opinion, probably. So, we disagree at this moment.
Why not do a 2nd listen before you do your take on the album?
I listen to the album many times before I film my overview.
A question for Justin: if it's just so easy to write a good song, why is the top 40 today almost always completely bereft of even one legitimately good or even decent song? It's a bunch of horseshit. Even back when I was growing up in the 1970s and 1980s, when music was orders of magnitude better (on this, there can be no debate), there were rarely more than a half dozen genuinely good songs, with maybe another half dozen decent songs. The rest was mostly vacuous dreck... whereas today, it's all vacuous dreck. Easy to write good songs? I think not.
Did I say it was easy to write a good song? Pretty sure I didn't. soooooo huh?! Top 40 is how it is for many reasons. Among them, if everyone is trying to write a hit song what is the best (maybe not best, but one) way to do that?? Copy/emulate the current hits. Which over time (decades), has gotten us to where we are in Top 40. The best and easiest way to write good songs is to write 100 songs, then another 100, then another 100, etc. Then throw away 95% or release them on Test For Echo lol.
@@JustinPanariello , I meant no disrespect, but you did berate them for not churning out 12 good songs like it was no big whoop to conjure up good songs on demand. My argument is, if writing good songs was so easy, we would be inundated with them just in the top 40 (popular music), but that's obviously not the case. You can color me as a Rush apologist, but I claim that, taking their entire discography into consideration, a healthy 75 percent of it is what I consider "good songs," duds like Test For Echo and Hold Your Fire notwithstanding (although Resist and Turn The Page are amazing songs). Compared to the other hard rock acts of their era, I'd say that's not too shabby. But then again, I'm biased and a complete layman when it comes to music.
I thought they wrote good songs but missed the mark on the execution of several of them. When I listen to this album, I hear great musicianship and great production. Did we expect every song to be a hit? Absolutely not. It's RUSH. Do we ever expect a hit at all? Never. What I found from this album is sonically, they were on fire. Lyrically? Not Neil's best due to a novel getting in the way. Had the novel not come first, perhaps better lyrics would have accompanied a lot of the great music they put together. But, this song is a fitting end to the career of a band and to Neil.
No, don't agree with you. If you've truly read the book, the songs go perfect with the plots of the story.; and not GOOD songs??? Uh, I respect your opinion, but "not good songs" doesn't fit here dude Lol
Don't be sad the Rush studio album journey has come to the end, folks. Smile because it happened. Congrats JP on running this marathon.
Well said Eric. Agree 💯. Thanks again Justin 💪
While we're marking the last of the lasts, the last solo from Mr. Alex Lifeson at 5:56 😭
One of his best ever in my book. And there were an awful lot of great ones.
Gary says: Hard to believe and yet appropriate that this would be the last song Neil Peart would ever write for RUSH! It seems to sum up his life in many ways! RIP PROFESSOR there will never be another like you! God broke the mold when he made you!
Justin it’s been a incredible ride with you for this Rush journey. You took on this massive endeavor and true to your word you completed it. Bravo my friend, well done. 👏👏🔥👍
There is actually material they did before their debut album. There's a vinyl 45 they put out with an original song and a Buddy Holly cover, and there are a number of songs they did live that bootleg recordings were made of. One called Garden Road can be found on UA-cam.
Lifeson plays the piano on their R40 tour!
Beautiful song
"There was not a dry eye in the studio.” - Neil Peart
Congrats for taking the whole trip. Quite the achievement. I'm not sure if Rush knew this would be their last song but it sure is a fitting end. You committed to taking the whole trip and I tip my hat to you for making it. I wonder how these sings will resonate with you over time. Rush has been a lifetime commitment for many of us fans. The relationship with the band was as much a part of the experience as the music. Especially watching them develop over the years. Catching all the tours. I truly miss this band. Cheers!
They "found their way" to "the garden". Although I'm sure this isn't why, I've always enjoyed the thought that Neil's late entry into the song represents how he came into the band.
I have to admit I’m sad we are at the end. 😢😢😢I think you need to listen to it more for sure.
I try to avoid hyperbole like “masterpiece” etc, but I think the message and music of this song is very nice and a fitting way to wrap up their recording career.
Every time I hear this song, I think of my dear friend Sean, a former radio host in Toronto, who passed at the beginning of this year. He loved Rush, music, and life.
All throughout our journey, I've always appreciated the emotional undertones of Rush's music, and this one had me crying my eyes out; my mother died of cancer about a month before the CA video was released, my brother lost his own battle last October, and I'm about to close the sale on the house in which we'd lived our whole lives, and I'm highly appreciative of his friends, who are now my friends helping me through it. It really helps us to understand that it is the relationships with our friends and loved ones, like the relationships among Neil, Geddy, and Alex, that will create our strongest and most enduring legacy. Rest in peace Professor; your garden is being well looked after.
🎤 🎹 🎸 🥁 🎸 🐐 🐐 🐐
It's not Geddy playing the piano, it's guest Jason Sniderman (who also played on Presto). Alex plays it live - not sure if he also wrote that part but I remember he wrote the string parts for this song because he used a keyboard to do it, and said "I don't hate keyboards that much" 😄 Edit: I've just seen an interview with Nick Raskulinecz - Alex did write the piano part, they just brought in a pianist to play it for the recording on a 'real' Steinway piano.
That’s after saying years ago - “what’s with all these keyboards - it’s not even a real instrument.” He said this when they we’re entering the studio the record Counterparts.
@@roberthussey595 that quote is from Beyond the Lighted Stage and I don't think he's being completely serious - he was into the band using the keyboards in the beginning, wrote some of their keyboard parts himself, and even played them on his own album - but yes, by Counterparts it sounds like his patience finally ran out 😏
A fine end to a good album by a great band. It’s a difficult ask expecting lots of good songs so late in their career. History tells us that rarely happens. In that context it’s a good album and a fitting way to sign out.
I can't think of a better song to bookend a career. I don't listen it to very often though it leaves me an emotional mess. Cheers!
Well, here comes the waterworks again. Shameful. Thanks to Justin for taking this journey. It was an interesting experience for me as a life-long fan. He's doing God's work.
Thank you for not sh*tting on this song 😂
This song closed out Rush's career with a bang, without anyone realizing at first when this album came out 11 years ago. Looking back now, this song radiates a lot more than ever since it came out, the R40 Tour, and Neil's passing, it hit's a lot more harder.
I don't think there's anyone out there, at least on UA-cam anyway, who has done a full discography of Rush and go into detail and analysis of every song and and overview of the album after. Amazing job!
Thank you for this!
UA-camr John Slop did, and he's a bass player like Justin. But Justin has been way more thorough and actually gave an overview after each album. Justin also is doing their entire live discography as well as studio, which I don't think John did.
@@DionysusAlSBrad Poynter did it as well and also a bass player check it out
I think listening while reading the lyrics could have taken away from the music.
Oh yeah I think you are the first to actually make it all the way through Rush’s discography on UA-cam even though several started so congrats on that.
John Slop did the entire discography a little before Justin did.
@@jasonbromano, yes, I was going to mention John Slop. Assuming he wasn't just exaggerating his reactions to ingratiate himself with Rush fans, he enjoyed their music much more than Justin. You can tell they made an indelible impression on him. I don't think the same thing can be said about Justin. I'm sure Justin isn't lying when he says he thinks Rush was a really good band, but it's pretty obvious they just weren't his cup of tea. That's life... and chess.
I’m still holding out hope you’re gonna come back around on the rest of the album… This is an amazing and maybe perfect track. But there are many other good songs on this album maybe some great ones if you give it time. After many many years as a Rush fan, thinking I had listened to about as much as I could of the earlier music, I found the one album that I played even more over and over again was this one. And as much as you’re down on Anarchist and actually now is one of my top 5 Rush songs. As you would say - unbelievable. Hey congrats, by the way, you did it!! And there’s still more to come with all your extras!
The Garden is the best combination of lyrics and melody I've ever heard. One of the most beautiful and profound songs I've ever heard in my life. in addition to the identification and connection I have (due to my life experiences) it is as if it were speaking directly to me. I've lost count of how many times I've cried listening to this song.
Piano interlude and guitar solo have such emotional impact. Magical for me. Special thanks incoming as promised.
I dunno Justin, to me there is something magical about this album music and lyrics wise, that make this one of my top 6 albums by them. I adore every song on this album, it is to me, just a great piece.
Gary says write this: Justin(SONGS)Panariello
Some songs on the R40 Tour and Live In YYZ 1981 next ? ;-)
Being the last song . Like his swan song brought a tear to my eye.
Adult contemporary, sure... But this is a "meta" song... It's within the concept of the album but moreover, it's the perfect rolling credits soundtrack to their entire career, a Rock fairy-tale. 🎸🔥🍁🇨🇦🌈
This is the first time I’ve listened to these songs since the album’s release and subsequent tours.
As far as the concept goes, I’d take the priests over the watchmaker & “assuming control” over “The Garden” everyday & twice on Sundays.
It was great adventure from tenuous beginnings to Permanent Waves & Hall of Fames, thru Hurricanes, HYF, & "haters", there was Grace Under Pressure thru the Wreckers and the final echos of a Cello - even Palm Tree Planters. Ulysses would be impressed. 🎉 🎉 🎉
As Barry Manilow said, "Looks Like We Made It"😃
hold your fire and haters, 🤣😂🤣tai shan🙏
Glad that you were able to last through every album. I think this song is the best song on the album, but it stands out for RUSH fans more because of the fact that it was the LAST song RUSH ever did, and the fact that it is talking about the “measure of a life” and then a couple of years later Neil passes.
Growing up outside Toronto I was a huge Rush fan in my teens. They played our high school, I went to two of the Massey Hall shows that were used for their first Live album All The World’s A Stage. I loved the albums from the early to late 70s. Then University, work, family, mortgage and life and music wasn’t my primary and sole passion. I lost touch, heard the albums from the 80s to mid 90s. I went to a few Rush shows in Toronto then in the mid 90s went back and caught up. My musical tastes are eclectic, I pretty much like anything but Rush ranks in my top 3. I met Geddy Lee about five years ago. I was filling up my car in northern Ontario when a Dark blue Bentley convertible pulls up and guess who’s driving with his wife and two small dogs strapped in the back seat? I nodded and thanked him for the music. He smiled, pointed to my Blue Jays hat and said “Go Jays”. I like the Clockwork Angels album, but I think The Garden is in my top ten Rush Songs.
That’s a great story.
Nope. Geddy don't normally play that.....😊
I think this is similar to how I felt on my first listen too. Eventually I read the books and evolved with it while growing into an adult and it became arguably my favorite album for a while.
Always brings a tear to my eye. Last song from their last ever album. Also there were some reflections with this song after Neil's death. Thank you Rush for leaving us with such an amazing album catalogue 👍🎤
I think what you are hitting on here is this one truly stands on its own. I do think several others do work on their own once you've done a listen through (they just need some context). Think about a Broadway musical - the lyrics and music are absolutely intertwined but the best Broadway songs are the ones that stand alone, but that doesn't make the other musicals bad. Context...
It does have parallels to the 2112 suite in that sense, even though 2112 is "One musical piece" they really are individual songs just strung together in a conceptual flow. They're shortened, but in theory each song could stand on its own. But a lot of them are very weak outside of the context of the whole thing. Like the Oracle.
But doing an album listen through with something like CA or 2112, you don't hear each song on their own, because all the previous music still echoes in the memory and moves you forward to the next piece. Its a cumulative effect. so It boils down to whether the concept itself is compelling, and does the music do something musical to convey the story and the emotions of the protagonist, etc.
Justin's first reaction to Clockwork Angels reminds me of my own first reaction to Snakes and Arrows. A handful of great tracks and a bunch not grabbing me. Thankfully, that did change somewhat with more spins. I'm thinking Justin will eventually like this record quite a bit. Thanks for the RUSH journey Justin. I'm envious. Wish I could hear all these songs over again for the first time.