A couple days ago Steven Colbert had the Canadian progressive-rock group Rush on his show, The Colbert Report. It was the first time in 33 years that the band has appeared on American TV.
Rush was the first "big" band I ever saw in concert, when I was 15 in 1978. They were in fact the band I saw in the first three concerts I ever went to: I grew up in Buffalo, New York, and they were from Toronto, just 90 or so miles north, so they played there a lot. And some things you just never outgrow. I love the sound, the time sig changes, the words, the precision - and the fact that it's all done by just three people. And watch them in the interview: they're not very good. I love that. They're just three dudes who play songs.
Here's the video. It has an about five minute interview - which has some hilarious moments, including Colbert asking them, "Your songs are so long; do you ever find yourself, near the end of a song, being influenced by yourself?" - and then the song "Tom Sawyer," from the 1981 album Moving Pictures. Enjoy.
A modern-day warrior
Mean mean stride,
Todays tom sawyer
Mean mean pride.
Though his mind is not for rent,
Dont put him down as arrogant.
His reserve, a quiet defense,
Riding out the days events.
The river
And what you say about his company
Is what you say about society.
Catch the mist, catch the myth
Catch the mystery, catch the drift.
The world is, the world is,
Love and life are deep,
Maybe as his eyes are wide.
Todays tom sawyer,
He gets high on you,
And the space he invades
He gets by on you.
No, his mind is not for rent
To any God or government.
Always hopeful, yet discontent,
He knows changes arent permanent,
But change is.
And what you say about his company
Is what you say about society.
Catch the witness, catch the wit,
Catch the spirit, catch the spit.
The world is, the world is,
Love and life are deep,
Maybe as his skies are wide.
Exit the warrior,
Todays tom sawyer,
He gets high on you,
And the energy you trade,
He gets right on to the friction of the day.
