Closer to the Heart
Encyclopedia
"Closer to the Heart" is a single by Rush
, released in 1977
, from the album A Farewell to Kings
. It was the first Rush song to have an external co-writer, namely Peter Talbot, a friend of drummer and lyricist Neil Peart
. It was issued as a single for Christmas 1977
, and after two near misses with "Fly By Night" and "Bastille Day" in 1975, it finally gave Rush their first hit single in the United Kingdom, reaching No. 36 in the UK Singles Chart
in February 1978. "Closer To The Heart" was one of five Rush songs inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame
on March 28, 2010.
It is one of Rush's most popular recordings, receiving a fair amount of radio airplay still to this day. The song has also been part of the set list on nearly every tour since 1977. The band decided to drop "Closer To The Heart" for the bulk of their 2002 Vapor Trails Tour
and the entire R30: 30th Anniversary Tour
in 2004 because, according to Peart, "we got sick of it." The song was also not played during the 2007 and 2008 legs of the Snakes & Arrows Tour
, but was brought back for the 2010 Time Machine Tour
.
On their live albums A Show of Hands
and Different Stages, Rush appended several minutes of jam type playing at the end of the performance.
On the original track and live performances from October, 1977 to May 1983 and then again from November 1996 to January 2005, Peart played his acoustic drum kit but used a Simmons
(then later Drum) electronic drum kit in live performances of the track from June 1984 to May 1994.
During the third season of the Canadian television show Trailer Park Boys
, Alex Lifeson
makes an appearance, as well as the song. At the end of the episode, Lifeson and Bubbles play the song together. The R30 DVD includes a clip of the band playing the song with Bubbles and Barenaked Ladies
member Ed Robertson
.
Rush (band)
Rush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart...
, released in 1977
1977 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1977.-January–February:*January 1 – The Clash headline the gala opening of the London music club, The Roxy....
, from the album A Farewell to Kings
A Farewell to Kings
A Farewell to Kings is the fifth studio album by Canadian rock band Rush, released in 1977. The album was recorded at Rockfield Studios in Wales, and mixed at Advision Studios in London....
. It was the first Rush song to have an external co-writer, namely Peter Talbot, a friend of drummer and lyricist Neil Peart
Neil Peart
Neil Ellwood Peart , OC, is a Canadian musician and author. He is the drummer for the rock band Rush.Peart grew up in Port Dalhousie, Ontario . During adolescence, he floated from regional band to regional band in pursuit of a career as a full-time drummer...
. It was issued as a single for Christmas 1977
1977 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1977.-January–February:*January 1 – The Clash headline the gala opening of the London music club, The Roxy....
, and after two near misses with "Fly By Night" and "Bastille Day" in 1975, it finally gave Rush their first hit single in the United Kingdom, reaching No. 36 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
in February 1978. "Closer To The Heart" was one of five Rush songs inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame
Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame
The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame is a Canadian non-profit organization, founded in 1998 by Frank Davies, that inducts Canadians into their Hall of Fame within three different categories: songwriters, songs, and those others who have made a significant contribution with respect to...
on March 28, 2010.
It is one of Rush's most popular recordings, receiving a fair amount of radio airplay still to this day. The song has also been part of the set list on nearly every tour since 1977. The band decided to drop "Closer To The Heart" for the bulk of their 2002 Vapor Trails Tour
Vapor Trails Tour
Rush's Vapor Trails Tour marked the first tour for the band in nearly six years after the band entered a hiatus due to personal tragedies in drummer Neil Peart's life. The eponymous tour was in support of the band's first studio album in five years, Vapor Trails...
and the entire R30: 30th Anniversary Tour
R30: 30th Anniversary Tour
The R30: 30th Anniversary Tour was a concert tour by Canadian rock band Rush that celebrated the 30th anniversary of the band's definitive formation in July 1974 after Neil Peart replaced original drummer John Rutsey. It was also in support of the cover album Feedback...
in 2004 because, according to Peart, "we got sick of it." The song was also not played during the 2007 and 2008 legs of the Snakes & Arrows Tour
Snakes & Arrows Tour
Rush began the Snakes & Arrows Tour to promote the album, Snakes & Arrows on June 13, 2007 in Atlanta, Georgia. The 2007 tour came to a close on October 29, 2007 at Hartwall Arena in Helsinki, Finland...
, but was brought back for the 2010 Time Machine Tour
Time Machine Tour
The Time Machine Tour was a concert tour by the Canadian rock band Rush that began on June 29, 2010 in Albuquerque, New Mexico and ended July 2, 2011 at The Gorge Amphitheatre in George, Washington...
.
On their live albums A Show of Hands
A Show of Hands
A Show of Hands is a live album by Canadian rock band Rush, released in 1989. The band released a video of the same name, originally on VHS and laserdisc in 1989...
and Different Stages, Rush appended several minutes of jam type playing at the end of the performance.
On the original track and live performances from October, 1977 to May 1983 and then again from November 1996 to January 2005, Peart played his acoustic drum kit but used a Simmons
Simmons (electronic drum company)
Simmons was a pioneering British manufacturer of electronic drums that supplied electronic kits from 1980 to 1994. The drums' distinctive, electronic sound can be found on countless albums from the 1980s....
(then later Drum) electronic drum kit in live performances of the track from June 1984 to May 1994.
During the third season of the Canadian television show Trailer Park Boys
Trailer Park Boys
Trailer Park Boys is a Canadian comedy mockumentary television series created and directed by Mike Clattenburg that focuses on the misadventures of a group of trailer park residents, some of whom are ex-convicts, living in the fictional Sunnyvale Trailer Park in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. The...
, Alex Lifeson
Alex Lifeson
Aleksandar Živojinović, OC, better known by his stage name Alex Lifeson, is a second generation Serbian-Canadian musician, best known as the guitarist of the Canadian rock band Rush. In the summer of 1968, Lifeson founded the band that would become Rush with friend, drummer John Rutsey...
makes an appearance, as well as the song. At the end of the episode, Lifeson and Bubbles play the song together. The R30 DVD includes a clip of the band playing the song with Bubbles and Barenaked Ladies
Barenaked Ladies
Barenaked Ladies is a Canadian alternative rock band. The band is currently composed of Jim Creeggan, Kevin Hearn, Ed Robertson, and Tyler Stewart. Barenaked Ladies formed in 1988 in Scarborough, Ontario, then a suburban municipality outside the City of Toronto...
member Ed Robertson
Ed Robertson
Lloyd Edward Elwyn Robertson , better known as Ed Robertson, is the Canadian lead singer, as well as a guitarist and songwriter in the band, Barenaked Ladies...
.
Covers
- Progressive band Fates WarningFates WarningFates Warning is an American progressive metal band, formed in 1982 by vocalist John Arch, guitarists Jim Matheos and Victor Arduini, bassist Joe DiBiase, and drummer Steve Zimmerman in Hartford, Connecticut. Fates Warning has experienced numerous line-up changes...
contributed a cover of "Closer To The Heart" on the Rush tribute compilation album Working ManWorking Man"Working Man" is a song by rock band Rush from its debut album, Rush. On the live album All the World's a Stage, the song segues directly into "Finding My Way" and one of Neil Peart's drum solos....
, released November 30, 1995.
- The introductory chords provided the basis for Landon Pigg's 2009 hit "Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop."
- An orchestrated version of "Closer to the Heart" appears on Exit...Stage LeftExit...Stage LeftExit...Stage Left is a live album by Canadian band Rush, released in 1981. A video release with the same name, with slightly different content, was released in 1982 on VHS and later on Laserdisc, and in 2007 on DVD....
. The single release reached #69 on the Billboard Hot 100.
B side
- "Bastille DayBastille Day (song)"Bastille Day" is the first song from Rush's third album Caress of Steel. The music was written by Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, and the lyrics were written by Neil Peart...
" - 4:37 (Lee/Lifeson/Peart) - "AnthemAnthem (song)"Anthem" is a song from the concept album and subsequent musical Chess by Tim Rice, Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus.- Kerry Ellis version :...
" - 4:10 (Lee/Lifeson/Peart) - "The Temples of Syrinx2112 (song)2112 is the sidelong title track of Canadian progressive rock band Rush's album of the same name, released in 1976. The overture and the first section, Temples of Syrinx, were released as a single and are still popular among Rush's setlists today. The "sci-fi" sounds in the beginning of the song...
" - 2:13 (Lee/Lifeson/Peart)