Rush Songs that you can Dance To

[TheCockSportif]

Fascinating concept from @Draconator, and yes, I think that Rush is great.  Discuss.  Still thinking through.

[Draconator]

My wife, casual fan, danced to Limelight.

My ex can dance to just about any Rush song, and dance hard!

Most female Rush fans I know have danced for an entire Rush show. 

 

Dancing in 7/4 is a talent. Female Rush fans are uber talented! 

 

Tai Shan is a different story altogether however...

[Simon]

 

[EmotionallyUnstable]

Not sure I would want to see any of you bozos dance, regardless of the song or band!

Maybe “Fly By Night” as long as I have enough acid or shrooms 

 

[TheCockSportif]

Interesting choice by @Simon, but I admit that while Rush was (and remains) highly influential to me as a musician, it's not a groove band.  A groove band causes me to shake my man butt.  Neil Peart played with too much precision, something that I envy to the nth degree, but Bonham is a guy whose groove had more of an influence on me as a player.  Stewart Copeland too, of course, but I certainly can't play like that.

 

*drum roll* (pun intended) @Draconatorcan/will correct me on this, but my recollection is that "Grace Under Pressure" was recorded at a time where Neil Peart and Stewart Copeland were hanging out and/or Peart listening to a ton of The Police.  And it shows.  "Losing It" from "Signals" is a slow dance tune.  Gosh, I've listened to basically all of the Rush albums.  Will need to boggle through this a bit more.

[SinceThe70s]

Is it safe to assume that Didacts and Narpets doesn't qualify as danceable?

[TheCockSportif]

1 minute ago, SinceThe70s said:

Is it safe to assume that Didacts and Narpets doesn't qualify as danceable?

It qualifies as a contraceptive / chastity device.  Best guess, of course.

Edited September 25, 2022 by TheCockSportif

[Draconator]

I put this out on my Facebook wall. I used to run the largest Rush Message Board on the internet in the early 2000's. I got a nice variety of responses. Just gonna copy and paste some of the responses here: 

 

It's all a question of allowing the rhythm and/or beat of a song to move you. By such a quantifier, almost any Rush song can be danced to, in one form or another.

 

 

If you can feel the music, you can dance. Some of it may be interpretive dance, but...when I have the chance, I am wigging out to any and all!!

 

I loved dancing to Neil’s drum solos, never knew what was coming next

 

We just move with the beat of the bass, man.

 

One song that was called out as highly danceable was this one. 

 

 

[TheCockSportif]

1 minute ago, Draconator said:

I put this out on my Facebook wall. I used to run the largest Rush Message Board on the internet in the early 2000's. I got a nice variety of responses. Just gonna copy and paste some of the responses here: 

 

It's all a question of allowing the rhythm and/or beat of a song to move you. By such a quantifier, almost any Rush song can be danced to, in one form or another.

 

 

If you can feel the music, you can dance. Some of it may be interpretive dance, but...when I have the chance, I am wigging out to any and all!!

 

I loved dancing to Neil’s drum solos, never knew what was coming next

 

We just move with the beat of the bass, man.

 

One song that was called out as highly danceable was this one. 

 

 

Yeah, I forget the thread where you mentioned this.  I would love for you to tell me the story someday.

 

I hated the rap in the title track, but thinking through some more, Rush moved in a more approachable / AOR direction during the Atlantic years.  "Animate" also comes to mind as a bouncy track.

 

I'm gonna miss you in NT in November.  My mom is not doing well at all at the moment, and my sister and I are trying to figure out how to manage two parents who are in their 80s, and who have a steadfast refusal about entering assisted living.  Massive challenge.

[T&C]

Rush was my 1st concert back at the Aud in 76. Kind of in the middle to me... if they are rock, middle. Prog, near the bottom really. Drums... just because you surround yourself with 1,000 percussion things to hit doesn't make you great... I'd call it middle. Guitar and bass... middle. Overall a decent band, I do like Hemispheres and All the Worlds a Stage quite a bit. 

 

Nothing to really dance to but it would be ok to watch hot drunk chicks try.

[Draconator]

2 hours ago, TheCockSportif said:

Interesting choice by @Simon, but I admit that while Rush was (and remains) highly influential to me as a musician, it's not a groove band.  A groove band causes me to shake my man butt.  Neil Peart played with too much precision, something that I envy to the nth degree, but Bonham is a guy whose groove had more of an influence on me as a player.  Stewart Copeland too, of course, but I certainly can't play like that.

 

*drum roll* (pun intended) @Draconatorcan/will correct me on this, but my recollection is that "Grace Under Pressure" was recorded at a time where Neil Peart and Stewart Copeland were hanging out and/or Peart listening to a ton of The Police.  And it shows.  "Losing It" from "Signals" is a slow dance tune.  Gosh, I've listened to basically all of the Rush albums.  Will need to boggle through this a bit more.

There's a lot to unpack with this post. 

 

I would have to agree with you on Rush not being a groove band. When Geddy and Alex played YYZ with Omar Hakim recently, it had a groove to it that I've never heard before. It was fresh. 

 

I'm not aware of Neil hanging with Stewart Copeland during GUP. I know Alex was listening to a lot of The Police during Signals. The band as a whole made a conscious effort to go to more of a synth sound after Moving Pictures. Alex ended up being frustrated after that album was released with his lack of guitar work. Countdown being the prime example. There was a more conscious effort to have Alex stand out on Grace Under Pressure, while still keeping the synths. 

Edited September 25, 2022 by Draconator

[TheCockSportif]

1 minute ago, T&C said:

Rush was my 1st concert back at the Aud in 76. Kind of in the middle to me... if they are rock, middle. Prog, near the bottom really. Drums... just because you surround yourself with 1,000 percussion things to hit doesn't make you great... I'd call it middle. Guitar and bass... middle. Overall a decent band, I do like Hemispheres and All the Worlds a Stage quite a bit. 

 

Nothing to really dance to but it would be ok to watch hot drunk chicks try.

It's interesting that you mention hot drunk chicks.  I started with the Rush shows in the mid 1980s, and it was mostly a sausage fest.  Not that there's anything wrong with it, says the heterosexual male / Seinfeld enthusiast.

[Draconator]

3 minutes ago, TheCockSportif said:

Yeah, I forget the thread where you mentioned this.  I would love for you to tell me the story someday.

 

I hated the rap in the title track, but thinking through some more, Rush moved in a more approachable / AOR direction during the Atlantic years.  "Animate" also comes to mind as a bouncy track.

 

I'm gonna miss you in NT in November.  My mom is not doing well at all at the moment, and my sister and I are trying to figure out how to manage two parents who are in their 80s, and who have a steadfast refusal about entering assisted living.  Massive challenge.

 

You have more important things to deal with than seeing a bar band. You take care of what you need to.  BTW: Gail our lead singer quit. So we are having auditions to replace her. We feel we will be a far better band without Gail in the picture. 

[TheCockSportif]

Just now, Draconator said:

There's a lot to unpack with this post. 

 

I would have to agree with you on Rush not being a groove band. When Geddy and Alex played YYZ with Omar Hakim recently, it had a groove to it that I've never heard before. It was fresh. 

 

I'm not aware of Neil hanging with Stewart Copeland during GUP. I know Alex was listening to a lot of The Police during Signals. The band as a whole made a conscious effort to go to more of a synth sound after Moving Pictures. Alex ended up being frustrated after that album was released with his lack of guitar work. Countdown being the price example. There was a more conscious effort to have Alex stand out on Grace Under Pressure, while still keeping the synths. 

You are so right about that YYZed performance.  So good.  So very, very good.

 

Cool take around that era.  That is my favorite Rush era, and I'll have to pull my old music mags off the mothballs to revisit as I am able.

Just now, Draconator said:

 

You have more important things to deal with than seeing a bar band. You take care of what you need to.  BTW: Gail our lead singer quit. So we are having auditions to replace her. We feel we will be a far better band without Gail in the picture. 

Thumbs down around Gail, but I'll keep checking your site.  Enjoyed the band immensely, and will catch you in the future.  Had promised to come out, in particular since I grew up in NT on top of everything else, and wanted to close the loop.

[Draconator]

3 minutes ago, TheCockSportif said:

You are so right about that YYZed performance.  So good.  So very, very good.

 

Cool take around that era.  That is my favorite Rush era, and I'll have to pull my old music mags off the mothballs to revisit as I am able.

Thumbs down around Gail, but I'll keep checking your site.  Enjoyed the band immensely, and will catch you in the future.  Had promised to come out, in particular since I grew up in NT on top of everything else, and wanted to close the loop.

 

Gail was a fine vocalist. It was behind the scenes stuff that made it almost impossible.

[TheCockSportif]

Just now, Draconator said:

 

Gail was a fine vocalist. It was behind the scenes stuff that made it almost impossible.

Such a band thing, and heard.  We've both been through it probably a million times.

[US Egg]

1 hour ago, T&C said:

Rush was my 1st concert back at the Aud in 76. Kind of in the middle to me... if they are rock, middle. Prog, near the bottom really. Drums... just because you surround yourself with 1,000 percussion things to hit doesn't make you great... I'd call it middle. Guitar and bass... middle. Overall a decent band, I do like Hemispheres and All the Worlds a Stage quite a bit. 

 

Nothing to really dance to but it would be ok to watch hot drunk chicks try.

I saw them in the Century Theatre in ‘76. Don’t recall an Aud show that year…..

[Draconator]

This comment is by a friend of mine who is the lead vocalist of another mighty fine Buffalo band, Reset 2 Vinyl

 

Somehow I manage to dance while singing Red Barchetta, even in the middle section. So yes, it can be done

 

Other comments

 

I went to a LOT of Rush shows and danced to every song! Just move!

 

Been a dancer since age 10, you can dance to anything... I've literally choreographed to Rush

 

But the best comment comes from a friend of mine who quotes an expert on the subject:

 

To quote Geddy Lee, “You can dance to Rush music, but you’ll hurt yourself.”

[Joe Ferguson forever]

maybe a fast foxtrot or salsa.  nothing suitable for Tango, Cha cha, waltz or rumba that I know of.  but you can do the elaine dance from seinfeld to anything

 

Edited September 25, 2022 by redtail hawk

[SDS]