As I was waiting outside for 90 fucking minutes for the bus today, and as my toes were going numb, this wonderful song from 1985’s “Power Windows” came on. It suddenly became easy to tap my toes to keep warm as the music started.
I used to hate this Rush album. Back when I was in high school, I got into Rush in a big way… and their 80s albums always left me feeling “meh”. But after repeated listenings, I grew to like most of the songs on them. “Marathon” is one of those tunes that I found plodding and dull when I first heard it (compare its sounds to those of something off 2112, you’ll see what I mean), but it has some beautiful passages, and works great as a whole.
Even though the sound of the instruments – especially Geddy Lee’s bass – sound horribly dated to me, I can’t help to get this song stuck in my head when I hear it. The chorus is amazing, and Neil Peart’s lyrics are also damn near perfect. Sometimes his lyrics come across as overly wrought and pedantic… not something you would normally want in a rock and roll song. The lyrics for this one are truly poetic though.
I just wish I could sing along. The chorus is way out of my range, but I still can’t help to try anyway… unless I’m standing at a bus stop with 30 other frozen and upset people and no one can hear the song but me. Even I know that would make me look weird.
Okay, weirder.
So why is it that the youngens of the day insist that it’s more important to wear light clothing and no hat or gloves when it’s minus fucking 12 outside? I’ve seen dumbasses do that shit when it’s as low as -31. I hope their frostbite matches their fake tans and baggy pants. Fucking stupid teenagers. One guy who looked like Doogie Howser was standing in front of me at the bus stop for most of that 90 minutes. He had no gloves, no hat and just a thin leather jacket. The collar was popped on it, and he was trying to be like a turtle and retract his head inside… same with his arms in the sleeves.
When I see guys like that, I hope their balls freeze so that they can’t reproduce.