Rush 2112 released

2112 Rush

Released: April 1, 1976 Peak: 61 US, -- UK, 5 CN Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): 3.0 US, -- UK, 3.0 world (includes US and UK) Genre: progressive rock

Tracks: Click on a song title for more details. 2112 [20:33] I: Overture [4:13] II: The Temples of Syrinx [2:16] III: Discovery [3:25] IV: Presentation [3:41] V: Oracle: The Dream [2:00] VI: Soliloquy [2:19] VII: Grand Finale [2:16] A Passage to Bangkok [3:34] The Twilight Zone [3:19] Lessons [3:52] Tears [3:34] Something for Nothing Total Running Time: 38:42 The Players: Geddy Lee (vocals, bass) Alex Lifeson (guitar) Neil Peart (drums)

Rating: 4.109 out of 5.00 (average of 21 ratings) Quotable: “Widely considered by Rush fans as their first true ‘classic’ album.” – Greg Prato, AllMusic.com Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

The Early Years Rush “formed in Toronto in the late ‘60s, treading a unique path somewhere between heavy metal and progressive rock, it came into its own when Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson replaced original drummer John Rutsey with Neal Peart, an Ontario native with amazing technical chops and a sharp intellect honed by voracious reading (though he was a high-school dropout). The trio made a huge leap forward musically and conceptually, with Peart stepping in as lyricist.” JD “Along with a fondness for science fiction and fantasy (‘By-Tor and the Snow Dog’), the drummer immediately emphasized his two favorite themes: individualism and the glory of the creative spirit.” JD Peart’s first album with the group, Fly by Night, and the band’s self-titled debut “helped create a buzz among hard rock fans worldwide, the more progressive third release, Caress of Steel, confused many of their supporters. The band knew it was now or never with their fourth release.” AM It was “a make-or-break album for the Canadian power trio sometimes dubbed as ‘the biggest cult band in the world.’” RD Peart said in his book Roadshow – Landscape with Drums – A Concert Tour by Motorcycle that after three albums which sold over 100,000 copies, the band was “urged to be ‘more commercial’ and write some ‘singles.’ So, in our contrarian fashion, we recorded and ambitious and impassioned sidelong piece about a future dystopia, along with a few other weird songs.” RJ-40 “They refused to bow to the demands of their record label and were determined to make the music they wanted to make.” RJ-40 The Crucial Fourth Album “1976’s 2112 proved to be their much sought-after commercial breakthrough and remains one of their most popular albums.” AM “Rush’s trademark sound – prog-meets-heavy rock – comes fully into its own on this record.” RD “Both styles are merged together to create an interesting and original approach.” AM “Heavier than Caress of Steel and yet still layered, 2112 was more relatable and accessible, whether at home in front of the stereo speakers or at a venue facing the full might of the band’s PA system.” RJ-42 “2112 is widely considered by Rush fans as their first true ‘classic’ album, the first in a string of similarly high-quality albums.” AM It was when Rush made “grand statements, where the lyrical ambition was matched by the musical muscle, and this Rush was never better than on 2112,” JD an album from the era of “bassist Geddy Lee’s original ‘Donald Duck on helium’ vocal style.” JD “Lee’s vocals are full of passion (though they’re admittedly an acquired taste), and the interaction of his melodic bass and Peart’s busy but propulsive drumming is astounding (think Keith Moon meets John Bonham while jamming with Charlie Mingus on speed). Meanwhile, Lifeson merges the musical invention of Yes’ Steve Howe with the hard-riffing gusto of Zep’s Jimmy Page.” JD Musical snobs continue to scoff at the hubris of Rush’s brand of progressive metal.” JD “Critics dismissed…[2112] as overblown and pretentious.” RD Even Peart has said, “Certainly there are a lot of people who hate all of our early records, and I would count myself among them,” Peart said in 1993. JD “Nevertheless, 2112 has a classic rock ‘n’ roll message and an emotional honesty that later Rush has never surpassed. The album stands as one rock’s greatest for anyone willing to put aside their preconceptions long enough to listen.” JD The Title Piece The title piece, 2112, fills the entire first side of the original LP. It “has stood the test of time well – a meticulously assembled opus that utilizes classical compositional technique to great effect.” RD “Comprised of seven ‘sections,’ the track proved that the trio was fast becoming rock’s most accomplished instrumentalists.” AM “From a sweeping introductory overture that touches upon all of the different moods and musical themes, the song swings into the hard-rocking introduction of the Priests, and then the beautiful, idyllic passage where Anonymous discovers the guitar. A Zeppelinesque contrast between light/dark and lilting/heavy prevails during the debate with the Priests before we enjoy a meditative soliloquy by our crushed hero. Finally, it all wraps up with the aptly titled ‘Grand Finale.’” JD Geddy said, “’2112’ is probably the most important thing we’ve ever written. Without that song, we would not have continued as a band.” RJ-41 The Story The piece “paints a chilling picture of a future world where technology is in control.” AM It “is an exquisitely well-written parable about a society on another planet.” JD “In the year 2062, a galaxy-wide war results in the union of all planets under the rule of the Red Star of the Solar Federation. By 2112, the world is controlled by the Priests of the Temples of Syrinx,” WK “the spiritual/political rulers…[who] subjugate the masses by tending to their physical needs” JD but denying them “self-expression and, by extension, free will or thought.” JD The Priests “determine the content of all reading matter, songs, pictures – every facet of life.” WK When a man discovers a guitar, he presents it to the Priests, naïvely thinking they “will hail his discovery and the incredible sounds he can make with it.” JD They destroy it on the grounds that this “dangerous artifact…contributed to the destruction of ‘the elder race’ (that would be us, back on earth).” JD The man goes into hiding, “despondent that he will never again know the joys of making music. Having tasted freedom, he cannot return to slavery, and he kills himself.” JD “As he dies, another planetary battle begins resulting in the ambiguous ending ‘Attention all planets of the Solar Federation: We have assumed control.’” WK The band don’t view the man as a martyr; instead Peart appears to condemn the man “for failing to fight on (as Rush itself fought on), instead taking the ‘easy way out’ a la Kurt Cobain and so many other rock stars.” JD The story “mirrored the band’s own frustration with the music business.” RD “It’s all pretty melodramatic. So is a lot of great literature! Go mock Homer for The Odyssey, why don’t ya? The underlying message is gripping nonetheless, and it’s made all the more powerful because it’s meant to be heard, not read on the page, where it’s separated from the incredibly moving music.” JD Ayn Rand In the album, Neil Peart credited Ayn Rand with the concept. She was “a Russian-born American novelist and creator of the philosophy Objectivism, wrote a novella entitled Anthem (itself adopted as the title of another Rush song, from the album Fly by Night) from which Peart borrowed the broad strokes of the plot.” WK She put forth the controversial idea that “the most talented individuals…put themselves down and live not for themselves but for the lowest common denominator of the ‘average’ man. “ JD She advocated that “the individual should follow his own path.” RD “Peart saw an obvious parallel between her main characters’ striving for independence in the face of a totalitarian regime and the band’s own predicament.” RJ-41 “Rush, like a lot of great rock bands, comes down on the side of the individual being all that he can be (to steal a good slogan from a completely inappropriate source).” JD The Logo “The now iconic album sleeve design [is] a naked man, alluding to the classical nude depictions of purity, faces the red pentagram of the Federation.” RJ-41 The image was adopted by fans as a logo for Rush in general. It was developed by Hugh Syme. WK The star represented the evil federation in the “2112” piece and the man was the hero. Rush would feature the logo on some of their subsequent albums. Beyond the 2112 Suite “Since the album is named after the suite it is sometimes described as a concept album. Technically it is not, as the songs on the second side are completely unrelated to the plot of the suite.” WK While they “do not match the accomplishments of the title track, they have some worthwhile musical moments.” JD Notes A 40th anniversary edition added a bonus disc with live versions of some of the songs and covers of 2112 songs performed by other artists. The Songs Here’s a breakdown of each of the individual songs.

2112: I. Overture Rush

Writer(s): Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, Neal Peart Released: 2112 (1976), All the World’s a Stage (live, 1976), Chronicles (compilation, 1990), Retrospective I (compilation, 1997), The Spirit of Radio: Greatest Hits (compilation, 2003), Icon 2 (live, 2011), Rush 50 (box set, 2025) Peak: 6 CL, 8 DF (as part of “2112”) Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 28.63 streaming (as part of “2112”) About the Song: “The band’s first instrumental track (discounting the Biblical quotation right at the close of the piece) is an absolute stormer! This piece [was] the last to be written for the overall composition.” RJ-43 Rush “take the classical music idea of an overture as a piece designed to get an audience’s attention and proceed to hit their listeners straight between the ears, laying out the musical landscape that is to come…‘Overture’ perfectly encapsulates what ‘2112’ is all about – loud, aggressive, precise and, above all, wondrously exciting music.” RJ-43 Hugh Syme, who designed the covers for Rush albums, also played on the album, specifically the ARP Odyssey synthesizer on the “Overture.” RJ-43 Geddy said, “We knew we wanted to start the song with a kind of sound that had the imagery of soaring through space, moving through time.” RJ-44

2112: II. The Temples of Syrinx Rush

Writer(s): Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, Neal Peart Released: Feb. 1977 (single), 2112 (1976), All the World’s a Stage (live, 1976), Grace Under Pressure Tour (live, 1984), Chronicles (compilation, 1990), Retrospective I (compilation, 1997), The Spirit of Radio: Greatest Hits (compilation, 2003), Icon 2 (live, 2011), Rush 50 (box set, 2025) B side: “Making Memories” Peak: 6 CL, 8 DF (as part of “2112”) Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 28.63 streaming (as part of “2112”) About the Song: “No other track captures the frustration and determination of Rush at this point in their career.” RJ-44 This is “the band’s heaviest track to date.” RJ-45 Furious and passionate, and one of the first songs to be written for the album, all three players pound their instruments to their limits.” RJ-44 However, “it is Lee’s vocal performance that astonishes the most.” RJ-45

2112: III. Discovery Rush

Writer(s): Alex Lifeson, Neal Peart Released: 2112 (1976) Peak: 6 CL, 8 DF (as part of “2112”) Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 28.63 streaming (as part of “2112”) About the Song: At this point in the “2112” narrative, the protagonist finds an abandoned guitar in a cave and starts playing it. Alex Lifeson played the song on a Fender Stratocaster he borrowed from a friend. It was recorded with no edits or overdubs. RJ-45 Lifeson “gives a convincing impression of the situation the narrator finds himself in, soon constructing a pretty little instrumental…Lee’s gentle vocals bring the scene to life.” RJ-45

2112: IV. Presentation Rush

Writer(s): Alex Lifeson, Neal Peart Released: 2112 (1976), All the World’s a Stage (live, 1976), Icon 2 (live, 2011) Peak: 6 CL, 8 DF (as part of “2112”) Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 28.63 streaming (as part of “2112”) About the Song: “A sonic blast of power chords, heavy bass and drums” RJ-45 signifies the appearance of the Priests. Lifeson throws “everything he’s got into his solo, including spectacular wah-wah pedal abuse, some rapid flurries of notes and a suitably anguished tone.” RJ-46

2112: V. Oracle – The Dream Rush

Writer(s): Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, Neal Peart Released: 2112 (1976) Peak: 6 CL, 8 DF (as part of “2112”) Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 28.63 streaming (as part of “2112”) About the Song: This “is another change of place and pace with a deeply atmospheric, slow chord sequence, drenched in reverb reflecting the narrator’s dismay at the rejection” RJ-46 by the Priests when he presents them with the guitar. When he falls asleep, he “is transported into a dream of his planet’s history, an ancient, freer world constructed…[in] a time which, after the Priests have fallen from power, will come again.” RJ-46

2112: VI. Soliloquy Rush

Writer(s): Alex Lifeson, Neal Peart Released: 2112 (1976), All the World’s a Stage (live, 1976), Icon 2 (live, 2011) Peak: 6 CL, 8 DF (as part of “2112”) Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 28.63 streaming (as part of “2112”) About the Song: The story returns to the cave where the narrator found the guitar. His “mood is one of deep despair, again using the sonic contrasts of quiet passages and savage distortion to describe his depressed state.” RJ-46

2112: VII. Grand Finale Rush

Writer(s): Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, Neal Peart Released: 2112 (1976), All the World’s a Stage (live, 1976), Icon 2 (live, 2011) Peak: 6 CL, 8 DF (as part of “2112”) Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 28.63 streaming (as part of “2112”) About the Song: This is another instrumental to close out the “2112” suite. It “has a more optimistic feel due to its greater use of major chords. Its chugging nature and driving rhythm suggest a hoped-for, positive future.” RJ-46 Geddy said, “The ending of that story was purposely ambiguous. What happens in that ending is either liberation or the invasion of another totalitarian state. Its for the listener to decide which.” RJ-47

A Passage to Bangkok Rush

Writer(s): Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, Neal Peart Released: 3/28/81 (single), 2112 (1976), Exit…Stage Left (live, 1981), Chronicles (compilation, 1990), Time Stand Still (compilation, 2010), Rush 50 (box set, 2025) Peak: 16 CL, 41 UK, 23 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 24.51 streaming About the Song: “The Middle Eastern-flavored A Passage to Bangkok” AM is a nod to the 1924 novel A Passage to India by E.M. Forster. RJ-47 The song is “about the marijuana trade” JD and “a tacit acknowledgement of the chemical assistance the band indulged in during the early stages of their recording career.” RJ-47 Musically, it is “a curious amalgam of heavy rock, tongue-in-cheek humor and catchy commerciality.” RJ-47 It “is fun, melodic, powerful, inventive,” RJ-47 and “has an upbeat feel within its driving rhythmic structure, appealing chorus, and a vague whiff of Led Zeppelin’s ‘Kashmir’ as an influence.” RJ-47

The Twilight Zone Rush

Writer(s): Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, Neal Peart Released: June 1976 (single), 2112 (1976), Icon (compilation, 2010) B side: “Lessons” Peak: 33 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 8.33 streaming About the Song: This “was a last-minute composition required to get the album’s running time up to an acceptable level.” RJ-47 It “is a musical imagining of an episode from the landmark sci-fi television series of the same name by Rod Serling.” RJ-48 “Like the show itself, this is the strangest track on the album; at times light-hearted, at other times heavily atmospheric and tense.” RJ-48 Producer Terry Brown called it “a little gem with a very strong lead guitar motif from Alex. Ged’s verse vocals are up in the stratosphere and then the chorus slips into an eerie flanged vocal that is in the ‘zone.’ This is all held together by Neil’s very concise, driving percussion closing with the airy guitar.” RJ-48

Lessons Rush

Writer(s): Alex Lifeson Released: June 1976 (B side of “The Twilight Zone”), 2112 (1976) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 6.76 streaming About the Song: “The opening recalls ‘Making Memories’ with its briskly strummed, major key, acoustic guitar introduction, relaxed bass and drums contributions. The chorus is a muscular affair of crashing power chords, aggressive drums, and a very active bassist thrashing out an excellent contrasting section of music.” RJ-48 “The music quietens for the second verse while maintaining its pace and energy already established. Another heavy chorus leads into a fabulous, grinding chord groove, with Lifeson again giving it his all, which continues as the mood switches back to the acoustic blend. This turns into a playout with the guitarist clearly enjoying himself as the song powers along into the fade.” RJ-48

Tears Rush

Writer(s): Geddy Lee Released: 2112 (1976) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 5.62 streaming About the Song: The 2112 album was the first to feature an outside musician. WK “Tears” was “the first Rush song to feature an outside musician.” WK Syme, who also designed the album logo, played on “Overture” and here contributed “a multi-tracked Mellotron string and flute part.” WK He would later do more keyboard work for the band. Unfortunately, Syme’s effort “turns this earnest, if somewhat mawkish, composition into a syrupy mush.” RJ-48 “The delicate introduction is pretty, and Lee sings his composition with sincerity, but by the time the chorus arrives, the Mellotron has assumed control of the mix, which spoils the overall effect.” RJ-49 “Simple guitars, sparse bass and gentle drums are all that’s needed to support the vocals.” RJ-49

Something for Nothing Rush

Writer(s): Geddy Lee, Neal Peart Released: 2112 (1976), All the World’s a Stage (live, 1976), Retrospective I (compilation, 1997), Rush 50 (box set, 2025) Peak: 18 CL, 25 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 8.48 streaming About the Song: Neal Peart developed the idea for this “album-closing rocker” AM from the phrase “Freedom isn’t free,” which he saw graffitied on a wall. WK Although it isn’t part of the “2112” suite, “Something for Nothing” is “a neat conclusion for the themes explored on side one.” RJ-49 “The words are straightforward, and the music is the same. The message to the listener is that the power and responsibility for improving their lives lies with themselves.” RJ-49 “Rush re-exert their aggressive energies and provides an anthem which, more than any other of their songs to date, exemplifies their approach to their craft.” RJ-49 “Something for Nothing” “rocks along magnificently with energy and attack. Lee’s voice is at times at the outer limits of his range, but he sings with a compelling conviction, especially when he gathers his strength for the coda chorus.” RJ-49

Resources/References: AM Greg Prato, AllMusic.com JD Jim DeRogatis (1/27/2002). “The Great Albums” RD Robert Dimery (2006). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. Quintet Publishing Limited: New York, NY. Page 362. RJ Richard James (2024). On Track…Rush 1973-1982. Sonic Bond Publishing: United Kingdom. WK Wikipedia Related DMDB Pages: First posted 7/1/2011; last updated 6/17/2026.