Second Nature
Words by neil peart, music by geddy lee and alex lifeson
A memo to a higher office
Open letter to the powers-that-be
To a god, a king, a head of state
A captain of industry
To the movers and the shakers --
Cant everybody see?
It ought to be second nature --
I mean, the places where we live!
Lets talk about this sensibly --
Were not insensitive
I know progress has no patience --
But somethings got to give
I know youre different --
You know Im the same
Were both too busy
To be taking the blame
Id like some changes
But you dont have the time
We cant go on thinking
Its a victimless crime
No one is blameless
But were all without shame
We fight the fire --
While were
Feeding the flames
Folks have got to make choices --
And choices got to have voices
Folks are basically decent
Conventional wisdom would say
Well, we read about
The exceptions
In the papers every day
It ought to be second nature --
At least, thats what I feel
Now I lay me down in dreamland --
I know perfects not for real
I thought we might get closer --
But Im ready to make a deal
Today is different
And tomorrow the same
Its hard to take the world
The way that it came
Too many rapids
Keep us sweeping along
Too many captains
Keep on steering us wrong
Its hard to take the heat --
Its hard to lay blame
To fight the fire --
While were
Feeding the flames
song performed by by Rush
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Related quotes
Closer To The Heart
Words by neil peart and peter talbot,
Music by geddy lee and alex lifeson
And the men who hold high places
Must be the ones to start
To mould a new reality
Closer to the heart
The blacksmith and the artist
Reflect it in their art
Forge their creativity
Closer to the heart
Philosophers and ploughmen
Each must know his part
To sow a new mentality
Closer to the heart
You can be the captain
I will draw the chart
Sailing into destiny
Closer to the heart
song performed by by Rush
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Show Dont Tell
Words by neil peart, music by geddy lee and alex lifeson
How many times do you hear it?
It goes on all day long
Everyone knows everything
And no ones ever wrong
Until later
Who can you believe?
Its hard to play it safe
But apart from a few good friends
We dont take anything on faith
Until later
Show dont tell
Show me dont tell me
Youve figured out the score
Show me dont tell me
Ive heard it all before
Show me dont tell me
I dont care what you say
Show me dont tell me
You can twist perceptions
Reality wont budge
You can raise objections
I will be the judge
And the jury
Ill give it due reflection
Watching from the fence
Give the jury direction
Based on the evidence
I, the jury
Show me dont tell me
Hey --- order in the court
Show me dont tell me
Lets try to keep it short
Show me dont tell me
Enough of your demands
Show me dont tell me
Witness take the stand
Show me dont tell me
Show me dont tell me
Hey --- order in the court
Show me dont tell me
Lets try to keep it short
Show me dont tell me
I dont care what you say
Show me dont tell me
Lets see exhibit a
song performed by by Rush
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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As It Is When It Was
Ive kept my head against the wall
Ive been this way for so long now
You werent exactly falling over yourself
When last I saw you
Well I always thought
Wed get along like a house on fire
Until you told me that Id have to go
How can someone like you work that slow
Whatever you think of me
You listen hard and I will make you see
Whatever you think of me
You listen hard and I will make you see
I dont feel anything no more
This state of grace is consuming me
Im not grown up and I am not a boy
I feel no pain and I feel no joy
Well I always thought
Wed get along like a house on fire
In those days when the sun was warm
I ran in the street where I was born
Whatever you think of me
You listen hard and I will make you see
Whatever you think of me
You listen hard and I will make you see
The streets are so empty at this time of night
Id rather walk on my own than fight
In a world where Id forgotten you
I found myself forgotten, too
Thats the danger of believing books
And all the lies of those thieves and crooks
We sing intellectual songs of love
From a stolen pen to a velvet glove.
song performed by by New Order
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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I'm On Fire
Sparks are flying and I'm on fire.
I can't see through the smoke and I'm on fire.
I can't breath, I can't think
Because I'm on fire.
It hurts but it's warm and it's beautiful
You're feeding my fire
My fire of love
And I'm burning alive
And I'm loving everything about you
From how you make me feel to the flames glowing around me
But you're killing me in this heat
Can't you understand that fire is wonderful and terrible?
Can't you save me from falling further under the flames' embrace?
Can't you see I'm on fire?
poem by Tsunami HiroshiSu
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Fiery Love
I stare into the fire
it signifies my desire
leaping creeping and all red flames,
fire,
and its beauty hypnotizing,
fire
and its flames uprising.
sparks showering in the night,
feeding fires of lesser might,
fire feeding on life and air,
fire that lays landscapes bare,
fire that warms the heart and soul,
fire that drives away the cold,
fire thats as hot as the heat within,
fire that seeks to erase my sin,
fire promises of days to come,
fire that will unite us as one,
and then I pray for the same desire
will sometimes too ignite your fire,
two lovers burning
consumed with flames,
the ashes of their love
ignite again and again
poem by Arti Chopra
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Stick It Out
Words by neil peart, music by geddy lee and alex lifeson
Trust to your insticts
If its safely restrained
Lightning reactions
Must be carefully trained
Heat of the moment
Curse of the young
Spit out your anger
Dont swallow your tongue
Stick it out
Dont swallow the poison
Spit it out
Dont swallow your pride
Stick it out
Dont swallow your anger
Spit it out
Dont swallow the lies
Natural reflex
Pendulum swing
You might be too dizzy
To do the right thing
Trial under fire
Ultimate proof
Moment of crisis
Dont swallow the truth
Stick it out
Each time we bathe our reactions
In artificial light
Each time we alter the focus
To make the wrong moves seem right
You get so used to deception
You make yourself a nervous wreck
You get so used to surrender
Running back to cover your neck
Stick it out
song performed by by Rush
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Its A Hard Life
Words and music by freddie mercury
I dont want my freedom
Theres no reason for living with a broken heart
This is a tricky situation
Ive only got myself to blame
Its just a simple fact of life
It can happen to anyone
You win - you lose
Its a chance you have to take with love
Oh yeah - I fell in love
And now you say its over and Im falling apart
Its a hard life
To be true lovers together
To love and live forever in each others hearts
Its a long hard fight
To learn to care for each other
To trust in one another right from the start
When youre in love
I try and mend the broken pieces
I try to fight back the tears
They say its just a state of mind
But it happens to everyone
How it hurts - deep inside
When your love has cut you down to size
Life is tough - on your own
Now Im waiting for something to fall from the skies
And Im waiting for love
Yes its a hard life
Two lovers together
To love and live forever in each others hearts
Its a long hard fight
To learn to care for each other
To trust in one another - right from the start
When youre in love
Yes its a hard life
In a world thats filled with sorrow
There are people searching for love in evry way
Its a long hard fight
But Ill always live for tomorrow
Ill look back on myself and say I did it for love
Yes I did it for love - for love - oh I did it for love
song performed by by Queen
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Speed Of Love
Words by neil peart, music by geddy lee and alex lifeson
Love is born with lightning bolts
Electro-magnetic force
Burning skin and fireworks
A storm on a raging course
Like a force of nature,
Love can fade with the stars at dawn
Sometimes it takes all your strength
Just to keep holding on
At the speed of love
A radiance that travels
At the speed of love
My heart goes out to you
Love is born with solar flares
From two magnetic poles
It moves towards a higher plane
Where two halves make two wholes
Like a force of nature,
Love shines in many forms
One night we are bathed in light
One day carried away in the storms
At the speed of love
Nothing changes faster
Than the speed of love
My heart goes out to you
We dont have to talk
We dont even have to touch
I can feel your prescence
In the silence that we share
Got to keep moving
At the speed of love
Nothing changes faster
Than the speed of love
Got to keep on shining
At the speed of love
Nothing changes faster
Than the speed of love
My heart goes out to you
song performed by by Rush
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Ghost Of A Chance
Words by neil peart, music by geddy lee and alex lifeson
Like a million little doorways
All the choices we made
All the stages we passed through
All the roles we played
For so many different directions
Our separate paths might have turned
With every door that we opened
Every bridge that we burned
Somehow we find each other
Through all that masquerade
Somehow we found each other
Somehow we have stayed
In a state of grace
I dont believe in destiny
Or the guiding hand of fate
I dont believe in forever
Or love as a mystical state
I dont believe in the stars or the planets
Or angels watching from above
But I believe theres a ghost of a chance
We can find someone to love
And make it last
Like a million little crossroads
Through the backstreets of youth
Each time we turn a new corner
A tiny moment of truth
So many different connections
Our separate paths might have made
With every door that we opened
Every game we played
Somehow we find each other
Through all that masquerade
Somehow we found each other
Somehow we have stayed
In a state of grace
song performed by by Rush
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Anthem
Words and music by geddy lee, alex lifeson, and neil peart
Know your place in life is where you want to be
Dont let them tell you that you owe it all to me
Keep on looking forward, no use in looking round
Hold your head above the ground and they wont bring you
Down
Anthem of the heart and anthem of the mind
A funeral dirge for eyes gone blind
We marvel after those who sought
New wonders in the world, wonders in the world,
Wonders in the world they wrought
Live for yourself -- theres no one else
More worth living for
Begging hands and bleeding hearts will
Only cry out for more
Well, I know theyve always told you
Selfishness was wrong
Yet it was for me, not you, i
Came to write this song
song performed by by Rush
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Somethings Gotta Give
Somethings gotta give,
Somethings gotta give
Somethings gotta give
When an irresistible force such as you
Meets and old immovable object like me
You can bet as sure as you live
Somethings gotta give, somethings gotta give,
Somethings gotta give.
When an irrepressible smile such as yours
Warms an old implacable heart such as mine
Dont say no because I insist.
Somewhere, somehow,
Someones gonna be kissed.
So en garde who knows what the fates have in store
From their vast mysterious sky?
Ill try hard ignoring those lips I adore
But how long can anyone try?
Fight, fight, fight, fight, fight it with all of our might,
Chances are some heavenly star spangled night
Well find out as sure as we live
Somethings gotta give, somethings gotta give,
Somethings gotta give.
Fight, fight, fight it with all of our might,
Chances are some heavenly star spangled night
Well find out as sure as we live
Somethings gotta give, somethings gotta give,
Somethings gotta give.
Somethings gotta , somethings gotta give
song performed by by Ella Fitzgerald
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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When Two Worlds Drift Apart
We turned water into wine but that didnt last
We were the victims of our age
Now we live on different floors
And go our separate ways
And talk behind closed doors
We changed our world waiting for it all to end
Its such a shame but whos to blame
When two worlds drift apart
We used to sit around the fire
And whisper words the world outside would make no claim to hear
But now we talk an octave higher
In droning tones that dont relate at all to yester year
We changed our world waiting for it all to end
Its such a shame but whos to blame
When two worlds drift apart
Do you remember when we were seventeen
We took a boat out for an hour
But we preferred the greenery to the scenery of the sea
And tied up in some cosy cove
Till harbour lights appeared across the bay
Into love and out of mind
A poet claimed that loving you has only made me blind
But love is really crystal clear
Its only when you need someone the clouds will soon appear
We changed our world waiting for it all to end
Its such a shame but whos to blame
When two worlds drift apart
Do you remember when laughter was the cure
For all the hard times that we knew
But we forgot to feed the fire - let it all burn down
Warmth returns to cold and poison into pain
Its such a shame but whos to blame
When two worlds drift apart
song performed by by Cliff Richard
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Everyday Glory
Words by neil peart, music by geddy lee and alex lifeson
In the house where nobody laughs
And nobody sleeps
In the house where love lies dying
And the shadows creep
A little girl hides, shaking,
With her hands on her ears
Pushing back the tears, til the pain disappears
Mama says some ugly words
Daddy pounds the wall
They can fight about their little girl later
Right now they dont care at all
No matter what they say...
No matter what they say...
Everyday people
Everyday shame
Everyday promise
Shot down in flames
Everyday sunrise
Another everyday story
Rise from the ashes ---
A blaze of everyday glory
In the city where nobody smiles
And nobody dreams
In the city where desperation
Drives the bored to extremes
Just one spark of decency
Against a starless night
One glow of hope and dignity
A child can follow the light
No matter what they say
No matter what they say...
If the futures looking dark
Were the ones who have to shine
If theres no one in control
Were the ones who draw the line
Though we live in trying times ---
Were the ones who have to try
Though we know that time has wings ---
Were the ones who have to fly
song performed by by Rush
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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What The Captain Said
They made the fire so they want it to spread
the fire, the fire, the fire
They fan the flame to the forest bed
and the flames grew
higher, and higher, and higher
Remember what the captain said by the oceanside
where we took our ride
'We want no more soldiers dead, so come see us by the fire; '
Prometheus desire, the fire
by the fire, as the flames grow higher
We lay upon our riverbed, upon the Styx
the mosh pit Styx upon the pyre
Eyes wide, quartered dry, heads to the sky
and they watch the flames grow higher, and higher,
the fire
poem by Jay Bradley
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Best Woman Wins
Who do you think you are
What do you think this is
A game you can play
Tryin to steal him away
Well, I dont need a heartache like this
Well, dont think I dont go through hell
But heaven is what we both want
Hes easy to love, but hes hard to give up
And if you think I will, well, youre wrong
Chorus:
The best woman wins
I will fight til the end
Ill lay down and die if I must
Ill beg and Ill plead
I will suffer and bleed
But he must make a choice between us
This soap opera play that were in
Is just like you watch on t.v.
But I never thought that Id ever get caught in it;
Starring you, him and me
In love as in war all is fair
So a fight to the finish begins
When you fight from desire
You fight fire with fire
So may the best woman win
Repeat chorus
So may the best woman win
song performed by by Dolly Parton
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Resist
Words by neil peart, music by geddy lee and alex lifeson
I can learn to resist
Anything but temptation
I can learn to co-exist
With anything but pain
I can learn to compromise
Anything but my desires
I can learn to get along
With all the things I cant explain
I can learn to resist
Anything but frustration
I can learn to persist
With anything but aiming low
I can learn to close my eyes
To anything but injustice
I can learn to get along
With all the things I dont know
You can surrender
Without a prayer
But never really pray
Pray without surrender
You can fight
Without ever winning
But never ever win
Without a fight
song performed by by Rush
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Entre Nous
Words by neil peart, music by geddy lee and alex lifeson
We are secrets to each other
Each ones life a novel
No-one else has read
Even joined in bonds of love
Were linked to one another
By such slender threads
We are planets to each other
Drifting in our orbits
To a brief eclipse
Each of us a world apart
Alone and yet together
Like two passing ships
Just between us
I think its time for us to recognize
The differences we sometimes feared to show
Just between us
I think its time for us to realize
The spaces in between
Leave room
For you and I to grow
We are strangers to each other
Full of sliding panels
An illusion show
Acting well-rehearsed routines
Or playing from the heart?
Its hard for one to know
We are islands to each other
Building hopeful bridges
On the troubled sea
Some are burned or swept away
Some we would not choose
But were not always free
song performed by by Rush
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Chemistry
Words by geddy lee, alex lifeson, and neil peart,
Music by geddy lee and alex lifeson
Signals transmitted
Message received
Reaction making impact ---
Invisibly
Elemental telepathy
Exchange of energy
Reaction making contact ---
Mysteriously
Eye to i
Reaction burning hotter
Two to one
Reflection on the water
H to o
No flow without the other
Oh but how
Do they make contact
With one another?
Electricity? biology?
Seems to me its chemistry
Emotion transmitted
Emotion received
Music in the abstract ---
Positively
Elemental empathy
A change of synergy
Music making contact ---
Naturally
One, two, three ---
Add without subtraction
Sound on sound
Multiplied reaction
H to o
No flow without the other
Oh but how
Do we make contact
With one another?
song performed by by Rush
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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What The Hell Have I?
The face before me flies
Laughs at me inside
Masks are made to hide the glow
Shining eyes
Distance tween us grows
Feeding lies
Its hard to start things over
You can feel the fire around us
All the time
Yeah
Something I should say
It takes you every day
What you give is not alive
Today
Your soul served on a plate
Throw it away
Its hard to start things over
You can feel the fire around us
All the time
Yeah
Its hard to start things over
Oh yeah
You can feel the fire around us
All the time
Yeah
Its hard to start things over
Oh yeah
You can feel the fire around us
All the time
Yeah
All the time
What the hell have i?
Little pride
song performed by by Alice In Chains
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Hand Over Fist
Words by neil peart, music by geddy lee and alex lifeson
Hand over fist
Paper around the stone
Scissors cut the paper
Cut the paper to the bone
Hand over fist
Paper around the stone
Scissors cut the paper
And the rock must stand alone
I could disappear into the crowd
But not if I keep my head in the clouds
I could walk away so proud
Its easy enough if you dont laugh too loud
I thought I was okay alone
Wait for the postman and the telephone
Lost in a world of my own
I thought I could run alone
Thought I could run through the night alone
Hand over hand
Doesnt seem so much
Hand over hand
Is the strength of the common touch
You talk as we walk along
You never imagined I could be so wrong
Humming your favorite song
You know Ive hated that song for so long
How can we ever agree?
Like the rest of the world
We grow farther apart
I swear you dont listen to me
Holding my hand to my heart
Holding my fist to my racing heart
Take a walk outside myself
In some exotic land
Greet a passing stranger
Feel the strength in his hand
Feel the world expand
I feel my spirit resist
But I open up my fist
Lay hand over hand over
Hand over fist
song performed by by Rush
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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