All posts by bradbirzer

By day, I'm a father of seven and husband of one. By night, I'm an author, a biographer, and a prog rocker. Interests: Rush, progressive rock, cultural criticisms, the Rocky Mountains, individual liberty, history, hiking, and science fiction.
Republic of Letters

Rush: The Way the Wind Blows

Now it’s come to this
It’s like we’re back in the Dark Ages
From the Middle East to the Middle West
It’s a world of superstition

Now it’s come to this
Wide-eyed armies of the faithful
From the Middle East to the Middle West
Pray, and pass the ammunition

So many people think that way
You gotta watch what you say
Oh, to them and them and others too
Who don’t seem to see things the way you do

We can only grow the way the wind blows
On a bare and weathered shore
We can only bow to the here and now
In our elemental war

We can only go the way the wind blows
We can only bow to the here and now
Or be broken down blow by blow

Now it’s come to this
Hollow speeches of mass deception
From the Middle East to the Middle West
Like crusaders in unholy alliance

Now it’s come to this
Like we’re back in the Dark Ages
From the Middle East to the Middle West
It’s a plague that resists our science

It seems to leave them partly blind
And they leave no child behind
While evil spirits haunt their sleep
While shepherds bless and count their sheep

We can only grow the way the wind blows
On a bare and weathered shore
We can only bow to the here and now
In our elemental war

We can only grow the way the wind blows
We can only bow to the here and now
Or be broken down blow by blow

We can only grow the way the wind blows
We can only bow to the here and now
Or be broken down blow by blow

We can only grow the way the wind blows
We can only bow to the here and now
Or be broken down blow by blow

Like a solitary pine
On a bare, wind blasted shore
We can only grow the way the wind blows
In our elemental war

We can only grow the way the wind blows
We can only bow to the here and now
Or be broken down blow by blow

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Alex Lifeson / Geddy Lee / Neil Peart

The Way the Wind Blows lyrics © Anthem Entertainment

Republic of Letters

Rush: Between the Wheels

To live between a rock and a hard place
In between time
Cruising in primetime
Soaking up the cathode rays
To live between the wars in our time
Living in real time
Holding the good time
Holding on to yesterdays

You know how that rabbit feels
Going under your speeding wheels
Bright images flashing by
Like windshields towards a fly
Frozen in the fatal climb
But the wheels of time
Just pass you by

Wheels can take you around
Wheels can cut you down
We can go from boom to bust
From dreams to a bowl of dust
We can fall from rockets’ red glare
Down to “Brother, can you spare…”
Another war, another wasteland
And another lost generation

It slips between your hands like water
This living in real time
A dizzying lifetime
Reeling by on celluloid
Struck between the eyes by the big-time world
Walking uneasy street
Hiding beneath the sheets, got to try and fill the void

You know how that rabbit feels
Going under your speeding wheels
Bright images flashing by
Like windshields towards a fly
Frozen in that fatal climb
But the wheels of time
Just pass you by

We can go from boom to bust
From dreams to a bowl of dust
We can fall from rockets’ red glare
Down to “Brother, can you spare…”
Another war, another wasteland
And another lost generation

Wheels can take you around
Wheels can cut you down
Fall from rockets’ red glare
Down to “Brother, can you spare…”
Another war, another wasteland
Another lost generation

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Geddy Lee / Alex Lifeson / Neil Peart

Between the Wheels lyrics © Ole Core Music Publishing, Anthem Core Music Publishing

Republic of Letters

The Fixx: Deeper and Deeper

Talking about stealing the show no one would know
Talking about stealing the show when they’re all letting go
Take a look at the witch see the twitch in her eye tell me
What did she feel

Is this the way of the world take a boy and a girl show them
Lying is real
Then I see t he edge I look I fall
Deeper and deeper

The more I see the more I fall there’s no place to hide
You better take the call
Deeper and deeper
Is it the smell of the oil the sweat and the toil that makes

Living unreal
The yuppie in the suit the man with a flute what did he steal
It’s beginning to break there is a mistake nowhere to go
A fool and his blood in the wrong neighborhood what price

Does he pay
The further I see
I see the edge I look I fall
The further I see the further I fall
There’s no place to hide anymore

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Cyril Curnin / James West-Oram

Deeper and Deeper lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Republic of Letters

The Fixx: Built for the Future

Some say a trick, some say a look
It’s just a way of thinking after all
From underneath something concrete
It’s just a way of coping with it all
Some with revolt, some will obey
Who attains perfection and who’s to say
A criminal, a cardinal
Both frightened of angels
It doesn’t mean much now
It’s built for the future

For some a walk, to some a dance
It’s just a form of motion one and all
Without dispute the least aware
Will no doubt see the ragings of a fool
First we look then we spy
The man who has a vision wants it all
A sin so clean rule supreme
The power to undermine
It doesn’t mean much now
It’s built for the future

First a glance, then a chance
To make a simple gesture worth it all
A conquer all, a desert stall
That serves a drink to people under sun
At last the place, now where’s the time
To take in all the other points of view
Some are inert but one exists
To build a bridge
It doesn’t mean much now
It’s built for the future

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Adam Woods / Cyril Curnin / James West-Oram / Peter Greenall

Built For The Future lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Republic of Letters

OAK: Paperwings

I’m lighting fires behind closed doors
Coming down hard passing eleven floors
Raised in shame and then of truth bereft
Adrenaline, sorrow and two seconds left

I wash the darkness from your bright eyes
I’m on my knees digging up old lies
No thoughts, take aim, fire and reload
Cut off the air and let the world explode

I’m a hollow shell, I’m glowing
I’m the light in empty buildings
I break promises, I break free
I’m all you wanted and not what you need
I am the debt you need to pay
Made out in silver coins and shame
There’s nothing lеft and we got lost
I’m out of words and everyonе’s gone
So I lie

The fading light refuse to die
Retrace your steps to find the way out
The smoke is rising as the lights go out
Through sixty feet of starless night
The coward comes down shining silver grey
On paper wings of hope