Mission (song)
Encyclopedia
"Mission" is a song by the progressive rock
band Rush
from the 1987 album Hold Your Fire
. The song features prominent keyboard parts played by Geddy Lee
. "Mission" was most recently played live during the band's 2007/2008 tour for the album Snakes & Arrows
. The opening lyrics of "Mission" are "Hold your fire, keep it burning bright," incorporating the name of the album the song is taken from.
According to Neil Peart in his book Travelling Music, the lyrics are related to a tendency that people have for idealizing the lifestyle of others. People tend to imagine that those who are rich and famous are to be viewed as people who have fewer personal issues than ordinary people. However, he argues that every life has its own level of "toughness."
As an example of this idea, he recounts that people used to refer to him as someone who has the best job in the world. He claims that he is very proud of being a musician, which was a job that he dreamed of in his youth. However, he claims people tend not to realize that being away from family for several months while on tour is not as easy as others make it sound.
A key verse to express that concept says "We each pay a fabulous price for our visions of paradise," referring to personal sacrifices he had to make to achieve his dream.
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
band Rush
Rush (band)
Rush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart...
from the 1987 album Hold Your Fire
Hold Your Fire
Hold Your Fire is the 12th studio album by the Canadian rock band Rush, released in the fall of 1987 . The album was recorded at The Manor Studio in Oxfordshire, Ridge Farm Studio in Surrey, Air Studios in Montserrat and at McClear Place in Toronto.Rush continued to explore new songwriting...
. The song features prominent keyboard parts played by Geddy Lee
Geddy Lee
Gary Lee Weinrib, OC, better known as Geddy Lee , is a Canadian musician, best known as the lead vocalist, bassist, and keyboardist for the Canadian rock group Rush...
. "Mission" was most recently played live during the band's 2007/2008 tour for the album Snakes & Arrows
Snakes & Arrows
Snakes & Arrows is the 18th full-length studio album by the Canadian rock band Rush. Co-produced by Nick Raskulinecz, it is Rush's first studio outing since 2004's Feedback, and their first complete studio album since Vapor Trails in 2002...
. The opening lyrics of "Mission" are "Hold your fire, keep it burning bright," incorporating the name of the album the song is taken from.
According to Neil Peart in his book Travelling Music, the lyrics are related to a tendency that people have for idealizing the lifestyle of others. People tend to imagine that those who are rich and famous are to be viewed as people who have fewer personal issues than ordinary people. However, he argues that every life has its own level of "toughness."
As an example of this idea, he recounts that people used to refer to him as someone who has the best job in the world. He claims that he is very proud of being a musician, which was a job that he dreamed of in his youth. However, he claims people tend not to realize that being away from family for several months while on tour is not as easy as others make it sound.
A key verse to express that concept says "We each pay a fabulous price for our visions of paradise," referring to personal sacrifices he had to make to achieve his dream.