Red Sector A
Encyclopedia
"Red Sector A" is a song by Rush
that provides a first-person account of a nameless protagonist living in an unspecified prison camp
setting. "Red Sector A" first appeared on the band's 1984 album Grace Under Pressure
.
Lyricist Neil Peart
has stated that the detailed imagery in the song intentionally evokes concentration camps of the Holocaust
. Peart has stated that while Nazi concentration camps of World War II
were his primary lyrical motivation, he decided to abstract the lyrics so as to apply to the experiences of atrocity of any similar prison camp scenario.
It also has to do with singer/bassist Geddy Lee
's remembrance of his mother's accounts of the Holocaust, which she survived.
In a 1984 interview Neil Peart describes writing Red Sector A:
launch area at Kennedy Space Center
, where the band was granted special permission to view the launch of Columbia
on April 12, 1981.
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...
that provides a first-person account of a nameless protagonist living in an unspecified prison camp
Internment
Internment is the imprisonment or confinement of people, commonly in large groups, without trial. The Oxford English Dictionary gives the meaning as: "The action of 'interning'; confinement within the limits of a country or place." Most modern usage is about individuals, and there is a distinction...
setting. "Red Sector A" first appeared on the band's 1984 album Grace Under Pressure
Grace Under Pressure (Rush album)
Grace Under Pressure is the tenth studio album by the Canadian rock band Rush, released in 1984 . A symbol for the album is the letter "p" above a line with the letter "g" below ....
.
Lyricist Neil Peart
Neil Peart
Neil Ellwood Peart , OC, is a Canadian musician and author. He is the drummer for the rock band Rush.Peart grew up in Port Dalhousie, Ontario . During adolescence, he floated from regional band to regional band in pursuit of a career as a full-time drummer...
has stated that the detailed imagery in the song intentionally evokes concentration camps of the Holocaust
The Holocaust
The Holocaust , also known as the Shoah , was the genocide of approximately six million European Jews and millions of others during World War II, a programme of systematic state-sponsored murder by Nazi...
. Peart has stated that while Nazi concentration camps of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
were his primary lyrical motivation, he decided to abstract the lyrics so as to apply to the experiences of atrocity of any similar prison camp scenario.
It also has to do with singer/bassist 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...
's remembrance of his mother's accounts of the Holocaust, which she survived.
Background
Geddy Lee explained the genesis of the song in an interview:In a 1984 interview Neil Peart describes writing Red Sector A:
Song title inspiration
The song title 'Red Sector A' comes from the name of the NASANASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
launch area at Kennedy Space Center
Kennedy Space Center
The John F. Kennedy Space Center is the NASA installation that has been the launch site for every United States human space flight since 1968. Although such flights are currently on hiatus, KSC continues to manage and operate unmanned rocket launch facilities for America's civilian space program...
, where the band was granted special permission to view the launch of Columbia
Space Shuttle Columbia
Space Shuttle Columbia was the first spaceworthy Space Shuttle in NASA's orbital fleet. First launched on the STS-1 mission, the first of the Space Shuttle program, it completed 27 missions before being destroyed during re-entry on February 1, 2003 near the end of its 28th, STS-107. All seven crew...
on April 12, 1981.