One of the Greatest Freedom Songs of All Time
#FreedomMusicFriday makes a brief return!
As many of you know, I was just on a week-long trip. I managed to churn out a few installments of The Distributed Nation (by locking myself in the hotel room and writing frantically for a couple days), but now I have come home to an avalanche of other things to catch up on.
So, to give me a day of breathing room to do that, I am going to bring back a beloved friend: #FreedomMusicFriday. Just for today.
For new subscribers, Friday is the day we (usually) explore music with freedom–oriented themes. I suspended that feature temporarily while I am churning out installments of The Distributed Nation (and keeping up on installments of my other book). Those installments will all be back next week, and #FreedomMusicFriday will of course be back when all that is done.
Those who already know the Rush song “2112” will know exactly why I have chosen it. It is a 20-minute-long story-song—a rock opera, I suppose you could call it—about a man’s struggle against an oppressive and stultified society.
It has everything…
A curious free thinker who makes a fantastical discovery.
Arrogant Olympian overlords who control everything.
A naive attempt to speak out for freedom, and a crushing response.
More discoveries of truth, and of the power of human liberty and achievement.
The gray despair that inevitably comes with living under totalitarianism.
And a surprise (mostly) happy ending.
Plus, some great music by some of the most skilled musicians in the history of rock.
Carve out 20 minutes for this. Make a sandwich. Follow along with the lyrics while you listen. Trust me.
I have long thought that 2112 should be made into a movie. Someone did do a graphic-novel version, which is kind of cool. But I recommend first listening without visual aids, so that you can develop your own mental pictures for this great story.
Help me keep up my fight for human liberty, so we never get to the kind of place depicted in this song!
I actually saw them play the whole 2112 in '75 just before the album came out.
They co-headlined with Ted Nugent at Cobo in Detroit when both were at the top of their game.
Epic.
They pretty much looked like this at the time. I remember the row of Marshall stacks behind them and the loudspeakers around the stage. My ears rang for 3 days after.
https://i.discogs.com/l2PGc5KzhJV_90IyvfTf_Eq71S2RubB34pFdCq1Xx-A/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:600/w:594/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9BLTYxODAw/LTE2NjIwNDY1MzUt/MTMyOS5qcGVn.jpeg
A buddy of mine taught himself to play the bass in high school. While we all loved 'Tom Sawyer', Don was a total 2112 fanatic. I didn't get it. Probably too high or distracted. I have 2112 on my most often used playlist, but must have limited it to 'Overture' & 'Temples of Syrinx'.
As I read the lyrics, possibly for the first time today (I'm 55, 1987 HS grad), it reminded me of "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" which was my favorite book as a kid.
Jonathan is trying to learn to fly faster, and has this crazy breakthrough when he realizes falcons have short wings.
He immediately climbs 2,000 feet, tucks his wings, and dives...SCREAMS through the entire flock...and is called before the 'league of elders' (or something like that...been 30+ years since I read it). Only two reasons to be called before the elders--either glory of shame. Jonathan is confident it must be glory--by flying this fast, he can teach his flock to dive deep to fish, freeing them from the scraps of man.
...it is for shame and he is banished. If you've never read it, pick it up. You can read it in under an hour, and it has a similar message as 2112.
The powerful are always anxious and are threatened by vibrancy, life, curiosity, energy.
Wisdom is when we remember our youthful fancies, and incorporate them into practices instead of revolutions.
Thank you for this Christopher. A decent distraction this afternoon. Need to get back to work
bsn