"Closer to the Heart" is a song by Canadian

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

band Rush. It was released in November 1977 as the lead single from their fifth studio album ''

A Farewell to Kings ''A Farewell to Kings'' is the fifth studio album by Canadian rock band Rush, released in September 1977 by Anthem Records. After touring their previous album '' 2112'' (1976), which saw the group reach a new critical and commercial peak, they ...

''. It was the first Rush song to feature a non-member as a songwriter in Peter Talbot, a friend of drummer and lyricist

Neil Peart Neil Ellwood Peart OC (; September 12, 1952 – January 7, 2020) was a Canadian-American musician, best known as the drummer and primary lyricist of the rock band Rush. Peart earned numerous awards for his musical performances, including an ...

. It was Rush's first hit single in the United Kingdom, reaching number 36 in the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

in February 1978. It also peaked at number 45 in Canada and number 76 on the US ''Billboard''

Hot 100 The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online streaming ...

. It was inducted into the

Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame (''Panthéon des Auteurs et Compositeurs canadiens'') is a Canadian non-profit organization, founded in 1998 by Frank Davies, that inducts Canadians into their ''Hall of Fame'' within three different categori ...

on March 28, 2010. ''

Cash Box ''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', was an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an online ...

'' called it a "strong song" and said that it is "very like a Led Zeppelin number in terms of structure, timbres, and the role of the lead vocalist." A live version of the song was released as a single in 1981 as the lead single from their live album, '' Exit...Stage Left'' which peaked at number 69 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100.

Background

The band's frontman,

Geddy Lee Geddy Lee (born Gary Lee Weinrib; July 29, 1953) is a Canadian musician, singer, and songwriter. He is best known as the lead vocalist, bassist, and keyboardist for the Canadian rock group Rush. Lee joined the band in September 1968, at the re ...

, said of the song:

I remember when we had to bring it back into the set for the Rio shows, as there was such a demand to hear it and we’d stopped playing it for a while. It's always resonated with people for some reason, and it was a hit as far as we've ever had a hit. It got us on the radio, the kinds of radio that would never normally associate with us, so it was as close as we ever came to a pop song, especially at that point. Over here in the UK it had that effect, and in the US too.

Performances

One of Rush's most popular songs, it has been performed live regularly since its release. It was not played for the bulk of the

Vapor Trails Tour Rush was a Canadian rock band formed in 1968 in Toronto, that was comprised primarily of Geddy Lee (bass, vocals), Alex Lifeson (guitar), and Neil Peart (drums, percussion, lyricist). The band formed in Toronto in 1968 by Lifeson, drummer John ...

(2002), the R30 Tour (2004), and the

Snakes & Arrows Tour The Snakes & Arrows Tour was a concert tour by Canadian rock band Rush to promote the studio album ''Snakes & Arrows''. The first leg of the tour began on June 13, 2007, in Atlanta and concluded on October 29, 2007, at Hartwall Arena in Helsinki ...

(2007–08). The song returned to Rush's setlists during the 2010–11

Time Machine Tour The Time Machine Tour was a concert tour by the Canadian rock band Rush that began on June 29, 2010 in Albuquerque, New Mexico and ended July 2, 2011 at The Gorge Amphitheatre in George, Washington. The tour was notable for featuring the album ...

. After not being performed on the 2012–13

Clockwork Angels Tour The Clockwork Angels Tour was a concert tour in support of the 2012 album, ''Clockwork Angels'', by the Canadian rock band Rush. The tour included shows in Canada, the United States and throughout Europe. A nine-piece string ensemble accompanie ...

, it was brought back for the 2015

R40 Live Tour The R40 Live Tour was the final tour by Canadian rock band Rush that commemorated the 40th anniversary of drummer Neil Peart joining the band in July 1974. The title hearkens back to Rush's 2004 R30: 30th Anniversary Tour that celebrated the 3 ...

. The live albums ''

A Show of Hands ''A Show of Hands'' is a live album by the Canadian rock band Rush, released in 1989. The band released a video of the same name, originally on VHS and LaserDisc, the same year. A DVD version was released as part of a box set in 2006, an ...

'' and '' Different Stages'' feature performances of the song with jam-style playing after the last verse. On the 1981 live album '' Exit...Stage Left'', the song segues into "Beneath, Between and Behind", and on '' Time Machine 2011: Live in Cleveland'', it shifts into a triplet feel for the last verse. On the DVD release of the latter album, a polka rendition of the song is played during the end credits. Although the original recording and most live performances feature acoustic drums, Peart used an

electronic drum Electronic drums is a modern electronic musical instrument, primarily designed to serve as an alternative to an acoustic drum kit. Electronic drums consist of an electronic sound module which produces the synthesized or sampled percussion sounds ...

kit to play the song in concerts from 1984 to 1994. In 2005, Rush performed the song with Mike Smith (in character as Bubbles from ''

Trailer Park Boys ''Trailer Park Boys'' is a Canadian mockumentary sitcom television series created by Mike Clattenburg that began airing in 2001 as a continuation of his 1999 film bearing the same name. The show follows the misadventures of a group of trailer pa ...

'') and

Ed Robertson Lloyd Edward Elwyn Robertson (born October 25, 1970) is a Canadian musician, best known as the lead singer, guitarist, and songwriter of the band Barenaked Ladies. He, along with former member Steven Page, founded the group in 1988. As of Page's ...

Barenaked Ladies Barenaked Ladies is a Canadian rock band formed in 1988 in Scarborough, Ontario. The band developed a following in Canada, with their self-titled 1991 cassette becoming the first independent release to be certified gold in Canada. They reach ...

as part of a CBC telethon for the Canadian Tsunami Disaster Fund. This performance is included on the '' R30: 30th Anniversary World Tour'' DVD. In 2022, Lee and Lifeson joined members of Primus and ''

South Park ''South Park'' is an American animated sitcom created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone and developed by Brian Graden for Comedy Central. The series revolves around four boys Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman, and Kenny McCormickand th ...

'' co-creator

Matt Stone Matthew Richard Stone (born May 26, 1971) is an American actor, animator, filmmaker, and composer. He is known for co-creating ''South Park'' (since 1997) and ''The Book of Mormon'' (2011) with his creative partner Trey Parker. Stone was interes ...

to perform "Closer to the Heart" for the South Park 25th Anniversary Concert at

Red Rocks Amphitheatre Red Rocks Amphitheatre (also colloquially as simply Red Rocks) is an open-air amphitheatre built into a rock structure in the Western United States, western United States, near Morrison, Colorado, west of Denver. There is a large, tilted, flyi ...

. It was Lee and Lifeson's first public performance together following Rush's disbandment and Peart's death.The surviving members of Rush reunite to perform
Far Out Magazine. August 12, 2022. Retrieved August 13, 2022.

Track listing UK version

A Side

#"Closer to the Heart" – 2:53 (Lee/Lifeson/Peart/Talbot)

B side

Bastille Day Bastille Day is the common name given in English-speaking countries to the national day of France, which is celebrated on 14 July each year. In French, it is formally called the (; "French National Celebration"); legally it is known as (; "t ...

" – 4:37 (Lee/Lifeson/Peart) #"Anthem" – 4:10 (Lee/Lifeson/Peart) '' nly on 12"' #" The Temples of Syrinx" – 2:13 (Lee/Lifeson/Peart)

Charts

Weekly charts

References

{{Authority control 1977 singles 1981 singles Rush (band) songs Songs written by Alex Lifeson Songs written by Geddy Lee Songs written by Neil Peart Song recordings produced by Terry Brown (record producer) 1977 songs Mercury Records singles