I said enough about my own country’s shameful actions and disgust on July 1st that I was planning to leave the US holiday alone. But since others are talking. . .
Red Rider’s second album “As Far As Siam” was released on June 30, 1981, turning forty last week. The song “Lunatic Fringe” is an FM radio classic, written about the rise of rightwing extremism in the US, the “religious right and moral majority”. Both of which were neither.
Lunatic fringe I know you're out there You're in hiding And you hold your meetings I can hear you coming I know what you're after We're wise to you this time We won't let you kill the laughter Lunatic fringe In the twilight's last gleaming This is open season But you won't get too far 'Cause you got to blame someone For your own confusion We're on guard this time (on guard this time) Against your Final Solution We can hear you coming No, you're not going to win this time We can hear the footsteps Out along the walkway Lunatic fringe We all know you're out there Can you feel the resistance? Can you feel the thunder?
Rush’s second album “Fly By Night” came out in February 1975. “Beneath, Between & Behind” were the first lyrics Neil Peart wrote for the band. It was written months after the Watergate scandal and Nixon’s resignation.
Ten score years ago Defeat the kingly foe A wondrous dream came into being Tame the trackless waste No virgin land left chaste All shining eyes, but never seeing Beneath the noble bird Between the proudest words Behind the beauty, cracks appear Once with heads held high They sang out to the sky Why do their shadows bow in fear? Watch the cities rise Another ship arrives Earth's melting pot and ever growing Fantastic dreams come true Inventing something new The greatest minds were never knowing Beneath the noble bird Between the proudest words Behind the beauty, cracks appear Once with heads held high They sang out to the sky Why do their shadows bow in fear? The guns replace the plow Façades are tarnished now The principles have been betrayed The dream's gone stale But still let hope prevail History's debt won't be repaid Beneath the noble bird Between the proudest words Behind the beauty, cracks appear Once with heads held high They sang out to the sky Why do their shadows bow in fear?