Lyrics for Limelight as interpreted by MasterDuncan03

Limelight Lyrics
Living on a lighted stage approaches the unreal
For those who think and feel
In touch with some reality beyond the gilded cage

Cast in this unlikely role, ill-equipped to act
With insufficient tact
One must put up barriers to keep oneself intact

Living in the limelight, the universal dream
For those who wish to seem
Those who wish to be
Must put aside the alienation
Get on with the fascination
The real relation
The underlying theme

Living in a fisheye lens caught in the camera eye
I have no heart to lie
I can't pretend a stranger is a long-awaited friend

All the world's indeed a stage and we are merely players
Performers and portrayers
Each another's audience
Outside the gilded cage

Living in the limelight, the universal dream
For those who wish to seem
Those who wish to be
Must put aside the alienation
Get on with the fascination
The real relation
The underlying theme

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  • 37 Comments
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slaphappy
06-13-2002

Rated 0 
this is a great song! geddy lee has one of the most original voices i've ever heard, and that combined with the great music and the crazy time signatures in this song make it just awesome

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shed27
07-27-2002

Rated 0 
my fav rush song

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1 Reply
crackermcnacca
08-02-2002

Rated 0 
this song is the feel better song for all htings

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masterofpuppets80
05-16-2004

Rated 0 
the synths are just right in this song.

all about the reality about being a star. apparently Neil was hit harder by the stardom than Geddy and Alex. man this song will make you think twice before you want to try become famous.

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PinkFloydrulez
01-16-2005

Rated 0 
This is like the first Rush song I heard lol, it was on vh1 classic and was them recording the song.. pretty cool. My uncle had told me rush was good earlier in that year (last year, 2004, I saw the vid during summertime) and I just decided to pick up some... I got The Spirit of Radio... and.. I... want... more....

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and love said no
06-18-2005

Rated 0 
rush is amazing i love this song

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Levitator89
07-26-2005

Rated 0 
radiofreesini, you're cover isn't that bad. the guitar is raw. didn't care too much for the vocals. you can never do limelight as good as rush but not a bad try none the less.

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floydfan87
01-10-2006

Rated 0 
About fame and being a celebrity. Neil has had more trouble with it than Geddy and Alex and he wanted to get his feelings out in this song.

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mxthunder
01-10-2006

Rated 0 
I love to crank this song. Puts me in a happy mood.

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takingbacksunday_77
01-10-2006

Rated 0 
best rush song ever...these guys are great....peart is my idol

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Squid Vicious
03-26-2006

Rated 0 
The guitar part in the chorus is great.

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Wilb
04-04-2006

Rated 0 
The guitar solo from Mr Lifeson has the most perfect tones ever , same as live , a true master !!!!!!!!!!!!

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T-CAP75
06-25-2006

Rated 0 
Rush is such an underrated band; I mean, yeah, I only know their hit songs, but still nobody knows who they are. That said, this is my favorite Rush tune.

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chino69
08-01-2006

Rated 0 
This is a very nice song, I am hooked.

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Planeswalker817
08-07-2006

Rated 0 
If you liked this, listen to Subdivisions, 2112 Overture, and (imho) Force Ten.

First two are mega-hits, and the last one is just them rocking out. And soooo gooood.

As for this song, yeah, Neil got hit hard by stardom. And to top it all off, his life is quite tragic. Never knew what he went through just recently until I looked up the band on a whim.

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NUMBER 4
05-27-2007

Rated 0 
The second verse to me, means that Neil didn't know he was going to be a famous drummer. (He was "cast in this unlikely role".)

And the second line of that same verse, "Ill-equipped to act", means that he doesn't know how to act around people, or the public. Everyone just knows him as a drummer; not as a person.

Then, "One must put up barriers to keep oneself in tact" means that he must block himself, from the public in a way as to not be overwhelmed by people.

And, the limelight -- the spot light. Everybody can see him, and knows who he is.

(Although, Alex takes the spotlight with his solo!)

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RapIsGarbage
06-17-2007

Rated -1 
Wtf are you people smoking? This is a bad POP song, nothing more.

Typical "poor me, I'm a millionaire rockstar" cliche lyrics. Yeah Neil, us working class chumps have it so much easier than you... the whole living paycheck to paycheck thing is so much easier than being rich and famous(sarcasm). Such a stupid song.

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1 Reply
astatusquoexile
07-09-2007

Rated 0 
Actually, I think it's really not. The song deals with it in a perspective that works with situation in which you're thrown into the limelight and you don't feel like you're right for the job: the emotions he describes could easily be applied to giving a speech, being in charge of a group of people, etc. He talks about barriers put between oneself and others, which is something many people do when they feel as if people are encroaching on their personal space, whether "millionaire rockstar" or "working class chump."

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1 Reply
NUMBER 4
07-13-2007

Rated 0 
This song kicks Tom Sawyer!

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Dantorp
07-16-2007

Rated 0 
This was most likely written while they were on the Permanent Waves Tour ~25 years ago. Freewill and Spirit of Radio were getting good radio play, and the band was expeiencing a bloom of exposure. Mr Peart is a very private introverted person. From what I have read he responds poorly to people getting too familiar with him (and misproununcing his name) This song is Neil Peart attempting to express those feelings without making it so personal. I read somewhere that it took him effort to not write "I must put up barriers to keep myself intact" and to move the statement to the 3rd person. In moving this to the 3rd person, Mr Peart generalizes the experience, and makes it more accessible to anyone who finds themselves moved up before they are ready. I don't think Neil Peart is sitting atop his mansion whining about his good fortune, rather I think he is showing that there are negative experiences that come with sudden thrusts of fame, and that for some ppl, these experiences are quite nightmare like. The recent tragedies in Mr Peart's life only drive the point of this song home.

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Mathias.3
07-31-2007

Rated 0 
RapisGarbage you should stfu cause you dont know about anything you are talking about. Rush isnt pop. And if you're living paycheck to paycheck..well maybe you should save your money instead of spending it on shit and you'll have some.

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nagromnai
09-13-2007

Rated -1 
Go Garbage!!! Love your thoughts on the song.
Why isn't the song a pop song? It's nice & short, has a beginning, middle & end - nice little chorus - a well sculpted pop song.
As for Mathias' comment on the paycheck thing - how middle class!!!!
Garbage has a very valid point to make - I disagree strongly, but the point is no less valid - it's someone's personal take on the song which stirs up comments from others.
Nice

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tigerx2374
09-13-2007

Rated 0 
I'm feeling wealthy..so here's my two cents....

Rush is THE pre-eminent thinking man's rock band..

Anyways, I agree with a lot of folks here. - The song is about the celebrity-fan relationship. But I'm sure there are themes and motifs of the song we all can relate to. Barriers to "keep oneself in tact" are important for everyone to have.

Neil has ALWAYS shunned "the Limelight". He appreciates his fans, but wants his privacy too. This song was written long before the tragedy that Neil suffered in 1997-1998 with the deaths of his daughter and wife. That's why when Rush began promoting Vapor Trails in 2002, the band agreed that only Alex and Geddy would face the media - to protect Neil.

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shagrath666
10-15-2007

Rated 0 
mmm. just read his [Neil Peart] book.

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jefferemix
11-12-2007

Rated 0 
the solo from 2:40 to 3:15 makes me sticky

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