Rush – Limelight

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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 fish eye 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 portrayer
Each another's audience
Outside the gilded cage

Send "Limelight" Ringtone to Cell


Lyrics submitted by MasterDuncan03

Track duration: 04:20

"Limelight" as written by Shih Shiong Lee, Xiong Wu

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Limelight song meanings
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48 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:On a literal level, the song is about living as a performer. But, the deep meaning of the song is very spiritual. The writer if this song understands that our earthy life is merely an illusion with a greater purpose. Most of us who see this earthy life as a fixed reality choose to "seem". Those who know there is a higher purpose and seek to find it choose to "be". Our purpose for being here is simply to "be" so that we can realize who our souls are. If you understand and seek your higher self, you will feel alienated from the world. But, you must to discover this "fascination". The author is struggling with this himself. He sees God as a stranger, and admits that he cannot pretend otherwise. He is searching.
    Flag Buggison April 12, 2013   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:What F****** difference does it make, whether Peart wrote his feelings or expressed them through covering. Johnny Cash covered a song that best portrayed what he felt through the song that he covered, his f****** music video best showed that....on and let's not forget his f****** death not long f******* not long after. So how about some respect. Any band in a garage sings a song already being played by an artist, that is not the point. The point is, what is the song about, and *how does it* relate it to this particular artist. We can argue stupid S*** all day. It meant something to Peart, it meant something to Cash. What matters at SONGS AND MEANINGS is....you guessed it, SONGS *AND* MEANINGS.
    Flag SilverSurferon January 16, 2013   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • 0
    General Comment:The lyrics I believe were written by a shy Neil Peart about his feelings and struggles with the fame that come with being in the popular rock band
    Flag tschibbson February 04, 2012   Link
  • -2
    General Comment:I am truly amazed that NOT ONE person commenting on this song got the simple fact that Rush DID NOT WRITE this song! The guys behind the Alan Parsons Project did! The credit is right there at the end of the lyrics!

    It's ironic that one artist can so capture the essence of another's lyrics that the association becomes stronger than the creation. Kind of like Johnny Cash covering NIN's "Hurt"
    Flag lacruisin45on November 02, 2011   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • 0
    General Comment:Possible the greatest line ever:

    Cast in this unlikely role
    Ill equipped to act
    With insufficient tact
    One must put up barriers
    To keep oneself intact

    This was my theme after graduating college for engineering and working for a big company for the first time. I felt like I was cast in the wrong role, without the proper preparation to do it effectively... Especially after working construction for 7 years!
    Flag killroy134on May 27, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Possibly one of the worlds greatest songs ... Music and lyric wise! Neil gives an amazing point across through certain lyrics such as 'I can't pretend a stranger is a long awaited friend' which could mean strangers want to know you the minute you are famous, and that you can't trust people who you have only just met.
    Rush is amazing, a trio of musical geniuses!
    Flag moderndaywarrioron December 30, 2010   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:I love the line 'can't pretend a stranger is a long awaited friend' i think that this describes his thoughts on greeting fans as old friends, as to him, they aren't friends, they're strangers. Yes, he does appreciate the fans loyalty to the music, but obviously doesn't feel comfortable with them coming up and pretending to be a friend.
    I have to say, if I was as famous as he is, I would be the same.
    Flag Puckers2811on December 28, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:the first time i heard this song i fell in love and immediately did more rush research and found more than i couldve imagined
    Flagged 3yrguitargod19on August 09, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I can see where the people who think this is narcissistic whining are coming from, but I always thought the song was more like a primer--"OK, you want to be famous? Here's what to expect." It not only talks about the realities of fame but gives some advice on how to handle it:

    "Put aside the alienation" (Accept the fact that fame creates barriers and dislocates you from your previous life, and move forward)
    "Get on with the fascination" (Be true to your creativity and continue to do your thing)
    "The real relation, the underlying theme" (The relationship with your work, and the spirit of what you want to do creatively).

    Musically this is Rush's best song; the arrangement and the chord progression into the refrain are sublime.
    Flag law4on June 24, 2010   Link
  • +4
    General Comment:I read through most of the comments, and everyone seems to be missing the real relation, the underlying theme.
    Flagged bassjaredon March 19, 2010   Link

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