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Hold your fire --
Keep it burning bright
Hold the flame 'til the dream ignites --
A spirit with a vision is a dream with a mission
I hear their passionate music
Read the words that touch my heart
I gaze at their feverish pictures
The secrets that set them apart
When I feel the powerful visions
Their fire has made alive
I wish I had that instinct -- I wish I had that drive
Spirits fly on dangerous missions
Imaginations on fire
Focused high on soaring ambitions
Consumed in a single desire
In the grip of a nameless possession --
A slave to the drive of obsession --
A spirit with a vision is a dream with a mission...
I watch their images flicker
Bringing light to a lifeless screen
I walk through their beautiful buildings
And I wish I had their dreams
But dreams don't need to have motion
To keep their spark alive
Obsession has to have action --
Pride turns on the drive
It's cold comfort
To the ones without it
To know how they struggled --
How they suffered about it
If their lives were exotic and strange
They would likely have gladly exchanged them
For something a little more plain
Maybe something a little more sane
We each pay a fabulous price
For our visions of paradise
But a spirit with a vision is a dream with a mission...
Keep it burning bright
Hold the flame 'til the dream ignites --
A spirit with a vision is a dream with a mission
I hear their passionate music
Read the words that touch my heart
I gaze at their feverish pictures
The secrets that set them apart
When I feel the powerful visions
Their fire has made alive
I wish I had that instinct -- I wish I had that drive
Spirits fly on dangerous missions
Imaginations on fire
Focused high on soaring ambitions
Consumed in a single desire
In the grip of a nameless possession --
A slave to the drive of obsession --
A spirit with a vision is a dream with a mission...
I watch their images flicker
Bringing light to a lifeless screen
I walk through their beautiful buildings
And I wish I had their dreams
But dreams don't need to have motion
To keep their spark alive
Obsession has to have action --
Pride turns on the drive
It's cold comfort
To the ones without it
To know how they struggled --
How they suffered about it
If their lives were exotic and strange
They would likely have gladly exchanged them
For something a little more plain
Maybe something a little more sane
We each pay a fabulous price
For our visions of paradise
But a spirit with a vision is a dream with a mission...
Lyrics submitted by shed27
Track duration: 05:18
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I have been listening to Rush since about 1977.
Most of the time I focused on everything pre-Signals, I did listen to all the other albums but not as frequently. Then around 1997 I really started listening to every Rush album with more intensity.
Mission is by far my favorite Rush tune. Believe me, that's a tough choice considering their body of work, but it speaks to me in a very personal way. I don't know of any song by anyone that's more inspiring.
Second thing, the guitar solo at the end is perfect.
We each pay a fabulous price
for our visions of paradise.
I love this song.
Geddy Lee (1988): "It basically grew out of a conversation Neil and I had about the kind of people we consider ourselves to be, people who always knew what they wanted to do in their lives and always had this ambition and desire, but couldn't make a choice as to what to do. It was always very clear that we had to do what we do - whether we were a success or a failure - we knew we would always play music in some way. 'Mission' also looks sadly at the people who have never really been sure what they should be doing and have never had a clear-cut idea where to put their creative ability to reach a final, ultimate conclusion."