Cold Fire
by Rush

Album: Counterparts (1993)
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Songfacts®:

  • Geddy Lee (from the Counterparts World Radio Premiere): "We rewrote that song quite a bit. And thankfully, I think Peter Collins' presence really pulled that song together. He came in and he pointed out certain strengths in the previous versions of the songs that we had, and he really helped us reorganize that song. It wasn't until he got there, I think, that we finally locked in on a feel for those verses that enabled Alex to play those great kind of steel guitar lines -- steel guitar-like lines -- that he's playing, and enabled me to open up harmonically. I was having trouble with the verses, you know, it's a tough song, when you're dealing with this issue of male/female relationships, which is such a foreign subject for us to deal with, in a song. You want to make sure it doesn't sound trite or hackneyed or you're not just doing yet another -- who needs another song about relationships? It took us a while to get the right mood, and I was really happy with the mood we ended up with in the verses, and I think, oddly enough, as much as it was a nightmare, that song for me, when I hear the record now, I think the verses are one of the strongest parts of the album, in that song."
  • Neil Peart (from Network Magazine, November 1993): "In 'Cold Fire' I have the woman speaking to the man and she's smarter than he is. It was a difficult technical challenge lyrically, but those are the kind of things that now, after all these years, you start to feel you have the craft to take on. I don't mind writing about love now, where I would have avoided that in the previous years just because of the inability to get beyond clichés." >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Mike - Mountlake Terrace, Washington, for above 2

Comments: 8

  • Matthew Deibert from Usa This song has a heavy REM influence to it, or at least I hear that. Love the vocal harmonies in the bridge. I think this is the only song on Counter Parts with the classic "Neil Peart ride pattern".
  • Alex Manne from Tallahassee, Fl'This is not a love song, This isn't fantasy land' - GREAT line. Exactly how I feel about 98.5% of the love songs out there. It's taken me many years to really appreciate this song and album. Neil Peart keeps it real with this song.
  • Rufus from Wheeling, WvMaybe my least favorite, recent Rush release (as opposed to the early stuff), but this is one of my favorite songs overall. "the flame at the heart of a pawnbroker's diamond is a cold fire"
  • Eric from Worden, MtBeing a long time Rush fan, I understood how momentous it was for them to to have a song about love, "This is not a love song". I love the crazy guitar sound, and the cymbal work, but most of all the analogies in the the chorus are so poetic. Truly, one of their best songs
  • John from Asheville, NcIt's an awesome song, musically and lyrically. Love the imagery in the chorus. Probably my favorite song on one of my favorite Rush records.
  • Tom from Highland, Nygreat imagery surrounding love gone a rye.
  • Joe Public from Anytown, Al"The toxic emission from a factory smokestack / Is a coal fire..."
  • Jesse from L.a., CaWhen Rush played this song live, Alex Lifeson played a country diddy to introduce it.
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