Dog Years by Rush - Songfacts

Album: Test For Echo (1996)

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Songfacts®:

The line, "Every dog has his day" is from a 1863 children's book called Water Babies by the English novelist and clergyman Charles Kingsley.
This song is part of the band's 1996 album Test For Echo. It contains the line, "One sniff at the hydrant," a reference to their 1982 album Signals, which has a cover showing a dog sniffing at a hydrant.
The line, "In the dog days, People look to Sirius" is a clever pun. One meaning is that in the summer people are often serious but as written it means that people are looking to the dog star "Sirius."

Comments: 8

Irrushionalfan from SandiegoLove this song. Its obviously over most peoples heads. The metaphors are brilliant and reflect the nature of our times. It cleverly conveys the entrapped human condition wherein we don't believe what our eyes are seeing in favor of the lies that we are told.
M Sandiego from San DiegoGreat song, unfairly dismissed by Rush fans. Neil was allowed to have fun, folks! And it's a great rocker as well.
G from DenverI just don't like it. Its really harsh to the ear and although I get the puns and the silliness, its just not my thing.
Claude from Kingston, MaNot my favorite Rush song, but I always like the line "for every sad son of a bitch." There's something really clever there....
Tom from Newbury Park, CambodiaOn average, humans live seven times as long as dogs, and so have seven times as much time to enjoy.

Are you getting seven times the value and accomplishment out of your seven years than a dog is getting out of his one?

Are do you spend so much of that time *talking* about stuff that you only end up *doing* (and enjoying) as much as the dog?
Sam from Violet, LaThis is a great song. Its one of my favs.
Avlight from Anytown, Ncit is a corny 'filler' type of song. Hovever, the bass line is very unique.
John from Asheville, NcThis is probably my least favorite Rush song. The lyrics walk that line of "cheeky fun" but I think clever veers into silly then collides headlong into stupid. The chorus melody also does not sit well in my ear.

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