The Weapon by Rush

Album: Signals (1982)

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This is about the cold war nuclear arms race.
The line, "Thy kingdoms will be done" is from The Lord's Prayer in the New Testament, Matthew (6:9-13): "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done."
Alex Lifeson (Guitar magazine, July 1984): "When we write a song I think in context of a space for the solo. It's left at that. We work on the arrangement to get it tight. When we go into the studio to get the basic tracks down, I spend a couple of days and start doing my solos then. That is usually the first time I think about or work on my solos. Occasionally, I'll throw something down while we're writing just to fill in that space. Very seldom do I use anything. On 'The Weapon' I used a couple of things that came out during those writing sessions. Normally I spend a couple of days on solos and work from scratch. We work on getting a sound. I try to get a feel for what the solo should be doing and then pursue different directions. I might pursue something for hours and do a collage. I'll drop in a whole different section to see how it feels. Then I relearn the solo when we get ready to go back on the road."
Geddy Lee (Guitar Player, April 1986): "There are a couple of tracks on the last few records where just before the fade-out, I try to put my two cents in [laughs]. I did that on 'Red Lenses.' As it's fading out, I like to get loose -- it's almost a reaction to being so structured through the whole song."
This is Part II or the "Fear Trilogy" released in reverse order. Part 3: Witch Hunt (Moving Pictures) and Part 1: The Enemy Within (Grace Under Pressure).
The opening line to this song "We've got nothing to fear - but fear itself?" is taken from the third sentence of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's First Inaugural Address on March 4, 1933 - "So first of all let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear. . .is fear itself. . . nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance." >>>
Suggestion credit:
Mike - Mountlake Terrace, Washington, for all above

Comments: 15

Todd from TxThe Weapon is a very philosophical song. I have studied Philosophy all my life and raised Catholic. I feel the song reflects that and how religion is used as a weapon. Is any part of life larger than life, even love must be limited by time...etc. That stanza is amazing.
I read Cold War Nuclear arms race? The song is not about that. I've read what Peart read and unless I hear otherwise I have reason to believe I'm right.

There are an insane amount of religious references and almost none to nuclear war and Russia vs West.
Augustus from UsNeil mentioned in an interview (or maybe it was a concert program), around the time of the release of GUP, that the drum part came from a drum machine. Alex and Geddy used a drum machine for the rough demo. They liked the part so much, they asked Neil to learn it. Neil said it was the hardest thing he'd ever done. Up to that point in time anyway...
Gary Lafalce from Fairmont, WvThis is definitely one of my all time favs by Rush. The lyrics are always move me on many different levels. What I think Neil is trying to say is that everything we as humans fear can be used against us with a weapon.
Squaredawg from Scranton, PaFor you audiphiles out there, beware...
If you seek out the MFSL version of Signals,
you will be disappointed that the vocal line...
"And the things that he fears
are a Weapon to be held against him" at around 3:12 is not there. MFSL Says that
was the the Master Rush sent them.
Squaredawg from Scranton, PaFor you audiphiles out there, beware...
If you seek out the MFSL version of Signals,
you will be disappointed that the vocal line...
"And the things that he fears
are a Weapon to be held against him" at around 3:12 is not there. MFSL Says that
was the the Master Rush sent them.
Michael from Frederick, MdNeil's drumbeat in the intro to this song are the reason why I picked up drumsticks. Great stuff.
Curtis from Williamsburg, IaYes this and Vital Signs are probably the best for dancing, unless you feel like moving to bizzare 13/8 time of Jacob's Ladder (I have done this, it isn't fun...). Turn the Page is also pretty good for that Techno stuff too.
Dave from Cardiff, WalesAndy, interesting point. "Red Sector A" from 1984 has been compared to the work of Visage as well
Rad from Wildwood, NjThis song is about fear and how it is used as a weapon by others and ourselves to hold us back from achieving our goals
Andy from Auckland, New ZealandNo one seems to have noticed the startling similarity between the opening synth/drum theme on this song and the theme that underlines the whole Visage song 'Fade to Grey', released about 18 months before The Weapon was recorded. I only have hearsay on this, but believe it to be the case that Geddy was listening to quite a lot of New Romantic material at the time and was working on a solo project with more of a dance feel (somewhat backed up by the fact that Neil had t learn the drums from a drum machine program laid down by Geddy). If the Visage work is the theme, and a fairly minimalistic and rigid one at that, then The Weapon is a full exploration and development of that theme. I find the depth and movement in the layers of sound in this track truley amazing, a proper Rush song.
Wil from Milwaukee, Wi"The Enemy Within" was also featured (although only about 10 seconds of it) on an '80's pop show "Solid Gold" during a short dance routine!!!!! Believe it or not....
Dave from Cardiff, WalesRob, that's not exactly what I meant by my last comment, I meant that stylistically, with the high-energy pulsing sequencers and the electronic edge this is about the closest that Rush ever came to conforming to the dance music boom of the 80s and 90s
Rob from Vancouver, CanadaYou can dance to vital signs?
Dave from Cardiff, WalesThis song features a techno-esque beat and synthloop. Apart from, perhaps, Vital Signs, it was probably the closest that Rush ever came to making a dance record.
Frank from Pittsburgh, Pa"count floyd" from SCTV came on the video screen to intro this song when I saw Rush in 84 :)

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