Album: Snakes & Arrows (2007)

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• The snakes and arrows a child is heir to
  Are enough to leave a thousand cuts
  We build our defenses, a place of safety
  And leave the darker places unexplored
  
  Sometimes the fortress is too strong
  Or the love is too weak
  What should have been our armor
  Becomes a sharp and angry sword
  
  Our better natures seek elevation
  A refuge for the coming night
  No one gets to their heaven without a fight (no one)
  
  We hold beliefs as a consolation
  A way to take us out of ourselves
  Meditation or medication
  A comfort, or a promised reward
  
  Sometimes the spirit is too strong
  Or the flesh is too weak
  Sometimes the need is just too great
  For the solace we seek
  The suit of shining armor
  Becomes a keen and bloody sword
  
  No one gets to their heaven without a fight
  
  A refuge for the coming night
  A future of eternal light
  No one gets to their heaven without a fight (no one)
  
  Confused alarms of struggle and flight
  Blood is drained of color
  By the flashes of artillery light
  No one gets to their heaven without a fight
  The battle flags are flown
  At the feet of a God unknown
  No one gets to their heaven (heaven)
  
  No one gets to their heaven without a fight
  
  Sometimes the damage is too great
  Or the will is too weak
  What should have been our armor
  Becomes a sharp and burning sword
  
  No one gets to their heaven without a fight (no one)
  
  A refuge for the coming night
  A future of eternal light
  No one gets to their heaven without a fight (no one) Writer/s: Alex Zivojinovich, Geddy Lee Weinrib, Neil Elwood Peart
  Publisher: Anthem Entertainment
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 6

• Larry from Ft. Pierce, FlRush is truly one of the greatest bands of all time. The rhythmic and, yet, ripping guitar licks, the unequaled sounds produced by one of the best drummers in the world and, ultimately, prose-like lyrics that never cease to make you look inward and contemplate YOUR views and opinions on some of life's more controversial motifs and/or mainstream beliefs = a powerhouse of musical philosophers.
  
  "Snakes and Arrows" is one of my favorite Rush albums since "2112", "Caress of Steel" or "A Farewell to Kings".
• Gabriel from Minneapolis, MnYeah, best song on Snakes. Our better natures seek elevation...love it.
• Bret from Coos Bay, OrIn my opinion, the best song on Snakes And Arrows.
• Pete from Delmar, NyThe premise of the song is quite simple...
  
  The very things that we use to protect, defend and comfort ourselves can be the very same things with which we lash out and harm others.
  
  All in all, an incredible song.
• Marcus from Sarnia, OnThe initial drum beat that started the song was inspired by David Weckl's beggining drum pattern while he played Mercy, Mercy, Mercy for the "Burning For Buddy" studio recordings. Neil adopted this and used his "Sidewinder" China to get a quarter note pattern and used the off beat snare hits with some sixteenth-note double bass patterns to bring something to this song.
• John from Ridgefield, CtI think Neil is using "armor" and "sword" to contrast the two types of defenses you can utilize to deal with emotional difficulties. "Armor" being a passive defense while the "Sword" being a more active defense. As you get older and more damaged your suit of "armor" (passivity) becomes a sharp and angry "sword" (aggressiveness).

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