Mystic Rhythms: The Philosophical Vision of Rush [Paperback]

Carol Selby Price (Author), Robert M. Price (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 164 pages
• Publisher: Borgo Press (December 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1587151022
• ISBN-13: 978-1587151026
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,225,619 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Nice range of material covered...too many tangents, September 21, 2002

By 

Jack Fitzgerald "JFD" (Seattle, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Mystic Rhythms: The Philosophical Vision of Rush (Paperback)

If you're looking for a book about Rush the band, this is not for you. If you are looking for insights into the inspiration behind the lyrics, this book is a step in the right direction.

Carol Selby Price comes off as well-read, with a wide range of knowledge covering philosophy, religion, literature and pop culture. She definitely is a fan of the music of Rush, but especially the lyrics of Neal Peart. Don't expect a lot of coverage on the instrumental music here, this is strictly about the lyrics.

I found that the breakdown of theme categories and selection of titles worked from the standpoint that she covered from 2112 through Presto. The book works best when clearly staying with the topic of a single song, then using some comparisons from literarture, etc. If one were to merely listen to the songs, there would be a surface meaning, but this book helps dig deeper below the surface layer, peeling through the layers of allegory and metaphor to some core visions.
For example, while "Red Barchetta" appears to be a thumbing of the nose against the powers of a dystopic society, I never thought about the adventure merely being a dream by the fireside itself. Did he actually drive the care or simply remain with his uncle by the fireside?
I liked the link of Analog Kid, Digital Man and New World Man, especially the inner/outer versions of New World Man comparing both individuals as well as the regions New World, Old World and Third World.
Criticisms: There must have been a copyright issue with reprinting the lyrics, because one would need the album/disk package at hand to review the writing. While there are plenty of quotes from other sources, the Rush songs are merely paraphrased. I also would have liked to have the entire song broken down, instead of going off on a tangent to show comparisons with Kant, Plato, Nietzsche or Ayn Rand. At times the writers appeared to be showing off their knowledge and there was some definite narrative preachiness about our society. E.T. one long commercial for Reese's Pieces? What does that have to do with Rush?
Some songs are covered briefly, such as 2112, which was then recovered in The Trees. Some editorial tightening would have helped this book, but then again, at barely 150 pages, it was not that long a read.
I would recommend this book to Rush fans who are scholars and have read works by some of those in the bibliography.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantasic Read!, November 17, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Indianapolis) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mystic Rhythms: The Philosophical Vision of Rush (The Woodstock Series. Popular Music of Today, V. 2) (Paperback)

This is an incredible book. It combined and expanded on many of the things that I find interesting such as Rush ( obviously), people, and the deeper elements of sociality and how we as people function. Neil Peart is a living legend in both the drum world and the literary world of written communication. This book did a great job of providing additional insight to pure genius. I would recommend reading the book if you have a genuine interest in Rush and an advanced look at how we function as people and life in general. Go buy it!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A primer for the lyrics of Rush ... and for life in general, October 2, 1998

By 

Albert W. Silio "Dionysus" (Middletown, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mystic Rhythms: The Philosophical Vision of Rush (The Woodstock Series. Popular Music of Today, V. 2) (Paperback)

I always thought I had a good grasp of Rush's, namely Neil Peart's, lyrics. And after reading this incredible book, that opinion has not changed. But this book has served to fill in the gaps for me. I now have a profoundly deep understanding of what was only vaguely implicated in the songs. It's a true shame that everyone doesn't live their lives based on the precepts presented in this book, and in Rush's songs. Then we'd have the "world that ought to be," as Neil so eloquently put it (which he almost always does =) ). Thank you, Carol and Robert Price (and Rush, of course), for enriching my life so much!