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HOLD YOUR FIRE Released: September 8th, 1987



Certified Gold by RIAA: November 9, 1987



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Highest Billboard Chart Position: 13

Liner Notes

Articles

Track Listing

Force Ten

Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson / Lyrics: Neil Peart and Pye Dubois

Time Stand Still

Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson / Lyrics: Neil Peart

Open Secrets

Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson / Lyrics: Neil Peart

Second Nature

Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson / Lyrics: Neil Peart

Prime Mover

Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson / Lyrics: Neil Peart

Lock and Key

Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson / Lyrics: Neil Peart

Mission

Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson / Lyrics: Neil Peart

Turn the Page

Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson / Lyrics: Neil Peart

Tai Shan

Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson / Lyrics: Neil Peart

High Water

Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson / Lyrics: Neil Peart

: Bass guitar, synthesizers, bass pedals, vocals: Electric and acoustic guitars: Drums, percussion, and electronic percussionProduced by Peter Collins and RushEngineered by Jimbo (James) BartonArrangements by Rush and Peter CollinsRecorded at The Manor, Oxfordshire assisted by Micheal Ade, Ridge Farm Studio, Surrey, assisted by Reynold Swan, Air studios, Montserrat, assisted by Ken Blair, McClear Place, Toronto, assisted by Martin Lee, and on the Lexst Mobile, assisted by Lerxst, between January and April 1987Mixed at Guillaume Tell Studio, Paris, May 1987, assisté de Philip CussetSynthesizer programming assisted by Andy Richards and Jim BurgessAdditional keyboards by Andy RichardsAdditional vocals by Aimee Mann, courtesy of Epic RecordsStrings arranged and conducted by Steven Margoshes, recorded at McClear PlaceThe William Faerey Engineering Brass Band arranged and conducted by Andrew Jackman, recorded at Mirage Studio, Oldham, EnglandPreproduction work at Elora Sound, engineered by Jon EricksonMastered by Bob Ludwig and Brian Lee at Gateway Mastering Studios, Portland, MaineManagement by Ray Danniels, SRO Management, Inc., TorontoExecutive Production by Moon Records, Val Azzoli and Liam BirtArt Direction by Hugh SymePhotography by Glen WexlerUrban Development by Scott Alexander, Patrick Johnson and Olivia RamirezTour Manager and Lighting Director: Howard UngerleiderPresident and Stage Manager: Liam BirtProduction Manager: Nick KotosConcert Sound Engineer: Jon EricksonStage Left Technician: Skip GildersleeveCentre Stage Technician: Larry AllenSynthesizer Maintenance: Tony GeraniosStage Right Technician: Jim JohnsonStage Monitor Engineer: Steve ByronConcert Projectionist: Lee TennerPersonal Shreve: Kevin FlewittCarpenter (and Stage Right Assistant): George SteinertConcert Sound by See Factor: Jim Staniforth, Bill Fertig, Tom Varaday, Harry MartinezConcert Lighting by See Factor: Frank Scilingo, Jack Funk, Scott Maskin, Ethan WeberConcert Rigging by Southfire Rigging, Billy Collins, Don Collins, C.J. Titterington IIILasers by Laser Media, Craig Spredeman, Peter CallahanDrivers: Tom Whittaker, Mac MacLear, Pat Lynes, Red McBrine, Earl Charles, Tom Mullins, John Mullins, Tom Hartman and Russell Fleming"Nothing can survive in a vacuum"- and we would like to thank all those who have enriched our atmospheres: Bill, Linda, and Joanne at Elora Sound; Lynne, Mike, Michael, Ian, Jenni, Vicki, Julie, Flecky and Fruthy at The Manor; Frank, Ann, Ren, Fee, Laura, Tracy and Speedy at Ridge Farm; Yvonne, Malcolm, Ken, Frank, George, Franklin, Desmond, Lloyd, Leroy, Felena, Shirley and Danny in Montserrat; Bob, Martin, Tom, Hayward, Wendy and everyone at McClear Place, and Roland, Liouba, Paul, Alain, Cyril and Philip at Guillaume Tell. Elsewhere we have been aided and/or entertained by: the Steve Morse Band and crew, Jeff "Yankel" Berlin, Bill Churchman, Paul Fejdman, Flembo, Stade Roland Garros, International Herald Tribune, Rock-it Cargo, B. Zee Brokers, Warren Seyffert, Jeff Spinks, Rockin' F, Pee Wee's Playhouse, Princess Lynda Barry, The Senator, Macintosh Plus, the Gangster of Boats, the ever popular Scoozball, M. Joe (for continuing inspiration), Those Darn Fish, Patsy Cline, Roy Gevalt, The Big V, Luke Warm and all cowboys everywhere.And perpetual thanks to our "support crew" at the Anthem Entertainment Group: Ray, Val, Sheila, Pegi, Lesley, Linda, Charlene, Bob and Cindy.We gratefully acknowledge the technical assistance of Jim Burgess and "Saved By Technology," Wal Basses, Russ Heinl, Signature Guitars, The Percussion Center of Fort Wayne, Ludwig Drums, Avedis Zildjian Cymbals, Brisbin Brook Beynon Architects, and-The Omega Concern.© 1987 Mercury Records © 1987 Anthem Entertainment1. Force Ten (4:28)2. Time Stand Still (5:07)3. Open Secrets (5:37)4. Second Nature (4:35)5. Prime Mover (5:19)6. Lock and Key (5:08)7. Mission (5:15)8. Turn the Page (4:53)9. Tai Shan (4:14)10. High Water (5:32)Tough times demand tough talkdemand tough hearts demand tough songsdemand --We can rise and fall like empiresFlow in and out like the tideBe vain and smart, humble and dumbWe can hit and miss like prideWe can circle around like hurricanesDance and dream like loversAttack the day like birds of preyOr scavengers under coverWe can move with savage graceTo the rhythms of the nightCool and remote like dancing girlsIn the heat of the beat and the lightsWe can wear the rose of romanceAn air of joie de vivreToo-tender hearts upon our sleevesOr skin as thick as thieves'rising falling at force tenwe twist the world and ride the windI turn my back to the windTo catch my breath,Before I start off again.Driven onWithout a moment to spendTo pass an eveningWith a drink and a friendI let my skin get too thinI'd like to pause,No matter what I pretendLike some pilgrim --Who learns to transcend --Learns to liveAs if each step was the endI turn my face to the sunClose my eyes,Let my defences down --All those woundsThat I can't get unwoundI let my past go too fastNo time to pause --If I could slow it all downLike some captain,Whose ship runs aground --I can wait until the tideComes aroundIt went right by me --At the time it went over my headI was looking out the windowI should have lookedAt your face insteadIt went right by me --Just another wallThere should have been a momentWhen we let our barriers fallI never meantWhat you're thinking --That is not what I meant at all...Closed for my protection --Open to your scornBetween these two directionsMy heart is sometimes tornI lie awake with my secretsSpinning around my headSomething that somehowEscaped me --Something you shouldn't have saidI was looking out the windowI should have lookedAt your face instead...A memo to a higher officeOpen letter to the powers-that-beTo a God, a king, a head of stateA captain of industryTo the movers and the shakers --Can't everybody see?It ought to be second nature --I mean, the places where we live!Let's talk about this sensibly --We're not insensitiveI know progress has no patience --But something's got to giveFolks have got to make choices --And choices got to have voicesFolks are basically decentConventional wisdom would sayWell, we read aboutThe exceptionsIn the papers every dayIt ought to be second nature --At least, that's what I feel"Now I lay me down in Dreamland" --I know perfect's not for realI thought we might get closer --But I'm ready to make a dealToday is different,And tomorrow the sameIt's hard to take the worldThe way that it cameToo many rapidsKeep us sweeping alongToo many captainsKeep on steering us wrongIt's hard to take the heat --It's hard to lay blameTo fight the fire --While we'reFeeding the flamesBasic elementalInstinct to surviveStirs the higher passionsThrill to be aliveAlternating currentsIn a tidewater surgeRational resistanceTo an unwise urgeanything can happenBasic temperamentalFilters on our eyesAlter our perceptionsLenses polarizeAlternating currentsForce a show of handsRational responsesForce a change of plansanything can happenI set the wheels in motionturn up all the machinesactivate the programsand run behind the sceneI set the clouds in motionturn up light and soundactivate the windowand watch the world go 'round --anything can happenWe carry a sensitive cargoBelow the waterline --Ticking like a time bombWith a primitive designBehind the finer feelings --This civilized veneer --The heart of a lonely hunterGuards a dangerous frontierIt's not a matter of mercyIt's not a matter of lawsPlenty of people will kill youFor some fanatical causeIt's not a matter of conscience --A search for probable causeIt's just a matter of instinct --A matter of fatal flawswe don't want to be victimson that we all agreeso we lock up the killer instinct --and throw away the key...I hear their passionate musicRead the wordsThat touch my heartI gaze at their feverish picturesThe secrets that set them apartWhen I feel the powerful visionsTheir fire has made aliveI wish I had that instinct --I wish I had that driveI watch their images flickerBringing light to a lifeless screenI walk throughTheir beautiful buildingsAnd I wish I had their dreamsBut dreams don't needTo have motionTo keep their spark aliveObsession has to have action --Pride turns on the driveNothing can survive in a vacuumNo one can exists all aloneWe pretend thingsOnly happen to strangersWe've all got problems of our ownIt's enough to learnTo share our pleasuresWe can't sooth pain with sympathyAll that we can do is be reminded --We shake our heads at the tragedyLooking atThe long-range forecastCatching all the names in the newsChecking outThe state of the nationLearning the environmental bluesTruth is after all a moving targetHairs to splitAnd pieces that don't fitHow can anybody be enlightened?Truth is after all so poorly litHigh on the sacred mountainUp the seven thousand stairsIn the golden light of autumnThere was magic in the airClouds surrounded the summitThe wind blew strong and coldAmong the silent templesAnd the writing carved in goldSomewhere in my instinctsThe primitive took hold...If you raise your hands to heavenYou will live a hundred yearsI stood there like a mysticLost in the atmosphereThe clouds were suddenly partedFor a moment I could seeThe patterns of the landscapeReaching to the eastern seaWhen the waters roseIn the darknessIn the wake of the endless floodIt flowed into our memory --It flowed into our blood --Springing from the weightOf the mountainsLike the heart of the earthWould burstFlowing out from marble fountainsIn the dreams of a desert thirstSomething swam throughThe junglesWhere the mighty rivers roam --Waves that crash on the shorelineTorrents of tropical rainStreaming downBeyond our memoryStreaming down inside our veinsWhen something left the oceanTo crawl high above the foam --