Caress of Steel
Encyclopedia
Caress of Steel is the third studio album
by Canadian
rock
band Rush
, released in 1975. The album shows more of Rush's adherence to hard progressive rock
, as opposed to the blues-based heavy metal
and hard rock
style of the band's first two albums. Long pieces broken up into various sections and long solo passages are two prominent elements of the album. It is often considered notable for the inclusion of the band's first two epic pieces, "The Necromancer", and "The Fountain of Lamneth
"; the latter runs 20 minutes total and comprised the entire second side of the original vinyl release.
Though it was intended to be Rush's breakthrough album, it sold fewer copies than their previous record and was considered a disappointment by their record company. Eventually, the album would be certified Gold by the RIAA in 1993. The subsequent tour became known by the band as the "Down the Tubes" tour because of the album's poor initial sales which lead to decreased audience sizes at shows. At this point, the band felt that their career may have been over. Their next album, 2112
would pave the way for Rush's commercial success, despite including the opening 20 and a half minute conceptual
title track
. Geddy Lee
admitted in the documentary film Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage
that he thought Alex
, Neil
and himself were "pretty high" during the making of this album.
Originally, the album cover was supposed to be in silver hue to give it a "steel" appearance. A printing error resulted in a copper color for the album cover.
Some cassette printings of this album had "Didacts and Narpets" and "I Think I'm Going Bald" switch places (possibly because of cassette tape length and to balance out both sides), and all of the movements of "The Fountain of Lamneth" listed as separate songs.
, Geddy Lee
and Neil Peart
, except where noted.
influence is still prominent on this record, most obviously in the song "Bastille Day" (which discusses the storming of the Bastille
in the French Revolution), though it is apparent on all three of the shorter songs on the album. "Bastille Day" reappeared on the "R30" CD and DVD as part of the instrumental R30 Overture. Reportedly, Dream Theater
's core members John Petrucci
, Mike Portnoy
and John Myung
named the first incarnation of the band Majesty after a comment by Portnoy suggesting this song's ending was "majestic".
, who at the time was the frontman of the band Max Webster
and a close friend of the members of Rush. It is also stated in the book Contents Under Pressure, that the song "I Think I'm Going Bald" was written as a homage to KISS' "Goin' Blind".
. Lakeside Park itself is a park in Port Dalhousie, St. Catharines, Ontario
, where drummer and lyricist Neil Peart grew up and worked during the summer as a teenager.
, a type of divination
involving the summoning of Operative Spirits to discern information about the future. "The Necromancer" starts with heavy influence from J.R.R. Tolkien's literary mythology. The Necromancer was a pseudonym used by Tolkien in The Hobbit
for the character Sauron
. The song departs from the story of the book as Part III sees the return of By-Tor from Fly by Night, this time as a hero and not a villain. "Return of the Prince" was also released as a single in some countries. Also in the introductory prologue to the song, the "three travellers, men of Willowdale" is a reference to the band itself, an allusion to the Toronto suburb of Willowdale
where Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson grew up and formed the first incarnation of the band.
On the inside gatefold of the album, just below the lyrics to "The Necromancer", the Latin phrase "Terminat hora diem; terminat auctor opus" appears. This translates (loosely) to:
", predates epics like "2112" and the Cygnus X-1 series
, and is only 34 seconds shorter than "2112". It also forms a complete story, this one about a man in search of the Fountain of Lamneth, and chronicles the individual occurrences of his journey.
of "parent
".
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band Rush
Rush (band)
Rush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart...
, released in 1975. The album shows more of Rush's adherence to hard progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
, as opposed to the blues-based heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
and hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
style of the band's first two albums. Long pieces broken up into various sections and long solo passages are two prominent elements of the album. It is often considered notable for the inclusion of the band's first two epic pieces, "The Necromancer", and "The Fountain of Lamneth
The Fountain of Lamneth
The Fountain of Lamneth is the fifth song from Rush's third album Caress of Steel. The music was written by Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson and the lyrics were written by Neil Peart. It chronicles a man's journey to find the Fountain of Lamneth. It consists of six parts:#* "I. In the Valley" – 4:18#*...
"; the latter runs 20 minutes total and comprised the entire second side of the original vinyl release.
Though it was intended to be Rush's breakthrough album, it sold fewer copies than their previous record and was considered a disappointment by their record company. Eventually, the album would be certified Gold by the RIAA in 1993. The subsequent tour became known by the band as the "Down the Tubes" tour because of the album's poor initial sales which lead to decreased audience sizes at shows. At this point, the band felt that their career may have been over. Their next album, 2112
2112 (album)
2112 is the fourth studio album by Canadian rock band Rush, released in 1976.The album features an eponymous seven-part suite written by Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, with lyrics written by Neil Peart telling a dystopian story set in the year 2112. The album is sometimes described as a concept album...
would pave the way for Rush's commercial success, despite including the opening 20 and a half minute conceptual
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
title track
2112 (song)
2112 is the sidelong title track of Canadian progressive rock band Rush's album of the same name, released in 1976. The overture and the first section, Temples of Syrinx, were released as a single and are still popular among Rush's setlists today. The "sci-fi" sounds in the beginning of the song...
. Geddy Lee
Geddy Lee
Gary Lee Weinrib, OC, better known as Geddy Lee , is a Canadian musician, best known as the lead vocalist, bassist, and keyboardist for the Canadian rock group Rush...
admitted in the documentary film Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage
Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage
Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage is a 2010 documentary film directed by Scot McFadyen and Sam Dunn. The film offers an in-depth look at the Canadian progressive rock band Rush, chronicling the band's musical evolution from their progressive rock sound of the 1970s to their current heavy rock style...
that he thought Alex
Alex Lifeson
Aleksandar Živojinović, OC, better known by his stage name Alex Lifeson, is a second generation Serbian-Canadian musician, best known as the guitarist of the Canadian rock band Rush. In the summer of 1968, Lifeson founded the band that would become Rush with friend, drummer John Rutsey...
, Neil
Neil Peart
Neil Ellwood Peart , OC, is a Canadian musician and author. He is the drummer for the rock band Rush.Peart grew up in Port Dalhousie, Ontario . During adolescence, he floated from regional band to regional band in pursuit of a career as a full-time drummer...
and himself were "pretty high" during the making of this album.
Originally, the album cover was supposed to be in silver hue to give it a "steel" appearance. A printing error resulted in a copper color for the album cover.
Some cassette printings of this album had "Didacts and Narpets" and "I Think I'm Going Bald" switch places (possibly because of cassette tape length and to balance out both sides), and all of the movements of "The Fountain of Lamneth" listed as separate songs.
Track listing
All songs written by Alex LifesonAlex Lifeson
Aleksandar Živojinović, OC, better known by his stage name Alex Lifeson, is a second generation Serbian-Canadian musician, best known as the guitarist of the Canadian rock band Rush. In the summer of 1968, Lifeson founded the band that would become Rush with friend, drummer John Rutsey...
, Geddy Lee
Geddy Lee
Gary Lee Weinrib, OC, better known as Geddy Lee , is a Canadian musician, best known as the lead vocalist, bassist, and keyboardist for the Canadian rock group Rush...
and Neil Peart
Neil Peart
Neil Ellwood Peart , OC, is a Canadian musician and author. He is the drummer for the rock band Rush.Peart grew up in Port Dalhousie, Ontario . During adolescence, he floated from regional band to regional band in pursuit of a career as a full-time drummer...
, except where noted.
- "Bastille DayBastille Day (song)"Bastille Day" is the first song from Rush's third album Caress of Steel. The music was written by Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, and the lyrics were written by Neil Peart...
" – 4:37 - "I Think I'm Going BaldI Think I'm Going Bald"I Think I'm Going Bald" is the second song from Rush's third album Caress of Steel. The music was written by Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, and the lyrics were written by Neil Peart....
" – 3:37 - "Lakeside ParkLakeside Park (song)"Lakeside Park" is the third song from Rush's third album Caress of Steel. The music was written by Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson and the lyrics were written by Neil Peart. The song details Peart's memories of many summers spent at the park....
" – 4:08 - "The Necromancer" – 12:30
- "I. Into the Darkness" – 4:12
- "II. Under the Shadow" – 4:25
- "III. Return of the Prince" – 3:52
- "The Fountain of LamnethThe Fountain of LamnethThe Fountain of Lamneth is the fifth song from Rush's third album Caress of Steel. The music was written by Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson and the lyrics were written by Neil Peart. It chronicles a man's journey to find the Fountain of Lamneth. It consists of six parts:#* "I. In the Valley" – 4:18#*...
" – 19:58- "I. In the Valley" – 4:18
- "II. Didacts and Narpets" – 1:00
- "III. No One at the Bridge" – 4:19
- "IV. Panacea" (music: Lee) – 3:14
- "V. Bacchus Plateau" (music: Lee) – 3:16
- "VI. The Fountain" – 3:49
"Bastille Day"
Rush's Led ZeppelinLed Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
influence is still prominent on this record, most obviously in the song "Bastille Day" (which discusses the storming of the Bastille
Bastille
The Bastille was a fortress in Paris, known formally as the Bastille Saint-Antoine. It played an important role in the internal conflicts of France and for most of its history was used as a state prison by the kings of France. The Bastille was built in response to the English threat to the city of...
in the French Revolution), though it is apparent on all three of the shorter songs on the album. "Bastille Day" reappeared on the "R30" CD and DVD as part of the instrumental R30 Overture. Reportedly, Dream Theater
Dream Theater
Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would...
's core members John Petrucci
John Petrucci
John Peter Petrucci is an American guitarist and songwriter best known as a founding member of the progressive metal band Dream Theater. Along with his former bandmate Mike Portnoy, he has produced all Dream Theater albums since their 1999 release, Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory...
, Mike Portnoy
Mike Portnoy
Michael Stephen "Mike" Portnoy is an American drummer primarily known as the former drummer, backing vocalist, and a co-founder of the progressive metal band Dream Theater, as well as the temporary drummer for the hard rock band Avenged Sevenfold. Known for his drumming prowess and technical...
and John Myung
John Myung
John Ro Myung is an American bassist, Chapman Stick player and a founding member of the progressive metal group Dream Theater. He is considered a virtuoso player who is widely recognized for his technical proficiency....
named the first incarnation of the band Majesty after a comment by Portnoy suggesting this song's ending was "majestic".
"I Think I'm Going Bald"
"I Think I'm Going Bald" was written for Canadian rocker Kim MitchellKim Mitchell
Joseph Kim Mitchell is a Canadian guitarist. He was the lead singer and guitarist for the band Max Webster before going on to lead a solo career. He is currently a radio show host for CILQ-FM in Toronto....
, who at the time was the frontman of the band Max Webster
Max Webster
Max Webster was a Canadian rock band of the 1970s and early 1980s.-Career:The band was formed in 1973 in Toronto, Ontario and originally consisted of guitarist and vocalist Kim Mitchell, keyboardist Terry Watkinson, bassist Mike Tilka and drummer Paul Kersey. Mitchell and Pye Dubois would write the...
and a close friend of the members of Rush. It is also stated in the book Contents Under Pressure, that the song "I Think I'm Going Bald" was written as a homage to KISS' "Goin' Blind".
"Lakeside Park"
Mentioned in the song "Lakeside Park", May 24 is Victoria Day, a Canadian holidayPublic holidays in Canada
Public holidays in Canada known as "statutory holidays," "stats" or "stat holidays" are legislated at the national, provincial and territorial levels...
. Lakeside Park itself is a park in Port Dalhousie, St. Catharines, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, where drummer and lyricist Neil Peart grew up and worked during the summer as a teenager.
"The Necromancer"
A necromancer is one who practices necromancyNecromancy
Necromancy is a claimed form of magic that involves communication with the deceased, either by summoning their spirit in the form of an apparition or raising them bodily, for the purpose of divination, imparting the ability to foretell future events or discover hidden knowledge...
, a type of divination
Divination
Divination is the attempt to gain insight into a question or situation by way of an occultic standardized process or ritual...
involving the summoning of Operative Spirits to discern information about the future. "The Necromancer" starts with heavy influence from J.R.R. Tolkien's literary mythology. The Necromancer was a pseudonym used by Tolkien in The Hobbit
The Hobbit
The Hobbit, or There and Back Again, better known by its abbreviated title The Hobbit, is a fantasy novel and children's book by J. R. R. Tolkien. It was published on 21 September 1937 to wide critical acclaim, being nominated for the Carnegie Medal and awarded a prize from the New York Herald...
for the character Sauron
Sauron
Sauron is the primary antagonist and titular character of the epic fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien.In the same work, he is revealed to be the same character as "the Necromancer" from Tolkien's earlier novel The Hobbit...
. The song departs from the story of the book as Part III sees the return of By-Tor from Fly by Night, this time as a hero and not a villain. "Return of the Prince" was also released as a single in some countries. Also in the introductory prologue to the song, the "three travellers, men of Willowdale" is a reference to the band itself, an allusion to the Toronto suburb of Willowdale
Willowdale, Toronto
Willowdale is an established, affluent community in the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located in the district of North York. It was originally called Lansing, which is now the name of a nearby neighbourhood....
where Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson grew up and formed the first incarnation of the band.
On the inside gatefold of the album, just below the lyrics to "The Necromancer", the Latin phrase "Terminat hora diem; terminat auctor opus" appears. This translates (loosely) to:
- "[as] The hour ends the day; the author ends his work".
"The Fountain of Lamneth"
The final song on the album, "The Fountain of LamnethThe Fountain of Lamneth
The Fountain of Lamneth is the fifth song from Rush's third album Caress of Steel. The music was written by Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson and the lyrics were written by Neil Peart. It chronicles a man's journey to find the Fountain of Lamneth. It consists of six parts:#* "I. In the Valley" – 4:18#*...
", predates epics like "2112" and the Cygnus X-1 series
Cygnus X-1 series
The Cygnus X-1 duology is a duology of songs by Canadian progressive rock band Rush. It consists of "Book I: The Voyage" and "Book II: Hemispheres". Book I is the last song on the A Farewell to Kings album, while Book II is the first song on Hemispheres...
, and is only 34 seconds shorter than "2112". It also forms a complete story, this one about a man in search of the Fountain of Lamneth, and chronicles the individual occurrences of his journey.
"Didacts and Narpets"
Regarding "Didacts and Narpets" (which consists mostly of a drum solo), in the October 1991 news release from the Rush Backstage Club, Neil Peart said: "Okay, I may have answered this before, but if not, the shouted words in that song represent an argument between Our Hero and the Didacts and Narpets - teachers and parents. I honestly can't remember what the actual words were, but they took up opposite positions like: 'Work! Live! Earn! Give!' and like that." A didact is a teacher, and "narpet" is an anagramAnagram
An anagram is a type of word play, the result of rearranging the letters of a word or phrase to produce a new word or phrase, using all the original letters exactly once; e.g., orchestra = carthorse, A decimal point = I'm a dot in place, Tom Marvolo Riddle = I am Lord Voldemort. Someone who...
of "parent
Parent
A parent is a caretaker of the offspring in their own species. In humans, a parent is of a child . Children can have one or more parents, but they must have two biological parents. Biological parents consist of the male who sired the child and the female who gave birth to the child...
".
Credits
- Geddy LeeGeddy LeeGary Lee Weinrib, OC, better known as Geddy Lee , is a Canadian musician, best known as the lead vocalist, bassist, and keyboardist for the Canadian rock group Rush...
- bass guitar and vocals - Alex LifesonAlex LifesonAleksandar Živojinović, OC, better known by his stage name Alex Lifeson, is a second generation Serbian-Canadian musician, best known as the guitarist of the Canadian rock band Rush. In the summer of 1968, Lifeson founded the band that would become Rush with friend, drummer John Rutsey...
- 6 and 12 string electric and acoustic guitars, classical guitar, steel guitar - Neil PeartNeil PeartNeil Ellwood Peart , OC, is a Canadian musician and author. He is the drummer for the rock band Rush.Peart grew up in Port Dalhousie, Ontario . During adolescence, he floated from regional band to regional band in pursuit of a career as a full-time drummer...
- drums, percussion, voiceoverVoiceOverVoiceOver is a screen reader built into Apple Inc.'s Mac OS X, iOS and iPod operating systems. By using VoiceOver, the user can access their Macintosh or iOS device based on spoken descriptions and, in the case of the Mac, the keyboard. The feature is designed to increase accessibility for blind...
s on "The Necromancer"
Production
- Arranged & Produced By Rush & Terry Brown
- Recorded, Engineered & Mixed By Terry Brown
Sales certifications
| Country | Organization | Sales |
| U.S. | RIAA | Gold (500,000) |
Charts
Album - Billboard (North America)| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Pop Albums | 148 |
Singles
| Information |
|---|
"The Necromancer: Return of the Prince"
|
| "Lakeside Park Lakeside Park (song) "Lakeside Park" is the third song from Rush's third album Caress of Steel. The music was written by Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson and the lyrics were written by Neil Peart. The song details Peart's memories of many summers spent at the park.... " Rush (band) Rush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart... and Terry Brown Terry Brown (record producer) Terry Brown is a record producer involved in a variety of work, but most noted for his involvement with the Canadian rock band Rush and the British/Canadian band Cutting Crew. Brown is currently working with emerging Ottawa roots-rockers Ken Workman & The Union. He is referred to fondly by the band... |
Remaster details
A remaster was issued in 1997.- The tray has a picture of the star with man painting (mirroring the cover art of Retrospective IRetrospective IRetrospective I: 1974 to 1980 is a compilation album by Canadian rock band Rush, released in 1997 . The album is essentially a collection of their best songs from the first decade of the band...
) with "The Rush Remasters" printed in all capital letters just to the left. All remasters from Rush through Permanent Waves are like this. - The remaster adds the album's back cover and gatefold (which included band pictures and lyrics) to the packaging which was not included on the original CD.