There is unrest in the forest,

There is trouble with the trees,

For the maples want more sunlight

And the oaks ignore their pleas.

The trouble with the maples,

(And they're quite convinced they're right)

They say the oaks are just too lofty

And they grab up all the light.

But the oaks can't help their feelings

If they like the way they're made.

And they wonder why the maples

Can't be happy in their shade.

There is trouble in the forest,

And the creatures all have fled,

As the maples scream "Oppression!"

And the oaks just shake their heads

So the maples formed a union

And demanded equal rights.

"The oaks are just too greedy;

We will make them give us light."

Now there's no more oak oppression,

For they passed a noble law,

And the trees are all kept equal

By hatchet, axe, and saw.

KC

Somehow, their lyrics seem fitting today, huh?

How about this?

RUSH

Closer To The Heart

And the men who hold high places

Must be the ones who start

To mold a new reality

Closer to the heart

Closer to the heart

The blacksmith and the artist

Reflect it in their art

They forge their creativity

Closer to the heart

Closer to the heart

Philosophers and ploughmen

Each must know his part

To sow a new mentality

Closer to the heart

Closer to the heart

You can be the captain

I will draw the chart

Sailing into destiny

Closer to the heart

Limelight

Living on a lighted stage

Approaches the unreal

For those who think and feel

In touch with some reality

Beyond the gilded cage.

Cast in this unlikely role

Ill-equipped to act

With insufficient tact

One must put up barriers

To keep oneself intact.

Living in the limelight

The universal dream

For those who wish to seem.

Those who wish to be

Must put aside the alienation,

Get on with the fascination,

The real relation,

The underlying theme.

Living in a fisheye lens,

Caught in the camera eye.

I have no heart to lie

I can't pretend a stranger

Is a long-awaited friend.

All the world's indeed a stage

And we are merely players:

Performers and portrayers,

Each another's audience

Outside the gilded cage.

Chorus

RUSH

Kid Gloves

A world of difference

A world so out of touch

Overwhelmed by everything

But wanting more so much

Call it blind frustration

Call it blind man's bluff

Call each other names

Your voices rude,

Your voices rough

Then you learn the lesson

That it's cool to be so tough

Handle with kid gloves

Handle with kid gloves

Then you learn the lessons

Taught in school won't be enough

Put on your kid gloves

Put on your kid gloves

Then you learn the lesson

That it's cool to be so tough

A world of indifference

Heads and hearts too full

Careless of the consequence

Of constant push and pull

Anger got bare knuckles

Anger play the fool

Anger wear a crown of thorns

Reverse the golden rule

Then you learn the lesson

That it's tough to be so cool

Handle with kid gloves

Handle with kid gloves

Then you learn the weapons

And the ways of hard-knock school

Put on your kid gloves

Put on your kid gloves

Then you learn the lesson

That it's tough to be so cool

I had forgotten how great Rush really is!

This is from their 2002 Vapor Trails record...

RUSH

One Little Victory

A certain measure of innocence

Willing to appear naive

A certain degree of imagination

A measure of make-believe

A certain degree of surrender

To the forces of light and heat

A shot of satisfaction

In a willingness to risk defeat

Celebrate the moment

As it turns into one more

Another chance at victory

Another chance to score

The measure of the moment

In a difference of degree

Just one little victory

A spirit breaking free

One little victory

The greatest act can be

One little victory

A certain measure of righteousness

A certain amount of force

A certain degree of determination

Daring on a different course

A certain amount of resistance

To the forces of the light and love

A certain measure of tolerance

A willingness to rise above

Hello operator give me number 9

If you disconnect me, I'll kick you right behind

the refrigerator there was a piece of glass,

Miss Lulu sat upon it and cut her little

ask me no more questions, I'll tell you no more lies,

the boys are in the bathroom pulling donw their

flies are in the city, the bees are in the park,

boys and girls are together even in the dark.

One fine day in the middle of the night

Two dead boys* got up to fight [*or men]

Back to back they faced each other

Drew their swords and shot each other

Part 2a.

One was blind and the other couldn't see

So they chose a dummy for a referee.

A blind man went to see fair play

A dumb man went to shout "hooray!"

[or: And two lame men came to carry them away]

Part 2b.

A paralysed donkey passing by

Kicked the blind man in the eye

Knocked him through a nine inch wall

Into a dry ditch and drowned them all

Part 2c.

A deaf policeman heard the noise

And came to arrest the two dead boys

If you don't believe this story’s true,

Ask the blind man he saw it too!

"Freewill"

There are those who think that life has nothing left to chance

A host of holy horrors to direct our aimless dance

A planet of play things

We dance on the strings

Of powers we cannot perceive

'The stars aren't aligned

Or the gods are malign...'

Blame is better to give than receive

[Chorus:]

You can choose a ready guide in some celestial voice

If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice

You can choose from phantom fears and kindness that can kill

I will choose a path that's clear

I will choose freewill

There are those who think

That they were dealt a losing hand

The cards were stacked against them

They weren't born in Lotusland

All preordained

A prisoner in chains

A victim of venomous fate

Kicked in the face

You can't pray for a place

In heaven's unearthly estate

[Chorus]

Each of us

A cell of awareness

Imperfect and incomplete

Genetic blends

With uncertain ends

On a fortune hunt that's far too fleet

[Chorus]