Counterparts

Animate
Lyrics by Neil Peart

Polarize me
Sensitize me
Criticize me
Civilize me

Compensate me
Animate me
Complicate me
Elevate me

Goddess in my garden
Sister in my soul
Angel in my armor
Actress in my role
Daughter of a demon-lover
Empress of the hidden face
Priestess of the pagan mother
Ancient queen of inner space

Spirit in my psyche
Double in my role
Alter in my image
Struggle for control

Mistress of the dark unconscious
Mermaid of the lunar sea
Daughter of the great enchantress
Sister to the boy inside of me

My counterpart--my foolish heart
A man must learn to rule his tender part
A warming trend--a gentle friend
A man must build a fortress to defend

A secret face--a touch of grace
A man must learn to give a little space
A peaceful state--a submissive trait
A man must learn to gently dominate


Stick It Out
Lyrics by Neil Peart

Trust to your instinct
If it's safely restrained
Lightning reactions
Must be carefully trained

Heat of the moment
Curse of the young
Spit out your anger
Don't Swallow your tongue

Stick it out

Don't swallow the poison
Spit it out
Don't swallow your pride
Stick it out
Don't swallow your anger
Spit it out
Don't swallow the lies

Natural reflex
Pendulum swing
You might be too dizzy
To do the right thing

Trial under fire
Ultimate proof
Moment of crisis
Don't swallow the truth

Stick it out

Each time we bathe our reactions
In artificial light
Each time we alter the focus
To make the wrong move seem right

You get so used to deception
You make yourself a nervous wreck
You get so used to surrender
Running back to cover your neck

Stick it out


Cut to the Chase
Lyrics by Neil Peart

It is the fire that lights itself
But it burns with a restless flame
The arrow on a moving target
The archer must be sure of his aim

It is the engine that drives itself
But it chooses the uphill climb
A bearing on magnetic north
Growing farther away all the time
Can't stop--moving
Can't stop--moving
Can't stop--

You may be right
It's all a waste of time
I guess that's just a chance
I'm prepared to take
A danger I'm prepared to face
Cut to the chase

It is the rocket that ignites itself
And launches its way to the stars
Racing the oblivious cars

It's the motor of the western world
Spinning off to every extreme
Pure as a lover's desire
Evil as a murderer's dream
Young enough not to care too much
About the way things used to be
I'm young enough to remember the future--
The past has no claim on me

I'm old enough not to care too much
About what you think of me
But I'm young enough to remember the future
And the way things ought to be

What kind of difference
Can one person make?
Cut to the chase


Nobody's Hero
Lyrics by Neil Peart

I knew he was different, in his sexuality
I went to his parties, as the straight minority
It never seemed a threat to my masculinity
He only introduced me to a wider reality

As the years went by, we drifted apart
When I heard that he was gone
I felt a shadow cross my heart
But he's nobody's--

Hero--saves a drowning child
Cures a wasting disease
Hero--lands the crippled airplane
Solves great mysteries
Hero--not the handsome actor
Who plays a hero's role
Hero--not the glamor girl
Who'd love to sell her soul
If anybody's buying
Nobody's hero

I didn't know the girl, but I knew her family
All their lives were shattered
in a nightmare of brutality
They try to carry on, try to bear the agony
Try to hold some faith
in the goodness of humanity

As the years went by, we drifted apart
When I heard that she was gone
I felt a shadow cross my heart
But she's nobody's--

Hero--the voice of reason
Against the howling mob
Hero--the pride of purpose
In the unrewarding job
Hero--not the champion player
Who plays the perfect game
Not the glamor boy
Who loves to sell his name
Everybody's buying
Nobody's hero

As the years went by we drifted apart
When I heard that you were gone
I felt a shadow cross my heart

Hero


Between Sun and Moon
Lyrics by Pye Dubois and Neil Peart

There is a lake between sun and moon
Not too many know about
In the silence between whisper and shout
The space between wonder and doubt
This is a fine place
Shining face to face
Those bonfire lights in the mirror of sky
The space between wonder and why

ahh yes to yes ahh ahh to yes
why the sun why the sun

There is a fine line between love and illusion--
A fine place to penetrate
The gap between actor and act
The lens between wishes and fact

This is a fine place
To hesitate
Those bonfire lights in the lake of sky
The time between wonder and why

Some need to pray to the sun at high noon
Some need to howl at the midwinter moon
Reborn and baptized in a moment of grace
We just need a break--
From the headlong race

ahh yes to yes to ahh ahh to yes
why the sun why the sun


Alien Shore
Lyrics by Neil Peart

You and I, we are strangers by one chromosome
Slave to the hormone, body and soul
In a struggle to be happy and free
Swimming in a primitive sea

You and I, we must dive below the surface
A world of red neon, and ultramarine
Shining bridges on the ocean floor
Reaching to the alien shore

For you and me--Sex is not a competition
For you and me--Sex is not a job description
For you and me--We agree

You and I, we are pressed into these solitudes
Color and culture, language and race
Just variations on a theme
Islands in a much larger stream

For you and me--Race is not a competition
For you and me--Race is not a definition
For you and me--We agree

Reaching for the alien shore

You and I, we reject these narrow attitudes
We add to each other, like a coral reef
Building bridges on the ocean floor
Reaching for the alien shore

For you and me--We hold these truths to be self-evident
For you and me--We'd elect each other president
For you and me--We might agree
But that's just us

Reaching for the alien shore


The Speed of Love
Lyrics by Neil Peart

Love is born with lightning bolts
Electro-magnetic force
Burning skin and fireworks
A storm on a raging course

Like a force of nature
Love can face with the stars at dawn
Sometimes it takes all your strength
Just to keep holding on
At the speed of love
A radiance that travels
At the speed of love
My heart goes out to you

Love is born with solar flares
From two magnetic poles
It moves toward a higher plane
Where two halves make two wholes

Like a force of nature,
Love shines in many forms
One night we are bathed in light
One day carried away in storms
At the speed of love
Nothing changes faster
Than the speed of love
My heart goes out to you

We don't have to talk
We don't even have to touch
I can feel your presence
In the silence that we share
Got to keep on moving
At the speed of love
Nothing changes faster
Than the speed of love
Got to keep on shining
At the speed of love
Nothing changes faster
Than the speed of love
My heart goes out to you


Double Agent
Lyrics by Neil Peart

Where would you rather be?
Anywhere but here
When will the time be right?
Anytime but now

On the edge of sleep,
I was drifting for half the night
Anxious and restless
pressed down by the darkness
Bound up and wound up so tight
So many decisions, a million revisions
Caught between darkness and light...

Wilderness of mirrors
World of polished steel
Gears and iron chains
Turn the grinding wheel
I run between the shadows
Some are phantoms, some are real

Where would you rather be?
Anywhere but here
When will the time be right?
Anytime but now
The doubt and the fear
I know would all disappear
Anywhere but here

On the edge of sleep,
I heard voices behind the door
The known and the nameless
familiar and faceless
My angels and my demons at war
Which one will lose--depends on what I choose
Or maybe which voice I ignore...

Wilderness of mirrors
Streets of cold desire
My precious sense of honor
Just a shield of rusty wire
I hold against the chaos--
And the cross of holy fire

Wilderness of mirrors
So easy to deceive
My precious sense of rightness
Is sometimes so naive
So that which I imagine
Is that which I believe

On the edge of sleep, I awoke to a sun so bright
Rested and fearless, cheered by your nearness
I knew which direction was right
The case had been tried by the jury inside
The choice between darkness and light...


Leave That Thing Alone!

Instrumental


Cold Fire
Lyrics by Neil Peart

It was long after midnight
When we got to unconditional love
She said sure, my heart is boundless
But don't push my limits too far

I said if love is so transcendent
I don't understand these boundaries
She said just don't disappoint me--
You know how complex women are
I'll be around
If you don't let me down
Too far

It was just before sunrise
When we started on traditional roles
She said sure, I'll be your partner
But don't make too many demands

I said if love has these conditions
I don't understand these songs you love
She said this is not a love song
This isn't fantasy land
I'll be around
If you don't let me down
Too far

Don't go too far--
The phosphorescent wave on a tropical sea
Is a cold fire
Don't cross the line--
The pattern of moonlight on the bedroom floor
Is a cold fire
Don't let me down--
The flame at the heart of a pawnbroker's diamond
Is a cold fire
Don't break the spell
The look in your eyes as you head for the door
Is a cold fire

Love is blind if you are gentle
Love can turn to a long, cold burn


Everyday Glory
Lyrics by Neil Peart

In the house where nobody laughs
And nobody sleeps
In the house where love lies dying
And the shadows creep
A little girl hides, shaking,
With her hands on her ears
Pushing back the tears, 'til the pain disappears

Mama says some ugly words
Daddy pounds on the wall
They can fight about their little girl later
But right now, they don't care at all
No matter what they say...
No matter what they say...

Everyday people
Everyday shame
Everyday promise
Shot down in flames

Everyday sunrise
Another everyday story
Rise from the ashes--
A blaze of everyday glory
In the city where nobody smiles
And nobody dreams
In the city where desperation
Drives the bored to extremes

Just one spark of decency
Against the starless night
One glow of hope and dignity
A child can follow the light
No matter what they say
No matter what they say...

If the future's looking dark
We're the ones who have to shine
If there's no one in control
We're the ones who draw the line
Though we live in trying times--
We're the ones who have to try
Though we know that time has wings--
We're the ones who have to fly