They had already proven that they could deliver a concept album with the type of daring instrumental virtuosity that few bands of their era could quite match. With “Closer to the Heart,” a single off their 1977 album A Farewell to Kings, Rush showed that they could pack a punch in a smaller portion.
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What is the song about? Who helped the band write it? And what distinguished the album A Farewell to Kings, which contained the song? Let’s get all the details on “Closer to the Heart,” one of Rush’s most surefire radio staples to this day.
Hello to Farewell
In 1976, Rush released 2112, the album that helped turn around the fortunes of their career. Faced with poor record sales for their previous releases, the tempting thing to do would have been to go for a more pop-oriented sound. Instead, the Canadian trio leaned into their sci-strengths with a quasi-concept album that became their breakthrough.
To their credit, the three men (Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neil Peart) went into the studio to record the followup with the idea they didn’t want to simply do a sequel to 2112. To change things up, they sought a new place to record other than Toronto, which had long been their home recording base.
They eventually settled in a studio in Wales, which allowed the band to free themselves of distractions and concentrate on the work. Their goal was to expand their sound, which they did with the introduction of new instrumentation they hadn’t previously used.
Rush also tried to alter their approach in the types of songs they recorded for the album, which would eventually be entitled A Farewell to Kings upon its 1977 release. They weren’t quite abandoning the conceptual leanings of their work, as much of the album’s running time was devoted to a pair of 10-minute-plus song suites.
But they also wanted to court radio with more succinct songs, which is where “Closer to the Heart” came into play. Clocking in at under three minutes, it was perfect for rock radio. Lee and Lifeson composed the music, while Peart, the band’s usual lyricist, received some help with the words from a friend named Peter Talbot.
“Closer to the Heart” didn’t quite make the leap to pop crossover status. But it certainly did make inroads on FM rock stations, making it one of the first times the band would reach a more mainstream audience. In that way, the song opened the door for future Rush singles like “Limelight” and “Tom Sawyer.”
What is the Meaning of “Closer to the Heart”?
The message of “Closer to the Heart” boils down to the idea that societal changes can be initiated at all levels if people put in the effort. Specifically, the idea of doing a job by putting something of yourself into it and not going through the motions can have major implications to the wider world. That’s where the title originates, as it refers to something done with love and care.
It might begin with the powers that be: And the men who hold high places / Must be the ones who start / To mold a new reality. But that feeling has to sidle down to the everyday folks of various occupations: Philosophers and ploughmen / Each must know their part. Finally, a relationship between two people should ideally involve that same kind of emotional investment: You can be the captain / And I will draw the chart / Sailing into destiny / Closer to the heart.
The acoustic-to-electric flow of the song lent it a power ballad feel before such a term was even popular. It helped break down the stereotype of Rush as overly complex, impenetrable noodlers. That song title was absolutely apropos, because “Closer to the Heart” struck deep at the core of a much larger audience than this band was accustomed to reaching.
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Photo by Fin Costello/Redferns
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