‘Closer to the Heart’ is a song by Canadian rock band Rush. It was released in November 1977 as the lead single from their fifth studio album A Farewell to Kings. It was the first Rush song to feature a non-member as a songwriter in Peter Talbot, a friend of drummer and lyricist Neil Peart. It was Rush's first hit single in the United Kingdom, reaching number 36 in the UK Singles Chart in February 1978. It also peaked at number 45 in Canada and number 76 on the US Billboard Hot 100. It was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame on March 28, 2010. A live version of the song was released as a single in 1981 as the lead single from their live album, Exit...Stage Left which peaked at number 69 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
The band's frontman, Geddy Lee, said of the song: “I remember when we had to bring it back into the set for the Rio shows, as there was such a demand to hear it and we'd stopped playing it for a while. It's always resonated with people for some reason, and it was a hit as far as we've ever had a hit. It got us on the radio, the kinds of radio that would never normally associate with us, so it was as close as we ever came to a pop song, especially at that point. Over here in the UK it had that effect, and in the US too.”
Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson says this is the ultimate Rush song: "There was a feeling that the song had changed a bit. It opens up into a bit more of a ham towards the end. It probably translates better live, visually, than it does on the record. But there is an energy to it, and it's a very positive song. It's been connected with the band for over 13 years."
Throughout the guitar solo and the end of the song, you can hear the subtle rattle of a vibraslap, a unique percussion instrument that was used more prominently in Bowie's ‘Fame,’ Aerosmith's ‘Sweet Emotion,’ and Hendrix's version of ‘All Along The Watchtower.’ Cash Box called the song a "strong song" and said that it is "very like a Led Zeppelin number in terms of structure, timbres, and the role of the lead vocalist." Record World called it a "stately rocker with a strong vocal."
Label – Mercury
Songwriters – Alex Lifeson, Geddy Lee, Neil Peart, Peter Talbot
Producers – Rush, Terry Brown
SONG LYRICS
[Verse 1]And the men who hold high places
Must be the ones who start
To mold a new reality
[Chorus]
Closer to the heart
Closer to the heart
[Verse 2]
The blacksmith and the artist
Reflect it in their art
They forge their creativity
[Chorus]
Closer to the heart
Yes, closer to the heart
[Verse 3]
Philosophers and ploughmen
Each must know his part
To sow a new mentality
[Chorus]
Closer to the heart
Yes, closer to the heart
Yeah! Oh
[Instrumental]
[Verse 4]
Woah-oh! You can be the captain
And I will draw the chart
Sailing into destiny
[Chorus]
Closer to the heart
Closer to the heart
[Outro]
Well, closer to the heart
Yeah, closer to the heart
Closer to the heart
I said, closer to the heart
Well, closer to the heart
Yeah, closer to your heart
Closer to your heart
Oh!