Though its title suggests a Dungeons & Dragons adventure module, its narrative is difficult to pin down. Thanks to him, “the land of the Overworld is saved again.” Granted, the lyrics are over the top, but there’s an element of Rush’s vaunted humour here: the antagonists were, in fact, inspired by their manager Ray Danniels’ real-life pooches.ġ975: Fountain of Lamneth: Caress of Steel’s entire second side is taken up by this six-part suite.

Led Zeppelin-influenced songs with lines such as “I just want to rock and roll you woman” were scrapped in favour of pieces like this: a suite about a battle between a “centurion of evil” and a beast with “ermine glowing in the damp.” As Lee’s bass snarls and Peart pummels his drums, the fight rages through a section called “7/4 War Furor” (making explicit the band’s fascination with odd-metre time signatures), and ends with the canine victorious. Not only did the bookish Neil Peart take over from John Rutsey as the band’s drummer, but he also took up the lyric-writing reins.

Read our recent interview with Neil Peartġ975: By-Tor and the Snow Dog: Clocking in at a relatively svelte 8’39”, Rush’s very first multi-part suite is drawn from their second album, Fly by Night.

Here’s a look at the Toronto power trio’s most beloved (and occasionally bemusing) concept songs to date.

Alex Lifeson, Neil Peart and Geddy Lee in 1984 (CP/HO)Īlthough their latest release, Clockwork Angels, is Rush’s first full-length concept album, it’s not as though the band hasn’t had a lot of practice.

By tor and the snow dog