Tom Sawyer (song)
| "Tom Sawyer" | |
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"Tom Sawyer" is a 1981 song by Canadian progressive rock band Rush named for Mark Twain's literary character. The song relies heavily on Geddy Lee's skill as a synthesist and the techniques of drummer Neil Peart. Geddy Lee has referred to the track as the "quintessential Rush song"; It is one of Rush's best-known songs and is a staple of classic rock radio.
Origin
The song was written by Lee, Peart, and guitarist Alex Lifeson in collaboration with Canadian lyricist Pye Dubois (a member of Max Webster), who also co-wrote other Rush songs such as "Force Ten," "Between Sun and Moon," and "Test For Echo." According to the US radio show In the Studio with Redbeard (which devoted an entire episode to the making of Moving Pictures), "Tom Sawyer" came about during a summer rehearsal holiday that Rush spent at Ronnie Hawkins' farm outside Toronto. Peart was presented with a poem by Dubois named "Louie the Warrior" that he modified and expanded. Lee and Lifeson then helped set the poem to music. The unique growling sound heard in the song came from Lee's fiddling with his Oberheim synthesizer.
Structure and fan reaction
Fans of Rush cite "" as an example of Rush's distinctive songwriting, blending intelligent yet enigmatic lyrics with an intricate pattern of multiple time signatures [citation needed]. The middle section of the song is built around a simple riff that was originally a 'little melody' Geddy Lee used to test his synthesizers: A - F# - G# - E - F# - D - A - F# - G# - E - F# - B - as it is 'passed over' from one instrument to another. During the synth part, an unusual 7/8 time signature is used.
As a Twain reference, "Tom Sawyer" can be considered an abstract commentary on a free-thinking "modern day warrior".
Album appearances
The song was released on Mercury Records and PolyGram in 1981 on the Moving Pictures album and later also appeared on 1990's Chronicles as track 1 on disc 2. Its duration is approximately 4 min 33 sec (studio version). It has also appeared on numerous Rush live albums and bootlegs.
Covers and appearances in pop culture
- The synth intro to the song was later used by The Beastie Boys as part of a DJ set during one of their tours. It was also covered by Deadsy on 2002's Commencement and by Mindless Self Indulgence on their 2005 album You'll Rebel to Anything and was sampled in The Aquabats' song Pool Party.
- The main/verse guitar riff of the song was used by Metallica as the bridge of the song Sanitarium that originally appeared on their 1986 album Master of Puppets. Metallica has often listed Rush as one of their main influences and even thanks the band in the credits section of the album.
- The song appeared in the movie Small Soldiers (remixed by DJ Z-Trip) and in the movie The Waterboy starring Adam Sandler.
- Professional wrestler Kerry Von Erich (who wrestled under the nickname "The Modern Day Warrior") used "Tom Sawyer" as his entrance music.
- During the episode Anthology of Interest II of Futurama, the song plays during the Space Invaders scene, referring to the lyrics: "Today's Tom Sawyer, he gets high on you, and the space he invades he gets by on you."
- Barenaked Ladies do a small musical homage to this song in the middle of their song "Grade 9" off their first full length album Gordon.
- In 1993, short-lived Rap collective the Young Black Teenagers sampled Tom Sawyer on their song "Tap The Bottle" on the grounds that "it's the phattest shit ever recorded and deserves to be revisited".
- In the episode "Chick Cancer" of the 5th season of Family Guy makes reference to the song, with a stoned Chester Cheetah declaring "Oh god! There is no fucking drummer better than Neil Peart!" as the song plays in the background. (He mispronounces Neil Peart's name, however.)
- In Brazil the song was used as the introduction for the TV series McGyver aired by the TV Globo.
- The song is featured on The Knights of Prosperity episode "Fighting Shape" as the Knights "theme song".
See also
- Moving Pictures, the 1981 album on which the song appeared
- Synthesizer, an instrument that played a significant role in defining the sound of this recording
- The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, the book that is referenced in the song
