Rush - Tom Sawyer
(4:35)494,328 plays (91,194 listeners)
progressive rock, classic rock, rock, hard rock, 80s… see all
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Rush - Tom Sawyer Drum Jam
About this track
“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 synthesizer playing 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. Notably, it reached Number 24 in the UK singles chart in May 1981 as a follow-up to their breakthrough hit “
The Spirit of Radio”.
Origin
The song was written by Lee, Peart, and guitarist Alex Lifeson in collaboration with Canadian lyricist Pye Dubois (the lyricist 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 “Louis 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 “Tom Sawyer (help·info)” as an example of Rush’s distinctive songwriting, blending intelligent lyrics with an intricate pattern of multiple time signatures.
The Spirit of Radio”.Origin
The song was written by Lee, Peart, and guitarist Alex Lifeson in collaboration with Canadian lyricist Pye Dubois (the lyricist 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 “Louis 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 “Tom Sawyer (help·info)” as an example of Rush’s distinctive songwriting, blending intelligent lyrics with an intricate pattern of multiple time signatures.
Albums featuring this track
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Shouts
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Draqi wrote:
God this is amazing.
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felipecorreat wrote:
Ojala verlos en Chile algun dia..grande RUSH!!!!!!!!!
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Drew079 wrote:
This song reminds me of the first cheeseburger I ever had. It was a cold, windy morning, and I decided to go for it. And MAN do I not regret doing that. The best cheeseburger is always the first one.
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mountart wrote:
the best RUSH!
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Blade2edge wrote:
Kicks so much @ss!!!!!
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phase_illusion wrote:
totally overplayed, but still legendary
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eltiotony wrote:
Neil Peart ¡se sale como siempre! Gedd Lee y Alex geniales.
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spartanfan90 wrote:
whit144man you are right. it changest o 7/8 during the first instrumental part. Rush is famous for time changes and 7/8 is used in "limelight," "distant early warning," "freewill," and others.
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purloiner wrote:
Best Rush song ever, apart from all their other best songs ever :)
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whit144man wrote:
Am I understanding right? Part of the song's in 7/8?
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girlofurdreams wrote:
A classic :)
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jarredbear wrote:
best rush song ever amazing!!!!!
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twoheadedlion wrote:
Rush at their peak.
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ivalram wrote:
sorry i didn't specify...for the drums
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ivalram wrote:
Does someone know where can I find somo good tom sawyer tabs?
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AceOfSpades24 wrote:
Whenever I listen to this song now all I can think of is Stephen Colbert.
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amrush71 wrote:
Not their best song (although it's still great), but quite possibly Neal Peart's best lyrics.
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ChrisNalty wrote:
Great song, but not their best. Just their most popular.
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MettaT wrote:
Thank you, this song, for introducing me to Rush! :) I was 12 when it came out, and it just about took the top of my head off to hear music that smart on the radio.
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rorrimeht wrote:
Cool song
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Recent Activity
- Sirixim and dead_flyboy loved Rush – Tom Sawyer. 12 minutes ago
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