- Countdown (Rush song)
-
"Countdown" Single by Rush from the album
SignalsB-side "New world man", "The Spirit of Radio" (live) Released 1982 Format 7", 12" Genre Progressive rock Length 5:49 Label Mercury Records Writer(s) Alex Lifeson, Geddy Lee, Neil Peart Rush singles chronology "The Weapon"
(1982)"Countdown"
(1982)"Distant Early Warning"
(1984)Signals track listing "Losing It"
(7)"Countdown"
(8)End of Album "Countdown" is a Rush song that describes the launch of STS-1 and the Space Shuttle Columbia [1] as the group watched from a VIP area called Red Sector A at the time. The song incorporates audio from voice communications between astronauts John W. Young and Robert Crippen and ground control along with commentary from the Kennedy Space Center Public Affairs Officer leading up to the launch.[2]
The song incorporates foreboding serious tone with driving rhythm along with heavy amount of synthesizer, with Lee playing only a minimal amount of bass guitar. Lyrics paint a vivid account of their experiences witnessing the launch. It closes the album Signals, and its cautionary tales of man's reliance on technology, on a more positive, celebratory note.[3]
The song was used as a wakeup song for astronauts during STS-109, which was the last successful flight of Space Shuttle Columbia. It was used again for astronaut Mike Fincke during STS-134, flown by Space Shuttle Endeavour on its final mission before retirement. Fincke described how his friends Greg Shurtz and NASA employee Ken Fisher chose the song because the band was inspired to write it after viewing the launch of STS-1. Fincke went on to say the song was played as a tribute to the space shuttle program, which has inspired people around the world.[4]
This song, as printed in the liner notes of the Signals album, is dedicated to "the astronauts Young & Crippen and all the people of NASA for their inspiration and cooperation."
References
- ^ Price, Carol Selby (1999). Mystic Rhythms: The Philosophical Vision of Rush. Wildside Press LLC. pp. 131–132. ISBN 1587151022.
- ^ Popoff, Martin. Contents Under Pressure: 30 Years of Rush at Home and Away. ECW Press. pp. 102. ISBN 9781550226782.
- ^ Roberto, Leonard (2000). A Simple Kind Mirror: The Lyrical Vision of Rush. iUniverse. ISBN 9780595213627.
- ^ "STS-109 Wake-up Calls". NASA. http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/audio/shuttle/sts-109/html/ndxpage1.html. Retrieved 8 July 2011.
Categories:- 1982 singles
- Rush (band) songs
- Songs written by Alex Lifeson
- Songs written by Geddy Lee
- Songs written by Neil Peart
- 1980s rock song stubs
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