“In the long run”
It wouldn’t score a podium place in my list of favourite Rush songs but Marathon is definitely a standout from the band’s 80s era. Taken from 1985’s Power Windows, this is Rush at the peak of their pop-prog powers with funky basslines, enormodome guitar chords and a rousing chorus that builds to a climax of Olympian grandeur with the addition of a 25 piece choir. As always with Rush, this is high-performance stuff but Marathon is also uplifting and accessible. I never get tired of it.
Great choice Scott! Power Windows is a fantastic album as they went with the technology but also stayed true to themselves. Marathon is a great track and it was cool they went outside the box by bringing in a choir as you had mentioned.
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To add to this, in Canada on MuchMusic, the live version of this song was on constant rotation! Without the 25 piece choir.
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Boo. I thought there would be some sort of 24hr Rush TV channel in Canada?
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Unfortunately that was voted down in parliament by a gaggle of Celine Dion superfans.
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I love 80s Rush… the Signals, GUP, Power Windows run is their best stuff I reckon.
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Nothing wrong whatsoever with that 3 pack of RUSH!
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Fully agreed, three of my favourites right there Deke!
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I really enjoyed Power Windows when I inherited it – it surprised me, I thought I would find it too wussy and not rock enough for my primitive tastes. Good call.
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Sheesh Joe, it even had “Power” in the title!
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I get power, but windows? Come on man! Windows are inherently wussy. If they’d called it Power Girders, or Power Power, I’d have been on board from the off!
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Power Dressing!
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I was surprised that you enjoyed this as well. But I was even more surprised when you started dressing like them too.
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It’s a timeless look and chicks REALLY dig it.
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