Countdown
Rush
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Lit up with anticipation We arrive at the launching site The sky is still dark, nearing dawn On the Florida coastline Circling choppers slash the night With roving searchlight beams This magic day when super-science Mingles with the bright stuff of dreams Floodlit in the hazy distance The star of this unearthly show Venting vapors, like the breath Of a sleeping white dragon Crackling speakers, voices tense Resume the final count All systems check, T-minus-nine As the sun and the drama start to mount The air is charged, a humid, motionless mass The crowds and the cameras The cars full of spectators pass Excitement so thick, you could cut it with a knife Technology high, on the leading edge of life The earth beneath us starts to tremble With the spreading of a low black cloud A thunderous roar shakes the air Like the whole world exploding Scorching blast of golden fire As it slowly leaves the ground Tears away with a mighty force The air is shattered by the awesome sound Excitement so thick, you could cut it with a knife Technology high, on the leading edge of life Like a pillar of cloud, the smoke lingers High in the air In fascination with the eyes of the world we stare
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Written by: Neil Elwood Peart, Gary Lee Weinrib, Alex Zivojinovich
Lyrics © OLE MEDIA MANAGEMENT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
10 facts about this song
Release Information"Countdown" is a song by the Canadian rock band Rush from their 1982 album, "Signals".
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Song’s OriginThe song is inspired by the band's witnessing of the first Columbia space shuttle launch in 1981.
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Lyrics Significance"Countdown" describes the mixture of technical jargon and human courage involved in the shuttle launch. The lyrics vividly bring out the emotions of awe and admiration the band members felt witnessing this marvel of human engineering.
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Band's First-hand ExperienceAll three band members of Rush — Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neil Peart — were invited by NASA to witness the space shuttle launch at the Kennedy Space Center. The trio has described the experience as one of the highlights of their career.
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Unique Song ConstructionUnlike most tracks, Rush composed "Countdown" after writing its lyrics. Normally, the band used to write the music first.
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Audio SamplesThis song uses actual audio samples from the NASA control room during the space shuttle’s launch, adding an authentic layer to the unique track.
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ImpactThe song "Countdown" remains one of Rush's most distinctive and atmospheric tracks, exemplifying their capacity for taking rock into new, uncharted territories.
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Tribute to NASA"Countdown" was primarily intended as a tribute to the NASA team for successfully initiating the Space Shuttle program.
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In Popular CultureThe song was even used as wake-up music for Astronaut John Young on Day 8 of the STS-9 Space Shuttle mission in 1983.
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Limited Live PerformancesDespite its popularity, "Countdown" was not often included in the band's live setlists, perhaps due to its unique structure and layered sound.
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"Countdown Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 11 May 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric-lf/3371413/Rush/Countdown>.
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