Subdivisions

"Subdivisions" is a Rush song that describes peer pressure for teenage life in the suburbs. "Subdivisions" was released on the 1982 album Signals. Aside from being a perennial fan favourite and a staple of live performances, the song appears on several greatest hits compilations, was released as a single in 1982, and despite doing little serious business in the UK charts, it gained a lot of radio airplay in Britain at the time. In the US, it charted at #8 on the Album/Mainstream rock charts. It was also played live prior to its release. Pre-release live versions exist on the internet. Geddy Lee plays an Oberheim OB-X synthesizer, and the two synthesizer solos were done on a Minimoog. The promotional video scenes were filmed in the Toronto Ontario, Canada area. The downtown scenes were filmed in downtown Toronto, while the suburbs scenes were filmed in Scarborough, Ontario, near Warden and Finch Avenues. The high school scenes were filmed at L'Amoreaux Collegiate Institute, in the same area. The video also features scenes of the Don Valley Parkway and a busy TTC subway station. The student that walks downtown in the video is Dave Glover, a student at the L'Amoreaux Collegiate Institute at the time. Near the end of the video, Glover is seen playing the video game Tempest at an arcade, which was reportedly his favourite video game at the time. The song features heavy use of synth. Geddy Lee takes a similar role to that in Countdown, the final track on Signals by playing a minimal amount of bass. The track begins in 7/8 time, Lee playing an pattern of F# notes on the Oberheim. Lifeson enters after 4 bars of guitar tacet playing a F#5 chord in tandem with Lee, alternating between an F#5 chord and an F# chord on each bar for 4 measures. Peart enters at the same time with 16th beats on the hi-hat, with his bass drum playing on the same beat as Lee and Lifeson. Lifeson and Peart continue their patterns for a further 4 measures, with Lee alternating between B minor and A. The intro switches to 4/4 time and Lee continues with previous chords and a G chord in different orders. After 4 bars of 16th hi-hat notes, Peart switches to a hi-hat and ride rhythm, playing 8th notes on the hi-hat and quarter notes on the ride, playing the snare with the right hand in between every 4th ride note. The intro finishes with Lifeson playing G5, A5, B5, B5 twice through as 2 quarter notes followed by half rest in each bar. Peart plays the bass drum on he first 2 beats and snare and china on the 2nd 2 beats. Lee plays G, A, Bminor, Bminor twice through, but only playing on the 2nd 2 beats. This is an example of a simple Call and response.

Rush Lyrics "Subdivisions" From The Album "Signals" (1982) [Verse 1] Sprawling on the fringes of the city In geometric order An insulated border In between the bright lights And the far unlit unknown [Verse 2] Growing up it all seems so one-sided Opinions all provided The future pre-decided Detached and subdivided In the mass production zone Nowhere is the dreamer or the misfit so alone [Chorus: Geddy Lee & Neil Peart] (Subdivisions) -- In the high school halls In the shopping malls Conform or be cast out (Subdivisions) -- In the basement bars In the backs of cars Be cool or be cast out [Post-Chorus] Any escape might help to smooth The unattractive truth But the suburbs have no charms to soothe The restless dreams of youth [Verse 3] Drawn like moths we drift into the city The timeless old attraction Cruising for the action Lit up like a firefly Just to feel the living night [Verse 4] Some will sell their dreams for small desires Or lose the race to rats Get caught in ticking traps And start to dream of somewhere To relax their restless flight Somewhere out of a memory Of lighted streets on quiet nights [Chorus: Geddy Lee & Neil Peart] (Subdivisions) -- Ihe high school halls In the shopping malls Conform or be cast out (Subdivisions) -- Ihe basement bars In the backs of cars Be cool or be cast out [Post-Chorus] Any escape might help to smooth The unattractive truth But the suburbs have no charms to soothe The restless dreams of youth [Instrumental Outro] Writer(s): Alex Lifeson, Geddy Lee Weinrib, Neil Peart