Music of the Day, 13 July 2023

One Little Victory ... this publication is finally launched!

This project has been percolating in my mind for months. I’d get excited about doing it, but then I’d talk myself out of it … rinse and repeat ad nauseam. And I’ve actually done it at long last.

It’s appropriate to celebrate this little victory with one of my favorite Rush songs. “One Little Victory” is the opening cut on the band’s album titled Vapor Trails. Released in 2002, Vapor Trails was Rush’s return to the stage after drummer Neil Peart lost his daughter and then his wife in the span of 10 months in 1997–1998.

The song fittingly launches with a polyrhythmic onslaught from “The Professor” himself, as Peart is known by Rush fans. Guitarist Alex Lifeson and bass slapper extraordinaire and vocalist Geddy Lee join in, driving the energy. It’s an upbeat celebration even before Lee sings the first note.

I’ve chosen to feature a live version of the song; it helps capture the energy of both the crowd and the band. For the Snakes & Arrows tour, “One Little Victory” was the first song of the encore … after performing two sets over about three hours already!

“Celebrate the moment as it turns into one more/Another chance at victory, another chance to score,” Peart wrote; and Lee sang every word in full understanding of what they meant. Not only had his bandmate and friend returned to “the land of the living,” but Rush itself was back. The entire album is a testament to working through loss and grief and emerging with renewed purpose and appreciation.

Every moment of “One Little Victory” is a celebration, then, for the band. As a listener, it never fails to lift my spirits and impel me forward toward my goal. I hope you find it similarly inspiring.