RUSH Limelight and The Artists Code

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LIMELIGHT Analysis Overview - Still a great message today!
Symbolism - Lyrics Analysis - and Corresponding Christian Principle??

We can all agree that RUSH was not a Christian band, but what is Christianity if you separate it from its principles?

Limelight is clearly about hypocrisy and the bull that runs the social order. Polished exteriors are required by those in power and in charge of this social advancement OR the gilded cage endorsers.
Limelight challenges those hypocrites with truth - or as I like to call it the other side of the equation. There are 2 groups of people being discussed in this song. The first group are those within their GILDED Cage and the others are those "who think and feel" and are "in touch with some reality beyond the gilded cage."

What is a Gilded Cage?
Gilded as defined at dictionary.com is something that has a pleasing or showy appearance that conceals something of little worth.

So Gilded Cages are the exteriors of the hypocrites who have mastered this appearance and advanced in the social order - or are in power.

Does the Bible cover a gilded cage scenario? YES!
In fact, Christ was the one to take on hypocrites with a very similar line.

Mathew 23:27&28
27 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

Its seems to me to be an identical cross reference - whitewashed tomb and gilded cage!
A great message to leaders and the powerful...

Symbolism within the video:

The pyramid or triangle symbol as I refer to it in some of my blogs - has 2 meanings. In it's upright form its a symbol of power or power at the top. When inverted it suggests power at the bottom - people first - AND power to the people. (pictured left).
Below you can clearly see RUSH uses this symbolism in their video couple that with the above interpretation and you now understand what it means! (frame 3:16)

Now, I can hear some people yelling at me saying "Hey, don't you see they have someone dressed as Christ on stage - isn't that disrespectful?"

As I see it, IF he were dressed like Christ it was to shake up YOUR thinking - or the thinking of the hypocrites. But it was more likely a symbolic example of a gilded cage.

Nevertheless, the scripture reference above demonstrated how Christ handled whitewashed tombs - could RUSH be trying to suggest the same scripture principle I did?

And lastly, some people might say - "BUT, they use the pentagram in their logo- they must be evil!" - Once again, I'm going to shake up your thinking - so do police departments all over the country..

- Example below -

The more I look into music the more I realize; many artists are looking for their listeners to go beyond the surface..
I don't think RUSH was an exception...

In closing, I think Limelight might be suggesting the following symbol - I'll leave it up to you to interpret!

pure heart

Limelight Lyrics

Living on a lighted stage
Approaches the unreal
For those who think and feel
In touch with some reality
Beyond the gilded cage

Cast in this unlikely role,
Ill-equipped to act
With insufficient tact
One must put up barriers
To keep oneself intact

Living in the limelight
The universal dream
For those who wish to seem

Those who wish to be
Must put aside the alienation
Get on with the fascination
The real relation
The underlying theme

Living in a fisheye lens
Caught in the camera eye
I have no heart to lie
I cant pretend a stranger
Is a long-awaited friend

All the worlds indeed a stage
And we are merely players
Performers and portrayers
Each anothers audience
Outside the gilded cage