{{Infobox song | name = Closer to the Heart | cover = Closer to the Heart.jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = [[Rush (band)|Rush]] | album = [[A Farewell to Kings]] | B-side = Madrigal | released = *November 1977 (US)<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/greatrockdiscogr00stro/page/708/mode/2up|title=The Great Rock Discography|year=1995 |isbn=9780862415419 |last1=Strong |first1=Martin Charles }}</ref> *January 27, 1978 (UK) | recorded = June 23, 1977 | studio = [[Rockfield Studios]], [[South Wales]], UK | genre = [[Progressive rock]]<ref name="Goldmine 2024">{{cite web|first= Martin|last= Popoff|title= The Top 20 unlikely Progressive Rock hits, ranked|website= [[Goldmine (magazine)|Goldmine]]| date= January 5, 2024|url= https://www.goldminemag.com/music-history/top-20-unlikely-progressive-rock-hits-ranked|accessdate= January 7, 2024}}</ref> | length = 2:53 | label = [[Mercury Records|Mercury]] | composer = * [[Alex Lifeson]] * [[Geddy Lee]] | lyricist = * [[Neil Peart]] * Peter Talbot | producer = * Rush * [[Terry Brown (record producer)|Terry Brown]] | prev_title = Making Memories | prev_year = 1977 | next_title = [[Cinderella Man (Rush song)|Cinderella Man]] | next_year = 1977 | misc = {{External music video | {{YouTube|kyhW2v0NDM0|"Closer to the Heart"}} }} }}
"'''Closer to the Heart'''" is a song by Canadian [[rock music|rock]] band [[Rush (band)|Rush]]. It was released in November 1977 as the lead single from their fifth studio album ''[[A Farewell to Kings]]''. It was the first Rush song to feature a non-member as a songwriter in Peter Talbot,<ref>Rush "Retrospective" release 1997</ref> a friend of drummer and lyricist [[Neil Peart]]. It was Rush's first hit single in the United Kingdom, reaching number 36 in the [[UK Singles Chart]] in February 1978. It also peaked at number 45 in Canada and number 76 on the US ''Billboard'' [[Hot 100]]. It was inducted into the [[Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame]] on March 28, 2010.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/article/753007--new-home-a-place-to-sing-praises-of-our-songwriters | newspaper=[[The Toronto Star]] | access-date=2010-06-16 | date=2010-01-20 | first=Ashante | last=Infantry | title=New home a place to sing praises of our songwriters}}</ref>
''[[Cash Box]]'' called it a "strong song" and said that it is "very like a Led Zeppelin number in terms of structure, timbres, and the role of the lead vocalist."<ref name=cb>{{cite news|title=CashBox Singles Reviews|date=October 1, 1977|page=18|newspaper=Cash Box|accessdate=2021-12-26|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1977/CB-1977-10-01.pdf}}</ref> ''[[Record World]]'' called it a "stately rocker with a strong vocal."<ref name=rw>{{cite magazine|magazine=Record World|date=October 15, 1977|accessdate=2023-02-16|title=Single Picks|page=24|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/77/RW-1977-10-15.pdf}}</ref>
A live version of the song was released as a single in 1981 as the lead single from their live album, ''[[Exit...Stage Left]]''; this version peaked at number 69 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100.
==Background== The band's frontman, [[Geddy Lee]], said of the song:<blockquote>I remember when we had to bring it back into the set for the Rio shows, as there was such a demand to hear it and we'd stopped playing it for a while. It's always resonated with people for some reason, and it was a hit as far as we've ever had a hit. It got us on the radio, the kinds of radio that would never normally associate with us, so it was as close as we ever came to a [[Pop music|pop]] song, especially at that point. Over here in the UK it had that effect, and in the US too.<ref>Rush "Retrospective" release 1997</ref></blockquote>
==Performances== The song was played live by the band on every tour since its release, up until the [[Presto tour|Presto Tour]], when it was dropped. It was then put back in the setlist for the next three tours (as well as some dates during the Vapor Trails Tour), and then dropped for the next two tours. It was then put back in for the [[Time Machine Tour]], and dropped from the following [[Clockwork Angels Tour]]. It was then brought back for the [[R40 Tour]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tours |url=https://www.rush.com/tour/ |access-date=2024-07-03 |website=Rush.com |language=en-CA}}</ref>
The live albums ''[[A Show of Hands]]'', ''[[Different Stages (Rush album)|Different Stages]]'', and ''[[Grace Under Pressure Tour (album)|Grace Under Pressure Tour]]'' feature extended instrumental sections after the last verse. On the 1981 live album ''[[Exit...Stage Left]]'', the song segues into "Beneath, Between and Behind"; further, on ''[[Time Machine 2011: Live in Cleveland]]'', it shifts into a triplet feel for the last verse. On the DVD release of the latter album, a polka rendition of the song is played during the end credits.
Although the original recording and most live performances feature acoustic drums, Peart used an [[electronic drum]] kit to play the song in concerts from 1984 to 1994.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Closer to the Heart Review|url=http://player.listenlive.co/34431/en/track/14_1144ca1f-7918-4096-a434-439569086136/e3_3d67e275-8bc5-45f9-9e16-4ac8882b52a7|date=2020|website=105.1 The Blaze - Fresno's Best Rock|access-date=2020-05-19}}</ref>
In 2005, Rush performed the song with [[Mike Smith (actor)|Mike Smith]] (in character as Bubbles from ''[[Trailer Park Boys]]'') and [[Ed Robertson]] of [[Barenaked Ladies]] as part of a [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|CBC]] telethon for the Canadian Tsunami Disaster Fund. This performance is included on the ''[[R30: 30th Anniversary World Tour]]'' DVD. In 2022, Lee and Lifeson joined members of [[Primus (band)|Primus]] and ''[[South Park]]'' co-creator [[Matt Stone]] to perform "Closer to the Heart" for the South Park 25th Anniversary Concert at [[Red Rocks Amphitheatre]].
==Track listing UK version==
===A Side=== #"Closer to the Heart" – 2:53 (Lee/Lifeson/Peart/Talbot)
===B side=== #"[[Bastille Day (song)|Bastille Day]]" – 4:37 (Lee/Lifeson/Peart) #"Anthem" – 4:10 (Lee/Lifeson/Peart) ''[only on 12"]'' #"[[2112 (song)|The Temples of Syrinx]]" – 2:13 (Lee/Lifeson/Peart)
==Charts== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="text-align:center" |+Weekly chart performance for "Closer to the Heart" !scope="col"|Chart ({{tooltip|1977–78|Original release}},{{break}}{{tooltip|1981–82|Live version}}, {{tooltip|2017–18|2017 re-release}}) !scope="col"|Peak{{break}}position |- !scope="row"|Canada Top Singles ([[RPM (magazine)|''RPM'']])<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.5458a.pdf| title=RPM Top 100 Singles - February 11, 1978}}</ref> |44 |- !scope="row"|Canada ([[CHUM Chart|CHUM]])<ref>{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061107225439/http://www.1050chum.com/index_chumcharts.aspx?artist=7526|archive-date=November 7, 2006|title=Rush|url=http://www.1050chum.com/index_chumcharts.aspx?artist=7526|publisher=[[CHUM (AM)|1050 CHUM]]|access-date=February 7, 2026}}</ref> | 13 |- !scope="row"|[[UK Singles Chart|UK Singles]] ([[Official Charts Company|OCC]])<ref name = "OCC">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/songs/rush-closer-to-the-heart/|title=Closer to the Heart – Rush|publisher=[[Official Charts Company]]|access-date=February 7, 2026}}</ref> | 36 |- !scope="row"|UK Physical Singles ([[Official Charts Company|OCC]])<ref name = "OCC"/>{{break}}{{small|''2017 re-release''}} | 15 |- !scope="row"|[[Official Vinyl Singles Chart|UK Vinyl Singles]] ([[Official Charts Company|OCC]])<ref name = "OCC"/>{{break}}{{small|''2017 re-release''}} | 10 |- {{singlechart|Billboardhot100|76|artist=Rush|access-date=February 7, 2026|rowheader=true}} |- {{singlechart|Billboardhot100|69|artist=Rush|access-date=February 7, 2026|note=Live version|rowheader=true}} |- {{singlechart|Billboardmainstreamrock|21|artist=Rush|access-date=February 7, 2026|note=Live version|rowheader=true}} |}
==See also== *[[List of Rush songs]]
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Rush}} {{Authority control}} [[Category:1977 singles]] [[Category:1981 singles]] [[Category:Rush (band) songs]] [[Category:Songs written by Alex Lifeson]] [[Category:Songs written by Geddy Lee]] [[Category:Songs written by Neil Peart]] [[Category:Song recordings produced by Terry Brown (record producer)]] [[Category:1977 songs]] [[Category:Mercury Records singles]]