Time Stand Still (song) explained

Time Stand Still
Cover:Rush TIme Stand Still Single Cover.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Rush featuring Aimee Mann
Album:Hold Your Fire
Released:October 19, 1987
Length:5:09
Label:Anthem (Canada)
Mercury (US)
Chronology:Rush
Prev Title:Mystic Rhythms
Prev Year:1986
Next Title:Prime Mover
Next Year:1988

"Time Stand Still" is a song by Canadian progressive rock band Rush, released in 1987 as the lead single from their twelfth studio album Hold Your Fire. The song features American singer-songwriter Aimee Mann. It peaked at No. 3 on the U.S. Mainstream Rock chart on November 6, 1987, and was a minor hit single in the United Kingdom, peaking at No. 42 on the UK Singles Chart. A music video for the song was directed by Zbigniew Rybczyński.

Development and composition

"Time Stand Still" was the first track Neil Peart wrote for Hold Your Fire.[1] According to Peart, he wrote the lyrics for "Time Stand Still" based on his time with Rush:

"Time Stand Still" is in the key of E major. The tempo is moderately fast. The song starts in before going to common time by the first verse.[2] 'Til Tuesday frontwoman Aimee Mann briefly sings in each chorus of the song, marking Rush's first collaboration with another vocalist, with Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson adding that the band thought a female singer "would suit the song". Initially, the band had hoped to recruit Cyndi Lauper to sing the part, then later approached the Pretenders' Chrissie Hynde because, according to Lifeson, "we thought she'd be perfect. But Chrissie was unavailable at the time." Rush later recruited Mann[3] and paid her $2,000 to sing on the track,[4] with Lifeson saying that "her voice blends with Geddy [Lee]'s perfectly and I think it creates the right atmosphere for the song. It's just something new for Rush."

Critical reception

Chris Welch of Kerrang! praised it as "glowing brilliance which deserves serious chart attention for its haunting guitar, frantic drums and intense vocals."[5] In 2013, PopMatters writer Adrian Begrand listed "Time Stand Still" at #8 on his "10 Songs That Will Make You Love Rush", calling it "Rush's best pop moment."[6]

Music video

The song's music video was directed by Polish filmmaker Zbigniew Rybczyński. According to the editor of the video, Glenn Lazzaro:

Aimee Mann appears with the band in the video, which was filmed over the course of an entire day.[7] [8]

Charts

Chart (1987) Peak
position
US Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks (Billboard)[9] 3
Canada Top Singles Chart (RPM)[10] 52

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Fireworks: The Making of "Hold Your Fire" . Peart . Neil . Power Windows . June 16, 2017.
  2. http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/Time-Stand-Still/19319680# Time Stand Still Digital Sheet Music by Rush
  3. Putterford, Mark (October 17, 1987). Lifeson Times. Kerrang!. Accessed from June 21, 2013.
  4. Klein, Joshua (November 15, 2000). Interview - Aimee Mann. The A.V. Club. Accessed from June 21, 2013.
  5. Welch . Chris . Singlez . . 31 October 1987 . 160 . 13 . 0262-6624.
  6. Begrand, Andrian (April 17, 2013). 10 Songs That Will Make You Love Rush. PopMatters. Accessed from June 7, 2021.
  7. Geddy Lee Dives Into Rush's Video Timeline . Greene . Andy . . October 7, 2013 . January 24, 2016.
  8. Flashback: Rush Team With Aimee Mann for Surreal 'Time Stand Still' Video . Greene . Andy . . February 16, 2017 . June 16, 2017.
  9. Rush - Chart History: Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks
  10. Top Singles - Volume 47, No. 9, December 05 1987. RPM. March 23, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20140110091237/http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.0908&type=1&interval=50&PHPSESSID=c6btf3r8hs459qqt5ln3o3dcv5. January 10, 2014. dead.