You could ask a hundred Rush fans to name their favorite song, and you’d probably get a hundred different answers. With 19 studio albums spanning five decades, Canada’s premier progressive rock band explored an array of musical styles.
From their hard rock roots to the prog rock mastery of Fly by Night and even their controversial keyboard era, Rush covered a lot of ground. But for the band, some career highlights came from unexpected places.
Cover songs are a delicate balancing act. What begins as a tribute can easily turn into a half-hearted cash grab or, worse, an insult to the original. For a band like Rush, known for pushing musical boundaries and pioneering prog rock anthems since 1968, cover songs seemed an odd route to take.
However, as their music became more intricate over time, covers provided a bit of a creative break.
This break came in the form of Feedback, a 2004 EP where Rush reimagined classic rock and blues songs, mainly from the rebellious 1960s. Their take on The Who’s “The Seeker” and Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth” reflected their deep admiration for the decade’s music, which paved the way for hard rock and, ultimately, Rush itself.
The 1960s were revolutionary, both musically and politically, defined by youthful rebellion and an unforgettable soundtrack. While Rush didn’t release their first album until 1974, they were deeply inspired by the music of the ’60s.
This inspiration came to life on Feedback, which was released to mark the 30th anniversary of their hard rock debut. Covering iconic tracks from the ‘60s as well as earlier blues and rock ‘n’ roll songs, Rush paid tribute to the era that helped shape their own musical journey.
Among these covers was a bold new version of “Heart Full of Soul,” a song originally recorded by The Yardbirds in 1965. The track holds a special place in rock history for its early use of the fuzz-box guitar effect and the first hint of Indian music influences in mainstream rock, helping pave the way for psychedelic rock and the spiritualism that followed. It’s no wonder Rush chose to honor it.
Though no cover can quite match the magic of The Yardbirds’ original, Rush’s version of “Heart Full of Soul” was a commendable effort. Bassist and vocalist Geddy Lee knew they’d nailed it, saying, “We changed it up a little bit. The verses are simple, but the choruses hit with a block of harmony that I wrote.”
Lee even went so far as to call it, “One of the best things we’ve ever recorded,” adding, “It sounds contemporary, but also like the ’60s. It feels like there should be an Austin Powers movie playing with it.”
While diehard Rush fans might not place this cover among the band’s greatest recordings—especially compared to their prog rock peaks in the 1970s—Lee’s enthusiasm likely came from the pure enjoyment they had while recording Feedback. And that’s something few would argue against.
