Rush » Tracks » Red Barchetta

Rush – Red Barchetta (6:08)

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About This Track

“Red Barchetta” is a song by band Rush from their album Moving Pictures.

Synopsis
The song describes a post-petroleum future in which the “primitive” gasoline-burning sports cars are prohibited by “the Motor Law.” The narrator’s uncle has kept one of these illicit vehicles (the titular red Barchetta) in pristine condition for some “fifty-odd years” and keeps it hidden at his secret country home (previously a farm before the aforementioned Motor Law). During one of his weekly drives, the narrator encounters an “alloy air car” that begins to chase him along the roads. A second such vehicle soon joins the pursuit, which continues until the narrator drives his Barchetta across a one-lane bridge that is too narrow for the air cars. The song ends with the narrator returning safely to his uncle’s farm.

Background
The song was inspired by the futuristic short story “A Nice Morning Drive,” written by Richard Foster and published in the November, 1973 issue of Road and Track magazine. The story describes a similar future in which increasingly-stringent safety regulations have forced cars to evolve into massive “Modern Safety Vehicles” (MSVs), capable of withstanding a 50-mile-per-hour impact without injury to the driver. Consequently, drivers of MSVs have become less safety-conscious and more aggressive, and “bouncing” (intentionally ramming) the older, smaller cars is a common sport among some.

Rush lyricist Neil Peart made several attempts to contact Foster while working on the album, but Road and Track did not have an up-to-date address, and Rush were forced to settle for a brief “Inspired by” note in the lyric sheet mentioning the story.
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Albums featuring this track

  • Moving Pictures
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  • The Spirit of Radio: Greatest Hits 1974-1987
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  • Chronicles
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  • Spirit Of Radio: Greatest Hits (1974-1987)
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See all 38 albums

Shouts

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  • parkjose

    Great vocals, such a distinctive sound. You can tell it's Rush all right.

    16 days ago

  • kemp678

    Jeezle, what a driving rhythm! Love them! :o) :o) :o) :o)

    20 days ago

  • jpeiper

    Perhaps the greatest ode to an auto ever written. I LOVE this song.

    last month

  • Engmarkinus2

    As close to perfection as you're going to get.

    last month

  • Panecea

    RUSH = to fall outside the wire. xoxo

    last month

  • MIKEH3875

    one of their best

    last month

  • POOlgie

    Their best!

    last month

  • Joemiers

    love this song

    last month

  • jaynumber13

    A perfect Rush song!

    last month

  • BlueOclock

    Splendid!!!

    March 2012

  • tonecapone22

    Epic!

    March 2012

  • Fearrademi

    Great!

    March 2012

  • GlenMar10

    Pert is the best What a song writer, storyteller and oh yeah.... The best at beating the sticks. No one ever comes close to RUSH. Between the three of them, they play how many instruments??? (:o}>gm

    February 2012

  • NIUHOY

    One of the first Rush tracks I practiced until I got it right. The ending drum flurish still gets me!

    February 2012

  • davidbowiegirl

    Great song

    February 2012

  • TommyMonoTone

    Anyone has a chance, read the story of the song on Wikipedia...very cool evolution of how this song came about.

    January 2012

  • Darklord1

    Rush and I share a respect for Ayn Rand. Great band!

    January 2012

  • Master Onion

    ♬ Well weathered leather, hot metal and oil, the scented country air... ♬

    January 2012

  • xtwntraphq

    One of the best? They ARE THE BEST !!!!

    December 2011

  • mellocone

    one of the bst trios of all time

    December 2011
See all 228 shouts

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