ENGLISH & MUSIC: A RIDE Through the Future

By Paul Ponce, PLS Teacher

Songs are always a great way to learn a language in context. And when the song tells a story, the music acts like the soundtrack. The story behind this song takes us to a future where things are less than ideal.

Of course, stories about future dystopian societies normally act as cautionary tales about what might happen one day. So they are usually not a lot of fun. However, this one is a little different.

First of all, it’s a rock song by legendary Canadian power rock trio Rush, which means powerful music and thought-provoking poetic lyrics (hence, a chance to improve your vocabulary). Second, it’s about a guy that breaks the law by escaping from a gated city to visit his cool uncle and enjoy the freedom of driving a real car, something which is illegal in this place and time. But not just any car, a stylish Italian sports car from a bygone era: a Barchetta.

SUGGESTED ACTIVITY:  First, READ and understand the lyrics. Next, WATCH the short animated film - based on the song - which tells the story as you listen to the lyrics. The lyrics are provided below and have links to the meaning of some words. Afterwards, proceed to QUESTIONS and DISCUSSION at the end.

"Red Barchetta" Story Reel from Sant Arellano on Vimeo.

GRAMMAR NOTE: The story is told in present tense narrative and in many cases omits the subject when the protagonist talks about what he does. This is a poetic decision which makes the lyrics easier to match to the music, while still maintaining clear storytelling.

Red Barchetta by Rush

My uncle has a country place

That no one knows about

He says it used to be a farm

Before the Motor Law

And now on Sundays I elude the eyes

And hop the turbine freight

To far outside the wire where my

White-haired uncle waits

(subject “I” omitted)

Jump to the ground as the turbo slows

To cross the borderline

Run like the wind as excitement shivers

Up and down my spine

But down in his barn

My uncle preserved for me

An old machine

For fifty-odd years

To keep it as new

Has been his dearest dream

I strip away the old debris

That hides a shining car

A brilliant Red Barchetta

From a better vanished time

We'll fire up the willing engine

Responding with a roar

Tires spitting gravel

I commit my weekly crime

Wind

In my hair

Shifting and drifting

Mechanical music

Adrenaline surge

Well-oiled leather

Hot metal and oil

The scented country air

Sunlight on chrome

The blur of the landscape

Every nerve aware

Suddenly ahead of me

Across the mountainside

A gleaming alloy air-car

Shoots towards me two lanes wide

Oh, I spin around with shrieking tires

To run the deadly race

Go screaming through the valley

As another joins the chase

Ride like the wind

Straining the limits

Of machine and man

Laughing out loud with fear and hope

I've got a desperate plan

At the one-lane bridge

I leave the giants stranded

At the riverside

Race back to the farm

To dream with my uncle

At the fireside

QUESTIONS: Use the vocabulary in the lyrics to answer:

• What do we know about the boy's uncle’s country place?
• When does he commit his weekly “crime”?
• How long has his uncle kept the Barchetta?
• How does the boy prepare the car before driving?
• What are some of the sensations he feels as he drives?
• What appears across the mountain side?
• What's the boy's desperate plan to escape from the alloy air-cars?
• What does the boy do when he gets back to the farm?

SENTENCES: Create new sentences using some of the following: used to, elude, run like the wind, shiver, odd years, strip away, fire up, roar, gravel, surge, scented, chrome, allow, spin, shrieking, tires, straining, stranded

DISCUSSION: 

• What are some of the major themes of this story and how do characters, actions and events represent these themes?
• What does driving the car represent to the boy?
• What does driving a car represent in other places?

LIVE MUSIC: Here are Geddy Lee (bass, vocals), Alex Lifeson (guitar) and Neil Peart (drums, lyrics) of Rush performing the song live at a recent concert. By the way, these guys are like the boy's uncle. Not so young any more, but still firing up their machines and having fun.

Origin: Rush drummer / lyricist Neil Peart was inspired to write this song after reading a futuristic short story titled "A Nice Morning Drive", by Richard Foster and published in the November 1973 issue of Road and Track magazine.