Album: Power Windows (1985)

License This Song 

Songfacts®:

• Neil Peart told Canadian Composer, April 1986, that "Marathon" is about "the triumph of time and a kind of message to myself (because I think life is too short for all the things that I want to do)." He added: "There's a self-admonition saying that life is long enough. You can do a lot - just don't burn yourself out too fast trying to do everything at once. 'Marathon' is a song about individual goals and trying to achieve them. And it's also about the old Chinese proverb: 'The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step."
• In the April 1986 issue of Guitar Player magazine, Alex Lifeson was asked if any tracks on the album were specially difficult to cut. He replied: "It's funny. There's always one song that you're terrified of doing. You think it's going to be really tough, and Marathon was the one. We wrote it and thought, 'This song is going to be like pulling teeth once we get in the studio.' Of course, we get into the studio and it's a breeze. And a song like Emotion Detector, which we thought would be a breeze, was the killer. It was very, very difficult to get the mood right. I'm still not really sold on that song. It never ended up sounding the way I had hoped it would. But the Marathon solo was probably the easiest of all the solos to do." >>>

  Suggestion credit:
  Mike - Mountlake Terrace, Washington, for above 2

Comments: 12

• Darren from UkI've seen Rush everytime they've been to the UK for the past 30 years. What a group, my favs. Recently I lost my job, racing around to get back into work, had a complete meltdown, lost weight, but now I am on a good recovery pattern. What a song. Don't keep rushing and racing around, although life puts you against it at times. The moral of the jibberish: life's a MARATHON not a sprint. Enjoy your life and take it as a MARATHON.
• Deron from Clifton Hts, PaI was a runner 25 yrs ago and now I'm trying to get back in my prime shape and this song helps a lot. Plus I'm building a race car for 1/4 mile track it's a (73 Plymouth Road Runner)and it is my Red Barchetta.But anyway this song makes me push everything to the limit weather it be me or my cars. Deron,West Brook park PA.
• Rufus from Wheeling, WvLove the bass line(s) on this one; love the version from A Show of Hands.
• Parvez from San Francisco, CaThe lyric "At first, to last" is a phrase used by one of Napolean's generals. I can't remember the French.
• Jaakko from Pudasjärvi, FinlandThis is one of my favourite Rush songs. Dunno what else to say, it's just brilliant.
• Chen from Yichang, ChinaChinese proverb: 'The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step."
  
  yeah，its "千里之行,始于足下"
• Mike from Escondido, CaThe middle instrumental part of "Marathon" is wonderful. One of the best the band has ever done!
• John from Asheville, NcI've always like this song. Love how the pace reflects the lyrical theme. Love the warm keyboard splashes during the chorus. Song has a feeling of triumph to it without being overly dramatic in the keyboards...which a lot of 80s tunes suffer from. Rush always knows when to use their instruments as accents and rarely overdoes it. Nice temperment here too.
• Reed from Cincinnati, OhI'm 16 years of age, have run only track and cross country as sports for the past 5 years, love the song... Also my warm up song... I always thought Getti said "from first to last, the week kids never past"
• Aaron Edward Sarka from Seward, Aki'm a cross-country runner, this is my warm-up song
• David from Peterborough, Canadasweet son, has real meaning like keep oing to achieve your goals.
• David from Port Hawkesbury, CanadaI was at a track and field meet a couple weeks ago, and I'm in high jump, and you always get that feeling that maybe youre gonna hit the bar, or something will go wrong, I think this song says that perfectly.

More Songfacts:

GreaseFrankie Valli

The song "Grease," sung by Frankie Valli in the 1978 movie, was written by Barry Gibb of The Bee Gees.

1234Feist

Feist's "1234" is "about lost love, and the hope to recapture what you once had," but it's best known for the Sesame Street version about counting to four.

Brown Eyed GirlVan Morrison

Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl" was originally called "Brown Skinned Girl," and was about an interracial relationship.

Everyday I Write The BookElvis Costello

Elvis Costello says "Everyday I Write The Book" is a knockoff of Nick Lowe's "When I Write the Book."

Pump Up The JamTechnotronic

The first Eurodance hit in America was "Pump Up The Jam" by Technotronic in 1989. It led to a wave of Eurodance hits from the likes of Black Box, Snap! and C+C Music Factory in the early '90s.

Ring Of FireJohnny Cash

Johnny Cash's wife, June Carter, wrote "Ring Of Fire" about their relationship.

Editor's Picks

Emmylou HarrisSongwriter Interviews

She thinks of herself as a "song interpreter," but back in the '80s another country star convinced Emmylou to take a crack at songwriting.

Wherefore Art Thou Romeo LyricMusic Quiz

In this quiz, spot the artist who put Romeo into a song lyric.

James Williamson of Iggy & the StoogesSongwriter Interviews

The Stooges guitarist (and producer of the Kill City album) talks about those early recordings and what really happened with David Bowie.

Scott Gorham of Thin Lizzy and Black Star RidersSongwriter Interviews

Writing with Phil Lynott, Scott saw their ill-fated frontman move to a darker place in his life and lyrics.

Shawn MullinsSongwriter Interviews

"Lullaby" singer Shawn Mullins on "Beautiful Wreck," beating the Devil, and his writing credit on the Zac Brown Band song "Toes."

Jonathan Edwards - "Sunshine"They're Playing My Song

"How much does it cost? I'll buy it?" Another songwriter told Jonathan to change these lyrics. Good thing he ignored this advice.