Everyday Glory

Background and Commentary

The piece exemplifies the movement in Peart’s ethical philosophy, which goes from the individual against the regime, as in “2112,” to people pulling for one another. “Peart humanely, compassionately portrays the concrete reality of modern family life through the experience of an average little girl, not a literary figure such as Tom Sawyer or a mythological space traveler such as Cygnus. Peart also shows a sensitivity to how mundane ‘desperation drives the bored to extremes.’ We are ‘everyday people’ with everyday ‘shame’ and ‘promise,’ but there’s still hope.”—Neil Florek, Rush and Philosophy

“The role models that we really need are to be found all around us, right in our own neighborhoods. Not some remote model of perfection which exists only as a fantasy, but everyday people who actually show us, by example, a way to behave that we can see is good, and sometimes even people who can show us what it is to be excellent. I have found, in all neighborhoods of the world, that the heroes still outnumber the villains.” (A Port Boy’s Story)—Neil in Merely Players

“This song ended up being an analog-tape mix. For the last few years I’ve mixed only to digital, because I figured it was just a better tape recorder. But certain songs have a heavier midrange content, and on playback the analog recorder softens the midrange a bit, giving it a more likable sound. It’s not as efficient-sounding in terms of the top and bottom end, but it’s just nicer to listen to.” (Bass Player)—Geddy in Songfacts

Lyrics

In the house where nobody laughs
And nobody sleeps
In the house where love lies dying
And the shadows creep
A little girl hides shaking
With her hands on her ears
Pushing back the tears
‘Til the pain disappears

Mama says some ugly words
Daddy pounds the wall
They can fight about their little girl later
Right now they don’t care at all

No matter what they say
No matter what they say
No matter what they say
No matter what they say

Everyday people
Everyday shame
Everyday promise shot down in flames
Everyday sunrise
Another everyday story
Rise from the ashes and blaze
In everyday glory

In the city where nobody smiles
And nobody dreams
In the city where desperation
Drives the bored to extremes
Just one spark of decency
Against a starless night
One glow of hope and dignity
A child can follow the light

No matter what they say
No matter what they say
No matter what they say
No matter what they say

Everyday people
Everyday shame
Everyday promise shot down in flames
Everyday sunrise
Another everyday story
Rise from the ashes and blaze
In everyday glory

If the future’s looking dark
We’re the ones who have to shine
If there’s no one in control
We’re the ones who draw the line
Though we live in trying times
We’re the ones who have to try
Though we know that time has wings
We’re the ones who have to fly

Tablature

Excerpted from Ultimate Guitar.

Timing – (4/4)

|
|Guitar 1
| q e e e e e e e e e q e e e
E|———————————|———————————|
B|-13——13–13–13–15–r—17–|-r—15–r—13——13–13–13–|
G|————————-e——-|-e——-e———————–|
D|-10——10–10–10–12–s—14–|-s—12–s—10——10–10–10–|
A|————————-t——-|-t——-t———————–|
E|———————————|———————————|
|
|Guitar 2
| e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e
E|-3—3—3—3—3—3—3—3—|-3—3—3—3—3—3—3—3—|
B|-3—3—3—3—3—3—3—3—|-3—3—3—3—3—3—3—3—|
G|-5—5—5—5—5—5—5—5—|-5—5—5—5—5—5—5—5—|
D|-5—5—5—5—5—5—5—5—|-5—5—5—5—5—5—5—5—|
A|———————————|———————————|
E|———————————|———————————|

|
|Guitar 1
| q e e e e e e e h+Q
E|———————————|———————————|
B|-13——13–13–13–15–r—17–|-r—15————————–|
G|————————-e——-|-e——————————-|
D|-10——10–10–10–12–s—14–|-s—12————————–|
A|————————-t——-|-t——————————-|
E|———————————|———————————|
|
|Guitar 2
| e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e
E|-3—3—3—3—3—3—3—3—|-3—3—3—3—3—3—3—3—|
B|-3—3—3—3—3—3—3—3—|-3—3—3—3—3—3—3—3—|
G|-5—5—5—5—5—5—5—5—|-0—0—0—0—0—0—0—0—|
D|-5—5—5—5—5—5—5—5—|-5—5—5—5—5—5—5—5—|
A|———————————|———————————|
E|———————————|———————————|

|
|Guitar 1
| q e e e e e e e h e q
E|———————————|———————————|
B|-13——13–13–13–15–r—17–|-r—15————–15–15——|
G|————————-e——-|-e——————-12–12——|
D|-10——10–10–10–12–s—14–|-s—12————————–|
A|————————-t——-|-t——————————-|
E|———————————|———————————|

For complete tab, go to Ultimate Guitar.