Slipping
Background and Commentary
A ballad in the form of a mea culpa: “Meant to show you / What’s inside this shallow heart / But I could not find the words.” The piece blends piano and electric guitar in a soft-spoken melody.—Rob Freedman, Rush Vault
“‘Slipping’ is a bit of an apology for things that have gone on in my life and a confession about my fallibility. And in spite of all my best intentions, sometimes I screw up. And I thought this was something that most people could relate to.”—Geddy in TV Guide Online, reproduced in Merely Players
“‘Slipping’ is such a good song. Inspiring lyrics, and I like the heavy soundscape with a vocal melody along with it.”—Mellotron Storm on Prog Archives
“‘Slipping’ in particular is characterized by an excellent segment of vocalization about halfway through that solidifies the song and, indeed, the album.”—King By-Tor on Prog Archives
The piece is the “only song to really make use of the piano. It is the softest one on the album. It is a song that would really be at home in the soundtrack of a romantic drama. The words remind us that no matter the intentions of the people we love, they can still fail and hurt us somehow.”—Epignosis on Prog Archives
Lyrics
Meant to tell you
Tell you from the start
Meant to show you
What’s inside this shallow heart
But I could not find the words
Worthy enough to say
I slipped along the way
I slipped along the way
Tried to be there
Be there when you fall
Tried to make you feel big
When life makes you feel small
But I could not find the steps
Quickly enough to take
I slipped along the way
I slipped along the way
Want to change things
Want to clear the air
Fix the things around us
So badly in need of repair
But I might not have the sense
Sense enough to change
I slipped along the way
I slipped along the way
rush vault 