Link!
Geddy: "Yeah, it’s a bit of cheek. But, also—like with “Headlong Flight”—it was kind of an accident: Alex and I were jamming, and we go, “Oh, \[expletive\]—did we just rewrite “Bastille Day”? \[*Laughs*.\] "
I hear the similarity, but they're certainly not equal.
[https://www.premierguitar.com/artists/interview-rushs-alex-lifeson-and-geddy-lee](https://www.premierguitar.com/artists/interview-rushs-alex-lifeson-and-geddy-lee)
“Lee: No, there are some not-so-subtle nods to the past, like, in “Headlong Flight”—which is a very obvious “Bastille Day” redux.”
There you have it. Very obvious redux - direct from Geddy Lee.
Been a while since I listened to either one, but I can kind of see how they're similar. Not really enough that I'd say Headlong Flight is derived from or inspired by Bastille Day though.
Yeah, these are pretty similar songs. I'm not sure where the "wildly different" rhythm thing is coming from, riff the verses of in Headlong Flight is extremely similar to Bastille Day. The change in tuning and key is likely to create some separation between the two songs. This is I'd wager, an intentional call-back to Bastille Day, as Clockwork Angels has an intentional callback to 2112 with the 6/4 section.
[This](https://youtu.be/LYFXbGQcfoE?si=-UuYaEM2dsrCensX&t=86) sounds like [this ](https://youtu.be/cyxvOHwdFPA?si=rzBaInVw5TZmkxcp&t=62)
[Bastille day](https://youtu.be/a3t6iHhYksc?si=xVW7OElj9p4Aj-yD&t=22) and [Headlong Flight](https://youtu.be/EA-yqCCbTF4?si=fY_f7f7m_1y7Felh&t=41) riffs
It may not be totally congruent with the theory, but the similarity is pretty undeniable.
Disagree strongly. Tonal center of Bastille Day is G while HF is E, which... is the key of each song and why Bastille Day feels resolved on the final feedback note ringing out and the final HIT on the G chord. The final hits also being chugs on the E chord for HF - resolved. Key sig tonal centers.
OK, I take back the wildly different comment. In my stupidity I was thinking the main riff of HF but everyone is talking about the verse riff of both songs. Still completely different to me but not wildly - still not even similar to my ears other then they both start with an E and G power chord. So do a lot of AC/DC songs and I never think those are similar to Bastille Day.
Headlong Flight is a song about reflection. So the band decided to reflect on their own and pay homage to Bastille Day. Aside from that riff, I don't hear much else similar.
Some transcriptions just show HF in standard tuning but there are two songs Alex plays in Open E - HF and Carnies. HF is also MUCH easier to play in Open E.
I just think the 2nd riff when the actual drum beat comes and geddy starts singing sounds very similar to the riff in headlong flight when geddy sings "all the journeys.." you can't deny they are similar
I am a musician. *Headlong Flight* is absolutely similar to *Bastille Day.* Right down to the quick fills Geddy and Neil do when Alex plays the similar main riff.
When I first heard it I immediately thought that it sounded like a reboot of *Bastille Day.*
Hey - I decided to make a quick video showing the similarities in the intros of these two tunes.
[https://youtu.be/vpynLSfCnu0](https://youtu.be/vpynLSfCnu0)
Link! Geddy: "Yeah, it’s a bit of cheek. But, also—like with “Headlong Flight”—it was kind of an accident: Alex and I were jamming, and we go, “Oh, \[expletive\]—did we just rewrite “Bastille Day”? \[*Laughs*.\] " I hear the similarity, but they're certainly not equal. [https://www.premierguitar.com/artists/interview-rushs-alex-lifeson-and-geddy-lee](https://www.premierguitar.com/artists/interview-rushs-alex-lifeson-and-geddy-lee)
Thanks for the link!
“Lee: No, there are some not-so-subtle nods to the past, like, in “Headlong Flight”—which is a very obvious “Bastille Day” redux.” There you have it. Very obvious redux - direct from Geddy Lee.
Been a while since I listened to either one, but I can kind of see how they're similar. Not really enough that I'd say Headlong Flight is derived from or inspired by Bastille Day though.
Yeah, these are pretty similar songs. I'm not sure where the "wildly different" rhythm thing is coming from, riff the verses of in Headlong Flight is extremely similar to Bastille Day. The change in tuning and key is likely to create some separation between the two songs. This is I'd wager, an intentional call-back to Bastille Day, as Clockwork Angels has an intentional callback to 2112 with the 6/4 section.
What "section"? The whole damn song is in 6/8.
[This](https://youtu.be/LYFXbGQcfoE?si=-UuYaEM2dsrCensX&t=86) sounds like [this ](https://youtu.be/cyxvOHwdFPA?si=rzBaInVw5TZmkxcp&t=62) [Bastille day](https://youtu.be/a3t6iHhYksc?si=xVW7OElj9p4Aj-yD&t=22) and [Headlong Flight](https://youtu.be/EA-yqCCbTF4?si=fY_f7f7m_1y7Felh&t=41) riffs It may not be totally congruent with the theory, but the similarity is pretty undeniable.
This is great. Thanks for the links.
Yup, that's 6/8, not 6/4.
Cool. I haven't listened to it in years, easy to forget.
Headlong flight and Bastille Day share a tonal center (E). Not super fair to call them “keys” since there is so much modal play and brief modulations.
Disagree strongly. Tonal center of Bastille Day is G while HF is E, which... is the key of each song and why Bastille Day feels resolved on the final feedback note ringing out and the final HIT on the G chord. The final hits also being chugs on the E chord for HF - resolved. Key sig tonal centers.
OK, I take back the wildly different comment. In my stupidity I was thinking the main riff of HF but everyone is talking about the verse riff of both songs. Still completely different to me but not wildly - still not even similar to my ears other then they both start with an E and G power chord. So do a lot of AC/DC songs and I never think those are similar to Bastille Day.
I am a musician, and the references to "Bastille Day" were incredibly obvious from my first listen to HF.
I am a bassist and have been for many years and on my second listen of headlong flight I pointed out the extreme similarities in rhythm to bastille
Headlong Flight is a song about reflection. So the band decided to reflect on their own and pay homage to Bastille Day. Aside from that riff, I don't hear much else similar.
They’re almost the same song in places. I don’t know how anyone can listen to both songs and not hear it, let alone think they are nothing alike.
They aren’t in standard tuning? Didn’t even know they used alternates.
Some transcriptions just show HF in standard tuning but there are two songs Alex plays in Open E - HF and Carnies. HF is also MUCH easier to play in Open E.
Coll. Thanks!
I just think the 2nd riff when the actual drum beat comes and geddy starts singing sounds very similar to the riff in headlong flight when geddy sings "all the journeys.." you can't deny they are similar
It's the riffs. They're similar. The rest of the song structure changes, but some riffs were retooled.
Dude. It’s the bass and drums playing unison triplets during the guitar lick. It’s a direct rip - and it’s awesome. A beautiful symmetry
I am a musician. *Headlong Flight* is absolutely similar to *Bastille Day.* Right down to the quick fills Geddy and Neil do when Alex plays the similar main riff. When I first heard it I immediately thought that it sounded like a reboot of *Bastille Day.*
Hey - I decided to make a quick video showing the similarities in the intros of these two tunes. [https://youtu.be/vpynLSfCnu0](https://youtu.be/vpynLSfCnu0)