Marathon (Rush song)
During the mid-1980s, Rush's style was beginning to lean towards a more synthesizer based style of rock music, as opposed to their earlier, heavier guitar based hard rock and progressive rock. During the mid-1980s, Neil Peart was also beginning to experiment with an electronic drum kit. "Power Windows" is perhaps Rush's most heavily synthesizer influenced album. All of these elements are evident throughout the album, including on "Marathon". It contains different sections with both Geddy Lee's synthesizer as the lead instrument, as well as Alex Lifeson's guitar as the lead instrument. During the chorus, Lee's synthesizer is most prominent, while during the verses and solo passages there is a mix between synthesizer and guitar. "Marathon" was first played on the 1985-1986 "Power Windows Tour" and was dropped after the 1990 "Presto tour". The song was brought back live into the set list of Rush's 2010-2011 "Time Machine Tour". When the song was played on this tour, a pyrotechnic effect was used during the second verse after Lee sang the lyrics "more than just the bottom line or a lucky shot in the dark. "
Performances of "Marathon" are included on the "A Show of Hands" concert film and "A Show of Hands" live album as well as the concert DVD, Blu-ray and double CD "Time Machine 2011: Live in Cleveland".
Composition
"Marathon" is the fourth track on Canadian rock band Rush's 1985 album "Power Windows".