The “pretentious” 1981 Rush fan favourite Geddy Lee resented: “I never wanted to play that song”
Rush bassist and singer Geddy Lee once disliked “The Camera Eye”, the ambitious track on the band’s 1981 album *Moving Pictures*, and resented fans’ requests to hear it live. His changing view reflects how a song can feel different to its creators over time, while remaining meaningful to listeners.
The band did not perform it in concert from 1984 until 2011. Lee later reworked the song, shortening it by about 90 seconds and changing the keyboard parts; playing the revised version helped him appreciate its chord progression and vocal melodies again. Alex Lifeson also said the band felt they had improved the song.
In short
- Lee once thought “The Camera Eye” was pretentious and unworthy.
- Rush left it out of concerts from 1984 to 2011.
- A 90-second trim helped Lee fall in love with it again.