2112 (song)
"2112" (pronounced twenty-one twelve) is a song by the Canadian rock band Rush. It was released as a 20-minute song on their 1976 album of the same name and is the longest single song by the band. The overture and the first section, "The Temples of Syrinx", were released as a single. The song was adapted into a comic booklet, which used the lyrics of the song as lines for the characters and the narrations from the cover as intros.
Live Performance[edit]
Some portion(s) of 2112 has been played on every tour since its release, except for the Counterparts Tour.[14] Starting with the 1996-97 Test for Echo Tour, when any parts of the song were performed live, they were transposed down one full step,[15] as heard on every live album and DVD from Different Stages forward, due to Lee's decreased vocal range.
Popular culture[edit]
This song is on Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock where it is used within the game's storyline (four band warriors find Demigod's Battle Axe Guitar and must play all parts of "2112" on basic controllers). The level is narrated by Rush.
The song was made available to download on December 31, 2011 as both 3 pieces and as the complete 20-minute track, for play in Rock Band 3. Along with the basic gameplay offered with similar games in its series, the song also allowed players to utilize the Rock Band 3 exclusive Pro mode, which made use of MIDI guitars and a MIDI compatible electronic drum-kit to simulate playing the real song. It is the longest song available for the Rock Band series.
The song and its universe feature in the novel Ready Player One by Ernest Cline as fundamental plot elements, and also got a visual reference in its film adaptation.
In June 2021, a major Canadian 2112 TV series was proposed to Rush, which met with internal content approval via Anthem and Dentons. However, the strain a massive project of its kind would place upon Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson was cited for its ultimate dismissal.[16]