Words by neil peart, music by geddy lee and alex lifeson
Living on a lighted stage
approaches the unreal
for those who think and feel
in touch with some reality
beyond the gilded cage
Cast in this unlikely role,
ill-equipped to act
with insufficient tact
one must put up barriers
to keep oneself intact
Living in the limelight
the universal dream
for those who wish to seem
Those who wish to be
must put aside the alienation
get on with the fascination
the real relation
the underlying theme
Living in a fisheye lens
caught in the camera eye
i have no heart to lie
i can't pretend a stranger
is a long-awaited friend
All the world's indeed a stage
and we are merely players
performers and portrayers
each another's audience
outside the gilded cage