Not everyone is blessed (or cursed) with an ear attuned to Geddy Lee’s singular wail. One of my ex-wives once told me she turned on the radio, heard what she thought was a dying cat, and only realized a few moments later that it was Rush. And yet, here I am—lifelong fan—proudly curating Muzzled Rush: a playlist of the best Rush instrumentals, where the bass still slaps, the drums still thunder, and the guitar still weeps. Geddy (and Neil, lyrically speaking) sits this one out vocally.
It’s also an exhaustive list of their instrumentals. All eight of them—over nineteen albums. For the unconverted, it’s a safe entry point. For the faithful, it’s a reminder that even without the shriek, Rush is still Rush—mathematical, emotional, and magical.
I won’t bother including live cuts (like “2112” sections) or drum solos. There’s a place for that, but it’s not here. These are the studio tracks only, and I’ll go ahead and spoil it for you: “YYZ” isn’t my number one. Get over it.
I’ll list the tracks in order of release and include the album where you can find each one. Then, I’ll assign a ranking based on a mix of composition, feel, and replay value (and my considered opinion, which is, of course, uncontestable). You can find the full ranked list at the bottom of this article. Let’s get on with the best Rush instrumentals of all time.
“La Villa Strangiato” (Hemispheres, 1978)
If Rush has a crown jewel of instrumentals, it is “La Villa Strangiato!” This so-called “Exercise in Self-Indulgence” (because, of course, it is) knows it’s showing off, and it doesn’t pretend otherwise. The intro is some Alex Lifeson sorcery with his classical motifs before the whole thing zig-zags through genres like a technicolor fever dream. It’s a myriad of tempo shifts, theatricality, and controlled chaos.
It feels a little out of place compared to the rest of Hemispheres, but Hemispheres is a hodge-podge of vibes wrapped up in just four tracks. I think the band went into the studio to record this one and said, “What if we just didn’t care about commercial expectations?” And after the success of 2112, they knew they could afford an attitude like that. With “La Villa Strangiato,” the band breaks out of their heady philosophy and simply enjoys a mad-scientist jam session. You don’t just listen to this song; you live in it. It’s indulgent, emotional, and unforgettable.
“YYZ” (Moving Pictures, 1981)
The song everyone knows, even if they don’t know they know it. Built around the Morse code for Toronto’s airport code, “YYZ” is tight, clean, and undeniably sharp. It’s a technical marvel—polished to perfection but lifelessly cold. I said what I said. It’s a perfectly executed math equation, not a poem. This song is best considered as an elite side dish to the rest of the album’s ambitious meal. But it will never be a main course.
Don’t get me wrong, I love the song. But I, unlike many a fanboy, will admit that it has no soul or heart. It contributes to Moving Pictures in ways that “La Villa Strangiato” does not with Hemispheres. But it’s still just a formula; it’s not alchemy.
“Where’s My Thing? (Part IV, ‘Gangster of Boats’ Trilogy)” (Roll the Bones, 1991)
This one is a light-hearted departure from an otherwise serious and philosophical album. It’s fun and has a good groove. It’s funky enough and easy to like. It’s a needed smirk in an album full of furrowed brows. Just don’t go looking for the first three parts of this trilogy…
“Leave That Thing Alone” (Counterparts, 1993)
Oh man! This one oozes atmosphere. It’s smooth, moody, and deceptively simple. Bombast takes a backseat while restraint takes the wheel on this song. It whispers where others shout and stays effortlessly cool, stylish, and confident. The noir vibe has me imagining a man with some late-night inner monologue and rain on the window…the soundtrack to a man who can never quite get the girl.
It edges out “YYZ” for me. I said what I said.
“Limbo” (Test for Echo, 1996)
This one’s weird. I hesitate to call it bad because I think I like all of Rush’s songs. But this one is not in the top, oh, 150 or so. Sure, it’s moody and chaotic and loaded with samples, but it doesn’t know what it wants to be. It has lots of ideas, but they never land. It lurks more than anything. It’s more filler than statement. If you count Geddy Lee’s ghostly mumbling as vocals, this one’s not an instrumental anyway. Par for the course for Test for Echo, I didn’t love the album. “Driven” and “Totem” and “Resist” being the exceptions. Those deserve more respect than the rest.
“The Main Monkey Business” (Snakes & Arrows, 2007)
Four decades into Rush’s career, we get “The Main Monkey Business.” This song is dense and technically sharp with a pretty solid groove. It’s the sound of three seasoned musicians flexing in full sync. The whole thing moves with confidence. Maybe too much confidence. There isn’t a whole lot to make it stand out ahead of all the others, despite being a definite step up from “Limbo.” It’s just a touch too redundant to be risky or original enough to overtake “Where’s My Thing?” It’s a good track, but not quite essential.
“Hope” (Snakes & Arrows, 2007)
Alex Lifeson on a 12-string acoustic. He lets the notes breathe, but it’s a mood piece more than a composition. That’s okay. I remember reading about Lifeson’s Victor project, where he said he no longer felt compelled to prove himself as a guitarist. He shows that he still had that ethos when he laid down this track. He didn’t overplay, he just let it be what it is. It’s honest and emotionally quiet. Beautiful in its simplicity, but it fades quickly.
“Malignant Narcissism” (Snakes & Arrows, 2007)
This one is good—not great. Kudos to Lee for trying his hand at a fretless bass though! The song is good, as I said. It’s gritty, raw, and fun, but a bit fleeting too. It has more personality and bite than “The Main Monkey Business,” but less narrative. This was tough for me to pick a favorite of the two. Ultimately I have to go with “The Main Monkey Business,” but like Neptune and Pluto, they can swap places depending on circumstances. “Malignant Narcissism” struts. “The Main Monkey Business wanders, builds, and rewards if you let your guard down.
Ranking the best Rush Instrumentals
- “La Villa Strangiato” (Hemispheres, 1978)
- “Leave That Thing Alone” (Counterparts, 1993)
- “YYZ” (Moving Pictures, 1981)
- “Where’s My Thing? (Part IV, ‘Gangster of Boats’ Trilogy)” (Roll the Bones, 1991)
- “The Main Monkey Business” (Snakes & Arrows, 2007)
- “Malignant Narcissism” (Snakes & Arrows, 2007)
- “Hope” (Snakes & Arrows, 2007)
- “Limbo” (Test for Echo, 1996)
So there you have it—the best Rush instrumentals of all time. Four decades, zero vocals. Whether you’re a lifelong fan or someone just easing into the Rush catalog without having to acclimate to Geddy’s upper register, these tracks showcase the band’s precision, chemistry, and humor. Rush manages to say a lot even without lyrics.
And for all my joking, you’re welcome to disagree with my rankings. That’s part of the fun, and I’m just another fan. Unless you tell me “Limbo” deserves better. Now I need to decide the perfect Rush song for the Hangover Cafe…
