"The Larger Bowl" is the fourth track and third single from Rush's 2007 album '' Snakes & Arrows''.

Inspiration and lyrical structure

The lyrics were written by the drummer and primary lyricist

Neil Peart Neil Ellwood Peart ( ; September 12, 1952 – January 7, 2020) was a Canadian and American musician, known as the drummer, percussionist, and primary lyricist of the rock band Rush (band), Rush. He was known to fans by the nickname "the Profe ...

. The title was inspired by a "

dysentery Dysentery ( , ), historically known as the bloody flux, is a type of gastroenteritis that results in bloody diarrhea. Other symptoms may include fever, abdominal pain, and a feeling of incomplete defecation. Complications may include dehyd ...

dream" he had while touring

West Africa West Africa, also known as Western Africa, is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations geoscheme for Africa#Western Africa, United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Gha ...

on his bicycle in 1988.Neil Peart
''The Game of Snakes and Arrows''
(accessed May 19, 2007). Peart's book '' The Masked Rider: Cycling in West Africa'' includes a chapter entitled "The Larger Bowl" in which he describes the dream. The excerpt in which he mentions the song is as follows:

Anyway... a song was playing in the store, a plaintive ballad called "The Larger Bowl." Something about loneliness and the misfortunes of life, I recall. No such song as far as I know, but I like the title.Neil Peart. The Masked Rider: Cycling in West Africa. Lawrencetown Beach: Pottersfield Press, 1996).

In the early 1990s, Peart put words to the title. The song is written in the form of a pantoum.

References

Rush (band) songs 2007 singles Songs written by Geddy Lee Songs written by Alex Lifeson Songs written by Neil Peart Song recordings produced by Nick Raskulinecz 2007 songs Atlantic Records singles 2006 songs {{2000s-rock-song-stub

Inspiration and lyrical structure

See also

References