Circumstances

The first of two shorter tracks on Side 2, "Circumstances" is a tight, urgent rocker about the role of chance and environment in shaping one's life. Peart's lyrics reflect on how external forces — where you're born, the era you live in, the people you meet — shape destiny as much as personal choice.

Lee later identified this as the closest thing to a proper "song" on Hemispheres — something with a main flow rather than being constructed of movements. But he still felt it wasn't quite concise enough, and the desire to truly master the shorter form became a driving force behind Permanent Waves.

Musically it's notable for its French-influenced passages, reflecting Peart's growing cosmopolitan literary interests. It served as an important bridge between the progressive excess of the title suite and the more streamlined approach that was coming.