Tai Shan

Inspired by Peart's bicycle trip through China, this song references Mount Tai (Tai Shan) in Shandong province, one of China's five sacred mountains. The lyrics describe the spiritual experience of climbing the mountain and the perspective gained from reaching the summit. A backward sample of Aimee Mann's vocals appears at the end.

The song incorporates classical Chinese musical influences, making it one of Rush's most experimental tracks in terms of cultural inspiration. It was a genuine attempt to capture the emotional impact of Peart's travel experiences.

However, "Tai Shan" has the unfortunate distinction of being widely considered one of Rush's weakest songs. In a 2009 interview, Lee called its inclusion on the album "an error," saying "we should have known better." Lifeson called it "a little corny" in 2012, and in 2016 ranked it alongside "Panacea" as the worst songs Rush ever recorded. It was never performed live.