Carve Away the Stone

The album's closing track rewrites the myth of Sisyphus on optimistic terms — rather than endlessly pushing the same boulder uphill, the narrator chooses to carve away at the stone, reshaping it through persistent effort. It's about finding meaning in struggle rather than being crushed by it.

The uplifting arrangement closes the album on a hopeful note, with all three musicians playing with conviction and energy. It's a fitting end to what would be the final chapter of Rush's pre-hiatus career.

In the devastating context of what followed — the deaths that nearly ended the band — "Carve Away the Stone" reads as an unwitting message to Peart's future self: keep going, keep carving, the stone can be overcome. That he eventually did return makes the song's optimism feel almost prophetic.