The Larger Bowl (A Pantoum)

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“The Larger Bowl (A Pantoum)”
“The Larger Bowl (A Pantoum)” cover
Song by Rush
Album Snakes & Arrows
Released May 1, 2007
Genre Progressive Rock, Hard Rock
Length 4:07
Label Atlantic Records
Writer Lifeson/Lee/Peart
Producer Rush & Nick Raskulinecz
Snakes & Arrows track listing
"Workin' Them Angels"
(3)
The Larger Bowl (A Pantoum)
(4)
"Spindrift"
(5)


"The Larger Bowl (A Pantoum)" is the fourth song and third single from Rush's 2007 album Snakes & Arrows.

[edit] Inspiration and lyrical structure

The lyrics were written by the drummer and primary lyricist, Neil Peart. The title was inspired by a "dysentery dream" he had while touring West Africa on his bicycle in 1988.[1]

Neil 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.[2]

In the early 1990s, Peart put words to the title.[1] The song is written in the form of a pantoum.

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Neil Peart. The Game of Snakes and Arrows (accessed May 19, 2007).
  2. ^ Neil Peart. The Masked Rider: Cycling in West Africa. Lawrencetown Beach: Pottersfield Press, 1996).