The lyrics, written by Neil Peart, articulate his discomfort with fame and notoriety in sombre, eloquent language, even alluding to the well-known Shakespearean line “All the world’s a stage / And all the men and women merely players” from the play, “As You Like It.”
In a 2007 interview, Alex Lifeson gave his take on Limelight: “It’s funny: after all these years, the solo to Limelight is my favorite to play live. There’s something very sad and lonely about it; it exists in its own little world. And I think, in its own way, it reflects the nature of the song’s lyrics – feeling isolated amidst chaos and adulation.”
The song was featured in the films “I Love You, Man” (2009), “Adventureland” (2009), and “Fanboys” (2008). In an episode of the television series, “Trailer Park Boys”, Bubbles gives Mr. Lahey the finger to the opening riff of Limelight while driving by in a car.
