This is a list of original songs and cover songs that Rush is known to have played, but have never been heard on any studio or live recordings, whether official or unofficial.
Therefore this is not to include I've Been Runnin', The Loser, Garden Road, Fancy Dancer, Bad Boy (no studio recordings), or Take A Friend, Not Fade Away, You Can't Fight It (no live recordings).
A few of these listed songs do likely exist on recordings, such as some early high school tapes in Alex's possession, but are otherwise completely unavailable to the public.
This is not necessarily an exhaustive list, but is only based on what we know through books, interviews, or other means, and please note that some dates are approximate at best.
Rush's formations as a band began by playing only cover songs, though they soon started to write and perform more and more of their own material. A few years later when they started playing in the local bars, covers being scattered in the setlist were a requirement for them to be able to play in those establishments. While it is unknown for how long they were being performed, many of the originals and covers in this list were possibly already being left behind by 1973, as much of their prominent material circa 1973 seems to have ended up being heard on recordings in one way or another. It's worth noting that some recorded songs such as Garden Road, In The Mood, You Can't Fight It, and Working Man are said to date back to the period of 1970-1971. Rush's initial studio sessions for their debut album took place around April 1973, while a few "newer" songs were recorded in November 1973, allegedly Finding My Way, Need Some Love, and Here Again. Whichever unrecorded originals and covers that remained long enough to be carried into 1974 live performances, they were nearly all left behind once John Rutsey left the band.
Originals:
Losing Again (as early as early 1969 - first original Rush song - purportedly the same song now known as The Loser)
Crazyhead (as early as 1969 - a humorous song inspired by a nickname John had given to Geddy's grandmother)
Child Reborn (as early as late 1969 - had multiple tempo changes)
Feel So Good (as early as 1970)
Keep In Line (as early as 1970)
Love Light (as early as 1970)
Marguerite (as early as 1970)
Mike's Idea (as early as 1970)
Morning Star (as early as 1970)
Number One (as early as 1970)
Run Willie Run (as early as 1970 - country-themed song - seen played by Alex in the "Come On Children" documentary, filmed in early 1971, and sung by one of the other kids, though unknown how well this represented a Rush performance)
Sing Guitar (as early as 1970)
Tale (as early as 1970)
Slaughterhouse (as early as 1971 - had a slight political tone)
Covers:
Purple Haze (Jimi Hendrix) (as early as September 1968)
Sunshine Of Your Love (Cream) (as early as September 1968)
Spoonful (Willie Dixon / Cream) (as early as September 1968)
Foxy Lady (Jimi Hendrix) (as early as September 1968)
Crossroads (Robert Johnson / Cream) (as early as September 1968)
Shapes Of Things (Yardbirds) (as early as September 1968)
Fire (Jimi Hendrix) (as early as September 1968)
Jailhouse Rock (Elvis Presley) (as early as 1969)
You Don't Love Me (Willie Cobbs / John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers) (as early as February 1969 - featured then-keyboardist Lindy Young singing lead vocals)
The Girl With The Golden Hair (Buddy Knox) (as early as February 1969)
Kaleidoscope (Procol Harum) (as early as early 1969) (featured Lindy Young on keyboards)
Let Me Love You (Jeff Beck Group) (as early as May 1969)
Living Loving Maid (Led Zeppelin) (as early as late 1969 - Geddy states it was one of the few Led Zeppelin tunes they attempted that wasn't too difficult for them to play at the time)
Kansas City (Leiber and Stoller / Wilbert Harrison) (as early as 1970)
Simple Sister (Procol Harum) (as early as 1971)
Road Runner (Junior Walker and the Allstars / Humble Pie) (as early as 1971)
Train Kept A-Rollin' (Tiny Bradshaw / Yardbirds / Led Zeppelin) (as early as late 1971)
Suffragette City (David Bowie) (as early as summer 1972, and as late as April 1974 - A heavy version of this song was played during this era, becoming one of Rush's most popular songs in the bars, and still well remembered by multiple attendees)
Various other cover songs were played since 1968-69 from bands/artists such as The Who, Rolling Stones, Ten Years After, Grand Funk Railroad, Traffic, Grateful Dead, Blue Cheer, all which we don't know by song title.
There were undoubtedly many other covers being played during the early 1970s, most of which we simply do not know of by song title, nor artist name.
Scrapped/Reworked Studio Songs:
As a bonus section, here are scrapped and reworked songs, in the sense of either musical arrangement or title, or rather early "work in progress" songs named during development prior to the final recording of a studio album.
Uncle Tounouse (1979) (instrumental, loosely worked into most Permanent Waves tracks)
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (1979) (intended for album, though parts were ultimately reworked into Natural Science)
Ruby Rouge (mid 1980s) (presumably Red Lenses)
Africans (mid 1980s) (either GUP, PoW or HYF material)
Perfect Motions (mid 1980s) (either GUP, PoW or HYF material)
No Use (mid 1980s) (either GUP, PoW or HYF material)
Do Do Waa (mid 1980s) (either GUP, PoW or HYF material)
Telescope Peak (2001) (loosely reworked into Ghost Rider, How It Is, and several other Vapor Trails tracks)
Manic Depression (Jimi Hendrix cover planned for Feedback)
Carnival (2009) (planned for Clockwork Angels)
Caravel (2009) (planned for Clockwork Angels)
Take That Lampshade Off Yo Head! (2011) (instrumental, later given lyrics and renamed Headlong Flight)
Therefore this is not to include I've Been Runnin', The Loser, Garden Road, Fancy Dancer, Bad Boy (no studio recordings), or Take A Friend, Not Fade Away, You Can't Fight It (no live recordings).
A few of these listed songs do likely exist on recordings, such as some early high school tapes in Alex's possession, but are otherwise completely unavailable to the public.
This is not necessarily an exhaustive list, but is only based on what we know through books, interviews, or other means, and please note that some dates are approximate at best.
Rush's formations as a band began by playing only cover songs, though they soon started to write and perform more and more of their own material. A few years later when they started playing in the local bars, covers being scattered in the setlist were a requirement for them to be able to play in those establishments. While it is unknown for how long they were being performed, many of the originals and covers in this list were possibly already being left behind by 1973, as much of their prominent material circa 1973 seems to have ended up being heard on recordings in one way or another. It's worth noting that some recorded songs such as Garden Road, In The Mood, You Can't Fight It, and Working Man are said to date back to the period of 1970-1971. Rush's initial studio sessions for their debut album took place around April 1973, while a few "newer" songs were recorded in November 1973, allegedly Finding My Way, Need Some Love, and Here Again. Whichever unrecorded originals and covers that remained long enough to be carried into 1974 live performances, they were nearly all left behind once John Rutsey left the band.
Originals:
Losing Again (as early as early 1969 - first original Rush song - purportedly the same song now known as The Loser)
Crazyhead (as early as 1969 - a humorous song inspired by a nickname John had given to Geddy's grandmother)
Child Reborn (as early as late 1969 - had multiple tempo changes)
Feel So Good (as early as 1970)
Keep In Line (as early as 1970)
Love Light (as early as 1970)
Marguerite (as early as 1970)
Mike's Idea (as early as 1970)
Morning Star (as early as 1970)
Number One (as early as 1970)
Run Willie Run (as early as 1970 - country-themed song - seen played by Alex in the "Come On Children" documentary, filmed in early 1971, and sung by one of the other kids, though unknown how well this represented a Rush performance)
Sing Guitar (as early as 1970)
Tale (as early as 1970)
Slaughterhouse (as early as 1971 - had a slight political tone)
Covers:
Purple Haze (Jimi Hendrix) (as early as September 1968)
Sunshine Of Your Love (Cream) (as early as September 1968)
Spoonful (Willie Dixon / Cream) (as early as September 1968)
Foxy Lady (Jimi Hendrix) (as early as September 1968)
Crossroads (Robert Johnson / Cream) (as early as September 1968)
Shapes Of Things (Yardbirds) (as early as September 1968)
Fire (Jimi Hendrix) (as early as September 1968)
Jailhouse Rock (Elvis Presley) (as early as 1969)
You Don't Love Me (Willie Cobbs / John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers) (as early as February 1969 - featured then-keyboardist Lindy Young singing lead vocals)
The Girl With The Golden Hair (Buddy Knox) (as early as February 1969)
Kaleidoscope (Procol Harum) (as early as early 1969) (featured Lindy Young on keyboards)
Let Me Love You (Jeff Beck Group) (as early as May 1969)
Living Loving Maid (Led Zeppelin) (as early as late 1969 - Geddy states it was one of the few Led Zeppelin tunes they attempted that wasn't too difficult for them to play at the time)
Kansas City (Leiber and Stoller / Wilbert Harrison) (as early as 1970)
Simple Sister (Procol Harum) (as early as 1971)
Road Runner (Junior Walker and the Allstars / Humble Pie) (as early as 1971)
Train Kept A-Rollin' (Tiny Bradshaw / Yardbirds / Led Zeppelin) (as early as late 1971)
Suffragette City (David Bowie) (as early as summer 1972, and as late as April 1974 - A heavy version of this song was played during this era, becoming one of Rush's most popular songs in the bars, and still well remembered by multiple attendees)
Various other cover songs were played since 1968-69 from bands/artists such as The Who, Rolling Stones, Ten Years After, Grand Funk Railroad, Traffic, Grateful Dead, Blue Cheer, all which we don't know by song title.
There were undoubtedly many other covers being played during the early 1970s, most of which we simply do not know of by song title, nor artist name.
Scrapped/Reworked Studio Songs:
As a bonus section, here are scrapped and reworked songs, in the sense of either musical arrangement or title, or rather early "work in progress" songs named during development prior to the final recording of a studio album.
Uncle Tounouse (1979) (instrumental, loosely worked into most Permanent Waves tracks)
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (1979) (intended for album, though parts were ultimately reworked into Natural Science)
Ruby Rouge (mid 1980s) (presumably Red Lenses)
Africans (mid 1980s) (either GUP, PoW or HYF material)
Perfect Motions (mid 1980s) (either GUP, PoW or HYF material)
No Use (mid 1980s) (either GUP, PoW or HYF material)
Do Do Waa (mid 1980s) (either GUP, PoW or HYF material)
Telescope Peak (2001) (loosely reworked into Ghost Rider, How It Is, and several other Vapor Trails tracks)
Manic Depression (Jimi Hendrix cover planned for Feedback)
Carnival (2009) (planned for Clockwork Angels)
Caravel (2009) (planned for Clockwork Angels)
Take That Lampshade Off Yo Head! (2011) (instrumental, later given lyrics and renamed Headlong Flight)