"Fly by Night" is a song by Canadian rock band Rush. It was released in 1975 and is the title track of their second studio album. The music was written by bassist Geddy Lee and the lyrics were penned by drummer Neil Peart. Peart wrote the song about his first trip away from home. In 1971, at 18 years old, he left behind his small-town Canadian life and flew to England. Lee sings the lead vocals and on the song's middle eight, his voice is fed through a Leslie speaker.
| "Fly by Night" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 1975 Netherlands cover single | ||||
| Single by Rush | ||||
| from the album Fly by Night | ||||
| B-side | "Anthem" | |||
| Released | April 23, 1975[1] | |||
| Recorded | December 1974 | |||
| Studio | Toronto Sound (Toronto) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:20 | |||
| Label | Mercury | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) |
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| Rush singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Fly by Night" on YouTube | ||||
It was released as a single in April 1975. It marked the first time a single by the band was also released in markets other than the United States or Canada, as it was released in The Netherlands and Australia during the summer of 1975.
Cash Box described it as "a hard-rocking, well-produced cut" that is "very Zeppelinish, with lead guitar and rhythm tracks that could have you evicted."[3] Record World said that a live medley with "In the Mood" "puts the emphasis on fuzz toned guitar and histrionic vocals."[4]
Peart wrote a prologue that is not in the song: "airport scurry / flurry faces / parade of passers-by / people going many places / with a smile or just a sigh / waiting, waiting, pass the time / another cigarette / get in line, gate thirty-nine / the time is not here yet."[5]
In December 1976, the song was released as a single a second time, in a live medley with "In the Mood" from the band's live album All the World's a Stage. This version became the band's first single to reach the US Billboard Hot 100, charting at No. 88.
Personnel
edit- Geddy Lee – bass, vocals
- Alex Lifeson – guitar
- Neil Peart – drums
Use in media
edit- It was used in the Canadian TV series Degrassi High, in the season two episode "Home, Sweet Home".
- The song was used in TV series Supernatural, in the season-one episode "Wendigo".
- In 2012, it was used in an American TV commercial for the Volkswagen Passat.
- It was one of three Rush songs made available to download for play in Rock Band 3 on December 13, 2011, along with a live version of "The Spirit Of Radio" and the single edit of "Caravan".
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Fly By Night single".
- ^ Segretto, Mike (2022). "1975". 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Minute - A Critical Trip Through the Rock LP Era, 1955–1999. Backbeat. pp. 310–311. ISBN 9781493064601.
- ^ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. May 10, 1975. p. 18. Retrieved 2021-12-11.
- ^ "Single Picks" (PDF). Record World. December 4, 1976. p. 14. Retrieved 2023-03-03.
- ^ Prologue
