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Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic3/5 starsStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Music Emissions4/5 starsStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [2]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide2/5 starsStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [3]
The Daily VaultB+[4]

Fly by Night is the second studio album by Canadian rock band Rush, released in February 1975. Contrary to their debut album, Fly by Night was the first to showcase elements of progressive rock that the band is known for. This release was also the first to feature lyricist and drummer Neil Peart.

Music and lyrics[]

After the departure of John Rutsey, who retired from the band due to diabetes and dislike of touring, the band recruited Neil Peart as his replacement. As such, this album marks Neil Peart's first recording with the band. Peart also became the band's main lyricist, leading the band to adopt a more literary lyrical style that differed significantly from their self-titled debut album. The songs "By-Tor & the Snow Dog" and "Rivendell" are examples of the inclusion of fantasy themes into Rush's music.

"By-Tor & the Snow Dog" was inspired by Rush roadie Howard Ungerleider's story of him staying at the house of Anthem Records manager Ray Danniels, where Danniels' German Shepherd growled at him, and a tiny dog also owned by Danniels tried to jump on him. Ungerleider told the band members about the incident, which they found hilarious.

"Anthem" features lyrics inspired by elements of the philosophy of Ayn Rand, whose influence on Peart's writing would reach its apogee on Rush's 1976 album 2112. The autobiographical title track is based on Peart's experience of moving from Canada to London as a young musician (before joining Rush). The original hand-penned lyrics for both "Anthem" and "Fly by Night" include different or additional lyrics not sung in the original songs. The original lyrics to "Fly by Night" include a prologue which is not found in the recorded version of the song.

On the original vinyl release, the chimes heard at the end of "By-Tor & the Snow Dog" continue into the locked groove, and thus play indefinitely on manual record players.

Production[]

Fly by Night was recorded at Toronto Sound Studios on Overlea Boulevard in Toronto. Rush also recorded parts of their first album at the same studio.

Fly by Night is the band's first album to be produced by Terry Brown, who had remixed the band's debut album. Brown would maintain this role through 1982's Signals.

Remaster[]

A remaster was issued in 1997. It was remastered again in 2011 by Andy VanDette as part of the three-volume "Sector" box sets, which re-released all of Rush's Mercury-era albums. In addition to the standard audio CD, the album was also included on an audio DVD in the Sector 1 set, remixed into 5.1 surround sound.[5]

Fly By Night was remastered for vinyl in 2015 by Sean Magee at Abbey Road Studios as a part of the official "12 Months of Rush" promotion.[6] The high definition master prepared for this release was also made available for purchase in 24-bit/96 kHz and 24-bit/192 kHz formats, at several high-resolution audio online music stores. These masters have significantly less dynamic range compression than the 1997 remasters and the "Sector" remasters by Andy VanDette.[7]

Track listing[]

Side one
No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
1."Anthem"Neil PeartGeddy Lee, Alex Lifeson4:26
2."Best I Can"Geddy LeeGeddy Lee3:24
3."Beneath, Between & Behind"Neil PeartAlex Lifeson3:00
4."By-Tor & the Snow Dog
  • I: At the Tobes of Hades
  • II: Across the Styx
  • III: Of the Battle
    • a. Challenge and Defiance
    • b. 7/4 War Furor
    • c. Aftermath
    • d. Hymn of Triumph
  • IV: Epilogue"
Neil PeartGeddy Lee, Alex Lifeson8:37
  • 0:36
  • 0:35
  • 6:23
  • 0:36 2:44 1:59 1:04

    • 1:03
    Side two
    No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
    5."Fly by Night"Neil PeartGeddy Lee3:20
    6."Making Memories"Neil PeartGeddy Lee, Alex Lifeson2:56
    7."Rivendell"Neil PeartGeddy Lee5:00
    8."In the End"Geddy LeeGeddy Lee, Alex Lifeson6:51

    Personnel[]

    Charts[]

    Country Chart Position
    US Billboard 200 113

    Certifications[]

    Country Organization Sales
    US RIAA Platinum (1,000,000)
    Canada CRIA Platinum (100,000)

    Singles[]

    Information
    "Fly By Night"
    • Released: May 1975
    • Written by: Geddy Lee & Neil Peart
    • Produced by: Rush and Terry Brown
    • Chart positions: #88 US Hot 100

    (charted version is from 1976's live album, "All the World's a Stage")

    "Making Memories"
    • Released: May 1977
    • Written by: Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson & Neil Peart
    • Produced by: Rush and Terry Brown
    • Chart positions:

    Formats[]

    Country Label Format Catalog
    Canada Mercury Vinyl SRM 1-1023
    Canada Anthem Vinyl ANR 1-1002
    Canada Capitol Vinyl ANR 1-602
    Canada Anthem CD ANMD 1076
    Canada Mercury 8 Track MC8 1-1023
    Canada Anthem 8 Track 8AN 1-1023
    Canada Mercury Cassette MC4 1-1023
    Canada Anthem Cassette 4AN 1-1002
    Canada Anthem Cassette 4AN 1-602
    Canada Anthem CD ANC 1-1002
    Canada Anthem CD WANK 1002
    Canada Anthem CD ANMD 1002
    Canada Anthem CD D -108203
    US Mercury CD 534624

    References[]

    1. Fly by Night at AllMusic
    2. solitaryman (2007-07-03). "Rush - Fly By Night Review from Music Emissions". Music Emissions.
    3. "Rush: Album Guide". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2013-02-21. Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
    4. Thelen, Christopher (2001-05-12). "Fly By Night". The Daily Vault. Retrieved 2012-07-31.
    5. "Andy VanDette On Remastering 15 Rush Albums | The Masterdisk Record". themasterdiskrecord.com. Retrieved 2015-09-29.
    6. "12 MONTHS OF RUSH: 14 ALBUMS FROM MERCURY ERA FOR RELEASE IN 2015". Rush.com. Retrieved 2015-07-10.
    7. "Rush - new 2015 vinyl and hi-res reissues thread". Steve Hoffman Music Forums. Retrieved 2015-07-10.

    External links[]

    Template:Rush

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