Fly by Night (album)
| Fly by Night | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by Rush | ||||
| Released | 15 February 1975 | |||
| Recorded | November - December 1974 | |||
| Studio | Toronto Sound Studios, Toronto, Canada | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 37:38 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer | Rush, Terry Brown | |||
| Rush chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Fly by Night | ||||
|
||||
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Music Emissions | [2] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [3] |
| The Daily Vault | B+[4] |
Fly by Night is the second studio album by the 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 details
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.
Track listing
| Side one | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
| 1. | "Anthem" | Neil Peart | Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson | 4:26 |
| 2. | "Best I Can" | Geddy Lee | Geddy Lee | 3:24 |
| 3. | "Beneath, Between & Behind" | Neil Peart | Alex Lifeson | 3:00 |
| 4. | "By-Tor & the Snow Dog
| Neil Peart | Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson | 8:37
0:36 2:44 1:59 1:04
|
| Side two | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
| 5. | "Fly by Night" | Neil Peart | Geddy Lee | 3:20 |
| 6. | "Making Memories" | Neil Peart | Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson | 2:56 |
| 7. | "Rivendell" | Neil Peart | Geddy Lee | 5:00 |
| 8. | "In the End" | Geddy Lee | Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson | 6:51 |
Personnel
- Geddy Lee – lead vocals, bass guitar, classical guitar
- Alex Lifeson – guitars
- Neil Peart – drums, percussion
Chart positions
| Country | Chart | Position |
| US | Billboard 200 | 113 |
Sales certifications
| Country | Organization | Sales |
| US | RIAA | Platinum (1,000,000) |
| Canada | CRIA | Platinum (100,000) |
Singles
| Information |
|---|
"Fly By Night"
(charted version is from 1976's live album, "All the World's a Stage") |
"Making Memories"
|
Discography
| 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 |
Remaster details
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]
External links
References
- ↑ Fly by Night at AllMusic
- ↑ solitaryman (2007-07-03). "Rush - Fly By Night Review from Music Emissions". Music Emissions.
- ↑ "Rush: Album Guide". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2013-02-21.
- ↑ Thelen, Christopher (2001-05-12). "Fly By Night". The Daily Vault. Retrieved 2012-07-31.
- ↑ "Andy VanDette On Remastering 15 Rush Albums | The Masterdisk Record". themasterdiskrecord.com. Retrieved 2015-09-29.
- ↑ "12 MONTHS OF RUSH: 14 ALBUMS FROM MERCURY ERA FOR RELEASE IN 2015". Rush.com. Retrieved 2015-07-10.
- ↑ "Rush - new 2015 vinyl and hi-res reissues thread". Steve Hoffman Music Forums. Retrieved 2015-07-10.
