MOVING PICTURES   -   Rush

YEAR:  1981
LABEL:  Mercury
TRACK LISTING:  Tom Sawyer, Red Barchetta,  YYZ, Limelight,  The Camera Eye,  Witch Hunt,  Vital Signs
IMPRESSIONS:  The monumental Rush album which put them into the stratosphere with its more radio-friendly collection of shorter songs (no album side-long song suites here).  Whether you are a long-time Rush fanatic (like I am) or a late band wagon jumper, you've gotta love this album.  This past year the band celebrated the 30th anniversary of MOVING PICTURES' release by performing the entire album live on their "Time Machine" tour. 
MY FAVOURITE TRACKS:  How dull of me . . . all of 'em.
FACT SHEET:  MOVING PICTURES is Rush's eighth album.  Certified quadruple platinum, it was Rush's biggest selling and most commercially successful album.  "Tom Sawyer" derived from a tune Geddy Lee used to set up his synthesizers.  "Red Barchetta" is named after a Ferrari 166 MM Barchetta and was inspired by a short story entitled "A Nice Morning Drive" by Richard S. Foster.  The instrumental "YYZ" derives its odd "dot-dot-dash" tempo from the IATA Airport Code for the Toronto Pearson International Airport; the band would hear this on their airplane and know they were very near home.  "Limelight" is an autobiographical description of lyricist/drummer Neil Peart's unease with fame and fan recognition.  "The Camera Eye" derives its title from a lyric in the song "Limelight" and attempts to capture the "enrgy and mood" of New York City (in the first verse) and London (in the second verse).