7/29: Making Memories

Happy Neil-Joins-The-Band Day!

We feel no need to worry,
No reason to be sad.
Our memories remind us
Maybe road life's not so bad.

“Making Memories” is my favorite song off Fly By Night. Later Rush songs would depict the life of a touring musician with more careworn realism (“Madrigal,” “Ghost Rider,” even “Headlong Flight”), but “Making Memories” still depicts touring as some grand adventure. The song was written in between gigs, just the guys kicking around with an acoustic guitar and some scratch paper.

This is a very young song, full of hopeful optimism and exquisite muscianship. The only thing it lacks is pretense. Everybody is trying their best, but not Trying Too Hard, if that makes sense. Neil’s fills are impossibly fast, yet don’t feel excessive; the lyrics have a musicality to them without being pretentious or fantastic.

Everyone just sounds great, you know? Alex’s solo guitar is particularly lovely; it sings along in the bridge and outro like a second lead vocalist. I love when he does that. As for the actual lead vocalist, Geddy is clear and lovely, with his bass guitar thrumming along imperceptibly like a heartbeat that keeps the song moving along.

My only quibble is that “Making Memories” sounds just a touch too much like other bands of its era (namely, the Doobie Brothers) and not enough like Rush yet—but the guys grow into their own by the next album.

Still, today is a banner day in Rush history—it’s the day Neil Peart officially joined the band!—and I can think of no better song to honor that special moment than this one.