About Permanent Waves
Permanent Waves is the band’s seventh studio album, released on January 14th, 1980. It was recorded at Le Studio, Morin Heights, Quebec, and mixed at Trident Studios in London. The tracks were laid down just shy of four weeks, in part attributed to the idyllic working conditions of Morin Heights.
The album marks a transition from long, conceptual pieces, into a more accessible, radio-friendly style. “The Spirit Of Radio” is one of the most commercial songs Rush has ever produced, containing several different musical elements, even a touch of reggae. At the time, Alex recalled:
“We’ve always played around with reggae in the studio and we used to do a reggae intro to Working Man onstage, so when it came to doing Spirit Of Radio we just thought we’d do the reggae bit to make us smile and have a little fun.”
The waving man in the background of the album cover is actually Hugh Syme, the band’s long time design collaborator.
Credits
Produced by
Rush and Terry Brown
Arrangements
Rush and Terry Brown
Engineer
Paul Northfield
Mixing Engineer
Terry Brown
Mastered by
Bob Ludwig and Brian Lee
Gateway Mastering Studios
Portland, Maine
Special featured guest
Hugh Syme
Piano on "Different Strings"
Steel drums
Erwig Chuapchuaduah
Art Direction and graphics
Cover concept
Hugh Syme and Neil Peart
Inspiration and vocal coaching
Daisy the Dog
Photography
Fin Costello, Flip Schulke and Deborah Samuel
Cover girl couturière
Ou la la
Colour collaboration
Peter George
Pilot of Juliet Foxtrot Kilo
Mike Deere
Management
Ray Danniels
SRO Productions
Toronto
Executive Production
Moon Records
The Spirit of Radio
Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart
Begin the day
With a friendly voice
A companion, unobtrusive
Plays the song that’s so elusive
And the magic music makes your morning mood
Off on your way
Hit the open road
There is magic at your fingers
For the Spirit ever lingers
Undemanding contact
In your happy solitude.
Invisible airwaves
Crackle with life
Bright antennae bristle
With the energy
Emotional feedback
On a timeless wavelength
Bearing a gift beyond price –
Almost free…
All this machinery
Making modern music
Can still be open-hearted
Not so coldly charted
It’s really just a question
Of your honesty
One likes to believe
In the freedom of music
But glittering prizes
And endless compromises
Shatter the illusion
Of integrity
“For the words of the profits,
Are written on the studio wall,
Concert hall –
Echoes with the sounds…
Of salesmen.”