Rush – The Spirit of Radio

"The Spirit of Radio" is one of Rush's most successful singles, and their highest charting single in Canada, the UK and the US on its release in 1980. According to lyricist Neil Peart, the song was partly a celebration of CFNY, an independent Toronto-area radio station whose slogan the song borrows its title from, and "partly an angry protest at what commercial radio had become." At least that is what Bob Mersereau says in The Top 100 Canadian Singles, in which "The Spirit of Radio" comes in at 24.

"The Spirit of Radio" is one of five Rush songs inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Click below for:

• the original 3-miinute single version
• the original album version
• the Snakes and Arrows live version

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Personnel

• Geddy Lee – lead vocals, bass guitar, Oberheim polyphonic, Minimoog, Taurus pedal synthesizer, OB-1
• Alex Lifeson – electric and acoustic six- and twelve-string guitars, Taurus pedals
• Neil Peart – drums, timpani, timbales, orchestra bells, tubular bells, wind chimes, bell tree, triangle, crotales
• Erwig Chuapchuaduah – steel drums

• Rush – Tom Sawyer (song)
• Rush – Closer to the Heart (song)
• Rush – Moving Pictures (album)
• Rush – 2112 (album)
• Rush – Permanent Waves (album)