Fly By Night

Anthem
Lyrics by Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neil Peart


Know your place in life is where you want to be
Don't let them tell you that you owe it all to me
Keep on looking forward; no use in looking 'round
Hold your head above the ground and they won't bring you down

Anthem of the heart and anthem of the mind
A funeral dirge for eyes gone blind
We marvel after those who sought
New wonders in the world, wonders in the world,
Wonders in the world they wrought.

Live for yourself -- there's no one else
More worth living for
Begging hands and bleeding hearts will
Only cry out for more

Well, I know they've always told you
Selfishness was wrong
Yet it was for me, not you, I
Came to write this song


Best I Can
Lyrics by Geddy Lee


I've got a livin' that's rough, a future that's tough
You know what I mean
Blankers and boasters, all the bluffers and posers
I'm not into that scene

You can tell me that I got no class
Look around, you'll see who's laughin' last
Don't give me speeches 'cause they're oh so droll
Leave me alone, let me rock and roll

Got an itchin' to rock, a hate for small talk
I'm funny that way
Got my sights on the stars, won't get that far
But I'll try anyway
I just like to please, don't like to tease
I'm easy like that
Don't like long rests, I must confess
I'm an impatient cat

I do the best that I can
I'm just what I am
I do the best I can
Well, I know what I am

Rock and roll-in's a scream, makin' millions my dream
Well, I do that a lot
I'll just give it a try, won't let good times pass me by
They're all I've got


Beneath, Between And Behind
Lyrics by Neil Peart


Ten score years ago, defeat the kingly foe
A wondrous dream came into being
Tame the trackless waste, no virgin land left chaste
All shining eyes, but never seeing

Beneath the noble birth
Between the proudest words
Behind the beauty, cracks appear
Once, with heads held high
They sang out to the sky
Why do their shadows bow in fear?

Watch the cities rise
Another ship arrives
Earth's melting pot and ever growing
Fantastic dreams come true
Inventing something new
The greatest minds, and never knowing...

The guns replace the plow, facades are tarnished now
The principles have been betrayed
The dreams's gone stale, but still, let hope prevail
History's debt won't be repaid


By-Tor And The Snow Dog
Lyrics by Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neil Peart


The Tobes of Hades, lit by flickering torchlight
The netherworld is gathered in the glare
Prince By-Tor takes the cavern to the north light
The sign of Eth is rising in the air.
By-Tor, knight of darkness,
Centurion of evil, devil's prince.

Across the River Styx, out of the lamplight
His nemesis is waiting at the gate
The Snow Dog, ermine glowing in the damp night
Coal-black eyes shimmering with hate.
By-Tor and the Snow Dog
Square for battle, let the fray begin.

The battle's over and the dust is clearing
Disciples of the Snow Dog sound the knell
Rejoicing echoes as the dawn is nearing
By-Tor in defeat retreats to Hell
Snow Dog is victorious
The land of the Overworld is saved again.


Fly By Night
Lyrics by Geddy Lee and Neil Peart


Why try? I know why
This feeling inside me says it's time I was gone
Clear head, new life ahead
I want to be king now, not just one more pawn

Fly by night away from here
Change my life again
Fly by night, goodbye my dear
My ship isn't coming and I just can't pretend

Moonrise, thoughtful eyes
Staring back at me from the window beside
No fright or hindsight
Leaving behind that empty feeling inside

Start a new chapter, I find what I'm after
Is changing every day.
The change of a season's enough of a reason
To want to get away
Quiet and pensive, my thoughts apprehensive
The hours drift away
Leaving my homeland, playing a lone hand
My life begins today


Making Memories
Lyrics by Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neil Peart


There's a time for feelin' as good as we can
The time is now, and there's no stoppin' us
There's a time for livin' as high as we can
Behind us you will only see our dust.

You know we're havin' good days
And we hope they're gonna last
Our future still looks brighter than our past
We feel no need to worry
No reason to be sad
Our mem'ries remind us, maybe road life's not so bad.

Just keep smilin', move onward ev'ry day
And try to keep our thoughts away from home
We're trav'lin' around, no time to settle down
And satisfy our wanderlust to roam.

Well from sea to shining sea, and a hundred points between
Still we go on diggin' ev'ry show
The cities in the land all extend a welcome hand
Till morning when it's time for us to go.

Rivendell
Lyrics by Geddy Lee and Neil Peart


Sunlight dances through the leaves
Soft winds stir the sighing trees
Lying in the warm grass
Feel the sun upon your face
Elfin songs and endless nights
Sweet wine and soft relaxing lights
Time will never touch you
Here in this enchanted place

You feel there's something calling you
You're wanting to return
To where the misty mountains rise and friendly fires burn
A place you can escape the world
Where the dark lord cannot go
Peace of mind and sanctuary by loud water's flow

I've traveled now for many miles
It feels so good to see the smiles of
Friends who never left your mind
When you were far away
From the golden light of coming dawn
Till the twilight where the sun is gone
We treasure ev'ry season
And ev'ry passing day

We feel the coming of a new day
Darkness gives way to light a new way
Stop here for a while until the world,
The world calls you away
Yet you know I've had the feeling
Standing with my senses reeling
This is the place to grow old till
I reach my final day.


In The End
Lyrics by Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson


Well, I can see what you mean
It just takes me longer
And I can feel what you feel
It just makes you stronger

I know, I know, I know
Oh, the feeling grows
I see, I see, I see
It's got to be
You can take me for a little while
You can take me, you can make me smile in the end

Well, I can do what you do
You just do it better
And I can cry like you cry
It just makes me sadder

Well, I can shine like you shine
It doesn't make me brighter
But if I think like you think
It don't make my load much lighter