Why try? I know why
The feeling inside me says it's time I was gone
Clear head, new life ahead
It's time I was 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

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

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, wow

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

Start a new chapter
Find what I'm after
It's changing every day
The change of a season
Is 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

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
My ship isn't coming and I just can't pretend

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
My ship isn't coming and I just can't pretend
My ship isn't coming and I just can't pretend


Lyrics submitted by Bruiser

Fly by Night Lyrics as written by Neil Elwood Peart Gary Lee Weinrib

Lyrics © Anthem Entertainment

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Fly By Night song meanings
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51 Comments

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  • +3
    General Comment

    This song is about making a new start and changing your life. Neil left his simple life working at a parts store in Canada behind to join the band and "Fly By Night" away from there.

    OvertheTop01on April 04, 2011   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    thats pretty cliche buddy.. Geddys voice will always be one of the most unique in rock & roll...

    Anyways this song is about starting over again, and its just got a great riff.

    subdividedon October 14, 2004   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    OMG if I hear one more comparison of Rush and Coheed and Cambria I think I may shoot someone! The two bands are nothing alike. Rush=one of the best bands in rock history...while Coheed and Cambria= posers...I mean they have a song called "2113" for gods sake...how originial rolls eyes I can't make fun of people who like Coheed and Cambria b/c we all have out different tastes in music...but to actually go and compare them to Rush...its like saying Pink Floyd sounds like Good Charlotte...or The Beatles compared to 50 Cent

    Rush and Coheed Cambria don't deserve to be in the same state at the same time...they are two completely different bands...

    I honestly think Rush has one of the greatest lyrics of all time...they are so deep and actually mean something...they are about life, society, literature, movies, and there are a few that cover love...and the instrumentals...Neil Peart is the best drummer ever...I don't see any contenders for Coheed and Cambria

    Sorry....I know this is for Fly By Night...but it makes me really mad when people go and compare a classic band to a new band that will probably not make more then 4-5 hit songs...or even 1 or 2 hit albums...

    Hey...I may be wrong...Coheed and Cambria could make it really big...and 20 years later people are still talking about how much they rock...but bottom line is they don't sound like Rush...their lyrics cant even compare to Rush....and they will never be Rush...

    Anyways...For "Fly By Night" what a great Rush song...its one of my favorites...its about changing your life...starting over...perhaps erasing your past...I like the line "It's time I was king now not just one more pawn" I think we all feel like that...worthless...helpless...useless...like a Pawn...just like the common people or everyone else....everyone dreams to be recognized like a king

    its a very catchy song...it always gets stuck in my head

    steel07on March 20, 2006   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    The song is about Neil Peart leaving Canada for London he wrote it in heathrow airport at the age of 18 when he returned one year later geddy lee wrote the instrumentals and boom. If you look into it Neil confirms this on several occasions

    Balladof2112on February 09, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    beemer11 was just gettin me into Rush, thats what the beginning junk is, he's a starting pitcher and i'm the closer for a baseball team, and the rest is lines from Major League.....we're just bein dumbasses

    shed27on September 04, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Yeah...Mothra...and Angus Young or Robert Plant or any of those guys never sang high pitched either right? Get a clue.

    RUSHMANon November 22, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    about starting over

    beemer11on June 15, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i dont know a damn thing bout rush, but since beemer11 is the biggest rush fan in America i'll agree with him

    shed27on July 03, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I would go through the whole post game report...but i'm too lazy to type it all in....thats what happens when you only get 1 god damn hit

    shed27on July 20, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    well id agree with u guys cuz rush does rock guys get the song yyz its incredible rush song...

    if_only_i_couldon August 29, 2002   Link

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