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PRESTO Released: November 21st, 1989



Certified Gold by RIAA: January 11, 1990

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Highest Billboard Chart Position: 16

Liner Notes

Articles

Track Listing

Show Don't Tell

Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson / Lyrics: Neil Peart

Chain Lightning

Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson / Lyrics: Neil Peart

The Pass

Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson / Lyrics: Neil Peart

War Paint

Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson / Lyrics: Neil Peart

Scars

Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson / Lyrics: Neil Peart

Presto

Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson / Lyrics: Neil Peart

Superconductor



Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson / Lyrics: Neil Peart

Anagram (for Mongo)

Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson / Lyrics: Neil Peart

Red Tide

Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson / Lyrics: Neil Peart

Hand Over Fist

Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson / Lyrics: Neil Peart

Available Light

Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson / Lyrics: Neil Peart

- Electric and acoustic guitars- Drums and electronic percussion- Bass guitar, vocals, synthesizersProduced by Rupert Hine and RushEngineered by Stephen W. TaylerArrangements by Rush and Rupert HineRecorded June--August 1989Le Studio, Morin Heights, assisted by Simon Pressey and Jacques DeveauMcClear Place, Toronto, assisted by Rick AndersenMixed September 1989 at Metropolis, London, assisted by Matt HoweAdditional keyboards by Rupert Hine and Jason SnidermanAdditional backround vocals by Rupert HinePreproduction work at Chalet Studio, engineered by Lerxst, assisted by Everett RavensteinTechnical support from Liam Birt, Jack Secret, Jim Johnson, Larry Allen, and Jim Burgess, with continuing thanks to Herns, Skip, Nick, Whitey, Schatzie...and the rest.Mastered by Bob Ludwig, Masterdisk NYCManagement by Ray Danniels, SRO Management Inc., TorontoExecutive Production by Moon Records: Val Azzoli and Liam BirtArt Direction by Hugh SymePhotgraphy by ScarpatiWrabit Wrangler: Mark Demont, Fins, Feathers, and FursPortraits by Andrew MacNaughtanA wave of the wind to: At Chalet Studio--David, Chad Everett C. Koop, Camille, Charles, Röb, Pâül, Chester Sight and Sound, Chop Joneson's Body Shop, Tomek, Scoozball, and the Psychedelic Shack. At Le Studio--Richard, Simon, Jacques, Ginette, Linda, Richard Raccoon, Volleyball, The Mighty Gubus, The Whingies, and the Smitty Family. At McClear Place--Bob, Rick, Robert Hinge, Stats Dooey, Ohe 2he. At Metropolis--Karen, mini-Matt, Mark, Catherine, and all the hospitable staff and management. At SRO--Ray, Sheila, Pegi, Kim, and Evelyn (A Farewell To Val).We also offer a tip of the magical hat to Natasha and Kingsley, Red and the 2-Bar, Doug Morris and Atlantic Records, Mike Roberts for the acorn of "Superconductor," and a very special thank you to the Flemings: Peter, Jenny, Joe, and Alex, for their hospitality in London.Brought to you buy the letter "D."We appreciate technical contributions from Saved By Technology, Wal Basses, Signature Guitars, Ludwig Drums, Avedis Zildjian Cymbals, Solid Percussion, and--The Omega Concern.© 1989 Atlantic Records © 1989 Anthem Entertainment1. Show Don't Tell (5:01)2. Chain Lightning (4:33)3. The Pass (4:51)4. War Paint (5:24)5. Scars (4:07)6. Presto (5:45)7. Superconductor (4:47)8. Anagram (for Mongo) (4:00)9. Red Tide (4:29)10. Hand Over Fist (4:11)11. Available Light (5:03)how many times do you hear it?it goes on all day longeveryone knows everythingand no one's ever wrongwho can you believe?it's hard to play it safebut apart from a few good friendswe don't take anything on faithYou've figured out the scoreI've heard it all beforeI don't care what you sayyou can twist perceptionsreality won't budgeyou can raise objectionsI will be the judgeI'll give it due reflectionwatching from the fencegive the jury directionbased on the evidenceHey - order in the courtLet's try to keep it shortEnough of your demandsWitness take the standHey - order in the courtLet's try to keep it shortI don't care what you sayLet's see exhibit Aenergy is contagiousenthusiasm spreadstides respond to lunar gravitationwverything turns in synchronous relationlaughter is infectiousexcitement goes to my headwinds are stirred by planets in rotationsparks ignite and spread new informationhope is epidemicoptimism spreadsbitterness breeds irritationignorance breeds imitationdreams are sometimes catchingdesire goes to my headlove responds to your invitationlove responds to imaginationproud swagger out of the schoolyardwaiting for the world's applauserebel without a consciencemartyr without a causestatic on your frequencyelectrical storm in your veinsraging at unreachable glorystraining at invisible chainsAll of us get lost in the darknessDreamers learn to steer by the starsAll of us do time in the gutterDreamers turn to look at the carsTurn around and walk the razor's edgeDon't turn your backAnd slam the door on meit's not as if this barricadeblocks the only roadit's not as if you're all alonein wanting to explodesomeone set a bad examplemade surrender seem all rightthe act of a noble warriorwho lost the will to fightno hero in your tragedyno daring in your escapeno salutes for your surrendernothing noble in your fategirl before the mirrorappraises her disguisechild become a mothertries to fix her eyesno more of his excusesit has to be todayshe can keep her fantasyif she can get awayboy before the mirrorchecks his camoflaugepolishes his armorand the charger in the garageno more lame excusesit has to be tonighthe can take the princessif he can take the fightboys and girls togethermistake conceit for pride- ambition for illusion- dreams for self-delusiongirls and boys togethersee what it is we lackboys and girls togetherlet's paint the mirror blackpaint it blackI've stood upon my mountaintopand shouted at the skywalked above the pavementwith my sense amplifiedall my nerves are naked wirestender to the touchsometimes super-sensitivebut who can care too much?each emotional injuryleaves behind its marksometimes they come tumbling outlike shadows in the darkwhen I think about all I have seenand all I'll never seewhen I think about the peoplewho have opened up to mesnow falls deep around my houseand holds the winter lightI've heard the lions huntingin the Serengeti nightforests turned to factoriesand river, sea, and skyhungry child in the desertand the flies that cloud her eyesI am made from the dust of the starsand the oceans flow in my veinsHere I hide in the heart of the citylike a stranger coming out of the rainthe evening plane rises up from the runwayover constellations of lightI look down into a million housesand wonder what you're doing tonightI had a dream of a winter gardena midnight rendezvoussilver, blue, and frozen silencewhat a fool I was for youI had a dream of the open waterI was swimming away out to seaso deep I could never touch bottomwhat a fool I used to bedon't ask meI'm just improvisingmy illusion of careless flightcan't you seemy temperature's risingI radiate more heat than lightdon't ask meI'm just sympathizingmy illusions a harmless flightcan't you seemy temperature's risingI radiate more heat than lightpackaged like a rebel or a herotarget mass appealto make an audience feelhe really means itpackage the illusion of personacareful to concealthe fact that she's only too realshe's got to screen itWatch his every moveOrchestrate illusionsWatch his every movehe can put a target on the marketbask in your applausereality withdrawsnow he believes itthe role becomes the actorshe's addicted to applausethe stage a world becauseshe never leaves itWatch her every moveShe can manipulate reactionsWatch her every movethere's a snake coming out of the darknessparade from paradiseend the need for edenchase the dreams of merchandisethere is tic and toc in atomicleaders make a dealthe cosmic is largely comica con they couldn't concealraise the art to resistancedanger dare to be grandpride reduced to humble piediamonds down to sandtake heart from earth and weatherthe brightness of new birthtake heart from the harvestshave the harvest from the earthmiracles will have their claimersmore will bow to Romehe and she are in the housebut there's only me at homerose is a rose of splendorposed to respond in the endlonely things like nights,I find, end finer with a friendnature has some new plagueto run in our streetshistory some new wrinklewe are doomed to repeatfugitives at the bedroom doorlovers pause to find an open storerain is burning on the forest floorand the red tide kisses the shorestay out of the sunit only burns my skinsky full of poisonand the atmosphere's too thindeadline approachesfor the weary landit used to be somethingbut we let it run down in our handstoo late for debate, too bad to ignorequiet rebellion leads to open warbring a sea-change to the factory flooras the red tide covers the shoreNow's the time to turn the tideNow's the time to fightNow's the time to make the timeWhile hope is still in sightI could disappear into the crowdbut not if I keep my head in the cloudsI could walk away so proudit's easy enough if you don't laugh too loudI thought I was okay alonewait for the postman and the telephonelost in a world of my ownI thought I could run alonethought I could run through the night aloneyou talk as we walk alongyou never imagined I could be so wronghumming your favorite songyou know I've hated that song for so longhow can we ever agree?like the rest of the worldwe grow farther apartI swear you don't listen to meholding my hand to my heartholding my fist to my racing heartthe restless windhas seen all thingsin every kind of lightrising with the full moonto go howling through the nightthe sleepless windhas heard all thingsbetween the sea and skyin the canyons of the cityyou can hear the buildings cryRun with wind and weatherTo the music of the seaAll four winds togetherCan't bring the world to meChase the wind around the worldI want to look at life - In the available lightplay of lighta photographthe way I used to besome half-forgotten strangerdoesn't mean that much to metrick of lightmoving picturemoments caught in flightmake the shadows darkeror the colors shine too brightRun to light from shadowSun gives me no restPromise offered in the eastBroken in the westChase the sun around the worldI want to look at life - In the available lightAll four winds togetherCan't bring the world to meShadows hide the play of lightSo much I want to seeChase the light around the worldI want to look at life - In the available light