"YYZ" (natively pronounced why-why-zed) is an instrumental rock composition by the Canadian rock band Rush from their 1981 album Moving Pictures. The live album Exit... Stage Left (1981) and the concert video recording A Show of Hands (1989) both include versions in which Neil Peart incorporates a drum solo – as an interlude on the former, and as a segue out of the piece on the latter.[2][3]
| "YYZ" | |
|---|---|
| InstrumentalbyRush | |
| from the album Moving Pictures | |
| Released | February 12, 1981 (1981-02-12) |
| Recorded | 1980 |
| Genre | |
| Length | 4:25 |
| Label | Mercury |
| Songwriter(s) | |
| Producer(s) |
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| Audio sample | |
| |
| Music video | |
| "YYZ"onYouTube | |
YYZ is the IATA airport identification codeofToronto Pearson International Airport, near Rush's hometown. The band was introduced to the rhythm as Alex Lifeson flew them into the airport. A VHF omnidirectional range system at the airport broadcasts the YYZ identifier code in Morse code. Peart said in interviews later that the rhythm stuck with them.[4] Peart and Geddy Lee have both said "It's always a happy day when YYZ appears on our luggage tags."[5]
The piece's introduction, played in a time signatureof10
8, repeatedly renders "Y-Y-Z" in Morse Code using various musical arrangements.[6][7]
| "YYZ" rendered in Morse code | ||
|---|---|---|
| Y | Y | Z |
| - . - - | - . - - | - - . . |
An official animated music video was released on YouTube on March 11, 2022 to coincide with the release of the 40th anniversary edition of Moving Pictures. The video contains elements from the parent album cover, and depicts a heist in Toronto. It also contains various easter eggs referencing Rush's other work, such as a fast food chain named Fried by Night, based on their album Fly by Night.
"YYZ" was nominated for a Grammy in the Best Rock Instrumental category in 1982. It lost to "Behind My Camel" by The Police, from their album Zenyatta Mondatta.[8]
