10 Perfect Rock Songs That Don't Have Any Lyrics

As Rush started to make their way into the '80s, they realized that they bit off a little more than they could chew in terms of the longer songs. I mean, when you go so far as to actually subtitle one of your songs "An Exercise in Self Indulgence," you know you've crossed the line somewhere. They had always been itching to run away from that style of rock song, but that didn't mean they couldn't make some kick ass instrumentals in the mean time.

While Moving Pictures marks the change to the more radio friendly side of Rush's music, YYZ is probably one of the most infectious jams that they've ever made, being inspired by the Toronto International Airport. Using the rhythm of the morse code as their foundation, this originally began life as a bass and drum piece before they realized how many hooks they could cram into here. Taking the basic foundation of a pop song, you can sing along to every lick on here, from the rapid fire walkdowns in the verses to the breakdown where the synthesizers come in.

There's also a playful sense of fun happening in some sections, like when everything drops out every now and again to get a killer drum break or a bass fill that hits just at the right time. And the audience listened too, becoming one of Rush's most celebrated songs and becoming a sleeper hit on the record. Although most of this record revolved around the band flirting with a more radio rock style, this is as pure an instrumental as they come.