Talk:Permanent Waves

No mention of omitted "Dewey Defeats Truman" headline on album cover?
Someone should probably add a mention about the fact that "Dewey Defeats Truman" is whited out on the album cover, apparently after the Tribune refused to give permission for the title to appear. If anyone has any juicy details (with citations) to add, that would be excellent. Dave (talk) 23:46, 25 February 2008 (UTC)


 * That's more befitting WP:TRIVIA I'd believe.  Wisdom89  ( T |undefined /  C ) 00:08, 26 February 2008 (UTC)


 * link here. And some early covers DID have the headline, making them collectible, so it's relevant, not trivia. https://www.discogs.com/master/7540-Rush-Permanent-Waves

Also, per the "Visions" biography, the sign "PEART" was a Pearl Beer sign, in addition to the changed Coca Cola sign. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 97.149.98.113 (talk) 01:47, 15 December 2023 (UTC)

Image copyright problem with Image:The Spirit of Radio.jpg
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The Waving Man on the cover
The waving man on the cover IS Neil Peart. I can prove it.


 * Go to http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/Wallpaper.htm


 * Click on "A Farewell To Kings through Exit...Stage Left"


 * In the section headed "Permanent Waves", hover over the words, "a member of Rush is pictured on the cover."


 * Lo and Behold! the name of the file is PeWcoverneil.jpg. This ascertains that the figure in the picture is indeed Neil Peart.

Any challenge there? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.225.20.100 (talk) 01:39, 30 June 2009 (UTC)


 * I challenge this as the official Rush website under the entry for Permanent Waves (http://www.rush.com/albums/permanent-waves/) states "The waving man in the background of the album cover is actually Hugh Syme, the band’s long time design collaborator." Also, the above link (http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/Wallpaper.htm) appears to be dead.68.48.131.203 (talk) 02:19, 1 July 2015 (UTC)

Lyrics Different Strings
I don't know why, but people keep reverting the songwriter information, telling Geddy Lee wrote the lyrics to Different Strings. However, I have the remastered CD edition of Permanent Waves and the booklet explicitly states Neil Peart wrote these lyrics. I tried to find a reliable source stating Lee wrote these lyrics, but I haven't found any, so I'm clueless why anybody would include this in the songwriter information. Next time this information will be (in my opinion incorrectly) reverted, it would be appreciated if a source were to be added. Pwh1992 (talk) 15:16, 19 September 2012 (UTC)
 * The remastered version was a misprint. The original, which is right in front of me, clearly states that the lyrics were written by Lee. See  Wisdom89  ( T |undefined  /  C ) 15:26, 7 October 2012 (UTC)
 * OK, that does sound like a reliable source. Thanks for proving me wrong, I'm glad to know the submitted songwriter information is indeed correct. Pwh1992 (talk) 10:32, 27 October 2012 (UTC)

new wave
How is this new wave? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 108.81.33.59 (talk) 06:17, 5 August 2014 (UTC)


 * I agree, it should be removed. New wave evolved from punk rock, whereas this is prog rock! Completely the other end of the rock spectrum. Shikari 123 (talk) 00:10, 26 August 2014 (UTC)


 * How are you deciding? Wikipedia goes by reliable sources.
 * "With the previous year's Permanent Waves, Rush cleverly took some leads from the burgeoning New Wave movement..." Rush: The Illustrated History, Martin Popoff, p. 71.
 * "By 1980's Permanent Waves, the modern sounds of new wave (the Police, Peter Gabriel, etc.) began to creep into Rush's sound, but the trio still kept their hard rock roots intact." Allmusic.
 * "Well, Permanent Waves certainly sounds a bit different from its predecessors, but it has that noticeable Rush familiarity in terms of overall sound as well. To be honest though, a mix of the old and the new is a great method for a band like Rush; it's interesting to hear them integrate the sounds of the specific era while retaining their progressive rock approach. Points of interest include: Geddy Lee toning down his voice (like the near-absence of high Robert Plant-esque wails), more synthesizer use, and more accessible arrangements. The latter point is the most notable one, considering that new wave was very popular at this time and Rush were heavily influenced by UK rock band The Police around this point." Sputnik Music.
 * "This is Permanent Waves... the album where Rush went from prog to proggy, so to speak. This still has a good deal of progressive elements, but it also contains elements borrowed from ...the Police." "1980s Permanent Waves is a major pivot point in Rush's discography, a merger of their progressive sound with elements of new wave and synth rock." Metal Archives
 * 'Arguably, the band's three studio records following Hemispheres—1980's Permanent Waves, 1981' Moving Pictures, and 1982's Signals—to varying degrees married their progressive tendencies with the order of the day: new wave." Will Romano, Mountains Come Out of the Sky: The Illustrated History of Prog Rock, p. 325.
 * "Rush’s popularity continued to soar, and in 1980, with the release of Permanent Waves, the group became one of the most successful bands in the world. The album marked something of a change in the group’s sound. The songs were shorter, and the group’s influences now included reggae and New Wave." Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
 * "Permanent Waves, Rush's seventh studio release, shows a power-pop inclination, the influence of the New Wave music popular in the early 1980s." Soundstage.
 * "In 1980 the band abruptly changed direction again and issued Permanent Waves. It had noticeably shorter songs and, in light of the New Wave movement, signaled the band's move towards a less ornate, more electronic sound... As he continued to mature as a guitarist, Lifeson also developed an economic approach to soloing in the New Wave-influenced eighties..." Pete Prown, ‎Harvey P. Newquist, ‎Jon F. Eiche, Legends of Rock Guitar: The Essential Reference of Rock's Greatest Guitarists, page 167.
 * "...1980's Permanent Waves album. From 1980, Rush's musical style was marked by a gradual and strategic backing away from its 1970s progressive rock style, which meant eschewing long tracks in favor of shorter, more conventional song forms, using influences from new wave, techno-pop, and reggae..." Chris McDonald, Rush, Rock Music and the Middle Class: Dreaming in Middletown, page 126.
 * Neal Peart in his autobiography Traveling Music wrote that the album title Permanent Waves made reference to the new wave fashion of the day, in a dismissive manner. In interviews at the time, the musicians said that their album was more than new wave, since music is always new, that it is endlessly reinventing itself, like waves in the ocean, thus the title Permanent Waves. Since the new wave genre influenced not only the music (as observed by many) but also the album's title, I don't see how we can remove new wave from the genre parameter. Binksternet (talk) 01:12, 26 August 2014 (UTC)


 * Well that absolutely amazes me... I'd sooner call it a 'hardcore hip-hop' album... Oh well, if it's sourced, it's gotta be added. Shikari 123 (talk) 12:08, 26 August 2014 (UTC)

"Entre Nous" ("Between Us") is similar in style to "Freewill"?
The article's assertion that "Entre Nous" is similar in style to "Freewill" left me scratching my head. I personally don't see "Entres Nous" as being similar in style to "Freewill". In any case, this is a subjective judgement that might be appropriate in album review but is not appropriate in an encyclopedic entry which should just stick to the facts. I am removing it. CannotFindAName (talk) 23:02, 19 June 2015 (UTC)


 * Good call. Any comparison of the two albums should be referenced. Binksternet (talk) 07:51, 20 June 2015 (UTC)

Alternative Cover
Who is on the alternative cover featuring a male reporter? 2607:FEA8:10E0:1C00:B5B6:AD7:EA81:12DD (talk) 14:24, 26 March 2020 (UTC)