2012 Volkswagen Passat Commercial – What’s the Song?

We've all caught ourselves behind the wheel playing "air" instruments to our favorite songs, and that's the basis for the new commercial featuring the 2012 Volkswagen Passat, in which the driver does his best Neil Peart and Geddy Lee while his vehicle sits at a stop.

In the promo, a suited up business man finds shelter inside his car and with Rush's 1975 classic 'Fly by Night' blaring through the stereo, he's free enough from the outside world to discard his demeanor to deliver the ultimate air drum solo.

He also does a fair job of attempting to imitate Geddy Lee's distinctive voice on the track, singing, "Fly by night away from here / change my life again." But, as with most people sitting at a stop in the middle of the road, eventually the outside world comes back into play. The driver, or perhaps his car, is noticed, and the man behind the wheel is saluted by passers-by crossing the street with a rock and roll scream. The commercial ends with the narrator exclaiming, "Careful. You're no longer invisible in a mid-size Sedan."

As for the song itself, 'Fly by Night' came from the album of the same name in 1975. The music was penned by Geddy Lee and the lyrical content by Neil Peart. The drummer stated that the track was inspired by leaving home at 18 for Europe, which became a major turning point in his life. While buying a new car may not be as drastic a change as moving to a new country on your own at 18, 'Fly by Night' still does express the adventurous spirit that the vehicle is trying to sell.

Watch the 2012 Volkswagen Passat Commercial Featuring Rush's 'Fly by Night'