The album closer opens with a distinctive sequencer pattern from Lee's Oberheim OB-X synthesizer and carries a prominent reggae influence — continuing a thread that began on Permanent Waves. The lyrics use the metaphor of a body's vital signs to explore how individuals navigate between conformity and independence.
The track pointed clearly toward the more synthesizer-driven direction Rush would take on Signals and beyond. The reggae and new wave elements were a deliberate nod to the music the band was listening to at the time — particularly the Police and other post-punk acts.
While sometimes overlooked on an album packed with iconic tracks, "Vital Signs" serves as an important signpost. It essentially previewed the next five years of Rush's career — the synth-heavy, shorter-form approach that would define their most controversial creative period.