Classical Composer Reacts to Machine Messiah (Yes) | The Daily Doug (Episode 95) 

The organ piece you're thinking of in that carnival-like section is the Toccata from Widor's "Symphony No. 5", the fifth and closing movement. True confessions, I'm an organist. By the way, impressive that you held a position at Westminster, not surprised. The Drama album is a special one in the Yes catalogue. I think you'd love the track "Tempus Fugit" also. On this 2009 tour they played several songs off Drama since original vocalist Jon Anderson refused to do so as he didn't sing on the studio album. It was a thrill to hear those songs live.

This song (and the Drama album in general) demonstrates that Chris Squire's voice was a huge part of the Yes vocal sound. The vocals still sound like Yes even in the absence of Jon Anderson, simply because Chris's voice is so prominent. We might all think that Jon Anderson's heavenly voice is the key to that distinctive Yes vocal sound, and well, it is. But if you have only Jon's voice and not Chris's voice, then something very important is missing.

The Drama album is a special one for me. You should do “into the lens”. You will enjoy it.

Cool deep cut. the Drama album is way underrated in Yes' discography.

Drama is one of my all time favourite Yes albums. ❤️‍🔥

Excellent!! One of my big favs - The whole album Drama is amazing - thanks Doug love your work

This live performance is fairly faithful; but the original studio version is *towering* in it's energy and power. Guitarist Steve Howe plays his lines faster and fancier than this version, Bassist Chris Squire and drummer Alan White were literally on fire. Keyboardist Geoff Downes played a rich layer of sounds. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-a_8h4fJUrnk.html

When the Buggles replaced Jon Anderson and Wakeman I lost hope that YES would survive but Chris Squire pulled them together and it did sound like YES. The great Anderson melodies were lacking but it still worked. Geoff Downes and Trevor Horn were competent replacements and Squire supplemented vocals and always had great sense of harmony. Love your commentary. In this live version the vocalist was Benoit David from the band Mystery (Canada} and the keyboard looks to be Rick Wakeman's son Oliver.

Thank you Doug, that was awesome as always. I'm glad you liked it! That live version featured Benoit David on vocals (and tambourine) instead of Trevor Horn, and Oliver Wakeman (Rick's son) on keyboards, but it was a great version for sure.

10:44 Indeed, Steve Howe is simply brilliant. R.I.P. Chris Squire (Bass). Would love to hear your take on "To Be Over" from their album "Relayer".

I prefer the studio version over this one, but it's indeed an amazing song!

I was showing a much younger friend a Yes concert on DVD years back. “I don’t like solo piano pieces,” he said as Rick Wakeman sat down at a piano. “But I could listen to this all day,” he continued as Wakeman began playing. Turn Of The Century is still one of my all time favourites, with the best handoffs between keyboards and guitar I’ve ever hear.

I agree: "kick ass song." I love YES, I love DRAMA.

rip Mr Chris Squire. the man, the myth, the legend. when you hear thunder it's just Chris teaching god how to play bass.....

You should do "Awaken" for the going For the One album. It is their magnum opus. Wakeman used a real pipe organ on it.

Such an underrated album- love the whole thing!

From Wikipedia: "(...) When he was composing his keyboard parts for the song, Downes included an arpeggiated segment from the fifth movement of Symphony for Organ No. 5 by Charles-Marie Widor, a piece that he was familiar with from his youth. (...)

Loved hearing about the Gregorian chant parallel.

What a wonderful performance, and likewise, a great reaction. I truly enjoyed your commentary...and super sharp ear for details!

In the studio version, the downswell of the keyboard sounds like an air raid siren winding down. This version has a much warmer, relaxed sound, exactly what you want in a live performance. The studio version is much darker, with a greater punch, exactly what you'd expect of the definitive version. There is an official video of "Into the Lens" on RU-vid. It is the studio version, but the band is pretending to play it live. You get to see Steve Howe playing two guitars, plus a pedal steel guitar.

Benoit David and Chris Squire harmonized beautifully. Oliver Wakeman nice keys! This is probably the last time they sounded really polished.

Nice! This is one of Yes's best "hidden gems", and a seriously underrated song. As an electronic music lover and musician myself, it's one of my favourite Yes pieces. You're first person I've seen react to this song on RU-vid, and it's great to hear a classical composer's take on it (I'm a fan of classical music). Having said that, as cool as it was seeing a live version, I kind of wish you'd played the album version. Much of the *intensity* of the original was captured in the 2009 concert, but it didn't quite capture the more *eerie* quality of the original. Give it a listen with headphones on, and I think you'll see what I mean.

It's about A.I. becoming self-aware and humans seeing it as an answer to all problems and eventually being absorbed into it's singular consciousness.

I deeply regret not seeing these guys when Squire was still alive. I really like the climbing Bass line at 17:20

One of my all-time favorite Yes songs Thanks so very much for that 👏

"I wanna be that tambourine guy!"...Great Doug, really amazing!😊

That song is from my favorite Yes album. It's a phenomenal album. Thanks for this great reaction. Loved your explanations about the "old singing". Very interesting. Awesome!!!

Listen to the Yes song- "Siberian Khatru"

What would be the best Genesis songs for a classical composer? My suggestions: Can-utility and the Coastliners, the Lamia, Fountain of Salmacis, Mad Man Moon, In that Quiet Earth & Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers (both in one video). Also very common reaction tracks: Dance On A Volcano, Firth of Fifth, the Musical Box.

Fascinating video Doug! Thanks for posting!

Great review and thanks for giving us insight into how these songs are constructed! Yes is always worth a listen, their musicianship is beyond compare.

That's prog music the best of rock !! now listen to Close to the Edge "Yes rules" !!

Good stuff! If we're doing old school prog, I'd really like to hear a take on Kansas' Miracles Out of Nowhere (studio version is the best out there I think)

This is not a popular opinion among Yes fanbois, but I think Drama is their best record.

When you figure out Yes, you have become the machine messiah

I've been grooving on this tune for 40 years. I'm not tired of hearing it yet.

A very good one. A very good show too. Your analysis is always very interesting. Thanks Doug. If you’re not sure to react at the old Yes catalogue, let’s make a try at Brother Of Mine of Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman & Howe. A great 80’s prog song. It’s almost a Yes song, but without their usual bass player.

Given all of their personnel changes, Jon Anderson refused to perform any songs that appeared on Drama, which was an album that I really enjoyed. In fact, I saw Yes perform Drama like as a senior in high school, and it was a great concert. I also saw THIS tour as well, and in fact, spent the money for the M&G and had front row center seats, and finally had the opportunity to thank my musical heroes and make a fool of myself in front of Chris Squire. Some other interesting Yes songs to check out might be South Side of the Sky from Fragile, "A Venture" from The Yes Album (if you can, be sure to check out the Steven Wilson extended mix, the original was cut short due to the 33rpm album side limits) and for something more modern, "Homeworld" from The Ladder. All 3 of those songs are not Yes "standards," but they're all excellent songs, and give a slightly different side to Yes.

DH - Do a reaction to Awaken by Yes. This is a must

If you like vocal harmonies, you should check out Moon Safari. They are a prog rock band from Sweden that is a cross between Yes and The Beach Boys. Everyone sings and they have long grandiose songs. An excellent live example would be A Kid Called Panic or Dance Across the Ocean from their Gettysburg Address live album.

Wow great reaction, cheers. Close to the edge is another amazing song

When l was 3 years old, l remember sitting next to my beloved Grandad at his big church organ whilst he played, Widor's Toccata. He was an incredible organist/pianist and played twice at The Royal Albert Hall in front of our Queen Elizabeth The II, by Royal command in the 1950s! XXX

I saw them live on this tour in Detroit and when they played this song, I was just transfixed on Chris Squire... I regard him as the greatest bassist ever to walk this green earth...

Love your analysis, always illuminating, and brought new life and admiration for one of my favourite Yes tracks!

The original keyboardist on this album Drama was Geoff Downes, who is also the current keyboardist these days. Oliver Wakeman (Rick's son) is playing the part live here. I think the part you recognize also sounds like some of Philip Glass' work.

Beniot David was a great singer for YES. If you want to hear him in his more natural singing-voice, he appeared on two or three Mystery albums in which he sounds phenomenal.

What's cool about that portamento part near the end is that it's the same old E-F#-G motif only played in leaps of a 9th instead of stepwise.

Brother, I just have to say that I love your videos. I have been a fan of music reaction videos for several years. Particularly when it pertains to prog rock, being that I have been a prog rock/metal musician for decades. The one thing that sometimes annoys me about reaction videos, is that most of the people doing them, have zero background in music. I often find myself amused by their sense of awe, and bewilderment, that there exists an entire world of serious musicianship beyond the myopic scope of WAP. I've been a musician for 46 of my 50 years on this planet. Beginning with Classical piano lessons at age 4. Then guitar, clarinet, alto, tenor and soprano sax, guitar, bass guitar, Chapman Stick, Sitar, Tabla and hand percussion in general. My point is that it's extremely refreshing to see someone doing these videos with whom I can actually relate to on a much higher intellectual and musical level. There are a few other guys doing this type of thing. Michael Palmisano immediately springs to mind. He's a great guitar teacher, and player. However, he's definitely in the Blues/Grateful Dead/ Jam Band wheel house. There's just some stuff that kinda goes over his pay grade though. On the other hand, you regularly site names of some really obscure composers. I'm kinda wondering if you have ever heard, or done a video on "Toccata" by Emersin Lake and Palmer. The piece itself, was origianally composed by Alberto Ginastera. Or, perhaps Gustav Holst's "Mars The Bringer Of War" by Japanese synthesist Isao Tomita. I would LOVE to see your take on those pieces.

I'd have recommended the studio version.

Great song from a great album..thanks so much for the analysis.

Wow! A cut from the Drama record!?! Great suggestion Steve!

If you liked Rush you could do 'Cygnus X-1', which has two parts. The first one is in A Farewell to Kings and the second one is in the same record as La Villa Strangiato, Hemispheres. Cheers!

At the time of this tour Jon Anderson was havons health problem, a replacement was brought in Benoit David sings on this live take He was the singer of a YES tribute band from Montreal Canada Chris Squire had seen some clips of their performances and invited him to join for that year tour since Jon could not and the rest of the band didn’t wanted to wait for him to get better

7:52 was used as theme for a Japanese news program

Before I discovered Yes I remember The Buggles joined Yes (Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes).I almost laughed at the absurdity of the whole thing to be honest. A little while later I was given a loan of Drama and I was blown away!. It's a magnificent album and led me to buy Yes albums with the legendary Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman. Suffice to say I loved them,what an incredible band Yes are. Thankfully I saw the classic line up live in Edinburgh around 2002.

Love it Doug. Proper music.. ..❤

Great analysis You could react, too, with the music Into the lens, from this same album. It's another wonderful song from Yes.

Awesome! - Love the comparison with organum, hadn't noticed that - but think it's been heavily adapted for modern musical ears. PS I'd love to hear a musical analysis of 'Turn it on again' by Genesis of the same year - almost sounds like a straight pop song but there's so much going on in there.

Dear Daily Doug, I've been absolutely loving your prog rock analysis. I've also been joining you on a drink-per -song situation. It's been fun! Particularly on Gates Of Delirium. I'm really glad you covered this one. In particular the live version, with Beniot David on vocals. His time with Yes was brief but i think he did a brilliant job, considering the shoes he had to fill!!! This is a great version. Here's to more Prognosis! Cheers from Scotland!

Hi Doug I recommend that, you listen to ALL-of their album Relayer. And after that Awaken, best version is live at Wembley, 1978. It will be quite a revelation. 😉👍

Yeah, Gentle Giant for sure. Also Camel, Renaissance (whose singer Annie Haslam covered a Yes song in 2000) King Crimson, Soft Machine, all UK groups (also the band UK who had Yes's first drummer Bill Bruford) and a host of European bands like Banco, Le Orme and PFM of Italy and Ange of France, Kayak and Finch of Holland.

Oh . Thank you very much for the education

About the lyrics: a machine is usually rather mindless. I guess that's what they meant.

Please review the songs "Close to the Edge", "The Gates of Delirium" and "Starship Trooper" all from Yes.

Really appreciated hearing your take on this! Love the “Drama” album very, very much.

really interesting one there Doug, not one I would have looked for but still pretty special

Thank you for mentioning the "tasteful guitar". That is Steve Howe. Kind of a legend my workplace. We call him the "Crypt Keeper", while he not everyone's or even anyones favorite guitarist, he is such a badass that we all just default to 'that's not how the crypt keeper would play it'. He does some really incredible stuff.

Nice reaction, thank you.

A kick-ass song indeed. Thanks for the insights.

I have always loved this song. When I was 16, the cassette was forever in my car the summer I got my driver's license. All of Drama is so much fun to listen to as it is a pretty big departure from a Yes fronted by Jon Anderson. That said, this is not my favorite performance of this song. This is very good but it just lacks the punch, the enthusiasm, the hurriedness, and the utter craftsmanship of the studio recording. Such an amazing song and a wonderful band! So glad you did this!

Great choice for a song. This has always been one of my favorites in their catalog. One of those tracks that's hard to pull off live, but this lineup did a decent job. Would be cool to hear your reaction to "Song of Scheherazade" by Renaissance. If you're unfamiliar with the band, they often recorded with an orchestra on many of their 70's tracks, including Scheherazade. Truly amazing group with the best female singer in classic rock IMO. I'd recommend the studio track but the one performed live in 1977 on King Biscuit Flower Hour is good too.

Yes, "Turn of the Century". Such a melodic song and story, poetry. Please review that one.

I think you should do the studio version, simply because it has Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes in it who were instrumental in writing this song. And frankly no other lineup does this one better than the original. Original to this album.

I suggest (or request 😅) Awaken, Close to the Edge & Heart of the Sunrise. Or Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe - Brother of Mine.

Highly underrated Album: Drama!!! Should be named in one go with Close to the edge and Fragile!

Thank you so much for this. Yes had a major freaking line up change on this album. I wanted to dislike it because we were missing the original singer and a kick ass keyboard player but I simply loved this album. I refused to see the tour supporting it but probably burned out a needle listening to it over a year or so. It was the background to many an hour of D&D and just hanging out with friends. Your superb description of the musical strength in MM just made me appreciate it even more if that was possible. Now for Close To The Edge. Thanks again!

I got to see the Drama tour on a 360 degree revolving stage Dallas Reunion Arena 9/27/80 .

Recommend a reaction vid to the Yes song Awaken from their Album "Going for the One"

Mi FAV album from YES!! with the Genious Trevor Horn on vocals...!! not here...but you can hear and watch the original videos from 1980...! cheers from México!

Saw the Drama tour, I'm old I can still think back and say wow, I saw that. And for like 12 bucks

Great take, definitely more Yes please

Thank you!

It is so cool you are reacting to some of my favorite bands. Rush Permanent Waves changed my life and musical interests ever since. I grew up with Rush, Yes, Led Zeppelin, and Pink Floyd. Any of these that you would choose would be greatly appreciated. Stay safe and much peace. Thanks.

"Dark Satanic Mills": A reference to William Blake's "Jerusalem", contrasting industrialized England's "Dark satanic mills" with her pastoral "green and pleasant lands". Also referenced by the ELP song of the same name, and explored futher in "Karn Evil 9", both on BRAIN SALAD SURGERY.

Doug, I love your commentary in these videos. I've known this music for many years, but you have some thoughts previously "unthunk", like how they change key from Em to Fm to Gm, a larger version of the motif ;-) At the bit where you mention the portamento where Oliver is playing the 3-note motif, I'm surprised you didn't mention that the part is also played in 9ths rather than 2nds as a variation. I also want to mention that the rhythm in this live version is not quite as on as it is in the original. That long line that they play in eight notes is later played with variations where they add one eighth note, so that makes the rhythm a bit trickier, and even now, live, they don't quite get it correct. But anyway, great song from a great band from a slightly oddball album played live by a rather peculiar instance of that band!! Thanks for doing this!!

Hey! You did find a good live version. Saw them do this right after the album came out... Philly, DC, Hampton roads.... OMG

How many people do you see walking around looking down at their phone. Goodbye reality, hello technology.

Doug, just discovered your channel because the Dance of Eternity react and loved it! I noticed you already covered a lot of interesting progressive songs from bands like Opeth, Symphony, Rush, Yes etc, and if you accept suggestions I think you will may enjoy "A change of seasons" (Dream Theater), "First Light" (Shadow Gallery) and "Still remains" (Fates Warning). By the way, I already subscribed to this amazing channel and will be following it! Congrats from Brazil!

I just began following your channel and enjoy your reactions and analysis of the music. I'm not sure if you've already done this one, but if not, I HIGHLY recommend doing Orion by Metallica. If you're not familiar with this song, I really think you'll find it interesting. It's truly a masterpiece in my mind. Edit: there are some real treats awaiting for you in that song.

Do all the Yes. Music degree here as well-Love your perspective!

9:58 The meter could be written as 3/4 or as 9/4 since it's 3/4 bars arranged in threes. To fit better with the figures in that section, you could also repeat three bars, one each of 4/4, 3/4, and 2/4 but that's more ink than I'd care to spill. :) 11:45. Oliver is holding down a chord with one hand while slowly moving a pitch wheel or level with the other hand to lower the chord's pitch while it sustains. I saw Yes during that tour, with Rick Wakeman's son Oliver on keyboards and French Canadian Yes tribute band singer Benoît David replacing Jon Anderson. On the studio version of "Machine Messiah," the Buggles' and Asia's Geoff Downes played keyboards and Downes' Bugglemate Trevor Horn sang. It was a great show and really came off well as Yes despite the personnel replacements.

Damm good analysis Doug.

Thats actually Rick Wakeman's Son Adam on Keyboards.

I'm not sure it's worth spending too much time deciphering Yes lyrics - especially from the earlier days. Jon Anderson, I'm sure, used words for their sound rather than their meaning (yes, I know he wasn't involved in this album...) Great analysis. I've been waiting for someone who would dive into the mechanics of what's going on, so keep it going. For Yes suggestions: my favourite Yes song - And You And I. And I still miss Chris. Not very prominent here, but what a bass player. Showing off his choir boy heritage at the very end there, too...

Drama is one of my favorite albums, good choices.

Try Endless Dream, from the Talk album 👍🏻

You should listen to Echoes live at gdansk by Dave gilmour (pink floyd)

Great live track love Steve Howes unique Jazzy style

I really enjoyed this video. Thank you for taking the time to review this song - one of my absolute favorites. I’ve got to admit that I had no idea that there was THAT MUCH going on. You made me google a term (Diatessaron) ... I leaned something new! Thank you for that! I know this isn’t the right forum - but I’m tired of saying it in the ‘right’ forums... what is it going to take to get Jon Anderson to sing this. I like the version that Trevor Horn sings on the album. I REALLY love the way Benoit sings it here... I really thought he has been the best replacement so far. Jon Davidson - no as much. I just think that if Jon Anderson sang this song with ... I guess Steve, Alan and Geoff ... we could finally hear how it is supposed to sound. I will stop now.

Another awesome Yes track from the Drama album is Tempus Fugit - it's catchy and bonkers!