Classical Composer Reacts to Yours Is No Disgrace (Yes) | The Daily Doug (Episode 552) 

Chris Squire and Bill Bruford. The best rhythm section in prog.

Man and boy I have listened to this piece for 52 years now and never get tired of it. Still fresh and ground breaking. Amazing.

Steve Howe's first song with the band! What a way to introduce yourself eh?

Listening to the bass in this song you can see why Geddy Lee is so enamored by Yes.

I love how Rick Wakeman said Jon Anderson is the one person who’s trying to save this planet while living on another. Perpetual Change is a great one and The Clap has Steve doing some amazing guitar work. The whole album is amazing.

"South Side of the Sky" from Fragile would be a great deeper cut to check out.

Simply a masterwork of progressive rock. A half century old and it still sounds way ahead of it's time.

This is one of the best rock albums of all time. Yours Is No Disgrace, Starship Trooper, The Clap, I've Seen All Good People, and Perpetual Change. I remember being absolutely in love with this album in Jr. High.

The bass is just fantastic.

Id never heard of Yes before a friend dropped the stylus on this track on this album, I was 13 and it hadnt been out long.The first few bars of this, and I was hooked. ----- For life As it turned out..🎉

Chris Squire was the best. Never forgotten ❤️

I'm sure someone has mentioned it, but there is one more major track from this album. Perpetual Change. It's absolutely brilliant! Definitely gives this song a run for the money! Jon's vocals are powerful on that track. Regarding Starship Trooper, the studio version will always hold a special place in my heart due to Bill's amazing cymbal work during Wurm. Neither he nor Alan played it the same live; not even touring as ABWH. However, the live versions with Steve and Rick playing dueling solos are fantastic! Those solos make it so that I don't miss Bill's original cymbal work as much. Keep it coming, Doug! Love your stuff!

This is one of my absolute favorite albums, and when I made a playlist of prog rock for a teenage coworker, this and Perpetual Change were both on it.

Very cool song and album. Steve Howe goes from clean guitar to acoustic, to a distorted jazz tone and then more rock tone flawlessly.

We love you Doug! Sorry RU-vid had been such a pain lately. Keep it up man!

Such a fantastic song! Steve Howe’s debut with the band set the standard for guitarists for decades. He is my all-time favorite. Thanks for reacting to this classic, Doug.

According to Rolling Stone Magazine, it was the addition of Steve Howe that allowed YES to find its true identity. I don't think anyone expected what YES was going to sound like in concert. Just about every song in their extensive catalog was overhauled and enhanced for playing live on stage. Many bands find it difficult to reproduce on stage what they recorded in the studio. For Yes, it was entirely different. Their music soared to unimaginable heights on stage, a reflection of their musicianship, as each band member proved to be a master of his own craft. They simply blew audiences away. According to Rick Wakeman, "new fans of YES were born at live shows." The point here is while "Yours is No Disgrace" was a ground breaking studio recording, the way this song, and all of their songs were played live is why YES became so popular in the 1970s, and continued for decades.

Watching Steve is an exspirence. He takes the guitar to a whole different dimension. Not to say that some of the greats dont make their axe sing, but Steve, it's like listening to a choir. Watching him live is an exspirence like none other. Magical is an understatement.

Doug, now that you are familiar with the triumvirate of Yes albums (Yes Album, Fragile and CTTE), you simply MUST delve into Yessongs. These are the essential tracks performed exquisitely LIVE by the classic line-up (including some tracks with Bruford and some with Alan White (RIP)).

The first two Yes albums contain some of my favorite songs. Well worth listening to.

This is the album that probably caused other musicians to want to give up. Nobody could touch their musicianship.

This was an incredible showpiece for Steve Howe and Yes was later fond of using this song and the following track, Starship Troopers, as concert closers.

The Yessongs live version is just SO chuffing brilliant!!!

I'm a musician and was in high school when this came out. Some of my peers (musicians who could actually play) put the record on and told me that I had to hear this new band. This was the first track and I was just floored and they were all smiling at me. In short order we all had the album and were writing out riffs we had figured out (before we had internet to show you everything.) The same thing happened with The first Chicago album, ELP, King Crimson, Return to Forever... and many more. Those were good times for us.

It always amazes me that a schooled PHD in music has not been immersed in "YES" or "ELP" at some point or class. Seems like the curriculum is very biased against some really brilliant composers ... thanks Doug! Never too late to learn ...

Listen to Perpetual Change live from Yessongs. Steve Howe's guitar work is something to be heard. Makes it seem effortless, but is shear skill.

Time and A Word is an interesting album, they recorded with a full orchestra and wound up with some nice tracks - No Opportunity Necessary No Experience Needed, Astral Traveller, and the title track are all worth checking out

Loved your Reaction Doug 😀 Perpetual change is another great track from the yes album .🎼

While I think the first two albums are underrated, this is definitely the album where Yes became YES!

Howe is incredible on this but the real star has to be blend of the three voices. I love the sound of this - it still has one foot in the earlier sound. Big respect to Tony Kaye, never as flamboyant as Wakeman or Moraz but a great and very tasteful player.

The seismic shift in musical direction between their first two albums and the Yes album just shows what a tour de force that Steve Howe was and how important his contributions were to Yes becoming the quintessential progressive rock band.

A true masterpiece. One of the first truly Prog songs to define the genre. The Yes Album is one of the game changers in Rock. As far as Yes's first album goes, it's fine, though it sounds a bit dated, what with its late '60s Psychedelic Rock sound. It's still better than the other Psychedelic Rock out there at the time. However, it was Yes's second album, Time And A Word, and the album's popular title track, along with the terrific songs, "Then" and "Astral Traveler," among others, that set the band on its own, unique course, which then led to The Yes Album and Fragile, both being released in the same year. And they were off to the races.

The greatest band of them all. 👍👍❤️❤️😜😜

Oh boy, I love this song so much. It gets better after multiple listens. This one just starts playing in my head quite often!

Interesting to see Yes do more diversity in one song than other bands do in entire albums.

Yes is in my top 5 all time favorite bands. Maybe in my top 3. Yours Is No Disgrace is a great example why! Amazing, unique, fascinating and beautiful. I can say that about most of their songs.

Bill's drumming in this is phenomenal. He leaves lots of space and has a much jazzier approach. Another track from this LP (as others have stated) is Perpetual Change, which has much more studio trickery.

In many ways The YES ALbum is a favorite of mine, but that could be that I remember it when it first came out and it was nothing that I, or anyone else , had ever heard -- compositionally and as far as the way everyone played. Nobody sounds like Squire, or Bruford, or Howe, or Anderson. And as much as Wakeman added later on, I kinda dig the rock organ of Kaye. This was over a half a century ago folks!!!

Got to love Chris Squire.

Don't discount their first two albums, they're way underrated. Time and a Word has some especially brilliant tunes on it.

Quite often, Jon Anderson's lyrics were more about the sound of the words than the actual meaning of them.

Love this whole album

I just noticed the DMA diploma from KU. I also graduated with a DMA from KU, Rock Chalk Jayhalk!

YES YES YES. As many have said, now you need to listen to the Yessongs version!!!! Thanks for bringing us more Yes!

Nah, the live version on _"Yessongs"_ is vastly superior to this. {:o:O:}

Peter Banks(co-founder of Yes), rightfully described as""the architect of progressive music". Bold move to replace him with Howe after being "dicks" with him on the second Yes's album Time and a Word. (Funny part is, Bank joined a band (The Syndicats mid-60's)and replaced the guitarist that had already replaced Howe..)

LISTEN TO 'AWAKEN' FROM THE 'GOING FOR THE ONE' ALBUM NEXT!!! You're gonna love it my friend

Tony Kaye's Hammond really makes the song..

The psychopaths couldn't turn the world upside down without the compliance of fools and order followers. Those who are complicit in evil are definitely responsible for their actions.

Wow. Peter Banks bluesy? Maybe at some point, but one should check out his work with Flash...not very bluesy. My favorite and suggestion is "LIfetime" from the In The Can album. Amazing musicians in that band. Singer, guitar, bass, and drums. Tony Kaye played on their eponymously titled first album.

Perhaps the "Yours is no Disgrace" isn't referencing war at all. You said that they just replaced their guitarist. Perhaps it was Anderson saying, "Listen, you put us on the map. But we want to go a different direction. No hard feelings, nothing personal, it's just business.... Yours is no disgrace."

Progressive rock is 5 or 6 guys playing 20- or 30-piece orchestral music through electric instruments and amps.

Doug listens to yours is no disgrace but the Yessong version, a sonic marvel. It is also important to listen to Perpetual change.

Time and a word is a great album, you should do a reaction to ‘Then’

You need to hear Perpetual Change from this album

Chris Squire wanted the band he was creating to make music like The Doors. Jon Anderson wanted his band to sound like The Beatles and The Beach Boys. Now you have three more pools of music to research for the birth of Prog Rock.

Bass is as gritty as gritty can be.

the song means through immense terror and cruelty on this earth, we carry on, we never stop, we live our lives all connected and all together until we die. Our children continue the song, though nothing is our particular fault, we participate in the big story, ours is the disgrace, even though it's not *my* disgrace, or *your* disgrace. The war is our fault, the earth, as it stands, is our fault. But it's not your fault, man. You gotta keep on living. I gotta keep on living. We'll meet again on the other side :) Good Yes shit, yeah?

"Jon what are you talking about?" I've uttered those same words listening to so many Yes songs lmao.

Check Perpetual Change

Kansas got some pointers from this for Carry On Wayward Son.

Yes does this with a lot of songs where they sing the same words to different melodies and beats, exploring the musical universe and at the end, they exhibit the ultimate version of the words/music.

MORE YES!! Woohoo!

I LOVE Tony Kaye's gritty, heavy, distorted organ on this record.

Jon Andersen has always been anti war. He’s a big John Lennon fan. Very intelligent. Jon Andersen mentioned 3 John Lennon songs in the Yes song called ( I’ve seen all good people)

If you haven't yet, definitely check out Perpetual Change from the same album (best song on the record IMO).

Yes is the type of band that will take you places

From The Yes Album to Relayer, Yes recorded some of the most incredible music ever. I am shocked how much of the best music came from that 5-year period. Yes, ELP, Genesis recorded their best stuff in the first half of that decade. Not to forget Zeppelin and Deep Purple. Those five are my perennial favorites. I doubt anyone will ever rise to that level. Prog is gone. All we have is great records by dinosaurs. The fossil record is here, but they are all extinct.

Imo the live version from Yessongs is the superior cut.

My first introduction to Yes and to the bass of Chris Squire. Aged 17. Changed things forever.

Yes had a song on their first album Harold Land that could be an anti war song. Named for some reason after a jazz saxophonist, it's about a man who becomes hardened by the horrors of war.

Amazing musicians for sure! Wasn't a fan back then...I knew of them but...was a Rush fan so that's what I bought. This type of music takes patience to appreciate! I was too young at the time and it was "over my head" haha Deep Purple was more my speed 😂

It’s my first time listening to Yes. Always enjoy a 10+ minute video, definitely gonna check them out after this!!

Good review. Chronological context should be recognized here. The Osmonds, Jackson 5, the Carpenters, etc. were dominant and not fulfilling for me. Then along comes the Yes Album with distinctive cover art. Treated to this song first, then The Clap (or, more correctly Clap), followed by Starship Trooper. And who had just read Heinlein's novel of the same name?

Do perpetual change next!!!

Do check out a tune or two from those first two albums. Astral Traveler and The Prophet would be a good place to start. Even early on they had very unique arrangements and, of course, great playing. Check out Perpetual Change from The Yes Album too, if you have yet to. The last biggie on that album.

Lots of Steve Howe, Chris Squire and Bill Bruford is a good thing.

Good God YES is magnificent 💚

A few have mentioned, and I'll jump in - probably time to wander into Rabin-era Yes - 90125, Big Generator, Union (with Howe back in the mix), and Talk. Nothing beats that The Yes Album to Relayer era, but these later albums are worth the listen.

Side thought, I just realized you may have never reacted to the band Asia which also has Steve Howe. I want to recommend the song "Cutting It Fine" which has a truly rich and wonderful synthesizer solo by Geoff Downes.

You seem baffled by the lyrics - welcome to the gang! There must be millions of us out there that have no idea of exactly what Jon Anderson's lyrivs really mean LOL!

I bought this because of the ethereal cover. I did not waste my money. Who actually played keys on this?

Thanks Doug, this was excellent once again. Maybe it's just me, my first Yes albums were CTTE and Yessongs. The live album is mentioned as being 'muddy' but I love the song versions on Yessongs, the energy, excitement comes through those tracks. When I got around to the Yes Album, the songs sounded dull to me. Great songs, vocals and musicianship, but lacking the heart, soul, and excitement I became used to from Yessongs. Today, I still prefer the Yessongs versions.

Its not Yes' first anti-war song. Harold Land is.

He's talking about FUN! (D&D, whimsey, Imaginations, flights of fancy,borad games spending time with others) to me. Not a waste of time! IDK

There's a lot of good ways to listen to Bill Bruford. Yes is one of the best. 🤘🧙‍♂️🤘 Rich the Ancient Metal Beast

Hey Doug! Could you please react In the Presence of Enemies parts 1 and 2 by Dream Theater?? I think is a good addition to the channel!

Doug, the "new melody" is actually a harmony of the original. Try it - you can sing the original melody and be perfectly on spec.

Might be my favorite Yes song. It never fails to fire me up when I hear it. The driving rhythm! Chris' killer bass tone!! What a song.

Doug my favourite YES song - Thank you. Listen to the extended Union version

Steve Howe. Is one of the greatest guitarrist...for sure

Never try to understand early Jon Anderson lyrics. The words have no meaning, it is just the music that matters.

Doug - I recommend you listen to “Astral Traveller” from Time and a Word. I agree the Yes Album was a new beginning for them but the seeds/roots of their sound were evident in some of the songs on the first 2 albums

Best band, ever. Period.

As a Patreon member, I'm glad you enjoyed this song, Doug. It's my favorite song from Yes and one of my favorite rock songs of all time! The instrumentation, composition, vocals, and production make this a near perfect rock song as you're going to get, IMO. It also has my favorite bass riff of all time from the late, great Chris Squire. Almost the whole album has really great songs on it and I consider the Yes Album to be one of the greatest rock albums of all time! Thanks for the excellent review!

Henry Cow ?................ Universe zero ? X-Legged Sally ? , Sotos ? Belgium 90´s RIO is excellent?

When the Yes album "90125" came out, I was disappointed at the overtly 80's sound that they developed. However I have recently re-listened to it and under the overly-engineered sound, I was happy to find the same level of complexity and excellence. It will never be 'as good' as the era beginning with 'Yours Is No Disgrace," but I still can appreciate it. You should give a few of the songs to see how they were at least able to keep the heart of their music alive in it, if not the soul. Specifically, the tracks"It Can Happen" and maybe "Changes." Your mileage may vary.

"Yes" always felt like the big brothers of "Genesis" to me. Now 50 years later I have this revelation by first listening to "Yours is no Disgrace". 🎉

You didn't mention Perpetual Change, which is another 9 minute song from The Yes Album. It's not quite as interesting as the three you did mention, but most other bands would give their left kidneys to write a song as good.

There were hints of what was to come in their first two albums. One of my favorites from "Time and a Word" was "Astral Traveller".