First listen to Yes - Turn of the Century (REACTION) 

"Turn of the Century" is credited to Anderson, Howe and White, the only track on the album that credits the latter as a writer.[15] The song tells the story of Roan, a sculptor whose wife dies in the winter and, while in grief of her death, carves a statue of her and she is brought back to life.[15] Anderson gained the idea from the opera La bohème, with additional inspiration from the Greek mythological figure Pygmalion, who falls in love with a statue of a woman that he carved.[21] It was considerably shorter in length in its original form, but as the band continued to develop the song further Anderson suggested the song should tell the story musically before he added lyrics.[19] White came up with the song's chord sequences on piano and also wrote the initial vocal melody, which Anderson took a liking to and wrote words for: the chords were later developed further in certain sections by Howe.[22] White also wrote the section where the drums incorporate the tympani towards the end.[21] The opening minutes of the track became one of Howe's favourite pieces of music by the band.

This is a perfect song, and it always brings me to tears.

The ending notes are the lead in to a song by Chris, "Parallels". This is the album where the collective creativity of YES came together in a unique way, and Rick was back to recapture the Magic. After almost 50 years this song still brings tears to my eyes, the build up at the end, and then Steve's guitar comes Sailing In, Wow, Intensity Level 10. Beautiful Acoustic, incredible timing, absolute Perfection, which Yes seems to do effortlessly. Lyrical Masterpiece.

Such an underestimated album! Awaken, Wonderous Stories, this one, all outstanding! I still have vivid memories of the concert when this came out. Howe picking up the steel pedal and wailing it like any other rocker would a strat on Going For the One! These songs age like fine wine.

It’s heartwarming to see a bright young man explore Yes music. I’m enjoying watching you become aware how great a band Yes really was. Keep up the great reactions.

Goosebumps and tears every time I hear this masterpiece...

One of my favorite songs. So beautiful.

This is one of their best pieces. It's just a stunningly beautiful piece of music. Everything on this album is great. The sounds at the end were leading into the next piece, Parallels. Wait... accessing my Jedi mind control powers once more... clears throat... you will now listen to their 1st album, Daniel... and you will like it🧙‍♂️

One of the sweetest heartfelt songs ever.

I can't believe you haven't reacted to this one yet. This is one of Yes's best songs - amazing piece of music. Nice review

This album was like YES after a needed rest. So fresh. This tour had all members smiling.

As always Daniel…..the sacred music that is YES….the whole album is chakra spinning. Love, Light and Peace💛

Such a beautiful, emotional song. Not really a song I paid much attention to when the album came out, but I appreciate it much more years later.

Greatest male rock vocalist ever! Still never cracks or drops a note even in his seventies. Remarkable!

"Wonderous Stories" and the title track are amazing. Watching Steve Howe play 3 different guitars live on "Going for the One" is insane. Reminder: You need to finish of "Fragile". Hopefully you'll get to that and their album "The Ladder" before the Turn of the Century. 😁

An incredible masterpiece. What a great transition in the middle section. Howe is wonderful.

Ladies and gentlemen Chris Squire and Yes the greatest show on earth

Great band and a fantastic love song! Glad you are reviewing YES...my favorite prog band of all time. Enjoy the journey!

: settling in to watch : I do hope you catch the Pygmalion similarities. :edit: Beautifully done, Daniel. When you can, look up ancient Roman poet Ovid's work, "Metamorphoses." The story of this song will make more sense, although I love your interpretation. The faint sound you hear at the end is where Turn of the Century segues right in to Parallels, a song with a very different feel. I personally never understood why those notes are at the end of digital versions of Turn of the Century, rather than at the start of Parallels.

so glad you checked this one out

Hey Dan, glad you listened to this. The story as I feel it is this… In 1899 Paris, a young artisan sculptor, no wealthy patrons or family, ekes out a subsistence by doing small works for little pay. He is gifted, but more than that, he is gentle and spiritually sensitive. He lives in a small garret, barely affordable. But he has his LOVE with him. She is beautiful and funny and innocent and perfect. They share everything but live in poverty. But they have a richness because of their innocent young love. Skin against skin, a loaf of bread to share, there are no words to describe this peace that nourishes their sensitive souls. He, by chance, is able to acquire a discarded large piece of marble, and with help, he’s able to get it up the stairs into their apartment. She poses unashamedly and he begins to sculpt her, using second hand and discarded tools, attempting a life size figure which he’s never been able to do before. She, in her perfect youth, stands naked, posed and still, as he lovingly chips away at the precious stone. But in November, she begins to be ill. She still poses, but weakens and they must stop. He cares for her as best he can. No physician is available to the poor. They are undernourished as are so many of the poor in that place and time. He has nothing but the warmth of his own body in their cold attic to sooth her. Her fever worsens and he has no plan, no resources, but must hold her as she withers in their bed. Nameless people suffering a nameless fate. The final cold morning comes and she succumbs. 1-1-1901. “In the still light of dawn, she dies, helpless hands, soul revealing” .Her gray lifeless body is taken to a paupers grave. Roan is alone. Young, and strong, but with a broken heart. He lays in their bed, smelling her fragrance with longing, but hopeless and alone. Hours uncounted pass. Still the unfinished stone is there when his eyes open. He feels an unquenchable compulsion to get up and work. As he works his skills, memories and feelings overwhelm him. He feels her presence. He senses her life spirit in the stone under his hands. He gets lost in this reverie. “Highest colors touching others”. The rest of the song is a musical expression of this gentle connection beyond flesh and time. Time is an illusion. Love is not confined by circumstance. It is eternal. Roan lives on but realizes this “form out of stone”. But what of this further story? When Roan is old and he recalls “ young love that lingers so”. It’s another song that hasn’t been written yet I guess….Thanks Daniel for prompting me to post this…

I was at Wembley to see them do this live on 25 Oct 1977, Jon Anderson's birthday and the audience had to sing happy birthday or there was no encore, Then Mr Squire comes on stage with a triple neck bass, Awesome, ❤️👍 P. S. loving the tee shirt, RUSH are my favorite band👍

It truly is a thing of beauty. You should check out Madrigal from the Tormato album which is a shorter song but highlights Howe on acoustic guitar and Wakeman on harpsichord

The genius that is Yes. My very favorite band, and this song is in the top 6 or 8 best songs they`ve ever composed. jmo

Such a beautiful track. Thanks for the review! 😎

Glad you finally reacted to this one. Checkout "That, That Is". Not many reactions to it and it's really good. Then a short one "Don't kill the Whale".

The first time I heard this song 🎵😭 was in 1983 when I was 18 years old. John Anderson's voice is perfect. Love the last 30 seconds, it sounds so Renaissance.

I've always loved this song. Just beautiful.

It's nice to see someone of a younger generation appreciate this. I was 17 when this album was released. It became a part of my life alongside Emerson, Lake, and Palmer. Proper music!

You should give "Sound Chaser" a try, Daniel. It is on Yes' _Relayer._ You will really see Howe's virtuosity.

Great reaction! I totally agree with the suggestion for "Endless Dream". It's the 80's incarnation of Yes that some considered too "pop" but ED is a 15 min ride featuring the guy who replaced Steve Howe playing guitar, piano and singing. It's one of their best songs.

You might want to know that there is a cover of this song played by Steve Howe and sung by Annie Haslam of the band Renaissance. It was created for a Yes tribute album. Annie has a beautifully unique voice so it makes a nice counterpoint to the original.

Thanks for this, buddy! I see Woo Bino has given an absolutely spot-on explanation for this beautiful song, which I could never better. Probably because it is straight out of Wikipedia! But I am glad he posted it. I loved how you said "Wow", at the same time I always do, just before the vocals start again after the wonderful middle instrumental. To this day, that soaring part from Steve sends shivers down my spine. You said that (near enough) "...as with all Yes music, such an undercurrent of hope...". A really perceptive observation, that had not really gelled with me before - but, as in so many other things in your reactions, you are dead right. Well done, that man! Why had I never fully appreciated that before - and I've only been listening to Yes for 50 years, now! Maybe one reason Yes, with Genesis and Renaissance, are one of my three favourite bands ever. Yes wrote some truly beautiful music. "Soon", obviously. And the end of "Awaken", to add another. But "Turn of the Century" has to be the most lovely piece they ever wrote? I saw them play it live, and it blew me away. It is up there in my top 5 Yes pieces, up with "The Gates of Delirium", "Close to the Edge", "Awaken", "Starship Trooper", "Yours is no Disgrace", "And You and I", "Heart of the Sunrise".... (Ok OK, that's a lot more than 5, I know...shows how brilliant this band were!)

A gift from one amazing century to another.

Steve Howe has mentioned how the Going for the One period was a renaissance for Jon in terms of his creative output. No kidding.

Love the tshirt by the way. One of my favourite Rush albums. Very underrated Rush album.

Sweet, all new to me. Looking forward to it.

To me you had the appropriate reaction as far as how the music made you feel. Beautiful really does describe it well. I interpret the story a little differently, but I think it's great that it can mean different things depending on who is listening and their state of mind. I especially liked you giving your interpretation of the song and not bothering with what others have written. Most of us have long ago spent our one shot at hearing these songs for the first time. We can kind of experience it again through your first listens, especially knowing your level of appreciation for the craft behind the songs. Thanks.

It is about the Famous Sculptor "Rodin" and the lover that he loss to illness and he Sculps her. Pygmalion (/pɪɡˈmeɪliən/; Ancient Greek: Πυγμαλίων Pygmalion, gen.: Πυγμαλίωνος) is a legendary figure of Cyprus in Greek mythology who was a king and a sculptor. He is most familiar from Ovid's narrative poem Metamorphoses, in which Pygmalion was a sculptor who fell in love with a statue he had carved.

Always goosebumps when Howe comes in with the main guitar piece near the end! Genius!

Please review To Be Over from their Relayer album. I have been waiting anxiously for you to get to that one. It's breathtaking and I'm positive you will love it. One of my all-time favorite Yes songs! Thank you for all you do.

Soooooooooo a magic,intense ,celestial Song,the voice of Ian Anderson,and the magic final Guitar chords of mister Steve Howe.and in addiction the magic chords of mister Rick Wakeman.great,great,great masterpiece.from Treviso Italy Cattarin Luciano

What is there to say that you or others haven't said? One of the most beautiful songs EVER. I still vividly remember bringing this album home from the record store, and putting it on my turntable, and then laying down on the carpet in front of the speakers, and just going to Heaven! I lived on the 2nd floor of a two-story apartment building, and I can remember how great the acoustics were in that room, with the sounds literally coming from all directions, including up through the floor and right into my spine! Thank you, Daniel!

I think you will like some of the tracks from Magnification too. Start with 'In the presence of ...

Such an underrated song and album. IMO, the last great classic Yes album. What came after was spotty. This song and Awaken are awesome! Thanks!

Song is based on pigmslion. Wife comes back from death..in fact a sculpture...that becomes alive. My fair lady..for example

I think there was an early version of this song that I heard on some of those remastered releases of the Going For The One album. It was like light years away from what this final version sounds like. The band and the producer did magic in the studio. This is a masterpiece.

Similar story in a way to a Kansas epic and one of my favourite ever songs, the beautiful Lamplight Symphony, from their second album, Song For America, where the guy’s wife come back to life on a winters night and he dances with her for that one time before she fades away. Immensely moving written and performed by one of GOAT bands.

My first concert, 😲

Such a beautiful piece, as are the others on this Album. An artist creates an image of his lost love. Reminds me a bit of Poe's Anabelle Lee. A sense of longing for the past, the music breaks into a major key as his image ignites his memory. and slowly fades to a wistful nostalgia. Well done, thank you.

Easily one of their top 10 songs, maybe even top 5, so beautiful even if you don't study the lyrics.

The lyrics are based on classical mythology - a sculptor's wife dies. He carves her effigy, which comes alive in the moonlight. Basis for My Fair Lady and Pretty Woman. Pygmallion.

If you like unusual voices, you have to try Pavlov's Dog -Julia, Song Dance, Valkerie, Late November, Natchez Trace and many more. Cheers for great reactions.

One of their best songs. To me brings Edgar Allan Poe's short story "Ligeia" to mind.

If there was any question whether Steve Howe was a world class guitarist, this song puts it to rest.

Bought this album when it came out in 1977 with my first ever wage packet, loved it ever since. Thank for the reaction.

You have to folllow this up with "Parallels" now.

This song is an epic tune Among YES’s very best in every wY. The emotions come pouring out!

Man, are my eyes sure are sweating.

It's their best song..simple.

Going for the One came out in 77 after Relayer in 74. In it, Yes got back to basics and the album was well received. Wakeman came back after leaving over difference over Tales of Topographic Oceans in 74. This song, while beautiful isn't the one I would have chosen from this album. Wondrous Stories was the one I always came back to. Now you've got me listening to Turn of the Century again with new insight. Well done Daniel.

" Don't surround yourself with yourself -- Move on back two squares " " Send an instant karma to me -- Initial it, with Loving Carrrrre " !!

This is a great album in it's entirety too.

From the circumstances of my life, I can relate to Roan. Our skill sets are different, though. My interpretation of this song is that Roan lost his great love to one "of the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to." [the words of Shakespeare, again far beyond my skill set, but I do know them] He then uses his talent to carve a facsimile of his great love, taken by time. All others may see a beautiful statue, but not a living biological entity. However, he sees and feels with his practiced eyes and artistically skilled hands and, most importantly within his mind where our experiences of outer reality coalesce, something, no, someone else.

Man (artist, sculptor), woman (muse) in love, woman dies, man sculpts her image hoping to reincarnate her, he remembers their love as he works, a theme well trodden in art for hundreds if not thousands of years. Still, it's a great song by a great band.

Fun intro 😂

Its the turn of the centuary, 1900?..there are no mobile phones or cameras, so its sculpture that one uses to preserve alove one who has passed??...i think thats the logistic principle, a true love song?

If Jon Anderson's voice can be more beautiful than on this song, it will be found on "Wonderous Stories", the apex of vocal beauty and incredible melody.

Daniel, Yes is a classic Band, Please do " I've Seen All Good People " -- " Owner of a Lonely Heart " and " Roundabout " my personal favorite YES songs. We Are Legion !!

One of the better numbers on "Going for the One". Jon and Steve work together beautifully on this one. Very cool to watch Our Host losing himself in this number. Prediction: "To Be Over" from "Relayer" will impress DS9 as much as or even more than this song.

Always liked Parallels from this album.

You still haven’t done “On The Silent Wings Of Freedom.” I’ve been asking… 😏