Yes - Close to the Edge || Jana's First Reaction and Song REVIEW 

Another lover of Close to the Edge makes the world a better place ❤

CTTE it was my very first experience that open my ears and mind to a this Magical World of Prog Rock !

Let's not forget Jon Anderson's beautiful soaring vocals on this piece.... which to me is one of the biggest factors contributing to its Masterpiece status

Nice to see people enjoying yes without talking though the track until the end

Yes!!! Forever!!!

YES❣️❣️❣️The greatest band on this or any other planet❗️❗️❗️🪐🪐🪐⭐️⭐️⭐️👍👍👍😎

Very cool reaction. If you listen to it more than once you pick up on a lot more. Thank you two for your real life positive reaction to Yes - Close to the Edge. A masterpiece.

I was very happy with Jana's remarks especially for her first listen of CTTE. She enjoyed the journey! Jana pointed out the parts that hit her emotions which were spot on. Great reaction for a first listen of CTTE❗️❗️❗️🎵🎼🎶🔈🔉🔊👍👍👍😎

Two observations: 1) There are a lot of different sorts of YES fans who favor different elements of their output. Some love Jon's unique singing voice in particular, others especially love Wakeman's blazing show off speed on the keys, still others are awed by Steve Howe's amazing talent, but I'm one of those who's always especially loved the way Chris Squire absolutely dominated the YES Sound in the early years with his Industrial-Melodic bass inspirations. When I list my favorite YES masterpieces, they all feature stand out Chris Squire performances (one of the reasons why Awaken isn't on my list of Top Ten YES Masterpieces . . . I actually think *The Remembering* > *Awaken)* 2) One of the things that YES was really focused on during this period was performing *emotion* with their instruments, with their singing, & with their overall orchestration skills (Awaken had this in abundance, but Chris seemed to almost "mail it in" with his contributions in Awaken). To me their ultimate masterpiece in terms of "playing emotion" was *The Gates Of Delirium,* which only slightly edges out Close To The Edge, IMO. I'm definitely looking forward to when Jan listens to The Gates Of Delirium... 😎

This should be played every sunday at Church Service ! 😇💙🙏

A true "old timey " classic! Now I feel old...

Absolute Masterpiece. I was 17 the day I bought the Album, on release day in 1972. I’ll never tire of it, the whole Album. Genius. Love your reflections on it too. 🎶❤️🎶

And, Jana, you just listened to the best of the best. Jeez, where do you go after listening to that?

Great reaction Jana! Glad you enjoyed!

Great rection to one of the best prog tunes ever. You can't have harmony without dissonance. They need each other. And it's very stravinsky-like: The chaos of nature, and after that: blossoming. I'd suggest to Jana to listen a few times to fully "get" in it.

Close to the edge. Pinacle of prog

In my 67 years on the planet, I've enjoyed this amazing piece of music for 50 years, and it remains my favourite song/tune/piece. The church pipe organ sets the hairs on my arms on end, it's so emotional.

Ladies and gentlemen, YES, the greatest show on earth. When I first heard CTTE, we were playing Beethoven's Egmont in orchestra. Ludwig has lost his hearing and going mad and is evident in the piece just as the beginning of CTTE. GOAT prog piece. 🙏🎶

one of those records that sounds terrific when you're stoned out of your mind and still sounds remarkably great when you're stone cold sober. Kinda like it.

YES! 😊

Complex composition. you are right, the contrasts work. Fade in and Fade out. a complete work.

If you want to have a spiritual experience, listen to this with headphones, lying down, in the dark, with your eyes closed. Enjoy.

The opening, with all of thechord and time changes is by design, as the opening is called "The Solid Time of Change."

The intro scares alot of people, it is shocking and is meant to be. I guess the sudden call to spiritual awakening is probably at least as startling Lol!!😮

Excellent reaction. Honest. The dynamics get me. I get up I get down. Masterpiece

Just "Close your eyes and listen." As most of us Yes fans well know, Yes music requires the listener to immerse themselves, within the privacy of one's own head, and with repeated listenings; therefore to allow the music to carry you on a journey within one's own soul. With Peace and Love to all! (Michael)

I’m glad Jana enjoyed it. Outside of the first part but found her way,bringing her close to the edge! I wondered if you were going to play this being so close to the other CTTE. I hope to see you both on the ship!! I’m the guy that looks like a 50 year old Geddy. You can’t miss me. Lol

In a nutshell, CTTE is a musical journey through life. Very poetic, and structurally unique, it takes you through life and it's ups and downs. The organ section is an actual pipe organ recorded in an English church, gives me goosebumps every time I hear it. Thanks guys, enjoyed this very much.

Oh, one of the great prog rock songs ever. Chris Squire ruled on that Ricky bass. Also check out The Band Geeks studio cover of this. Holy moly! I remember seeing the Close to the Edge Yes tour back in late 1972 or 1973. Whole album, start to finish. Remains one of my favorite albums. Period.

Close to the edge.. climax of prog music.

Hi Shufflers. Dave from Blighty. This competes with Supper's Ready as my all-time favourite prog long song. Excellent perception, Jana, on first listen. First time I heard it was in a record store when it was released, deciding whether to buy the album. I was a confused 16 year old, but sufficiently intrigued to take the plunge. Back then, the music press didn't know what to make of it, as it was so pioneering. Enjoy the cruise, both of you.

... la estructura musical soporta un mensaje. No es en si misma sino en virtud de lo que intenta transmitir. Hay que llegar allí en el análisis de una pieza como esta.

Great reaction to this wonderful piece of music. Couldn't agree more about your comments regarding Chris Squire's bass playing and how his playing along with Geddy Lee's playing in Rush changed how I view that instrument within music. This album is probably my favorite of all time. If you haven't you should check out Steven Wilson's remastering of this album in 5.1 surround. Just phenomenal.

When are ya going to introduce Jana to _Tales from Topographic Oceans,_ Nate? 😉😆 As for "Close to the Edge," I would describe the opening section as organized chaos. And it is chaotic by design. Also, you need to give some props to Jon Anderson's amazing vocals. During the "I Get Up I Get Down" section he belts out a high C note. Not many male singers can sing into the stratosphere the way Jon does!

I've been looking forward to your reaction to this for some time. Thanks for sharing

I have been on every Cruise to the Edge except one since the inaugural one in 2013. I'm really looking forward to seeing you aboard. For those first years Yes was on board and their presence really improved the overall excitement. It's too bad you won't get to hear Yes perform this masterpiece. Be sure to visit Late Night Live to hear some amazing guests play some of this old timey stuff. Some might tackle this track.

Ooh ooh, do Heart of the Sunrise next time!

Happy Sunday Nathan and Jana! Been waiting for this one since this series started. Close To The Edge!! One of the best prog songs of all time!!! I think Jana is ready to take this incredible journey. Enjoy the magic Jana❣️❣️❣️👍😎

This is the prog album

I see all the Rush albums behind you, without Yes, there would be no Rush.

You need to listen to side 2 And You & I then Siberian Khatru. Fantastic Album. Bought it when it came out & Enjoyed it from the first listen.

I attended the last 3 Cruise to the Edge cruises (2018, 19, & 22) but am unable to attend next week. I WILL be on board for the next one, though! Have a great time!

2 Rush posters and no Yes that is sacrilegious 😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮

As with Finnegans Wake, if you can get through the complex opening strain, you will find your way to more comprehensible terrain.

real pipe organ in a real cathedral

2 minutes in and Jana is thinking......and only 18 minutes to go. Oh.....

I have listened to this song many many times since its original release. Loving it as much today as when I first heard it. At some point when you are listening to it you will notice the SOS message which is repeated twice in the first 11 minutes of your video, (hint: 8:13 - 8:55 and 10:29 - 11:07) let us know when you hear it and you get bonus points for saying what the message is. Remember, that this was recorded back when it was popular to include backward messages and other hidden messages in a song. The message here is very short and very positive. Once you hear it, you can't unhear it. Happy hunting.

I heard this song when it first came out, so here's my take on the lyrical message of the song: Anderson said the lyrics were inspired by Hermann Hesse's 1922 novel "Siddhartha", which charts a journey of self-discovery and spiritual realisation, so... It opens with the peaceful sounds of nature, followed by the chaos of individual life in human society, the search for spiritual enlightenment, the notion that it cannot be found in human society ("Then according to the man who showed his outstretched arm to space, He turned around and pointed, revealing all the human race, I shook my head and smiled a whisper, knowing all about the place"), and ending with the sounds of nature one again (the Buddhist idea of enlightenment as being one with nature). The end of the journey was thus there at the beginning, all along. But while the author has attained that higher spiritual plane, they are still physically bound to the material reality of their lower, Earthly existence; so as seasons pass by: I get up, I get down.

Stone cold Prog classic. All the band members on absolute top form... but Bruford's best YES showing , and the king of the bass guitar Chris Squire and their timing together takes this up to legendary status. Widely regarded as Prog rock's benchmark , it's difficult to disagree. 10/10. Thanks Nathan for showcasing CTTE , it never fails to impress , and another few listens for Jana and Cruise maybe will be replaced by Close , a bit more often !!! Thanks once again....Peter. 😍

Thanks

Close to the Cruise.

The opening IS, really, really weird, BUT as soon as it settles it's just fantastic.

The beginning is suppose to be chaotic , Close to he Edge

🤩

Have you done Awaken yet? Are you saving the best for last?

I first heard this probably when I was about 10-12 years old. It was years later that I learned that it was based on Herman Hesse's 'Siddhartha', not that that matter a jot because I've never read the book, plus it's just an overwhelming piece of music, so the vocals are really just another instrument in the mix. And don't expect a 1-to-1 connection between Jon's lyrics and any literary source he draws on, because it's still all just Jon-word-salad in the end. On a musical level "Close to the Edge" is a LOT to process the first time through. Don't feel like you have to even have an opinion after a first listen. I've seen accomplished classical musicians listen to it and be like "What the f*ck?" when it was over. Like a lot of Yes music, it's very dense and layered, with different instruments all trying to grab your attention simultaneously. It can make the whole thing a bit overwhelming, but in many ways that's worked to CTTE's benefit over the years. It holds up to many, many repeated listens because there's almost always something new to pick out of the mix every time. And then you get to where you start comparing different parts (which Jana was already doing) and seeing how "Oh, that keyboard line is a counterpoint to that guitar line", and things like that. By the way, it was arranged like a suite with section titles: I. "The Solid Time of Change" (the opening instrumental freak-out through the first verse and chorus) II. "Total Mass Retain" (the funky verse and chorus that precedes the mellow section) III. "I Get Up, I Get Down" (the mellow part up to the church organ climax) IV. "Seasons of Man" (the final verses and chorus) BTW, speaking of "Roundabout", in some ways "Close to the Edge" can be thought of as "Roundabout" on steroids. They actually have somewhat similar structures: Instrumental intro -> Verses and chorus (with developments and variations) -> Bridge section that features a dramatic shift in instrumental textures -> Recapitulation of the main verse and chorus -> Dramatic conclusion. It's almost a template that Jon Anderson drew upon for other epic pieces, namely 'Tales from Topographic Oceans.'

There are several great reactions to Close to the Edge that I think you both would enjoy watching. Check out JustJP, Doug Helvering, Jim Newstead, and Jamel_AKA_Jamal, just to name a few. If anyone knows of other great reactions to CTTE, leave a reply : )

DO Khatru!!!

Based on budist concepts. Sidartha?

Never understood the natural noises followed by that chaos at the beginning. Guess that is the close to the edge metaphor. It seems there is a lot of Yes stuff thrown together with some odd and rough transitions. Maybe it is meant to be abstract, yet it doesn't say anything to me. Sorry. It ends similarly to the beginning which gives the illusion of unity and satisfaction. I like other Yes better.

Feel bad for this lady...she does not understand or appreciate this music