I know a fella who saw them when they played the whiskey in LA during their first US visit. He’s thought there were the best band he had ever seen. His band was really good too so it’s incredible assessment.
The lyrics of a chess game as a metaphor for a relationship and one’s life. Jon’s lyrics usually don’t come wrapped with a bow of coherence. However, his use of words to create sounds complementing melody are his trademark, as he has said many times over the yrs. Their body of work is of a quality that’ll stand the test of time.
And it was also a tribute to John Lennon, with lines like “Send an instant karma to me” and background vocals singing “All we are saying is give peace a chance”.
Some people are better at comprehending sung lyrics than others. I myself struggle a lot with many artists, and when struggling I treat the lyrics as another instrument. I can't both understand and process the difficult-for-me lyrics AND jam to the song, so I let the meaning go. If it's a good song sung well, it will convey the same feeling.
I only know this from 70s radio; the tracks played together just like that. I was a boy then, and though I never owned a YES album nor thought of myself as a fan, this set has a magic of the times that can't be created again.
Just a wonderful album. This song was a bit more traditional than most of their other songs. But it's also one of their most popular ones. Starship Trooper is probably my favorite off this album.
One of the more accessible songs by them if you're not familiar with Prog. What a classic band. These songs just get better and better as the years go by.
The album that had a life time affect on a 16 year old at high school in 1970.. Changed my musical outlook forever. the Yes album the start of their prog gems up to Tormato. Great choice lads.
This is I think is my favorite album. Fragile, Close to the Edge and Relayer follow. Have seen Yes multiple times in their different incarnations. Always an awesome performance!
The constant with them aside from the unbelievable mix of music is they have a positive message of peace and actually provide ways of living it.Try Starship Trooper which lives up to its name
Love their harmonies and how they can handle multiple time signatures at the same time. Phil Collins loved to listen to Yes and bring ideas back to Genesis. Then they too had great harmonies and polyrhythms all over the place. These are the two BEST prog bands by far.
@@shariherman34 I saw both Genesis and ELP live and, while ELP's show and music were stellar, Genesis was in a league by themselves. I've seen King Crimson, but not Rush. Both Rush and ELP, I agree, are hugely important and influential. But I would only put Pink Floyd at the top of my list with Yes and Genesis. Opinions vary. Ain't it wonderful?
Great song that got a ton of airplay in the 70s, they always played it live when I saw them. For another YES classic, do And You And I, tremendous and unique tune, a sound like no other, you will be impressed. Enjoy! 🎵🎸🎤🎹🎶
@@mr.snicker-doodles7081 Yes have done live versions of And You And I that surpass the wonderful original studio version, but in my opinion the Yessongs version isn’t one of them. I dislike the overly bombastic opening and far prefer the softer 12 string harmonic intro. Far. In fact, it is one of the most beautiful things they ever did. The Yessongs version is again, imho, one of the weaker spots on an otherwise great set.
As a pre-teen/teen it was wonderful hearing a new Yes song on the radio then going out, buying the album and listening with head phones. Always knew it would be something a little different with great ear candy. My favorite example of Jon Anderson’s vocals.
One of my favorite Yes songs. I love the switch up on All Good People ( part three) with Chris Squire driving hard on that boogie. Yeah they were prog, but they could rock hard!
It helps if you think of Yes songs as being like Oreo cookies. Double stuffed. The cookie surrounds the lush filling, keeps it all together, makes a whole out of seemingly disparate parts. Some songs are like huge BAGS of Oreos (Close to the Edge). Everything Jon Anderson wrote (with and without Yes) is a divine confection. :)
You'll understand why these songs go together when you get a chance listen to the live version on the Yessongs album, or any other live version, where they connect the two songs and really jam at the end. Crowds used to go crazy.
The second part is one of the most joyous moments in the Yes catalogue. I saw them play it live in 1989 with Bill Bruford as ABWH, and it was magnificent
Always one of my favorite albums. Wow. It is still amazing after all these years. I think it just gets better ! First time hearing this 10th grade/78. My friends Dad had a B and O turntable Denon amp and Klipsch speakers. The first time hearing true high fidelity to this album. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Fuck. His Dad had a big ole jar of weed in the fridge. It was a good party! Wish you could have experienced it like that w us !! Rock on dudes.
Chris Squire (the Dr. of the Rickenbacher) on bass is a creative beast. John Anderson is an incredible lyricist and singer. Steve Howe on guitar is incredible. Bill Bruford on drums is amazing, also of King Crimson. Tony Kaye on keys very solid. Just an amazingly talented and creative band.
There's two more songs on this album you haven't heard, both of which are shorter songs, both of which are really quite excellent (but don't really fit into YES' list of masterpieces, cuz so short). You might want to react to them both in the same vid, given their shorter length. I absolutely love *A Venture,* a 3-minute song that's melodically beautiful, but at the same time displaying their super musicianship & experimental approach. *The Clap* was YES' way of introducing new virtuoso guitarist Steve Howe to their fan base, demonstrating that there were no guitar skills that he lacked in a fun "live"performance before an audience. Well worth a listen Oh, and don't think you've finished with YES' Uber-Classic Period masterpieces after you've heard The Yes Album, Fragile, & Close To The Edge. There's one more astonishingly good recording of another YES Masterpiece in the form of a Cover (their last) of Paul Simon's *America* which they turned into an encore jam played at the end of concerts. Though recorded at that time, it never appeared on any studio album, but only on a compilation album some years later. Filled to the brim with Squire/Bruford ear candy. (One more thing, don't do a comparison reaction to 1st the Paul Simon version & then YES' version. They are two completely different things)
"All we are saying is give peace a chance", you can hear them sing that chorus in the first half of the song. That chorus line was huge during Band-Aide and I don't recall YES ever getting credit for that chorus?
There are several references to John Lennon in the background vocals of this song-“Give Peace a Chance” and “Instant Karma” on which Alan White played drums. He replaced Bill Bruford when he left Yes.
Nice reaction! You guys should watch them perform "Roundabout", "Yours Is No Disgrace" or this song from their Yessongs concert film. The film was released in theaters in 1975 but was recorded live during their 1972 tour.
I think the coolest thing that's happening in the world right now is that people are actually exercising CRITICAL LISTENING again. You guys are to be commended for being two of the best at it. With a good pair of headphones (AKG's perhaps?) and time devoted to it, you are experiencing what folks used to do in the early days of the hi-fi/stereo revolution... really listening to recordings with your ears and minds. God bless you. The rewards for doing this are almost limitless. Check out the What If album by the Dixie Dregs. Another Ken Scott engineering masterpiece. Your souls will be lifted, I promise.
Heart of the SUNRISE please...Heart of the SUNRISE please...Heart of the SUNRISE please...Heart of the SUNRISE please...Heart of the SUNRISE please...YES..:)
One of the first YES classic songs that made me a lifelong fan at the age of 12 years old back in the early 1970’s!Try doing the ultimate prog. Song called Perpetual Change!
A huge memory song for me. Not only that my older brother had this album and played it 'til the needle wore through the grooves, but wonderful memories of being 12 and starting my first job in a club (I had a full beard by this age) that hosted live bands. One of the top groups that played with us many times was a band called Bosco. This is one of the songs in their deep repertoire and damned if they didn't play it as good as the original. Bosco was a hugely popular Seattle band that made the normal tour across the border into Canada, as well as down the west coast. They were not only seriously good, they were really nice. Their bass player, Dan, was a good friend and married another friend of the family here in Vancouver. Dan grew up on the same street as Jimi Hendrix and Jimi's dad had given him several of his son's stage outfits which he happily wore on gigs. Add to it that he was almost a spitting image of Jimi, who could play his bass behind his head as well as playing the theramin, and you have a very entertaining band. That they never made it big is another story but Bosco certainly deserved it. Played by either Bosco or Yes, Your Move and I've Seen All Good People remains a favourite of mine 50 years later. ♥
The Yes Album was probably the first vinyl I ever bought back in the 1970's as a kid. I was seduced into their music after hearing Yours Is No Disgrace somewhere
In his lab, Dr. Walter Bishop rocks out to this song in an episode of the sci-fi show "Fringe." It should be noted that he was brilliant but at times also crazy.
Hearing Jon Anderson's voice makes me want to see both of you react to something a little different🥴-- Friends of Mr. Cairo , full version by Jon and Vangelis ( did the music for Blade runner).The lyrics will leave no doubt as to what the song is about. Haunting.!😢
Man, you have no idea how hard that organ hits in that first change when they do it live. And Chris Squire gets _plenty_ of volume as well. Check out "the Fish" if you haven't heard it.
This is on the Almost Famous movie's incredible soundtrack. You guys should watch it on your other channel. It's a movie, not a documentary, about the real life of a 15 yr old Rolling Stone music reporter in the 70s, who later became a film director, Cameron Crowe. He wrote this about his life following bands on the road as a teen, including The Allman Brothers, at 16 yrs old! Great music, hilarious and a great look into the 70s rock scene & the people who followed them around. He also directed Jerry McGuire, among others.
I really need to educate you guys on the members of Yes on this album, "Fragile, " and this song, "Long Distance, " are: Jon Anderson >lead vocals; Bass guitar > Chris Squire; Steve Howe > guitars; Rick Wakeman > keyboards; Bill Bruford > drums and percussion.
This song is meant to reflect the emotional experience of a tulip opening up its petals to spring rain and sensing the approaching night. It’s what the flower is feeling.
