YES - The Yes Album Reaction, Side 2 

Are you kidding? A little "record noise" is what puts many of us into the old vinyl comfort zone. Very warm and nostalgic.

As a 15 year old in 1971 I know absolutely nothing about music theory, I just knew when I heard this album that it was different from everything else around. Still a huge fan 50 years later.

Hi Jim What is also important to remember with with Yes, is the ages of the band Jon Anderson 28 Steve Howe 25 Chris Squire 24 Rick Wakeman 23 Bill Bruford 23 his replacement Alan White the same 23. That’s why Yessongs is such a good guide to their musicianship With Yessongs Alan White joined the band a month before the tour and is on all songs except for 3 of them. Which must have been interesting times regarding learning them. Keep up the good work Regards Roger

I fell in love with Bruford's drumming in A Venture Bruford demonstrates when NOT to play a note.

18 minutes of kick ass music! Perpetual Change is such a great piece of music.

You can't help but smile when you listen to it!

What would Wakeman have added to "Perpetual Change"? Listen to the live version off YESSONGS, he's the only difference from this line-up as Bruford still plays on that track (with a drum solo thrown in as well). It's also about 5 minutes longer than the studio version, and it shows how to end this song live, without a studio fade out.

29:54 Why not? Please do them all on camera. This is awesome. Almost no one reacts to album sides. You have a very unique channel. Here's hoping it blows up in subscriptions. I recommend you listen to their first 2 albums now, so you can hear their original sound. Looking forward to all the music that you react to, and not just YES, though YES if my favorite 🙂

Perpetual Change has to be heard on Yessongs their live album. Rick Wakeman plays on that. Stunning

I love you go vinyl. It's the way we all first heard it back in the day.

Once a year I kind of have a "Yes" week, guess it's happening now !

Hi Jim, this is the album that changed everything musically for me back in 1971. Until then I had a mix of albums, at that time I loved Ottis Reading, still do, and then my neighbour said I have to listen to this, and that as they say was that. I seem to remember going out next day for my own copy plus the two previous albums. Now many concerts, programmes and T shirts (most of which don't fit anymore) later I am still going to concerts. You might be interested to know that they open the with the final movement from Stravinsky 's Fire Bird, as it fades out the band come in, brilliant. And you should listen to Star Ship Trooper live, Chris Squire is unbelievable. Great show Jim

Tony Kaye the unsung hero at times. He toured with Bowie on the Station to Station tour later on

She said before, that’s how records sounded, with cracks and pops but it didn’t matter! I love that Jon Anderson is singing…Give Peace a Chance in the back ground!!

I was introduced to Yes in 1979; I would have been 16 and I've been a fan ever since. That fanaticism peaked decades ago and I don't listen to them much any more. So, it is really nice seeing someone discover them for the first time and to relive those early thrills, if vicariously, through you. They were not perfect, but they were very, very good. Sometimes their ambition got the better of them and they didn't have the compositional chops to pull it off, but they still soared high above most of the competition and when it all came together it was simply magical. Some of the live versions of the songs are better - Yes Songs and Yes Shows; avoid later live efforts when they were old and had become a tribute band of themselves. One thing to consider when listening is that the recordings lack much of the technical padding you get now. No ProTools - they played in time because they had the best rhythm section in Rock (until Brufford left at least). No Autotune - three or four of them could sing, one spectacularly well. Not too many overdubs - they could do this stuff live! The only UK band that comes close is King Crimson and they were so much more serious. Keep up the good work, but listen to all the albums you've tried a few times before you do Tales from Topographic Oceans; it's a beast :)

This music makes me happy everytime I hear it! Thank you Roger, continue to go down the Yes rabbit hole , u won’t regret it!!!

I'm actually not surprised that Your Move/ I've Seen All Good People was a bit noisier than the rest of the record, there was a an edit of just the first section that was a a minor hit on the radio in the early 70's and has since been covered by other artists many times.

first heard this album aged 14 in 1970, no other band came close after that

Looks like Gabriel era Genesis could be an option for future videos perhaps ? All this complex old prog rock is just so good

Tony Kaye is one of the most underrated keys player, you should take a look on his work on the previous album of Yes "Time and a Word" (a really good one, unfairly ignored...)

Since you like to listen to entire sides of records, you are ideally suited for my following suggestion. "Olias Of Sunhillow" by Jon Anderson (1976) and "Fish Out Of Water" by Chris Squire. (1975) (the first solo album in each case). Both very idiosyncratic albums.

"Don't surround yourself with yourself". Your Move (I've Seen All Good People - part 1) is a perfect track, wonderful harmonies, smart lyrics (the chess game metaphor used to deal with social relationships, purpose in life, etc.). Have you noticed the background vocals by Chris Squire (and maybe Steve Howe) in your left ear at the end of the first part singing "All we are saying is give peace a chance" ?

Love your reactions to YES Jim. You are one of us now. Welcome to YESWORLD! (Which happens to be their website)😎

Jon Anderson on lead vocals and Chris Squire on background vocals sometimes steve howe helps out.

Jim you seem astonished by Yes, we all are! The band was consistently evolving with personal changes and creativity…

Side 2 of the Yes Album is great and this was really the first of their epic albums. With these songs like Yours is no Disgrace, Starship Trooper, Perpetual Change, I've seen all good people you can hear Rick Wakeman's input on Yessongs versions. He helped to make these songs even more amazing. But what Yes did on stage in the early 70's is just incredible, you have hear it. You will get a new insight into this band. Thank you for your reaction.

Your videos are tremendous, Jim! Discovered your channel recently and subscribed when I saw your Fragile and Close to the Edge instalments. Keep up the great work. Look forward to more Yes/Genesis/Rush things if you choose to listen and react. Cheers, Simon.

Introduced Steve Howe to the world and he was voted best rock guitarist a record five years in a row.

Thanks for your time in listening and expressing your thoughts on the music of our "youth"...60s, 70's, and 80's... the music that kept a lot of us going. My dad opened my my senses to music at a young age and the 60s paved the way ..from Motown, Beatles, Beach Boys, then the spectrum of music flowed. Yes, ELP, King Crinsom, Moody Blues, BS&T, Chicago, Santana, and list goes on and on...I have enjoyed it all...so much music and so little time..

Anti-Vietnam War song: I hear a heartbeat in Chris’s initial bass? Never sort of heard it before!

While we can't know how the album would have turned out had Wakeman been there for the composition, you can hear his contributions to the four longer songs on the live album Yessongs

This brings me back to the fall of '71. A simpler time. Great album.

I’m so glad you liked it. This is where the YES magic began!!!

Of course, as you may know by now, the first Yes live album, YESSONGS has most of the Yes Album tunes on it; and Wakeman plays on them. I think the years 1968-1977 were the Golden Age of the Live Album, and YESSONGS is one of the landmarks of that era. This was a band that was all about playing live. "After finishing Close to the Edge, we had to get together and figure out how to play it live". (Steve Howe in interview, c. 1973). As brilliant as the studio work always is, Yes always blows the records out of the water onstage.

"Yours is no Disgrace" intro was an anderson idea based the theme of a british 60s tv programme "Gideons Way"

You have a open a ”Prog” Pandora’s box. No going back now. Try Relayer, Tales from Topographic Oceans, Going For The One (Awaken on that album). Then deep dive into early Genesis like Foxtrot, Nursery Chryme, Selling England by the Pound, “The Lamb” Then King Crimson………Enjoy the ride

Hi Jim Hope house move was not too stressful Your comments are spot on regarding Yes music. Especially the views of others who don’t give it a chance.. Mainly because they don’t have the capacity or time to actually listen. You do need headphones to really appreciate it. Anyway, can l suggest the following.. You could dip into Yessongs which is an album of their 1972 concerts at Rainbow Finsbury Park. This will allow you to hear some of the classic songs live. With less technical help than bands get now. You appreciate how good the musicianship really is. Also then there is the Relayer album with Gates of Delirium based upon the book War and Peace . It’s without Rick Wakeman (Patrick Moraz keyboards) but really is The pinnacle of Yes experimentation.

This is still my favorite Yes album, love the songs. Hearing the lofi LP makes me glad I no longer have a record collection, I love the pristine sound of CDs.

I am sure the Wakeman played this when they toured. There must be video of it. I am not sure they did this in two recording sessions. Howe plays multiple guitars at once and Wakeman plays whole banks of keyboards at one time.

When they go live on Yessongs with Perpetual Change and Yours is no Disgrace you would think they would have a hard time doing this live, then they do all of this and more adding amazing creative sections for the guys show there unequaled excellence

Cambridge audio make some pretty nice stuff. Love perpetual change that end part is astonishing, john Anderson has the voice of an angel . I own an original first press of this album and it sounds superb really dynamic and clear sound. The low organ just before the singing on yours is no disgrace practically shakes the room and my system is hardly very large.

GREAT you are playing all my Favorites... You must Try ZAPPA: "We are only in it for the Money Side 1+2". The 1984 Rico-Disc Version. (multiple versions all are very different) It is about 15 (3) minute songs in a suite. The story of 1960's San-Fran Hippy Movement and how Zappa viewed it only as he can. Song #4 (Mom + Dad) is the saddest song ever written in the history of Rock Music. The Album was a direct response to the Beatles release of Sargent Pepper, and how he mocked their production. (Lennon present fantasy / Zappa presented reality) Best...

If you want more Yes 'classic rock' sound check out their cover of Simon and Garfunkel's "America". One of the best covers imo, turning a fine tune into a total epic. I recommend the 10-minute'ish version over the shorter radio mix, which cuts a lot of the solo sections. Edit: Could even do a back to back reaction, first listening to the original tune then the Yes version. Just a suggestion. ;)

Yessongs the album, is an amazing album, and video, it includes several Yes album songs with Rick W playing the keys

You might look into a band called Druid. One night in NY I tuned into Allison Steele (the Nightbird)'s show on WNEW FM and she was playing a song by a Yes-like band to that prompted me to call her up. "Allison..." "Seth, I knew you'd call. It's a band called Druid, they won a Yes soundalike contest in London that got them a recording contract -- while their material is original, they sound a lot like Yes -- and you can buy the album, Toward the Sun, at..." She gave me an obscure record shop in the Village, and the next day I made time to go and buy the album. She also kept her word when she promised me that she'd play the entire album in the course of her show. I would highly recommend obtaining the album. Druid, Toward the Sun.

What a wonderful album.

Jim, I'm enjoying your reactions VERY VERY MUCH. Thank you for you balance view of technic, art and a little magic. I'm a Yes fan since I was 14 back in the early 70s. I still get goosebumpy when I hear their stuff and I can't tell you how much I enjoy seeing you react to the newness of YES that we all felt the first time we heard it. Thanks again.

Interesting you mention about Yours Is No Disgrace sounding like a TV theme. It was, in actual fact, used as the theme tune to the BBC national news programme in Scotland - Reporting Scotland - back in the day.

Grest reaction jim, if you get a chance there are many starship trooper videos around with Mr wakeman on key boards, as you said it is different with his touches

I think or my emotional response to the guitar solo/ coda ? On starship trooper Is …it’s one of the most beautiful solos I have ever heard Really enjoying your work 💙

The Steve Howe song was originally called simply "Clap", but Jon Anderson introduced it as "THE Clap" and it stuck.

Steve Howe is so underappreciated

The Yes Album is a marvel. Vocals like CSNY, songs like The Beatles, production like King Crimson.

Guitar is beyond this world

Jim asked "It would be interesting to see what would happen if Rick Wakeman was playing instead of Tony Kaye?" When you listen to this song from Yessongs live you will get your answer.

Fun fact: At the time Rick was asked to join Yes, he was also asked by Bowie to head up The Spiders from Mars. Thank God he made the choice he did. For us at least if not his bank balance 😅

Here comes my standard saying when it comes to Yes's early studio albums: I love these albums, but I think the songs that are also on the Yessongs album are a class better there (live) (despite poor sound quality). The songs just breathe life there. It doesn't have to be on RU-vid, but privately I can only strongly recommend this album to you. - Switch off the phone, have drinks ready, a large "do not disturb" sign on the door and then enjoy Yes live for 2 hours. (Life can be so simple and beautiful ;-)

The piece is called "Clap". I don't know if it's true but I read somewhere that the record company changed it to 'The Clap" as a joke. Steve Howe didn't take it well.

Great reaction. The record is fine by the way, Jim. A deep clean done properly would work wonders for the noise and clarity. You would be amazed. The surface noise is the result of decades of accumulated dirt which you cant see and can be removed. The vinyl doesn't sound damaged at all, just engrained dirt in the grooves. The slight warp doesn't seem to affect the audio too much. It's the way with most vintage vinyl. It becomes a labour of love.

To hear what Wakeman would do with songs from The Yes Album give Yessongs a listen - the live album recorded on the Close To The Edge tour. -- There is a studio recording of Clap which is significantly longer and quite good - do a little digging and you'll find it out there. The song is actually called "Clap" but Anderson kept introducing it with a "The" in front of it. -- Regarding the so-called "muddy" quality of the sound - I think that the volume levels on the playback is a bit low in relation to your in-studio mic - just my observation. Good stuff! Thanks for the reaction - looking forward to more!

The 1st 2 albums are under-rated and wonderful. Bill and Chris shine... Jon vox pristine.

"A Venture" is sort of a throwback to Time and a Word-era songs like "Dear Father". When Yes played this entire album for their 2014 tour I was curious to see what "A Venture" would be like live, since it was never in the setlist back in the day. Sadly, they didn't exploit the jamming potential at the end and were happy to stick close to the album version and timing, which means it felt like filler sandwiched between the more epic songs. As others have said, the whole "What would Rick have done...?" question is answered by listening to Yessongs. My request is that you include that in your Yes reaction series. The differences between the studio and live versions -- especially of songs off this album -- is often a revelation. But who knows -- you seem to have a thing for these earthy, Tony Kaye-era recordings so you may prefer them!

I love used records. They make up most of my collection. Records have ticks and pops, especially well loved records. I think it adds to the warmth of the experience. Of course seriously damaged records can't be enjoyed. But we're here with you listening to records. You shouldn't apologize for the imperfections. I thoroughly enjoyed the video, and the album. Well done. Waiting for the next Yes album.

Might I suggest you listen to a band called Morphine, 3 piece band with a Bari sax, 2 string slide bass and a minimal drum kit. Unique sound , unfortunately the band leader died on stage in Italy. Carry on👍.

Not muddy. Warm.

I agree with you about Clap- it seems out of place but what the hell- it's a great little showcase for Steve Howe.

Please do Tales, it's music Jim, but not as we know it !

As painful as it is to mention. The classic end to Starship Trooper came from a Howe track from his time with prior band Bodast.

Thank you for all of this. I first heard this album in ‘78 and i wore it out while reading sci-fi and fantasy novels. When I hear it even until today I am brought back to Heinlein and Asimov.

Hi Jim. I'm new to your channel; basically stalking reactors doing Yes that @Lightmane and @Jeff Schielka discover first. I can not express how excited I am that you are going to be reacting to Yes albums by album sides. I have been encouraging reactors who plan to react to "Awaken" to react to both "Wondrous Stories" and "Awaken" together for several months now. So far, no one has done it, as far as I know. Since you'll eventually be doing the B side of Going For the One, which is comprised of those two songs in that order, you will. Huzzah! As far as I know, the band has never said that the two songs go together, but for me, they tell one story. I'll go in to that in more depth when you do the reaction to side B of Going For the One. Although you haven't done it so far, if I may suggest, try to listen to the rest of the Yes albums in chronological release order. Experiencing the band's change in personnel and discovering their musical style is a journey which should not be missed. Enjoy the journey! We will enjoy watching you experience it.

Don’t feel bad, I wore out 3 copies of this album in the early 70’s! The pops and scratches sound like home..

take 2 minutes, listen to some of "TEAKBOIS" by ABWH (Jon ANDERSON, Bill BRUFORD, Rick WAKEMAN, Steve HOWE). You'll scratch your head with enjoyment and say "That's YES ???" . The ABWH pairing is YES, unfortunately without Chris, but Tony Levin from King Crimson does the bass, so you're in good hands.

Pristine. Yeah, that’s perfect. Nailed it.

Pristine was the correct word for Yes at its best.

To answer your question, Rick Wakeman played on the Yessongs live version of these songs and put his spin on the keyboard parts.

Having seen Chris Squire and Yes 36 times I would suggest Tormato side's review. They deliberately wrote shorter songs and its brilliant. No symphonic pieces but still Yes rocking out. I've seen every song on this album live!

If you listen back to the whole record, you will recognize Chuck Berry's influence on Steve Howe....

Regarding the "muddy sound" that is deliberate. To create the specific sound they wanted.

Listen to the live version of Perpetual Change on Yessongs! It will blow you away!

I’ve seen all good people, you definitely should hear played live. The Live at Montreux, is a good live one. The same with the song Perpetual change; it’s on Yessongs. Yesterday I gave you a few suggestions. If you want more 😇… The sound isn’t muddy. It’s just the sound of an old record. Eventually check if the record player has an ‘earth/ground wire to the receiver. If not, connect. If that’s not possible, connect it to a metal part of the receiver. If there isn’t a ground wire…just live with it 😜

Use a spray mist of water on those noisy records. Cheers from Tassie!

... at 06:22 , on left, "all we are saying.. is give peace a chance"...

Loving the vinyl! It sounds great! Although, you can't go wrong with YES!

"A Venture" is really the only track that closely resembles the work on the first two LPs. It may even be a remnant from earlier, as it lacks any contribution from Steve Howe, that I can hear. Those early albums are good, sometimes great! They were just not as inspired as the material created by the band configurations, from this LP on.

You may have missed something that many of us missed the first time we heard The Yes Album. It's become a staple "Sing along" at every YES show I've seen live. Go to 6:20 in your video. Near the end of "Your Move" and listen carefully to the vocals in the left side. You'll hear a familiar tune originally made famous by John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band. It's kinda buried on the left side, so listen carefully. "All we are saying.......". These subtle lines in the original recording have become some of the most popular lyrics for YES fans to sing along with when the band plays live. Small world, A drummer for the Plastic Ono Band was none other than Alan White, who shortly after some Plastic Ono Band gigs joined YES for the CTTE tour, and almost everything recorded and performed live by YES since.

Yessongs is one of the best live albums i have. Relayer and Going for the One must be your next reactions to camera? There is much more to come on your journey!

Yeah it was supposed to be called, “Clap” but Jon introduced it as The Clap and Steve has not really forgiven him yet… It was a celebration of the birth of his son. He just wanted the audience to join in and clap along.

Congratulations! You talked over the “All we are saying, is give peace a chance” counter melody in All Good People. What’s next? Gates of Delirium-RELAYER? Hoping so. Thanks for the YesMusic.

Recommend Going For the One next.

Sound isn't muddy, but you can hear the warp in the record at times. Sounds like wind through a mic

This album sounds really good, when you keep in your mind, that it was recorded 1971. There are people who think the real prog was made back then and all the new music is just copying it or making simply "non-prog" music. They even blame these original bands "not being as good as then" or "changing too much". In the end of the day all that matters is the music and bands making the music they like themselves. I bow to these classics and I truly love new prog bands, that are innovative and surprising in their music. Opinions, I've got plenty of 'em. 😁

A classic... therefore, you are playing it 50 years later...

I'm doing a rewatch of your listen to The Yes Album tonight. In looking through the comments, I've seen mention after mention of you apparently missing the "Give Peace A Chance" by John Lennon reference (on which I believe Alan White was the drummer; serendipity perhaps?) in All Good People. I also saw you comment that you did catch the reference on your second listen. But, has no one pointed out the second John Lennon reference (actually the first, as it comes before the Give Peace A Chance refrain) in All Good People?

Sound was fine and not muddy... not digital but not muddy... Certainly sound's better than a Steven Wilson remix...

Bill Bruford and Tony Kaye very jazzy here

18:52 oh hey it's The Mars Volta.

Atlantic Records made a mistake when they put 'The Clap' on there. They also messed up Jon Anderson's name - John instead of Jon.

After this album, the covers where designd by Roger Dean. And I beleave, before this album, Patrick Moraz whas on keaboards

My pet theory is this album would have more satisfying sequence if they'd swapped sides 1 and 2. "A Venture" would hit harder if it came before the more 'epic' tracks. "Würm" would make a spectacular album closer, whereas "Perpetual Change" is a good track but its strongest section is the intro.

It didn't sound muddy, Jim but it is quite a bit quieter than your commentary into the mic.