YES - TURN OF THE CENTURY | REACTION 

There is frankly nothing else like this song in all of music. A masterpiece among masterpieces.

One of the most beautiful songs ever written!

The song is partly based on the Greek myth of the sculptor Pygmalion. Pygmalion prayed to Aphrodite for a virtuous wife, after which his sculpture of a beautiful woman came to life and he fell in love with her. In the song, Roan brings his dead love back through his art.

Roan sculptured his wife in stone and he imagined her statue comes to life which gave him great joy and great sorrow

The incomparable Steve Howe on guitar

This is my all time favorite piece that Yes have done. Beauty, powerful, clean playing. Superb harmonies with Jon and Chris

This is truly a Yes masterpiece for sure. It’s about a man who is creating a statue of his wife who is ill. As he is working she passes away and he continues his work, hoping to bring her to life again.

Oh, I so hope not to sound cliché, but the beauty of this song has always transcended time and place, it so transports you into a feeling of both love and longing. It heals and hurts at the same time. I´ll never grow tired of it, and some live versions they´ve played are pure magic.

Some of the most beautiful music and vocals you will ever hear. I played this song for my mother as she lay dying, the last thing she heard, besides my own voice... love your reactions, you are a beautiful soul.

This song and everything else on this album, like Turn Of The Century and Awaken, is off the chart amazing. My fave album since 84'.

I am not in any way a dancer. I used to wonder how people could dance to Yes music, with all its tempo changes and time signature changes. While watching you react to this song I finally realized that you can dance with your body, or your soul can dance through your body. Bravo.

Steve Howe was my Idol. He won Guitar Players magazine's readers poll ( a tech journal ) overall best category 5 years running and was taken out of the competition.

Gorgeous....hail maestro JON ANDERSON.

These guys are virtuosos.

The colleagues have already explained it nicely. His wife lives on in the sculpture that he creates and that comes to life. After "The Gates Of Delirium" it was now a soul massage ;-) On the same album there is one of Yes's "masterpieces" called "Awaken". This song is like a great prayer to me.

You'd also probably love "And You and I" also by Yes.

One of my all-time favorite Rock bands.....Yes writes and performs this very beautiful song!!!!

For Yes....this IS the song. I've had this since I was 14 years old...

One of their true hidden gems

Esta canción es tan delicada y contagiosa que al escucharla tu alma se queda impregnada como quien toca las alas de una mariposa o el pétalo de una flor. Sin dudas es una de las más bellas canciones jamás realizadas con ese toque de magia que sólo Yes le sabe dar, tan sutil, tan profunda y tan oscura como luminosa, sólo te da lugar al goce explícito como las mejores cosas de la vida. Gracias por reaccionar y compartir esta maravillosa pieza de arte musical!

One of my very favourites Yes albums, so beautiful song... Wonderous Stories, Going for the One are incredible too, and Awaken is an incredible journey if you dare to react...

He is caught up in the Grand Hope of a yet Future Event "Turn Of The Century" when they would meet again, then the last verses seems to be from the perspective of them being together At, "The Turn Of The Century". We all must acknowledge that there is a yet future version of ourselves, which we cannot know yet. Best to proceed with mercy, and lovingkindness. I have been listening to this song for almost 50 years, and I must say it's the most beautiful song by Yes, along with "Soon" and "Wonderous Stories". You should give "To Be Over" a listen.

Beautiful! It is storming here and this song is soothing. It is a song that takes me someplace in a fantasy.

K.S.O. To simplify from my pov: Roan, a sculptor is carving a statue of his lady, the love of his life. As he works on it (verse II), she's full of life, dancing and singing, and he's so captivated by her he presumably has a hard time finding the perfect moment of her beauty to capture, as he can't take his eyes off her and attend to the work. During the winter, she becomes ill and passes across. Roan despairs. A Greek-Chorus type refrain narrates about how connections between people are ultimately tenuous, like leaves touching in the wind, but that we still retain the memories (across the void of death?). After her death, Roan works out his grief through finishing the statue. As he works, his room seems all aglow with the light of the passion of the strength of his memory, his abilities and undying love for her. Repeat of the former refrain, then the big swirling instrumental break and buildup, representing Roan's working, and finally completing the statue, then once the clouds part musically, we enter verse III: the work is done, and she's brought back to life. Concludes with another chorus refrain. There's a lot more more going on there: love/work conflicts, regret over "living in a moment vs. capturing one in art," whether she's actually alive again, or that maybe he died, and they're reunited spiritually, and is that our Real Life? etc., but it's one of the most unique, deeply touching, beautiful songs I've ever encountered, and I'm grateful for it. It's also some of the most straightforward lyrics Jon ever wrote with Yes, and is in guitarist Steve Howe's top 2 favorites of his contributions (along with To Be Over) which happen to meet with mine. And thank you, for listening to it! Love your channel, and your open-hearted approach. Never change! 💛

I always felt that she reached out to him and perhaps it was through his work that made contact, and they danced once again. It reminds me of a film called What Dreams May Come. The husband dies and the woman, a painter, succumbs to despair. The only way he could communicate with her was through her paintings. This seemed to be a similar theme, very deep and beautiful. But as for the narrater perspective, I was never sure because it seems to begin kind of omnipotent, but as the piece evolves, it seems to become his personal story..very interesting.

When anyone absorbs something this fabulous and exquisite, my heart reaches something toward perfection. This peice done by these cats is simply the Apex. Sharing it is beautiful and meaningful. Thank you.

A great piece! The bass theme towards the end is one of the best there is.

He's trying to recreate her form in clay to become stone to remember her, and as he does this, she dies and comes back to life in his mind and through her form he has sculptored and he relives her beauty through his memories- well that's how I understand it. 😊

Realising a form out of stone, Set hands moving. Roan shaped his heart, Through his working hands. Worked to mold his passion into clay, Like the sun. In his room, his lady, She would dance and sing so completely. "So be still, " he now cries, "I have time, oh let clay transform thee so." In the deep cold of night, Winter calls, he cries "Don't deny me!" For his lady, deep her illness. Time has caught her, And will for all reasons take her. In the still light of dawn, she dies. Helpless hands soul revealing. Like leaves we touch, we learn. We once knew the story. As winter calls he will starve, All but to see the stone be life. Now Roan, no more tears. Set to work his strength, So transformed him. Realizing a form out of stone, His work so absorbed him. Could she hear him? Could she see him? All aglow was his room, Dazed in this light. He would touch her, He would hold her. Laughing as they danced, Highest colors touching others. Did her eyes at the turn of the century, Tell me plainly. How we'll meet, how we'll love, Oh, let life so transform me. Like leaves we touch, we dance. We once knew the story. As autumn called and we both, Remembered all those many years ago. I'm sure we know. Was the sign in the day with a touch, As I kiss your fingers. We walk hands in the sun, Memories when we're young, Love lingers so. Was it sun through the haze, That made all your looks, As warm as moonlight? As a pearl deep your eyes, Tears have flown away, All the same light. Did her eyes at the turn of the century, Tell me plainly. When we meet, how we'll look, As we smile time will leave me clearly. Like leaves we touch, we see, We will know the story. As autumn calls we'll both remember, All those many years ago.

You struck gold , to me this is one of yes’s most romantic and sad songs about love and loss. The intertwining melodies in a rather classical framework. Yes...masterpiece!

One of the most beautiful songs of any genre ever

This based on the story Pygmalian from Greek mythology. In Pygmalion, a sculptor falls in love with a statue of a woman he carves, and after making offerings and prayers to Aphrodite, the goddess of love, she grants his wish and makes his statue come to life. In the song, the sculptor's wife dies and he carves a statue of her and hopes to bring her back through it, and is successful in the end.

He always wanted to capture his lady’s dance through his sculpture. “Oh be still … “ But how can she dance and be still at the same time? His lady dies before he could ever complete the sculpture. The room “dazed in this light”, I take this to mean that their love consummated in his sculpture. From the next world, she COULD see him, she COULD hear him! Her dance, their love is transformed into his sculpture. That’s the way I interpret it. I was in my late twenties. I had the album for a bit. Loved it. But I was going through a lonely isolated time. No lady… I listened to this song, and was overcome. I wept, sobbed, for days… What an incredible piece of compassion, love, healing. Thank you for sharing your reactions with us all!

la musique de YES ,est incroyable ce sont des virtuoses ! yes ! yes ! yes ......

What a very beautiful, moody and haunting masterpiece!

First time I saw Turn Of The Century I was crushed with tears of joy.

This song speaks of a Yearning so Deep that it ultimately becomes Destructive, Roan is so in Love with his Lady that in her illness the only way Can hold on to her is through his art , then during his work she Dies, even through his grief he cannot stop, as the statue has now become his sole purpose and the only way he can regain his love, his Focus on it is so Strong that he becomes totally consumed with it as he forgets his own Life

I believe that he recreated her out of stone, and In his mind the stone turns to life, in either his memory, or fantasy, Remembering the days they spent together.

I believe you have struggled a bit with Yes previously, so I’m glad you connected with Yes here, and this is “it,” for you. This is it for me as well. For something similarly beautiful, try “And You And I” (but expect it to be lyrically more abstract). For something that’s similarly emotional, try “To Be Over.”

An epic story of love. As only YES can tell. ❤

You're my girl for vibing to this song in all the right places at all the right times. One of the most beautiful songs in rock music. And then you had to go reading the lyrics aloud and start pulling water out of my eyes. As others have posted it's a fantasy based on a mythology so you have to let your imagination fill in the blanks, as with a lot of Yes music, and don't get hung up on trying to form a concrete understanding that obeys the laws of physics or reality as we know them. As a teenager I listened to and sang this song as I imagined my fantasy romance. Real romance is a lot more challenging but much more fruitful than a fantasy. As you appear to enjoy songs with a certain romantic "sweetness, you might also appreciate "Onward" by Yes from the "Tormato" album, also "Madrigal" from the same album and "To Be Over" from the "Relayer" album. Cheers.

"Highest colors touching others" Man, you have to appreciate Jon! Damn...

8 minutes of beauty and sensitivity in a world of madness and violence

i will always consider this to be the most beautiful song ever written... the lyrics, a love story that transcends life and death.. the music, covering every emotion of the lyrics.. the sorrow, the determination, the joy.. truly amazing...!!!!

Their "Leave It" song is great.

The Most Romantic Song EVER!

Jon Anderson's voice is absolute divine

Beautiful. Leave it to run parallel!

In a nutshell, the song is about Rowan's love that died. He carved her image out of stone and it came to life.

Nice reaction - superb track from Yes.

A great song.

Yes transforms the soul. This song, and indeed, this album, is what Yes was in the 70s. The record reunited the classic lineup who last gave us my favorite Yes album, 'Tales From Topographic Oceans' in 1973. Sadly, they would only make one more classic prog rock album, 1978's 'Tormato,' which was fragmented but contained 5 excellent songs. Anyway, "Turn of the Century" showcases the angelic pipes of THE voice of Yes, Jon Anderson, and the acoustic guitar mastery of Steve Howe. It is because of Mr Anderson that I named my son Jonathan. He continues to be my favorite male vocalist, along with Justin Hayward of the Moody Blues, David Pack of Ambrosia and Steve Walsh of Kansas.

Roan recreated her thru his clay and they lived happily ever after

You often dismiss YES, yet you keep coming back for more.

I had this album the year it came out, yes made me a fan in 1972, I was 12. The art is only half the journey, the listener must make the rest of the journey, the love, passion, And understanding, from all these people who like you, discovered something amazing... it’s a little bit like rediscovery to see someone really appreciate something that impacted so many others like us, for me a soundtrack of my past.

One of THE most meaningful, deep and beautiful love songs ever composed. Bar None.

For me, this song tells the story of Pygmalion who fell in love with a statue of a woman he sculpted and named her Galatea. (Greek mythology)

Amazing. A real master piece by yes

Jon Anderson is the voice...is YES😊

Guitar is another level

Haven't been back to see you in awhile and I saw you're reacting to one a song on the softer side of Yes : )

I recommend the live versions of the two more rocking songs from Going for the One, the title track and Parallels that are on YesShows for future Yes reaction videos. Heart of the Sunrise and anything off Close to the Edge is also a must. I'd love to see some reactions to 80's Yes in the future as well.

Masterpiece…

IMO, this one is their most beautiful track. More so when you read the lyrics.

pure art

glad you like it so good

That's great honey you like this one I like the way the chords change at the end and really makes a theme come alive I remember I bought this record when I was in high school he'll actually walk home from school and there was a record store on the way the house we lived in when I actually it was a condo up on the hill I went to Rolling Hills High and the condos were up on top of the hill had a nice view it's really strange just going down Hawthorne Boulevard that's where Tiger Woods got in that wreck I used to ride my bike up and down there cuz my friends live down in South Bay and I have to come from Palos Verdes to go visit all my buddies and I go back and forth on my bicycle cuz I didn't have my driver's license yet but yeah there was the school was right there on the corner of Silver Spur and Hawthorne and then they had the shopping mall and they have like a department store that a grocery store man they had to grocery stores on either end and then liquor like a drug store and a health food store that sort of stuff how's the same record store where I bought the Pink Floyd Wish You Were Here album and a couple of Frank Zappa records and I really like Studio tan and sleep dirt they're almost like instrumentals in a way does Zappa records but they were so good you know it's funny right in between shopping mall right on the corner across catty-corner to the high school there was a really fancy restaurant it used to be called The Hunting horn and then it became The Hungry Tiger named after the Flying Tigers anyhow back when it was the hunting hunting horn are folks used to take us up there to that restaurant because there was a piano player who played are his name was Paul Smith and he was one of the great jazz pianists the guy looked more like a piano mover than an actual piano player he was a big guy he had big hands too he was actually the musical director for the Steve Allen Tonight Show before Jack Paar and Johnny Carson took over and then later on a course Jay Leno but he used to tour with Ella Fitzgerald Ella wouldn't play without him he was a master when I used to just sit on each end of the piano and watch and play when we are just little kids about 5 or 6 years old all right my dear I'll check you out on the next drop

The story of Pygmalion and Galatea

A song by Yes you might also like: "Final Eyes" from the album "Big Generator" and ... thanks for your empathetic comments.

I think there was a really short person behind her giving her a neck massage all through the song. Way to go!

You need to hear Aurora!She is amazing you will really love her music.

Please, please listen to Polonaise and Deborah by Jon and Vangelis - you're gonna love it!! And further more: And You and I and To Be Over!

He is sculpting HER !!! She dies before he finishes but he feels her presence until he completes it/

KSO. Now you have listen to a few Yes songs. You must try Tales of topographic Oceans , especially side 1

It truly is a masterpiece. I have done a Turn Of The Century guitar instructional lesson on my channel, if anyone ever fancies learning Steve Howe's acoustic, shortened version.

Maestros Anderson and Howe

Lyrics based on pigmaleon story

Does a more romantic song exist? I’d take a lot of convincing.

I enjoy watching a whole bunch of Reactors, including Kemi. Kemi, you are wonderful to watch and it feels like I am sharing my favorite music with you. I have a suggestion....from the Tormato album - Circus of Heaven. It's not every Yes fans favorite...but i believe you would really enjoy it. You would be the perfect Reactor to Circus of Heaven

Getting a little carried away with Yes.

Probably my favorite Jon Anderson melody, but not my favorite yes song. I wish Steve wasn't noodling around so much in that sparse setting of the verses. I don't mind the melody matching, but the perpetual fingerwork detracts from what would have been Yes' best song. If that had been open piano chords during the verses, it would have been perfect.

Yes she died