Also; manna: food of the gods. diifferent root than in manic, but understandable. The lyrics are supposedly about Hermann Hesse's novel SIddhartha. About the buddha. But I've read the book and only get a partial understanding.
He's always been my favorite bass player. I'm not expert on this subject, but many critics sasy the best bass player ever was Jack Bruce (my respect to him). However I insist on Chris Squire
@@varsitycamplife For sure, and I don't think anybody's disputing that. I think the point was to compliment Chris Squire rather than to diss anybody else in Yes when Close to the Edge was made.
Did nobody tell them they have to train for this? One should listen to The Yes Album, Fragile, and Close to the Edge (album in reverse order), to end with the song Close to the Edge. Otherwise one does not have the mental tools to listen to it. PS In the intro, the keyboard is playing the bass ascending figure at double speed and a couple octaves up: ua-cam.com/video/v4SPmHWiZVg/v-deo.html
Ladies and gentlemen Chris Squire and Yes the greatest show on earth. Lots of intelligent comments posted. Enjoy your your Yes journey. Got to see Squire 36 times till his passing.
Hey Silas! So great to see your diving into Yes! My Fav band! Yes is the #1 Prog Band of all time!!! As a huge fan who knows their library of music Well…I don’t understand Why people suggest CTTE as a first experience of Yes! Is it an Epic? Absolutely! But if you jump from Zep to Yes…we’ll it’s a crossover for sure! Roundabout Yours is No Disgrace Starship Trooper Heart of the Sunrise Wonderous Stories And You and I Then maybe their intense epics! That sound you first asked about is one of the #1 Guitarist in the World! (Look it Up!😉) Steve is Phenomenal! CHRIS SQUIRE on Bass is Also #1 Bassist in the World! His influence on Bass players in all genre is incredible! Jon Anderson vocal are Legendary! You’ll see! His Harmony with Chris is Moving! Jon’s Lyrics have stumped people for decades!! Lol they were sometimes just used “because they sounded good), but Jon is ethereal and it’s shows in his thoughts and lyrics. Rick Wakeman on keyboards is also unparalleld! Voted #1 in the World as well! Drummers Bill Bruford & Alan White are AMAZING! Welcome to Prog Rock Gods! One last tip:It is said that to Really appreciate and “Get” all the song has -You’ll need to listen to it at Least 3x!😉
Pretty good list. But I will be add to this for start something lighter like changes or In to the lens because people like rush and rush songs is familiar to this tho tracks.
Squire won the bass player of the year award 6yrs straight, Howe won guitar player of the yr 4yrs straight to which Squire said that he should of won the guitar player the two yrs Howe didn't. 🙏
It's Chris (not Billy) Squire on bass, and "mana" means a type of mystical power/energy from a spiritual realm "above". I heard this song when it first came out, so here's my take on the lyrical/musical message of the song: Anderson said the lyrics were inspired by Hermann Hesse's 1922 novel "Siddhartha", which charts a journey of self-discovery, 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 just as the song began (the Buddhist idea of enlightenment as being one with nature). I get up: a higher plane of spiritual enlightenment; I get down: our earthly, and necessary, existence as material beings. And, remarkably, this song was released in 1972 - 50 years after the novel, which is now 50 years ago. And yes, more YES.
Is THAT what the song is based upon? I studied Buddhism for quite a while so this is interesting, thanks. Nonsensical lyrics, and sometimes Buddhism seems that way too. Especially koans.
@@scottzappa9314 Here's a quote from Anderson for you: "I always think about "Close To The Edge" because it was always close to the edge of realization in my mind. I was reading Autobiography Of A Yogi, which was another explanation of this oneness of being. The idea is "close to the edge" is just around the corner, down by a river. I think "down by a river" came from Siddhartha. Having traveled the world, he finished down by a river with nature, realizing it was the optimum connection with divine energy."
You guys are sooo CUTE!! Your listening to one of my favorite bands. I listen to YES to get cosmic and Genesis to bring me back down to Earth!!!!!! Heart of the Sunrise by YES is pure jazz fusion GOLD.
Jon Anderson's lyrics were mostly written to facilitate the sound and less to tell a coherent story. Think of it as Dada poetry. The way the words are sung and how they compliment the music is great but the narrative aspect is abstract to the point of obfuscation. Mid 60s to late 70s had some of the best, most progressive music! Yes, Pink Floyd, King Crimson, Genesis, and Jethro Tull are just a few of (in my opinion) the greatest Prog bands. By the way, Prog "albums" should be listened to as a whole and not as separate songs. King Crimson's "In the Court of the Crimson King" is considered by many as the album that started the Progressive Rock style, though some would say the Beatles started it with "Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band" a couple years earlier. I think it was more of a gradual evolution of music due to experimentation with the new technologies available to musicians, sound engineers, and producers. More musical "tools" allowed greater experimentation, allowing more "progressive" sounds.
I disagree about Jon's lyrics "mostly" written to facilitate the sound. ie...using the sound string of the words together in a musical sense. He did that for sure, but so does every other song writer to some extent. He may have taken that exercise to a whole other level than other bands, but it does not mean Jon wrote completely nonsensical songs either. I certainly got the overall messages in his music. Its mostly about connectiveness and spiritual awakening and closeness to nature. Jon believes in a Divine he strives for. A lot of the lyrics were written in a spontaneous fashion that he would tell you came from the Divine. And to Jon, that is a legitimate source. Just because it can be interpreted differently by different people doesn't negate that the songs have meaning. He also praises music itself in a lot songs. Its poetry, you have to dig for meaning. It takes an effort from the listener. Which is not a bad thing.
So you've taken a huge leap right to the mountain top of YES' extraordinary output.👍😇 CTTE is considered by many, including me, to be the best Prog Masterpiece ever created. On a variety of Reaction Channels, young people are declaring CTTE to be the best song they've ever heard. *_Fifty years after it was recorded!_* 50 years from now, 1st listeners will be equally blown away. You see, YES were the _masters of _*_complexity._* They packed so much into their epics, repeated listening are an absolute must. The next several times you listen to it (you really need to listen to it again _by yourself_ because it's the only way to take in all that complexity & fully appreciate it) you will hear things you didn't notice previously. That's one of the things I always loved about YES...their songs remained fresh _a long time_ because of all that complex structuring. Now that you've heard the best of the best, consider listening to a handful of their Nearly As Good Masterpieces: *Roundabout, Starship Trooper, Yours Is No Disgrace,* and the rest of the CTTE album: *And You And I & Siberian Khatru.* I think nearly all YES fans would agree that those are _must listen._ After those, I'd rec *Gates Of Delirium, South Side Of The Sky, Awaken.* After that there's another dozen that will continue to thrill you if you have an ear for YES. Enjoy your journey!
The coolest part about YES is they could do it live! I saw them in Concert in 1974 and they played every song just as it sounded on their albums! Unbelievably great musicians all! Chris Squire set the bar for all bass players to come! Don't get too hung up on the meaning of the lyrics...Jon Anderson admitted he used words for their cadence and sound rather than their meaning. Naturally that was years after I struggled to understand where he was coming from! Rick Wakeman was a classically trained keyboardist who could do no wrong. All you need to know about Steve Howe can be ascertained by listening to the song 'The Clap' and BIll Buford on drums never over played his hand!! Try some earlier YES from "The YES album" and I think you will be pleased! "Long Distance Runaround" from 'Fragile' is a great deeper cut!
This is definitely jumping into the “deep end”. Come back to this after exploring 15 more Yes songs! It’ll be even better! Start at the beginning of their catalog! 🎉🎉😎
The greatest prog song from the greatest prog album of all time. Edit: I don't usually sub to reaction channels because I just want to see what I want to see but if you are new to the classic rock world and going to dive into all the greats for the first time then I'll sub because your reactions seem more genuine than all the other reactors out there. So keep it going man.
Yeah it consistently ranks in at least the top five of greatest prog rock songs of all time. Rolling Stone has the album at number five but a lot of other polls have it at number one. The current issue of Guitar Player has Steve Howe on the cover and he talks about this album. Guitar World just posted a feature on Chris Squire and several British magazines this summer have had articles about Close to the Edge. Next month marks 50 years since it was released...
@@frankmarsh1159 Rolling Stones list of anything is absolute garbage. The team they have working for them don't seek particular talent or originality, they just go by what got played the most and the most downloads after and so fourth. When I was this guy's age and even younger (I'm 34) my dad got me into classic rock and I loved it so much that that is the only music I listened to well into my late 20's, early 30's. Then, thanks to you tube, I discovered so many great bands that are just like the greats from back in the good old days. What ever is on the radio is a write off, because it's just pop music of different verities. But now more than ever, there is a huge underground following going on with bands that are just as good and some even better than the old stuff. Just gotta take some time and surf you tube. Examples: King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard, Phychedelic rock; prog rock; thrash metal; dream pop; classic rock; jazz; jazz fusion, they do it all. 20 albums since 2011. Plus 10 or 12 live albums. Stonefield, 4 sisters from Australia that play music that is most accurately described as early Genisis crossed with and Black Sabbath. So my point is, have you checked them out yet at all?
@@kyles5513 Well polls are constantly changing. What would be on a Rolling Stone poll today could be different than what was on there ten years ago because new albums have been released since then and they may have a completely different set of people they poll. The last prog rock poll was 2015 . The point is that Close to the Edge is generally considered to be one of (if not the greatest) prog rock albums of all time. There are lot's of other polls on the Internet and in British magazines etc...and they always have it at or near the top too.
@@frankmarsh1159 I was surprised to see Relayer considered as Yes' greatest in Rolling Stone Album Guide. You'd think that album would be too out there for a mainstream publication such as theirs.
@@bookhouseboy280 You have to realize that people making these lists are doing so many years after the albums were released. At the time many people didn't get Relayer. Over the years it has been reevaluated. It was way ahead of it's time. It had more in common with jazz fusion than progressive rock. It's always been my favorite Yes album.
One thing I always loved about the YES sound was the way bassist Chris Squire absolutely dominated their songs early on. Clearly, his band mates could see the wisdom of building their sound around Chris' Industrial-Melodic inspirations. He not only got that amazing growl out of his bass, he was always adding melody to the other melodic inspirations the others were contributing, even while holding down the bottom end groove. Then there was the contributions of jazz drummer Bill Bruford. When his experimental approach combined with Chris Squire's inspirations, the result was the Best "Rhythm Section" in Progressive Rock (if you can call it that). That organ solo by Wakeman to close out CTTE was one of his most impressive (he was definitely the _fastest_ Prog keyboard player through the period) but on repeated listenings you'll hear Squire & Bruford playing an amazing groove while Wakeman is burning up the keys. I never get tired of listening to it. (Note, the three of them do the same kind of thing in *Roundabout* during Wakeman's final organ solo in the song) Many YES eargasms await you, young man!
Jon Anderson who is the vocalist for Yes wrote the lyrics for this song is on another planet from the rest of us!! It is Chris Squire on Bass, Steve Howe on guitars, Rick Wakeman on keyboards and Bill Bruford on drums. All these guys are superb, brilliant musicians. I have seen this song by Yes live many times and it is a privilege to have seen it. Yes are the nearest thing to Classical music that Rock can get. So good to see a young face listening to Yes. Yes do more Yes!! Anything from the Yes Album like Starship Trooper would be good Sorry to disagree with you Dad but the organ sound on this is phenomenal !!
The fast keyboard solo is Rick Wakeman on his Hammond Organ. Earlier in the song he was also playing a Church (Pipe) organ, as well as an RMI Electic Piano, Mellotron and several Mini-moog synthesizers (which Rick still uses today!) Rick is extremely busy on stage, often wearing capes, and being surrounded by keyboards.
Yes's lyrics aren't rhyming couplets (moon, spoon, June) but are often blank verse where powerful words are strung together to create a mood and be inspirational. I was lucky enough to hear this song on the original CTTE tour and the experience was overwhelming. The lyrics hardly mattered.
Yeah sitting there reading the lyrics is not really the way to listen to Yes (or any music for that matter). I've been listening to this song for almost fifty years and until this video I have never really seen the lyrics. You should listen to the whole and soak it in. The lyrics are just one element of the piece of music. Trying to figure out what they are saying while you're listening just distracts you from the melodies and the harmonic movement and musicianship. Go back later and try to figure out the lyrical meaning if you want to. Heck most people still probably don't understand what the lyrics mean. The true meaning is in how it makes you feel...
Spot on, the lyrical construction is more about how the words scan and fit to the music, it's a concept that those who are not inro poetry don't understand. The popular misconception is poems need rhyming couplets, triplets or iambic pentameter structures but they don't and neither do song lyrics.
Just a masterpiece, by my favorite band. There are a whole bunch more epics by Yes. I'm not gonna list them here because I'm sure others will, but all the albums from 1971's The Yes Album through 1977's Going For the One are, in my opinion, peak Yes and some of the absolute best of the genre. Not to denigrate awesome work by 70s Genesis, King Crimson, Pink Floyd, ELP and others. Last track on GFTO is my all time favorite piece of music of any genre and any time. Take your time and savor it. 70s prog lives on. Oh, and "What was that?" That was Rick Wakeman. He, and all the other members of Yes: just ridiculously talented musicians pushing the boundaries.
I am so happy you took my request for Yes!!!! I am a Yes fan or fanatic since 1969.....and I love their musicianship...and they are one of the greatest Rock bands EVER!!!! This is one of their Masterpiece...and I hope your enjoyed it!
Jon Anderson did all of YES' lyrics during this period. The key to understanding them is knowing they were nearly always Jon's Meditations on God, his reflections on how he could see his previous life experience being directed by God, and the big issues of the world from that religious context. Why wasn't that obvious, you say? Clearly Jon didn't wanna be perceived a religious nut, so he buried what he was "hinting at" behind one metaphor/image after another, making the final product quite cryptic. Think of it as poetry, in that the words chosen are meant to get you to speculate as to what the hell he's talking about... To me, it was always another wonderful, unique thing about YES masterpieces...
Steve Howe is most underrated guitarists in hole music. Most people hear thick bass. But Steve solos and sounds are astonishing. He is a virtuoso. Problem is that every single band member also is a virtuoso. Could someone remember me how old they were when recorded this? 22?
Two million people barely satisfy… that whole section is about Northern Ireland. Ever since I first heard this when it came out in 1972 (I was a 16 year old) this has been my favourite song of all the thousands that I've heard. It's a classic! Pure magic!. And that's not a guitar fast-picking, it's Rick Wakeman playing the keyboards. And Chris Squire is the bass guitarist. The church organ is so emotionally moving and gets the hairs standing up on your arms; gives you goose-bumps. And the lyrics are correct (apart from spelling Manna incorrectly, and putting an extra "I get up, I get down", at the end. The lyrics are mystical and speak of feelings and emotions on the journey of life, and they also make a good sound and that might be why they have been used, because Jon liked the sound or words. Manna is divinely supplied spiritual nourishment.
Veteran of attending 1041 concerts since 1973. There is a reason why I've seen "Yes" 15 times since 1974. All of the reasons were listed before my post.
As for lyrics, they were meant to sound right and not necessarily meant to be readily sensible. Jon Anderson's vocals were very much like another instrument in the band which allowed for a very unified overall band approach. Furthermore, Squire's choir background and soprano voice blended ideally with Anderson's singing. Yes was the Mt. Everest of prog and 50 years later they're still a giant band with lasting undimmed musical impact.
Although the lyrics in many Yes songs seem too obscure to understand, and Anderson has stated that the sound of the words sometimes are more important, I think it is important to treat the words as poetry. The sound, cadence and meaning of the words combine to offer an emotional response that isn't achievable using "regular" speaking or writing patterns. This is why there is "art," because sometimes just plain words or pictures or sounds can't communicate the depth and breadth of what the artist is trying to convey.
Nicely broken down Stuart. I've struggled for years to interpret the lyrical content in Yes music, basically a vocalization with the appropriate syllable count was the best i could offer.
@@russellmorgan5611 "Close to the Edge" is definitely connected to Hermann Hesse's "Siddhartha" which recounts a life's path and journey toward enlightenment, but Anderson and Howe both are too good to rely completely on a pre-existing story. The instrumental music certainly paints its own picture and the lyric not only draws attention to certain details but also presents contradictions, mental puzzles, or, as they are called in certain Eastern philosophies, koans, that can open the mind to new possibilities. In the end, there IS no end. The song ends the way it starts: "on the hill we viewed the silence of the valley, called to witness cycles only of the past..." Good stuff and a lifetime of experiencing the "ever opening flower."
Saw them in the early 70's at Madison Square Garden. Rick Wakeman walked on stage in full length sequined cape - looked like a walking disco ball. Great show.
Very good guys - now you’re getting into the best of the ‘70’s prog rock period. A magical time for outstanding music written by outstanding musicians. Right near the top of the list would be Jethro Tull’s wonderful and musical concept album called ‘Thick As A Brick’.
Please do more Yes! So the middle keyboard parts were the Pipe Organ, which went into the fast MiniMoog Synthesizer part, which led into the Hammond C3 Organ solo. There's also some Grand Piano parts and Mellotron for the strings. Rick Wakeman studied at the Royal College of Music in London for 2 years to become a concert pianist before he left to become a Rock Star. He played on David Bowie's classic 'Space Oddity', Cat Steven's 'Morning Has Broken' (the awesome piano intro which came from a song he was working on for his solo album 'Six Wives of Henry VIII)) and many others and was in the band The Strawbs before joining Yes. Peace from SF
"Close your eyes and listen." As most of us Yes fans well know, Yes music requires the listener to immerse themselves, with repeated listenings, and within the privacy of one's own head; therefore to allow the music to carry you on a journey within one's own soul. With Peace and Love to all! (Michael)
Let's get this right: Steve Howe on guitar and background vocals; Chris Squire on Bass guitar and background vocals; Jon Anderson on Vocals and Harp and frontman; Rick Wakeman on keyboards; Bill Bulford on Drums.
This the modern equivalent of a Beethoven symphony. Also try some Emerson, Lake, and Palmer (ELP). Them and YES we’re both made up of musical geniuses and fantastic technicians on their instruments!!!
Good for you, dad, for introducing such extraordinary music to your son. My oldest remembers listening to Yes in the car as he was growing up and hears it again now . . . "that sounds familiar, dad"! Chris Squire is the bassist (RIP). "Manna" means bread from heaven. Regardless of the lyrics, which force you to place yourself into some galactic place, the musical composition is just incredible. Subtleties like Squire's bass when they first go into the soft area of the song (in the middle); I mean, these guys were so creative and made their instruments make sounds, unlike any other bands. Top it off with Anderson's (and Squire's) vocals . . . magic! Thanks for your review!
I first heard this played on the 6th of September 1972 at the Concert in the Garden, The Crystal Palace Bowl, South London. This was two days before the album’s release. Nobody knew what to expect or what was coming. When the piece finished there was a moment of silence, as if people were trying to come to terms with what they had witnessed. Then the place just erupted, it was a long time before everyone settled down, but they all understood that they had witnessed something extraordinary, and something that they will never forget.
What a ride, huh? Being an old woman, (I would guess considerably older than your dad), I got such pleasure seeing your initial smile given this is one of my favorite bands, and great old friend of mine, (the song)! Yes. more Yes, please!
Rick Wakeman mastered the Moog Synthesizer with his ebbs and flows background sounds . Rick had a great musical education as was a master classical piano and organ player. Yes complimented each other and were dedicated to making masterpiece classical rock music
Hey Guys, Don't get hungup on the lyrics. Words are Jon's Instrument, just like Steve's Guitar, Chris's Bass, Bills percussion and Rick's Keys. I advise you put the lyric sheet down for the first few listens and just enjoy the sonic journey that includes an instrument that sounds like an angelic voice. Then once you've indulged in the sonic intoxication, pick up the lyric sheet., I mean, would you pull out the guitar tab while listening for the first time? Or the Bass line on staff Paper? Bill's Drum notation? God help you if you try to read Rick's parts on staff paper . So just listen to the music and lyrics as you would any other instrument. Then once it's sunk in, give the lyrics a read.
Close to the Edge is beautiful poetry, that speaks of the seasons of man (life), and the coming of age. All of life's complexities, and yet it's just around a corner, down by a river. Life is simple, yet complex. Easy, yet difficult. At least that's how I interpret it all.
This reminds me of some of the great art museums of the world. Walk through any of them and you like some stuff and dislike others. But, it’s all high end art. I don’t love this kind of music, but I can appreciate that it might belong in the Prado…Louvre…Rijks…. Solid reaction!! 💥
The big organ break in the middle was recorded at the Church of St Giles, Cripplegete, London. This is a church where keyboard player Rick Wakeman was occasional substitute oraginist in his days as a Royal Collegeof Music student. Wakeman also plays that memorable solo bit on the hammond B3/leslie 147 combo afterwards. That is the same Rick Wakeman who plays piano in Cat Stevens' Morning Has broken, and pays organ and Mellorton in Bowie's Space Oddity.
It was fun to watch you guys, especially the son, in the beginning, like "what ?" I'm french, and find funny that you as english language persons, you don't really understand the lyrics. Me, I don't. But I get "I get up, get dowwwn". And I'm transported by the music.
Saw this played live at the Empire Pool Wembley, London many years ago. Roger Dean stage set up, from raining laser lights to images of the Moon spinning across the sky turning into someone cartwheeling. Totally right regarding not looking for meanings the words are similar to when they make the intruments communicate and talk. Indredible level is off the scale. Yes track "Würm" it's the turn of the instruments which start to tune into and do their own form of their own kind of lyrics.
Yes’ lyrics are like sound poems… not easy to take literally but most often they resonate in both the ears, and mind, of the listener. I find it easy to form my own meaningful interpretation of their lyrics, which may differ from someone elses, but is still valid. I think if you think of it that way you can really appreciate it more. So, to sum up, don’t worry about what it’s “supposed” to mean… find your own meaning! Isn’t it better that way, anyway?
I didn't get into Yes (besides Roundabout) until Trevor Rabin joined in 82. Check out 90125. All the songs are awesome. Love Trevor's tone. Great vid once again
The lyrics for Close to the Edge were inspired by the novel Siddhartha by Herman Hesse. The story is about a young man who decides to completely commit his life to a spiritual path of enlightenment. There is a particularly strong episode when he is 'Taught' by the river and receives wisdom through it's voice. It is a beautiful book and Hesse became an important literary figure to the counter-culture movement of the 60s. I always got the sense that this whole piece of music had supposedly occurred within milliseconds... "And we reach all this with movements in between the said remark.....Close to the Edge...etc" It begins with the babbling river and leaves us there again at the end...we should feel like we experienced missing time...I wonder what this would be like with a tin foil hat, LOL.... Jon Anderson was really on to something here...
More Yes would be great try, ‘The revealing Science of God’ for another long one with a great keyboard solo. Also check out some more recent prog rock by the man that Yes chose to remaster their whole collection. Steven Wilson ‘Ancestral’ or his band Porcupine Tree ‘Arriving somewhere but not here’
The lyrics were spot on actually. I bought the album when it came out in 1972 and have listened to the album and read the lyrics on the album cover 1,000 times at least! I don't think the lyrics, written by Jon Anderson and Steve Howe, were irrelevant or meaningless. Anderson gained initial inspiration for the track from reading The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien and closely studying Symphony Nos. 6 and 7 by Jean Sibelius, one of his favourite composers. Anderson based the lyrics on 'Siddhartha' (1922) by German novelist Hermann Hesse, and revised the song's lyrics "three or four" times, saying "it's all metaphors". The lyrics for the concluding verse were based on a dream he once had about the "passing on from this world to another... yet feeling so fantastic about it that death never frightened him since". I very vividly remember seeing Yes perform live at Wembley Arena, London in 1978 when they performed on a huge circular, revolving stage. The set piece lighting & dry ice fog for their rendition of the Close to the Edge track created a scene very evocative of the Close to the Edge album cover. It was an amazing and unforgettable concert.
RE: heavy organ section. In Prog Rock it is often necessary to provide something of an intermission between movements, particularly as themes and motifs are repeated frequently within the song. In this composition (it's really not "a song") the theme (as represented by the intro) is Chaos evolving into Order, or more-specifically, personal chaos evolving into personal peace of mind and spirit. A better (IMO) example of this type of composition by Yes is "And You and I", which you should DEFINITELY check out. Jon Anderson's lyrics are usually not constructed to make sense so much as to fit the meter and pace of the music. He basically "fits" words into the structure of the music wherever he can. If that means they "don't make sense" to anyone, it's just another form of composition rather than any specific "message" (although you can take still a variety of messages from those lyrics according to your own thoughts and tastes).
I cannot tire of watching reactions to Yes, especially by young’ns to Close to the Edge. In this case, I’d guess even Dad is a young’n compared to my 72. My brothers and I, all musicians of a sort were lucky enough to discover this at its inception. We were lucky to have had music teachers who went the extra step and we had Leonard Bernstein explaining classical music to us on the odd Sunday afternoon. We were more ready for this than those trying to catch up today. Listen for the total mass retain.
Based on the 1922 Hermann Hesse novel "Siddhartha" "We did one album called Close to the Edge. It was based on the Siddhartha... You always come back down to the river. You know, all the rivers come to the same ocean. That was the basic idea.” Jon Anderson, Yes
Each member was one of the top of the craft; Jon Anderson, vocals - Steve Howe, Guitar - Rick Wakeman, Keyboards - Chris Squire, bass - Bill Bruford, drums… each one is a legend. No way to oversell the skill and creativity of this band. And they were just getting started. You could drill down on this band for a while.
Does anyone remember if the orig Close to the Edge vinyl had lyrics on the sleeves? I don’t remember, but then it’s been 23 years since I’ve seen my vinyl collection.
A masterpiece indeed. I suggest you read the book Siddhartha by Herman Hesse. I's a mystic masterpiece and it will clarify some doubts you have mentioned in the video. Then you will confirm that there is nothing satanic or evil in these lyrics, but all of the opposite: a tribute to goodnesss, humbleness, wisdom and the beauty of life. Regards.
You've hit upon probably the best song by the best band that's ever existed, and I don't care, I'm talking all genres. There are two others that I can think of that are at this master level and they're Tarkus by ELP and Firth of Fifth by Genesis. All of Yes are master composers and musicians. You've really hit a deep rabbit hole because outside of Yes the musicians also have solo works. I've listened to and played many songs over and again over the years but this is one of the few I never tire of listening to.
Must listen to YES - Endless Dream from the 1994 TALK album, an epic , up to the standard of any of their own epic classics like this magnificent song you've just enjoyed. Cheers.
Thanks for the review. I don’t believe the lyrics displayed were correct. How could you guys not love the Hammond organ? That part of the song is so emotional and spiritual and was absolutely beautiful. The wizard on the keyboards (as mentioned in other comments) was Rick Wakeman, probably one of the greatest keyboardist’s of all time. Chris Squire on bass one of the best ever and Jon Anderson’s vocal with beautiful harmonic backup by Chris Squire awesome! This song will be played for generations to come!
The lyrics are all intentional yet embellished by Anderson's poetic ability and literary journey. Close to thee Edge at this time would have meant the Edge of insanity. The 1st section is based on Siddhartha, the story of Budda's enlightenment. The middle section about the woman is based on a martyred female Saint. The River is the Thames in London. Happy listening!
I saw this tour in 72 when it first came out. Yes that is a guitar. Steve Howe is the guitarist, Rick Wakeman on keyboards, Chris Squire on bass, Alan White on drums after Bill Bruford left and Jon Anderson on vocals and miscellaneous instruments
Chris Squire was the base player. This is one of the greatest pieces of music out there. Right up there with Beethoven's 9th. I subscribe to anyone who reacts to YES. My favorite group. Every member was an excellent musician. The words to this song are up to the listener to interpret like a Picasso painting. There is no one meaning. It's more mystical and spiritual sounding. Check out "Awaken". It's another great spiritual one. You have to play these over and over before you really can get into them. Lots of other great music by this band. So YES keep them coming and I'll be watching..
Wow , I would never have thrown you into the deep end of this band as a starting point ! They have so much amazing music most of which would have given you a proper perspective for a such a deep dive.
...pls don't try to get the lyrics, they are a soundscape :) After the edits you may have heard / become to know something - Yes music is incredibly re-listenable. Everytime you go back, you'll hear more stuff in there. Listen in a year, a week, in 10 years time and you will discover more.
so some useful information for you. 1. The song is based on a Herman Hesse Book called siddhartha. 2. the twiddly fast keyboard at the end was a Mini Moog. 3. Mana is (in Polynesian, Melanesian, and Maori belief) an impersonal supernatural power which can be transmitted or inherited. This song is the absolute Pinnacle of Prog Rock and it still stands up today 50 years later. My Recommendation is have a listen to Big Big Train - East Coast Racer. theyre a special band which has reinvigorated the folky prog scene :) Origin
The lyrics have meaning. But just like the music, they're complicated. You could just keep it simple like "A rabid dog tried to get in the car," or you could write "Cujo" like Stephen King did
I love this band this is an epic album I'm 62 yrs old and a life long semi a mature in drummer I saw yes in 1975 on The Tales of the Tolicopic Oceans Tour it was Amazing for a fifteenth year old and this album Fragile Yessongs and Tales of were the best of the Yes line ups Buford-drums/Anderson-vocals/Howe-guitar/Squire-bass/Wakeman-key boards I saw an interview with Geddy Lee in said that those be first 3-4 albums are what got him into music and of course than there was Rush /Yes/created prog when there was no such an thing !hey if you do album reactions let this old hippie rocker to make a suggestion of a band that gets over looked and check out from the album Desmond and Wizards if just a song Traveler in Time or the album is incredible. Hippie is done peace from Austin to Texas
50 years later and i still havent read the lyrics. Yes was the best at painting a picture with their music. On first listens dont even pay attention to the lyrics, it'll just distract your from the music. As you listen, some words and lines will catch your ear then combined with the expressiveness of the music the message comes through. They were top level musicians and song writers who could convey the emotions and journeys of life through music.
You have stepped into an amazing world - go through some more tracks by Yes, notably the Fragile album and The Yes Album, before trying out Going For the One ( side 1) then take a dive into Tales of Topographic Oceans and Relayer. Then go back to side 2 of GFTO for the unbelievably ethereal Awaken.
Jon Anderson - vocals
Steve Howe - guitar
Chris Squire (NOT Billy Squier)- bass
Rick Wakeman - keyboards
Bill Bruford - drums
I laughed so hard...it was a way off but cute mistake.
Also; manna: food of the gods. diifferent root than in manic, but understandable.
The lyrics are supposedly about Hermann Hesse's novel SIddhartha. About the buddha. But I've read the book and only get a partial understanding.
Prog rock at it's peak this is a masterpiece of sound.
ELP karn evil number 9 is just as impressive.
@@magmasunburst9331 That's a great one too. Same time period.
@@magmasunburst9331 The twin peaks of prog. It just doesn't get any more epic than those two.
For me, Genesis' Supper's Ready is the absolute peak.
The Bass player is purple level musician . Way ahead of his time . He influenced me to pick up the Bass when I was 13 years old.
My brother got a master's degree in bass performance and playing as asst. principal for the Colorado Symphony because of Chris Squire...
He's always been my favorite bass player. I'm not expert on this subject, but many critics sasy the best bass player ever was Jack Bruce (my respect to him). However I insist on Chris Squire
Which musician here was anything less than at the absolute top of their discipline?
@@varsitycamplife For sure, and I don't think anybody's disputing that. I think the point was to compliment Chris Squire rather than to diss anybody else in Yes when Close to the Edge was made.
Did nobody tell them they have to train for this? One should listen to The Yes Album, Fragile, and Close to the Edge (album in reverse order), to end with the song Close to the Edge. Otherwise one does not have the mental tools to listen to it.
PS In the intro, the keyboard is playing the bass ascending figure at double speed and a couple octaves up:
ua-cam.com/video/v4SPmHWiZVg/v-deo.html
Ladies and gentlemen Chris Squire and Yes the greatest show on earth. Lots of intelligent comments posted. Enjoy your your Yes journey. Got to see Squire 36 times till his passing.
Heard it yesterday for the first time and I was soo amazed, wow
Hey Silas! So great to see your diving into Yes! My Fav band! Yes is the #1 Prog Band of all time!!! As a huge fan who knows their library of music Well…I don’t understand Why people suggest CTTE as a first experience of Yes! Is it an Epic? Absolutely! But if you jump from Zep to Yes…we’ll it’s a crossover for sure!
Roundabout
Yours is No Disgrace
Starship Trooper
Heart of the Sunrise
Wonderous Stories
And You and I
Then maybe their intense epics!
That sound you first asked about is one of the #1 Guitarist in the World! (Look it Up!😉)
Steve is Phenomenal! CHRIS SQUIRE on Bass is Also #1 Bassist in the World! His influence on Bass players in all genre is incredible!
Jon Anderson vocal are Legendary! You’ll see! His Harmony with Chris is Moving!
Jon’s Lyrics have stumped people for decades!! Lol they were sometimes just used “because they sounded good), but Jon is ethereal and it’s shows in his thoughts and lyrics.
Rick Wakeman on keyboards is also unparalleld! Voted #1 in the World as well!
Drummers Bill Bruford & Alan White are AMAZING!
Welcome to Prog Rock Gods!
One last tip:It is said that to Really appreciate and “Get” all the song has -You’ll need to listen to it at Least 3x!😉
Turn of The Century is a masterpiece too
Pretty good list. But I will be add to this for start something lighter like changes or In to the lens because people like rush and rush songs is familiar to this tho tracks.
Squire won the bass player of the year award 6yrs straight, Howe won guitar player of the yr 4yrs straight to which Squire said that he should of won the guitar player the two yrs Howe didn't. 🙏
✌️✌️👍🏻👍🏻
It's Chris (not Billy) Squire on bass, and "mana" means a type of mystical power/energy from a spiritual realm "above". I heard this song when it first came out, so here's my take on the lyrical/musical message of the song:
Anderson said the lyrics were inspired by Hermann Hesse's 1922 novel "Siddhartha", which charts a journey of self-discovery, 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 just as the song began (the Buddhist idea of enlightenment as being one with nature). I get up: a higher plane of spiritual enlightenment; I get down: our earthly, and necessary, existence as material beings.
And, remarkably, this song was released in 1972 - 50 years after the novel, which is now 50 years ago. And yes, more YES.
Is THAT what the song is based upon? I studied Buddhism for quite a while so this is interesting, thanks. Nonsensical lyrics, and sometimes Buddhism seems that way too. Especially koans.
Manna is the food God provided to the Israelites in the wilderness.
Buddhism teaches self worship. Leads nowhere
@@JuniorFarquar "Mana" precedes Biblical stories by thousands of years, and you clearly don't comprehend the teachings of the Buddha.
@@JuniorFarquar Uh NO. Buddhism does not teach self worship, it's quite the opposite. And religion in general leads nowhere.
@@scottzappa9314 Here's a quote from Anderson for you: "I always think about "Close To The Edge" because it was always close to the edge of realization in my mind. I was reading Autobiography Of A Yogi, which was another explanation of this oneness of being. The idea is "close to the edge" is just around the corner, down by a river. I think "down by a river" came from Siddhartha. Having traveled the world, he finished down by a river with nature, realizing it was the optimum connection with divine energy."
You guys are sooo CUTE!! Your listening to one of my favorite bands. I listen to YES to get cosmic and Genesis to bring me back down to Earth!!!!!! Heart of the Sunrise by YES is pure jazz fusion GOLD.
Jon Anderson's lyrics were mostly written to facilitate the sound and less to tell a coherent story. Think of it as Dada poetry. The way the words are sung and how they compliment the music is great but the narrative aspect is abstract to the point of obfuscation.
Mid 60s to late 70s had some of the best, most progressive music! Yes, Pink Floyd, King Crimson, Genesis, and Jethro Tull are just a few of (in my opinion) the greatest Prog bands. By the way, Prog "albums" should be listened to as a whole and not as separate songs.
King Crimson's "In the Court of the Crimson King" is considered by many as the album that started the Progressive Rock style, though some would say the Beatles started it with "Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band" a couple years earlier. I think it was more of a gradual evolution of music due to experimentation with the new technologies available to musicians, sound engineers, and producers. More musical "tools" allowed greater experimentation, allowing more "progressive" sounds.
I disagree about Jon's lyrics "mostly" written to facilitate the sound. ie...using the sound string of the words together in a musical sense. He did that for sure, but so does every other song writer to some extent. He may have taken that exercise to a whole other level than other bands, but it does not mean Jon wrote completely nonsensical songs either. I certainly got the overall messages in his music. Its mostly about connectiveness and spiritual awakening and closeness to nature.
Jon believes in a Divine he strives for. A lot of the lyrics were written in a spontaneous fashion that he would tell you came from the Divine. And to Jon, that is a legitimate source. Just because it can be interpreted differently by different people doesn't negate that the songs have meaning. He also praises music itself in a lot songs. Its poetry, you have to dig for meaning. It takes an effort from the listener. Which is not a bad thing.
So you've taken a huge leap right to the mountain top of YES' extraordinary output.👍😇 CTTE is considered by many, including me, to be the best Prog Masterpiece ever created. On a variety of Reaction Channels, young people are declaring CTTE to be the best song they've ever heard. *_Fifty years after it was recorded!_* 50 years from now, 1st listeners will be equally blown away.
You see, YES were the _masters of _*_complexity._* They packed so much into their epics, repeated listening are an absolute must. The next several times you listen to it (you really need to listen to it again _by yourself_ because it's the only way to take in all that complexity & fully appreciate it) you will hear things you didn't notice previously. That's one of the things I always loved about YES...their songs remained fresh _a long time_ because of all that complex structuring.
Now that you've heard the best of the best, consider listening to a handful of their Nearly As Good Masterpieces: *Roundabout, Starship Trooper, Yours Is No Disgrace,* and the rest of the CTTE album: *And You And I & Siberian Khatru.* I think nearly all YES fans would agree that those are _must listen._
After those, I'd rec *Gates Of Delirium, South Side Of The Sky, Awaken.* After that there's another dozen that will continue to thrill you if you have an ear for YES. Enjoy your journey!
The coolest part about YES is they could do it live! I saw them in Concert in 1974 and they played every song just as it sounded on their albums! Unbelievably great musicians all! Chris Squire set the bar for all bass players to come! Don't get too hung up on the meaning of the lyrics...Jon Anderson admitted he used words for their cadence and sound rather than their meaning. Naturally that was years after I struggled to understand where he was coming from! Rick Wakeman was a classically trained keyboardist who could do no wrong. All you need to know about Steve Howe can be ascertained by listening to the song 'The Clap' and BIll Buford on drums never over played his hand!! Try some earlier YES from "The YES album" and I think you will be pleased! "Long Distance Runaround" from 'Fragile' is a great deeper cut!
I always liked the words "total mass retain"...wth does that mean?!
@@JuniorFarquar The world holding itself together Total mass retain
Yes! This was not just “Studio magic”.
LSD helps.
This is definitely jumping into the “deep end”. Come back to this after exploring 15 more Yes songs!
It’ll be even better!
Start at the beginning of their catalog!
🎉🎉😎
The greatest prog song from the greatest prog album of all time.
Edit: I don't usually sub to reaction channels because I just want to see what I want to see but if you are new to the classic rock world and going to dive into all the greats for the first time then I'll sub because your reactions seem more genuine than all the other reactors out there. So keep it going man.
Yeah it consistently ranks in at least the top five of greatest prog rock songs of all time. Rolling Stone has the album at number five but a lot of other polls have it at number one. The current issue of Guitar Player has Steve Howe on the cover and he talks about this album. Guitar World just posted a feature on Chris Squire and several British magazines this summer have had articles about Close to the Edge. Next month marks 50 years since it was released...
@@frankmarsh1159 Rolling Stones list of anything is absolute garbage. The team they have working for them don't seek particular talent or originality, they just go by what got played the most and the most downloads after and so fourth.
When I was this guy's age and even younger (I'm 34) my dad got me into classic rock and I loved it so much that that is the only music I listened to well into my late 20's, early 30's. Then, thanks to you tube, I discovered so many great bands that are just like the greats from back in the good old days. What ever is on the radio is a write off, because it's just pop music of different verities. But now more than ever, there is a huge underground following going on with bands that are just as good and some even better than the old stuff.
Just gotta take some time and surf you tube.
Examples:
King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard,
Phychedelic rock; prog rock; thrash metal; dream pop; classic rock; jazz; jazz fusion, they do it all. 20 albums since 2011. Plus 10 or 12 live albums.
Stonefield,
4 sisters from Australia that play music that is most accurately described as early Genisis crossed with and Black Sabbath.
So my point is, have you checked them out yet at all?
@@kyles5513 Well polls are constantly changing. What would be on a Rolling Stone poll today could be different than what was on there ten years ago because new albums have been released since then and they may have a completely different set of people they poll. The last prog rock poll was 2015 . The point is that Close to the Edge is generally considered to be one of (if not the greatest) prog rock albums of all time. There are lot's of other polls on the Internet and in British magazines etc...and they always have it at or near the top too.
@@frankmarsh1159 I was surprised to see Relayer considered as Yes' greatest in Rolling Stone Album Guide. You'd think that album would be too out there for a mainstream publication such as theirs.
@@bookhouseboy280 You have to realize that people making these lists are doing so many years after the albums were released. At the time many people didn't get Relayer. Over the years it has been reevaluated. It was way ahead of it's time. It had more in common with jazz fusion than progressive rock. It's always been my favorite Yes album.
One thing I always loved about the YES sound was the way bassist Chris Squire absolutely dominated their songs early on. Clearly, his band mates could see the wisdom of building their sound around Chris' Industrial-Melodic inspirations. He not only got that amazing growl out of his bass, he was always adding melody to the other melodic inspirations the others were contributing, even while holding down the bottom end groove.
Then there was the contributions of jazz drummer Bill Bruford. When his experimental approach combined with Chris Squire's inspirations, the result was the Best "Rhythm Section" in Progressive Rock (if you can call it that). That organ solo by Wakeman to close out CTTE was one of his most impressive (he was definitely the _fastest_ Prog keyboard player through the period) but on repeated listenings you'll hear Squire & Bruford playing an amazing groove while Wakeman is burning up the keys. I never get tired of listening to it.
(Note, the three of them do the same kind of thing in *Roundabout* during Wakeman's final organ solo in the song)
Many YES eargasms await you, young man!
I've been listening to Yes for 40 years. I still have no idea what they're singing about.
Ha,ha, they, probably don't, but it doesn't matter!😄
You and me both brother.
Jon Anderson who is the vocalist for Yes wrote the lyrics for this song is on another planet from the rest of us!! It is Chris Squire on Bass, Steve Howe on guitars, Rick Wakeman on keyboards and Bill Bruford on drums. All these guys are superb, brilliant musicians. I have seen this song by Yes live many times and it is a privilege to have seen it. Yes are the nearest thing to Classical music that Rock can get. So good to see a young face listening to Yes. Yes do more Yes!!
Anything from the Yes Album like Starship Trooper would be good Sorry to disagree with you Dad but the organ sound on this is phenomenal !!
The fast keyboard solo is Rick Wakeman on his Hammond Organ. Earlier in the song he was also playing a Church (Pipe) organ, as well as an RMI Electic Piano, Mellotron and several Mini-moog synthesizers (which Rick still uses today!) Rick is extremely busy on stage, often wearing capes, and being surrounded by keyboards.
Brilliant song that still delivers after hundreds of listens over 5 decades.
Yes's lyrics aren't rhyming couplets (moon, spoon, June) but are often blank verse where powerful words are strung together to create a mood and be inspirational. I was lucky enough to hear this song on the original CTTE tour and the experience was overwhelming. The lyrics hardly mattered.
Yeah sitting there reading the lyrics is not really the way to listen to Yes (or any music for that matter). I've been listening to this song for almost fifty years and until this video I have never really seen the lyrics. You should listen to the whole and soak it in. The lyrics are just one element of the piece of music. Trying to figure out what they are saying while you're listening just distracts you from the melodies and the harmonic movement and musicianship. Go back later and try to figure out the lyrical meaning if you want to. Heck most people still probably don't understand what the lyrics mean. The true meaning is in how it makes you feel...
Spot on, the lyrical construction is more about how the words scan and fit to the music, it's a concept that those who are not inro poetry don't understand. The popular misconception is poems need rhyming couplets, triplets or iambic pentameter structures but they don't and neither do song lyrics.
Great, this is, Prog' but you've got to do "Yours is no Disgrace" by them, off the Yes album! R.I.P. Chris Squire.
That whole album is incredibly great to listen to. Especially while driving a long distance.
Just a masterpiece, by my favorite band. There are a whole bunch more epics by Yes. I'm not gonna list them here because I'm sure others will, but all the albums from 1971's The Yes Album through 1977's Going For the One are, in my opinion, peak Yes and some of the absolute best of the genre. Not to denigrate awesome work by 70s Genesis, King Crimson, Pink Floyd, ELP and others. Last track on GFTO is my all time favorite piece of music of any genre and any time. Take your time and savor it. 70s prog lives on.
Oh, and "What was that?"
That was Rick Wakeman. He, and all the other members of Yes: just ridiculously talented musicians pushing the boundaries.
Great listen guys! Loved when your Dad smiled during the keyboard solo. These guys set the bar in all aspects for sure.
This made my day. Happy to see you and your dad together. Just perfect. Bless. I lost my son to cancer 7 years ago..he was 35. Love this.
I am so happy you took my request for Yes!!!! I am a Yes fan or fanatic since 1969.....and I love their musicianship...and they are one of the greatest Rock bands EVER!!!! This is one of their Masterpiece...and I hope your enjoyed it!
Jon Anderson did all of YES' lyrics during this period. The key to understanding them is knowing they were nearly always Jon's Meditations on God, his reflections on how he could see his previous life experience being directed by God, and the big issues of the world from that religious context. Why wasn't that obvious, you say? Clearly Jon didn't wanna be perceived a religious nut, so he buried what he was "hinting at" behind one metaphor/image after another, making the final product quite cryptic. Think of it as poetry, in that the words chosen are meant to get you to speculate as to what the hell he's talking about... To me, it was always another wonderful, unique thing about YES masterpieces...
To me CTTE is the finest song ever recorded.
Steve Howe is most underrated guitarists in hole music. Most people hear thick bass. But Steve solos and sounds are astonishing. He is a virtuoso. Problem is that every single band member also is a virtuoso. Could someone remember me how old they were when recorded this? 22?
Love love love this song! I so much appreciate listening to this music with you, Silas. Makes me so happy😊
Time for side 2... And You and I and Siberian Khatru...
Two million people barely satisfy… that whole section is about Northern Ireland.
Ever since I first heard this when it came out in 1972 (I was a 16 year old) this has been my favourite song of all the thousands that I've heard. It's a classic! Pure magic!.
And that's not a guitar fast-picking, it's Rick Wakeman playing the keyboards. And Chris Squire is the bass guitarist.
The church organ is so emotionally moving and gets the hairs standing up on your arms; gives you goose-bumps.
And the lyrics are correct (apart from spelling Manna incorrectly, and putting an extra "I get up, I get down", at the end.
The lyrics are mystical and speak of feelings and emotions on the journey of life, and they also make a good sound and that might be why they have been used, because Jon liked the sound or words.
Manna is divinely supplied spiritual nourishment.
who says that? lol
@@bobsbigboy_ Jon Anderson said that in a New Musical Express interview shortly after the album was released.
Veteran of attending 1041 concerts since 1973.
There is a reason why I've seen "Yes" 15 times since 1974.
All of the reasons were listed before my post.
As for lyrics, they were meant to sound right and not necessarily meant to be readily sensible. Jon Anderson's vocals were very much like another instrument in the band which allowed for a very unified overall band approach. Furthermore, Squire's choir background and soprano voice blended ideally with Anderson's singing. Yes was the Mt. Everest of prog and 50 years later they're still a giant band with lasting undimmed musical impact.
Although the lyrics in many Yes songs seem too obscure to understand, and Anderson has stated that the sound of the words sometimes are more important, I think it is important to treat the words as poetry. The sound, cadence and meaning of the words combine to offer an emotional response that isn't achievable using "regular" speaking or writing patterns. This is why there is "art," because sometimes just plain words or pictures or sounds can't communicate the depth and breadth of what the artist is trying to convey.
Nicely broken down Stuart. I've struggled for years to interpret the lyrical content in Yes music, basically a vocalization with the appropriate syllable count was the best i could offer.
@@russellmorgan5611 "Close to the Edge" is definitely connected to Hermann Hesse's "Siddhartha" which recounts a life's path and journey toward enlightenment, but Anderson and Howe both are too good to rely completely on a pre-existing story. The instrumental music certainly paints its own picture and the lyric not only draws attention to certain details but also presents contradictions, mental puzzles, or, as they are called in certain Eastern philosophies, koans, that can open the mind to new possibilities. In the end, there IS no end. The song ends the way it starts: "on the hill we viewed the silence of the valley, called to witness cycles only of the past..." Good stuff and a lifetime of experiencing the "ever opening flower."
Led Zeppelin and now Yes; You are walking the path of perfection ^___^
Is it a coincidence that Led Zeppelin and Yes both released their debut albums in 1969?
@@cybore213 A magic year....
Saw them in the early 70's at Madison Square Garden. Rick Wakeman walked on stage in full length sequined cape - looked like a walking disco ball. Great show.
Very good guys - now you’re getting into the best of the ‘70’s prog rock period. A magical time for outstanding music written by outstanding musicians. Right near the top of the list would be Jethro Tull’s wonderful and musical concept album called ‘Thick As A Brick’.
Please do more Yes!
So the middle keyboard parts were the Pipe Organ, which went into the fast MiniMoog Synthesizer part, which led into the Hammond C3 Organ solo. There's also some Grand Piano parts and Mellotron for the strings. Rick Wakeman studied at the Royal College of Music in London for 2 years to become a concert pianist before he left to become a Rock Star. He played on David Bowie's classic 'Space Oddity', Cat Steven's 'Morning Has Broken' (the awesome piano intro which came from a song he was working on for his solo album 'Six Wives of Henry VIII)) and many others and was in the band The Strawbs before joining Yes.
Peace from SF
Check out the Relayer album with Patrick Moraz on the ivories 👍🏻
"Close your eyes and listen." As most of us Yes fans well know, Yes music requires the listener to immerse themselves, with repeated listenings, and within the privacy of one's own head; therefore to allow the music to carry you on a journey within one's own soul. With Peace and Love to all! (Michael)
Let's get this right: Steve Howe on guitar and background vocals; Chris Squire on Bass guitar and background vocals; Jon Anderson on Vocals and Harp and frontman; Rick Wakeman on keyboards; Bill Bulford on Drums.
Bruford.
So nice to see this sharing. Love your Dad/ Clone 😆 while he's with you. ❤️❤️✌️
This the modern equivalent of a Beethoven symphony. Also try some Emerson, Lake, and Palmer (ELP). Them and YES we’re both made up of musical geniuses and fantastic technicians on their instruments!!!
not trying to be contradictory but maybe Vivaldi?
@@loadedorygun Mozart: “Too many notes….”
Good for you, dad, for introducing such extraordinary music to your son. My oldest remembers listening to Yes in the car as he was growing up and hears it again now . . . "that sounds familiar, dad"! Chris Squire is the bassist (RIP). "Manna" means bread from heaven. Regardless of the lyrics, which force you to place yourself into some galactic place, the musical composition is just incredible. Subtleties like Squire's bass when they first go into the soft area of the song (in the middle); I mean, these guys were so creative and made their instruments make sounds, unlike any other bands. Top it off with Anderson's (and Squire's) vocals . . . magic!
Thanks for your review!
I first heard this played on the 6th of September 1972 at the Concert in the Garden, The Crystal Palace Bowl, South London.
This was two days before the album’s release.
Nobody knew what to expect or what was coming.
When the piece finished there was a moment of silence, as if people were trying to come to terms with what they had witnessed.
Then the place just erupted, it was a long time before everyone settled down, but they all understood that they had witnessed something extraordinary, and something that they will never forget.
What a ride, huh? Being an old woman, (I would guess considerably older than your dad), I got such pleasure seeing your initial smile given this is one of my favorite bands, and great old friend of mine, (the song)! Yes. more Yes, please!
A YES masterpiece! Listen to it a lot and you will love it even more!!
Rick Wakeman mastered the Moog Synthesizer with his ebbs and flows background sounds . Rick had a great musical education as was a master classical piano and organ player. Yes complimented each other and were dedicated to making masterpiece classical rock music
What a place to start the Yes journey. Brilliant.
Hey Guys, Don't get hungup on the lyrics. Words are Jon's Instrument, just like Steve's Guitar, Chris's Bass, Bills percussion and Rick's Keys. I advise you put the lyric sheet down for the first few listens and just enjoy the sonic journey that includes an instrument that sounds like an angelic voice. Then once you've indulged in the sonic intoxication, pick up the lyric sheet., I mean, would you pull out the guitar tab while listening for the first time? Or the Bass line on staff Paper? Bill's Drum notation? God help you if you try to read Rick's parts on staff paper . So just listen to the music and lyrics as you would any other instrument. Then once it's sunk in, give the lyrics a read.
Close to the Edge is beautiful poetry, that speaks of the seasons of man (life), and the coming of age. All of life's complexities, and yet it's just around a corner, down by a river. Life is simple, yet complex. Easy, yet difficult. At least that's how I interpret it all.
This reminds me of some of the great art museums of the world. Walk through any of them and you like some stuff and dislike others. But, it’s all high end art. I don’t love this kind of music, but I can appreciate that it might belong in the Prado…Louvre…Rijks….
Solid reaction!! 💥
Chris Squire was the Bass player.
R.I.P
Favorite quote: "That level of talent is absolutely ridiculous."
The big organ break in the middle was recorded at the Church of St Giles, Cripplegete, London. This is a church where keyboard player Rick Wakeman was occasional substitute oraginist in his days as a Royal Collegeof Music student. Wakeman also plays that memorable solo bit on the hammond B3/leslie 147 combo afterwards. That is the same Rick Wakeman who plays piano in Cat Stevens' Morning Has broken, and pays organ and Mellorton in Bowie's Space Oddity.
And YES they play this masterpiece live!
Good for you, Dad, exposing your son to incredible music.
It was fun to watch you guys, especially the son, in the beginning, like "what ?"
I'm french, and find funny that you as english language persons, you don't really understand the lyrics. Me, I don't. But I get "I get up, get dowwwn". And I'm transported by the music.
Saw this played live at the Empire Pool Wembley, London many years ago. Roger Dean stage set up, from raining laser lights to images of the Moon spinning across the sky turning into someone cartwheeling. Totally right regarding not looking for meanings the words are similar to when they make the intruments communicate and talk. Indredible level is off the scale. Yes track "Würm" it's the turn of the instruments which start to tune into and do their own form of their own kind of lyrics.
Yes’ lyrics are like sound poems… not easy to take literally but most often they resonate in both the ears, and mind, of the listener. I find it easy to form my own meaningful interpretation of their lyrics, which may differ from someone elses, but is still valid. I think if you think of it that way you can really appreciate it more. So, to sum up, don’t worry about what it’s “supposed” to mean… find your own meaning! Isn’t it better that way, anyway?
Una de las obras mas hermosas del Rock Progresivo Sinfónico!!!!
I didn't get into Yes (besides Roundabout) until Trevor Rabin joined in 82. Check out 90125. All the songs are awesome. Love Trevor's tone. Great vid once again
The lyrics for Close to the Edge were inspired by the novel Siddhartha by Herman Hesse. The story is about a young man who decides to completely commit his life to a spiritual path of enlightenment. There is a particularly strong episode when he is 'Taught' by the river and receives wisdom through it's voice. It is a beautiful book and Hesse became an important literary figure to the counter-culture movement of the 60s. I always got the sense that this whole piece of music had supposedly occurred within milliseconds... "And we reach all this with movements in between the said remark.....Close to the Edge...etc"
It begins with the babbling river and leaves us there again at the end...we should feel like we experienced missing time...I wonder what this would be like with a tin foil hat, LOL....
Jon Anderson was really on to something here...
More Yes would be great try, ‘The revealing Science of God’ for another long one with a great keyboard solo. Also check out some more recent prog rock by the man that Yes chose to remaster their whole collection. Steven Wilson ‘Ancestral’ or his band Porcupine Tree ‘Arriving somewhere but not here’
RIP - Chris Squire - 1948 - 2015 😥
The lyrics were spot on actually. I bought the album when it came out in 1972 and have listened to the album and read the lyrics on the album cover 1,000 times at least! I don't think the lyrics, written by Jon Anderson and Steve Howe, were irrelevant or meaningless. Anderson gained initial inspiration for the track from reading The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien and closely studying Symphony Nos. 6 and 7 by Jean Sibelius, one of his favourite composers. Anderson based the lyrics on 'Siddhartha' (1922) by German novelist Hermann Hesse, and revised the song's lyrics "three or four" times, saying "it's all metaphors". The lyrics for the concluding verse were based on a dream he once had about the "passing on from this world to another... yet feeling so fantastic about it that death never frightened him since".
I very vividly remember seeing Yes perform live at Wembley Arena, London in 1978 when they performed on a huge circular, revolving stage. The set piece lighting & dry ice fog for their rendition of the Close to the Edge track created a scene very evocative of the Close to the Edge album cover. It was an amazing and unforgettable concert.
RE: heavy organ section. In Prog Rock it is often necessary to provide something of an intermission between movements, particularly as themes and motifs are repeated frequently within the song.
In this composition (it's really not "a song") the theme (as represented by the intro) is Chaos evolving into Order, or more-specifically, personal chaos evolving into personal peace of mind and spirit.
A better (IMO) example of this type of composition by Yes is "And You and I", which you should DEFINITELY check out.
Jon Anderson's lyrics are usually not constructed to make sense so much as to fit the meter and pace of the music. He basically "fits" words into the structure of the music wherever he can. If that means they "don't make sense" to anyone, it's just another form of composition rather than any specific "message" (although you can take still a variety of messages from those lyrics according to your own thoughts and tastes).
I cannot tire of watching reactions to Yes, especially by young’ns to Close to the Edge. In this case, I’d guess even Dad is a young’n compared to my 72. My brothers and I, all musicians of a sort were lucky enough to discover this at its inception. We were lucky to have had music teachers who went the extra step and we had Leonard Bernstein explaining classical music to us on the odd Sunday afternoon. We were more ready for this than those trying to catch up today. Listen for the total mass retain.
This is a masterpeace!! Please react to And You and I, Starship Trooper, Yours is no disgrace.
Yes lyrics are deep, meaningful and should make you think/feel incredible! ☮️❤️
Based on the 1922 Hermann Hesse novel "Siddhartha"
"We did one album called Close to the Edge. It was based on the Siddhartha... You always come back down to the river. You know, all the rivers come to the same ocean. That was the basic idea.” Jon Anderson, Yes
Each member was one of the top of the craft; Jon Anderson, vocals - Steve Howe, Guitar - Rick Wakeman, Keyboards - Chris Squire, bass - Bill Bruford, drums… each one is a legend. No way to oversell the skill and creativity of this band. And they were just getting started. You could drill down on this band for a while.
Steve Howe on the Chicken Scratch Guitar at the beginning. THIS Defines Masterpiece 😍😍😍😍😍
Chris Squire was the first bassist to amplify his bass in stereo. That's how groundbreaking he was.
The whole album is a masterpiece. Keep listening. ✌️😎🎶
more yes please! The beginning part you referred to was guitar - an ES-345 guitar played by Steve Howe.
Does anyone remember if the orig Close to the Edge vinyl had lyrics on the sleeves? I don’t remember, but then it’s been 23 years since I’ve seen my vinyl collection.
A masterpiece indeed.
I suggest you read the book Siddhartha by Herman Hesse.
I's a mystic masterpiece and it will clarify some doubts you have mentioned in the video.
Then you will confirm that there is nothing satanic or evil in these lyrics, but all of the opposite: a tribute to goodnesss, humbleness, wisdom and the beauty of life.
Regards.
Boy Dad's pretty relaxed about an ultimate rog rock classic!..
You've hit upon probably the best song by the best band that's ever existed, and I don't care, I'm talking all genres. There are two others that I can think of that are at this master level and they're Tarkus by ELP and Firth of Fifth by Genesis. All of Yes are master composers and musicians. You've really hit a deep rabbit hole because outside of Yes the musicians also have solo works. I've listened to and played many songs over and again over the years but this is one of the few I never tire of listening to.
Must listen to YES - Endless Dream from the 1994 TALK album, an epic , up to the standard of any of their own epic classics like this magnificent song you've just enjoyed. Cheers.
Thanks for the review. I don’t believe the lyrics displayed were correct. How could you guys not love the Hammond organ? That part of the song is so emotional and spiritual and was absolutely beautiful. The wizard on the keyboards (as mentioned in other comments) was Rick Wakeman, probably one of the greatest keyboardist’s of all time. Chris Squire on bass one of the best ever and Jon Anderson’s vocal with beautiful harmonic backup by Chris Squire awesome! This song will be played for generations to come!
The lyrics are all intentional yet embellished by Anderson's poetic ability and literary journey. Close to thee Edge at this time would have meant the Edge of insanity. The 1st section is based on Siddhartha, the story of Budda's enlightenment. The middle section about the woman is based on a martyred female Saint. The River is the Thames in London. Happy listening!
I've seen YES 22 times and can tell you they always sound great. Like YES.
I saw this tour in 72 when it first came out. Yes that is a guitar. Steve Howe is the guitarist, Rick Wakeman on keyboards, Chris Squire on bass, Alan White on drums after Bill Bruford left and Jon Anderson on vocals and miscellaneous instruments
It took awhile for this to "take" but it grew on me.
Chris Squire was the base player. This is one of the greatest pieces of music out there. Right up there with Beethoven's 9th. I subscribe to anyone who reacts to YES. My favorite group. Every member was an excellent musician. The words to this song are up to the listener to interpret like a Picasso painting. There is no one meaning. It's more mystical and spiritual sounding. Check out "Awaken". It's another great spiritual one. You have to play these over and over before you really can get into them. Lots of other great music by this band. So YES keep them coming and I'll be watching..
I always heard the first line as 'A season which' not 'seasoned witch'. Make more sense since later he says 'Seasons will pass you by'.
John Anderson & Chris Squire were Yes! Musical Geniuses ✌🔥🤘
Probably the absolute peak of Prog Rock!!!
Wow , I would never have thrown you into the deep end of this band as a starting point ! They have so much amazing music most of which would have given you a proper perspective for a such a deep dive.
...pls don't try to get the lyrics, they are a soundscape :)
After the edits you may have heard / become to know something - Yes music is incredibly re-listenable. Everytime you go back, you'll hear more stuff in there. Listen in a year, a week, in 10 years time and you will discover more.
You jumped right into the deep end!
so some useful information for you. 1. The song is based on a Herman Hesse Book called siddhartha. 2. the twiddly fast keyboard at the end was a Mini Moog. 3. Mana is (in Polynesian, Melanesian, and Maori belief) an impersonal supernatural power which can be transmitted or inherited. This song is the absolute Pinnacle of Prog Rock and it still stands up today 50 years later. My Recommendation is have a listen to Big Big Train - East Coast Racer. theyre a special band which has reinvigorated the folky prog scene :)
Origin
Song is about the "inner voice" talking yourself out of suicide. About people hurting deep in their souls.
The lyrics have meaning. But just like the music, they're complicated.
You could just keep it simple like "A rabid dog tried to get in the car," or you could write "Cujo" like Stephen King did
Saw them live Detroit, 1976 ..they played GATES OF DELIRIUM ( Please react to that composition)
I love this band this is an epic album I'm 62 yrs old and a life long semi a mature in drummer I saw yes in 1975 on The Tales of the Tolicopic Oceans Tour it was Amazing for a fifteenth year old and this album Fragile Yessongs and Tales of were the best of the Yes line ups Buford-drums/Anderson-vocals/Howe-guitar/Squire-bass/Wakeman-key boards I saw an interview with Geddy Lee in said that those be first 3-4 albums are what got him into music and of course than there was Rush /Yes/created prog when there was no such an thing !hey if you do album reactions let this old hippie rocker to make a suggestion of a band that gets over looked and check out from the album Desmond and Wizards if just a song Traveler in Time or the album is incredible. Hippie is done peace from Austin to Texas
50 years later and i still havent read the lyrics. Yes was the best at painting a picture with their music. On first listens dont even pay attention to the lyrics, it'll just distract your from the music. As you listen, some words and lines will catch your ear then combined with the expressiveness of the music the message comes through. They were top level musicians and song writers who could convey the emotions and journeys of life through music.
"Manna" is food provided by god from the heavens -- like this music. That's the legendary CHRIS SQUIRE on bass, pop!
YES! 😊
You have stepped into an amazing world - go through some more tracks by Yes, notably the Fragile album and The Yes Album, before trying out Going For the One ( side 1) then take a dive into Tales of Topographic Oceans and Relayer. Then go back to side 2 of GFTO for the unbelievably ethereal Awaken.