Musicians and Artists often are channels for more profound "signposts to beyond" without knowing it. Creator speaks to us in so many ways every moment. As a prior commenter has said "Songs really belong to the listener".... Although there are a few bands that really knew the metaphysics of what they wrote about. The Band (When you awake), The Jefferson Airplane (Crown of Creation), HP Lovecraft (Spin, spin, spin) and Procol Harum (Shine on Brightly and Whiter Shade of Pale) are some of them.
He can say that it's just about the literal roundabouts, but look at the lyrics. you be the judge: I'll be the roundabout The words will make you out 'n' out I spend the day your way Call it morning driving through the sound of In and out the valley The music dance and sing They make the children really ring I spend the day your way Call it morning driving through the sound of In and out the valley In and around the lake Mountains come out of the sky and they stand there One mile over we'll be there and we'll see you Ten true summers we'll be there and laughing too Twenty four before my love you'll see I'll be there with you I will remember you Your silhouette will charge the view Of distant atmosphere Call it morning driving through the sound of Even in the valley In and around the lake Mountains come out of the sky and they stand there One mile over we'll be there and we'll see you Ten true summers we'll be there and laughing too Twenty four before my love you'll see I'll be there with you Along the drifting cloud The eagle searching down on the land Catching the swirling wind The sailor sees the rim of the land The eagle's dancing wings Create as weather spins out of hand Go closer hold the land Feel partly no more than grains of sand We stand to lose all time A thousand answers by in our hand Next to your deeper fears We stand surrounded by million years I'll be the roundabout The words will make you out 'n' out I'll be the roundabout The words will make you out 'n' out In and around the lake Mountains come out of the sky and they stand there Twenty four before my love and I'll be there I'll be the roundabout The words will make you out 'n' out You spend the day your way Call it morning driving through the sound of In and out the valley In and around the lake Mountains come out of the sky and they stand there One mile over we'll be there and we'll see you Ten true summers we'll be there and laughing too Twenty four before my love you'll see I'll be there with you
I would LOVE to read the responses of YES Fans on how they interpret "Roundabout" or for that matter any number of other tunes as well. It would interesting and hilarious and many other emotions too would certainly come off those pages from the Fans! This was a wonderful chat and it adds to the mystic of the tune even if we do understand the concept of the song! On a side note...HOW COOL it would have been to bi in that very Van from Aberdeen to Glasgow as the boys come up with this Nostalgic Song! Cheers From The American Side of The Pond In COW-lumbus, Ohio MOO
I never understand questions like "how should your listeners interpret your art?" When the question was asked my immediate reaction was "how would an artist (or anyone) know the answer?"
Things does not require some deep meaning to be art. If people spent more time thinking about the everyday things around them, the world might be more enjoyable to them.
Jon's too humble about his lyrics. Esp. in recent years it seems. When Smerconish asked him about AYAI about all he said was... I remember I was really high when I wrote it. Shelves of books have been written about certain poems, their meaning, inner logics, implications. A song like AYAI could stand up to similar scrutiny, I think. Roundabout, maybe more in line with a few articles ... but certainly more than a recounting there of 15 roundabouts between Aberdeen and Glasgow!
Finding the profound in the mundane is practically the definition of art.
He is one of my favorite singers ever. Such a humble kind man too.
Very nice person.
Musicians and Artists often are channels for more profound "signposts to beyond" without knowing it. Creator speaks to us in so many ways every moment. As a prior commenter has said "Songs really belong to the listener".... Although there are a few bands that really knew the metaphysics of what they wrote about. The Band (When you awake), The Jefferson Airplane (Crown of Creation), HP Lovecraft (Spin, spin, spin) and Procol Harum (Shine on Brightly and Whiter Shade of Pale) are some of them.
He can say that it's just about the literal roundabouts, but look at the lyrics. you be the judge:
I'll be the roundabout
The words will make you out 'n' out
I spend the day your way
Call it morning driving through the sound of
In and out the valley
The music dance and sing
They make the children really ring
I spend the day your way
Call it morning driving through the sound of
In and out the valley
In and around the lake
Mountains come out of the sky and they stand there
One mile over we'll be there and we'll see you
Ten true summers we'll be there and laughing too
Twenty four before my love you'll see
I'll be there with you
I will remember you
Your silhouette will charge the view
Of distant atmosphere
Call it morning driving through the sound of
Even in the valley
In and around the lake
Mountains come out of the sky and they stand there
One mile over we'll be there and we'll see you
Ten true summers we'll be there and laughing too
Twenty four before my love you'll see
I'll be there with you
Along the drifting cloud
The eagle searching down on the land
Catching the swirling wind
The sailor sees the rim of the land
The eagle's dancing wings
Create as weather spins out of hand
Go closer hold the land
Feel partly no more than grains of sand
We stand to lose all time
A thousand answers by in our hand
Next to your deeper fears
We stand surrounded by million years
I'll be the roundabout
The words will make you out 'n' out
I'll be the roundabout
The words will make you out 'n' out
In and around the lake
Mountains come out of the sky and they stand there
Twenty four before my love and I'll be there
I'll be the roundabout
The words will make you out 'n' out
You spend the day your way
Call it morning driving through the sound of
In and out the valley
In and around the lake
Mountains come out of the sky and they stand there
One mile over we'll be there and we'll see you
Ten true summers we'll be there and laughing too
Twenty four before my love you'll see
I'll be there with you
Thank you for posting these lyrics. Have loved this song 1971.
I would LOVE to read the responses of YES Fans on how they interpret "Roundabout" or for that matter any number of other tunes as well. It would interesting and hilarious and many other emotions too would certainly come off those pages from the Fans! This was a wonderful chat and it adds to the mystic of the tune even if we do understand the concept of the song! On a side note...HOW COOL it would have been to bi in that very Van from Aberdeen to Glasgow as the boys come up with this Nostalgic Song! Cheers From The American Side of The Pond In COW-lumbus, Ohio MOO
100 perecnt agree with all of this.
Roundabout is Jesus' Fave Song!
Roundabout is Jon Anderson's Kerouac moment.
@ 72 YO, I'm glad I finally understand the lyrics. I looked them up and now it makes perfect sense.
THANK YOU :) Peace
@@effthegop peace
I never understand questions like "how should your listeners interpret your art?" When the question was asked my immediate reaction was "how would an artist (or anyone) know the answer?"
Things does not require some deep meaning to be art. If people spent more time thinking about the everyday things around them, the world might be more enjoyable to them.
Host looks like a younger Willy Nelson
Jon's too humble about his lyrics. Esp. in recent years it seems. When Smerconish asked him about AYAI about all he said was... I remember I was really high when I wrote it.
Shelves of books have been written about certain poems, their meaning, inner logics, implications. A song like AYAI could stand up to similar scrutiny, I think. Roundabout, maybe more in line with a few articles ... but certainly more than a recounting there of 15 roundabouts between Aberdeen and Glasgow!