🚨CORRECTION: Was Rick a founding member of Yes? No, I got that wrong. Should have fact checked that. I cut this section out of the video. Thanks for keeping me honest. Many people have pointed out that Rick was ultimately paid. I have heard conflicting stories, but sounds like it could be true.
Correction. Rick wakeman was Not a founding member of yes. In fact He was their 2nd keyboard player And didn't appear Until yes is 4th Album "Fragile".
Thank you, I'm glad somebody said it. A mistake like that is an irritating thorn in the side. Everything else in this video has been largely known for many years.
@peterthompson8014 no no Rick Wakeman first appeared on the single America, a remake of a Paul Simon Simon and Garfuncle song. The old yes was really good. Time and a Word is one of my favorite Yes Albums. Steve Howe first appeared on The Yes Album.
Brilliantly done! I've been a huge Rick Wakeman fan since the early 70's, and have seen him in concert many times. I had the pleasure to meet him a couple of years ago, and there just isn't anybody on the planet who is more kind and gracious. His consistency in composing heart-touching music is incredible. His catalog is massive. I know, because I own everything I've been able to find, and I actively search for new things regularly. This particular song is a staple inn his solo set list and he always tells the story. I think he's received payment for his contribution, just in entertainment value alone. You are an excellent teacher, and made the explanation easy to follow and understand. I truly appreciate this video.
You might be interested in hearing my favorite Rick Wakeman composition ... it's called "Trigger The Bounce" from the Retro 2 album. ua-cam.com/video/kx2OnqtPWPU/v-deo.html
@@jefffeldstein I was made aware of this after posting. Several people have mentioned it. But you can’t edit the video after you post it. That’s why I left a correction in the description.
I'm glad you mentioned Rick's "Catherine Howard" from his "Six Wives..." album, as that was the genesis of the intro to Cat's "Morning Has Broken". And BTW, he has been paid. Rick signed my "Teaser and the Firecat" album about 10 years ago at his Anderson Wakeman concert in Buffalo, NY and wrote "I got paid in the end".
Many people view Rick Wakeman simply as the Yes keyboardist with the lightning fast right hand. In reality, it’s Rick’s compositional genius that has set him apart from his contemporaries for all these decades.
They played the song live together in 2020. Cat said in a number of earlier interviews that Rick wasn’t named on the record because of record companies not allowing their artists to play on other peoples records based on their contracts. That’s why many artists went under other names when appearing on other artists records at the time.
It was also those contractual silliness's that prevented him from contributing an original piece to the "Fragile" album, instead being forced to do the awful "Cans and Brahms" arrangement (which he still hates!). Fragments of what was "Handle with Care" (ie, fragile) can be heard in some of the 6 Wives tracks (including Catherine Howard). That was also why Bill Bruford, Chris Squire, and Steve Howe appear on 6 Wives. The semitone shift of one or two notes in chord to move to a dominant 7th of a new key is often used by Rick - you can hear it all over many tracks from 6 Wives, Journey, Arthur, and many beyond.
@@Pinkeye82517 likewise, the original All Things Must Pass George Harrison album did not list all the musicians who contributed due to the same reason....recording contracts.
I am stunned! One of my favorite songs. I had always assumed it was a hymn adapted by Cat Steven’s. Then upon 3 minutes of googling, I find the author is a woman from the 1800’s who wrote children’s books, to the famous rift written by Rick Wakeman and finally getting to Cat Stevens. I love how Wakeman leaves his fingerprint, so to speak, in other compositions. Thank you for breaking it all down! I’m a long time piano player too, but honestly thought this was just a case of a key change. Soooo much more to the story!
Tune Bunessan, somewhat old scots tune. There are some other words to it too, i think a christmas carol but I cannot remember them off the top of my head
As a person of a certain age, it’s really gratifying to see a younger generation appreciate the brilliance of the keyboards players with whom I grew up. As a Brit, I’m lucky to have seen Rick and Yes on many occasions and to have met Rick several times. The story of course is a great one and yes, as a previous comment has said, Cat Stevens (by then Yusef Islam) did eventually pay Rick, although if I recall correctly they agreed for the payment to go to charity! Tony Kaye, the original Yes keyboardist, was only interested at the time in playing his Hammond and piano. When Anderson and Squire persuaded Rick to leave The Strawbs and join Yes it really expanded their sound as Rick was happy to experiment with all of the keyboards of the 70s (Mellotron, Moog, Clavinet, Fender Rhodes etc.) I remember well the annual contest here in the UK between Rick and that other prog giant of the 70s, Keith Emerson, to claim the Melody Maker crown as top keyboards player. At Emerson’s memorial concert in Birmingham a few years back, Rick guested and commented that he and Emerson had tried many times to do an album together, but that “management” got in the way. Such a shame…..what an album that would have been! Thanks, Josh, for this excellent insight!
Thank you Josh for sharing this great info about "morning has broken" ... I have always loved those early Cat Stevens records, and Rick Wakeman's brilliance on this is so stunning !
A minor detail: Rick Wakeman (who was fast earning the nickname 'One take Wakeman' in studio circles as he hardly ever needed a second attempt) did actually get paid for the session 37 years later. His autobiography Say Yes is one of the funniest autobiogs I've ever read.
Loved this explanation and history. Thank you…. So interesting…I’ve always wondered how Rick’s playing (in the Cat Stevens recording) cascades down at the end of a phrase during verses…it sounds like reverse arpeggios or something cascading down …don’t know how else to explain …I wonder if you understand what I’m asking and if so can you tell me how it’s done? It’s never included in sheet music, and it’s always intrigued me. Colleen
Really interesting story about this song Josh! I always enjoyed this song, and didn't realize how genius it was until watching your video, and I didn't know it was Rick Wakeman - wow! Thank you for sharing!
Really enjoyed this post Josh. It's an iconic intro and liked your analysis of how clever Rick was with the modulations. I saw Rick a few years ago and he was telling the same anecdote! I didn't know he was the session pianist for this song, unless he hadn't told us. I liked especially as Rick had to turn the 30 second turn into a full 3 minutes plus needed for a song 😁🎹👍
I dont know if Rick was session as such, otherwise he would have got the perf fee - normally £60 for a day then. He didnt get a composer fee and never gave Cat the notes written down for others to use. I think he was on the same label and in the same studios and the label asked him to pop down and add a bit of keyboard to a track
Great, great, great video!!! Know that your hard work is acknowledged and very much appreciated! Thank you for bringing this topic to public attention. I just hope some people in charge will see this and, as unlikely as it is, rethink their easy money grab decision. 🤞🤞🤞
I've seen Rick play many solo piano shows and he usually has a story about the session. His job was to pad out a short hymn and make it long enough to release as a pop single. Hence all the modulations.
I saw Rick and his son Oliver play a couple of weeks ago (with Gordon Giltrap too) in a charity gig; a wonderful night all round. He has so many funny stories in his locker he doesn't really need a piano to get the audience going!
I love how the cadence pivots on just a single note. Another very interesting song that has the same one-note pivot point is "Shape of My Heart" by Sting.
Rick has made plenty of money, dining out on this story. Check out his playing on Life on Mars. Bowie basically left him to do him thing with the chords which he had earlier played to him.
For me the more interesting modulation is from C major to D major. I would sum that up as: C, E, Am, F#, Bm, G, D. Right back to Bach! 7:53 One of my pet projects is find the smooth way to move from any key to any key, then to make those modulations work in different genres. Very fine video, Josh!
I did not know that RW was responsible for what makes this song so uniquely beautiful. Especially in its day. I have always thought of Rick as a true musical genius. Thanks for doing this. The video came up randomly in my feed.
I saw Rick Wakeman's "Grumpy Old Rock Star" solo show in Toronto just a few years ago. The way he recounted it was that Cat Stevens phoned him up one evening saying he had the idea to record Morning has Broken, but it was too short as is for Radio, and so would Rick like to add a piano part? Rick told Cat to come by and play what he had so far, which he did. It was indeed short: like maybe 1 min altogether... Rick had been working on a piano riff for another piece which he thought might work as an intro. He played it for Cat who loved it, but even with the intro, it was still way too short. So Cat asked him for another piano solo after the first verse. It was still too short... So, they kept adding piano interludes until the piece eked over that minimum radio length. And yes, Rick didn't get paid his session fee until much later, but in his own words "I got paid in the end". Here is Rick himself: ua-cam.com/video/R7ZwQfK0jQw/v-deo.htmlsi=IWdVCkOTcl0RUPgL And I dunno: I'm pretty sure Rick Wakeman would have been more than capable of recording this in one day, and improvising all sorts of variations on this theme... He is one of the best keyboardists/arrangers in the genre.
Great piece Josh, I really enjoyed it. I'm sure I have some Rick Wakeman vinyl stashed away somewhere. Despite getting had over on this occasion he did alright for himself and it makes for a great story.
Well done and a very interesting documentary. Apparently many years later, Yusuf Islam met with Rick Wakeman and paid him an undisclosed sum for his contribution to Morning has Broken.
Great video. Thanks for sharing. I remember when the Cat Stevens song was released as well as Rick Wakeman's Six Wives. Your digital piano sounds terrific. Could not discern what make and model your piano is from the video. Would you be able to share that info?
I'm a fan of both Cat Stevens and Rick Wakeman and it was well over 50 years before I found out Wakeman had played on 'Morning Has Broken'. I wonder how many people still think Cat Stevens played it?
They played the song live together in 2020. Cat said in a number of earlier interviews that Rick wasn’t named on the record because of record companies not allowing their artists to play on other peoples records base din their contracts. That’s why many artists went under other names when appearing on other artists records at the time.
Yep, they (I'm guessing mostly Anderson/Squire) kicked Peter Banks out on guitar because he improvised too much and they wanted precision and they kicked Tony Kaye out because he wasn't interested in exploring keyboards beyond the organ.
@@bryedeI also read that banks for his part didn’t like the orchestral arrangements they were moving into. The lineup with Steve Howe and Wakeman, with Anderson, squires, and bruford was brilliant. Other versions of Yes were good too, but that period was pure magic.
you should listen to the rick beato interview with rick wakeman. he tells the whole story behind morning has broken, and plays most of the piano parts for the track.
Excellent stuff, as usual! A pedant notes, however (he always does!), that Rick Wakeman did *not* co-found the band Yes, but replaced the original keyboard player, Tony Kaye.
On the original vinyl album cover of Teaser & the Firecat there is no mention of Rick Wakeman. On the insert for the CD version however it does state, "Piano - Rick Wakeman" although without specifying the track on which he performed.
Not anything is new! According Wikipedia, when shaping "Morning Has Broken" for recording, Stevens had to start with a hymn which took around 45 seconds to sing in its basic form. Producer Paul Samwell-Smith told him he could never put something like that on an album, and that it needed to be at least three minutes in length, although an acoustic demo exists of Stevens playing an early version which lasts almost three minutes.Prior to the actual recording Stevens heard Wakeman play something in the recording booth. It was a rough sketch of what would later become "Catherine Howard". Stevens told Wakeman that he liked it and wanted something similar as the opening section, the closing section and, if possible, a middle section as well. Wakeman told Stevens he could not as it was his piece destined for a solo album, but Stevens persuaded him to adapt his composition.[5] The familiar piano intro and general structure of the piece may be attributed to Stevens or to Wakeman.
Hey man, nah, it’s copyrighted so that’s not something I’d feel comfortable doing. But, if you search google images I’m sure there are sheet music sites in the results that sell it.
Hello Josh - I like how you showed the different cords at the beginning of the video. I am not a musician, so it would have really helped me if you had highlighted the cords as you were playing it later as well. Best of luck!
Something very similar happened to P.F. Sloan. He wrote and played the opening guitar passage on the Mamas and the Papas' "California Dreamin'." I believe Sloan was credited on the album cover (a rarity back then!), but didn't get a song co-writing credit. But when the song was a huge hit, the band had to take him on tour with them forevermore because nobody else could play what he'd written.
Hello legend, I'm new and just subscribed to your channel 😘Do you have 2 different piano sheets by Rick and Cats? I tried to search online, but none sound the same as what you play.
Hello fellow legend. I do not have sheets, I just learned this by ear. Far too many sheets don’t match the recording. Some for good reason (more approachable to play) some for bad reason (they are just wrong)
Excellent video. After reading P F Sloan’s biography I know how rotten the music business can be. Big name creeps and small name creeps. Appreciate all the work you put into this. Just found a great new channel. Thank you.
You’re right about the similarities between Catherine Howard (The Six Wives of Henry VIII) and the piano part of Morning Has Broken. A few Rick Wakeman fans have noticed this. But for all fans of the brilliant Morning Has Broken piano part, please do indulge by listening to the “six wives” album. It’s a lovely musical journey. You’ll also have fun recognising the similarities as explained by Josh Walsh. You may also be interested in knowing that Rick Wakeman has two other great albums in the vein of six wives, Journey to the Centre of the Earth and King Arthur.
I often wondered as a kid how Cat had managed to play such a spectacular piano part on this track when all his other piano accompaniments were Grade 5 at best...
VERY interesting. VERY informative. VERY fascinating. I’m including this video as well as your ‘Amazing Grace’ Reharm in 5 steps as two of my most useful chord progression and re-harmonization tutorials. What similar type tutorials might you suggest that I may have overlooked? (I’m a relatively new Subscriber.)
That’s awesome. Thanks. I’m a relatively new creator full time, so I’d say my best videos are ahead of me. I’m proud of the “your first jazz lesson” video, even though the production value is lower. It’s similar to what you are looking for. Glad to have you here as a subscriber!
Tony Kaye was the original keyboard player who "co-founded" Yes. Rick came a little bit later, but just in time for some really great, classic albums that he played on. Kaye also came back to Yes off and on over the years. Also, I literally just came from another video where Wakeman himself says that he was eventually paid, 37 years later.
Always loved this song, and especially that thrilling piano part. Later, I sang the hymn in church, and our hymnal had the melody and all the words exactly the same, except, of course, for the piano. And since I'd heard the Stevens virsion first, it always frustrated me - that missing intro/outtro. So I took a few weeks/ months and painstakingly transcribed it, and then memorized it. But I had no idea how it came into being. Was pretty sure that Stevens himself hadn't written it but who did? Thanks to your video I now know the backstory and am much appreciative. Now I'm wondering what the copyright restrictions are for playing it in church.
Maybe there’s no religion? Not to get too sidetracked, because it’s my personal belief that music (and math. . . I know weird) are a source of something we cannot understand yet. Sorry for the interruption!
Rick Wakeman didn't have to give it to him but he was more than happy to take it. Most people have no idea how many familiar parts of songs were made up on the spot by a hired session player who never saw any royalties for their work. For example, Herbie Flowers bass part for Lou Reed's "Walk on the Wild Side". It's the main part of the whole song. He made it up in about twenty minutes and got paid a few bucks for it.
Who is the author of this song; Ty for sharing btw I always sing this in the key of C on guitar y sometimes playfully do the chordal by ear on the piano… stilll stuck on white keys though since the seventies);
Are you saying Rick Wakeman stole the intro? From himself? It is reminiscent of the Six Wives of Henry the Eighth. I love “Teaser and the Firecat”. The entire album is amazing.. I loved all his music from there out including tracks from the movie “Harold and Maude.”
RW did not co found Yes, when Morniiiiing has broken was recorded Yes had already existed for several years. Wakeman replaced Tony Kaye hat was sacked because Wakeman was considered a most prominent card
Rick Wakeman - also known as "One take" Wakeman from his session days, 'cos he only needed one take to record his part. Have watched a whole documentary where he talks about Morning Has Broken. And yes, he eventually got paid - years later. Cat made squillions and Rick got 30 squid from what I recall. I have to say, I love him in the Grumpy Old Men series.
Wakeman did not "co-found" Yes. He joined the band for their fourth album, "Fragile." Tony Kaye was the band's original keyboardist. A lot of "The Six Wives of Henry VII" came from reworking of material that Wakeman had done earlier, particularly "Temperament of Mind" with The Strawbs.
Great video , people have been borrowing each others music since the time of Sibelius and before , every band that ever was borrows from one and no one gives a toss . However I'm with you with the Rick Wakeman ingredients
In response to a few previous commenters, Cat Stevens did not steal this from a hymn book. Musicians do covers all the time! Wakeman himself has several albums of covers!
This video isn’t even about Steven’s stealing the song from a hymn book, it’s asking the question if he stole the piano intro from Rick Wakeman’s work in progress on the Henry 8th album. They must have left comments without watching the video.
Thanks Arthur. I am doing these by key framing them in Final Cut, but I’ve been working a reusable FCP title for it in Motion since it’s really tedious to do individually.
This reminds me of a project I was required to accomplish in 3rd semester Music Theory. Now - understand, I had decades of theory under my belt, just to enter the university in my late 40s. For this project, my professor said< "Don't get creative - just follow the instruction." Pardon me, but . . . ""don't get creative"??? You're talking to the world's future composers, and you're mandating, "don't get creative"? Well, long-story-short, I turned in apiece that exploited every compositional mechanism class had afforded - secondary dominants, borrowed chords, leading tone-sevenths --- the whole kitchen sink. And . . . to my dismay, my professor gave me a grade of C-. So, then, I renamed my composition "Sonata In C Minus" LOL- Yes_ LOL-LOL- But, for the past 7 years, this same piece I composed is known as "Louella's Theme" after my wife.
nooo..that song was Gaelic Hymn: Bunessan..Also listen to Catherine Howard for 1 minute after 1:38...let's see what you hear..such interactions can happen anytime..how you evaluate it depends on your intention...moreover ,Cat Stevens wanted to get permission for his song from Rick Wakeman but it didn't happen due to some problems..
Small correction Josh. Rick wasn't a co founder of YES but joined up to make their 4th album Fragile. Roundabout was on that album giving him the notoriety he well deserved. He replaced Tony Kaye also a great keyboardist that was actually a co founding member previous to Fragile was on The Yes Album and best album in my opinion. Yes at that time was looking for a synthesiser/keyboardist and walla, they found Rick. Rick is such a great natured guy and FUNNY AS HELL!! He said that the Union Tour with YES was very enjoyable and nostalgic to him teaming up with almost all (less Peter Banks orig guitarist) of the founding members and Steve Howe 3rd The Yes Album 1970-71, Trevor Rabin (latter 1980's guitarist 90125 album). Ok recap. Jon Anderson co founder vocals, Chris Squire co founding bass, Tony Kaye co founder and Rick on keys, co founding drummer Bill Bruford and Alan White, Steve Howe, Trevor guitars at Union concert. Here is his solo grand piano version arrangement of Morning Has Broken. Beautiful> ua-cam.com/video/VebVIXSQFC0/v-deo.html
Josh Walsh, there are thousands of music "THEFT" out there! Why choosing Cat Stevens who converted to Islam? Josh, NEVER call him Cat Stevens again, call him YUSUF ISLAM! Ignorantus Maximus! 🤲☪️
Rick Wakeman was not a co-founder of Yes. Yes had three albums under their belt with their original keyboard player Tony Kaye before he was replaced by Rick Wakeman.
When Yusuf (Cat) heard about the good-natured complaining from Rick, he was supposedly shocked - remember, he had walked away from the music business for many years. He did finally send Rick that (9 pounds?) payment for a session musician, 37 years later - he told it in one of the videos out there. I think Rick even donated the payment to Yusuf's charity - it wasn't about the money, it was the acknowledgment that he was a significant contributor to the success of the song.
@@tbird-z1r totally false and it seems like it is you who harbour hate for Cat. The reality is very simple, record companies had contracts with artists that didn’t allow them to play on other peoples records. That’s why some went under other names back in the day. You obviously know very little about anything. Keep it that way. It suits you 😂
@@Pinkeye82517 He ripped lyrics from a hymn book, and used someone else's melody. Keep defending pretentious multimillionaires online. Fight the good fight.
I've heard Rick say that he did meet Cat Stevens (or whatever name he now goes by) a few years ago and mentioned it, and that Cat did pay him the eighty bucks!
Like JFK, the Challenger disaster, 9-11. I know where I was the first time I heard this song. I can't think of another recording that had that impact on me.
🚨CORRECTION: Was Rick a founding member of Yes?
No, I got that wrong. Should have fact checked that. I cut this section out of the video. Thanks for keeping me honest.
Many people have pointed out that Rick was ultimately paid. I have heard conflicting stories, but sounds like it could be true.
Correction. Rick wakeman was Not a founding member of yes. In fact He was their 2nd keyboard player And didn't appear Until yes is 4th Album "Fragile".
You are correct, sir. That’s a pretty easy one to look up too. Oddly has not been corrected in the video in over two years. Hmmmm
Once he got that well known fact wrong I stopped watching this .
Thank you, I'm glad somebody said it. A mistake like that is an irritating thorn in the side. Everything else in this video has been largely known for many years.
@peterthompson8014 no no Rick Wakeman first appeared on the single America, a remake of a Paul Simon Simon and Garfuncle song. The old yes was really good. Time and a Word is one of my favorite Yes Albums. Steve Howe first appeared on The Yes Album.
The real Yes founder were Jon Anderson, Chris Squire, and Bill Bruford.
Brilliantly done! I've been a huge Rick Wakeman fan since the early 70's, and have seen him in concert many times. I had the pleasure to meet him a couple of years ago, and there just isn't anybody on the planet who is more kind and gracious. His consistency in composing heart-touching music is incredible. His catalog is massive. I know, because I own everything I've been able to find, and I actively search for new things regularly. This particular song is a staple inn his solo set list and he always tells the story. I think he's received payment for his contribution, just in entertainment value alone. You are an excellent teacher, and made the explanation easy to follow and understand. I truly appreciate this video.
Thanks so much, Chad.
You might be interested in hearing my favorite Rick Wakeman composition ... it's called "Trigger The Bounce" from the Retro 2 album. ua-cam.com/video/kx2OnqtPWPU/v-deo.html
@@JoshWalshMusic Rick Wakeman was not a founding member of Yes. Try doing an edit.
@@jefffeldstein I was made aware of this after posting. Several people have mentioned it. But you can’t edit the video after you post it. That’s why I left a correction in the description.
My missus and I are awaken by your explicit breakdown of the composition and Rick’s involvement. Thank you and we are your subscribers!!
I'm glad you mentioned Rick's "Catherine Howard" from his "Six Wives..." album, as that was the genesis of the intro to Cat's "Morning Has Broken". And BTW, he has been paid. Rick signed my "Teaser and the Firecat" album about 10 years ago at his Anderson Wakeman concert in Buffalo, NY and wrote "I got paid in the end".
Very interesting. A friend saw him in concert not long ago and he’s still telling the story the same way! Haha
Knowing Rick's sense of humor, I wonder if his getting paid in the end is a nice way of saying he got f@35ed.
Many people view Rick Wakeman simply as the Yes keyboardist with the lightning fast right hand. In reality, it’s Rick’s compositional genius that has set him apart from his contemporaries for all these decades.
Truth!
Rick also played a major part in the sound of Bowie's Hunky Dory album.
They played the song live together in 2020. Cat said in a number of earlier interviews that Rick wasn’t named on the record because of record companies not allowing their artists to play on other peoples records based on their contracts. That’s why many artists went under other names when appearing on other artists records at the time.
It was also those contractual silliness's that prevented him from contributing an original piece to the "Fragile" album, instead being forced to do the awful "Cans and Brahms" arrangement (which he still hates!). Fragments of what was "Handle with Care" (ie, fragile) can be heard in some of the 6 Wives tracks (including Catherine Howard). That was also why Bill Bruford, Chris Squire, and Steve Howe appear on 6 Wives.
The semitone shift of one or two notes in chord to move to a dominant 7th of a new key is often used by Rick - you can hear it all over many tracks from 6 Wives, Journey, Arthur, and many beyond.
@@Pinkeye82517 likewise, the original All Things Must Pass George Harrison album did not list all the musicians who contributed due to the same reason....recording contracts.
I never knew that Cat Stevens intro was Rick Wakeman's. Now you say so, it is unmistakably Rick.
I am stunned! One of my favorite songs. I had always assumed it was a hymn adapted by Cat Steven’s. Then upon 3 minutes of googling, I find the author is a woman from the 1800’s who wrote children’s books, to the famous rift written by Rick Wakeman and finally getting to Cat Stevens. I love how Wakeman leaves his fingerprint, so to speak, in other compositions. Thank you for breaking it all down! I’m a long time piano player too, but honestly thought this was just a case of a key change. Soooo much more to the story!
Great stuff!!! Thanks for sharing this and giving credit were credit is due! You inspired me to learn this piano part!
Eleanor Farjeon, (born Feb. 13, 1881, London--died June 5, 1965, Hampstead, London), English writer for children .. she wrote "morning has broken"
Tune Bunessan, somewhat old scots tune. There are some other words to it too, i think a christmas carol but I cannot remember them off the top of my head
As a person of a certain age, it’s really gratifying to see a younger generation appreciate the brilliance of the keyboards players with whom I grew up. As a Brit, I’m lucky to have seen Rick and Yes on many occasions and to have met Rick several times. The story of course is a great one and yes, as a previous comment has said, Cat Stevens (by then Yusef Islam) did eventually pay Rick, although if I recall correctly they agreed for the payment to go to charity! Tony Kaye, the original Yes keyboardist, was only interested at the time in playing his Hammond and piano. When Anderson and Squire persuaded Rick to leave The Strawbs and join Yes it really expanded their sound as Rick was happy to experiment with all of the keyboards of the 70s (Mellotron, Moog, Clavinet, Fender Rhodes etc.) I remember well the annual contest here in the UK between Rick and that other prog giant of the 70s, Keith Emerson, to claim the Melody Maker crown as top keyboards player. At Emerson’s memorial concert in Birmingham a few years back, Rick guested and commented that he and Emerson had tried many times to do an album together, but that “management” got in the way. Such a shame…..what an album that would have been! Thanks, Josh, for this excellent insight!
That’s some of my favorite music. I’m not as young as you insinuated either 🤣🤔
Great comment.
Thank you Josh for sharing this great info about "morning has broken" ... I have always loved those early Cat Stevens records, and Rick Wakeman's brilliance on this is so stunning !
A minor detail: Rick Wakeman (who was fast earning the nickname 'One take Wakeman' in studio circles as he hardly ever needed a second attempt) did actually get paid for the session 37 years later. His autobiography Say Yes is one of the funniest autobiogs I've ever read.
Oh he got paid all right - exactly the amount he was owed.
Like about 10 quid!
Well done Josh! This is really an iconic story and an awesome harmony lesson: kudos!
Loved this explanation and history. Thank you…. So interesting…I’ve always wondered how Rick’s playing (in the Cat Stevens recording) cascades down at the end of a phrase during verses…it sounds like reverse arpeggios or something cascading down …don’t know how else to explain …I wonder if you understand what I’m asking and if so can you tell me how it’s done? It’s never included in sheet music, and it’s always intrigued me. Colleen
I thought it was just a key change and broken (very broken) chords. Here I thought I was a pianist.
Really interesting story about this song Josh! I always enjoyed this song, and didn't realize how genius it was until watching your video, and I didn't know it was Rick Wakeman - wow! Thank you for sharing!
@@klinestill good point - thanks
First time I stumble into this channel. VERY interesting video, and I appreciate making it short and to the point. Subscribed.
Really enjoyed this post Josh. It's an iconic intro and liked your analysis of how clever Rick was with the modulations. I saw Rick a few years ago and he was telling the same anecdote! I didn't know he was the session pianist for this song, unless he hadn't told us. I liked especially as Rick had to turn the 30 second turn into a full 3 minutes plus needed for a song 😁🎹👍
His piano on this song has all the familiar, and brilliant, "Wakemanisms" that many of us have come to know and love.
I dont know if Rick was session as such, otherwise he would have got the perf fee - normally £60 for a day then. He didnt get a composer fee and never gave Cat the notes written down for others to use. I think he was on the same label and in the same studios and the label asked him to pop down and add a bit of keyboard to a track
Brilliant video, love the playing on keyboard and the talk about 2 of my favourite musicians was fabulous, thank you.
Great, great, great video!!! Know that your hard work is acknowledged and very much appreciated! Thank you for bringing this topic to public attention. I just hope some people in charge will see this and, as unlikely as it is, rethink their easy money grab decision. 🤞🤞🤞
I've seen Rick play many solo piano shows and he usually has a story about the session. His job was to pad out a short hymn and make it long enough to release as a pop single. Hence all the modulations.
I saw Rick and his son Oliver play a couple of weeks ago (with Gordon Giltrap too) in a charity gig; a wonderful night all round. He has so many funny stories in his locker he doesn't really need a piano to get the audience going!
Wow I’m jealous! His son Adam is a great keyboardist too… plays with Black Sabbath.
I love how the cadence pivots on just a single note. Another very interesting song that has the same one-note pivot point is "Shape of My Heart" by Sting.
Rick has made plenty of money, dining out on this story. Check out his playing on Life on Mars. Bowie basically left him to do him thing with the chords which he had earlier played to him.
For me the more interesting modulation is from C major to D major. I would sum that up as: C, E, Am, F#, Bm, G, D. Right back to Bach!
7:53
One of my pet projects is find the smooth way to move from any key to any key, then to make those modulations work in different genres.
Very fine video, Josh!
there is quite a lot , all by my self, Rachmaninov, procal haram whiter shade of bach, etc
I did not know that RW was responsible for what makes this song so uniquely beautiful. Especially in its day.
I have always thought of Rick as a true musical genius.
Thanks for doing this. The video came up randomly in my feed.
Glad to have you here, Daryl.
He was also a huge part of David Bowie's Life on Mars. (which I only discovered recently)
Rick Beato has a fantastic interview with Wakeman on his channel. I highly recommend it. Wakeman is a great storyteller.
I saw Rick Wakeman's "Grumpy Old Rock Star" solo show in Toronto just a few years ago. The way he recounted it was that Cat Stevens phoned him up one evening saying he had the idea to record Morning has Broken, but it was too short as is for Radio, and so would Rick like to add a piano part? Rick told Cat to come by and play what he had so far, which he did. It was indeed short: like maybe 1 min altogether... Rick had been working on a piano riff for another piece which he thought might work as an intro. He played it for Cat who loved it, but even with the intro, it was still way too short. So Cat asked him for another piano solo after the first verse. It was still too short... So, they kept adding piano interludes until the piece eked over that minimum radio length.
And yes, Rick didn't get paid his session fee until much later, but in his own words "I got paid in the end".
Here is Rick himself: ua-cam.com/video/R7ZwQfK0jQw/v-deo.htmlsi=IWdVCkOTcl0RUPgL
And I dunno: I'm pretty sure Rick Wakeman would have been more than capable of recording this in one day, and improvising all sorts of variations on this theme... He is one of the best keyboardists/arrangers in the genre.
Thank you very much indeed for your explanations, that was very interesting from a musical standpoint and also the story itself is amazing
Great piece Josh, I really enjoyed it. I'm sure I have some Rick Wakeman vinyl stashed away somewhere. Despite getting had over on this occasion he did alright for himself and it makes for a great story.
I grew up listening to my dads Wakeman albums. One of the reasons I took up the piano.
Well done and a very interesting documentary.
Apparently many years later, Yusuf Islam met with Rick Wakeman and paid him an undisclosed sum for
his contribution to Morning has Broken.
Great video. Thanks for sharing. I remember when the Cat Stevens song was released as well as Rick Wakeman's Six Wives. Your digital piano sounds terrific. Could not discern what make and model your piano is from the video. Would you be able to share that info?
It's a Roland RD2000. A little hard to recognise because it's under a glass tabletop with a sheet of something on it. You can see the badge at 3:47.
I'm a fan of both Cat Stevens and Rick Wakeman and it was well over 50 years before I found out Wakeman had played on 'Morning Has Broken'. I wonder how many people still think Cat Stevens played it?
Apparently a lot! Thanks for watching.
They played the song live together in 2020. Cat said in a number of earlier interviews that Rick wasn’t named on the record because of record companies not allowing their artists to play on other peoples records base din their contracts. That’s why many artists went under other names when appearing on other artists records at the time.
Rick did not co-found Yes, he came in after yes had already put out 3 albums. I played this intro many times having learned it by ear, fun to play!
Thanks for keeping me honest!
Yep, they (I'm guessing mostly Anderson/Squire) kicked Peter Banks out on guitar because he improvised too much and they wanted precision and they kicked Tony Kaye out because he wasn't interested in exploring keyboards beyond the organ.
You're absolutely right.
@@bryedeI also read that banks for his part didn’t like the orchestral arrangements they were moving into. The lineup with Steve Howe and Wakeman, with Anderson, squires, and bruford was brilliant. Other versions of Yes were good too, but that period was pure magic.
you should listen to the rick beato interview with rick wakeman. he tells the whole story behind morning has broken, and plays most of the piano parts for the track.
So much awesomeness in this video, thank you for sharing. liked and subbed.
Very well done, Josh.
Excellent stuff, as usual!
A pedant notes, however (he always does!), that Rick Wakeman did *not* co-found the band Yes, but replaced the original keyboard player, Tony Kaye.
I actually did not know this. I’m have been misinformed! Thank you for setting the record straight.
Wakeman's story at Keith Ling.
Why the F does UA-cam censor its own links?
In the intro. Does the last F chord have a C in the base before it resoves to a C chord?
I'm not sure I'm following the exact moment you are asking about, but I don't believe so.
On the original vinyl album cover of Teaser & the Firecat there is no mention of Rick Wakeman. On the insert for the CD version however it does state, "Piano - Rick Wakeman" although without specifying the track on which he performed.
Loved this. More Wakeman please.
Like the B3 solo from Roundabout? That would be a fun one! ;-)
Not anything is new! According Wikipedia, when shaping "Morning Has Broken" for recording, Stevens had to start with a hymn which took around 45 seconds to sing in its basic form. Producer Paul Samwell-Smith told him he could never put something like that on an album, and that it needed to be at least three minutes in length, although an acoustic demo exists of Stevens playing an early version which lasts almost three minutes.Prior to the actual recording Stevens heard Wakeman play something in the recording booth. It was a rough sketch of what would later become "Catherine Howard". Stevens told Wakeman that he liked it and wanted something similar as the opening section, the closing section and, if possible, a middle section as well. Wakeman told Stevens he could not as it was his piece destined for a solo album, but Stevens persuaded him to adapt his composition.[5] The familiar piano intro and general structure of the piece may be attributed to Stevens or to Wakeman.
Bravo. Is the accurate sheet music available for purchase anywhere? Thanks, Greg
Hey man, nah, it’s copyrighted so that’s not something I’d feel comfortable doing. But, if you search google images I’m sure there are sheet music sites in the results that sell it.
@@JoshWalshMusic Thanks Josh. I was planning to purchase the music I was just wondering if there any as accurate as your explanation. Thanks Greg
@@nopriors sheet music like this is notoriously inaccurate. Lol. Ear training FTW!
@@JoshWalshMusic Thank you
Hello Josh - I like how you showed the different cords at the beginning of the video. I am not a musician, so it would have really helped me if you had highlighted the cords as you were playing it later as well. Best of luck!
Appreciate that feedback. This is actually something I’ve done in more recent videos, and I agree, it’s helpful.
Cheers.
Something very similar happened to P.F. Sloan. He wrote and played the opening guitar passage on the Mamas and the Papas' "California Dreamin'." I believe Sloan was credited on the album cover (a rarity back then!), but didn't get a song co-writing credit. But when the song was a huge hit, the band had to take him on tour with them forevermore because nobody else could play what he'd written.
Hello legend, I'm new and just subscribed to your channel 😘Do you have 2 different piano sheets by Rick and Cats? I tried to search online, but none sound the same as what you play.
Hello fellow legend. I do not have sheets, I just learned this by ear. Far too many sheets don’t match the recording. Some for good reason (more approachable to play) some for bad reason (they are just wrong)
Rick loves a good anecdote so much, I sometimes wonder if he always courted disaster in order to gather more comedy material.
Excellent video. After reading P F Sloan’s biography I know how rotten the music business can be. Big name creeps and small name creeps. Appreciate all the work you put into this. Just found a great new channel. Thank you.
Very nice story of the musical improvisation of this song. I really love the introduction and the modulations.
Yeah, this is one of my favorite piano intros of all time. Thanks for watching!
It's the Gaelic tune Bunessan.The lyrics were by Eleanor Farjeon.
You’re right about the similarities between Catherine Howard (The Six Wives of Henry VIII) and the piano part of Morning Has Broken. A few Rick Wakeman fans have noticed this. But for all fans of the brilliant Morning Has Broken piano part, please do indulge by listening to the “six wives” album. It’s a lovely musical journey. You’ll also have fun recognising the similarities as explained by Josh Walsh. You may also be interested in knowing that Rick Wakeman has two other great albums in the vein of six wives, Journey to the Centre of the Earth and King Arthur.
Love Six Wives. I grew up with my dad listening to it.
I often wondered as a kid how Cat had managed to play such a spectacular piano part on this track when all his other piano accompaniments were Grade 5 at best...
VERY interesting. VERY informative. VERY fascinating.
I’m including this video as well as your ‘Amazing Grace’ Reharm in 5 steps as two of my most useful chord progression and re-harmonization tutorials. What similar type tutorials might you suggest that I may have overlooked? (I’m a relatively new Subscriber.)
That’s awesome. Thanks. I’m a relatively new creator full time, so I’d say my best videos are ahead of me.
I’m proud of the “your first jazz lesson” video, even though the production value is lower. It’s similar to what you are looking for.
Glad to have you here as a subscriber!
are you able to play the whole song ? would love to have a recording of it
Hey Rashid - I am able, but I run into some UA-cam copyright issues if I do. I appreciate it though!
Tony Kaye was the original keyboard player who "co-founded" Yes. Rick came a little bit later, but just in time for some really great, classic albums that he played on. Kaye also came back to Yes off and on over the years.
Also, I literally just came from another video where Wakeman himself says that he was eventually paid, 37 years later.
Always loved this song, and especially that thrilling piano part. Later, I sang the hymn in church, and our hymnal had the melody and all the words exactly the same, except, of course, for the piano. And since I'd heard the Stevens virsion first, it always frustrated me - that missing intro/outtro. So I took a few weeks/ months and painstakingly transcribed it, and then memorized it. But I had no idea how it came into being. Was pretty sure that Stevens himself hadn't written it but who did? Thanks to your video I now know the backstory and am much appreciative. Now I'm wondering what the copyright restrictions are for playing it in church.
Don't worry about it. The song is from 1931. Plus, there is no God, so you're not serving anyone, nor anything!
Maybe there’s no religion? Not to get too sidetracked, because it’s my personal belief that music (and math. . . I know weird) are a source of something we cannot understand yet.
Sorry for the interruption!
Rick Wakeman didn't have to give it to him but he was more than happy to take it.
Most people have no idea how many familiar parts of songs were made up on the spot by a hired session player who never saw any royalties for their work. For example, Herbie Flowers bass part for Lou Reed's "Walk on the Wild Side". It's the main part of the whole song. He made it up in about twenty minutes and got paid a few bucks for it.
Who is the author of this song; Ty for sharing btw I always sing this in the key of C on guitar y sometimes playfully do the chordal by ear on the piano… stilll stuck on white keys though since the seventies);
Rick also contributed the piano glissando to one of the most iconic glam rockers, T. Rex, Bang a Gong. Yep, that was Rick.
A living legend Rick Wakeman❤.
I think the first modulation is similar to chord changes in "Turn the lights back on" also
Are you saying Rick Wakeman stole the intro? From himself? It is reminiscent of the Six Wives of Henry the Eighth.
I love “Teaser and the Firecat”. The entire album is amazing.. I loved all his music from there out including tracks from the movie “Harold and Maude.”
That’s not what I said.
@@JoshWalshMusic That's precisely what the click bait says at the top of the post!
The unsung hero, Rick Wakeman. Very interesting history of "Morning has Broken".
Wakeman didn't co-found yes but joined after Tony Kaye left or was pushed out
RW did not co found Yes, when Morniiiiing has broken was recorded Yes had already existed for several years. Wakeman replaced Tony Kaye hat was sacked because Wakeman was considered a most prominent card
Thanks for keeping me honest!
Apologies! Comment already made! Love your analysis though and great playing!
You weren’t the first to point out my mistake 🤣
Rick Wakeman - also known as "One take" Wakeman from his session days, 'cos he only needed one take to record his part. Have watched a whole documentary where he talks about Morning Has Broken. And yes, he eventually got paid - years later. Cat made squillions and Rick got 30 squid from what I recall. I have to say, I love him in the Grumpy Old Men series.
In the video where Rick is telling the story, he states that he did get paid, some 37 years later. Then adds, but that's another story.
Good morning to everyone 🌞
Rick Wakeman will always be "YES"
Wakeman did not "co-found" Yes. He joined the band for their fourth album, "Fragile." Tony Kaye was the band's original keyboardist.
A lot of "The Six Wives of Henry VII" came from reworking of material that Wakeman had done earlier, particularly "Temperament of Mind" with The Strawbs.
That’s correct. Thanks for keeping me honest. Lots of people in the comments have told me. Haha.
Great video , people have been borrowing each others music since the time of Sibelius and before , every band that ever was borrows from one and no one gives a toss . However I'm with you with the Rick Wakeman ingredients
Mucho appreciado hombre! :)
In response to a few previous commenters, Cat Stevens did not steal this from a hymn book. Musicians do covers all the time! Wakeman himself has several albums of covers!
This video isn’t even about Steven’s stealing the song from a hymn book, it’s asking the question if he stole the piano intro from Rick Wakeman’s work in progress on the Henry 8th album. They must have left comments without watching the video.
“A good artist barrows , but a great artist steals “ Pablo Picasso
When you played the Rick Wakeman intro to his song - sure sounds a lot like "We are the world" verses
Nice way to blend the story with the teaching of the song!
Also, how did you make the chord diagram with the little bar following the changes? Was it done manually in final cut, or …?
Thanks Arthur. I am doing these by key framing them in Final Cut, but I’ve been working a reusable FCP title for it in Motion since it’s really tedious to do individually.
This reminds me of a project I was required to accomplish in 3rd semester Music Theory. Now - understand, I had decades of theory under my belt, just to enter the university in my late 40s. For this project, my professor said< "Don't get creative - just follow the instruction." Pardon me, but . . . ""don't get creative"??? You're talking to the world's future composers, and you're mandating, "don't get creative"? Well, long-story-short, I turned in apiece that exploited every compositional mechanism class had afforded - secondary dominants, borrowed chords, leading tone-sevenths --- the whole kitchen sink. And . . . to my dismay, my professor gave me a grade of C-. So, then, I renamed my composition "Sonata In C Minus" LOL- Yes_ LOL-LOL- But, for the past 7 years, this same piece I composed is known as "Louella's Theme" after my wife.
That’s hilarious!
Well done indeed!
no, Rick Wakeman did not co-fund Yes.
their first keyboardist was Tony Kaye.
02:43 thats not a G7/B but a E7/B
nooo..that song was Gaelic Hymn: Bunessan..Also listen to Catherine Howard for 1 minute after 1:38...let's see what you hear..such interactions can happen anytime..how you evaluate it depends on your intention...moreover ,Cat Stevens wanted to get permission for his song from Rick Wakeman but it didn't happen due to some problems..
@@lucaishmael Not sure about that time you indicated - in this clip you can hear it at 6:21
Very interesting! Nice job!
Small correction Josh. Rick wasn't a co founder of YES but joined up to make their 4th album Fragile. Roundabout was on that album giving him the notoriety he well deserved. He replaced Tony Kaye also a great keyboardist that was actually a co founding member previous to Fragile was on The Yes Album and best album in my opinion. Yes at that time was looking for a synthesiser/keyboardist and walla, they found Rick. Rick is such a great natured guy and FUNNY AS HELL!! He said that the Union Tour with YES was very enjoyable and nostalgic to him teaming up with almost all (less Peter Banks orig guitarist) of the founding members and Steve Howe 3rd The Yes Album 1970-71, Trevor Rabin (latter 1980's guitarist 90125 album). Ok recap. Jon Anderson co founder vocals, Chris Squire co founding bass, Tony Kaye co founder and Rick on keys, co founding drummer Bill Bruford and Alan White, Steve Howe, Trevor guitars at Union concert. Here is his solo grand piano version arrangement of Morning Has Broken. Beautiful> ua-cam.com/video/VebVIXSQFC0/v-deo.html
You are right. Quite a few people have kept me honest here! Lol. Thanks!
@@JoshWalshMusic We are all human Josh and YOU are no exception! Keep the good videos coming!
Rick has often said people never play the intro right.
Rick Wakeman was not a co-founding member of Yes. Therefore I cannot continue to watch this video past that erroneous statement.
Yeah, it was a silly mistake that I failed to fact check. Appreciate you keeping me honest.
@@JoshWalshMusic How dare you make such a humanistic silly mistake! LOL! Like your video Josh. You're a very talented piano player and musician.
Greanted Wakeman was not a founder, he was a major part of iconic albums of theirs, but that is not what the clip is about.
Josh Walsh, there are thousands of music "THEFT" out there! Why choosing Cat Stevens who converted to Islam? Josh, NEVER call him Cat Stevens again, call him YUSUF ISLAM! Ignorantus Maximus! 🤲☪️
Josh Walsh is only JEALOUS of Cat Stevens' success!
Rick Wakeman was not a co-founder of Yes. Yes had three albums under their belt with their original keyboard player Tony Kaye before he was replaced by Rick Wakeman.
You are right. I was misinformed.
When Yusuf (Cat) heard about the good-natured complaining from Rick, he was supposedly shocked - remember, he had walked away from the music business for many years. He did finally send Rick that (9 pounds?) payment for a session musician, 37 years later - he told it in one of the videos out there. I think Rick even donated the payment to Yusuf's charity - it wasn't about the money, it was the acknowledgment that he was a significant contributor to the success of the song.
Thanks for sharing.
Not really a fan of ANY of Cat's work and I don't play keys (well) but this video was excellent.Subd!
That was known right from the beginning ..
We were aware of that at the time ..
Great! BUT, Rick did not co-found YES. Tony Kaye was the original keys. Tony did return some years later during the Trevor Horn days.
Rick Wakeman.👍 from ABWH.
I remember hearing it as a kid thinking he’s really a great piano player, almost as good as Wakeman.
Cat Stevens did NOT " Steal" the opening....i find it hysterical that THAT is the clickbait....Rick cane up with it ,how on earth did Cat "Steal" it?
He stole the credit for it. The guy always had contempt for his fellow man.
@@tbird-z1r It's so easy to just say something you know nothing about ( Trump's) way, you are indeed a Simpleton.
@@tbird-z1r totally false and it seems like it is you who harbour hate for Cat. The reality is very simple, record companies had contracts with artists that didn’t allow them to play on other peoples records. That’s why some went under other names back in the day. You obviously know very little about anything. Keep it that way. It suits you 😂
@@Pinkeye82517 He ripped lyrics from a hymn book, and used someone else's melody.
Keep defending pretentious multimillionaires online. Fight the good fight.
I've heard Rick say that he did meet Cat Stevens (or whatever name he now goes by) a few years ago and mentioned it, and that Cat did pay him the eighty bucks!
Wow really!?
Sorry pal, $ 80.?. you are a nutcase .
Nice.
Like JFK, the Challenger disaster, 9-11. I know where I was the first time I heard this song. I can't think of another recording that had that impact on me.
Wakeman joined Yes, he didn't co-found it. Not by a long shot.
You are right. See the pinned comment. As many have pointed out here, I made a mistake. Appreciate the comment.
did Josh Walsh steal the ideas for this video from Frances Livings?
Hey Bristol, while all of us creators certainly get inspiration from each other, I don’t know this channel or the video you are referencing.