Turn of the Century

The Roan of the tale is presumably absorbed with capturing the likeness of his lover, who is full of life- "she would dance and sing so completely"- but he's too obsessed with capturing her and preserving the moment, "so be still he now cries I have time, oh let clay transform thee so."

But, whilst he's obsessed with doing this, she falls ill and dies, and all of a sudden he realises what he's missed. In order to overcome his grief, he becomes even more absorbed in his work, imagining that the statue might come to life Pygmalion-style and he would be reconnected with his lost love. The rest of the song exploring the feelings he has, remembering his love and the time they spent together, imagining what it would be like when they'd lived a full life together, and could look back on it.

Or maybe she does somehow return to life? Who can tell?

It is nice to read your comments and experiences. Maybe this is somethig so universal, that can hold many aceptions. Lyrics remembered me of Pygmalion, but the story about Chagal is so appropiate; maybe he told Anderson his own personal story -both, so in love with their wifes. Since my youth, this song touched me something so tender, as "And You and I" does; but the former with the extra feeling that the guy accepted insanity in order to do not loose his beloved. I cant decide which one is the right option (sanity or madness) -but also for that reason, the situation remains for me so pityful.

This song always goes right to my heart, my soul. Roan is completely committed to his love, not in a dark adn scary way, but in the sense of total devotion. The acoustic guitar is fabulous.

Probably because she's still so strong a presence in my everyday life even 30 these years later, the lyrics to this song always remind me of my first love. Much too long a story to get into, but let's just say that if things could have been different, I'd want us to still be together. She recognized sooner than I did that we were probably too young to commit to each other for the rest of our lives, and she was probably all the healthier because she could see that. Although this wasn't what she'd hoped for, I came to believe that we should have a clean and complete break, with no contact once it was over. Not only the selfishness of trying to spare myself the pain I'd feel if and when we had any contact, but also because I was terrified by the fear I had of becoming the ex who can't let go, can't be a genuinely good friend because of my selfish desire to keep us together. I didn't want to become "that guy", and risk driving her to detest me for my weakness and childishness. And I know that's what I would have been. So, in a way, "time has caught her, and will for all reasons, take her". I've always felt that I have no choice in the matter. I've wished and prayed for the painful longing to go away, been in therapy, but it's never completely gone. Sometimes I'll dream of her - of course, we're still teenagers - and I have smelled her, tasted her kisses and looked into her incredible blue eyes that have flecks of green and silver(!) in them. I used to kiss her fingers all the time (and not because of the song lyrics). It's as if she's alive to me again. I've awoken from many of these dreams in tears, sometimes of sadness, but also sometimes of joy. Maybe in my dreams, I've sculpted her to relive that wonderful time in my life. The crescendo which builds into the burst of soaring electric guitar and Jon Anderson's beautiful, evocative vocals, brings such vivid memories of emotions and images that - if I'm not careful - it brings me to tears.

"Was the sign of the day with a touch As I kiss your fingers We walk hands in the sun Memories When we're young love Lingers so... Was it sun, through the haze That made all your looks As warm as moonlight As a pearl, deep your eyes - Tears have flown away - All the same light"

Gotta go find some Kleenex. LOL.

☮

This is indeed a song about a master sculptor who loses the Love of his Life to illness. She was clearly an inspiration to him and his life feels empty without her.

He sets about to create a statue that will capture her radiance and beauty and cares for nothing else ("He'll all but starve to see the stone be life").

The song underscores how short our lives can seem; "Like leaves, we touched, we danced, we once knew the story, but Autumn (Death) called"...and leaves fall from the trees in Autumn, some sooner than others.

We often have difficulty letting go of a loved one, which is why Roan decides to Immortalize her in stone.

Also, we rationalize that we will see our departed loved ones when we also die: "Did her eyes at the turn of the century Tell me plainly When we meet, how we'll love, oh let life so transform me" means there was a calmness in her eyes when she was on her deathbed that came from her belief that they would eventually both be reunited again in Death...the phrase "oh let Life so transform me" could also be that Roan is tempted to welcome his own Death to reunite them early, but instead decides to "bring her back to life" through his sculpture.

Again, a very beautiful and moving song about how we can be in such refusal to accept losing a loved one that we will do anything in our power to keep their memory alive.

This song is an interesting part of the album, since other Yes songs are mainly about spiritual views vs. religion and we are most in need of our Spirituality/Religious perspectives to help cope with Death.

Like leaves we touch...because we are all mortal.

"Turn of the Century", 1978: Jon A. has spoken of becoming a friend of the painter (sometimes sculptor...) Marc Chagall in Paris in 1970-something, around the time when Anderson became known as an amateur painter.

Anderson has also told another story which is not strictly historical: When the Chagalls moved from Russia to Europe and Marc became the incredibly famous painter (this would be around1920), Chagall's perhaps less adaptive wife was absolutely unsuited and not prepared. Deprived of Marc's masculine strengths due to the world's demands on his incredible talent, and feeling so lost in a new environment, "she died" as the song says. Anderson might have said "she killed herself", but that's so dramatic. (anyway Bella died in 1954, a very long time to spend dying). Anyway Chagall himself died in 1985 and since then Anderson has hinted this tale is an element in this particular song... and the parallels are abundant, but the story itself, & what a story - is not strictly true. The song though.... is one of their more direct lyrics -and the guitar pyrotechnics make it holy and sublime.

Incredible song. I can't get the lyrics out of my head. 'warm as moonlight" Such peaceful imagery. You can always count on YES

Bella died 1944

TURN OF THE CENTURY by Yes - adding meanings... Pygmalion is a legendary figure of Cyprus. Though Pygmalion[2] is the Greek version of the Phoenician royal name Pumayyaton,[3] he is most familiar from Ovid's narrative poem Metamorphoses, X, in which Pygmalion was a sculptor who fell in love with a statue he had carved. The English progressive rock group Yes composed "Turn Of The Century" (1977); it tells the story of the sculptor Roan who, in the grief of his wife's death, "molds his passion into clay." The sculpture of his wife comes to life and they fall in love. (read more in en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pygmalion_(mythology) For the poetry gifts and habilities of Jon Anderson, we can hear this myth renewed, in this very beautiful song, both music and lirically. I love it. Greetings from Rio de Janeiro.

Clearly this is a musical interpretation (and a good one) of the myth of Pygmalion, who falls in love with a statue he carves ("realizing the form out of stone his work, so absorbed him". Jon Anderson adds a extra dimension as the main character is mourning the loss of his wife and longs for a love - so he carves one. Absolutely one of the most beautiful songs Yes ever recorded...Steve Howe's acoustic guitar is stellar; listen to it, it really tells a story!