Yes – Roundabout

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Send "Roundabout" Ringtone to Cell

I'll be the round about
The words will make you out 'n' out
You change the day your way
Call it morning driving through the sound and
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 and
In and out the valley

[Chorus]

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 distance atmosphere
Call it morning driving through the sound and
Even in the valley

[Chorus]

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
Nex to your deeper fears we stand
Surrounded by a 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

[Chorus]

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 and
In and out the valley

[Chorus]

Send "Roundabout" Ringtone to Cell


Lyrics submitted by askewchan

Track duration: 08:36

"Roundabout" as written by Miller Anderson

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Roundabout song meanings
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51 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:Just possibly the most underrated band of all time.
    Flag CrimsnEdgeon March 04, 2013   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:It sounds sort of like Jon Anderson is singing to someone he loves, with the first verse being a proposal, and the second verse being about him having to leave, but saying he will remember her.
    Flag Pikachu87on December 01, 2012   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:I remember some 30 years ago hearing an interview with members of Yes on the radio. The inevitable question about the meaning of "Roundabout" was asked. After 30 years I surprisingly remember much of the detail. The answer was that the song was written on the train as they were travelling to Montreux. "In and around the lake
    Mountains come out of the sky and they stand there" refers to the mountains and their reflections as they appeared on Lake Geneva during the trip. "Ten true summers," it was their 10th trip to the festival. "Catching the swirling wind the sailor sees the rim of the land the eagle's dancing wings create as weather spins out of hand," there was a storm building on the lake and they could see a boat heading in and an eagle riding the thermals while hunting. "Feel partly no more than grains of sand" and "surrounded by a million years" refers to how small they felt and how brief our existence within the magnificence of the setting.
    Flag ltadpwon July 10, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:In following all of the Yes Albums and song repertoire, this is one of their earlier albums. In sum total, they seem to be mostly about Jon Anderson's Spiritual Journey in fragments. Following through to later albums I can see how he had advanced toward a common Solution to this Journey and what it is all about. At this point, in this song, I think he is still 'Fish"ing for answers. The album name is "Fragile". The cover implies this is a Fragile Planet, yet he's seen man or "All Good People"..there are Good People trying to do Good things...but somehow that is not the whole picture. "We Have Heaven" is an awesome mind boggling song..per the lyrics. I agree in many aspects with SteveBufo assessment, especially up through "Close to the Edge" and "Relayer". Their sound becomes much more complex, . Listening intently with full concentration wearing headphones reveals and sharp synchronization with the vocal tones and ALL instrumentation which is hard to encapsulate along the Easy Listening avenue. Also what can be noted, esp. in Tales..is that the thoughts lack punctuation! THERE IN LIES THE HIDDEN MEANINGS. Add some commas and periods where it makes a complete thought, and it never longer is seemingly random thoughts and words. It shifts quickly though, always leaving one never completely grasping..I think that is intentional..to leave it up to the listeners interpretation. Jon went on Spiritual Retreats...all one has to do is look at the persona where he is coming from. It is not about drugs at All..nor did he take drugs. As a youngster, he did not like the churches dogma and rules. It did not ring true. Notice how many times in their lyrics the worlds like realize and imagine is used. And finally in near time..the song "Open"..Going for the One..is The One!!! Close the Edge is being on the edge of taking a Leap of Faith.
    Flag vortex27on January 22, 2012   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:Well...first of all Yes is one of my favs, great music, ethereal themes, impeccable showmanship and musical mastery. Second..I can't pretend to know what the lyrics might mean..but there are several allusions in the song that may be biblical( 24 before my love and I'll be there), could allude to the 24 Elders before the throne of God, The Eagle may be alluding to a Toltec term, the Eagle who is the source of all life, infinite in size, whose wings when stirred create all creation in myriad forms, (the sailor sees the rim of the land) , the state of being an observer here in the world and the universe at large, a voyager, starship trooper, in an unending search for experience and alaways poised at the brink of oblivion and enlightenment...or....it could be a song about cotton candy:P!
    Flag tekaloteon August 11, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think it might be about touring when you have a family that stays at home. He is like a roundabout (a traffic circle), always returning home, to the same place. The tours are like circles from home back to home. And he is in love with what is at home. He needs to reassure his wife that he will always return to her, for many many years, without fail. He is telling her that they are always only a mile away, and he will be home again and again to spend time with her. And Yes is great at giving us images of nature. He also tells her that while on tour, he will think of her and that will help him get through and back to her. I think the word morning may actually be mourning, he is saying he is depressed without her, driving through the sound (the concerts) and the valleys (the depression experienced from touring so much), but he always comes in and out of the valley. I doubt that there is no meaning at all to the song and I think allegory is at play here in droves. I love Yes's music. I think the lyrics are just as elevated as their technique and skill.
    Flag BiggsTJohnsonon June 01, 2011   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:I've always been intrigued by the repeated verses with the numbers: 1, 10, 24. I interpret these as indicating three phases or aspects of the relationship the singer is praising with his partner to whom he is speaking.

    "One mile over we'll be there and we'll see you"--I'm not far away, and I'm coming to join you very soon, I'm eager to join together and I'm happy that we're so close, and that the distance is easily traversed. It's about immediate joy.

    "Ten true summers we'll be there and laughing too"--this experience will go on and be repeated many times, there's much to look forward to. This is about an indefinite future of joy together.

    "24 before my love you'll see I'll be there with you"--sometimes we can't meet today, but will have to wait until tomorrow (hours being the understood subject of 24). We must have patience, trust, and confidence in each other. You'll see--it will all work out. This is about the relationship remaining strong even when there is some immediate barrier to our joy.
    Flag ScottEFon September 17, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i have a feeling these lyrics were written while on a road trip, most likely under heavy drug influence
    Flag dhgrossman92on September 04, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:you know, I never really thought too much about the words...just love the sound, the feeling and the rythym. Then one day I really listened, man I was disenchanted, come on, "mountains come out of the sky and they stand there". Seriously? Then one day I am driving in the mountains, we reach the summit, looking in front of us are these massive mountains rising above the fog and clouds...nothing but that lyric could describe it! Had to eat those words...good song.
    Flag anglynon April 02, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The first time I heard this song was in 1974, on a set of little earbuds on a flight from Baltimore to L.A. I was 12 at the time, and wouldn't have known Yes if they had run up and bitten me on the leg, but I fell in love with the song. I couldn't make out a lot of the words (despite hearing the song at least 15 times during the 4-hour flight), but I just thought the whole atmosphere was so cool.

    I didn't know what a roundabout was, so I pictured it as some kind of ATV, and the song as being about some guys four-wheeling through some really awesome scenery. Now, of course, I realize that isn't what Yes meant at all--but I still picture guys four-wheeling through some amazing scenery. :)
    Flag law4on February 20, 2010   Link

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