I continue to play this song occasionally, as I did in 1976, and it never fails to send chills up my spine. I consider this to be the greatest single piece of music in the Rock genre ever written. Bar none. It transcends rockand roll. In fact, for the genre, it is worthy of being put into the same category as some of the best pieces by the Classical masters. Awaken is similar in its greatness. Given the fact that these guys were in their 20s when they put masterpieces like this together is just mind-blowing. There have been times when I was tempted to email Jon Anderson to ask him about the meanings, but I think that would ruin it for me. The lyrics allow me to relate at a personal level. At different times in my life different lines and movements have jumped out at me. From lyrics to song, this is the ultimate piece of music for me. It's going on 30 years and nothing has yet surpassed.
@heartofthesun
Well, your post is not 10 years old, hahaha, but I could have written it exactly the same way. YES are generally placed next to King Crimson, Genesis, ELP etc. and yet for me they stand out like a giant mountain in the middle of the other bands. As you write, what they have musically achieved in a few years (from let's say the YES Album to Tales of Topographic Oceans, thus in 4 years or so) is just plain incredible. Mastership is a small word, specially when seen in the rock music context. There is lots of other pop...
@heartofthesun
Well, your post is not 10 years old, hahaha, but I could have written it exactly the same way. YES are generally placed next to King Crimson, Genesis, ELP etc. and yet for me they stand out like a giant mountain in the middle of the other bands. As you write, what they have musically achieved in a few years (from let's say the YES Album to Tales of Topographic Oceans, thus in 4 years or so) is just plain incredible. Mastership is a small word, specially when seen in the rock music context. There is lots of other pop music I really like, but none of it comes even close to those 3 or 4 classic albums YES created in almost no time.
I saw them in 2002 for the first time (more than 20 years after having started to like them), and they were absolutely brilliant!, specially Jon....
Actually, mailing JON is a good idea, I'll just not ask him about the lyrics, just give him a feedback...
I continue to play this song occasionally, as I did in 1976, and it never fails to send chills up my spine. I consider this to be the greatest single piece of music in the Rock genre ever written. Bar none. It transcends rockand roll. In fact, for the genre, it is worthy of being put into the same category as some of the best pieces by the Classical masters. Awaken is similar in its greatness. Given the fact that these guys were in their 20s when they put masterpieces like this together is just mind-blowing. There have been times when I was tempted to email Jon Anderson to ask him about the meanings, but I think that would ruin it for me. The lyrics allow me to relate at a personal level. At different times in my life different lines and movements have jumped out at me. From lyrics to song, this is the ultimate piece of music for me. It's going on 30 years and nothing has yet surpassed.
@heartofthesun Well, your post is not 10 years old, hahaha, but I could have written it exactly the same way. YES are generally placed next to King Crimson, Genesis, ELP etc. and yet for me they stand out like a giant mountain in the middle of the other bands. As you write, what they have musically achieved in a few years (from let's say the YES Album to Tales of Topographic Oceans, thus in 4 years or so) is just plain incredible. Mastership is a small word, specially when seen in the rock music context. There is lots of other pop...
@heartofthesun Well, your post is not 10 years old, hahaha, but I could have written it exactly the same way. YES are generally placed next to King Crimson, Genesis, ELP etc. and yet for me they stand out like a giant mountain in the middle of the other bands. As you write, what they have musically achieved in a few years (from let's say the YES Album to Tales of Topographic Oceans, thus in 4 years or so) is just plain incredible. Mastership is a small word, specially when seen in the rock music context. There is lots of other pop music I really like, but none of it comes even close to those 3 or 4 classic albums YES created in almost no time. I saw them in 2002 for the first time (more than 20 years after having started to like them), and they were absolutely brilliant!, specially Jon.... Actually, mailing JON is a good idea, I'll just not ask him about the lyrics, just give him a feedback...