Yessongs
Encyclopedia
Yessongs is the first live album
Live album
A live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...

 from the English progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...

 band Yes
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...

, released on Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...

. The album is formed of recordings from their supporting world tours for their studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...

s, Fragile
Fragile (Yes album)
Fragile is the fourth studio album from the English progressive rock band Yes, released on Atlantic Records. It is the first to feature keyboardist Rick Wakeman, who replaced Tony Kaye in 1971, and the first to feature cover art by Roger Dean, who would design many of the band's records.Upon its...

and Close to the Edge, between February and December 1972. A concert film
Concert film
A concert movie, or concert film, is a type of documentary film, the subject of which is an extended live performance or concert by a musician ....

 of the same name was released in 1975 that documents the band's performances at London's Rainbow Theatre on 15 and 16 December 1972.

Yessongs was released on 18 May 1973 as a triple vinyl set. It reached at number 7 on the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...

 and number 12 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...

 in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. The album was certified
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...

 gold in 1973 and platinum in 1998 by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...

. It is now available as a double CD.

Background

The Fragile
Fragile (Yes album)
Fragile is the fourth studio album from the English progressive rock band Yes, released on Atlantic Records. It is the first to feature keyboardist Rick Wakeman, who replaced Tony Kaye in 1971, and the first to feature cover art by Roger Dean, who would design many of the band's records.Upon its...

tour tracks "Long Distance Runaround/The Fish (Schindleria Praematurus)" and "Perpetual Change" are the only tracks on the album to feature Yes's original drummer, Bill Bruford
Bill Bruford
William Scott "Bill" Bruford is an English drummer, percussionist, composer, producer, and record label owner. He was the original drummer for the progressive rock group Yes, from 1968-1972. Bruford has performed for numerous popular acts since the early 1970s, including a stint as touring...

, who left the group after recording Close to the Edge. For that album's tour, Yes were joined by drummer Alan White
Alan White (Yes drummer)
Alan White is an English rock drummer known for his work with the progressive rock band Yes. White was also a member of the Plastic Ono Band, playing live in 1969 at the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival, which was recorded and released three months later as Live Peace in Toronto 1969...

, who had only days to learn the material. White was only three years into his career as a session drummer, but had already worked with such acts as The Plastic Ono Band
The Plastic Ono Band
The Plastic Ono Band is a conceptual supergroup formed by John Lennon and Yoko Ono in 1969 before the dissolution of the Beatles. Among the various other members of the band were Eric Clapton, artist Klaus Voormann, future Yes drummer Alan White, Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett, & friends, the Who's...

 and Joe Cocker
Joe Cocker
John Robert "Joe" Cocker, OBE is an English rock and blues musician, composer and actor, who came to popularity in the 1960s, and is most known for his gritty voice, his idiosyncratic arm movements while performing, and his cover versions of popular songs, particularly those of The Beatles...

.

Composition

The album opens with an excerpt from Igor Stravinsky
Igor Stravinsky
Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky ; 6 April 1971) was a Russian, later naturalized French, and then naturalized American composer, pianist, and conductor....

's Firebird Suite, which has been a standard opening Yes concerts ever since. Later in the album, vocalist Jon Anderson
Jon Anderson
Jon Anderson is an English singer-songwriter and musician best known as the former lead vocalist in the progressive rock band Yes...

 sings a passage from Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring
The Rite of Spring
The Rite of Spring, original French title Le sacre du printemps , is a ballet with music by Igor Stravinsky; choreography by Vaslav Nijinsky; and concept, set design and costumes by Nicholas Roerich...

.

All band members except Anderson and White are given extended solo space. The track "Mood for a Day" is an unaccompanied guitar performance by Steve Howe
Steve Howe (guitarist)
Stephen James "Steve" Howe is an English guitarist, known for his work with the progressive rock group Yes...

, who also takes extended solos during "Yours Is No Disgrace" and at the end of "Starship Trooper". The Yessongs version of "The Fish (Schindleria Praematurus)" is considerably longer than the studio version, with bassist Chris Squire
Chris Squire
Christopher Russell Edward "Chris" Squire , is an English musician, known as the bass guitarist and backing vocalist for the progressive rock group Yes. He is the only member of the group to appear on every album.-Before Yes:...

 taking an extended solo (and jamming with Bruford). Bill Bruford
Bill Bruford
William Scott "Bill" Bruford is an English drummer, percussionist, composer, producer, and record label owner. He was the original drummer for the progressive rock group Yes, from 1968-1972. Bruford has performed for numerous popular acts since the early 1970s, including a stint as touring...

 performs a drum solo on "Perpetual Change," which is preceded by an extended guitar performance by Howe accompanied by Bruford and Squire. The album also contains a medley of excerpts from keyboardist Rick Wakeman
Rick Wakeman
Richard Christopher Wakeman is an English keyboard player, composer and songwriter best known for being the former keyboardist in the progressive rock band Yes...

's solo album The Six Wives of Henry VIII
The Six Wives of Henry VIII (album)
The Six Wives of Henry VIII is the debut studio album from the English keyboardist and composer Rick Wakeman, released in January 1973 on A&M Records. It is an instrumental progressive rock album with its concept based on his interpretations of the musical characteristics of the six wives of Henry...

.

Some songs are extended to almost double the length of their studio counterparts as well as given a more high-octane performance.

Sources of live recordings

The album featured no detailed recording credits. Two songs, "Close To The Edge" and "Starship Trooper", can be established by audio comparison to be sourced from the same London Rainbow Theatre concert as the Yessongs film (15 December 1972). "Roundabout" is assumed to come from the Ottawa, ON show (1 November 1972) and "Yours Is No Disgrace" from the Athens, GA show (14 November 1972) (both of these dates are purely anecdotal). The two tracks from the Fragile tour featuring Bill Bruford are generally assumed to come from the NYC Academy of Music shows on 19 and 23 February 1972 (based on text in the 1973 Australian Tour programme).

Cover design

The album was initially released on three discs in a fold-out package featuring artwork by Roger Dean. Inside are four individual panels by Dean which continue a theme that began with Fragile
Fragile (Yes album)
Fragile is the fourth studio album from the English progressive rock band Yes, released on Atlantic Records. It is the first to feature keyboardist Rick Wakeman, who replaced Tony Kaye in 1971, and the first to feature cover art by Roger Dean, who would design many of the band's records.Upon its...

in 1971. On the back cover of Fragile
Fragile (Yes album)
Fragile is the fourth studio album from the English progressive rock band Yes, released on Atlantic Records. It is the first to feature keyboardist Rick Wakeman, who replaced Tony Kaye in 1971, and the first to feature cover art by Roger Dean, who would design many of the band's records.Upon its...

is an image of a small planet breaking apart into several large pieces with a giant sailing spacecraft nearby. The first panel in Yessongs, titled "Escape", shows the craft apparently leading the planetary fragment through space. The second panel ("Arrival") depicts these fragments landing in the waters of a new world. In the third image ("Awakening") this new landscape becomes the habitat for various plant and animal species. The final image ("Pathways") depicts the emergence of civilization (Dean's cat walked across this piece whilst still wet and its paw prints can be clearly seen). This theme is also the basis of the film Floating Islands. The sailing craft was used as a small logo on many of the band's subsequent albums, and the image sequence inspired Yes vocalist Jon Anderson
Jon Anderson
Jon Anderson is an English singer-songwriter and musician best known as the former lead vocalist in the progressive rock band Yes...

's first solo album Olias of Sunhillow
Olias of Sunhillow
Olias of Sunhillow is a progressive rock concept album by Jon Anderson, the lead singer of the band Yes. Released in 1976, it was his first solo album and the most successful of Yes band member solo efforts to that date, reaching No...

in 1976, although Roger Dean was not involved with that album's artwork.

The original Bob White plot for the RPG
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...

 Ultima IX: Ascension compared the original ending of the game to Dean's artwork on Yessongs.

Reception

Track listing

CD 1

Side one
  1. "Opening (Excerpt from Firebird Suite
    The Firebird
    The Firebird is a 1910 ballet created by the composer Igor Stravinsky and choreographer Michel Fokine. The ballet is based on Russian folk tales of the magical glowing bird of the same name that is both a blessing and a curse to its captor....

    )" (Igor Stravinsky
    Igor Stravinsky
    Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky ; 6 April 1971) was a Russian, later naturalized French, and then naturalized American composer, pianist, and conductor....

    ) – 3:47
  2. "Siberian Khatru
    Siberian Khatru
    "Siberian Khatru" is the third, shortest and final song of progressive rock band Yes album Close to the Edge. Live versions of the song are found on the Yessongs, Keys to Ascension, and Live at Montreux 2003 albums, and it also is on several compilation albums. It is notable for being the only song...

    " (Jon Anderson
    Jon Anderson
    Jon Anderson is an English singer-songwriter and musician best known as the former lead vocalist in the progressive rock band Yes...

    , Steve Howe
    Steve Howe (guitarist)
    Stephen James "Steve" Howe is an English guitarist, known for his work with the progressive rock group Yes...

    , Rick Wakeman
    Rick Wakeman
    Richard Christopher Wakeman is an English keyboard player, composer and songwriter best known for being the former keyboardist in the progressive rock band Yes...

    ) – 9:03
  3. "Heart of the Sunrise
    Heart of the Sunrise
    "Heart of the Sunrise" is a progressive rock song by British band Yes. It is the closing track on their fourth album, 1971's Fragile. The compositional credits go to Jon Anderson, Bill Bruford, and Chris Squire, though keyboardist Rick Wakeman contributed some uncredited sections.The song...

    " (Anderson, Bill Bruford
    Bill Bruford
    William Scott "Bill" Bruford is an English drummer, percussionist, composer, producer, and record label owner. He was the original drummer for the progressive rock group Yes, from 1968-1972. Bruford has performed for numerous popular acts since the early 1970s, including a stint as touring...

    , Chris Squire
    Chris Squire
    Christopher Russell Edward "Chris" Squire , is an English musician, known as the bass guitarist and backing vocalist for the progressive rock group Yes. He is the only member of the group to appear on every album.-Before Yes:...

    ) – 11:33


Side two
  1. "Perpetual Change" (Anderson, Squire) – 14:11
  2. "And You and I
    And You and I
    "And You and I" is the second track from the album Close to the Edge by the progressive rock band Yes . The song is just over ten minutes in length and consists of four sections...

    " (Anderson, Bruford, Howe, Squire) – 9:33
    1. "Cord of Life"
    2. "Eclipse" (Anderson, Bruford, Squire)
    3. "The Preacher the Teacher"
    4. "Apocalypse"


Side three
  1. "Mood for a Day
    Mood for a Day
    "Mood for a Day" is an instrumental piece by English progressive rock band Yes. It is a classical guitar solo piece written and performed by guitarist Steve Howe. It is featured on the band's fourth studio album, Fragile ....

    " (Howe) – 2:53
  2. "Excerpts from The Six Wives of Henry VIII
    The Six Wives of Henry VIII (album)
    The Six Wives of Henry VIII is the debut studio album from the English keyboardist and composer Rick Wakeman, released in January 1973 on A&M Records. It is an instrumental progressive rock album with its concept based on his interpretations of the musical characteristics of the six wives of Henry...

    " (Wakeman) – 6:37
  3. Roundabout
    Roundabout (song)
    "Roundabout" is the opening track for the 1971 album Fragile by British progressive rock band Yes. The song was written by singer Jon Anderson and bassist Chris Squire. In January 1972, an edited version of the song was released as a single with "Long Distance Runaround" on the B-side. "Roundabout"...

    " (Anderson, Howe) – 8:33


CD 2

Side four
  1. "I've Seen All Good People" (Anderson, Squire) – 7:09
    1. "Your Move" (Anderson)
    2. "All Good People" (Squire)
  2. "Long Distance Runaround
    Long Distance Runaround
    "Long Distance Runaround" is a song by the progressive rock group Yes first recorded for their 1971 album, Fragile. Written by lead singer Jon Anderson, the song was released as a B-side to "Roundabout" but became a surprise hit in its own right as a staple of album-oriented rock radio...

    /The Fish (Schindleria Praematurus)
    The Fish
    "The Fish " is a mostly instrumental rock song by progressive rock band Yes from their 1971 album Fragile. It was written by Chris Squire....

    " (Anderson, Squire) – 13:37


Side five
  1. "Close to the Edge
    Close to the Edge (song)
    "Close to the Edge" is the title track to progressive rock band Yes's album of the same name. The song is over 18 minutes in length and takes up the entire first side of the album. It consists of four movements.- Movements :-I...

    " (Anderson, Howe) – 18:13
    1. "The Solid Time of Change"
    2. "Total Mass Retain"
    3. "I Get Up I Get Down" (Anderson, Squire)
    4. "Seasons of Man"


Side six
  1. "Yours Is No Disgrace" (Anderson, Bruford, Howe, Tony Kaye
    Tony Kaye (musician)
    Tony Kaye is a British musician.Kaye was the original keyboard player for the progressive rock group Yes from 1968 to 1971, and rejoined Yes from 1983 to 1995...

    , Squire) – 14:23
  2. "Starship Trooper
    Starship Trooper (song)
    "Starship Trooper" is the third track and closing of Side A of progressive rock group Yes's 1971 album, The Yes Album. It is presented in three parts: "Life Seeker", "Disillusion" and "Würm" and is credited to Anderson/Squire/Howe sequentially....

    " (Anderson, Squire, Howe) – 10:08
    1. "Life Seeker" (Anderson)
    2. "Disillusion" (Squire)
    3. "Würm" (Howe)

Concert film

A film, also titled Yessongs, was released in 1975. It documents their concerts at London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

's Rainbow Theatre on 15 and 16 December 1972. The only performances that are the same on the album and the film are "Close to the Edge" and "Würm".
  1. "Overture
    Overture
    Overture in music is the term originally applied to the instrumental introduction to an opera...

    "
  2. "I've Seen All Good People
    I've Seen All Good People
    "I've Seen All Good People" is a song performed by the band Yes and written by Jon Anderson and Chris Squire. It is included on 1971 The Yes Album. It is said that the song originated from Gary S...

    "
  3. "Clap"
  4. "And You and I
    And You and I
    "And You and I" is the second track from the album Close to the Edge by the progressive rock band Yes . The song is just over ten minutes in length and consists of four sections...

    "
  5. "Close to the Edge
    Close to the Edge (song)
    "Close to the Edge" is the title track to progressive rock band Yes's album of the same name. The song is over 18 minutes in length and takes up the entire first side of the album. It consists of four movements.- Movements :-I...

    "
  6. "Excerpts from The Six Wives of Henry VIII
    The Six Wives of Henry VIII (album)
    The Six Wives of Henry VIII is the debut studio album from the English keyboardist and composer Rick Wakeman, released in January 1973 on A&M Records. It is an instrumental progressive rock album with its concept based on his interpretations of the musical characteristics of the six wives of Henry...

    "
  7. "Roundabout
    Roundabout (song)
    "Roundabout" is the opening track for the 1971 album Fragile by British progressive rock band Yes. The song was written by singer Jon Anderson and bassist Chris Squire. In January 1972, an edited version of the song was released as a single with "Long Distance Runaround" on the B-side. "Roundabout"...

    "
  8. "Yours Is No Disgrace"
  9. "Würm" (excerpt from "Starship Trooper
    Starship Trooper (song)
    "Starship Trooper" is the third track and closing of Side A of progressive rock group Yes's 1971 album, The Yes Album. It is presented in three parts: "Life Seeker", "Disillusion" and "Würm" and is credited to Anderson/Squire/Howe sequentially....

    ")


On 17 December 1997, the film was released on DVD with Dolby.

Personnel

  • Jon Anderson
    Jon Anderson
    Jon Anderson is an English singer-songwriter and musician best known as the former lead vocalist in the progressive rock band Yes...

     - lead vocals
  • Chris Squire
    Chris Squire
    Christopher Russell Edward "Chris" Squire , is an English musician, known as the bass guitarist and backing vocalist for the progressive rock group Yes. He is the only member of the group to appear on every album.-Before Yes:...

     - bass guitar, backup vocals
  • Steve Howe
    Steve Howe (guitarist)
    Stephen James "Steve" Howe is an English guitarist, known for his work with the progressive rock group Yes...

     - electric and acoustic guitars, backup vocals
  • Rick Wakeman
    Rick Wakeman
    Richard Christopher Wakeman is an English keyboard player, composer and songwriter best known for being the former keyboardist in the progressive rock band Yes...

     - keyboards, synthesiser, organ
  • Bill Bruford
    Bill Bruford
    William Scott "Bill" Bruford is an English drummer, percussionist, composer, producer, and record label owner. He was the original drummer for the progressive rock group Yes, from 1968-1972. Bruford has performed for numerous popular acts since the early 1970s, including a stint as touring...

     - drums on "Perpetual Change" and "The Fish (Schindleria Praematurus)"
  • Alan White
    Alan White (Yes drummer)
    Alan White is an English rock drummer known for his work with the progressive rock band Yes. White was also a member of the Plastic Ono Band, playing live in 1969 at the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival, which was recorded and released three months later as Live Peace in Toronto 1969...

     - drums (everything else)

Chart performance

Year Chart Position
1973 UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...

7
Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...

 Pop Albums
12

Certifications

Organization Level Date
RIAA – USA Gold March 17, 1973
CRIAA – Canada Gold December 1, 1976
RIAA – USA Platinum April 10, 1998

Reissues

18 February 1987 - Original CD Issue - Atlantic Records (CD)

27 September 1994 - 2-CD Remaster - Atlantic Records (CD)

25 July 2001 - 3-CD HDCD Remaster by Isao Kikuchi - US "accordion" style cover - Warner Japan AMCY-6293 (CD)

22 July 2009 - 2-CD SHM-CD Remaster by Isao Kikuchi - original UK booklet style cover - Warner Music Japan WPCR-13517/8 (CD)

Missing from the Yes "expanded and remastered" 2003/2004 series by Rhino/Warner, (like Yesshows
Yesshows
Yesshows is the second live album by British progressive rock group Yes. Released shortly after the appearance of Drama, Yesshows comprises live performances ranging from the summer of 1976 to the supporting tour for Tormato in 1978...

, 9012Live and Big Generator
Big Generator
Big Generator is the twelfth studio album by progressive rock band Yes. It was released in 1987 on Atlantic Records' Atco subsidiary label and was the follow-up to the massively successful 90125 album.- History :...

) Yessongs was most recently remastered in 2009 by Isao Kikuchi. The album was published by Warner Music Japan as part of their "Yes SHM-CD Papersleeve" series. Yessongs is the sole album from this series not to have bonus tracks.

Sources

  • Allmusic
  • "Top Pop Albums 1955-2001", Joel Whitburn
    Joel Whitburn
    Joel Carver Whitburn is an American author and music historian.Whitburn founded Record Research Inc. in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, in 1970, and put together a team of researchers to examine in detail all of Billboards music and video charts...

    , c. 2002
  • http://www.minilps.net/yes/yessongs-amcy-6293
  • http://www.minilps.net/yes/yessongs-wpcr-13517
The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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