Yes Top 40 countdown!! (please do not list spoilers/predictions)

I've said it before on this site, but when the conditions are right (some log fog at the base, especially around sunrise), mountains certainly come out of the sky. I've seen it numerous times. I've even posted photos of it. It's one of my favorite Yes lyrics, very evocative.

Now let's not talk about rearranging your liver to the solid mental grace. At least not for a couple more days...

 

I'm still a little sick, so I've had to slow the pace down a bit.

From the main list, it's a 4/4.

Siberian Khatru (#9 on my list) - This is one of those rare songs that are long but not really multipart and yet feel shorter than they actually are. It's got a fantastic riff, solid musicality, intriguing lyrics, and a beautiful arrangement. Bruford is fantastic on the studio version, but my favorite is the one on "Yessongs", which is a baptism of fire for Alan White. Steve Howe never fails to deliver some amazing solos on this track.

Awaken (#21 on my list) - While I may not love it as much as Jon Anderson does, or as much as some of you guys do, this is still a magnum opus. It's a very majestic composition that builds up well. Howe is mind-blowing on the first part of the piece, and Wakeman's organ elevates it even further. This was definitely one of the highlights of the live shows, as the available videos of this song prove. The reason it didn't reach a higher position is that I'm not always in the mood for it. There are parts of it that, while I think are good, are a bit too ambient-like for me, and I have to be in the right mood to fully appreciate them.

Roundabout (#7 on my list) - A perfect song where everything is in the right place, plain and simple. Love the way it builds up and every single melody here is incredible. There's a reason why songs like these endure and stand the test of time. I don't care about overexposure, possibly because I'm younger compared to most of you (I'm 34 years old), and, actually wish I heard this more on the radio!

Yours Is No Disgrace (#11 on my list) - I confess that today I might place this one a little lower on the list, as I occasionally find it overlong. But I still like the song ideas a lot, and man, did Steve Howe join Yes with a bang or what? He totally makes the song, although Jon and Chris also contribute some really great stuff.

Scorecard now reads: 26/36.

40 Astral Traveller - #26 on my list
39 Endless Dream - not on my list
38 The Ancient (Giants Under the Sun) - #13 on my list
37 Love Will Find A Way - #40 on my list
36 Fly From Here (suite) - not on my list
35 The Fish (Schindleria Praematurus) - not on my list
34 On The Silent Wings of Freedom - not on my list
33 The Remembering (High the Memory) - #12 on my list
32 Hold On - #33 on my list
31 Into the Lens - not on my list
30 Leave It - not on my list
29 Parallels - #36 on my list
28 Time and a Word - #27 on my list
27 Does It Really Happen? - #25 on my list
26 It Can Happen - #17 on my list
25 Changes - #19 on my list
24 America - not on my list
23 To Be Over - #29 on my list
22 Turn of the Century - #15 on my list
21 Sound Chaser - not on my list
20 Owner of a Lonely Heart - #20 on my list
19 Going For The One - not on my list
18 Ritual (Nous Sommes du Soleil) - #22 on my list
17 Machine Messiah - #23 on my list
16 Tempus Fugit - #35 on my list
15 Wondrous Stories - not on my list
14 The Revealing Science of God (Dance of Dawn) - #8 on my list
13 Perpetual Change - #3 on my list
12 Long Distance Runaround - #16 on my list
11 The Gates of Delirium - #10 on my list
9t South Side of the Sky - #4 on my list
9t I've Seen All Good People - #14 on my list
8 Siberian Khatru - #9 on my list
7 Awaken - #21 on my list
6 Roundabout - #7 on my list
5 Yours Is No Disgrace - #11 on my list

 

From the 40-60 list:

41 Hearts (#34 on my list) - A great closer for "90125." It may sound a little twee at first, but it's one of the songs that proved there were more than passing stylistic connections between the new and old Yes. The aggressive rock part is a nice surprise, and this is one of the few songs where you can definitely hear Tony Kaye's playing (most of the keyboards on the album were done by Rabin, apparently).

51 Onward (#37 on my list) - I'd probably bump it down to #39 today. It's the only song from "Tormato" that made my list. A beautiful understated ballad with some pretty moving lyrics and delivery. There's a great blend between Anderson and Squire's vocals.

53 Shoot High Aim Low (#38 on my list) - The song that made me realize that "Big Generator" was actually a pretty good album. I would probably bump it up a couple of spots now. It's a very intelligent composition with great use of space. I love the production on this one, as well as the alternation between Jon and Trevor's voices.

57 A Venture (#24 on my list) - Well, now the cat's out of the bag: every song from "The Yes Album" made it onto my list, which is not a surprise considering it's my favorite album by Yes. A hidden gem in their discography and a track that never fails to intrigue me. I just like the way it's written. Nice piano soloing by Kaye at the end, which proves that the dumb nickname some fans gave him ("Can't Play") is unwarranted.

59 Then (#32 on my list) - There are more than a few resemblances between early Yes and The Nice. Although I like the melody and the way this song is constructed, it made it onto my list because I enjoy the playing. The piece is taken at a lot of energy, with the rhythm section shining through.

 

More thoughts on some of the songs from the 41-60 tier list:

44 Mind Drive - I always felt like I should have liked this more than I do. I love the build-up (which originated from the XYZ project, with Alan, Chris, and Jimmy Page), the ending part, and selected sections, but as a whole, I was never too impressed with the piece. I don't like the recurring "they will bring you light" melody that much, for one. The shortened and broken-up version on the Tsongas DVD is fun and works well in the show's pacing, though.

47 Lift Me Up - I liked the version on "Live at the Apollo" so much that it made me revisit "Union" because I thought it could have been a better album than I remembered. Unfortunately, it was not. Still, a good song!

49 Don't Kill The Whale - Cheesy as hell, but I admit I kinda like it. I enjoy the bluesy riff, and Howe does some good stuff on this one. The coda is also quite good. John Peel was a notorious Yes hater (and most of prog too), and when he aired this on one of his shows ("not because I like it, but because it's there, like Mt. Everest and you should know about it"), he made this comment, which I still find funny:

"I yield to no one in my admiration for whales. In fact, I consider most of them to be far superior creatures to the vast majority of human beings. But the fact that Yes have made a record in praise of them places me in a rather pretty predicament, makes me really feel that I should be swimming out with a dagger clenched in my teeth into the fjords or wherever it is that the things lurk and chop 'em all up into bite-sized chunks. But I suppose that would be rather an excessive reaction."

52 Homeworld (The Ladder) - I revisited this album a few days ago, and I was surprised at how strong this track was. Had I been more familiar with it, it may have made my list.

54 Mood for a Day - I didn't include the solo pieces on "Fragile," but I probably should have. I have fond memories of my uncle playing this on the acoustic guitar when I was a kid.

58 Release, Release - There's some excellent playing on this one, and one of the guitar riffs is pretty cool (the part that goes "We've heard before, but we just don't seem to move"). The chorus is also pretty memorable. However, as the song goes on, it gets lost, and by the end of it, I'm also quite annoyed by it. And what can I say about the horrendous Polymoog parts? (not the Birotron as I originally thought: thanks @JulesRules for the correction). Just like "On The Silent Wings of Freedom," this is another song that summarizes how I feel about "Tormato" in general.

 

This is my kind of update! This is more exciting than the top spot to me - the underdogs!

I had In The Presence Of, Don't Kill The Whale, No Opportunity, Homeworld, Magnification and Looking Around in my top 40. Also love Hearts, Survival, Sweet Dreams, A Venture and Then.

I will always bat for the Ladder and Magnification albums, but their relatively high placing here - against stiff competition - shows that i'm not the only one who loves these records, and that makes me kind of happy.

 

6. Roundabout - Unranked
No offense to all that love this song, but it is here that I differ greatly from the masses. I had 56 initial songs before I whittled it down to 40. Roundabout was not ever a consideration. Just now, I went to the first page and looked through all the songs. There were at least 74 songs that I liked better than this one. I'm sure some of it comes down to resentment. Every Yes show this is always the last one played. As someone mentioned earlier, the crowd erupts but I'm like Roundabout again? I also really dislike some of the lyrics here. On a positive note, there is a lot going for it. Squire's bass is phenomenal throughout. Wakeman has a great organ solo. I can also certainly see how some of the fans that felt Yes went off the deep end with Tales and Relayer, would prefer something like this that has more structure to it.

5. Yours Is No Disgrace - My # 18
This song was an early favorite of mine in my Yes fandom. I remember it really struck a chord with me the first time I heard it. I loved the opening where everyone is playing together except for Kaye's organ that is deliberately off kilter. At 0:41, we get Kaye holding down the main melody, while Squire goes to town on the bass. At 0:54, we start to get an idea of what this new guy on guitar is capable of. At 1:31, we get these great vocal harmonies. At 6:00, we get the first of 2 back to back Howe solos in completely different styles. I love how it ends with the multiple crescendos. I deduct a few points for some of the lyrics. For some reason, the "Caesar's Palace" & "Shiny Flying Purple Wolfhounds" lyrics get on my nerves. For many years, this was my favorite song on The Yes Album, but recently it was overtaken by another song.

23 of 36

 

Same. I forgot about that particular line. It’s just… not good. Luckily the music holds up.

 

@George Co-Stanza , I know you have an upcoming Porcupine Tree album countdown, but are you thinking of another top 40 song countdown.
No pressure, just wondering.

 

Yes. I am admittedly distracted lately thanks to the new Taylor Swift album (dead serious, be nice, everyone ), but more details will be forthcoming sooner rather than later on the next top 40 songs countdown.

 

05 Yours Is No Disgrace (My #16)
I treat this as an instrumental with occasional vocals because it's so dominated by the rhythm section of Squire and Bruford, with Howe's guitar weaving in and out. A great opener to my favorite Yes album.

06 Roundabout (My #8)
Another great opener, this time with Wakeman providing some keyboard flourishes to another strong Squire baseline. I'm so used to hearing the single version that I forgot that this was over 8 minutes long, and listening to it again for this countdown, it was great to hear the funky jam in the second half of the song.

 

I haven't gotten around to listening to the new album yet, but I consider her one of the most talented and definitely the most business-savvy singer-songwriter around today, and would be up for a Taylor Swift top 40 countdown if you ever decide to do one.

 

Roundabout - #39

Aqualung
Hotel California
Stairway to Heaven
Sultans of Swing

Many bands have "THE SONG" and for Yes, it is of course Roundabout. It's the song that must climax every concert, and must get played over and over.

I would imagine that, in the US, nationwide, this song was played 100 or more times per day, every day, during the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Probably much more than that.

This was the first song I heard by Yes and the one that made me want to start checking out their albums. Things I like:

- The distinct fade in / backwards / whatever it is intro, which in the early 80s Triumph copied. This meant that in the early 80s, sometimes you'd think you were about to hear Roundabout, but then you found out it was World of Fantasy. In time, Triumph faded and the problem went away.
- Howe's harmonics to kick it off, reappearing later. One of the things I learned on guitar as it was relatively easy to play.
- Squire's thick sounding bass riff.
- "In and around the lake. Mountains come out of the sky. They stand there."
- The ripping organ solo.
- Harmony vocal outro.

So why #39? Burnout. This became one of those songs that I almost cannot "hear" anymore when it comes on. It sort of sounds like wallpaper. But I did want to at least include it. It's definitely a top five Yes song in terms of quality, but I have to rate based on my own enjoyment.

Yours Is No Disgrace - #2

Now this song, I could never get tired of. Though I guess if it had been played as much as Roundabout, maybe..... The Yes Album is not only my favorite Yes album, it is one of my favorite albums by any band. Stellar production, a unique sound, those harmonies....

Love the:

- crunchy opening chords
- Hammond organ!
- again, the harmonies
- More of those signature Yes lyrics that sound so wonderful, but make no sense.
- When the song slows down and kind of slowly rocks romantically, at "On a sailing ship to nowhere..."
- The stereo panning on Howe's guitar during his wa-wa solo.
- Also put to great use when both the organ and guitar sliiiiiideee up during one section.
- Howe quickly strums the tip top of his guitar, where the tuning pegs are, for a neat effect.
- The way the ending bubbles up higher and higher, morphing into The Clap.

 

I have no idea either, but I absolutely love these lyrics. Every word sounds perfect.

Cesar's palace, morning glory.
Silly human race.

I don't even really know why the words sound so good, and I don't need to know.

But I do see how nonsense lyrics could annoy people. Most of the time, with other bands, they annoy me too. And for some Yes songs, they just don't work at all.

 

06 Roundabout
My #8
Yes, it's an ubiquitous song when it comes down to this band but it's still a darn great song. I haven't been overly exposed to it so I'm sure it has had its perks on my still liking of it. The studio version has my preference. Steve Howe's intro and Chris Squire bass line drive the track nicely but yeah, overall all 5 of them are in fine form on this tune. I can listen to it again, no problem. Great song.


05 Yours Is No Disgrace
My #11
I did not know until today about how they "borrowed" the intro theme from that TV show! I don't mind one bit. The keyboard riff is one my faves. And Jon Anderson's voice is impressive on the track! I have nothing but praise for these 2 songs. "Silly Human Race" indeed....

40 Astral Traveller - #30 on my list
39 Endless Dream - not on my list
38 The Ancient (Giants Under the Sun) - not on my list
37 Love Will Find A Way - not on my list
36 Fly From Here (suite) - not on my list
35 The Fish (Schindleria Praematurus) - not on my list
34 On The Silent Wings of Freedom - #31 on my list
33 The Remembering (High the Memory) - not on my list
32 Hold On - #39 on my list
31 Into the Lens - not on my list
30 Leave It - not on my list
29 Parallels - #6 on my list
28 Time and a Word - #15 on my list
27 Does It Really Happen? - #40 on my list
26 It Can Happen - not on my list
25 Changes - not on my list
24 America - not on my list
23 To Be Over - #3 on my list
22 Turn Of the Century - #23 on my list
21 Sound Chaser - #5 on my list
20 Owner of a Lonely Heart - not on my list
19 Going For The One - #21 on my list
18 Ritual (Nous sommes du Soleil) - #25 on my list
17 Machine Messiah - #22 on my list
16 Tempus Fugit - #37 on my list
15 Wondrous Stories - #33 on my list
14 Revealing Science of God - #26 on my list
13 Perpetual Change - #13 on my list
12 Long Distance Runaround - #14 on my list
11 The Gates of Delirium - #2 on my list
10 South Side of the Sky - #12 on my list
9 I've Seen All Good People - #16 on my list
8 Siberian Khatru - #1 on my list
7 Awaken - #17 on my list
6 Roundabout - #8 on my list
5 Yours Is No Disgrace - #11 on my list

24/36, looks like I'll have all of the top half songs and only half of the bottom half in the end, not bad for my first participation to a countdown!

 

You’re not getting into the swing of this prog thing.

 

I had Roundabout at 7 and Disgrace at 5 (a match at last!).

Two of the main pillars on which Yes’ sound and legacy were built, of course they’re right up there. Plus some of the most exciting passages by anyone - Howe’s chunky breaks in YIND, the Hammond solo in Roundabout.

Two coming songs are still outside my top 10, maybe they’ll end up 1 and 2.

 

Whew, I've fallen behind again. So two posts to catch up. First, checking in on the also-rans...

In the bottom pile, group numbers 61-164, I had five songs:

I Am Waiting (#26) was one of my discoveries on Talk...though is it really a new discovery when I heard it twice at ARW shows. But going back and listening through the catalogue, this one really stood out for it's gentle/rocking alternate parts and Jon's soaring vocals. Maybe this one comes across as "too 90s" for a lot of Yes fans, but I dig it.

Coming right after it in the main countdown, I also had Every Little Thing (#39) as one of the last songs in. As noted with America, I wasn't averse to putting covers in...and when I went back and listened to the debut album, this song stood out as one of my favorites of the Banks era. Sure, is that partially because I love the Beatles and this is a fun late-60s rave-up of one of their early tracks? No doubt! But, hey, if it works, it works...and this cover feels particularly loose and adventurous.

I slide down from the high 60s to the mid 70s, countdown-wise, for the next appearance: I guess I'm in the minority for thinking Run Through The Light (#24) is a highlight of Drama. I mean, I had some of the other songs from that album that made the group top 40...but this was my highest ranked track from this album. Maybe it's because I'm still new to the album...I had listened before, but really came around to it during this exercise. The stop-start of the song and the call-and-response vocals works for me, and the instrumental break in the final minute or so really soars. Maybe my favorite Geoff Downes keyboard sounds ever?

My lowest ranked songs, just around 100 on the group list, were two from the Keys To Ascension project: Children of Light (#31) from Keys 2 and Be The One (#32) from the first Keys. As I have mentioned, these were the first new Yes releases I could pick up after starting to get into the band...so these new songs have a soft spot carved out in my heart. They never blew me away or made me think they were better than the CLASSIC classics of yore...but when going through the catalogue, they still stand out as some of the tracks I like hearing the most. I guess I can't defend their low positions compared to songs that are completely successful...but I think these have plenty of charm and they win me over.

From the higher group of not-quite-ready-for-top-40 players, my list had six tracks...including just missing repeatedly with numbers 42-46. (Sorry to Hearts, a song I kinda know but never really considered for my list.) Going through those in order:

Survival (#21) feels, to me, like the clear highlight of those first two Yes albums. Maybe that's because it led off that "Highlights: The Very Best Of" CD that I had early in my fandom, so it set me up to hear the song as the welcoming of the audience into the fold...but it feels so much more connected to the "peak" Howe albums to come than most of the songs around it. Again, maybe that's more familiarity than not...but rather than try to unpack it, I'm going to ride the wave of that opening bass riff and get sucked into this track again.

My highest ranked miss surprises me, though of course by this point in the proceedings I knew it wasn't going to show up. Again, perhaps it's because of that "Highlights" collection that Rhythm of Love (#11) is not only my lone representative from Big Generator but also is my highest ranked post-'72 song. Or maybe it's because the first time I saw them live, this was the song they hit the stage playing, with all those soaring vocals mixing with the intro keyboard swath, leading to the 80s chug of the verses before more vocal intertwining in the chorus. Again, very 80s. But I am not one of those fans that rejects 80s production. By the time the instrumental leads into the three-voice "inhibition keep you from your point of view" bridge, I am flying. Pop-rock is good actually!

A big pivot from that track into the next one; Mind Drive (#36) is another Keys song that works for me as a 90s reflection of what the 70s lineup could get up to in that brief window when they got back together. I don't know the demos or other versions that seem to inhibit people fully embracing it...I just know that this version works well. It wanders a little at times, which is why it was low on my list and part of the "which side of the cusp will this land?" mix to fill the final slots. But every few minutes there's a sequence that locks in for me and I'm having a great time. Not that there's a lot of 20-minute song slots, but I bet this one would have been very welcome in the live setlist over the last couple of decades. Dipping into it again now, I actually think I should have had it higher.

Perhaps my biggest discovery of this process was coming to In The Presence Of (#33), a song I don't think I'd ever paid attention to before. Magnification is an album that missed me completely -- I only ever listened to it when I got a streaming subscription. I have no excuse...I just was Yes-ed out by the end of the 90s and was comfortable with the older stuff when I wanted to go back to visit. The orchestra might have come across as a gimmick, but it really works here, especially in the closing section. Yes can go to "Jon repeats a lyric while the instruments build and swirl" well frequently, but with the orchestra, it feels very effective, even as I know that this is not a new formula. (Maybe I'm just a fan stuck in my ways, and it's the stuff that harkens back the most successfully to the old days that connects. I can live with that.)

I've spoken plenty of finding Talk through this process; though not as obscure to me as Magnification was, I really had space in my heart to appreciate it during this. The Calling (#35) was one of the songs that jumped out. Again, not a high ranker on my list, and it was on the cusp (along with another song that made my top 40, Endless Dream, and two that just missed as honorable mentions: Real Love at 42 and State of Play at 45). Surely this has to be a song that some people recoil from -- has a lot of Rabin stamp on it, and sounds pretty 90s in the production. Why, some may even call it cheesy. But you know what? I like some things that are at least cheese-adjacent. There's moments in here that harken to some of the neo-prog stuff that people swoon over -- especially the keyboard and guitar back-and-forth around the four-minute mark. And guess what? It's fun! Lots of little detours and bits in here, which helps the song feel very Yes-ish. Which makes sense: it's Yes!

My other two misses from the last batch were both on either side of 50 on the main list, and both songs from perhaps the most marginalized 70s album: Don't Kill The Whale (#37) and Onward (#22) both come from the album that, like many discussed here in the thread, I was warned away from. OK, I was technically warned away from five or six albums...but this was the one that had the biggest red flag. "Yes, it has all the players from Tales and GFTO...but don't trust it!" Listening back now, I get the complaints about the production value...and, as we have discussed, I don't think all the songs work. But these two connect for me. Perhaps that's due to live album placement: Yesshows for Whale and Keys for Onward. The fact that Onward is the short song that I didn't really know on Keys 1 surely gave it a bump here; even if I don't know the last time I listened to the live renditions from that album, it was something I pulled off my CD rack all the time in my college years of the late 90s. Of course it imprinted in my mind. And when I go back to the studio version now, it feels magical there too -- pure Jon melodies with a stately, reserved band behind him. I'm glad the band had songs like this to mix in...and on another album project, I bet this would have been the conclusion of a 15-20 minute epic.

That's it for the didn't-make-it tracks...onward (natch) to the songs that have made the collective top 40...

 

Back to the final list...I am having a very strange experience in the top 20 (really 21) of the list. Unlike the other top 40s I have participated in, I am...actually in line almost completely with the top half of the group consensus? Is that even possible? Why, I feel downright basic!

Maybe that's because, as I keep mentioning, I am more honed into being a fan of the albums and eras that many consider the peak of the band...or, to put it another way, I ranked very highly the Yes tracks that will also be ranked high by people who have large swaths of the band they consider "not really Yes." Which I don't apologize for -- I respect our friends here who believe deeply in the number of gems in the post-2000 catalogue and voted for them. But I am a simple man with simple Yes tastes.

All of which is to say: I've been on a (for me) unprecedented run, starting with song number 21 on the main list. Every song since then has been on my list, and will continue through the top of the countdown (whatever the final ordering may be). Given how much in alignment I am, and because it's late where I am, I will deign to be short here:

Wonderous Stories (#29) -- lower than I would have expected, even when looking back, but had to be on my list. This strumming guitar with tinkly keyboard song style really works for me...while obviously this one has Jon's stamp all over it, I feel like it is of a piece with some of the Rutherford-penned guitar strum songs from the Genesis albums of the same era. Somewhere there had to be a proggy bar band that did Wonderous Stories, Your Own Special Way, and, I dunno, Snowbound? (All of that is a compliment, to be clear.)

The Revealing Science of God (Dance of the Dawn) (#17) -- between Keys 1 and its appearance in the setlist of that Open Your Eyes tour show I saw, this has been destined to be my favorite/highest ranked Tales track. The opening minutes are more than enough to get it to the upper tier of my list. That call-and-response between the guitars and the keys gets me every time. Yes, yes, like most great Yes epics, it feels a little meandering at times. But that's ok. It always makes me feel like someday I'll crack it and get to know and love it even more than I already do.

Perpetual Change (#14) -- the opening riff and the "you'll see Perpetual Change!" near the end are liable to get stuck in my head at any time, and will hang there for at least a week.

Long Distance Runaround (#8) -- I know many other said it, but to concur: this is super-proggy Yes condensed down to a radio-friendly running time. I don't usually think of Yes as being jaunty, but this sone puts a spring in my step. Can make it into random playlists and mixes more often than any other song on this list. An easy top-10 song for me; from this one on up, I am deep in the "oh wow, why didn't I put this higher?" feeling.

The Gates of Delirium (#16) -- though not in that just-mentioned top 8, I also am looking at this and wondering why this wasn't higher. I've been going back to Relayer a lot since finishing my list; I think that, if I drew it up again now, this would be in my top 10. What else is there to say? It's bonkers in the best way, ending on one of the most majestic sequences in the band's career. And for a group with as much majesty as Yes, that is sure as heck saying something.

South Side of the Sky (#6) -- count me among those who undervalued this for a long time in favor of the big hitters (in terms of airplay and setlist stapledom). But when it clicked, my goodness did it lock in. Bruford's crashing, falling-down-the-stairs intro and the menace in the main riff. Contrasted with the idyllic piano section, all for it to rush back into the main groove. Howe's runs on this are ridiculous.

I've Seen All Good People (#9) -- it's only overplaying that has this at the "lowly" position nine...my first mirroring of the group list. I need both parts for the song to work, even if the second part can get a little repetitive. Feels designed to be played live so everyone can sing along.

Siberian Khatru (#7) -- a Howe tour de force. Propulsive from the start and never lets up. There's a reason this has been such an effective concert opener so often in their career -- it's a real declaration of intent. Wild to think that, by both the group list and my own, it's the "worst" song on its album. Talk about a bad beat!

Awaken (#19) -- another one that, if I were building the list today, I would have moved further up. I've always been unfairly resistant to this song. I don't know why -- GFTO took a while to connect with me, so that's part of it. Hearing the praise it gets somewhat pushed me to the contrarian "eh, are we sure it's that good?" position. And maybe I just hadn't fully paid attention. But once embracing that, yes, it is a Yes epic worthy of a top 20 placement, I have kept circling back to it...and it's only grown more and more in my estimation. Glad I finally got here!

Roundabout (#12) -- this is the other song that got a little dinged for being overplayed...but still had to be in the upper reaches of my list. Not all classics live up to the title, but this one surely does. Who's upset listening to it, y'know?

Yours Is No Disgrace (#2) -- something about that keyboard riff, the big one that sweeps in after the start-stop opening...that's quintessential prog to me. When I first heard the song, it felt like I always knew it. Then new-member Steve Howe comes in on top of it, dancing around with his lines...whew. And all before Jon comes in with one of his best vocals. Plus one of his best lyrics -- "Lost in losing circumstances, that's just where you are." Insane that this masterpiece kicks off their third album. Listening chronologically, it's overwhelming how big a leap they made here -- sure, some of that is Howe, but the whole band has really leveled up. I contemplated having this be my top song for a while, but...well, it is very worthy in second place. We are really in the upper echelons now.

 

Well, another week, another “sorry I’ve dialled out” post

More than any of these threads I’ve been in so far, my taste and everyone else’s seem to be aligning so there’s no need for me to try to convince you that most of my top 10 are really awesome!

One thing I will say, though, is that “Awaken” was my number 2, and it wouldn’t have been on the list 10 years ago, and it would have been in the 30’s somewhere 5 years ago, and if I did this again tomorrow it would definitely be number 1.

It’s a song that keeps on giving and growing in my estimation - I think triggered off by watching ARW do it, and then that Jon & Todmobile video on YouTube, and then going back to the album and finding it was just wonderful there the whole time. The church organ and some of the more “ambient” sections just lend it this otherworldly quality that’s like nothing else in the catalogue or indeed anywhere else in music. And then it just keeps getting better and better and more intense as it goes - until suddenly fading away into the ether and yet somehow getting EVEN better.

I’ve seen a couple of people mention having it played at their funeral and I totally get that, but actually the problem with that is that YOU wouldn’t get to hear it. I actually think it would be a perfect song to hear when you lose someone you love - it would make you bawl your eyes out (in fact this nearly happened this morning when I played it again and started thinking about thinking about my own “dearly departed”s)- but it ends on such a note of positivity that I reckon it would bring some pretty welcome comfort.

 

(I still think “Awaken gentle mass touching” sounds like an invitation to a very polite orgy, though…)

 

Thank goodness you had the sense to make this comment in a separate post!

And now I'm just going to forget that you ever wrote this

 

We are almost there!!


04 Heart of the Sunrise
Appeared on 83 of 87 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 60
Highest Ranking: 1 (@edski, @Michael Streett, @throwupmyhands, @blair207, @WindofChange, @Galeans, @BSC, @andy_a)

I love this song a lot more now than I used to. Don't get me wrong, I have always liked it, especially the first couple minutes, which was always beastly and a strong contender for best 2+ minutes of Yes music ever (CHRIS SQUIRE, ladies and gents), but I used to feel that the song was too repetitive and just kept going round and round. I still think it kind of does, but I get now that that is the point. I ranked this 15th, so still not a top 10 Yes song for me, but a great song nonetheless.


03 Starship Trooper
Appeared on 84 of 87 entrees
Top 10 finishes: 63
Highest Ranking: 1 (@RichC, @Joseph Sipocz, @gklainer, @Paisley Underground, @Ramblin'Roon, @supersquonk, @Cledwyn, @jeffd7030, @Ringmaster_D)

I think my jaw was on the floor for like days after hearing this song for the first time. For a while, this was my favorite Yes song, and it is still in the conversation (I ranked it 2nd here). The studio version almost sounds like it was made to be listened to in space; that's the the vibe I get. I still get goosebumps when listening to this song. The many live versions are always good, but none are ever able to capture the energy, tension and release of this original studio version. On the list of most epic finishes of songs under 10 minutes, this is right there with Metropolis by Dream Theater, IMO. Unreal.

 

Full list revealed so far:
01
02
03 Starship Trooper
04 Heart of the Sunrise
05 Yours Is No Disgrace
06 Roundabout
07 Awaken
08 Siberian Khatru
09 (t) I've Seen All Good People
09 (t) South Side of the Sky
11 The Gates of Delirium
12 Long Distance Runaround
13 Perpetual Change
14 The Revealing Science of God (Dance of the Dawn)
15 Wonderous Stories
16 Tempus Fugit
17 Machine Messiah
18 Ritual (Nous Sommes du Soleil)
19 Going for the One
20 Owner of a Lonely Heart
21 Sound Chaser
22 Turn of the Century
23 To Be Over
24 America
25 Changes
26 It Can Happen
27 Does It Really Happen?
28 Time and a Word
29 Parallels
30 Leave It
31 Into the Lens
32 Hold On
33 The Remembering (High the Memory)
34 On the Silent Wings of Freedom
35 The Fish (Schindleria Praematurus)
36 Fly from Here (suite)
37 Love Will Find a Way
38 The Ancient (Giants Under the Sun)
39 Endless Dream
40 Astral Traveller

41 Hearts 476
42 Survival 469
43 Rhythm of Love 465
44 Mind Drive 451
45 In the Presence Of 437
46 The Calling 425
47 Lift Me Up 404
48 Future Times/Rejoice 403
49 Don't Kill the Whale 398
50 No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed 389
51 Onward 371
52 Homeworld (The Ladder) 365
53 Shoot High Aim Low 364
54 Mood for a Day 363
55 Magnification 358
56 Sweet Dreams 319
57 A Venture 316
58 Release, Release 307
59 Then 302
60 Looking Around 295
61 I Am Waiting 294
62 Every Little Thing 277
63 We Have Heaven 271
64 Clap 266
65 That, That Is 257
66 Cinema 242
67 (t) Beyond and Before 241
67 (t) I'm Running 241
69 Miracle of Life 227
70 Our Song 214
71 Dreamtime 206
72 I See You 204
73 Everydays 203
74 Yesterday and Today 199
75 Run Through the Light 190
76 Sweetness 161
77 Give Love Each Day 144
78 Mirror to the Sky 143
79 The Prophet 142
80 Spirit of Survival 137
81 City of Love 134
82 Into the Storm 128
83 (t) I Would Have Waited Forever 126
83 (t) The More We Live -- Let Go 126
85 New Language 125
86 Real Love 110
87 White Car 105
88 Life on a Film Set 104
89 (t) Final Eyes 101
89 (t) Make It Easy 101
91 Harold Land 99
92 (t) Walls 97
92 (t) Where Will You Be 97
94 (t) Dear Father 93
94 (t) Shock to the System 93
96 Madrigal 86
97 Holy Lamb (Song for Harmonic Convergence) 83
98 (t) Big Generator 82
98 (t) Can You Imagine 82
100 Children of Light 81
101 (t) Arriving UFO 80
101 (t) It Will Be a Good Day (The River) 80
103 Be the One 72
104 Saving My Heart 68
105 Circles of Time 67
106 Open Your Eyes 66
107 Cans and Brahms 62
108 (t) Five per Cent for Nothing 60
108 (t) Lightning Strikes 60
110 Face to Face 51
111 Believe Again 50
112 (t) Nine Voices (Longwalker) 48
112 (t) The Ice Bridge 48
114 (t) The Man You Always Wanted Me to Be 42
114 (t) We Agree 42
114 (t) Without Hope You Cannot Start the Day 42
114 (t) Something's Coming 42
118 Hour of Need 40
119 (t) Subway Walls 39
119 (t) Words from a Page 39
121 Holding On 37
122 (t) State of Play 36
122 (t) Take the Water to the Mountain 36
122 (t) To Ascend 36
125 Foot Prints 35
126 The Western Edge 34
127 (t) A Living Island 32
127 (t) It's Over 32
129 Abilene 30
130 To the Moment 29
131 Silent Talking 28
132 The Messenger 26
133 (t) Circus of Heaven 25
133 (t) The Gift of Love 25
135 (t) Don't Go 24
135 (t) Masquerade 24
137 Soft as a Dove 21
138 Clear Days 20
139 It Was All We Knew 18
140 In a World of Our Own 17
141 All Connected 16
142 (t) Cut from the Stars 15
142 (t) Show Me 15
144 (t) Have We Really Got to Go Through This 14
144 (t) Light of the Ages 14
146 (t) New State of Mind 13
146 (t) Universal Garden 13
148 (t) Almost Like Love 12
148 (t) Angkor Wat 12
150 (t) Time is Time 11
150 (t) Love Conquers All 11
152 (t) Finally 10
152 (t) Step Beyond 10
154 Evensong 9
155 (t) Dare to Know 8
155 (t) Fortune Seller 8
157 (t) Bring Me to the Power 7
157 (t) If Only You Knew 7
159 (t) Some Are Born 4
159 (t) To Be Alive (Hep Yadda) 4
161 Music to My Ears 3
162 (t) Montreux's Theme 2
162 (t) The Game 2
164 (t) Love Shine 1
164 (t) Vevey (Revisited) 1

 

"Starship Trooper" was my #3. Sometimes, this is actually my favorite Yes song of all.
"Heart Of The Sunrise" was my #5. Superb stuff.

When "Roundabout" was revealed to not be the #1 song in this countdown, I was sure thay "Heart Of The Sunrise" would be it. Wrong again!

 

Heart Of The Sunrise - #7
Starship Trooper - #20

22/38