Hi, I’m 66 and it suddenly occurred to me that is music is approximately 50 years. After all these never a dull moment… Very high level of the art of music.
In '72 I was eleven listening to this, it's only now I realise how privileged we were to have had Yes, Zeppelin, Genesis, Sabbath, Purple, Camel, ELP, Rush, Boston, Grand Master Flash, Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix, Rory Gallagher, Barclay James Harvest, Albert Collins. Now we have pitch correction and Autotune.
@@danmayberry1185 That must have been amazing. I wish they had been able to call that group "YES". If they could call the Trevor Rabin lineup YES, then why couldn't they call this lineup that? (And for what it's worth, I _loved_ 90125.)
@@thewatcher8028 And Les Claypool. I read an interview with him where he said that he always tests any new Carl Thompson bass by playing this bass line.
This is probably their best known song from their classic period. Prog rock at its finest. Top-tier musicianship, each member a master at their instrument. Check out "I've Seen All Good People" "Yours is No Disgrace/Your Move" for another journey. ✌
Same age. I saw them live in Edinburgh when I was a student, They were introducing Tales From Topographic Oceans. My favourite album is still Close To The Edge.
For Yes fans, "Owner of a Lonely Heart" is not really a pure Yes song--it is really an 80s pop song by Yes. 70s Yes is YES. In addition to suggestions below I would try "And You and I", and "Close to the Edge"---really very experimental progressive rock ("Prog rock") by supremely talented musicians.
Yours is No Disgrace (about the Viet Nam Vet) and And You and I are my favorites. They all could play. Fortunate to be born in the 60s before computers got in music.
I’ve made my peace with 90125. It’s very good for what it is, and there’s plenty of prog-iness under the hood, but very scaled-back, of course. Very pop-infused, obviously. Not my favorite Yes… Fragile through Going For The One is my favorite Yes. Probably most people’s favorite Yes. But 90125 is a better listen than some of their failed attempts at long-form prog from the 1990’s and 2000’s. (IMO, of course).
Yes had one of the best Vocalists of all time Jon Anderson....one of the best Bass players of all time in Chris Squire, one of the best keyboard players in Rick Wakeman, one of the best lead guitarists of all time in Steve Howe and Bill Buford killed the drums.....hard to top YES as one of the best bands of all time......there ya go! And I've seen them 9 times in concert starting in like 1972 ROCK ON!
I totally agree..... every instrumentalist at the top of his game and then you have Jon Anderson with the purest most beautiful angelic voice ever known to rock on top of it all.... it doesn't get any better
@@steveobrien9937 my first concert was 1971 Emerson Lake and Palmer....i was 11 and went with my best friend and his 16 year old brother and his friend. Back then parents were CLUELESS about concerts and teen partying 😂 His brother had a chevy van with blue shag carpeting on the floor, walls and ceiling and had JB Lansing Home speakers in the back with an 8 track player with a crappy power amp... they got us drunk and high and the concert was mind blowing....i thought Jesus Christ are all concerts like this???? Ive seen 600 concerts since then and have seen everyone except Hendrix and the Doors....great teen years in the 70's...ROCK ON! 😎✌️👍❤️😵💫
If you don't look at the top 100 billboard, you can find a huge amount of great music even in the modern era. That being said, Floyd, Rush, Yes, Led Zeppelin, Queen, The Beatles, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, hell, even the Beach Boys made that era so amazing. For some modern "damn, that's some good stuff!" look at Aurora, Ren, Jinjer, Woodkid, Mick Gordon, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Mars Volta, Igorrr/Corpo Mente, Funkadelic, Tool, Korn, Dimash Kudaibergen, there's so many to name. The key is, practically none of them are billboard artists.
this song was written on a long road trip, the guitarist and the singer were driving a van to a gig in Scotland, the guitarist was jamming and the singer was driving and singing about what he was seeing - the 'roundabouts' (traffic circles), the mountains and lakes, etc.
As an old man at 58 so glad to see young people get it. Imagine hearing this through headphones stoned at 16. You didn't even hit "Heart of the sunrise"
I was blessed to be old enough to have experienced this era in person. It pleases me deeply when it' s played and loved as much as when it was new. Music is the universal language of the soul.
The smiles on your faces said it all. Close To The Edge and/or And You And I should be next. You will be amazed. Fenom, I think you nailed it with the MtV period comment.
Nah. I mean, I'm a Crimson fan first, but Close to the Edge stands up to anything. Bruford himself is really proud of that album. It was the right time for him to leave Yes because in terms of meticulously crafted songwriting, there was nowhere else to go after CTTE. @@billythedog-309
The fact that this song only reached #13 tells you something about the music that was around back then. We had no idea how good we had it. So many great bands with so much amazing music. Hard to believe now that there was that much variety, experimentation, and creativity in the air back then. There was something for everyone. A roundabout is a circular intersection, usually with some feature like a fountain, a statue, or a bit of park in the middle. The song is about an outing to a lake, and he's saying he'll take his lady wherever she wants to go that day. She chooses to go see the mountains, so they pack a lunch and go forth to be with nature. I love the imagery in this song, the image of the mountains appearing out of the distance and standing there, laughing in the sun. This came out when I was a kid, and it changed the way I saw nature; it became a living thing with its own soul and thoughts. :)
Not that Jon Anderson's murky lyrics are capable of only one interpretation, but "Roundabout" was composed while the band was returning home to their base in London upon completion of a tour of, I think, Scotland. The road home had lakes, mountains, weather, and lots of roundabout intersections. Anderson and Howe wrote the song during that trip. The elation evident in the song flows from Anderson's thinking he'd get a very, very warm greeting from his girlfriend when he got home. In other Roundabout lore, a great prog rock joke emanated from Roundabout after Greg Lake from ELP had put on way too many extra pounds. "In and around Greg Lake, mountains come out of the sky and they stand there".
They kicked off 1971 in grand style, starting with 'The Yes Album.' The album was brimming with expansive, energetic, and hook-filled rockers like “Yours Is No Disgrace,” “Starship Trooper,” and “I’ve Seen All Good People.” By the end of 1971, Yes were firing on all cylinders and they delivered the second half of their one-two punch with 'Fragile.' A superlative sustained musical statement, it saw the band framing [Jon] Anderson’s fanciful, sci-fi-laced themes with wildly inventive and hyper-aggressive arrangements. It didn’t hurt that Yes were sitting on a sublime collection of melodic gems - most notably “Roundabout” and “Long Distance Runaround” - that hit radio playlists with deadly aim. Within months of its release, 'Fragile' reached Number Seven in the U.K. and Number Two in the U.S. - Excerpts from Guitar Player
You just got a dose of classical guitar, funk, latin, jazz, gospel, rock and harmony all in one package, and perfectly done. This was a time when musicians, of all genres, knew how to play their instruments, were influenced by all forms of music and didn't rely on computers.
YES, the greatest show on earth. I've been dancing to Roundabout for 53 years. Yours Is No Disgrace is a tribute to the Vietnam vets. You will love it ✨️🎶🙏🎶✨️
Let me add, if you want to truly listen to the greatest voice ever to grace our world, look up Jon Anderson singing: SOON. OMG! ABSOLUTELY AMAZING AND SO BEAUTIFUL! Again, enjoy children. 💕
70 year old Brit here. Yes was part of the British classic prpgressive rock music. Yes, Genesis, King Crimson, ELP, Pink Floyd all releasing banger albums at the same time. You can add in many others too - Atomic Rooster, Gong, Gentle Giant, Van Der Graf Generator, Renaissance, Curved Air, UFO, Hawkwind and, as you noted other genres including Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Cream, Led Zepellin, Free, Ten Years After, The Stones, David Bowie . Great time to be in your late teens and living in the UK.
I literally cut my musical teeth on Yes. My brother is 8 years older than I am. Yes has sooooo much t explore, guys...the bassist, Chris Squire, is the GOAT. ❤😊
I’m 56, this is the “real” Yes. I grew up with this sound, I am so grateful for having rich music like this and early Chicago. We got Pop Yes and Chicago in the 80’s It’s great to hear you guys love the richness of their true origins…
The fact that this was #13 tells you all you need to know about the quality of the music back then. We were so fortunate to live during a time when music was so rich and diverse. Amazing time to grow up!
The songs are shorter now, sure. But what makes the prog rock of the 70's so special what the virtuosity of the players. Everyone in the band was a master of their instrument. So much creativity!!
All my teen years were spent in the 70's subculture. Roundabout is a masterpiece. It's one of those works of art where you know the first time you hear it that it is unique and will always be a masterpiece. So glad you guys enjoyed it.
I'm 70 now! Yes! Seen them live twice! Their stage presence and older light shows rival pink Floyd! You all must go on a journey with YES - the earlier years from about 1968 to the earlier 80's! YES is outstanding and well worth many many listenings! Progressive Rock-N-Roll music and Jon Anderson's voice is from another time and world! Superb quality in everything they did! Their sound is unique. Enhance and enjoy children! 😉
Every single song on The Yes Album is worthy of your listening. Then CLOSE TO THE EDGE is incredible! I bought The Yes Album in 7th grade when it first was released. It changed my life; it blew my mind open.
I agree it's a crime that it only reached 13 on Billboard. The problem was that they were ahead of their time! They were the forerunners of Progressive Rock. Even "Rush" says they were inspired by Yes, as were many bands in the 70's, 80's 90's. Every member of the band was a phenomenal musician.
I’ve been listening to this for 50 yrs I had tears of shear joy in my eyes watching the look on these 2 gentlemen’s faces when they got to enjoy this for the first time you could see the appreciation in their faces. One of the best instrumental arrangements of the 70s. What a jam
My best friend from Junior high just died. I'm the last of Mohicans from a pack of ten. Memories of jamming out with my buddies .....are beyond my vocabulary. Thank you for letting me jam with you. Divided we lose battles.... United We the People will win the war. 🇺🇸 Dire straits , sultans of swing , the fast live version.
Once I was asked, “What is the greatest rock song ever.” Without hesitation I answered, Roundabout, no doubt. All that great music out there in the 70s but this is special!
As others have alluded, Roundabout is typical of the "real" YeS. It's called Roundabout because it was written while a day away from returning home from a road tour. "In and around the lake, mountains come out of the sky...", "Call it morning driving through the sun and in and out the valley"; it's a song about their drive home. Roundabouts are called "traffic circles" here in the States. Give a listen to any of the pre-90125 YeS releases and you may be in for many more pleasant surprises!
I was 20 when this came out. I was in a working band. And I was stunned back then when this hit FM radio. Today, in August 2024, listening to it now, I'm stunned again. Why is this great? Because Chris Squire was great. So was Jon Anderson. So was Steve Howe. And especially Rick Wakeman. Some people don't like "prog." They obviously know nothing about real music and musicians. Yes was a brilliant group. Glad to see that you understand.
Omg so much funk! The baseline is just so relentless. One of my very first concerts. I think I was 10. Thanks for listening to this one guys. It’s a masterpiece.
I saw them in the 80's in a college gymnasium. Mid-way through, they did a little break where each member did a solo. It was unreal. So glad you reacted to this and enjoyed it. It is a work of art.
I grew on 70's Yes. By the time they got to their 80's Owner of a Lonely Heart phase, I was like, nah, Yes is so over, Man. But you have to recognize that the musicians in Yes are some of the best in the business. Steve Howe on guitar. Bill Bruford on the drums. Chris Squire on bass. It's all beautiful.
YES, YES, YES! I was 6 when the Beatles hit the US, so I grew up during the Revolution. I will never forget waking up one morning to my clock radio to catch my bus to high school in the early 70's, and this was the tune I woke up to. A true unequaled incomparable masterpiece to this day. Check out the live performance by YES at their Rock n Roll Hall of Fame induction where they played this. It lost nothing over 5 decades.
Every one of these guys is a virtuoso on their particular instrument and/or as vocalist. What impressed me more, both in person and on live videos, is how much they genuinely enjoyed playing together. I like to say about things like this: if I am ever this good at doing something I hope I enjoy it as much as they do.
Holy Wow!! I'm so grateful to have stumbled across you two - the only likely reason RUclips brought this up on my page was because of how much I listen to Yes. I've been a huge fan since the early 70s. Now I'm in my early 70s and watching you two youngsters enjoy this song for the first time is a genuine thrill. When I first opened this video, I thought "Really? These two cats are listening to Yes?" But Cory's smile said it all right up front. Between that smile and Fenom's index finger, your musical intelligence became evident very quickly. Loved everything you had to say, and once again, I am left with such gratitude for all of the amazing music I had the privilege of growing up with. Thank You Gentlemen.
Awesome reaction. You can’t compare this song-from the ‘70s-to Owner of a Lonely Heart, from the ‘90s. They were establishing themselves and inventing prog rock with Roundabout. They reinvented themselves with this Owner and the album 90125. Both are exciting and intensely engaging, So impressive that a band can stay fresh over 40 years. I think this song didn’t go higher on the charts because it was too long to get much airplay. And it was groundbreaking. It woke us up to the possibilities of music.
I love these channels! People stepping outside their comfort zones and really allowing the music to speak to them in surprising ways. I'm a life long Yes fan and a fan of Progressive Rock at large. Thank you for sharing this with us!❤
Glad you enjoyed. Sounds like jam, but it's a carefully constructed artifact. The main genius involved (surrounded by amazing musicians), the arranger, 16:29 was the bassist, Chris Squire. Astounding bass player.
You know it's good when you guys just kepp smiling ! Chris Squire has been my bass mentor forever 😊 You nailed it with the "colours of the jam" comment - it adds so much depth and feeling. Nice one guys
I have seen Yes live several times, and they nail it live too. When Yes was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, they played this song with Geddy Lee of Rush on bass, as sadly Chris Squire had passed away. Geddy Lee is one of the famous bass players that were inspired by Chris Squire.
Their stamina on stage is incredible. The one time I saw them in concert, not including the break they played for nearly 3 hours, it was just incredible. Jon was especially talkative in between songs and that was really fun too. And yes, they played this song.
The lyrics for the song was inspired by sitting in a Round-about (aka Traffic Circle) and just looking around and observing the scenery. It is the amazing musical composition that makes it stand out.
Recs: 1) Keep to the studio versions of YES' masterpieces, their studio effects were _special_ 2) Listen to *Yours Is No Disgrace* next, followed by *Starship Trooper* two of YES' Top 5 Masterpieces of their earlier Uber Classic Period. You will be amazed...
I don't really disagree with you, but when "Fragile" came out, a lot of rock critics reviewed it by saying the songs were complex and lovely, but could never be played live due to their complexity and length. So the three record live album, "Yessongs", was released, showcasing all the songs the critics had said Yes could never play live. The Yessongs versions of the album tunes have audio shortcomings due to the ancient tech that existed back then. They are a bit muddled and have way too much concert hall echo in them, but the energy and musicianship are tremendous, and they are still very much a great listen.
@@Yesquire0 They're definitely worth a view, but I think it's crazy to suggest them to first time listeners as their first exposure to YES' masterpieces. I say that mostly because the thing that makes YES unique is how they blended incredible complexity into their creations, which takes a lot of focus to fully appreciate. The visuals actually distract the viewer from the sounds going into their ears. Once you've heard several of their studio masterpieces is when I think a new YES fan is ideally ready for the visuals, as they'll already know that studio perfection. That's my opinion...
@@JJ8KK Agree -- but don't forget that Yessongs was a 3-record set before it was a video, and in fact that film has somewhat different versions of the songs. You can listen to Yessongs without any visuals to distract you.
As someone who has seen Yes about 20 times (in various formations since 1977, long story), I admit I sometimes got a bit weary of Yes playing Roundabout as an encore, which they have done thousands of times, but this is the song that really put then on the map. Soon, you'll be ready to explore the power and majesty of GENESIS.
Just thinking, hear the opening notes of LD Runaround or Yours is No Disgrace and .. should I? Then I'll follow, dunno, Squire through the piece, and a 900th listen was worthwhile. Only saw them 3x starting with the Going For the One tour (brilliant show).
The single version of "Roundabout", which was what went to #13 on the Billboard was only 3:27 long. FM AOR (album oriented rock) stations would play the album cut, but the sales and play of the single was what influenced the chart.
Funny fact: Sherman Hemsley (actor who played George Jefferson) was a HUGE Yes fan (and tremendous music nerd in his own right) and wrote & recorded a never-released album with them before he died.
Just the tip of the iceberg. Yes in the 70’s made glorious music. You really can’t go wrong with anything you listen to next. Try “Starship Trooper,” from the preceding album.
There really is no best song by YES. They've incorporated so many different influences while being influential themselves. A brief list of must-listen-to songs from their catalog would be 'I've Seen All Good People' from the Yes Album (1971), 'Sweet Dreams' from the LP Time and a Word (1970) and the instrumental 'Tempus Fugit' from the LP Drama (1980). Along with King Crimson and Emerson Lake & Palmer, Yes were among the original pioneers of progressive rock that would inspire bands like Rush and Dream Theater. It's a hell of a rabbit hole, but worth a dive. Great reaction, guys!
i am 69 and really enjoying some younger dudes exploring and enjoying our music, the best of a generation.
62 here. This was my first vinyl. Ain’t great seeing younger generations getting it?
68. Same here.
Hi, I’m 66 and it suddenly occurred to me that is music is approximately 50 years. After all these never a dull moment… Very high level of the art of music.
These dudes aint young. And dont believe they never heard this .
68 at this end. This is music. Nothing like it today.
I love how you guys let the song play without stopping it every 10 seconds to comment!!👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
This ^
Yes! (Pun intended)
Yes. Thank you ❤
Start of the song
Bass player: "Watch me go crazy."
Middle of the song
Drummer:
"Oh, yeah?"... hammers it.
Keyboards:
"Hold my beer."
If that was Rush, two of them would be arguing among himself! ❤
Give us some guitar love.
Credit where it's due:
bass: Chris Squire
drums: Bill Bruford
keys: Rick Wakeman
Perfectly described!
*Engineer:* How much bass do you want in the mix?
*Chris Squire:* All of it, thanks
(I saw this joke elsewhere, but had to steal it)
ruclips.net/video/IibI0B0MDcU/видео.html
In '72 I was eleven listening to this, it's only now I realise how privileged we were to have had Yes, Zeppelin, Genesis, Sabbath, Purple, Camel, ELP, Rush, Boston, Grand Master Flash, Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix, Rory Gallagher, Barclay James Harvest, Albert Collins.
Now we have pitch correction and Autotune.
Great groups. I've seen Yes, Genesis, Sabbath with Ronnie James Dio😢. And Deep Purple with Ian, John Lord😢 with Steve Morse on guitar.
I can relate to that. It was a music Renaissance. I thought it would always be like that. Ha.
The bass line man...just wow.
Saw the Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman and Howe Yes. Each one a legend, and I was glued to Chris Squire all night.
@@danmayberry1185 I've read Flea was heavily influenced by Squire.
@@danmayberry1185 That must have been amazing. I wish they had been able to call that group "YES". If they could call the Trevor Rabin lineup YES, then why couldn't they call this lineup that? (And for what it's worth, I _loved_ 90125.)
@@thewatcher8028 And Les Claypool. I read an interview with him where he said that he always tests any new Carl Thompson bass by playing this bass line.
@@lediabolique5822 love that fact! I was listening to Frizzle Fry only a few days ago. 😁
YES helped me survive high school.
Chris Squire Bassist Extraordinaire RIP ❤
I didn't know we were a club... but judging by the likes, apparently so.
Yes he was unbelievably one of the best bassists ❤
Same here.😢
LOVED that bass line! ❤
This is probably their best known song from their classic period. Prog rock at its finest. Top-tier musicianship, each member a master at their instrument.
Check out "I've Seen All Good People" "Yours is No Disgrace/Your Move" for another journey. ✌
Finish the WHOLE ALBUM...!
@@alldayadventures5418 All their albums should be played in their entirety from the first track to the last.
Yes the " Close to the Edge" album is a must listen
@@doriwiljtnot too soon
Theor first album with Bill Buford on drums.
I'm 70 years old, and you just listened to the Best...Band...Ever. My favorite band for over 50 years. Thanks!!! for the reaction.
Best only next to Rush...
Best band ever? Have you never heard of Queen?
Same age. I saw them live in Edinburgh when I was a student, They were introducing Tales From Topographic Oceans. My favourite album is still Close To The Edge.
Emerson lake and Palmer with my first concert.
I've seen Yes twice!
@@TheLibraryChamberYes inspired Rush....Yes > Rush
For Yes fans, "Owner of a Lonely Heart" is not really a pure Yes song--it is really an 80s pop song by Yes. 70s Yes is YES. In addition to suggestions below I would try "And You and I", and "Close to the Edge"---really very experimental progressive rock ("Prog rock") by supremely talented musicians.
Totally agree. So many great bands transitioned from great 70's rock to 80's pop. Popular, but not better.
The video for Owner of a Lonely Heart makes me cringe.
Agree
Yours is No Disgrace (about the Viet Nam Vet) and And You and I are my favorites. They all could play. Fortunate to be born in the 60s before computers got in music.
I’ve made my peace with 90125. It’s very good for what it is, and there’s plenty of prog-iness under the hood, but very scaled-back, of course. Very pop-infused, obviously. Not my favorite Yes… Fragile through Going For The One is my favorite Yes. Probably most people’s favorite Yes. But 90125 is a better listen than some of their failed attempts at long-form prog from the 1990’s and 2000’s. (IMO, of course).
Yes had one of the best Vocalists of all time Jon Anderson....one of the best Bass players of all time in Chris Squire, one of the best keyboard players in Rick Wakeman, one of the best lead guitarists of all time in Steve Howe and Bill Buford killed the drums.....hard to top YES as one of the best bands of all time......there ya go! And I've seen them 9 times in concert starting in like 1972 ROCK ON!
Arguably their best lineup right there.
I disagree with regards to Anderson being one of the best of all time, but he certainly fit their style perfectly.
@@gregheath8106 that's your right 👍
I totally agree..... every instrumentalist at the top of his game and then you have Jon Anderson with the purest most beautiful angelic voice ever known to rock on top of it all.... it doesn't get any better
@@steveobrien9937 my first concert was 1971 Emerson Lake and Palmer....i was 11 and went with my best friend and his 16 year old brother and his friend. Back then parents were CLUELESS about concerts and teen partying 😂 His brother had a chevy van with blue shag carpeting on the floor, walls and ceiling and had JB Lansing Home speakers in the back with an 8 track player with a crappy power amp... they got us drunk and high and the concert was mind blowing....i thought Jesus Christ are all concerts like this???? Ive seen 600 concerts since then and have seen everyone except Hendrix and the Doors....great teen years in the 70's...ROCK ON!
😎✌️👍❤️😵💫
1971’s top 100 billboard is such a diverse list. Won’t see the diversity in music of the 70’s ever again
Drugs. So much drug flow. Heh.
And you could hear it all on one station!
@@armadillotoe 102.7 WNEW FM in NYC played the best! Memories.
If you don't look at the top 100 billboard, you can find a huge amount of great music even in the modern era. That being said, Floyd, Rush, Yes, Led Zeppelin, Queen, The Beatles, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, hell, even the Beach Boys made that era so amazing. For some modern "damn, that's some good stuff!" look at Aurora, Ren, Jinjer, Woodkid, Mick Gordon, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Mars Volta, Igorrr/Corpo Mente, Funkadelic, Tool, Korn, Dimash Kudaibergen, there's so many to name. The key is, practically none of them are billboard artists.
@@NativeNewMexican Yeah. There's a ton of great and innovative music being produced every year. Even today.
this song was written on a long road trip, the guitarist and the singer were driving a van to a gig in Scotland, the guitarist was jamming and the singer was driving and singing about what he was seeing - the 'roundabouts' (traffic circles), the mountains and lakes, etc.
I didn't know that. Thanks for sharing!
As an old man at 58 so glad to see young people get it. Imagine hearing this through headphones stoned at 16. You didn't even hit "Heart of the sunrise"
Best Bass Line EVER laid down by Mr. Chris Squire. Absolute insanity on the bass. Damn.
This is one of the greatest prog rock (progressive) ever recorded. It is one of my top 5 songs all time. The musicianship shown is incredible.
You could listen to this song 5000 times and still pick out something you missed in previous listens.
The Bass player is next level.
RIP Chris Squire. Bass God!!!
Late Great Chris Squire!
ruclips.net/video/IibI0B0MDcU/видео.html
That cat was serious in this song. He wasn't messin around.
And with a pick no less, and singing backup vocals. Chris Squire was an exceptional musician
I was blessed to be old enough to have experienced this era in person. It pleases me deeply when it' s played and loved as much as when it was new. Music is the universal language of the soul.
The 1970s were a golden cornucopia of musical goodness
The smiles on your faces said it all. Close To The Edge and/or And You And I should be next. You will be amazed. Fenom, I think you nailed it with the MtV period comment.
No, not "Close to the Edge". Not yet. They need to cut their teeth on more songs from "The Yes Album" and "Fragile" before they'll be ready for CTTE.
@calguy3838 I did suggest And You And I as an alternative. I should have suggested Starship Trooper, my favorite.
Yeah Corey kept breaking out into a big grin, it made him so happy.
Four musicians and a vocalist -- sounds like about 8 guys up on stage. Squire's baselines in this are IMMACULATE.
Love his tone, too. Chris Squire defined the Rickenbacker bass sound.
The Bill Bruford years, were arguably the best years of YES.
He was too good for them and so joined a real 'progressive' group.
Nah. I mean, I'm a Crimson fan first, but Close to the Edge stands up to anything. Bruford himself is really proud of that album. It was the right time for him to leave Yes because in terms of meticulously crafted songwriting, there was nowhere else to go after CTTE.
@@billythedog-309
Yes were a fantastic band....progressive, ahead of their time, and fabulous musicians all.
Imagine standing in a large, outdoor crowd, passing around a casual joint while digging the groove of a YES concert. What a wonderful day.
been there, done that in '72.
The fact that this song only reached #13 tells you something about the music that was around back then. We had no idea how good we had it. So many great bands with so much amazing music. Hard to believe now that there was that much variety, experimentation, and creativity in the air back then. There was something for everyone.
A roundabout is a circular intersection, usually with some feature like a fountain, a statue, or a bit of park in the middle. The song is about an outing to a lake, and he's saying he'll take his lady wherever she wants to go that day. She chooses to go see the mountains, so they pack a lunch and go forth to be with nature. I love the imagery in this song, the image of the mountains appearing out of the distance and standing there, laughing in the sun. This came out when I was a kid, and it changed the way I saw nature; it became a living thing with its own soul and thoughts. :)
Not that Jon Anderson's murky lyrics are capable of only one interpretation, but "Roundabout" was composed while the band was returning home to their base in London upon completion of a tour of, I think, Scotland. The road home had lakes, mountains, weather, and lots of roundabout intersections. Anderson and Howe wrote the song during that trip. The elation evident in the song flows from Anderson's thinking he'd get a very, very warm greeting from his girlfriend when he got home.
In other Roundabout lore, a great prog rock joke emanated from Roundabout after Greg Lake from ELP had put on way too many extra pounds. "In and around Greg Lake, mountains come out of the sky and they stand there".
@@Yesquire0, you my friend are dead on! All while Jon was smoking a joint watching in amazement.
They kicked off 1971 in grand style, starting with 'The Yes Album.' The album was brimming with expansive, energetic, and hook-filled rockers like “Yours Is No Disgrace,” “Starship Trooper,” and “I’ve Seen All Good People.”
By the end of 1971, Yes were firing on all cylinders and they delivered the second half of their one-two punch with 'Fragile.' A superlative sustained musical statement, it saw the band framing [Jon] Anderson’s fanciful, sci-fi-laced themes with wildly inventive and hyper-aggressive arrangements. It didn’t hurt that Yes were sitting on a sublime collection of melodic gems - most notably “Roundabout” and “Long Distance Runaround” - that hit radio playlists with deadly aim. Within months of its release, 'Fragile' reached Number Seven in the U.K. and Number Two in the U.S. - Excerpts from Guitar Player
@@bookhouseboy280 WELL ARTICULATED MAN, " FAR OUT MAN", DOESN'T GET BETTER WITH THEIR LINE UP OF MUSCHIANSHIP PROGRESSIVE TALENT.....
With being 66 I grew up with this band and heard many times' TURN YOUR MUSIC DOWN and loved growing up in the 60's and 70's...
It would have been wrong to turn it down,lol…🤘😀
I’m 67. My mother complained that the paneling in our house was loose because of how loud I cranked it up down in the basement.
You just got a dose of classical guitar, funk, latin, jazz, gospel, rock and harmony all in one package, and perfectly done.
This was a time when musicians, of all genres, knew how to play their instruments, were influenced by all forms of music and didn't rely on computers.
A bit of Classical Boroque mixed in there too, and African Beats in the percussion dominant section.
YES, the greatest show on earth. I've been dancing to Roundabout for 53 years. Yours Is No Disgrace is a tribute to the Vietnam vets. You will love it
✨️🎶🙏🎶✨️
Yes is the quintessential prog rock band. For this old rocker, it’s still as fresh today as it was when I first heard it in ‘71.
Let me add, if you want to truly listen to the greatest voice ever to grace our world, look up Jon Anderson singing: SOON. OMG! ABSOLUTELY AMAZING AND SO BEAUTIFUL! Again, enjoy children. 💕
From '68 to '74 there is so much great music. I'm feel so blessed and happy I was there at the time.
70 year old Brit here. Yes was part of the British classic prpgressive rock music. Yes, Genesis, King Crimson, ELP, Pink Floyd all releasing banger albums at the same time. You can add in many others too - Atomic Rooster, Gong, Gentle Giant, Van Der Graf Generator, Renaissance, Curved Air, UFO, Hawkwind and, as you noted other genres including Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Cream, Led Zepellin, Free, Ten Years After, The Stones, David Bowie . Great time to be in your late teens and living in the UK.
Oh come on! They were all here in the USA hitting every venue there was. And I had a front row seat. 8 more days…72 😂 wasn’t it great?
Not forgetting Camel, Soft Machine etc too (incidentally if anyone's a Soft Machine fan I actually live in Snodland 😉 )
Gong😂😂😂 have a cup of tea!!!!😂😂😂
I literally cut my musical teeth on Yes. My brother is 8 years older than I am. Yes has sooooo much t explore, guys...the bassist, Chris Squire, is the GOAT. ❤😊
ruclips.net/video/IibI0B0MDcU/видео.html
This is why the 60"s to the 90"s were the best time for music.
Corey, your million dollar smile says it all. I have the same smile every time I hear this track, my first YES LP.
The musicianship of these guys is next level! I call this Prog rock on steroids.
I’m 56, this is the “real” Yes. I grew up with this sound, I am so grateful for having rich music like this and early Chicago. We got Pop Yes and Chicago in the 80’s
It’s great to hear you guys love the richness of their true origins…
The fact that this was #13 tells you all you need to know about the quality of the music back then. We were so fortunate to live during a time when music was so rich and diverse. Amazing time to grow up!
So I’m 68 this was my vinyl highlight deep!!! Thankyou for listening and enjoying it!! Hello from Australia
The baseline in this song is monstrous
The best guitar and bass players. No doubt.
Yes is ear candy! Listen to "And You And I" next! Then "Close To The Edge". It will blow your mind!
And You And I!❤❤❤❤❤
The songs are shorter now, sure. But what makes the prog rock of the 70's so special what the virtuosity of the players. Everyone in the band was a master of their instrument. So much creativity!!
Crazy that four guys can go into a room together and come up with such awesome compositions
Five guys, not four. Let's count them down, like Deadpool counting his limited bullets. 1. Anderson; 2. Howe; 3. Squire; 4; Wakeman; and 5. Bruford.
YES is one of those bands that has left us with a music catalog for the ages! Praise, praise and more praise for YES
King Crimson (Cat Food, 21st Century Schizoid Man, Crimson King) you guys are mature enough now
I don’t knooooow(?) That just may be too deep off the edge. BUT… I’m in for sure. They’re #1 for me.
All my teen years were spent in the 70's subculture. Roundabout is a masterpiece. It's one of those works of art where you know the first time you hear it that it is unique and will always be a masterpiece. So glad you guys enjoyed it.
I saw big smiles! Try 'I've Seen All Good People' and 'Yours is no Disgrace' next.
It's always been my favorite YES song..... So glad you all enjoyed it. Yeah, great music! And the harmonies on top of all the instruments. 💜😎👍
Roundabout is about as good as it gets in any genre. I loved your reaction.
I'm 70 now! Yes! Seen them live twice! Their stage presence and older light shows rival pink Floyd! You all must go on a journey with YES - the earlier years from about 1968 to the earlier 80's! YES is outstanding and well worth many many listenings! Progressive Rock-N-Roll music and Jon Anderson's voice is from another time and world! Superb quality in everything they did! Their sound is unique. Enhance and enjoy children! 😉
It completely transforms me back to 71 each and every time.
Heart of the Sunrise - it's a must hear!
Like Olli said, “The Brits don’t miss”
The 70s had hits coming onto the radio every day.
Listening to one of the great rock bassist, Chris Squier. His sound is a big as he was at 6'4".
Roundabout is funk-jazz-rock magic. I love the harmonics carried through every instrument and voice - just beautiful!
Every single song on The Yes Album is worthy of your listening. Then CLOSE TO THE EDGE is incredible! I bought The Yes Album in 7th grade when it first was released. It changed my life; it blew my mind open.
I agree it's a crime that it only reached 13 on Billboard. The problem was that they were ahead of their time! They were the forerunners of Progressive Rock. Even "Rush" says they were inspired by Yes, as were many bands in the 70's, 80's 90's. Every member of the band was a phenomenal musician.
I’ve been listening to this for 50 yrs I had tears of shear joy in my eyes watching the look on these 2 gentlemen’s faces when they got to enjoy this for the first time you could see the appreciation in their faces. One of the best instrumental arrangements of the 70s. What a jam
My best friend from Junior high just died. I'm the last of Mohicans from a pack of ten.
Memories of jamming out with my buddies .....are beyond my vocabulary.
Thank you for letting me jam with you.
Divided we lose battles.... United We the People will win the war. 🇺🇸
Dire straits , sultans of swing , the fast live version.
Most of my best friends are gone also . It’s just not the same anymore. 🥲🙏💕
❤️
Once I was asked, “What is the greatest rock song ever.” Without hesitation I answered, Roundabout, no doubt. All that great music out there in the 70s but this is special!
Thank y'all SO much for listening to this with me. When you listen to it live, you'll never do the studio version again.
As others have alluded, Roundabout is typical of the "real" YeS. It's called Roundabout because it was written while a day away from returning home from a road tour. "In and around the lake, mountains come out of the sky...", "Call it morning driving through the sun and in and out the valley"; it's a song about their drive home. Roundabouts are called "traffic circles" here in the States.
Give a listen to any of the pre-90125 YeS releases and you may be in for many more pleasant surprises!
As a Yes fan for more than 45 years when you said “Wow” just made my day 😆👍🎹
I was 20 when this came out. I was in a working band. And I was stunned back then when this hit FM radio. Today, in August 2024, listening to it now, I'm stunned again. Why is this great? Because Chris Squire was great. So was Jon Anderson. So was Steve Howe. And especially Rick Wakeman. Some people don't like "prog." They obviously know nothing about real music and musicians. Yes was a brilliant group. Glad to see that you understand.
This is most definitely their best song! I was in grade school when I first heard this song, I'm 65 now!
Omg so much funk! The baseline is just so relentless.
One of my very first concerts. I think I was 10.
Thanks for listening to this one guys. It’s a masterpiece.
I saw them in the 80's in a college gymnasium. Mid-way through, they did a little break where each member did a solo. It was unreal. So glad you reacted to this and enjoyed it. It is a work of art.
I grew on 70's Yes. By the time they got to their 80's Owner of a Lonely Heart phase, I was like, nah, Yes is so over, Man. But you have to recognize that the musicians in Yes are some of the best in the business. Steve Howe on guitar. Bill Bruford on the drums. Chris Squire on bass. It's all beautiful.
YES, YES, YES! I was 6 when the Beatles hit the US, so I grew up during the Revolution. I will never forget waking up one morning to my clock radio to catch my bus to high school in the early 70's, and this was the tune I woke up to. A true unequaled incomparable masterpiece to this day. Check out the live performance by YES at their Rock n Roll Hall of Fame induction where they played this. It lost nothing over 5 decades.
Every one of these guys is a virtuoso on their particular instrument and/or as vocalist. What impressed me more, both in person and on live videos, is how much they genuinely enjoyed playing together. I like to say about things like this: if I am ever this good at doing something I hope I enjoy it as much as they do.
Holy Wow!! I'm so grateful to have stumbled across you two - the only likely reason RUclips brought this up on my page was because of how much I listen to Yes. I've been a huge fan since the early 70s. Now I'm in my early 70s and watching you two youngsters enjoy this song for the first time is a genuine thrill. When I first opened this video, I thought "Really? These two cats are listening to Yes?" But Cory's smile said it all right up front. Between that smile and Fenom's index finger, your musical intelligence became evident very quickly. Loved everything you had to say, and once again, I am left with such gratitude for all of the amazing music I had the privilege of growing up with. Thank You Gentlemen.
Awesome reaction. You can’t compare this song-from the ‘70s-to Owner of a Lonely Heart, from the ‘90s. They were establishing themselves and inventing prog rock with Roundabout. They reinvented themselves with this Owner and the album 90125. Both are exciting and intensely engaging, So impressive that a band can stay fresh over 40 years.
I think this song didn’t go higher on the charts because it was too long to get much airplay. And it was groundbreaking. It woke us up to the possibilities of music.
Owner of a Lonely Heart was 1983, not the '90s.
I love these channels! People stepping outside their comfort zones and really allowing the music to speak to them in surprising ways. I'm a life long Yes fan and a fan of Progressive Rock at large. Thank you for sharing this with us!❤
I saw Yes 4 times in the 70s, and they were even better live! Such musicianship
That this song only made #13 on the list is a testament to how great the music of that year actually was.
You guys have graduated to Master's degree level music!!
Glad you enjoyed. Sounds like jam, but it's a carefully constructed artifact. The main genius involved (surrounded by amazing musicians), the arranger, 16:29 was the bassist, Chris Squire. Astounding bass player.
Yes!! I had the good fortune to see this done live (twice) with the full original Yes line up.
Legendary!
Not the "original" line-up but their "classic" line-up.
You know it's good when you guys just kepp smiling ! Chris Squire has been my bass mentor forever 😊 You nailed it with the "colours of the jam" comment - it adds so much depth and feeling. Nice one guys
I have seen Yes live several times, and they nail it live too. When Yes was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, they played this song with Geddy Lee of Rush on bass, as sadly Chris Squire had passed away. Geddy Lee is one of the famous bass players that were inspired by Chris Squire.
Their stamina on stage is incredible. The one time I saw them in concert, not including the break they played for nearly 3 hours, it was just incredible. Jon was especially talkative in between songs and that was really fun too. And yes, they played this song.
The lyrics for the song was inspired by sitting in a Round-about (aka Traffic Circle) and just looking around and observing the scenery. It is the amazing musical composition that makes it stand out.
Recs:
1) Keep to the studio versions of YES' masterpieces, their studio effects were _special_
2) Listen to *Yours Is No Disgrace* next, followed by *Starship Trooper* two of YES' Top 5 Masterpieces of their earlier Uber Classic Period. You will be amazed...
I don't really disagree with you, but when "Fragile" came out, a lot of rock critics reviewed it by saying the songs were complex and lovely, but could never be played live due to their complexity and length. So the three record live album, "Yessongs", was released, showcasing all the songs the critics had said Yes could never play live. The Yessongs versions of the album tunes have audio shortcomings due to the ancient tech that existed back then. They are a bit muddled and have way too much concert hall echo in them, but the energy and musicianship are tremendous, and they are still very much a great listen.
@@Yesquire0 They're definitely worth a view, but I think it's crazy to suggest them to first time listeners as their first exposure to YES' masterpieces. I say that mostly because the thing that makes YES unique is how they blended incredible complexity into their creations, which takes a lot of focus to fully appreciate. The visuals actually distract the viewer from the sounds going into their ears. Once you've heard several of their studio masterpieces is when I think a new YES fan is ideally ready for the visuals, as they'll already know that studio perfection. That's my opinion...
@@JJ8KK Agree -- but don't forget that Yessongs was a 3-record set before it was a video, and in fact that film has somewhat different versions of the songs. You can listen to Yessongs without any visuals to distract you.
Y'all's reaction was the same as I had when I first listened to Roundabout and the Fragile album. Spot on, gentlemen. Liking and subscribing!
The smiles on your faces warms my heart. yes always makes me smile, too.
I was born in 1958 and 60’s 70’ like you said it was the instrumental that made music , you guys are right on the money on your reactions
As someone who has seen Yes about 20 times (in various formations since 1977, long story), I admit I sometimes got a bit weary of Yes playing Roundabout as an encore, which they have done thousands of times, but this is the song that really put then on the map.
Soon, you'll be ready to explore the power and majesty of GENESIS.
Just thinking, hear the opening notes of LD Runaround or Yours is No Disgrace and .. should I? Then I'll follow, dunno, Squire through the piece, and a 900th listen was worthwhile. Only saw them 3x starting with the Going For the One tour (brilliant show).
@@danmayberry1185
GFTO Tour was also my first Yes concert.
Siberian Khatru is my favorite Yes song.
The bass line on that song is one of my favorites. Chris was on fire!
The single version of "Roundabout", which was what went to #13 on the Billboard was only 3:27 long. FM AOR (album oriented rock) stations would play the album cut, but the sales and play of the single was what influenced the chart.
A journey through various landscapes and experiences,often interpreted as a metaphor for life’s twists and turns.
Funny fact: Sherman Hemsley (actor who played George Jefferson) was a HUGE Yes fan (and tremendous music nerd in his own right) and wrote & recorded a never-released album with them before he died.
Just the tip of the iceberg. Yes in the 70’s made glorious music. You really can’t go wrong with anything you listen to next. Try “Starship Trooper,” from the preceding album.
So happy that this music is reaching a new generation.
Listen to Close to the Edge.
It's their greatest album.
YES will forever live in music history.
The whole album is spectacular.
You guys are absolutely correct!!! Music from the heart and soul and for the heart and soul. Computers have no soul
There really is no best song by YES. They've incorporated so many different influences while being influential themselves. A brief list of must-listen-to songs from their catalog would be 'I've Seen All Good People' from the Yes Album (1971), 'Sweet Dreams' from the LP Time and a Word (1970) and the instrumental 'Tempus Fugit' from the LP Drama (1980). Along with King Crimson and Emerson Lake & Palmer, Yes were among the original pioneers of progressive rock that would inspire bands like Rush and Dream Theater. It's a hell of a rabbit hole, but worth a dive. Great reaction, guys!
"I've seen all good people", "Rhythm of Love", "It can happen", "Leave it"... there is so much great music from this band!!!
Banger Banger Banger Banger