Jon Anderson and Steve Howe intentionally took a different approach to lyric writing on this epic, quite simply, this is piece is an expression of the struggle towards enlightenment. Anderson and Howe were Buddhist vegans and wanted to bring an uplifting spirituality into Rock songwriting. Narrative lyrics would not do..this is an impressionistic approach to words, and yes, very deep meaning. Those who say it is nonsense are not listening and have never heard of Herman Hesse James Joyce or Beckett, not to worry. The journey here is sublime, one feels that one has gone into a very deep inner state and returned in a few seconds with a sense of missing time These guys succeeded in accomplishing exactly what they had set out to do. . TAKE YOU THERE AND BRING YOU BACK.. . Masterpiece....
Absolutely Mark! Totally. Like look on the flip side of this album: And You and I - what clarity! So much awareness. When I first heard this album back when it came out I was blown away by the pure Spiritual immersion of the experience. And here we are 50 years on and still - "Sad preacher nailed upon the coloured door of time. Insane teacher be there reminded of the rhyme. There are no mutant enemies we will certify. Political ends as sad remains will die. Reach out as forward tastes begin to enter you." I am writing that from memory so I hope I got the words right. Peace and Light to all Beings, both animate and inanimate. Thanks Mark, for your comment, Magnus
Really dude I mean it is one of my favorite songs ever but at times nonsensical the whole seasoned witch bit for one and do not give me your interpretation I have my own thanks but its close to gibberish at times thats cool though I still love it.
I can understand that this makes some sense if you come into it having read Hesse. Most of us haven't and never will. Anderson himself says that with parts of this song he was writing metaphors that fit the rhythms of the song. There might have been an internal logic there, but it was just Anderson's and Howe's logic. The other guys, Squire principally, didn't bother trying to find out what it was he was singing back up for. Ultimately the greatness of this song is its composition, its exploration and development of various themes and the consummate virtuosity of the musicians. I really don't care about the lyrics here, and after listening to this band for over 40 years, the fact that they're mostly incomprehensible does not matter at all. Considering the collaborative composition of this song and its enduring commercial success, it's sad that only Anderson and Howe got writing credit (and royalties) for it. I think they tried to make some amends 20 years on, but still.
@@Azabaxe80 I appreciate your perspective, and as I said, if you seek a linear narrative, you will find none. But nevertheless, no writer writes nonsense for it's own sake, but it is true that part of lyric writing is about the 'musicality' of the words, and I agree that they were serving the music, but ALSO keeping a through-line to the script from start to finish. There is still a 'poetic' logic, especially the last phrases; "On the hill we viewed the silence of the valley, called to witness cycles only of the past, and we reach all of this with movements in between the said remark." -The whole journey is contained within a moment..
@@markjohnson4217 If I sounded dismissive earlier I apologize. What I really meant to say was that the lyrics here are so obfuscating that to spend time looking for meaning in them might be counterproductive if you want to enjoy the song as a whole. That's certainly my take. As for my very casual and half hearted understanding of those words, I haven't read Hesse, only a Wiki description of the plot. It seems that the scene in the last section of the song (..I shook my head and smiled a whisper knowing all about the place...) was inspired by the conclusion of the story. Siddhartha's smile when he helps Govinda attain enlightenment ("now that you're whole") by the river's edge is what gives it away. He knows all about the place, meaning that time (seasons) and his experiences and emotions (up/down) are all illusory but still part of an endless flowing cycle of nature. Like a river. Constantly moving in place.
Great choice and reaction to this masterpiece (often regarded as the best prog. rock song ever done). I heard this (as a 12-year-old) soon after it came out in '72, and I was hooked. I'm now 60 and I still play it regularly (even more so now with Wilson's recent 5.1 mix). When I later read Herman Hesse's book "Siddhartha" (as an 18-year-old, having read that it inspired Anderson's lyrics) the overall theme became less abstract and made sense. The opening with the peaceful sounds of nature, followed by the chaos of individual life in human society, the search for spiritual enlightenment, the notion that it cannot be found in human society ("Then according to the man who showed his outstretched arm to space, He turned around and pointed, revealing all the human race, I shook my head and smiled a whisper, knowing all about the place"), and ending with the sounds of nature one again (the Buddhist idea of enlightenment as being one with nature). Kudos to you for tackling it (and the other two songs on the album are wonderful too!, hint hint).
i took my nephew to see yes for his 13th birthday ,, i already spoke fluent yes and had seen decades of shows,,, the kid and i were front row right in front of steve howe i was a mere 52ish,,,,,his mind was blownnnnnnnnnn,,ps he gotta pick lol
psbarrow, same here. CTTE first listen at 12 in 1972. I work with much younger people now and when the "Favorite Song" question comes up I always say CTTE. You can imagine the strange looks I get. Still my favorite after all these years.
We had access to some great hallucinogenics back in the day. Studies have shown arts and self reflection accelerate with them. Michael Pollan has a great book out recently-ish on it.
Thanks so much--even as an old guy, I can relate to what you are seeing/hearing in the music! I was 13 in 1973 when I got Close to the Edge on vinyl. I loved half of it right away but not the other half. It wasn't that I didn't like "that other half." It was that I was puzzled, and I was strongly motivated to figure "that other half" out. "I hear violins," thought I. "I don't see any violin players listed on the back." Much later, I learned that they were Mellotron strings. In a way, they WERE real violins--tapes of three guys recording violin notes in an apartment and later transferred to 8 second tape loops within the Mellotron. "It sounds like the bass notes of a piano," I thought as I listened to Chris Squire's bass line on Siberian Khatru. And so on. I applaud your interpretation of the music AND the lyrics and I think you have a solid handle on both of the aforementioned. I think I remember reading that Jon Anderson himself (maybe in Tim Morse's book ' Yes: In their Own Words"?) interpreted his own lyrics (and the band's music) on Close to the Edge long after he had written and recorded the album. There is a point where the church organ runs/arpeggios give way to a kind of Moog fanfare that descends down to a B (starting at round 31:34 on your video). I remember reading that Jon Anderson said that the Moog overtaking the church organ represents a new way of looking at modern life, where religion (church organ)has been superseded by science (Mini-Moog solo) or something like that--I could be totally wrong about that!. Anyway, It's great to see an intelligent and open-minded young guy delving into this music and really trying to see what is there, and there is a ton of stuff! Well done sir!
As a 63 year old Black woman, who was blessed to have been raised in Detroit (many American radio stations, and a lot of canadian stations,), YES has yanked me through my hormonal-challenged teen years. Oh, and that 'white noise...is water.
Anderson indicated that the lyrics are inspired by Hesse's Siddhartha; the piece portrays the spiritual quest, emerging from chaos (as you noted) toward transcendence
You remind me of a younger me. A much younger me in 1975. Upstairs in my bedroom, in my parents house. This music inspired me. This music enlightened me. My interpitaion of Jon Andersons lyrics is VERY personal to me, and of the time I first heard them. They can be profound. They can confound. I get up. I get down... So glad you like this. :)
I always found the intro to Close to the Edge absolutely magical. I imagine I am running through a forest and dodging bushes and plants, and then take a leap over a stream. It's absolutely brilliant and Steve's guitar playing makes total sense. Still got no idea what the song is about but its certainly stood the test of time. The answer is YES!
"I crucified my hate and held the word within my hands" "How many millions do we deceive each day" "The time between the notes relates the color to the scene, a constant vogue of triumphs dislocate man so it seems, and space between the focus shape, ascend knowledge of love, as song, and chance develop time lost social temperance rules above" these are a few of the phrases that speak to me from the song, which to me, is a lyrical masterpiece which a 10,000 page book could be written. I heard this at 14 when it first came out, and after hearing it 1000+ times I am still in awe of this singular masterpiece of sound and voice. I knew at the time that this was unique in musical history. Just wait until you get to Tales From Topographic Oceans, and Going For The One, and the rest of Relayer. Please don't forget to listen to Yessongs with all the live versions, which are exclusively enhanced Masterpieces in and of themselves. Yours Is No Disgrace from Yessongs will blow you away. The music of Yes will alter you forever.
michael york after hearing CTTE, the first lyric I had to memorize was "Then according to the man who showed his outstretched arm to space, He turned around and pointed, revealing all the human race, I shook my head and smiled a whisper, knowing all about the place". I'm not sure why.
Great choice! I remember fellow 'music head' students in my Jersey high school going crazy for this release (i'm 59, Class of '79)! Funny, but back then, kids used to actually bring their favorite albums to school, and show them off to friends at their lockers before, in between, or after classes! There was no social media back then. Heck, the 'original social media' (CB radio) just started to gain popularity at the time. Anywho, I remember lots of kids bringing 'Close To The Edge' to school with them, and examining the album artwork and inner sleeve at their lockers. Often, teachers would pause and get it on the 'album conversation' in the hallway! Such great memories! Check out 'Pseudo Silk Kimono/Kayleigh' by Marillion, or 'Under The Milky Way' by The Church, when you get a chance. Cheers!
YES and Steely Dan were my two favorite groups growing up when the music was new and I was fortunate to see the original YES perform numerous times. To me their music contained the power to explore life in general and that it had healing powers to it.
your comment about lyrics is spot on mate....some lyrics have a specific intent or story while others are more ethereal and are like fine art...each person has their own interpretation....well done mate...peace
Well done, man! This is one of the musical monuments of 20th century! Musicianship and creativity at their peak. In terms of prog rock, maybe only three or four songs (I think about Supper's Ready, Shine on You Crazy Diamond, Dogs, Thick as a Brick) can even the score.
Hey, perfect timing:) I just reacted (2 minutes ago) to Thick as a Brick for the first time... Thanks for watching, hope to see you around:) More Yes is on the way!
I would highly recommend reading Siddhartha if you're obsessed with this song as I am. You can hear the song in your subconscious triggered from the poetry within the book story, the way he constructed the lyrics makes total sense. So much to unpack.
Gates of Delirium is the only song I’ve blasted in my car with the windows down. Close to the Edge is the only song that makes me cry every single time I listen to it. Gates is impressive, Edge is just absolutely beautiful
Great reaction!! The first time I saw Yes live was on the Close to the Edge tour in 1973, and still one of the greatest concerts I've ever been to. Most recent time I saw them was in 2016 as Anderson, Wakeman and Rabin, and they were as great as ever!!! It's great to see your expressions as the music flows; it shows the wheels turning in your head recognizing the complexity of this production. When you first hear Yes at 12 with "All Good People", then "Roundabout", and then "Close to the Edge" at 14, it sets a standard that makes it hard for anything afterwards to match this. I recommend on your own to listen to Yessongs, which is this entire concert. Rick Wakeman's keyboard solo is epic!!!!! If you want another epic progressive rock performance, check out Emerson, Lake and Palmer's Karn Evil 9, all three impressions.
Speaking of guitar, Steve Howe won 5 Guitar Player Magazine Best Overall Guitarist awards in a row. He was the first member in the GPM Hall of Greats and can't win any more awards. He's in the hall with Steve Morse and Eric Johnson. He truly deserves all of the awards. He can basically play anything with strings, and has influences from far and wide. His solo stuff -- I recommend "The Steve Howe Album" -- isn't very Yes like, but it's not un or anti Yes. What you hear on TSHA is spread very lightly throughout the Yes songs.
To do the analysis of Yes is really training wheels off. All the band members are rock legends. Loved them from the '70s. Only saw them once in concert. So awesome......
My absolute favourite by YES. The chaotic beginning that then turns into something astonishingly beautiful - with an actually tight groove for a prog band... This entire piece is so masterfully constructed, it probably is the best example of good prog-rock. Thanks for your thoughts.
From Roundabout: “mountains come out of the sky and they STAND THERE!” Yeah, I’ve never gotten their lyrics either. But I love their music. I am blessed that I grew up with their music in my teen years. They were balm to my soul then and now.
Different days different images that is why I love it day one till now but it is fun to see someone hear it for the first time like you would have shared it back then.
@@wb1985 apparently there is a Japanese game or animae that uses Roundabout as its theme music? A new generation is being turned on to YES. Check out the Rick Beato interview of jon Anderson? You can find it on RUclips.
Listen to this album in your bed, at night, with your headphones. When we had stereo systems, the light from the system being the only light in the room ==== great mood. You also have to watch Yes live just to watch Steve Howe use 3 different guitars within a single song.
Musically it's like a symphony: You have an overture, then the themes are brought into the first movement. Then the second movement, with the same themes as the first movement just presented in a different way. I get Up i get down is the slow third movement, with New themes presented. Then the final movement with part from the first 3 movements brought together in a furious finale.
Speaking of covering this song, I stumbled into a RUclips channel called Band Geeks that cover this and several Yes songs...note perfect in a basement. Again seeing Yes do this live was incredible. The ending crescendo still gives me chills.
Band Geeks..oooh yeah. I clicked on it thinking “Ha! How could these kids with a female singer POSSIBLY cover CTTE even remotely as excellent as Yes’ original?” Welp? I ate my words. They are fantastic, and her voice is perfect for Yes songs...she never over sings or tries too hard. She just sings it with grace and beauty. And her husband, Ritchie does the bass lines to the T. They’re all great, actually! Check em out, when you can! Actually...🤔...wouldn’t it be fun and unusual to react to a cover band doing a Yes song? Oh PLEASE think about it!🙏
"Close your eyes and listen." As most of us Yes fans well know, Yes music requires the listener to immerse themselves, with repeated listenings, and within the privacy of one's own head; therefore to allow the music to carry you on a journey within one's own soul. With Peace and Love to all! (Michael)
Have been listening to this song for more than 40 years and still not sure what the lyrics mean. But I don’t care anymore. It’s just a great listening experience! But to be fair, those lyrics haunted me and sent me searching for their meaning. Jon is very spiritual and all his lyrics reflect that. I think I will give those lyrics another look see. I’m sure they will make a lot more sense to me after a lifetime of seeking after spiritual truth. And oh, can you just imagine seeing them perform this classic live? I have and can tel you it is almost indescribable. This is MY band!
I always treated the lyrics like poetry and, like good poems, the lyrics have stayed with me through the decades. I still sing - well, sort of - along, loving the flow of words, backed by the sublime musicality of the band.
"That bass is awesome" -- yeah, you got it, you understood the song, that's all you have to say. That bass IS awesome. Chris Squire was the best ever, RIP
Per Jon Anderson: "The lyrics, 'Season witch could call you from the depths of your disgrace,' I realized what I was singing was all about the idea that your higher self will always save you if you keep your heart in the right place,"
Attaching meaning to a song as it relates to you...very good! I enjoy cryptic lyrics. It's okay to think sometimes and not have everything handed to you. Great review!
I think about how boring and one-sided life would be if our analysis of lyrics were all the same. Even after knowing a song for many many years, anothers thoughts can bring new light to me.
There's definitely meaning to be derived from Jon Anderson's lyrics, but they are written in a way that allows many interpretations. Frank Zappa said some words in his music were "pitched mouth noises," and the literal meanings were less important than the feelings the sounds provoke. Yes's lyrics are like this frequently.
I saw them in 72, I was 17. Every song perfect, UNBELIEVABLE !!!!!!!!!!!! WAtch live " the BEST of YES = " YESSONGS" 1974,,, The best LIVE MUSIC EVER !!!!!!!! THANKS..
The whole thing was inspired supposedly by the legend of Siddartha Gautama (more commonly known by his title of "Buddha," which means 'the Enlightened One') and his travels to find a way of attaining perfection of mind, body, and soul through meditation, veganism, and just generally being a good person. Special mention goes to Herman Hesse's Siddartha, since in an interview, Howe (I think it was Howe at any rate) credited the book with increasing his understanding, renewing his vigor in Buddhism, and inspiring him to make this song with Anderson and the rest. The logo "CLOSE TO THE EDGE" if you look close enough, resembles two shut eyes, like those of the Buddha (or anyone really), in meditation. The green is supposed to represent the feelings of tranquility and consciousness being expanded, leading to oneness with the cosmos.
me neither...."Drama" was a nice detour for this group, and the songwriting is amazing on it..."Tempus Fugit", "Does It Really Happen?", and, "Run Through The Light" are highlights...
Play Close to the Edge? Easy. Just get comfortable using a Wal triple-neck bass, get acclimatised to playing D harmonic minor scale in the midst of competing juxtaposed polyrhythmic polychords, get a keyboard player that can arpeggio the same guitar riff backwards at double speed, find a world-class drummer and you’re off…
As an afterthought i remember reading that jon anderson had some random recordings when he started out musically, i believe the intro excerps and the outro exerpts are his recorings? and the album cover artist Roger Dean"s cat walked across the painting, you can clearly see its footpaw prints close to the edge of green black area?
I can sing the whole song verbatim, and yet I’m still not sure what it “means.” Try “On The Silent Wings Of Freedom.” I haven’t seen anyone react to this hidden gem. Possibly the best bass song ever. Or try “South Side Of The Sky” for something more similar to TCCE.
Like I said. it's not just a Yes song, it's *the* Yes song. It's really more of a suite, as you have figured with the different sections having names. Sometimes, there is a cut and paste nature to their songs where different ideas are somehow brought into one song and they managed to make it a whole. Sometimes, you can see the join but that's as much a reflection of the state of recording technology in 1972. Those three keyboard notes that cue in the rest of the band after the pipe organ is there to mask the cut because they lost the tap of the take they really wanted to use. Jon Anderson is a very spiritual guy. Jon Anderson's lyrics come from a particular time and his main influence here came from Siddharta. The main thrust is finding your own path and the river is a fixture in the story that book tells .Other parts not so much. Steve Howe brought the "white lace" lyrics from another song and then Jon added the "two million people" part himself, riffing off of Howe's ideas. And then there is the music itself. How about that pipe organ? Those beasts can produce notes so low you feel them rather than hearing them. Same goes for the minimoog the Wakeman lays over the top. They would perform the whole thing live and rocked their socks off doing it. The sheer concentration that must require! Bill Brufford, the drummer, quit immediately after. He said that they could never top that (there were other factors) and joined King Crimson. He was right. They did great things after this but, for me, this is the high water mark, the point where their grasp finally matched their reach.
This song is like a Bible parable. As you get older and your life changes this song will speak to you differently almost every time you hear it. It might be the greatest song ever. Just my opinion glad you found it
I bought "The Yes Album," "Fragile," "Close to the Edge," and "The Yes Album" in my teens when they came out. The members really were all pure masters of their instruments, Steve Howe especially. I'm a rock guitar player and I totally think Steve Howe is the Best Overall Guitar Player in the history of modern pop/rock music. That's how good he is.
My best interpretation out of the gibberish is that the title could have been "Close to the Edge of Enlightenment." He's close, but not quite there. Close to the Edge is all of side one. Side Two is two other fantastic songs, "And You and I" and "Siberian Khataru." "And You and I" is also a multiple part song. But all the parts make up the whole.
I admire your goal of digging into the lyrics of great classics like this Yes epic. I suggest you do what you mentioned early in the video. The first introduction I I had to Yes was this I listened to that song many times before I understood what the the words meant for me. I can't tell what they will mean for you, but if you follow the path you've set for yourself and continue to explore Jon Andersons poetic lyrics you'll find your meaning.
INTERPRETATION. The 4 sections are one narrative, no not 4 separate songs. Before I can explain my interpretation, I need to set the context, or it won’t make sense. CTTE is loosely based on the novel Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse, which in turn is inspired by the tale of the Buddha. The novel SIDDHARTHA: The plot follows the title character’s lifelong search for enlightenment and spiritual fulfillment. In life he experiences the bad (poverty, suffering) and the good (comfort, wealth), but laments that neither brings him fulfillment. Depressed and disillusioned, he goes to the river, experiences a long meditative sleep, and wakes up, ‘semi-enlightened’. He lives out his life by the river, as the river somehow inspires and enables him to find more answers for enlightenment. Skip forward, and he finally one day comes to the big realization that all his experiences, both the good and the bad, the comfort and suffering, frustration and joy, are all integral parts of the beautiful orderly spiritual universe, and time just is an illusion. The conclusion is that if you can embrace both the good and the bad parts of life as valuable and essential, then you can find fulfillment. On to CTTE: INTRO (instrumental): From nature’s peace comes mankind’s chaos. Nature sounds open the song, and we are quickly thrown in to a chaos. THE LYRICS: The first half of the song, the narrator seeks answers, exploring different paths to enlightenment. Like Siddhartha, he experiences the good and the bad, cycles through frustration and satisfaction, spiritualism and materialism. Each section end with the narrator lamenting and and complaining “I get up, I get down”, as in: “Whenever I find good (the ups) I also find the bad (the downs)”. Neither brings fulfillment. Like Siddhartha, the disillusioned narrator goes into meditation, pondering his big questions. During the meditation, he comes to an epiphany. He realizes that ‘I get up, I get down’ is not the question or problem - it is THE ANSWER! He reaches the same conclusion as Siddhartha: don’t be frustrated by life’s ups and downs, embrace them both as valuable and essential parts of life. Once you see this, you will have inner peace. After realizing this, “I get up, I get down” is no longer uttered as a lament or a complaint - it is uttered as a jubilant joyful realization. He yells this epiphany at the top of his lungs, and the majestic church organ comes in like a mighty beacon to signal this momentous realization. The main theme from the beginning reprises and the narrator returns for one last verse, where he concludes his story. Now that he is ‘whole” he can live out his seasons, and be at peace with the ups and downs to come. Yes, it’s very hippy-dippy, but Anderson’s lyrics are sufficiently (and purposely) vague that you can apply them to anything relatable in your life. Yes song “Awaken” has a similar idea and structure, but is musically very different. It is “Close to the Edge v2.0”. FINAL THOUGHTS: In the early part of the song you focused on “music” being a fundamental theme of the lyrics. I see the use of the word “‘music” to be metaphorical, possibly for wisdom or teachings. Let me break down the first stanza: The “seasoned witch” may be a metaphor for a priest or prophet, or the concept of organized religion, or any entity falsely claiming to be able to offer peace and salvation. “Seasoned”, because it is experienced and cunning in its craft, and “witch”, because it is deceptive and malignant, thus seasoned witch is a “Cunning demagogue”. This “seasoned witch” may claim to be able to save you from “the depth of your disgrace”. She will rearrange your consciousness, thoughts and mind (which he refers to as liver), with her teachings until you are under the illusion that you are on the path to “solid mental grace” (salvation). To “achieve this”, she will be aided with “music that came ... from afar” (ancient scripture and psalms” ). If you are under the witch’s spell, the narrator encourages you to step away and look for better, deeper answers. You should “Taste the fruit of man”, a reference to the biblical fruit of knowledge. ”Taste the fruit of man, (who was) recorded (in scripture) of “losing all” (ie falling from grace”) in the “hour” of judgement. Step away and choose another the course. That’s just the first stanza. I don’t have energy to proceed with the rest of the song, but with this starting point, you can begin to unravel the sale of Siddhartha.
I was absolutely amazed at what I just read, but then I see your name is Soul Dreamer, so it all makes sense now : ) Seriously though, thank you so much for writing all this. Can't believe it took me this long to read it.
This song goes right to the edge of cohesion in the intro....the rest of the song is an explanation as to why Yes chose to fuse modern art with convention. There are references to turning corners and to flowing rivers. Yes is a gateway to Frank Zappa for the same reasons. signed: the dolphins off the starboard bow.
Some Yes lyrics really are very obscure. I love it, I dont want them to make sense. That being said, much of the time I believe lyrics are somehow religious. You say this is about music, and I believe you. I also enjoy the positivity of Yes and Rush. No stupid aggression, just skill, intelligence, brilliant music and joy.
Jon Anderson wrote this song after reading Hermann Hesse's "Siddhartha." He usually chose his lyrics for their sound as much as for their meaning, but you can almost always draw out a spiritual undercurrent. Here I think he was talking about riding the ups and downs and life in a search for enlightenment. And like the protagonist of "Siddhartha," it's an individual quest, different for everybody.
You found it. Jon Anderson does have meaning behind his lyrics, but he delivers it in a mysterious way. Because it's meant to be discovered, for those who are curious. But the music and his voice are so wonderful that if you don't get any specific meaning, you certainly get a sense of what they're trying to say. You should check out their masterwork Awaken, after you've had a chance to listen to much more of their earlier work.
What's truly amazing is, the fact that Jon Andersen and the group. Amongst all of their other songs. They were able too remember the lyrics. I can see how Rush was heavily influenced by YES... THE WONDERFUL "CLOSE TOO THE EDGE". YOUR REACTION WAS FOOD FOR THOUGHT...🤪✌
The river is the river of life and the seasons of change are reincarnation on the river of life until one finally reaches nirvana. The corners you turn on the river of life are new incarnations on earth.. Being close to the edge is being close to leaving the river of life forever to join with the God head and become the Buddha.
Loving all your reactions just found your Channel a couple of days ago. 2 of my favourite bands are Yes and Steely Dan your doing an awsome Job keep it going
Wonderful interpretation, the stages of creativity. On the first point and the possible reference to the 4 humors (via the liver) I think you may be right. wiki says: The dominant theory of Hippocrates and his successors was that of the four "humors": black bile, yellow bile, phlegm, and blood. When these humors were in balance, health prevailed; when they were out of balance or vitiated in some way, disease took over.
ELP are overblown and pretentious. A "grand slam" might be: Yes, Genesis, Jethro Tull, Pink Floyd and King Crimson. Or Area, Permiata Forneria Marconi, Banco del Mutuo Soccorso, Il Balletto do Bronzo and Le Orme. Rush were great, for a while, but very much second wave. ,
If there's a theme to this song, to me it's life is short, we're all Close to the Edge. I applaud your effort to interpret Daniel and honestly a professor of literature/music couldn't do it any better justice. Lastly this isn't one of my favorite Yes songs the only songs on this album I listen(ed) to are side B, those two songs are two of the greatest pieces of music ever written. Well done.
Your attempt to grasp the meaning of the lyrics is analogous to the quest for self understanding by the subject in the song. As well as being influenced by Hermann Hesse's novel Siddhartha, Anderson was also, musically influenced by the composer Sibelius. Hope you, at some point, continue with the other two songs and recommend Awaken also.
(From Japan) I have interested in each of your channel's contents so much, especially this video. A famous Japanese rock music reviewer says, this album (Close to the edge) is the best album of the Yes without doubt, and I strongly agree his opinion. Anyway, thank you so much for sharing such impressive video!! (^^)v
When trying to decipher Jon's lyrics, I've found that the best default is that he's searching for God. Going too deep can hurt your brain. If you want a real spiritual journey, listen to Awaken, from Going For The One. At the end you'll be emotionally exhausted, but euphoric, and looking for someone to hug.
One of the best versions of Awaken...Anderson alone with a symphony behind him. Awesome...has Gilmore and Hackett moments too. ruclips.net/video/rUZmZEujeE0/видео.html
Good luck you will now listen to this song for the rest of you life, like I have since I heard it live in 1973. The band is like no other. His lyrics are very cosmic and pure poetry. Anderson won several international poetry contests. In the meantime every time you listen to it you will hear something new. They have a bunch of 20 min songs, this ties for my favorite with gates.
First time I heard this was in 1973. I was 8 years old. It was my oldest sister's album. I was always attracted to the album cover. It was in the album bin along with my Sesame Street albums and my dad's 4 Seasons records (BTW --- you should listen to the 4 Seasons!) As an 8 year old, I was also intrigued by a song that took up the length of an album side that was broken in to several sections.
The lyrics of this song have meaning, it just isn't obvious. The combination of the era in which they were written, the culture, history, human nature, existence etc, creates a blend of music/meaning, lyrics/meaning both combined into the meaning of the song. Even if the writer says they don't have a definite meaning when he wrote them, (which they kind of do, although also consider the lyrics like the voice of an instrument) he does not operate in a vacuum and cannot help but be affected by what surrounds him. But you have to just listen and eventually get into the weeds and it takes awhile, it's a journey.
My take, FWIW: the "seasoned witch" Jon is referring to is an LSD trip or other drug experience he had which put him in another 'plain of consciousness', enabling him to see hopeful stuff that pulled him out of a period of depressing thoughts, not an unusual effect of some consciousness-altering drugs. All of this happened at a time when they were listening to "the fruit of man recorded" = music. More drug effects: assessing points to nowhere..experiencing exaltation at a closely examined dewdrop. The drug takes away the plain in which we move and then you're...close to the edge...all of which is lost against the hour as the drug's effects wear off. He then reflects (& probably did during the trip) on his mental experiences during that summer recalling how he was always searching for answers (to call the color of the sky) & notices how he's been replacing his worries with hopeful answers, an optimism that also had something to do with him recognizing that The Master was behind these changes in his perceptions/understanding, which he's been discovering as he's approached close to the edge. So much so that he's feeling that he's past all those negative thoughts that used to make him depressed which are now behind him, resulting in him feeling whole. Then in TotalMR, he reflects on the struggles he had endured "to understand" using logic and conversations with others, a time when he was seeing people (including himself?) victimized by the anger that humans are known for, thus generating armored defenses. As he tried to reason his way through these emotional trials, he realized that he was getting answers/relief/understanding through the grace (manna) of God. Seeing that what caused all this pain & chaos goes all the way back in history. Feeling he's past so much of that, now that he feels whole, he's able to crucify his hate (=fear) that burdened him so previously. He also recalls periodically slipping away from his optimism, back into the old fears, but now realizes that it's just part of the path toward understanding and the hopeful future. Constantly recognizing that the answers he's seeking are blessings from God. The next section leaves behind the reflections on his personal experiences in the past & starts to reflect on global concerns re: The Human Condition, the sadness that many experience, sad, crying women struggling with life, concerned for their children, also recognizing the constant habit people have of deceiving each other, hiding their true selves from others, adding to everyone's confusion. He's also noticing that people everywhere are acting blindly, often deceiving themselves. Then, throwing in that he sees the wisdom in ancient scriptures. He recognizes that God is in charge of those who are in charge of him. He then goes on to a summarizing reflection, observing that in spite of all the progress humans have made, it seems to have 'dislocated' humans who are by and large quite "lost" in social intemperance, etc. In spite of which, knowledge of Love is to be found. Seeing most of the daily anxieties that used to stress him well behind him now, he embraces a future of continuing changes that he feels will all end up taking him to a better place. Oh yeah, and I think when he wrote "called to the seed, right to the sun" I think he meant Son, but wrote it sun to keep things cryptic. Who knows for sure, except Jon Anderson, but that's how I interpret it :)
Duuuuuude this is THE ALBUM OF THE CENTURY! 🙌 Your dad must be cool very cool since he’s the one who started u on the whole yes adventure. 🙏 u rock bro
I bought this album way back in 1969/70 (Whenever that was). It does my musical heart joy to know that 59 years that this masterpiece is still touching another generation
Any Yes fan reading this will probably agree --- one of the best Yes albums ever is not a Yes album, but a 1989 album featuring John Anderson, Bill Bruford, Rick Wakeman and Steve called Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman and Howe. Front to back. "Order of the Universe" is a must listen. Great album front to back! Let's not forget Steve Howe in the supergroup Asia. Check them out!
i agree with your lyric appreciation, but there are some lyrics that Jon introduced just for "the moment", that is really close to the edge?..amazing reaction.
I liked your "what?" with the lyrics. I like Yes lyrics - they are very evocative even if not directly understandable. Steve played a beautiful walnut Gibson ES-345 on this album (and some other odds and ends of course). The next album Relayer goes over the edge and is worth a listen.
Jon Anderson based the lyrics on Herman Hesse's Siddatha, but he also said sometimes he just used words that filled in the music. If you want to know what this song is about, read 'Siddatha' and do what you are doing as a personal interpretation. Don't forget to add in what the music tells you too. I take the chaotic beginning as a struggle to understand. By the end, the lyrics and music is an acceptance of things without judgement but with the ability to deal without the earlier struggle.
I was impressed that you immediately got that the opening was Chaos, and that you just went with it, intuitively trusting that there was meaning in it. A lot of reactors get confused, and a little agitated. You embraced it. That is another thing that makes your channel unique.
greatest song ever, next to WAP
I cannot breath from laughing, thank you for this beautiful comment!:)
Theres a mashup of Bohemian Rhapsody and WAP... Ouch, pretty sure Freddy is rolling in his grave?..
@@prickyX bohemian wapsody
@@abartel6 I see a little silhouette of a man, get a mop get a mop and better bring a bucket...
Jon Anderson and Steve Howe intentionally took a different approach to lyric writing on this epic, quite simply, this is piece is an expression of the struggle towards enlightenment. Anderson and Howe were Buddhist vegans and wanted to bring an uplifting spirituality into Rock songwriting. Narrative lyrics would not do..this is an impressionistic approach to words, and yes, very deep meaning. Those who say it is nonsense are not listening and have never heard of Herman Hesse James Joyce or Beckett, not to worry. The journey here is sublime, one feels that one has gone into a very deep inner state and returned in a few seconds with a sense of missing time
These guys succeeded in accomplishing exactly what they had set out to do. . TAKE YOU THERE AND BRING YOU BACK.. . Masterpiece....
Absolutely Mark! Totally. Like look on the flip side of this album: And You and I - what clarity! So much awareness. When I first heard this album back when it came out I was blown away by the pure Spiritual immersion of the experience.
And here we are 50 years on and still - "Sad preacher nailed upon the coloured door of time. Insane teacher be there reminded of the rhyme. There are no mutant enemies we will certify. Political ends as sad remains will die. Reach out as forward tastes begin to enter you." I am writing that from memory so I hope I got the words right. Peace and Light to all Beings, both animate and inanimate. Thanks Mark, for your comment, Magnus
Really dude I mean it is one of my favorite songs ever but at times nonsensical the whole seasoned witch bit for one and do not give me your interpretation I have my own thanks but its close to gibberish at times thats cool though I still love it.
I can understand that this makes some sense if you come into it having read Hesse. Most of us haven't and never will. Anderson himself says that with parts of this song he was writing metaphors that fit the rhythms of the song. There might have been an internal logic there, but it was just Anderson's and Howe's logic. The other guys, Squire principally, didn't bother trying to find out what it was he was singing back up for.
Ultimately the greatness of this song is its composition, its exploration and development of various themes and the consummate virtuosity of the musicians. I really don't care about the lyrics here, and after listening to this band for over 40 years, the fact that they're mostly incomprehensible does not matter at all.
Considering the collaborative composition of this song and its enduring commercial success, it's sad that only Anderson and Howe got writing credit (and royalties) for it. I think they tried to make some amends 20 years on, but still.
@@Azabaxe80 I appreciate your perspective, and as I said, if you seek a linear narrative, you will find none. But nevertheless, no writer writes nonsense for it's own sake, but it is true that part of lyric writing is about the 'musicality' of the words, and I agree that they were serving the music, but ALSO keeping a through-line to the script from start to finish. There is still a 'poetic' logic, especially the last phrases;
"On the hill we viewed the silence of the valley,
called to witness cycles
only of the past,
and we reach all of this with movements in between the said remark."
-The whole journey is contained within a moment..
@@markjohnson4217 If I sounded dismissive earlier I apologize. What I really meant to say was that the lyrics here are so obfuscating that to spend time looking for meaning in them might be counterproductive if you want to enjoy the song as a whole. That's certainly my take.
As for my very casual and half hearted understanding of those words, I haven't read Hesse, only a Wiki description of the plot. It seems that the scene in the last section of the song (..I shook my head and smiled a whisper knowing all about the place...) was inspired by the conclusion of the story. Siddhartha's smile when he helps Govinda attain enlightenment ("now that you're whole") by the river's edge is what gives it away. He knows all about the place, meaning that time (seasons) and his experiences and emotions (up/down) are all illusory but still part of an endless flowing cycle of nature. Like a river. Constantly moving in place.
Great choice and reaction to this masterpiece (often regarded as the best prog. rock song ever done). I heard this (as a 12-year-old) soon after it came out in '72, and I was hooked. I'm now 60 and I still play it regularly (even more so now with Wilson's recent 5.1 mix). When I later read Herman Hesse's book "Siddhartha" (as an 18-year-old, having read that it inspired Anderson's lyrics) the overall theme became less abstract and made sense. The opening with the peaceful sounds of nature, followed by the chaos of individual life in human society, the search for spiritual enlightenment, the notion that it cannot be found in human society ("Then according to the man who showed his outstretched arm to space, He turned around and pointed, revealing all the human race, I shook my head and smiled a whisper, knowing all about the place"), and ending with the sounds of nature one again (the Buddhist idea of enlightenment as being one with nature). Kudos to you for tackling it (and the other two songs on the album are wonderful too!, hint hint).
i took my nephew to see yes for his 13th birthday ,, i already spoke fluent yes and had seen decades of shows,,, the kid and i were front row right in front of steve howe i was a mere 52ish,,,,,his mind was blownnnnnnnnnn,,ps he gotta pick lol
psbarrow, same here. CTTE first listen at 12 in 1972. I work with much younger people now and when the "Favorite Song" question comes up I always say CTTE. You can imagine the strange looks I get. Still my favorite after all these years.
YES!!!!!!!!
'best prog. rock song ever done'. Yup - the apotheosis not only of Yes' creative output but the entire genre.
In my opinion this is the best rock song ever! I love Yes.
We had access to some great hallucinogenics back in the day. Studies have shown arts and self reflection accelerate with them. Michael Pollan has a great book out recently-ish on it.
Thanks so much--even as an old guy, I can relate to what you are seeing/hearing in the music! I was 13 in 1973 when I got Close to the Edge on vinyl. I loved half of it right away but not the other half. It wasn't that I didn't like "that other half." It was that I was puzzled, and I was strongly motivated to figure "that other half" out. "I hear violins," thought I. "I don't see any violin players listed on the back." Much later, I learned that they were Mellotron strings. In a way, they WERE real violins--tapes of three guys recording violin notes in an apartment and later transferred to 8 second tape loops within the Mellotron. "It sounds like the bass notes of a piano," I thought as I listened to Chris Squire's bass line on Siberian Khatru. And so on. I applaud your interpretation of the music AND the lyrics and I think you have a solid handle on both of the aforementioned. I think I remember reading that Jon Anderson himself (maybe in Tim Morse's book ' Yes: In their Own Words"?) interpreted his own lyrics (and the band's music) on Close to the Edge long after he had written and recorded the album. There is a point where the church organ runs/arpeggios give way to a kind of Moog fanfare that descends down to a B (starting at round 31:34 on your video). I remember reading that Jon Anderson said that the Moog overtaking the church organ represents a new way of looking at modern life, where religion (church organ)has been superseded by science (Mini-Moog solo) or something like that--I could be totally wrong about that!. Anyway, It's great to see an intelligent and open-minded young guy delving into this music and really trying to see what is there, and there is a ton of stuff! Well done sir!
I've listened to this song well over 1000 times and every time I still get goosebumps! Just imagine seeing this live!
As a 63 year old Black woman, who was blessed to have been raised in Detroit (many American radio stations, and a lot of canadian stations,), YES has yanked me through my hormonal-challenged teen years. Oh, and that 'white noise...is water.
Anderson indicated that the lyrics are inspired by Hesse's Siddhartha; the piece portrays the spiritual quest, emerging from chaos (as you noted) toward transcendence
You remind me of a younger me. A much younger me in 1975. Upstairs in my bedroom, in my parents house. This music inspired me. This music enlightened me. My interpitaion of Jon Andersons lyrics is VERY personal to me, and of the time I first heard them. They can be profound. They can confound. I get up. I get down... So glad you like this. :)
The “positivity” comes from Jon Anderson. That dude is happy as hell, there’s RUclips videos of him talking...I suggest checking them out.
Just imagine, you stay closed at the edge on a TV tower and make your first base jump during this organ music play 😍👍.
I always found the intro to Close to the Edge absolutely magical. I imagine I am running through a forest and dodging bushes and plants, and then take a leap over a stream. It's absolutely brilliant and Steve's guitar playing makes total sense. Still got no idea what the song is about but its certainly stood the test of time. The answer is YES!
If you want an experience, listen to this at night, with headphones, lying down, in the dark. Eyes closed. You'll see : )
"I crucified my hate and held the word within my hands" "How many millions do we deceive each day" "The time between the notes relates the color to the scene, a constant vogue of
triumphs dislocate man so it seems, and space between the focus shape, ascend knowledge of love, as song, and chance develop time lost social temperance rules above" these are a
few of the phrases that speak to me from the song, which to me, is a lyrical masterpiece which a 10,000 page book could be written. I heard this at 14 when it first came out, and after
hearing it 1000+ times I am still in awe of this singular masterpiece of sound and voice. I knew at the time that this was unique in musical history. Just wait until you get to Tales From
Topographic Oceans, and Going For The One, and the rest of Relayer. Please don't forget to listen to Yessongs with all the live versions, which are exclusively enhanced Masterpieces
in and of themselves. Yours Is No Disgrace from Yessongs will blow you away. The music of Yes will alter you forever.
michael york after hearing CTTE, the first lyric I had to memorize was "Then according to the man who showed his outstretched arm to space, He turned around and pointed, revealing all the human race, I shook my head and smiled a whisper, knowing all about the place". I'm not sure why.
Great choice! I remember fellow 'music head' students in my Jersey high school going crazy for this release (i'm 59, Class of '79)! Funny, but back then, kids used to actually bring their favorite albums to school, and show them off to friends at their lockers before, in between, or after classes! There was no social media back then. Heck, the 'original social media' (CB radio) just started to gain popularity at the time. Anywho, I remember lots of kids bringing 'Close To The Edge' to school with them, and examining the album artwork and inner sleeve at their lockers. Often, teachers would pause and get it on the 'album conversation' in the hallway! Such great memories! Check out 'Pseudo Silk Kimono/Kayleigh' by Marillion, or 'Under The Milky Way' by The Church, when you get a chance. Cheers!
YES and Steely Dan were my two favorite groups growing up when the music was new and I was fortunate to see the original YES perform numerous times. To me their music contained the power to explore life in general and that it had healing powers to it.
Same favorite two bands here!
When Steve Howe was staring you down in the front row,,,,BANGING on his many guitars,,,,nothing else mattered,,, this music is pure magic
your comment about lyrics is spot on mate....some lyrics have a specific intent or story while others are more ethereal and are like fine art...each person has their own interpretation....well done mate...peace
Yes lyrics are composed more by how words and phrases sound, feel-and the images they evoke-than by what words mean.
Chaos yes! And harmony! Harmony amidst chaos! That first part of the song musically translates all of it
Well done, man! This is one of the musical monuments of 20th century! Musicianship and creativity at their peak. In terms of prog rock, maybe only three or four songs (I think about Supper's Ready, Shine on You Crazy Diamond, Dogs, Thick as a Brick) can even the score.
Hey, perfect timing:) I just reacted (2 minutes ago) to Thick as a Brick for the first time...
Thanks for watching, hope to see you around:) More Yes is on the way!
@@DiconDissectionalReactions My fav is Supper's Ready. Close to the Edge is a "close" second, though.
I would highly recommend reading Siddhartha if you're obsessed with this song as I am. You can hear the song in your subconscious triggered from the poetry within the book story, the way he constructed the lyrics makes total sense. So much to unpack.
Gates of Delirium is the only song I’ve blasted in my car with the windows down. Close to the Edge is the only song that makes me cry every single time I listen to it. Gates is impressive, Edge is just absolutely beautiful
Agreed, CTTE still brings a tear after hundreds of plays and dozens of live performances witnessed.
Great reaction!! The first time I saw Yes live was on the Close to the Edge tour in 1973, and still one of the greatest concerts I've ever been to. Most recent time I saw them was in 2016 as Anderson, Wakeman and Rabin, and they were as great as ever!!! It's great to see your expressions as the music flows; it shows the wheels turning in your head recognizing the complexity of this production. When you first hear Yes at 12 with "All Good People", then "Roundabout", and then "Close to the Edge" at 14, it sets a standard that makes it hard for anything afterwards to match this. I recommend on your own to listen to Yessongs, which is this entire concert. Rick Wakeman's keyboard solo is epic!!!!! If you want another epic progressive rock performance, check out Emerson, Lake and Palmer's Karn Evil 9, all three impressions.
Speaking of guitar, Steve Howe won 5 Guitar Player Magazine Best Overall Guitarist awards in a row. He was the first member in the GPM Hall of Greats and can't win any more awards. He's in the hall with Steve Morse and Eric Johnson.
He truly deserves all of the awards. He can basically play anything with strings, and has influences from far and wide. His solo stuff -- I recommend "The Steve Howe Album" -- isn't very Yes like, but it's not un or anti Yes. What you hear on TSHA is spread very lightly throughout the Yes songs.
To do the analysis of Yes is really training wheels off. All the band members are rock legends. Loved them from the '70s. Only saw them once in concert. So awesome......
My absolute favourite by YES.
The chaotic beginning that then turns into something astonishingly beautiful - with an actually tight groove for a prog band...
This entire piece is so masterfully constructed, it probably is the best example of good prog-rock.
Thanks for your thoughts.
I have been listening to Yes for 40 years, and I still have no bloody idea what they're singing about....
From Roundabout: “mountains come out of the sky and they STAND THERE!”
Yeah, I’ve never gotten their lyrics either. But I love their music. I am blessed that I grew up with their music in my teen years. They were balm to my soul then and now.
Different days different images that is why I love it day one till now but it is fun to see someone hear it for the first time like you would have shared it back then.
@@wb1985 apparently there is a Japanese game or animae that uses Roundabout as its theme music? A new generation is being turned on to YES. Check out the Rick Beato interview of jon Anderson? You can find it on RUclips.
Same here for about 25 years, don't care at all about the lyrics.
I speak fluent Yes,,,,and still no freakin' clue lol
Listen to this album in your bed, at night, with your headphones. When we had stereo systems, the light from the system being the only light in the room ==== great mood. You also have to watch Yes live just to watch Steve Howe use 3 different guitars within a single song.
Musically it's like a symphony: You have an overture, then the themes are brought into the first movement. Then the second movement, with the same themes as the first movement just presented in a different way. I get Up i get down is the slow third movement, with New themes presented. Then the final movement with part from the first 3 movements brought together in a furious finale.
Speaking of covering this song, I stumbled into a RUclips channel called Band Geeks that cover this and several Yes songs...note perfect in a basement.
Again seeing Yes do this live was incredible. The ending crescendo still gives me chills.
Band Geeks..oooh yeah. I clicked on it thinking “Ha! How could these kids with a female singer POSSIBLY cover CTTE even remotely as excellent as Yes’ original?” Welp? I ate my words. They are fantastic, and her voice is perfect for Yes songs...she never over sings or tries too hard. She just sings it with grace and beauty. And her husband, Ritchie does the bass lines to the T. They’re all great, actually! Check em out, when you can! Actually...🤔...wouldn’t it be fun and unusual to react to a cover band doing a Yes song? Oh PLEASE think about it!🙏
"Close your eyes and listen." As most of us Yes fans well know, Yes music requires the listener to immerse themselves, with repeated listenings, and within the privacy of one's own head; therefore to allow the music to carry you on a journey within one's own soul. With Peace and Love to all! (Michael)
Have been listening to this song for more than 40 years and still not sure what the lyrics mean. But I don’t care anymore. It’s just a great listening experience! But to be fair, those lyrics haunted me and sent me searching for their meaning. Jon is very spiritual and all his lyrics reflect that. I think I will give those lyrics another look see. I’m sure they will make a lot more sense to me after a lifetime of seeking after spiritual truth. And oh, can you just imagine seeing them perform this classic live? I have and can tel you it is almost indescribable. This is MY band!
I always treated the lyrics like poetry and, like good poems, the lyrics have stayed with me through the decades. I still sing - well, sort of - along, loving the flow of words, backed by the sublime musicality of the band.
"That bass is awesome" -- yeah, you got it, you understood the song, that's all you have to say.
That bass IS awesome. Chris Squire was the best ever, RIP
It's so nice to see a young person that 'gets it'. just about completely. Good on you man. Have fun :) what a wonderful journey you are on
Per Jon Anderson: "The lyrics, 'Season witch could call you from the depths of your disgrace,' I realized what I was singing was all about the idea that your higher self will always save you if you keep your heart in the right place,"
In the 1970”s when I was a teenager and I listened to this album high it really took you an amazing trip
Attaching meaning to a song as it relates to you...very good! I enjoy cryptic lyrics. It's okay to think sometimes and not have everything handed to you. Great review!
Jon has said he sometimes picks words because he likes the way they sound.
He's the Impressionist painter of lyricists.
Like all good songwriters.
I think about how boring and one-sided life would be if our analysis of lyrics were all the same. Even after knowing a song for many many years, anothers thoughts can bring new light to me.
It was an insane song to analyse to be honest, but I finally got some form of general theme:)
Yes was so good in concert. I was fortunate enough to see them 4 times. You should check out some of their live stuff off of Yessongs.
Definitely my favorite song by them and one of my favorites of all time. Good reaction!
Many fond memories of blazing up and putting this on the turntable...
There's definitely meaning to be derived from Jon Anderson's lyrics, but they are written in a way that allows many interpretations. Frank Zappa said some words in his music were "pitched mouth noises," and the literal meanings were less important than the feelings the sounds provoke. Yes's lyrics are like this frequently.
I saw them in 72, I was 17. Every song perfect, UNBELIEVABLE !!!!!!!!!!!! WAtch live " the BEST of YES = " YESSONGS" 1974,,, The best LIVE MUSIC EVER !!!!!!!! THANKS..
The whole thing was inspired supposedly by the legend of Siddartha Gautama (more commonly known by his title of "Buddha," which means 'the Enlightened One') and his travels to find a way of attaining perfection of mind, body, and soul through meditation, veganism, and just generally being a good person. Special mention goes to Herman Hesse's Siddartha, since in an interview, Howe (I think it was Howe at any rate) credited the book with increasing his understanding, renewing his vigor in Buddhism, and inspiring him to make this song with Anderson and the rest.
The logo "CLOSE TO THE EDGE" if you look close enough, resembles two shut eyes, like those of the Buddha (or anyone really), in meditation. The green is supposed to represent the feelings of tranquility and consciousness being expanded, leading to oneness with the cosmos.
my fave Yes is "Tempus Fugit". I don't know why more people don't list it as being among their best. It's got it all!
It's The Buggles is why.
me neither...."Drama" was a nice detour for this group, and the songwriting is amazing on it..."Tempus Fugit", "Does It Really Happen?", and, "Run Through The Light" are highlights...
Eighteen minutes and forty-two seconds and not one second too long.
Play Close to the Edge? Easy. Just get comfortable using a Wal triple-neck bass, get acclimatised to playing D harmonic minor scale in the midst of competing juxtaposed polyrhythmic polychords, get a keyboard player that can arpeggio the same guitar riff backwards at double speed, find a world-class drummer and you’re off…
and then slide in a singer who can cut through with the most angelic but aggressive voicings and sounds.
I see what you did there..
As an afterthought i remember reading that jon anderson had some random recordings when he started out musically, i believe the intro excerps and the outro exerpts are his recorings? and the album cover artist Roger Dean"s cat walked across the painting, you can clearly see its footpaw prints close to the edge of green black area?
Really glad you loved it! It is a masterpiece, isn't it!? :)
I can sing the whole song verbatim, and yet I’m still not sure what it “means.”
Try “On The Silent Wings Of Freedom.” I haven’t seen anyone react to this hidden gem. Possibly the best bass song ever. Or try “South Side Of The Sky” for something more similar to TCCE.
Ah yes... Yes! My favorite prog rock band and second fav band of any genre, Steely Dan being number one.
Like I said. it's not just a Yes song, it's *the* Yes song. It's really more of a suite, as you have figured with the different sections having names. Sometimes, there is a cut and paste nature to their songs where different ideas are somehow brought into one song and they managed to make it a whole. Sometimes, you can see the join but that's as much a reflection of the state of recording technology in 1972. Those three keyboard notes that cue in the rest of the band after the pipe organ is there to mask the cut because they lost the tap of the take they really wanted to use.
Jon Anderson is a very spiritual guy. Jon Anderson's lyrics come from a particular time and his main influence here came from Siddharta. The main thrust is finding your own path and the river is a fixture in the story that book tells .Other parts not so much. Steve Howe brought the "white lace" lyrics from another song and then Jon added the "two million people" part himself, riffing off of Howe's ideas.
And then there is the music itself. How about that pipe organ? Those beasts can produce notes so low you feel them rather than hearing them. Same goes for the minimoog the Wakeman lays over the top. They would perform the whole thing live and rocked their socks off doing it. The sheer concentration that must require!
Bill Brufford, the drummer, quit immediately after. He said that they could never top that (there were other factors) and joined King Crimson. He was right. They did great things after this but, for me, this is the high water mark, the point where their grasp finally matched their reach.
This song is like a Bible parable. As you get older and your life changes this song will speak to you differently almost every time you hear it. It might be the greatest song ever. Just my opinion glad you found it
I bought "The Yes Album," "Fragile," "Close to the Edge," and "The Yes Album" in my teens when they came out. The members really were all pure masters of their instruments, Steve Howe especially. I'm a rock guitar player and I totally think Steve Howe is the Best Overall Guitar Player in the history of modern pop/rock music. That's how good he is.
My best interpretation out of the gibberish is that the title could have been "Close to the Edge of Enlightenment." He's close, but not quite there.
Close to the Edge is all of side one. Side Two is two other fantastic songs, "And You and I" and "Siberian Khataru." "And You and I" is also a multiple part song. But all the parts make up the whole.
One thought about the phrase Total Mass Retain is that it could be referring to the Law of Conservation of Matter and Energy.
The three song movements are part of one great whole.
The essence of progressive rock elevating one’s soul towards nirvana!👍🏻❤️☮️
I admire your goal of digging into the lyrics of great classics like this Yes epic. I suggest you do what you mentioned early in the video. The first introduction I I had to Yes was this I listened to that song many times before I understood what the the words meant for me. I can't tell what they will mean for you, but if you follow the path you've set for yourself and continue to explore Jon Andersons poetic lyrics you'll find your meaning.
You had me at: “Chaos! It’s so perfect”. Subscribed.
INTERPRETATION.
The 4 sections are one narrative, no not 4 separate songs.
Before I can explain my interpretation, I need to set the context, or it won’t make sense.
CTTE is loosely based on the novel Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse, which in turn is inspired by the tale of the Buddha.
The novel SIDDHARTHA:
The plot follows the title character’s lifelong search for enlightenment and spiritual fulfillment. In life he experiences the bad (poverty, suffering) and the good (comfort, wealth), but laments that neither brings him fulfillment. Depressed and disillusioned, he goes to the river, experiences a long meditative sleep, and wakes up, ‘semi-enlightened’. He lives out his life by the river, as the river somehow inspires and enables him to find more answers for enlightenment.
Skip forward, and he finally one day comes to the big realization that all his experiences, both the good and the bad, the comfort and suffering, frustration and joy, are all integral parts of the beautiful orderly spiritual universe, and time just is an illusion. The conclusion is that if you can embrace both the good and the bad parts of life as valuable and essential, then you can find fulfillment.
On to CTTE:
INTRO (instrumental): From nature’s peace comes mankind’s chaos. Nature sounds open the song, and we are quickly thrown in to a chaos.
THE LYRICS:
The first half of the song, the narrator seeks answers, exploring different paths to enlightenment. Like Siddhartha, he experiences the good and the bad, cycles through frustration and satisfaction, spiritualism and materialism. Each section end with the narrator lamenting and and complaining “I get up, I get down”, as in: “Whenever I find good (the ups) I also find the bad (the downs)”. Neither brings fulfillment.
Like Siddhartha, the disillusioned narrator goes into meditation, pondering his big questions. During the meditation, he comes to an epiphany. He realizes that ‘I get up, I get down’ is not the question or problem - it is THE ANSWER!
He reaches the same conclusion as Siddhartha: don’t be frustrated by life’s ups and downs, embrace them both as valuable and essential parts of life. Once you see this, you will have inner peace.
After realizing this, “I get up, I get down” is no longer uttered as a lament or a complaint - it is uttered as a jubilant joyful realization. He yells this epiphany at the top of his lungs, and the majestic church organ comes in like a mighty beacon to signal this momentous realization.
The main theme from the beginning reprises and the narrator returns for one last verse, where he concludes his story. Now that he is ‘whole” he can live out his seasons, and be at peace with the ups and downs to come.
Yes, it’s very hippy-dippy, but Anderson’s lyrics are sufficiently (and purposely) vague that you can apply them to anything relatable in your life.
Yes song “Awaken” has a similar idea and structure, but is musically very different. It is “Close to the Edge v2.0”.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
In the early part of the song you focused on “music” being a fundamental theme of the lyrics. I see the use of the word “‘music” to be metaphorical, possibly for wisdom or teachings.
Let me break down the first stanza:
The “seasoned witch” may be a metaphor for a priest or prophet, or the concept of organized religion, or any entity falsely claiming to be able to offer peace and salvation. “Seasoned”, because it is experienced and cunning in its craft, and “witch”, because it is deceptive and malignant, thus seasoned witch is a “Cunning demagogue”.
This “seasoned witch” may claim to be able to save you from “the depth of your disgrace”. She will rearrange your consciousness, thoughts and mind (which he refers to as liver), with her teachings until you are under the illusion that you are on the path to “solid mental grace” (salvation).
To “achieve this”, she will be aided with “music that came ... from afar” (ancient scripture and psalms” ).
If you are under the witch’s spell, the narrator encourages you to step away and look for better, deeper answers. You should “Taste the fruit of man”, a reference to the biblical fruit of knowledge. ”Taste the fruit of man, (who was) recorded (in scripture) of “losing all” (ie falling from grace”) in the “hour” of judgement.
Step away and choose another the course.
That’s just the first stanza. I don’t have energy to proceed with the rest of the song, but with this starting point, you can begin to unravel the sale of Siddhartha.
Holy shit dude that was epic
I was absolutely amazed at what I just read, but then I see your name is Soul Dreamer, so it all makes sense now : )
Seriously though, thank you so much for writing all this. Can't believe it took me this long to read it.
Love this
This song goes right to the edge of cohesion in the intro....the rest of the song is an explanation as to why Yes chose to fuse modern art with convention. There are references to turning corners and to flowing rivers.
Yes is a gateway to Frank Zappa for the same reasons.
signed: the dolphins off the starboard bow.
Some Yes lyrics really are very obscure. I love it, I dont want them to make sense. That being said, much of the time I believe lyrics are somehow religious. You say this is about music, and I believe you.
I also enjoy the positivity of Yes and Rush. No stupid aggression, just skill, intelligence, brilliant music and joy.
Jon Anderson wrote this song after reading Hermann Hesse's "Siddhartha." He usually chose his lyrics for their sound as much as for their meaning, but you can almost always draw out a spiritual undercurrent. Here I think he was talking about riding the ups and downs and life in a search for enlightenment. And like the protagonist of "Siddhartha," it's an individual quest, different for everybody.
You found it. Jon Anderson does have meaning behind his lyrics, but he delivers it in a mysterious way. Because it's meant to be discovered, for those who are curious. But the music and his voice are so wonderful that if you don't get any specific meaning, you certainly get a sense of what they're trying to say. You should check out their masterwork Awaken, after you've had a chance to listen to much more of their earlier work.
Probably my favorite YES song. No telling how many times I've listened to it.
What's truly amazing is, the fact that Jon Andersen and the group. Amongst all of their other songs. They were able too remember the lyrics. I can see how Rush was heavily influenced by YES... THE WONDERFUL "CLOSE TOO THE EDGE". YOUR REACTION WAS FOOD FOR THOUGHT...🤪✌
The river is the river of life and the seasons of change are reincarnation on the river of life until one finally reaches nirvana. The corners you turn on the river of life are new incarnations on earth.. Being close to the edge is being close to leaving the river of life forever to join with the God head and become the Buddha.
Loving all your reactions just found your Channel a couple of days ago. 2 of my favourite bands are Yes and Steely Dan your doing an awsome Job keep it going
That's Yes - creating order out of chaos.
16:40 lyrics are metaphysical.
Wonderful interpretation, the stages of creativity. On the first point and the possible reference to the 4 humors (via the liver) I think you may be right. wiki says: The dominant theory of Hippocrates and his successors was that of the four "humors": black bile, yellow bile, phlegm, and blood. When these humors were in balance, health prevailed; when they were out of balance or vitiated in some way, disease took over.
Rush, Yes and ELP are the grand slam
And King Crimson! Don't forget Mr. Fripp!
ELP are overblown and pretentious. A "grand slam" might be: Yes, Genesis, Jethro Tull, Pink Floyd and King Crimson. Or Area, Permiata Forneria Marconi, Banco del Mutuo Soccorso, Il Balletto do Bronzo and Le Orme. Rush were great, for a while, but very much second wave.
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I was about this kids age when I first heard ctte. I was blown away by this fantastic song.
Chris Squire has been my favorite bass player since the first time I heard them. More than 50 years. RIP Chris.
“... the plane in which we move...”
I’ll just leave that right here.
If there's a theme to this song, to me it's life is short, we're all Close to the Edge. I applaud your effort to interpret Daniel and honestly a professor of literature/music couldn't do it any better justice. Lastly this isn't one of my favorite Yes songs the only songs on this album I listen(ed) to are side B, those two songs are two of the greatest pieces of music ever written. Well done.
Your attempt to grasp the meaning of the lyrics is analogous to the quest for self understanding by the subject in the song. As well as being influenced by Hermann Hesse's novel Siddhartha, Anderson was also, musically influenced by the composer Sibelius. Hope you, at some point, continue with the other two songs and recommend Awaken also.
(From Japan) I have interested in each of your channel's contents so much, especially this video.
A famous Japanese rock music reviewer says, this album (Close to the edge) is the best album of the Yes without doubt, and I strongly agree his opinion.
Anyway, thank you so much for sharing such impressive video!! (^^)v
When trying to decipher Jon's lyrics, I've found that the best default is that he's searching for God. Going too deep can hurt your brain.
If you want a real spiritual journey, listen to Awaken, from Going For The One. At the end you'll be emotionally exhausted, but euphoric, and looking for someone to hug.
Jon Metcalf -- Many consider CttE the best (of all? from Yes?), but I am an Awaken fan. In fact, I think GFTO is the best Yes album.
One of the best versions of Awaken...Anderson alone with a symphony behind him. Awesome...has Gilmore and Hackett moments too. ruclips.net/video/rUZmZEujeE0/видео.html
For this one you gotta read Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse, and it will all make sense.
Good luck you will now listen to this song for the rest of you life, like I have since I heard it live in 1973. The band is like no other. His lyrics are very cosmic and pure poetry. Anderson won several international poetry contests. In the meantime every time you listen to it you will hear something new. They have a bunch of 20 min songs, this ties for my favorite with gates.
First time I heard this was in 1973. I was 8 years old. It was my oldest sister's album. I was always attracted to the album cover. It was in the album bin along with my Sesame Street albums and my dad's 4 Seasons records (BTW --- you should listen to the 4 Seasons!) As an 8 year old, I was also intrigued by a song that took up the length of an album side that was broken in to several sections.
The lyrics of this song have meaning, it just isn't obvious. The combination of the era in which they were written, the culture, history, human nature, existence etc, creates a blend of music/meaning, lyrics/meaning both combined into the meaning of the song. Even if the writer says they don't have a definite meaning when he wrote them, (which they kind of do, although also consider the lyrics like the voice of an instrument) he does not operate in a vacuum and cannot help but be affected by what surrounds him. But you have to just listen and eventually get into the weeds and it takes awhile, it's a journey.
Happy 48th anniversary, Close to the Edge, released on 9/13/1972.🎉
I watched 'Yes' perform this from the front row at the Hammersmith Apollo, London in 2001 - seeing Steve Howe play up close was a real treat.
My take, FWIW: the "seasoned witch" Jon is referring to is an LSD trip or other drug experience he had which put him in another 'plain of consciousness', enabling him to see hopeful stuff that pulled him out of a period of depressing thoughts, not an unusual effect of some consciousness-altering drugs. All of this happened at a time when they were listening to "the fruit of man recorded" = music. More drug effects: assessing points to nowhere..experiencing exaltation at a closely examined dewdrop. The drug takes away the plain in which we move and then you're...close to the edge...all of which is lost against the hour as the drug's effects wear off.
He then reflects (& probably did during the trip) on his mental experiences during that summer recalling how he was always searching for answers (to call the color of the sky) & notices how he's been replacing his worries with hopeful answers, an optimism that also had something to do with him recognizing that The Master was behind these changes in his perceptions/understanding, which he's been discovering as he's approached close to the edge. So much so that he's feeling that he's past all those negative thoughts that used to make him depressed which are now behind him, resulting in him feeling whole.
Then in TotalMR, he reflects on the struggles he had endured "to understand" using logic and conversations with others, a time when he was seeing people (including himself?) victimized by the anger that humans are known for, thus generating armored defenses. As he tried to reason his way through these emotional trials, he realized that he was getting answers/relief/understanding through the grace (manna) of God. Seeing that what caused all this pain & chaos goes all the way back in history. Feeling he's past so much of that, now that he feels whole, he's able to crucify his hate (=fear) that burdened him so previously.
He also recalls periodically slipping away from his optimism, back into the old fears, but now realizes that it's just part of the path toward understanding and the hopeful future. Constantly recognizing that the answers he's seeking are blessings from God.
The next section leaves behind the reflections on his personal experiences in the past & starts to reflect on global concerns re: The Human Condition, the sadness that many experience, sad, crying women struggling with life, concerned for their children, also recognizing the constant habit people have of deceiving each other, hiding their true selves from others, adding to everyone's confusion. He's also noticing that people everywhere are acting blindly, often deceiving themselves. Then, throwing in that he sees the wisdom in ancient scriptures. He recognizes that God is in charge of those who are in charge of him.
He then goes on to a summarizing reflection, observing that in spite of all the progress humans have made, it seems to have 'dislocated' humans who are by and large quite "lost" in social intemperance, etc. In spite of which, knowledge of Love is to be found. Seeing most of the daily anxieties that used to stress him well behind him now, he embraces a future of continuing changes that he feels will all end up taking him to a better place. Oh yeah, and I think when he wrote "called to the seed, right to the sun" I think he meant Son, but wrote it sun to keep things cryptic.
Who knows for sure, except Jon Anderson, but that's how I interpret it :)
Duuuuuude this is THE ALBUM OF THE CENTURY! 🙌
Your dad must be cool very cool since he’s the one who started u on the whole yes adventure. 🙏 u rock bro
Nice to see others who agree with me about Close to the Edge 🙂
I bought this album way back in 1969/70 (Whenever that was). It does my musical heart joy to know that 59 years that this masterpiece is still touching another generation
Any Yes fan reading this will probably agree --- one of the best Yes albums ever is not a Yes album, but a 1989 album featuring John Anderson, Bill Bruford, Rick Wakeman and Steve called Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman and Howe. Front to back. "Order of the Universe" is a must listen. Great album front to back!
Let's not forget Steve Howe in the supergroup Asia. Check them out!
i agree with your lyric appreciation, but there are some lyrics that Jon introduced just for "the moment", that is really close to the edge?..amazing reaction.
I liked your "what?" with the lyrics. I like Yes lyrics - they are very evocative even if not directly understandable. Steve played a beautiful walnut Gibson ES-345 on this album (and some other odds and ends of course). The next album Relayer goes over the edge and is worth a listen.
Jon Anderson based the lyrics on Herman Hesse's Siddatha, but he also said sometimes he just used words that filled in the music. If you want to know what this song is about, read 'Siddatha' and do what you are doing as a personal interpretation. Don't forget to add in what the music tells you too. I take the chaotic beginning as a struggle to understand. By the end, the lyrics and music is an acceptance of things without judgement but with the ability to deal without the earlier struggle.
I was impressed that you immediately got that the opening was Chaos, and that you just went with it, intuitively trusting that there was meaning in it. A lot of reactors get confused, and a little agitated. You embraced it. That is another thing that makes your channel unique.
YES is happy, very happy. The word Yes is a positive word. I love all of YES music from 1980 back.
Its a single symphony split into named parts, as I seem to recall, when I owned the LP when I was in high school. What a wonderful journey!
The perplexed look on his face at 9:12 after "and rearrange your liver to the solid mental grace".