Drummer reacts to "Close to the Edge" by YES

I get up. I get down.
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#YES #CloseToTheEdge

[@steeleye2112]

It's not static, but at least on some days for me this is the best piece of music mankind has produced.

[@jackknife8317]

Along with Supper's ready, both absolute masterpieces

[@peterthompson8014]

Agreed

[@GravyDaveNewson]

absolutely right

[@zenlandzipline]

@@jackknife8317you beat me to it.

[@michaelblaydes2259]

Gates Of Delirium is better.

[@danielnichols9049]

This came out when I was 16. I’m 67 now. To this day I can’t get enough of this ENTIRE album. The whole thing is a true masterpiece! Great to see the youth discovering this music.

[@evertschut]

Same age, but I disagree (just a little bit): the live version on the (triple) Yes album is possibly even better. Check it out!

[@eddiecriglington400]

I’m 67 too. Bought it the day it was released. And I saw Jon Anderson perform it live again, just 4 days ago, in London. Magical. 🎶❤️🎶

[@michaelbglovier1116]

I was a fan back in the day, now I am 64 😢😂

[@niles006]

Same. 68 ☮️

[@seekingwisdom8]

I also was 16 the first time I heard this, and I was at the foot/front of the stage, completely hypnotized by the music. Alan White had just become a member for this tour and he was perfect in playing Bill Bruford’s drumming at the time. It was a life altering concert.

[@TigerMtnKing]

You've just heard the greatest song ever written and recorded by any band anywhere in the universe, ever!🤩

[@cherylgalleran6602]

Fact!!!

[@AlmostEthical]

I worked with a Finnish guy who was the quietest person I'd ever known. When I did finally get him talking I found out one of his favourite things was lying in the dark, listening to Yes. No pot or drugs. Just lying in the dark, listening to Yes.

[@0turi]

that's a very finnish activity 😅

[@AlmostEthical]

@@0turi It sounded like a good idea to me, though I preferred King Crimson :)

[@edalisauskas7313]

Those of us who grew up in this era were truly blessed (and spoiled 😆) musically No hiding behind technology. You had to bring it! Rick Wakeman (the keyboardist) actually recorded the pipe organ part in the middle in a church Dedicated musicians Each member of Yes were master musicians. Nice one! Gates of Delirium by them should be next. Another mind blower! On par with this one

[@L33Reacts]

Everyone keeps suggesting that one so maybe I will do that one next :)

[@jotave65]

I also vote for Gates of Delirium, but please before jump to that I suggest to complete this masterpiece album reacting to B side songs: "And You and I" and "Siberian Khatru".

[@L33Reacts]

@@jotave65 check my yes playlist, Siberian isn already on there :)

[@JJ8KK]

@@jotave65 I definitely agree with this suggestion...finish CTTE 1st!

[@paulehney4581]

Yours is no Disgrace! Seen Yes about 30 times now since the 60s, hands down my favorite group.

[@jameshoey303]

We of the 70's who grew up with this as our new music wait for the younger generation to reveal something of equal power .beauty..interest....still waiting.....what a privilege to have been there as this music came into existence...our gift to the future generations...the gauntlet is cast onto the ground. So far no worthy equal has emerged

[@robertsegal9869]

51 years old & a Masterpiece.

[@EddioPinaR]

The rhythms patterns the drummer Bill Bruford plays in this song must be part of an university study . It's so remarkable

[@Ontariosound]

Quite simply one of the finest pieces of music in the last 100 years.

[@doyasteve]

It made me cry as a young drummer in 1972--I thought, "How will I ever be able to play music like this?"

[@andrewk5710]

I love how your mind started going off in weird directions, like talking about dreams. That’s where these epic songs can take you. You never know where you’re going to end up each time you listen

[@L33Reacts]

I usually let my mind wander during songs like this because I feel like that's what you should do. Don't hyper focus. Just let your mind go where it goes. You usually find some good stuff when you let that happen 😉 glad you enjoyed the video

[@paulehney4581]

Lol. This album always takes you somewhere unexpected even after 51 years.

[@gold98gtp]

Geddy Lee was a big fan of Chris Squire (bass). Geddy and Alex inducted Yes into the rock hall of fame in 2017 and Geddy had the honor of playing bass on Roundabout ( Chris Squire R.I.P. 2015)

[@martinreed5964]

and he ruined it

[@YesTalk69]

He did the best he could. I guess they could have got Tony Levin from the ABWH days?

[@user-tr3st4ms9g]

​@@martinreed5964shut up clown 🤡

[@grahamkey8496]

@@martinreed5964 He's not Chris Squire, and Chris Squire isn't Geddy Lee. But Rick Wakeman said he was "magnificent".

[@martinreed5964]

@@grahamkey8496 Rick will say anything for a laugh

[@JSkalman]

“This sounds modern”….that’s because it hasn’t been matched. What I grew up learning drums on, 45 years ago. ❤

[@davidcarlpeters5913]

51 years ago my HS friends and I were in a band and we were learning "Roundabout." We went in to our local "Kool" record store and I asked the owner to play the latest "Yes" album, we were waiting to hear "Fragile," what we didn't know is "CTTE" was just released that day. He played the album cranked in the store, and everyone in the store just froze and listened to the whole track...It was Magical, because obviously it was 50 years ahead of it's time...Now the No.1 Prog album of all time..

[@anthonyblakely399]

Yes plays this song with ease in Concert!!!! And most people cry during the song!!!! A Masterpiece!!! It is sad that we do not not have music like this!!!! Thanks for listening. Great reaction!!!

[@Magnetron33]

Those 70s show they did with Wakeman or Moraz were nearly beyond comprehension.The musical highlights of my life.

[@josephnaja]

I'm one of them! Yes Music is Timeless, without a doubt my favorite band on the planet Earth 🌎

[@Magnetron33]

@@josephnaja The 70s versions were the best I have ever seen. All others pale in comparison

[@MarcusVinicius-we2pg]

This record was release 50 years ago..still absolutely amazing.

[@sandraandmichaelfield1602]

"Close your eyes and listen." As most of us Yes fans well know, Yes music requires the listener to immerse themselves, within the privacy of one's own head, and with repeated listenings; therefore to allow the music to carry you on a journey within one's own soul. With Peace and Love to all! (Michael)

[@lizetteolsen3218]

Very true

[@luizoctaviodrummond8878]

This is the ultimate Prog master piece! It s 50 years old!

[@L33Reacts]

This is definitely one of the best prog songs I've ever heard. simply stellar in every sense of the word

[@staffordsanders8223]

One of the albums I keep going back to, no matter how old it gets. A true prog symphony. And yes, they did it live as well!

[@JJ8KK]

​Not to take your attention away from YES' Magnum Opus, but they actually did it AGAIN a couple of yrs later. THE GATES OF DELIRIUM was another masterpiece where they _play musically_ the feelings involved in the story of WAR, the lead up, the battle, & its resolution. A bit more melody & the discordant section comes in the middle, not the beginning. It's guaranteed that you _will_ be impressed...

[@paulehney4581]

Yeah, Relayer is a great album! Roger Dean's favorite. Hey another one he has to listen to, Tempest fugit

[@edf13]

And then they did it again with Awaken.

[@fenixfp40]

Going for the one, another masterpiece.

[@ihatemagas]

How about Tales from Topographic Oceans?

[@peterthompson8014]

This song has been my favorite song consistently since I was 4 years old and now I'm 55 year old prog drummer! ❤

[@yeshayahuhomberger2079]

A song to rule them all. - Yes 👍💪🤙👌

[@donaldbass6737]

Yes in 71-76 was not a band…they were an entity. And yes…we all get that “feeling” that chokes one up a bit in this song. It is an amazing work of art.

[@jimdukeproject]

Love it when you “youngsters” discover Yes. Their transitions are masterful. They have been influence of so many bands including Rush and Iron Maiden.

[@fredwds5178]

Majestic. Perfection. Pure talent. Unsurpassed. Timeless!

[@smithpm81]

wow the times i had headphones on with a joint.... heaven, and today YOU get this!!!! wow, so grateful to leave this world knowing people like you are here

[@jeffschielka7845]

So many masterpieces in 55 years! YES is the greatest band on this or any other planet! CTTE is over 50 years old and still sounds like it was recorded yesterday!!!!🔈🔉🔊😎

[@chriso6719]

👀👀🤘🤘

[@jeffschielka7845]

@@chriso6719 Hey bro!😎

[@lesblatnyak5947]

214 kid did good

[@jeffschielka7845]

@@lesblatnyak5947 👍😎 36

[@TigerMtnKing]

🤩

[@Jack-D-Ripper]

When I first listened to this as a 16 year old in 1972, I was blown away by it and listened to it over and over again. When I heard the quiet, ambient-style interlude, (along with the water drips), it moved me so much! It's still my favourite song by any band ever. It's 51 years old now and still amazing. This, along with their tracks "Awaken" and "The Gates of Delirium" certainly send shivers up my arms, and tear me up.

[@mikeb3365]

And they play this live just as well. Rick Wakeman was a classically trained pianist/organist. He played the pipe organ section and taped it in a really church cathedral in London. They were all master musicians as well. You can't imagen how big Yes was back in the day, all with Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, etc. What a great era of music.

[@lizetteolsen3218]

When musicians played all instruments and technology assisted--did not replace.

[@mikeb3365]

@@lizetteolsen3218 Yep!!!

[@nicholasbrunetti2956]

I'm 66, and ive been a Yes fan since 1971..... When you listen to their music, you close your, keep your mouth shut and immerse yourself completely into the music.....

[@TheProgCorner]

The greatest band of them all!!!! ❤️❤️❤️

[@jimralston7562]

Throughly enjoyed your heartfelt reaction! I was 16 when i bought CTTE and it blew me away. I had a friend who could play drums along with it. Im 62 and its still my favorite piece from my favorite all time album. Definitely listen/react to the other two tracks! I saw Yes 3 times live, and they played CTTE each time!

[@stewartaubel3842]

Me too. I'm 66 and I've been listening to Yes since I was like 16. I've seen them live more than once. The best song from the best band from the best album in the universe.

[@L33Reacts]

I'm so glad you enjoyed it ☺️ this was incredible. I can't wait to hear more now. 😮

[@progperljungman8218]

YES! It's a true masterpiece my friend! 😊

[@L33Reacts]

Dude it really is. Yall were not kidding.

[@steve55sogood16]

Glad you appreciate them so much, "Yours is no Disgrace" should be your next stop!✌👍

[@avodiablackheart6131]

Ive seen YES at least 9 times throuout all thier changes. Drummers, Guitarists, Keys... always excellent, just Amazing live, knock a person out of thier 4th row seat, over & over. The Most Exciting Thing Going back in the 70s TO BE SURE!!! So glad to see young people Digging This... A Very Important Cultural Statement.. In thier Own Rite. & YES GROUNDBREAKING IN EVERY WAY. Thankyou for this one.... Im 70, this is what my teens & 20s were all about. My friends & I followed YES around the country to thier concerts like The YES-HEADS We Were & Always Will Be... Thank the Gods for Music Like This!!! In its Intire Self... ☆♡☆ 5/16/24... 6am... Illinois

[@chriscrow3756]

I'm 69 now and have seen Yes/Jon Anderson around 9 times. Without a doubt, they were an uplifting band.

[@stpnwlf9]

This was five absolutely brilliant musicians at their peak. All five had moments where they really stood out in this recording and when they slide into that massive church organ solo by Wakeman, I still get chills.

[@L33Reacts]

Dude that part was magic! I was tearing up haha

[@davidwoolbright3675]

I always do too!

[@stephaniethurmer5370]

I saw this tour when it came out in 72. Amazing show. Everyone in the audience pretty much felt the same way you felt.

[@L33Reacts]

I bet you felt like you didn't know what had just hit you 😂

[@stephaniethurmer5370]

@@L33Reacts from the moment Rick Wakeman walked out on stage in his silver cape and the spotlight hit him. Grass was flowing both ways. You get rid of one and another was coming the opposite way. I was a freshman in high school

[@pcarlover]

Agree. Three of us hitchhiked 3 hours to Notre Dame to see that tour. Unforgettable. Hitchhiked back. Good times.

[@alansanders4733]

They had many meticulous recording sessions and then stitched all of them together to make this song. Imagine playing all of this live!

[@toshibautoob]

Even after all these years (and I distinctly remember listening to it the first time the day it was released) it still astounds me and moves me.

[@tomhenninger4153]

Dude! This is THE Prog album! So glad you love it! You are so right, So amazing! Is your heat thumping? Mine is! SOO RIGHT! MY CHEST SWELLS UP! WITH LOVE AND ART AND BEAUTY! Rock On!

[@poptart4260]

It will never be again , I lot of things won’t, that’s the beauty of life , thank you Lee for keeping the music alive!

[@smithpm81]

its so good seeing that todays generation appreciates the music that blew our minds, thank you for giving me hope for the future of music, seriously man, thank you

[@JJ8KK]

There are two absolute gems from YES' 3rd album (The Yes Album) that are IMO in the Top Six of their Best Ever: *Yours Is No Disgrace* & *Starship Trooper.* More YES ear candy awaits...

[@L33Reacts]

I have starship trooper slated for my next YES video 😁

[@JJ8KK]

@@L33Reacts Looking forward to it! 👍

[@cataldo790b]

Going for the one ? Turn of the century... Awaken... Parallels.. Il canto del cigno della big era della grande musica pop, che solo in anni 90 fu chiamata prog. Ai tempi la si definiva Pop.

[@DandyLion662a]

@@L33Reacts If you're doing Starship Trooper, be sure to do the live version from Yessongs. It includes an brilliant, extended instrumental outro ("Wurm") that is absent from the studio version which just tapers off. Same recommendation for Yours Is No Disgrace. The live version is much better.

[@L33Reacts]

@@DandyLion662a i actually haven't done a live yes track yet... I should make starship trooper my first. Thank you for suggesting that 🤠

[@zandapp]

Yes got me through my tweens in the early 70's. Amazing musicians. The 70's produced the best music in every genre.

[@portlyoldman]

So great to see a youngling just as awe struck as i was in 1972!!!

[@stanleymerritt4722]

Thanks for the tears. I get them too even after listening to it for 50 years. YES is a spiritual event to me and many others. You just listened to the Best band...ever. From the Best album... ever. The Best song... ever.

[@L33Reacts]

Man this song spoke to me on so many levels. They unlocked something very special with this track

[@stanleymerritt4722]

@@L33Reacts Did the same thing for me 50 years ago. I still remember where I was when I heard it the first time. I've said this before, when I heard Close to the Edge I found something I didn't know I was looking for and didn't know existed. You should listen to the second song on the album "And You and I"

[@ryanr5319]

What a composition eh? Beautiful. And yeah, glad waited. More powerful experience imo. Thank you so much! They do it all live flawlessly. Their concerts are sorta like going to a symphony. Crowds mostly sit down, listen, then stand up and lose their shiz. Love them so much.

[@L33Reacts]

It absolutely was amazing. I was honestly astonished the entire time. It was almost flawless. And the feelings I got were out of this world. I loved it!

[@rockytoronto]

One of my faves as a teen back in the 70’s..I still listen to their music 2024!! Their music never gets old. Jon Andersen..best vocalist

[@jpilzner]

As long as this music exists, you can tap into the joy it brings your soul.

[@kpas22105]

This song and a few others from the 70's are the influence of much of the modern prog groups. Believe me, your reaction was the same as ours when we heard this back in the day; we couldn't even believe what we were hearing.

[@benjaminsanabria6021]

God bless you, brother, glad you're enjoying the love this music brings to the spirit, stay positive. YES forever #1 in my heart.

[@L33Reacts]

Thank you so much my friend 😊 Im glad you enjoyed the video 🚀😊

[@mrnobody3161]

​@@L33Reacts Hey I'm an old fart Hippy that started taking music lessons in 1965, when I was 5. 10 years later this song changed the course of my life, and showed a young musician that anything is possible musically. Your comments have lifted my Spirit. Hang in there, good things will come your way.

[@Valhalrik]

And the singer is in his 70's and still has his Chops!

[@BennyGeserit]

Hearing your commentary and re-living it in 2023 really captures what it was and still very much is. It is magic in that timeless sense. I first heard this disc as a 15 year old. By the time we were 16 we were attending their shows. Same magic happened live that happened listening to this recording. It was the only time I actually understood how religion spoke to some people. I played it for my Mom who's favourite music was Big Band Swing and Dixieland. She stayed with me through both sides. That was 1973.

[@JJ8KK]

Oh..I might as well mention now, a YES masterpiece recording that is seldom reacted to by 1st listen reactors is their cover of Paul Simon's *America* that is absolutely filled with Squire/Bruford ear candy. It was not included in any of YES studio albums, but was released as an extended play single & later included on a compilation album "Yesterdays" It was the last cover YES did before recording only original songs. On their 1st two albums, about 1/3 to 1/2 of their songs were covers that they had "Yessified." They used to play America in their concerts around the time of their 3rd & 4th albums (just before recording Close To The Edge) as a "Jam" tune, usually as an encore song. It kept getting better to where they decided to record it finally. The YES version of America was so reworked that the original song is almost unrecognizable in it, a completely new song, filled with head-shaking musicianship (& I emphasize the Squire/Brudford contributions). Most fans of YES' Uber-Classic Period (3rd, 4th, 5th albums) dearly love it. When you listen to it you'll most definitely agree...

[@ryanr5319]

The lyrics are untouched. ☺️

[@Ajonr]

I could have sworn it was on one their studio release albums - I certainly had a copy of it on vinyl, must have been on the B side of a 45.

[@JJ8KK]

@@Ajonr Not on vinyl. I think it was added as a bonus track on a CD version of Fragile...

[@Ajonr]

@@JJ8KK I dunno, cassette release perhaps, pretty sure I had it before CDs existed.

[@JJ8KK]

@@Ajonr Well it first appeared on a compilation album named "Yesterdays." Another excellent version of "Dear Father" was also on it...

[@jimmorris67]

Seen them live twice in the 70’s and this song was just as good live and more amazing

[@kavimontanaro7976]

I saw them do that live. There was an intermission, then they started slowly turning up the birdsong before the lights started going down. Then it dawned on us what they were about to do. It was pretty exciting.

[@user-im5fb9ns3g]

I'm an old man. Thank you so much for sharing your heart!

[@Tony99992000]

No modern band could hold a candle compared to Yes!

[@itsmemike1153]

I saw them play this a few times and it was amazing every time!!

[@smithpm81]

the best prog rock song ever, bought this LP in 1980, changed my life

[@jennifersherman8838]

I am 65. YES was my first concert , Inglewood, CA The Forum. I was 15 and a big YES fan. That night was absolutely magical! A guy passed me a joint and before I knew it, I "was in Jon Anderson's head!" Well, my mind seemed to be, anyway. I was loving it. As for them playing live - OMG! Unbelievable! I have seen YES eight times, in Los Angeles, in Oakland, CA, inside and outside. ALL were amazing! YES has always been down to earth and highly spiritual - the real thing.

[@nancymjohnson]

One of, if not the best albums EVER! Once I saw Yes live in ‘75, I never have missed a tour. As a band, or individual artist shows.

[@stevewilson20]

It's great. But I prefer "Relayer".

[@yes_head]

"The endless hours toiling away on one sound" is a pretty good description of the recording process behind this album, which is why drummer Bill Bruford left for King Crimson as soon as they were finished. He didn't even stick around for the world tour that followed the recording work. That's how excruciating it was for him. But in the eyes of those who stayed (and many of us fans) it was all worth it. Also, if you're looking for a deeper, more spiritual -- and positive -- approach to rock music, you'll be rewarded if you explore more of Yes' 70's music (and Jon Anderson's solo career.)

[@JJ8KK]

What I find ironic about Bruford is that the one thing that he loathed so much that he quit the band over it (all the effort invested in perfecting the mix) was _the very reason_ why his name will be remembered 100 years from now, simply because he was the drummer on one of the most astonishing musical creations ever. He sulked through it, apparently oblivious to what the band was creating for posterity. I gotta say, my opinion of Bruford before he left YES was that he was the best drummer I had ever heard. For all his supposed knowledge of music, he didn't realize that Chris Squire's virtuoso bass-playing talent, dominating YES' sound the way it did, gave him the perfect bottom end canvas upon which to apply his experimental approach to drumming. Because Chris' bass line stood out so fantastically, Bruford's drumming also stood out. Together they comprised the best "Rhythm Section" in Progressive music ever. I must say that nothing Bruford did with King Crimson or with any other musicians impressed me all that much. My impression was that he sounded like a million other jazz-fusion drummers with some skills. His opportunity to play with Squire was special & he just didn't get it. I blame his class-based narcissistic disdain for those "below him" for his flawed judgment. That might sound harsh, but I'm rather tired of reading in Wikipedia & other sources about Bruford's criticism of YES & especially Squire. I say its his wtf judgments and behavior that should be put in the spotlight...

[@ziondanny7081]

​@@JJ8KKAgree. A great drummer but a bit of a twat, basically.

[@mikedonoghues4018]

@@JJ8KKIt’s all about opinions, but I can’t agree with that. I think Bruford’s work on “Larks’ Tongues in Aspic” alone is a vindication of his reason to leave Yes. “Red” is his magnum opus.

[@luiselorza1261]

pure magic. After 50 years i can still discover things on these wonderful pieces. Try awaken and gates of delirium.

[@ihatemagas]

This album changed my life.

[@glenndespres5317]

Your loss for words says it all. My Dude; I am so glad I decided to listen to one more reaction to this epic favorite Yes song. Your reaction was refreshing, honest and yeah, I was watching when it hit you, saw the tear and said, “Yes, he’s feeling what I felt all those years ago”. You mentioned how it must have been to play this live: I am privileged to have seen them play it live many times and my jaw would drop every time at how note for note perfect they played! Loved your reaction and all the follow up comments.

[@ianlejeune6012]

Well done. You're right, it's a big bite of wondrous creativity and ability - a loooong ride that lifts you, takes you out there and carries you along. I've listened to this track a thousand times, I know every beat and riff, but it still has a magic and, as you say, a positive energy that is joyous. So sorry you weren't there on the day it was released so you could have felt the zeitgeist too.

[@L33Reacts]

Man the ripples this must have created had to have been quite profound. Thank you for watching, glad you enjoyed it. This was flat out amazing.

[@steeleye2112]

Agree completely and this piece probably more than any other, seems to get better every time I listen to it. It seems to grow and change as I do and this after hundreds of listens. Still blows my mind with no signs of stopping and this is having had this in my life for over 40 years.

[@J3scribe]

Every now and then I need to be reminded how insanely talented of a guitarist Steve Howe is/was. No one plays like Steve. He is unique.

[@YESFan1971]

I've seen YES live 49 times. It's not just a concert.......it is an EVENT. Best band......ever.

[@warrenbutson349]

You so got it. Needs no explanation this song captures everything music tries to be on a spiritual level and beyond what even Yes tried to communicate

[@dawn6320]

Love YES ! So did Rush and Peart.

[@fredwakil3141]

I've been drumming off and on for61 years, seven of which were in the LA electric jazz scene. It's great to see absorb groundbreaking music I grew up with. Seeing you appreciate the creative process of YES and their place in musical history speaks well for your generation.

[@crosshairstare]

Yes was one of the most memorable concerts I ever saw, in the round, all the speaker cabs were flown in the ceiling. It was LOUD, and as clear you can imagine. Their music takes you to a different place and perspective. This is analog recording at it's finest... no drop and drag, no infinite takes, nothing fake or packaged.

[@kerrylewis7964]

and yes they performed it live!

[@L33Reacts]

That's nuts. This must have taken a lot of practice to get down live. So many moving parts lol

[@edf13]

@@L33Reacts The drummer Alan White had 2 weeks to learn this song and the rest of YES's catalogue to that point to take over from Bill Bruford who suddenly left the band. Of course he nailed it and continued to hold down the duties behind the kit while also contributing to the song writing. Alan left us last year and he was still involved with the current iteration of YES up until his death.

[@teresakoslosky3053]

They were totally mind blowing in concert! I saw at least 6 times and they sound just like their albums…. 5 outstanding professional musicians at their peak!!!❤❤

[@judiekrapf6926]

49 times seeing YES live for my husband. Lucky guy.

[@lauramurillotovar811]

"I don't want it to end!" One of the most beautiful and accurate reations I have heard....

[@L33Reacts]

Laura, thank you so much. Comments like these make it all worthwhile. ✨️

[@GTO4now]

A friend once told me that being a little bit high, putting on some good headphones, and pretty much any YES album would change your perception and appreciation of life. I think he was spot on. 😊

[@randlerobbertson8792]

Welcome to my world since 1972 dear boy.❤ this kind of music does not visit you, it stays with you for life.

[@TheAmazingSpaghetti]

Yes still performs this live, seem them do it in concert so many times, always amazing. The singer (Jon Anderson) is not with them anymore, but he tours with various line-ups and does this song and other epics. Saw him do it with the Band Geeks a few months ago, he is 78 and still sings it about as well as ever. Check out their other epics, Gates Of Delerium, Awaken, and all the songs on Tales From Topographic Oceans.

[@CosmicRideMusic]

"How do you play that live..." you asked, having seen them live on a number of occasions, I was fortunate enough to catch them when the "classic" line up mostly reunited, and caught them once with Wakeman on keys. The live songs reach so many levels of awe, it's hard to put into words, but there is nothing like hearing Squire's bass waves and loud synths rumble through your torso while other crazy and chaotic, or complex and beautiful melodies and harmonies permeating your very being. With Jon Anderson at the helm, every show I saw with him was a unique experience. Some of the changes of time and shifting of musical parts are (at those volume levels) down-right bewildering at times (even when you know they are coming), but it's as close to a "holy" experience one can have with sound. I once took a friend to a Yes show with me. He did not care for them or progressive music in general. He was speechless for much of the show. Walking back to my vehicle after the show he barely said a word other than to say, "I have to take another listen to their stuff." On the ride home I put on some Radiohead (his favorite at the time), and he asked me to turn it off, and said that he needed time to relish what he'd just experienced and didn't want to hear anything for a bit. I've certainly had some moving and near-mystical experiences at shows with different bands and artists, but Yes is/was just special. Jon is currently touring with a fantastic Yes coverband "The Band Geeks" last time I checked, not coming anywhere near me unfortunately, but not sure where you are, but if they come your way definitely check them out if ya can. Jon's voice still sounds like a million dollars. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rGSydptoeLKBn6M

[@douglaskrug4806]

Now 70 years old, I still feel that this was the greatest song ever, a genuine masterpiece! And you’re right… “they” just don’t make them like this anymore. I had the opportunity to see Yes in concert on a number of occasions in the day and, to respond to your question, “Close to the Edge” sounded just as good (if not better) live. Thanks for the insightful review!

[@ELPCOTILLION-SD1970]

Absolutely Splendid Epic British Progressive Rock...

[@61guitbox]

most of my fav 70’s prog bands are British ..Yes , Genesis , ELP , Gentle Giant , Jethro Tull , UK , Pink Floyd , Camel , Gong , Brand X … and many more ✌️🫶🏻

[@bazeye]

Excellent reaction to the first of four epic tracks Yes created on consecutive albums, the other tracks being The Revealing Science of God, The Gates of Delerium and Awaken.

[@57tele]

Easily one of my favorite pieces of music of any genre. If you get the chance, read up on how it was recorded. They did in small sections then literally spliced the tapes together. Then they had to learn how to perform it as a single piece of music. I had the privilege of seeing them do it live in 1975. They just ripped through it.

[@JamesJohnson-zt2zv]

Musical genius! Freshman year of high school and I heard this album! Life changing how it open up so much in me! I turned many a friend on to this album and yes was a band we followed! The 70s was a great great time to grow up and the music reflected that! Everything was open to explore and grow! Music was a leader! Chiguy

[@njaco08]

After 18 minutes of song, you still don't want it to stop. Best thing you can say about this song. And they played it EXACTLY like this live.

[@psbarrow]

I heard this song when it first came out, so here's my take on the lyrical/musical message of the song: Anderson said the lyrics were inspired by Hermann Hesse's 1922 novel "Siddhartha", which charts a journey of self-discovery and spiritual realisation, so... It opens 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). The end of the journey was thus there at the beginning, all along. Yet although the author has attained that higher spiritual plane, they are still physically bound to the material reality of their lower, Earthly existence: I get up, I get down.

[@johnelectric1]

Thank you. I felt the same way when I first heard it decades ago. Changed the way I felt about music. Still my all time favorite song. The dream state sequence you described is my favorite moment in all of music especially live when the late Chris Squire would pluck n slide those haunting bass notes. This piece never gets old. It's arguably progressive rock's finest moment, but no argument from me. For me it just is.

[@RicFrugoli]

I still remember the first time I listen to this masterpiece, in 1987. I was travelling on a bus and put the cassete on my walkman and bang!! After the first seconds I got goosebumps for the next 18 minutes.

[@ziondanny7081]

Your reactions were just like mine when I heard this at 17 years old when the album was released. Greater music doesn't age! And you've got all the rest of their music to relish. Lucky dude!

[@MrWishud]

I was 16 when this came out and was loving the music which was so exciting at that time. Loving life too and I feel you're not wrong about life changing. It was a time of optimism, at least for my generation of post hippy hippies. Still there today but looking a lot more like Gandalf now. I feel like you have just started on the same musical adventure that I've had. It's been great fun which I hope you share.

[@sigil5772]

"sounds like modern prog" - hmmmm... .I wonder why. Re the transitions - amazing to think that the whole piece was literally cut together from bucketloads of different takes on tape; it's a masterpiece of production and engineering as well as of composition and arrangement

[@BrendaChristensen]

Love how he was flippant at the beginning... you're in the presence of masters. He soon realized it.

[@optimumresponse]

Gets me every time too Peace to you brother

[@L33Reacts]

Thank you my friend. Glad you enjoyed it 😊

[@nutshell1127]

Young dude - you are wise beyond your years - I am 72 years old and you are correct - and the music from that era - yep - we do need this again

[@L33Reacts]

Thank you my friend. It is much appreciated. Unfortunately my generation has chosen comfort and safety instead of pushing boundaries and thinking for themselves. Lucky and unlucky for me, I had a very unique upbringing.

[@harleyw]

Truly enjoyed your reaction this! This song has taken my spirit so many 'places' so many times during the past 40 years. Personally, I'm looking forward to your encounter with Tales from Topographic Oceans. "Dreams are messages from the deep."

[@L33Reacts]

I love dune! That quote is quite applicable to what i was talking about 😎 I will add that one to the list. I'm glad you enjoyed 🙏🙏

[@starsandnobodys]

I was there with YES since 1971! The year CTTE came out , I heard/saw YES perform it live. It was life changing. I realized CTTE was a timeless masterpiece. I became a lifelong musician with YES mostly 1970 - 1976 embedded in my DNA. May all of you experience a piece of that spirit!

[@KarlElvis]

I remember hearing this for the first time when my brother brought it home from the record store. Our minds were BLOWN.

[@janecrow1122]

New to your channel. Loved seeing you experience this masterpiece for the first time. I've seen them many times and they recreate these epic songs perfectly. Peace, all 💕

[@L33Reacts]

Hey Jane! Glad to have you aboard and I'm happy you enjoyed the video 🙏 this was an amazing experience. I'm glad I could share it with you. 😁