Yes: Fly From Here (1980) Suite

Fly from Here was one of the earliest demos from the sessions for the album Drama.
In 1980, Yes consisted of Trevor Horn, Geoffrey Downes, Steve Howe, Chris Squire, and Alan White.
While the song failed to move from the demo stage during the recording process, it was performed live several times during the Drama tour. The song would remain shelved until 2011.
This is an attempt to reconstruct as much of the song as possible from demos, coming to a final track time at slightly over 18 minutes.

[@afargreencountry6324]

I was a huge Yes fan in the 70’s and I remember going to school the day that it was announced that The Buggles had joined Yes. The Status Quo and AC/DC had a great time. When the album was released I waited for Impulse (the local record shop) to open early then I rushed home to listen to it on the radiogram, before school. Loved it! Still do!

[@davidwendel620]

I didn’t realize how much of the song was written back into 1980. I believe they only played the first two part’s live.

[@charlestownpc]

The 2011 was a more polished version, but the 1980 version set the stage for Benoit David, who has a voice that could sound as good as Anderson but also had the nuisances of Horn. It was a shame they parted company. Squire singing in this version the way he did was showing him in top form. RIP and rest easy Chris. You left a hell of a legacy.

[@MikeSeal-zs7oy]

Amazing show I thought Trevor was in top form. In the round too.😊

[@objecthvfan406]

0:00 We Can Fly 6:24 Sad Night at the Airfield 10:18 Bumpy Ride 11:49 We Can Fly (Reprise) End of Epic: 15:30 15:31 Into the Storm

[@davidhankins7776]

Thank you for this wonderful piece of music. I have heard the other version with Benoit David but haven't had much luck in finding this one. It is like finding hidden treasure. Yes is so amazing. They can even make a beautiful and compelling song about a lonely airfield! There is something about these particular songs that just make me cry. I don't know if it is the tone or the fact that it was recorded so long ago. And you know that this is likely the last remaining music from that iteration of the band. It is like a ghost from the past. I have always wondered if the band members truly know or knew how much they we appreciated and loved by the fans and the joy they brought to our lives.

[@kienmien]

As an old Yes fan, I'm listening to these gems for the first time. Thanks for uploading.

[@donaldmoore4412]

Love this song and this version as well. Thank you for the upload.

[@Gizathecat2]

I really enjoyed this early version of Fly Fro Here. 😊

[@papunAlicea]

Thanks so much for share, Great YES music always. 💯🎼

[@randlerobbertson8792]

The 'yeggles' as I called them, were a thoroughly essential part of Yes's magical and varied history...Parts of this suite and 'go thru this' were featured in the 1980 drama tour which I enjoyed seeing at the Deeside leisure centre, Chester, England.

[@johnhoran9840]

Without Drama, it's possible that Yes would have ended. It's a terrific album, as well.

[@jskypercussion]

No wonder why Fly from here album sounds like it was written in 1980 because half of it literally was. A very well done album and Trevor Horn going back into the studio in 2018 to put his vocals on it made it right. He sould have sang on it originally.

[@MT-mt8bd]

So many criticize Trevor Horn's signing, but his voice has the same beautiful and sensitive character as Anderson's. Drama was a great album and better than the Renaissance Faire music (i.e. "Golden Age") that they were working on with Anderson and Wakeman.

[@jskypercussion]

Drama is a masterpiece. I am happy it happened. It is easily my top 5 most favorite Yes albums. I love the sound and texture and tone of the album. It is mesmerizing. Some of Steve Howe's best guitar work and some of Chirs Squires best bass playing. Alan Whites drums sound absolutely amazing and is some of his best as well.

[@ericdupont1326]

voice of Benoit David is nearly the same

[@charlesnolan7602]

I saw two Drama shows at the Spectrum, Philadelphia September 13, and October 17th, 1980. YES used " In the round" staging for the 1980 US tour just like 1978-79 tour years. The Drama " In the Round" 1980 show as presented amplified the mood of the playing! The live 1980 version of We can Fly from Here was a show highlight! Also, I saw YES in New BRUNSWICK N.J., Sept 30th 2023. My personal song highlight was... Machine

[@tommyd1871]

Hey Charles.....was there also for those 2 Spectrum Shows. Spent half my life at the Spectrum. The DRAMA is also one of my favorite YES albums. And one of my all time favorite albums. DRAMA does something to me it pulls me in and won't let let go. Good times!!!!

[@charlesnolan7602]

​@@tommyd1871 Thanks Tommy! I actually miss the Spectrum! My family had 76ers and Flyers season tickets, so definitely spent a LOT of time there! Those 2 Drama shows you attended, and my 2 of three ( my second show was that third return date that YES announced right after the 2 September dates), were IMO 2 of the best of the now 67 YES shows I attended! Now 44 years ago. The FFH albums ( one redone with Trevor horn vocals) are fun to listen to, but that Live version of the main song We can Fly From Here- they never caught and repeated the explosive energy of the live 1980 live verion ( I MO !)

[@lawrencemcstephens308]

I didn't realize that "Into The Storm" was born out of a part of the original Fly From Here suite! Wow! It makes sense, since the end of the finished song 30 years later ends with a slow fade-out, where they chant "And we can fly from here..." I like what they ended up doing with it fleshed out into a standalone song on the album in 2011!

[@davidw5993]

Fly From Here is an underrated album...the version with Benoit's vocals, Trevor's...not so much 😅

[@lawrencemcstephens308]

@@davidw5993Oh for sure, Benoit's performance absolutely leaves Trevor's in the dust. No disrespect to Trevor, who wrote the lyrics and a good chunk of the original song idea, but he just doesn't cut it for me for this song. I bought Fly From Here in 2011 when it first came out, after discovering Magnification for $1.99 at a Sam Goody in my town that was going out of business. I rediscovered how much I'd always loved Yes, and when Fly From Here came out, I was stoked. Such a great album, and the title track was the highlight!

[@elizabethsusanlibra]

What are you talking about? The recording of “Into the Storm” on here is from 2008 and was recorded by Steve only.

[@lawrencemcstephens308]

@@elizabethsusanlibra Listen to this from 15:30-17:05, that is part of the main pre-verse riff that later appears in Into The Storm.

[@elizabethsusanlibra]

@@lawrencemcstephens308, yes, buddy, I too have ears. Did you read my comment? Let me rephrsse it for you; you're incorrect about "Into the Storm" being from 1980 as the recording on this video is literally from 2008.

[@TigerMtnKing]

Excellent!🤩

[@bk4885]

This is great alan whites drumming drumming so much more driving here. Its a shame this song wasnt complete at this time

[@awesomeconcerts8922]

Another drummer is playing on much of this, as White had broken his foot in Paris. I heard long ago it was Bruford stepping in for these demos, but Trevor Horn has stated it was someone else, whose name escapes me at the moment.

[@jml-rj5re]

The Fly From Here Suite should have been Side 1 of Drama or a 3rd side of an LP. Too bad CD's weren't around yet. Drama's still a great album.

[@Atom-56]

An LP typically has two sides, so it can’t have a third side unless it’s a double LP, not in my understanding anyway. 🙃

[@VinceOpipari]

@@Atom-56 Typical, yes, but not entirely true. See the details of Joe Jackson's Big World LP.

[@urubatandedeusalmeida6463]

Excelente álbum.

[@jondeedotcom]

Nice idea!

[@wildbutterflytiedye]

*I thought it was Yes but maybe not but I rmember a song with the hook saying "And if it don't fly away~Fly away" What song was it?? :))*

[@keithbk]

Maybe Seals and Crofts "Hummingbird" was the song you were thinking of... get to the chorus of that song and see if I'm right.

[@wildbutterflytiedye]

@@keithbk *You are 100% right~I sing this to my wife Tammy all the time when I started playing in moments ago she got into it completely~Thank you so much :))*

[@elizabethsusanlibra]

The recordings of "Bumpy Ride" and "Hairpin Bend" (Aka "Into the Storm") are from Steve Howe's Homebrew series, specifically Homebrew 5. Steve says that both of them were recorded near Gstard, Switzerland during sessions for his album, Spectrum, which happened in June 2008 and he doesn't say that if either of them originated from the '80s. This is very well done but probably should've clarified this before. If you have a confirmation and source to 100% prove that they're from the '80s, then I would like to know about it. :)

[@keithbk]

While I have the digital copies of the Homebrew series, I did not have specific dates of when the different sessions were recorded. As the Homebrew series spans decades of material, I've never been altogether clear on which parts were when. As these demos were clearly elements that later appeared in the final "Fly from Here" album(s), I utilized them for transitions. Thanks for the details on when they likely were recorded.

[@Gizathecat2]

An early version of one the FINEST songs by anyone! My favorite since rediscovering Yes this year!

[@jskypercussion]

​@keithbk Do you know why Yes shelved all of this Fly From Here stuff until 2011? The live version from 1980 was killer and sounded complete. It should have been on Drama instead of White Car. I do like White Car but it is so random. I don't understand it, do you?

[@robertohernandezbruno1717]

2011. Men 😊

[@mageprostudios4334]

And the complete song is OK.

[@evilvolts]

I love the 2011 version even better from the album Fly from here

[@dannymacgyver]

Can I have a copy of this emailed to me

[@Drchainsaw77]

No.

[@keithbk]

Use something like ytmp4 (dot) net to create an MP3 of the audio.

[@stuartwaby3081]

Ah the dreaded Drama album, utterly spoilt by horn and downs. Actually the pieces are tremendous when performed by competent Musicians, on the Live From Lyon album Machine Messiah and Tempit Fugit are absolutely fantastic with Oliver and Benoit who can keep pace with virtuoso's Howe and Squire and Alan White's brilliant Drumming. Drama could have been a great album with a decent singer and someone who could actually play keyboards.