When the first sampling synthesizer (Fairlight CMI) become available for the artists in the 80's (Peter Gabriel, kate Bush, Thomas Dolby, Alan Parsons, Herbie Hancock etc.) they tended to experiment allot with it, that is what you hear with that strange sounds. Kate Bushes "Cloudbusting" has done it wonderfully.
@@dale3852 It was even back then it cost like 15-20,000 US dollars I think . Made by a company in Sydney Australia ,I still think the Moog synth. sounded better even though it was more difficult to use . The Moog had a syth. sound but some how it sounded more analogue , authentic , real . well, Giorgio Moroder ,the Italian master used it to produce some of the most iconic sythn music in history for like Ms. Donna Summer etc etc .
Glad you finally returned to Yes! Although you have only heard two extremes: Close to the Edge was one of their longest songs from their most progressive period (and when progressive was a new and fresh approach to rock); while Owner of a Lonely Heart was perceived as a concession to top 40 radio needs of the extremely commercialized 1980s. It's very polished music, although repetitive. Practically all bands of the 1980s were in a phase in which each song title was supposed to be repeated throughout. In my opinion, RUSH was the only band to actually master this phase while improving their musical effectiveness. Most other (progressive) bands sounded tamed, instead. In particular, the bass of Chris Squire was sooooo understated here in comparison with all previous work, and many of us fans were dearly missing the distinctive and amazing sounds that he used to make, when we heard this come out. This is fine music when compared with other top 40, but the bulk of Yes' works are more than just "fine." They're transcendent! If/when I get a chance (and opt to afford) the (expensive) commission you offered, I plan to purchase your reaction to a 10-minute, lesser-known song by Yes that will probably make your eyes water with its beauty! Until then... thanks for the nice review and please consider a series in which you more thoroughly explore Yes. I got away from rock for about 10 years, but Yes was the band that brought me back to it (after 10 years focusing mainly upon classical). It wasn't their 1980s material that I found as engaging as Shostakovich... although I now enjoy every one of Yes' studio albums in different ways. They hold up after decades of listening and I consider them the finest (successful) band of the Rock Era. The stuff that a rock canon will consist of, if rock finds its place as a period within the Canon of historical art music!! 😃
I can't lie, 90125 was my first exposure to Yes in the 1980s, when I was a teenager. It is more pop-oriented than their 1970s stuff, but it was still interesting and different enough from a lot of the bland 1980s pop. Yes fans often break down the 1970s/1980s line, but I like the Trevor Rabin version of Yes like I like the 1970s version. I appreciate both versions, as being sufficiently bold for their time period.
I’m intrigued to know what 10-minute, lesser-known Yes song that would make her eyes water with its beauty you would pick! For me, it’s “Turn of the Century.” It’s what I’d like Amy to listen to next - but not holding my breath, obscure deep cut that it is. My other picks include “And You And I,” “To Be Over,” and - perhaps controversially, because it may not be right for the uninitiated - “Awaken.”
@@glennz8352 If you know all of the Yes studio albums very well, with Jon Anderson, it shouldn't be hard to imagine which one. I consider any post-1980s 10-minute Yes song to be lesser-known.
Your grasp of the meaning is good, and watching the video will lead you to more... transformation ! This is a piece of ART... it should be SEEN and HEARD at the same time !
Yes! Thanks for analyzing this remarkable studio recording masterpiece. Her impression of the sound "interjections" at 11:05 is hilarious (it should be looped as a short). I'd love to see Amy get up and dance at some point.
This was best when played in an 80's dance club. Imagine the musical splashes of this song as it mimics the flashing light shows of colour and movement on the dance floor. Wonderful connections to this memory.
One of the best concerts I’ve been to in the beginning of the eighties. I recall Chris Squire playing Amazing grace on the bass, you could feel it more than you could hear it.
I have the same experience! I saw them in Gothenburg, Sweden -84. I also remember Chris bass, It was so loud that it almost pressed you back in the seat. And I also remember the fastastic lasershow. I had never seen anything like it at that time. It was a great show!
Va kul! Det starkaste minnet från den dagen är dock innan konserten. Vi strosade på Avenyn och helt plötsligt kommer hela bandet ut från park aveny hotel till väntande limos. Blev helt starstruck men lyckades iallafall få Jon Andersons autograf som jag har kvar än idag någonstans:)
I've never really gotten into Yes even though it was the first band I ever saw live 20 years ago. But my mother brought me there and to other concerts and I'm forever grateful for making me fall in love with live music. Thanks mum, you were the best. RIP.
This is one of my favorite 80's songs. I would even call it the most "80's sounding" song. It marries synth, guitar and vocals so seamlessly. Very different from their early stuff. 11th times a charm.
This album blew my mind when it was released. As a kid in the '70s, i grew up listening to the "classic" era...and 90125 was like tidal wave hitting the senses. It has since become a member of my top 10 all-time favorite albums.
Good to see you return to YES, in this case one of their more popular radio friendly tunes. Of these more broadly poplar tunes that reach beyond their progressive music fan base, I have really been wanting you to hear "Roundabout." I think it is more musically interesting than "Owner of a Lonely Heart," putting it between this and "Closer to the Edge" in terms of progressive appeal vs popular appeal. "Roundabout" is the song they performed when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017, in which Geddy Lee from Rush performs with them on bass, due to the recent death of YES' amazing bass player Chris Squire. Although you will want to react to the studio version of this instead. Great reaction!
Given Amy's classical background, I was rooting for her introduction to Yes to be "Close to the Edge" -- it's not where I'd suggest most listeners begin with Yes, but Amy isn't "most listeners" and I thought it might connect with her classical background... but I agree "Roundabout" would be an ideal next-listen. It's the perfect introduction to Yes -- all the hallmarks of their classic progressive sound, in a fun, easy-to-digest package.
@@glennz8352 I think "Close to the Edge" is their masterpiece, and I agree given Amy's background and abilities I thought she would do fine with it. However, I was an outlier in wanting her to do "Roundabout" first, since the majority of the comments were pushing for "Close to the Edge" first. I just thought she would have an even greater appreciation of it with a more conventional and widely popular tune first, rather than jumping straight to the deep end with "Close." She of course did fine with it, but I still think she would have enjoyed and appreciate it more if it was here 2nd or 3rd YES tune.
I'd heard that influence strongly already when hearing this song for the 1st time, too! 😀 But being a big fan of The Police, I didn't mind that at all 😊 Just like I didn't when also hearing Rush for the first time 😁
@ChromeDestiny - While Rabin had wanted a big, fat snare sound à la Def Leppard, which Horn hated. Along with Rabin's original lyrics about "luuurve" 😄
I'm sure most of the time I heard this come on the radio I had it in my head that it was the Police. I probably would have argued with anyone that told me it wasn't...
As a long time fan of Yes from the very first album I was crushed when the band broke up. I had seen them play twice and their guitar player, Steve Howe, had inspired me to push my own musical skills to a higher level. Then Yes re-formed without him (perhaps the root of the lyrics) and Trevor Rabin performed their older songs flawlessly. [Having the stage look like a giant turntable was a bit cheeky but spot on.] This album inspired me to double down on my music and eventually play in several bands over the following decades. Thanks for the memories
You can hear influences of The Art Of Noise in the song which is no surprise as the producer was Trevor Horn who founded the record label ZTT, who The Art Of Noise were signed under as well. The Art Of Noise tend to fly under the radar in the music world but their influence on electronic music and especially sampling is worthy of a few listens.
90125 is just the catalogue number of the album. Happy Birthday Jon, 80 years young yesterday. Trevor Rabin was such an inspired addition to the band at the time, great guitarist. Pleased you are looking into this era of the band Amy, thank you.
Ahh Owner of the Lonely Heart, the song that saved YES from disapearing during the 80s pop renaissance. This song not just saved YES from Extintion but also Launched Trevor Horn as the Producer Super Star of the 80s.
The word you are looking for is "samples." 3:40 A good amount of the popular music and even the soundtracks that are produced today uses sampling technology in one form or another. This song is a great early example of a classic rock band incorporating the new sampling technology that was available to them in the early 80's. The instrument was a Fairlight CMI. Great video and channel by the way.
So good to see you reviewing this song. Yes, probably one of the most complex bands of the era… do many of their songs you could review and we would never tire of them. The Yes Album has do many memorable songs from their early history.
Almost makes me cry (or bang my head against the wall) that 80s Yes makes it here before songs like Roundabout, And You and I, Awaken, etc… and about 30 others from the classic 70s period.
It's a great song off of a great and fun album. I find it kind of funny that lots of progressive rock fans from the 70s were absolutely appalled and upset about what progressive rock musicians were able to achieve, almost effortlessly, during the 80s.Yes, Rush, Pink Floyd, and Queen are my four favorite bands of all time, thank you for giving them a lot of coverage. Can't wait for more from these four great bands in the future. Thank you.
The „noise“ is a preset from the sample based Fairlight CMI Synthesizer. Orchestral Hit is a signature sound from Trevor Horn, the producer of the record. Trevor Horn is the mastermind of the art of noise, he used this preset sound a lot in this project.
Obviously Horn was important, but it was JJ Jeczalik who did all the Fairlight work, on this, all The Art Of Noise stuff and many many MANY other things.
@@LeroybrownLR3mk02 Programming the Fairlight was Jeczalik's main role in The Art of Noise. Ann Dudley was the most qualified composer in the band. The Orchestral Hit Preset is a standard preset, so no one had to program the Fairlight in terms of sound.
@@TMAX500WHITEMAX Well, JJ told me himself that Trevor hired him for using the Fairlight as he couldn't do it. So, no JJ, no Fairlight. Which means no Yes (this era), no Frankie Goes To Hollywood, no Kate Bush - Running Up That Hill etc and no Art Of Noise etc etc. The drumroll at the start of this is considered the first drumbeat sample in pop music. So I'd say his role was pretty important.
@@LeroybrownLR3mk02 Kate got into the Fairlight through Peter Gabriel and used it extensively herself on The Dreaming and Hounds of Love. Those albums were all done without Trevor Horn, so whether he could or could not do it does not seem to be relevant. I'll fully grant you Yes and FGTH of course.
The very short drum intro in this is said to be the first ever sampled drumbeat in a 'pop' song. All down to the legend JJ Jeczalik of The Art Of Noise, who was brought on by Trevor Horn and was a master of the fairlight CMI. Trevor Horn gets the credit, but really, it was down to JJ.
This a bit like listening to an orange bounce around inside an oven falling down some stairs. Some very long stairs with the occasional stop to add a new yet different fruit. I dig it 😎 All that hosted by an elegant presenter. Thank you again for an entertaining video.
"Owner of a lonely heart, (much better than) owner of a broken heart" Funnily enough there's a bit of a similar saying in Spanish (I don't know if it's also known in English, but it's famous in a lot of Spanish speaking countries): "Better alone than in bad company" I really like this song! Thank you for doing it! Another very famous song by this band is actually my favorite song ever, and it's probably and inevitability so can't wait
90125 is the album's catalog number. They couldn't think of a name so they punted. This was Yes's shot at some pop success and radio play. It mostly worked. This lineup does not include their long time guitarist Steve Howe. Instead, the guitar is played by the producer, Trevor Rabin. The sound of this album is a significant departure from their more classic 70's sound. A lot of their long time fans didn't like it.
I felt the same way when I first heard this song. But, I bought the album and quickly accepted the fact that they had moved to a more 80’s pop sound and I liked it.
This entire album and the music they created therafter really helped my yound heart heal from the family survived as a child. Floyd and Rush also helped.
Note: Please keep in mind that MTV came out in 1981 and due to this fact, the art of music from 1981-1986 was defined as 50% visual and 50% sound. Most musicians hated it, most Yes fans hated it, but Yes dabbled in it. th-cam.com/video/SVOuYquXuuc/w-d-xo.htmlfeature=shared
This song is a banger, definitely a fan of that drum/guitar intro! I’ve replayed the first 5 seconds multiple times over before starting the song! I just shudder with that scratchy solo though, it’s like nails on a chalkboard, but I wonder if that’s the intended effect? (Considering it’s followed by that Police inspired clean guitar that I always find my ears relaxing to lol.)
Hello Amy! I agree with other people posting here, who mention 'Roundabout', their best known, signature song. But the most challenging piece of music Yes ever created would have to be 'The Gates of Delirium' off their album 'Relayer.' A true 'rock symphony' that is almost 22 minutes long, in which they portray a battle (in the second part) inspired by Tolstoy's 'War and Peace.' Actually the entire album might be considered their most innovative, with the inclusion of the jazz/rock inspired 'Sound Chaser' and the atmospheric, anthemic 'To Be Over.' Truly 'Relayer' is a Progressive Rock Masterpiece, many would agree. Can't wait to see your reaction to these! Cheers, massolrac 😎
Longtime Yes fan, and the many members changes over the years was tough to keep up with. If I recall the guy behind “ The Art of Noise” was the driving force of this song. New subscriber, good reaction.
Nice choice. I'm not the biggest Yes fan ("Roundabout" leaves me completely cold), but "I've Seen All Good People" is one of the greatest tracks ever produced. It captures what the whole progressive rock movement should be. Love to hear your opinion on it.
"should"? That makes it sound like there's some higher power that has defined "progressive rock" and most of the artists didn't do it right. BTW, Yes is my favorite band.
90125 was the first album I owned by Yes. I had heard Roundabout, Seen All Good People, and Long Distance Runaround on the radio, but they never really captured my attention. When this album came out, the song "Leave It" was the song that got me to buy the album. I loved it. The second Yes album I purchased was "Yesshows" in the bargain bin. I fell in love with the song, "Don't Kill the Whale." The album "Going for the One" is probably my favorite Yes album now, but I really love "The Ladder" as well. Every album has stuff on it I like, although "Open Your Eyes" and "Heaven and Earth" are probably the most lackluster.
This song features the first top two expensive computer-based synthesizers and sampling keyboards. The electric harsh horn blast is a preset sound on the Fairlight CMI (which standards for Computer Musical Instrument) built by two people in Sydney Australia. The "do-la-do-la" melody that sometimes follows the Fairlight, uses a sound build on a Synclavier (pronounced sync-la-veer) that was built by a small team called New England Digital in Vermont USA. At the time a Fairlight cost about $25,000, and the Synclavier started at $40,000 but most people spent about $100,000 to have enough memory as it is a complete synthersizer, sampler, sequencer, and 32-track tape recorder, with the most expensive models costing $250,000 but were basically a complete digital tapeless recording studio in a box. Many Synclaviers are still used in Hollywood as fast sound-effect creating workstations.
Owner of a Lonely heart has one of the catchiest riffs of all time, a very slick production for it's time, not exactly what we were expecting from Yes.
There is a great live version of this, filmed at the Trevor Horn Princes Trust 2004 gig. All live, which is fantastic when you realise just how much of this song is constructed in the studio mix. Talking of which, there is a track breakdown with Trevor on the Sound On Sound YT channel. Great to hear the isolated channels and see just how it was all crafted.
Crazy, crazy, hot track. Ever since I was a kid,, that song has just burned inside of me. Such great arranging, musicianship and overall production. Steps beyond a lot of the music that was around at the time of the release. But as dynamic as everything from Earth Wind & Fire, Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody, and Elton John’s Benny and the Jets.The colors, the excitement, the temples changing,, excellent!! Trevor Horn out did himself with ‘owner of a lonely heart’. Trevor brought same amazing arranging and production to everything he did with Seal’s,, first three albums,, decades later.
Hi Amy, To my liking, you didn't say enough about the music. Some of my observations follow here. This was a riff based song. The production, by Trevor Horn, is extremely eighties, when musicians were desperately trying to sound modern and futuristic, by using many synthesizers. (This urge to be modern is also reflected in the album name and the album cover art work.) The "random" interjections are samples, that can be released at different pitches using a keyboard (each key gives the same sample, but at a different pitch). They also played along to a click track, making them play exactly in time, like a machine. Maybe you've also noticed the sparseness of the arrangement, every instrument is carefully interacting with the other instruments. It's a very cerebral arrangement. It's a bit "shiny" and "cold" (almost like your "factory noises"). This "coldness" fits the lonely heart of the lyrics. Also, the vocal harmonies are a bit different that your average thirds. They're not sweet, but more biting, more "lonely". 2:52 There's a really nice unexpected major chord here, when they sing "owner of a lonely HEART". By repeating the title of the song over and over again, they cleverly created an earworm, and they had a hit with it. Really professional. The eighties' desire to be "flashy" and "new" and the way computers were used to reach this goal, has made eighties songs instantly recognizable, but paradoxically also passé (old-fashioned). (Although at the moment there is a revival of this eighties sound, especially in the Dance genre.) All in all the sound of this song is quite unique. Micha
Very interesting watching someone so studied in classical react to progressive-rock. I definitely reccomend Roundabout and I've seen good people... I've seen good people will be more recognizable by someone classically trained such as yourself. But Roundabout is the contrast song that will make for a fun watch. Both will be great tho! Thanks for the varied reactions!
Love this song , it is one of the best produced songs ever. You have a feeling on this , that the studio is a fantastic fun playground , where anything is possible. On a different note , may i suggest Jon and Vangelis ` I Hear You Now` wonderfully romantic and other worldly.
A couple interesting counterpoints to this are "One" by Three Dog Night and "Take a Chance on Me" by ABBA. The former states that "Two can be as bad as one, it's the loneliest number since the number one," and the latter is from the perspective of someone hoping to break through that shell of isolation.
Wow you nailed the themes on a first listen, and Jon Anderson packs them in tight over an incredibly full track. I've tended to see this song as an external source trying to encourage a lonely heart with advice and insights that come from a positive light. You definitely caught the bass line repeating the chorus under that solo. I've met plenty of music heads who don't vibe with 90125 because it's so loaded with a huge, bombastic 80s production, I adore it as a peak example of that sound. I encourage you to go back to do _I've Seen All Good People_ and agree with Roundabout!
Yes in the seventies use the Firebird Suite from Stravinsky as entrance music. In this song, Rite of Spring is used as the source of the sample of the orchestra hit
Yes great song and a great album after a long time and I saw it live... But I would have thought some of the older stuff would have been explored first before going here which was a pretty big change or development as they would have called it over the decades...
Owner of a lonely harpppppp....any time I hear an 80's song what always jumps out is the effects....The MXR Pitch Transposer was the weird effect you hear on the guitar solo. Trying it on the harp! That would be wild and probably unique. It would sound alien if not epic. Tracking a unit down would be hard but people have made plugins for it, which is much cheaper. Really, a lot of the groups I see you reacting to used various boxes to get their sounds. There was like a huge competition to get "the sound". Paul McCartney had David Gilmour play a solo on one of his songs and you could immediately recognize the Pink Floyd's guitarist "rig". Started back in the 60's with session players with their boxes. Really though, I'm serious....mic your harp and try some of the plugins out. It'll blow your mind. Harmonizers, pitch shifters, choruses, and delay.
When the album was released, I was shocked. It was such a departure from their legendary sound, but it was good. At the time, sampling keyboards/synths were getting much better. Many musician became preoccupied with creating new sounds and started to stray from making good music. Letting the gear take over was always a big fear for bands like Yes and Pink Floyd, who were always pushing the state of the art in music tech at a crucial time in it's development.
So enjoyed this ! It would be lovely to hear your opinion and musical interpretation of the Yes songs Awaken and Starship Trooper. Both are ingenious pieces, ones I'm sure you would enjoy 😀
As was said before, this album featured Trevor Rabin on guitar. He also wrote the song. I like it, but then I'm biased, as Rabin is from South Africa, like me!
Yes, now there is a rabbit hole, the Yes accptance into hall of fame version of Roundabout. Yes, it is a collection of heavy musicians' side projects, they created pure joy. Think that Owner of a Lonely Heart came out among 80's syth pop! The film clip got plenty of gongs too.
Their song 'Roundabout' is overdue on this channel! [hint, hint]
Absolutely
Agreed.
Nah “And you and I” or “Turn of the Century”
This isn’t the best song on this album, “It can happen” is much better.
Yes Yes Yes.
Roundabout
And You And I
Turn of the Century
"Awaken"
@@Nomorage always found Awaken a bit over the top, when I was a kid I have to add. Wakeman showing off his big organ.
Right here. If OOALH is what you think Yes sounds like....look closer....to the edge...haha
@@Nomorage How does "Awaken" not have 5,000 votes here yet! 😊
You jumped right past their best music years. Roundabout is a great start. Heart of the Sunrise. And You and I.
It is so... rewarding to see someone being giddy while listening to your favorite music. Thank you!
I think and the song of theirs you would really like is "I've seen All Good People", it's right up your alley.
When the first sampling synthesizer (Fairlight CMI) become available for the artists in the 80's (Peter Gabriel, kate Bush, Thomas Dolby, Alan Parsons, Herbie Hancock etc.) they tended to experiment allot with it, that is what you hear with that strange sounds. Kate Bushes "Cloudbusting" has done it wonderfully.
Very expensive
@@dale3852 It was even back then it cost like 15-20,000 US dollars I think .
Made by a company in Sydney Australia ,I still think the Moog synth. sounded better even though it was more difficult to use .
The Moog had a syth. sound but some how it sounded more analogue , authentic , real . well, Giorgio Moroder ,the Italian master used it to produce some of the most
iconic sythn music in history for like Ms. Donna Summer etc etc .
Glad you finally returned to Yes! Although you have only heard two extremes: Close to the Edge was one of their longest songs from their most progressive period (and when progressive was a new and fresh approach to rock); while Owner of a Lonely Heart was perceived as a concession to top 40 radio needs of the extremely commercialized 1980s. It's very polished music, although repetitive. Practically all bands of the 1980s were in a phase in which each song title was supposed to be repeated throughout. In my opinion, RUSH was the only band to actually master this phase while improving their musical effectiveness. Most other (progressive) bands sounded tamed, instead. In particular, the bass of Chris Squire was sooooo understated here in comparison with all previous work, and many of us fans were dearly missing the distinctive and amazing sounds that he used to make, when we heard this come out. This is fine music when compared with other top 40, but the bulk of Yes' works are more than just "fine." They're transcendent! If/when I get a chance (and opt to afford) the (expensive) commission you offered, I plan to purchase your reaction to a 10-minute, lesser-known song by Yes that will probably make your eyes water with its beauty! Until then... thanks for the nice review and please consider a series in which you more thoroughly explore Yes. I got away from rock for about 10 years, but Yes was the band that brought me back to it (after 10 years focusing mainly upon classical). It wasn't their 1980s material that I found as engaging as Shostakovich... although I now enjoy every one of Yes' studio albums in different ways. They hold up after decades of listening and I consider them the finest (successful) band of the Rock Era. The stuff that a rock canon will consist of, if rock finds its place as a period within the Canon of historical art music!! 😃
That's just what I was going to say.
I can't lie, 90125 was my first exposure to Yes in the 1980s, when I was a teenager. It is more pop-oriented than their 1970s stuff, but it was still interesting and different enough from a lot of the bland 1980s pop. Yes fans often break down the 1970s/1980s line, but I like the Trevor Rabin version of Yes like I like the 1970s version. I appreciate both versions, as being sufficiently bold for their time period.
I’m intrigued to know what 10-minute, lesser-known Yes song that would make her eyes water with its beauty you would pick! For me, it’s “Turn of the Century.” It’s what I’d like Amy to listen to next - but not holding my breath, obscure deep cut that it is.
My other picks include “And You And I,” “To Be Over,” and - perhaps controversially, because it may not be right for the uninitiated - “Awaken.”
@@glennz8352 If you know all of the Yes studio albums very well, with Jon Anderson, it shouldn't be hard to imagine which one. I consider any post-1980s 10-minute Yes song to be lesser-known.
Your grasp of the meaning is good, and watching the video will lead you to more... transformation ! This is a piece of ART... it should be SEEN and HEARD at the same time !
Especially the full length version.
Hearing you imitate the noises, that's worth the time spent by itself.
Yes! Thanks for analyzing this remarkable studio recording masterpiece. Her impression of the sound "interjections" at 11:05 is hilarious (it should be looped as a short). I'd love to see Amy get up and dance at some point.
Yes! ❤
Klunk 😆❤️
th-cam.com/video/Ucyng65R1sQ/w-d-xo.htmlsi=jas5I9EDq-Ukf0G1
I would love to hear Amy's take on "Changes" from this album, particularly the time signatures!
"Changes" would be a great choice, one of my favorites of theirs. Definitely one of the more interesting songs on the album.
This was best when played in an 80's dance club. Imagine the musical splashes of this song as it mimics the flashing light shows of colour and movement on the dance floor. Wonderful connections to this memory.
One of the best concerts I’ve been to in the beginning of the eighties. I recall Chris Squire playing Amazing grace on the bass, you could feel it more than you could hear it.
I have the same experience! I saw them in Gothenburg, Sweden -84. I also remember Chris bass, It was so loud that it almost pressed you back in the seat. And I also remember the fastastic lasershow. I had never seen anything like it at that time. It was a great show!
@@kristersandberg7971, vi var nog på samma konsert då! :-)
Va kul! Det starkaste minnet från den dagen är dock innan konserten. Vi strosade på Avenyn och helt plötsligt kommer hela bandet ut från park aveny hotel till väntande limos. Blev helt starstruck men lyckades iallafall få Jon Andersons autograf som jag har kvar än idag någonstans:)
I've never really gotten into Yes even though it was the first band I ever saw live 20 years ago. But my mother brought me there and to other concerts and I'm forever grateful for making me fall in love with live music. Thanks mum, you were the best. RIP.
Sorry to hear about your loss! 😌🙏 Good on her for having taken you along to the concerts! 😍👍
YES-does-Pop. Quirky and wonderfully arranged. It's certainly original.
Always loved listening to this, Amy’s facial expressions were perfection.
And note how much she was analyzing the composition - very appropriate for this much music material. ;-)
This is one of my favorite 80's songs. I would even call it the most "80's sounding" song. It marries synth, guitar and vocals so seamlessly. Very different from their early stuff. 11th times a charm.
Great one Amy! 'I've seen all good people' is a must Yes song...
This album blew my mind when it was released. As a kid in the '70s, i grew up listening to the "classic" era...and 90125 was like tidal wave hitting the senses. It has since become a member of my top 10 all-time favorite albums.
Good to see you return to YES, in this case one of their more popular radio friendly tunes. Of these more broadly poplar tunes that reach beyond their progressive music fan base, I have really been wanting you to hear "Roundabout." I think it is more musically interesting than "Owner of a Lonely Heart," putting it between this and "Closer to the Edge" in terms of progressive appeal vs popular appeal. "Roundabout" is the song they performed when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017, in which Geddy Lee from Rush performs with them on bass, due to the recent death of YES' amazing bass player Chris Squire. Although you will want to react to the studio version of this instead. Great reaction!
Given Amy's classical background, I was rooting for her introduction to Yes to be "Close to the Edge" -- it's not where I'd suggest most listeners begin with Yes, but Amy isn't "most listeners" and I thought it might connect with her classical background... but I agree "Roundabout" would be an ideal next-listen. It's the perfect introduction to Yes -- all the hallmarks of their classic progressive sound, in a fun, easy-to-digest package.
@@glennz8352 I think "Close to the Edge" is their masterpiece, and I agree given Amy's background and abilities I thought she would do fine with it. However, I was an outlier in wanting her to do "Roundabout" first, since the majority of the comments were pushing for "Close to the Edge" first. I just thought she would have an even greater appreciation of it with a more conventional and widely popular tune first, rather than jumping straight to the deep end with "Close." She of course did fine with it, but I still think she would have enjoyed and appreciate it more if it was here 2nd or 3rd YES tune.
When Yes had The Police albums on their playlist. :)
I'd heard that influence strongly already when hearing this song for the 1st time, too! 😀 But being a big fan of The Police, I didn't mind that at all 😊
Just like I didn't when also hearing Rush for the first time 😁
At the time I bought the Compact Cassette of Syncronicity from Police thinking It included "Owner". I didn't imagine It was Yes 🤣
Producer Trevor Horn said he was trying to copy the Stewart Copeland drum sound.
@ChromeDestiny - While Rabin had wanted a big, fat snare sound à la Def Leppard, which Horn hated. Along with Rabin's original lyrics about "luuurve" 😄
I'm sure most of the time I heard this come on the radio I had it in my head that it was the Police. I probably would have argued with anyone that told me it wasn't...
As a long time fan of Yes from the very first album I was crushed when the band broke up. I had seen them play twice and their guitar player, Steve Howe, had inspired me to push my own musical skills to a higher level. Then Yes re-formed without him (perhaps the root of the lyrics) and Trevor Rabin performed their older songs flawlessly. [Having the stage look like a giant turntable was a bit cheeky but spot on.] This album inspired me to double down on my music and eventually play in several bands over the following decades.
Thanks for the memories
Heart of the Sunrise!
Yes!
Eye-opening analysis from a different standpoint.
And highly accurate.
Thank you so much😁
A MUST HEAR Classic,, YES "Roundabout" ❤
Listen to Turn of the Century if you want to hear Yes doing a beautiful acoustic guitar and piano based song, from their 1977 Going for the One album
absolutely, thats one great beautiful song
You can hear influences of The Art Of Noise in the song which is no surprise as the producer was Trevor Horn who founded the record label ZTT, who The Art Of Noise were signed under as well.
The Art Of Noise tend to fly under the radar in the music world but their influence on electronic music and especially sampling is worthy of a few listens.
J.J. from the Art Of Noise programmed and played the Fairlight C.M.I. IIx on the song. There was two acoustic guitar riffs that the Fairlight did
Hey,...70s Progressive Rock. I saw them back in the mid-70s in Montreal. The concert was a real treat. Power-House Sound.
CONGRATS, this video showed up at the TOP of my TH-cam refresh....
Never did quite get to Yes ---but trust that you'd find "Leave It" from the same album positively delightful as I do
One of very Best of
Yes
AND YOU AND I
90125 is just the catalogue number of the album. Happy Birthday Jon, 80 years young yesterday. Trevor Rabin was such an inspired addition to the band at the time, great guitarist. Pleased you are looking into this era of the band Amy, thank you.
"90125" was its Atco Records catalogue number - some kind of serial number used to order stock :-)
I always thought it was referencing the zip code for Beverly Hills... lol
With Your love of pipe organ, the next song must be "Awaken" from the "Going for the one" album.
Ahh Owner of the Lonely Heart, the song that saved YES from disapearing during the 80s pop renaissance. This song not just saved YES from Extintion but also Launched Trevor Horn as the Producer Super Star of the 80s.
Though, for good or for bad, the ad libs are most likely Trevor Horn's insertions. (I know the arpeggios were.)
A giant production, very 80s. Great song.
Trevor Horn….
The word you are looking for is "samples." 3:40 A good amount of the popular music and even the soundtracks that are produced today uses sampling technology in one form or another. This song is a great early example of a classic rock band incorporating the new sampling technology that was available to them in the early 80's. The instrument was a Fairlight CMI. Great video and channel by the way.
So good to see you reviewing this song. Yes, probably one of the most complex bands of the era… do many of their songs you could review and we would never tire of them. The Yes Album has do many memorable songs from their early history.
Lots more to dive into ... yum!!
Almost makes me cry (or bang my head against the wall) that 80s Yes makes it here before songs like Roundabout, And You and I, Awaken, etc… and about 30 others from the classic 70s period.
You've accurately captured the 'no one listens to this garbage, it must be fantastic' attitude of the vast majority of prog rock fans... lol!
And this reaction exactly did what it was meant to do: It showed her the full range of what Yes was capable of.
Still, it's a good song. She can do Roundabout later. 👍
11:04 - That's the ending in 'Rock Lobster' by The B-52's! 😄
It's a great song off of a great and fun album. I find it kind of funny that lots of progressive rock fans from the 70s were absolutely appalled and upset about what progressive rock musicians were able to achieve, almost effortlessly, during the 80s.Yes, Rush, Pink Floyd, and Queen are my four favorite bands of all time, thank you for giving them a lot of coverage. Can't wait for more from these four great bands in the future. Thank you.
You could add Genesis as well.
The „noise“ is a preset from the sample based Fairlight CMI Synthesizer. Orchestral Hit is a signature sound from Trevor Horn, the producer of the record. Trevor Horn is the mastermind of the art of noise, he used this preset sound a lot in this project.
Obviously Horn was important, but it was JJ Jeczalik who did all the Fairlight work, on this, all The Art Of Noise stuff and many many MANY other things.
@@LeroybrownLR3mk02 Programming the Fairlight was Jeczalik's main role in The Art of Noise. Ann Dudley was the most qualified composer in the band. The Orchestral Hit Preset is a standard preset, so no one had to program the Fairlight in terms of sound.
@@TMAX500WHITEMAX Well, JJ told me himself that Trevor hired him for using the Fairlight as he couldn't do it. So, no JJ, no Fairlight. Which means no Yes (this era), no Frankie Goes To Hollywood, no Kate Bush - Running Up That Hill etc and no Art Of Noise etc etc. The drumroll at the start of this is considered the first drumbeat sample in pop music. So I'd say his role was pretty important.
@@LeroybrownLR3mk02 Kate got into the Fairlight through Peter Gabriel and used it extensively herself on The Dreaming and Hounds of Love. Those albums were all done without Trevor Horn, so whether he could or could not do it does not seem to be relevant. I'll fully grant you Yes and FGTH of course.
The very short drum intro in this is said to be the first ever sampled drumbeat in a 'pop' song. All down to the legend JJ Jeczalik of The Art Of Noise, who was brought on by Trevor Horn and was a master of the fairlight CMI. Trevor Horn gets the credit, but really, it was down to JJ.
Whenever this song came on the radio ( I didn't watch MTV ) I thought it was Sting singing with The Police. Never recognized it as a Yes tune.
One of my favorite YES songs.
The "trumpet" sound you here is actually a sample of a performance of Stravinsky "Firebird Suite", which the band was a huge fan of.
This a bit like listening to an orange bounce around inside an oven falling down some stairs. Some very long stairs with the occasional stop to add a new yet different fruit. I dig it 😎
All that hosted by an elegant presenter. Thank you again for an entertaining video.
"Owner of a lonely heart, (much better than) owner of a broken heart" Funnily enough there's a bit of a similar saying in Spanish (I don't know if it's also known in English, but it's famous in a lot of Spanish speaking countries): "Better alone than in bad company"
I really like this song! Thank you for doing it!
Another very famous song by this band is actually my favorite song ever, and it's probably and inevitability so can't wait
90125 is the record company's catalog number assigned to the album.
not their beverly hills high school zip code??!
Thanks for the info. Thought it was probably their zip code as well.
90125 is the album's catalog number. They couldn't think of a name so they punted. This was Yes's shot at some pop success and radio play. It mostly worked. This lineup does not include their long time guitarist Steve Howe. Instead, the guitar is played by the producer, Trevor Rabin. The sound of this album is a significant departure from their more classic 70's sound. A lot of their long time fans didn't like it.
Much like Queen's Hot Space reception, and similarly wrong headed.
Speaking as a YES fan from the 70s I didn't like it until much later than its release when I could appreciate the work that went into its production
I felt the same way when I first heard this song. But, I bought the album and quickly accepted the fact that they had moved to a more 80’s pop sound and I liked it.
Trevor Horn was the producer. Trevor Rabin was the guitarist.
I love this whole album, 3 of my 4 picky picky young adult children like - love it as well.
This entire album and the music they created therafter really helped my yound heart heal from the family survived as a child. Floyd and Rush also helped.
The reaction at 7:07 is everything. I love the perfect mix of intellectual analysis and emotional openness to the sheer affective power of music.
Note: Please keep in mind that MTV came out in 1981 and due to this fact, the art of music from 1981-1986 was defined as 50% visual and 50% sound. Most musicians hated it, most Yes fans hated it, but Yes dabbled in it. th-cam.com/video/SVOuYquXuuc/w-d-xo.htmlfeature=shared
Their video for this song was very unusual and artistic, compared to a lot of the early 1980s videos.
This song is a banger, definitely a fan of that drum/guitar intro! I’ve replayed the first 5 seconds multiple times over before starting the song!
I just shudder with that scratchy solo though, it’s like nails on a chalkboard, but I wonder if that’s the intended effect? (Considering it’s followed by that Police inspired clean guitar that I always find my ears relaxing to lol.)
Hello Amy! I agree with other people posting here, who mention 'Roundabout', their best known, signature song. But the most challenging piece of music Yes ever created would have to be 'The Gates of Delirium' off their album 'Relayer.' A true 'rock symphony' that is almost 22 minutes long, in which they portray a battle (in the second part) inspired by Tolstoy's 'War and Peace.' Actually the entire album might be considered their most innovative, with the inclusion of the jazz/rock inspired 'Sound Chaser' and the atmospheric, anthemic 'To Be Over.' Truly 'Relayer' is a Progressive Rock Masterpiece, many would agree. Can't wait to see your reaction to these! Cheers, massolrac 😎
Longtime Yes fan, and the many members changes over the years was tough to keep up with. If I recall the guy behind “ The Art of Noise” was the driving force of this song. New subscriber, good reaction.
Trevor Horn's production was the mighty force behind the GREAT 90125.
@@SoftVinyl Trevor Horn was behind a lot of now classic albums from that period.
You haven't touched the real gems of YES yet,I would check out more and you will be surprised
That "guy" also had been Yes' singer on one of their albums! 😀
@@mightyV444 Drama...a KILLER album. Probably the bands hardest rock album.
Nice choice. I'm not the biggest Yes fan ("Roundabout" leaves me completely cold), but "I've Seen All Good People" is one of the greatest tracks ever produced. It captures what the whole progressive rock movement should be. Love to hear your opinion on it.
"should"? That makes it sound like there's some higher power that has defined "progressive rock" and most of the artists didn't do it right. BTW, Yes is my favorite band.
@@dhfenske True. Should is also extremely subjective. "I think it SHOULD be this way..." And so I think this is what prog SHOULD be. No offense.
90125 was the first album I owned by Yes. I had heard Roundabout, Seen All Good People, and Long Distance Runaround on the radio, but they never really captured my attention. When this album came out, the song "Leave It" was the song that got me to buy the album. I loved it. The second Yes album I purchased was "Yesshows" in the bargain bin. I fell in love with the song, "Don't Kill the Whale." The album "Going for the One" is probably my favorite Yes album now, but I really love "The Ladder" as well. Every album has stuff on it I like, although "Open Your Eyes" and "Heaven and Earth" are probably the most lackluster.
This song features the first top two expensive computer-based synthesizers and sampling keyboards.
The electric harsh horn blast is a preset sound on the Fairlight CMI (which standards for Computer Musical Instrument) built by two people in Sydney Australia.
The "do-la-do-la" melody that sometimes follows the Fairlight, uses a sound build on a Synclavier (pronounced sync-la-veer) that was built by a small team called New England Digital in Vermont USA.
At the time a Fairlight cost about $25,000, and the Synclavier started at $40,000 but most people spent about $100,000 to have enough memory as it is a complete synthersizer, sampler, sequencer, and 32-track tape recorder, with the most expensive models costing $250,000 but were basically a complete digital tapeless recording studio in a box. Many Synclaviers are still used in Hollywood as fast sound-effect creating workstations.
90125 is one of my top 3 favourite 80s albums.
Owner of a Lonely heart has one of the catchiest riffs of all time, a very slick production for it's time, not exactly what we were expecting from Yes.
There is a great live version of this, filmed at the Trevor Horn Princes Trust 2004 gig. All live, which is fantastic when you realise just how much of this song is constructed in the studio mix. Talking of which, there is a track breakdown with Trevor on the Sound On Sound YT channel. Great to hear the isolated channels and see just how it was all crafted.
Their song "Starship Trooper" should be on your list.
This song is so playful, I love it. Jon Anderson also has some albums with Vangelis (as "Jon and Vangelis") which may be interesting to check.
90125 and Purple Rain by Prince were the 2 first vinyl albums I bought as a kid. Wore this album out.
I had the cassette. One of the best sounding cassette tapes ever. In my mind, one of the best sounding albums of the 80's.
Well, Amy's imitation of those sounds; that's like the Virgin Rock take on the song "Comic Strip" by Serge Gainsbourg & Brigitte Bardot 😊
Also reminded me of the B-52's' 'Rock Lobster'! 😊
My personal favorite YES song is "Yours is No Disgrace." Love to see a reaction to that.
Great song and yes, ROUNDABOUT is phenomenal!!!!
Crazy, crazy, hot track. Ever since I was a kid,, that song has just burned inside of me. Such great arranging, musicianship and overall production. Steps beyond a lot of the music that was around at the time of the release. But as dynamic as everything from Earth Wind & Fire, Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody, and Elton John’s Benny and the Jets.The colors, the excitement, the temples changing,, excellent!! Trevor Horn out did himself with ‘owner of a lonely heart’. Trevor brought same amazing arranging and production to everything he did with Seal’s,, first three albums,, decades later.
Great fun dance tune 💃❤️
Hi Amy,
To my liking, you didn't say enough about the music. Some of my observations follow here.
This was a riff based song.
The production, by Trevor Horn, is extremely eighties, when musicians were desperately trying to sound modern and futuristic, by using many synthesizers. (This urge to be modern is also reflected in the album name and the album cover art work.)
The "random" interjections are samples, that can be released at different pitches using a keyboard (each key gives the same sample, but at a different pitch).
They also played along to a click track, making them play exactly in time, like a machine.
Maybe you've also noticed the sparseness of the arrangement, every instrument is carefully interacting with the other instruments. It's a very cerebral arrangement. It's a bit "shiny" and "cold" (almost like your "factory noises"). This "coldness" fits the lonely heart of the lyrics.
Also, the vocal harmonies are a bit different that your average thirds. They're not sweet, but more biting, more "lonely".
2:52 There's a really nice unexpected major chord here, when they sing "owner of a lonely HEART".
By repeating the title of the song over and over again, they cleverly created an earworm, and they had a hit with it. Really professional.
The eighties' desire to be "flashy" and "new" and the way computers were used to reach this goal, has made eighties songs instantly recognizable, but paradoxically also passé (old-fashioned). (Although at the moment there is a revival of this eighties sound, especially in the Dance genre.)
All in all the sound of this song is quite unique.
Micha
You have to listen to Yes through headphones. Such a unique band. Do Roundabout next.
She is listening with headphones
@@diverdown631 I have eyes. I was talking in general, not to her specifically. 🙄
Very interesting watching someone so studied in classical react to progressive-rock. I definitely reccomend Roundabout and I've seen good people... I've seen good people will be more recognizable by someone classically trained such as yourself. But Roundabout is the contrast song that will make for a fun watch. Both will be great tho! Thanks for the varied reactions!
"Roundabout"
"And You and I"
Owner of a Lonely Heart is when they started aiming for a wider audience and radio play.
wow sounds like a remastered version, great reaction, i enjoyed your face as you were listening to the pretty music
Yes is all about staying upbeat. That's why they are named Yes!
Interesting choice, you need to do Roundabout, that's them
Love this song , it is one of the best produced songs ever. You have a feeling on this , that the studio is a fantastic fun playground , where anything is possible. On a different note , may i suggest Jon and Vangelis ` I Hear You Now` wonderfully romantic and other worldly.
A couple interesting counterpoints to this are "One" by Three Dog Night and "Take a Chance on Me" by ABBA. The former states that "Two can be as bad as one, it's the loneliest number since the number one," and the latter is from the perspective of someone hoping to break through that shell of isolation.
The occasional abrupt attacks reminds me of Bond movie opening songs. Yes quirky, but fun, creative and well executed.
Thank you Amy. I know this band and I like them, but mainly because of others songs.
Yes, I like the prog rock era better, but it's still a good song.
80’s sound effects thrown in. They and many groups did this back then
Awaken is a Yes masterpiece that you MUST discover.
I love your insights :)
Wow you nailed the themes on a first listen, and Jon Anderson packs them in tight over an incredibly full track. I've tended to see this song as an external source trying to encourage a lonely heart with advice and insights that come from a positive light. You definitely caught the bass line repeating the chorus under that solo. I've met plenty of music heads who don't vibe with 90125 because it's so loaded with a huge, bombastic 80s production, I adore it as a peak example of that sound. I encourage you to go back to do _I've Seen All Good People_ and agree with Roundabout!
Yes in the seventies use the Firebird Suite from Stravinsky as entrance music. In this song, Rite of Spring is used as the source of the sample of the orchestra hit
Yes great song and a great album after a long time and I saw it live... But I would have thought some of the older stuff would have been explored first before going here which was a pretty big change or development as they would have called it over the decades...
You really need to examine Days of Future Past by The Moody Blues
Owner of a lonely harpppppp....any time I hear an 80's song what always jumps out is the effects....The MXR Pitch Transposer was the weird effect you hear on the guitar solo. Trying it on the harp! That would be wild and probably unique. It would sound alien if not epic. Tracking a unit down would be hard but people have made plugins for it, which is much cheaper. Really, a lot of the groups I see you reacting to used various boxes to get their sounds. There was like a huge competition to get "the sound". Paul McCartney had David Gilmour play a solo on one of his songs and you could immediately recognize the Pink Floyd's guitarist "rig". Started back in the 60's with session players with their boxes. Really though, I'm serious....mic your harp and try some of the plugins out. It'll blow your mind. Harmonizers, pitch shifters, choruses, and delay.
I blew out my second woofer with 90125 ("Changes"). Memories.
When the album was released, I was shocked. It was such a departure from their legendary sound, but it was good.
At the time, sampling keyboards/synths were getting much better. Many musician became preoccupied with creating new sounds and started to stray from making good music. Letting the gear take over was always a big fear for bands like Yes and Pink Floyd, who were always pushing the state of the art in music tech at a crucial time in it's development.
So enjoyed this ! It would be lovely to hear your opinion and musical interpretation of the Yes songs Awaken and Starship Trooper. Both are ingenious pieces, ones I'm sure you would enjoy 😀
YES!
As was said before, this album featured Trevor Rabin on guitar. He also wrote the song. I like it, but then I'm biased, as Rabin is from South Africa, like me!
Yes, now there is a rabbit hole, the Yes accptance into hall of fame version of Roundabout. Yes, it is a collection of heavy musicians' side projects, they created pure joy.
Think that Owner of a Lonely Heart came out among 80's syth pop! The film clip got plenty of gongs too.
Huge hit
I would love to see your reaction to the music video!
Who picks up on the bass during that solo! Genius.
The album’s producer, Trevor Horn called those noises “ whizbangs”!