I would rank I'M RUNNING as one of the 2-3 best Yes compositions EVER. You were very fortunate to have heard it performed live. Pure creativity...blended with a talent---and hunger---for production perfection...layered complexity...Chris' foundational riff and 'thunderous' bass line...Alan's amazing Bruford-like contribution...Trevor's deserved praise for jaw-dropping guitar solo...inspired vocals...and even Jon's soaring idealistic lyrics... Truly a Yes composition of rare moment...
@@thefacts5394 that seems odd, maybe that comment was just one of the reasons. Alan wouldn't really be the dealbreaker, unless he is the one triggering the vocal tapes and he missed a que. This is only second to Gates of Delerium in complexity level to play it 100 percent correct, I play all the instruments to all the songs, I can appreciate the subtle things that most wouldn't notice that make this song so difficult live, which is also using vocal tapes since theres a billions harmonies, and they still made it through it at least. Theres a few recordings where it all breaks down and everyone is off dramatically....It takes big balls to get through this.
Rick Beato, a well known rock youtuber who has a wide knowledge of rock history ( app 62-65 yo) with millions followers, included this bass intro as bonus track in his video of the 20 best bass intros of all times .
@DesertPowerCat The sound mix on this is phenomenal as is this live performance. I read that as well & Trevor does seem very proud of this, as so he should be. Stunning lyrics and musicality, and the arrangement of this song all are just sparkling. Jon also phrases this live version wonderfully. 3:36 Trevor's guitar solo on this is just supreme.
AGREE I'm so sorry they didn't play this for my show. It's my favorite from BG. TO ALL PROGRESSIVE BANDS in the future don't listen to the idiots, please! Give the audience something they'll remember. Mix it up. Do what makes you happy, that's why we are your fans.
This was my favorite tune on Big Generator. Given that Howe played on the original demo, it's a shame they didn't find room for this in the Union set. If "Awaken" was the climax of the 2nd set, "I'm Running" would have been a great closer or next-to-last track of the first set. With Bruford in the band, they could have translated the pseudo-marimba part to his electronic kit.
Why oh why did they drop this one so early? It's obviously blistering live, and easily one of the best tracks of the Rabin era. I wonder if a pro-recording exists of this? In the meantime, this is excellent - you made my night posting it up! Thanks!
A lesson in how a first class vocals (Anderson) can keep a complex progressive song, on track! He sings sooo well here. Outstanding - the tuning is spot on and such confidence. They sounded so tight here . . . it's a shame they dropped it from the set. It's a very intense song : not much let-up for Alan; Rabin, is blazing away, including massive term-picking; Kay does a stand-up job covering a huge range of parts - really, really impressive; and of course Squire puts his heart and soul into the whole fret-board.. With the mass vocals at the end and large number of keys, even some guitars... I wonder if they used a backing track for any parts on this? I wouldn't blame them if they had some help... it would still be phenomenally difficult to perform.
@@westrig180 They may have actually. During the 90125 tour, they had a 2nd keyboardist hidden behind a curtain. You can see video clips of it on TH-cam. They had so many keyboard parts on 90125, they needed 2 players to cover it all live. They played many tracks from 90125 on the Big Generator tour, so I imagine they may have done the same. I was luck enough to attend the BG tour.
In an interview at Notes from the Edge (issue 270) Trevor seems to quite proud of "I'm Running". I seem to remember another interview where he thought it was one of the stronger they put together. Of course set lists get adjusted based on audience response. Too bad this piece didn't get played more.
It sounds like Jon was having timing issues at the beginning of the song. But otherwise I can't see why they dumped it. This is one of the better songs from the overwrought BG. I will say this; from a rhythm standpoint, the song is fairly acrobatic. Perhaps this is why you don't see the Relayer stuff played anymore.
this version has better sound quality than others on the 'tube i have seen-REALLY quite a great piece of music,i can see why at least some of them would be very proud of it. maybe not 'perfect' live execution,but pretty good,no ? thx for posting.
The best VIDEO rep of this tour I've ever seen (also own) is the Hollywood Sportatorium concert (February 1988, Hollywood, FL). It's probably up here on YT (no Final Eyes or I'm Running, of course). Not long after the show, a vg audience recording (from this show) on double album vinyl started making the rounds at record shows & specialty shops, I bought it & was pleasantly surprised at the sound quality, as 2 others I'd bought from this tour (with "The BIG Tour" graphics & glossy color covers) did not sound good, and I sold them years ago. So when the VHS began to appear (this is still prior to ABWH), it was a no-brainer for me. And, for even better AUDIO from this tour, I have the Houston 1988 show I taped from FM (Superstars In Concert?) that was later excerpted for the 2005 3-cd Yes live compilation "The Word Is Live", with 4 songs, I think, including my other BG fave, "Shoot High, Aim Low"... ✨
I agree, this is a rediculous undertaking, the fact that they sort of made it through the endings any of the four times is impressive alone. It's one of my favorite songs to play on bass, it's actually pretty easy. It is also ridden with backing tracks, not just vocals, a LOT of them, so that just makes is more difficult to get back on track when half of them go to the next part and half of them repeat the current part for instance.
Fun fact: Chris Squire got good at the bass by practicing it in his girlfriend's for a few months after a bad acid trip. Maybe this is the true way to master an instrument.
I would rank I'M RUNNING as one of the 2-3 best Yes compositions EVER.
You were very fortunate to have heard it performed live.
Pure creativity...blended with a talent---and hunger---for production perfection...layered complexity...Chris' foundational riff and 'thunderous' bass line...Alan's amazing Bruford-like contribution...Trevor's deserved praise for jaw-dropping guitar solo...inspired vocals...and even Jon's soaring idealistic lyrics...
Truly a Yes composition of rare moment...
I wouldn't go that far but it is definitely one of their most underrated songs for sure.
@@mikereiss4216 Yeah def not one of their best songs but easily my favourite song on Big Generator and it's also better than everything on 90125 imo
I read an interview with Rabin which basically said that the reason it wasn't played a lot was because Alan White couldn't cope with the drum parts.
@@thefacts5394 I wonder why they dropped final eyes then.
@@thefacts5394 that seems odd, maybe that comment was just one of the reasons. Alan wouldn't really be the dealbreaker, unless he is the one triggering the vocal tapes and he missed a que. This is only second to Gates of Delerium in complexity level to play it 100 percent correct, I play all the instruments to all the songs, I can appreciate the subtle things that most wouldn't notice that make this song so difficult live, which is also using vocal tapes since theres a billions harmonies, and they still made it through it at least. Theres a few recordings where it all breaks down and everyone is off dramatically....It takes big balls to get through this.
This and Hearts from 90125 are my favorite. The solos are awesome.
One of my favorite Yes songs !!!
One of my Personal Favorites Of Yes. AWESOME..Bass HEAVEN!!
Rick Beato, a well known rock youtuber who has a wide knowledge of rock history ( app 62-65 yo) with millions followers, included this bass intro as bonus track in his video of the 20 best bass intros of all times .
My most favorite song in the Yes catalog.
i have made it my mission to learn and play this song GOOD before the end of 2011
RIP Chris..I will miss you
I love the harmony on this song!!!!
@DesertPowerCat The sound mix on this is phenomenal as is this live performance. I read that as well & Trevor does seem very proud of this, as so he should be. Stunning lyrics and musicality, and the arrangement of this song all are just sparkling. Jon also phrases this live version wonderfully. 3:36 Trevor's guitar solo on this is just supreme.
AGREE I'm so sorry they didn't play this for my show. It's my favorite from BG.
TO ALL PROGRESSIVE BANDS in the future don't listen to the idiots, please! Give the audience something they'll remember. Mix it up. Do what makes you happy, that's why we are your fans.
This was my favorite tune on Big Generator. Given that Howe played on the original demo, it's a shame they didn't find room for this in the Union set. If "Awaken" was the climax of the 2nd set, "I'm Running" would have been a great closer or next-to-last track of the first set. With Bruford in the band, they could have translated the pseudo-marimba part to his electronic kit.
rosskolnikov excellent ideas
Or an encore - totally unexpected!
This song produces a lot of musical and colors of imagination, besides the mental transportation to the space.
Performed exactly 2 weeks after I was born!!!!
Why oh why did they drop this one so early? It's obviously blistering live, and easily one of the best tracks of the Rabin era. I wonder if a pro-recording exists of this? In the meantime, this is excellent - you made my night posting it up! Thanks!
I think it was because it’s a very complicated arrangement and it was hard for them to reproduce live.
Absolutely agreed. Easily the masterpiece of the Trevor Rabin era.
The best Bass of Squire
Never thought I'd hear a live version of this--thanks a lot! (Why didn't they play this live more often?!)
I think it was because it’s a very complicated arrangement and it was hard for them to reproduce live.
A lesson in how a first class vocals (Anderson) can keep a complex progressive song, on track! He sings sooo well here. Outstanding - the tuning is spot on and such confidence. They sounded so tight here . . . it's a shame they dropped it from the set. It's a very intense song : not much let-up for Alan; Rabin, is blazing away, including massive term-picking; Kay does a stand-up job covering a huge range of parts - really, really impressive; and of course Squire puts his heart and soul into the whole fret-board..
With the mass vocals at the end and large number of keys, even some guitars... I wonder if they used a backing track for any parts on this? I wouldn't blame them if they had some help... it would still be phenomenally difficult to perform.
no backing tracks.
@@westrig180 They may have actually. During the 90125 tour, they had a 2nd keyboardist hidden behind a curtain. You can see video clips of it on TH-cam. They had so many keyboard parts on 90125, they needed 2 players to cover it all live. They played many tracks from 90125 on the Big Generator tour, so I imagine they may have done the same. I was luck enough to attend the BG tour.
In an interview at Notes from the Edge (issue 270) Trevor seems to quite proud of "I'm Running". I seem to remember another interview where he thought it was one of the stronger they put together. Of course set lists get adjusted based on audience response. Too bad this piece didn't get played more.
yes is the best and rabin for president
I was there at this show!
This has got to be one of the most difficult songs to play live and Yes pulls it off with aplomb.
fantastic 🙂
It sounds like Jon was having timing issues at the beginning of the song. But otherwise I can't see why they dumped it. This is one of the better songs from the overwrought BG. I will say this; from a rhythm standpoint, the song is fairly acrobatic. Perhaps this is why you don't see the Relayer stuff played anymore.
When they reached Philadelphia and the Stabler arena in December, this was not played.
I would have preferred they had dropped the song Big Generator!
this version has better sound quality than others on the 'tube i have seen-REALLY quite a great piece of music,i can see why at least some of them would be very proud of it. maybe not 'perfect' live execution,but pretty good,no ? thx for posting.
Very well played!! Very close to the album version. Too bad there isn't an oficial DVD of this tour and the Talk tour.
The best VIDEO rep of this tour I've ever seen (also own) is the Hollywood Sportatorium concert (February 1988, Hollywood, FL). It's probably up here on YT (no Final Eyes or I'm Running, of course). Not long after the show, a vg audience recording (from this show) on double album vinyl started making the rounds at record shows & specialty shops, I bought it & was pleasantly surprised at the sound quality, as 2 others I'd bought from this tour (with "The BIG Tour" graphics & glossy color covers) did not sound good, and I sold them years ago. So when the VHS began to appear (this is still prior to ABWH), it was a no-brainer for me. And, for even better AUDIO from this tour, I have the Houston 1988 show I taped from FM (Superstars In Concert?) that was later excerpted for the 2005 3-cd Yes live compilation "The Word Is Live", with 4 songs, I think, including my other BG fave, "Shoot High, Aim Low"... ✨
Yeah! They always make 'n' do a good work (very very good music! ART), i really like them. Indubitavlmnt, eles tocam p'ra caralho! (Lulu Santos)
like On the Silent Wings of Freedom, this would have been great to see live
One of my favourite songs from BG. I heard Rabin kinda hated it. Saw them play it live..It seemed a pretty hard song to pull off for this lineup.
too bad there is no video of this available... if so, someone upload it please!
great
This must have been a physically exhausting piece to perform. I wonder if that is why they dropped it from their live set?
I agree, this is a rediculous undertaking, the fact that they sort of made it through the endings any of the four times is impressive alone. It's one of my favorite songs to play on bass, it's actually pretty easy. It is also ridden with backing tracks, not just vocals, a LOT of them, so that just makes is more difficult to get back on track when half of them go to the next part and half of them repeat the current part for instance.
Fun fact: Chris Squire got good at the bass by practicing it in his girlfriend's for a few months after a bad acid trip. Maybe this is the true way to master an instrument.
make that 2012
Well, this isn't perfect. I love the studio recording though!