The part you're having trouble with is a weird double time inversion of the main theme. The band splits up, with Bill, Chris and one of Tony's hands doing the inversion on one side of the stereo field, then gradually bringing in the main theme with Steve and Tony's other hand (some additional crashes from Bill to support that) The two pieces merge together in chaos and release back into the main theme. It's the trickiest part to pull off live. There's a little synth in there at the end of it, which is dubbed in by Tony on the album, although Jon played synth live before Rick arrived.
@@bjwnashe5589 I also love the abrupt way they end it on Yessongs! Although, to be honest, I can't think of another way they could have done it, since they can't do a "fade-out" live. But still, I love the Yessongs version.
For those who are interested : Rick Beato had an interview with Jon Anderson the other day. th-cam.com/video/mWib02yZmKc/w-d-xo.html About Tony Kaye: I like his playing, too. Not such a virtuoso like the ones who followed him but he had a very unique style of playing the organ what had a great impact on their first three albums. So I think that he deserves a good part of the honours Yes got in the beginning. Same for Peter Banks who played the guitar before Steve Howe.
Kaye does a nice piano in A Venture, but Anderson must have begged him to play the Minimoog solo in Perpetual Change, since Kaye was not interested in synths.
Yay! One of my favourite Yes tunes. Oh, to be a teenager in the 70s again. Songs like this would make my week. The music fading to one side was an exploration of what could be done from a production standpoint, much like was done later with footsteps. I suppose it can seem weird by today's standards but back then, man it was cool.
I hate to say it every time JP plays a Yes song that's also on Yessongs, but for me every song played on Yessongs is better than the studio version! Again in this case of course...
So many great things about this track - the dynamic shifts, the drum and bass unison in the first theme, the thematic overlaps in the instrumental bridge, Howe’s copping Wes Montgomery riffs.... it’s Yes at one of their best.
I really appreciate your comments about an album that I have loved for close to 50 years. I really appreciate you not pausing to comment. Keep up the good work.
It's nearly 50 years old. How can that be? It still blows me away that people can discover this today. That would be like me discovering music from 1921 when this came out.
I love this song. The tightness of the drums and bass throughout is amazing. Also, the experiment with counter rythm discrete in each channel foreshadows their future, progressive directions. I think you may be missing the intention of the transitions, although it might have been produced differently in later eras of recording, it is a musical demonstration of the title theme, Perpetual Change.
Rick Wakeman joined after this album, he was so fascinated by Yes sound. Actual True fact the day that he was asked to join David Bowie asked him to form The Spiders from mars for his Ziggy stardust album. That was one hell of a decision
Rick had also already played on tracks for Bowie and others (Life On Mars, Oh You Pretty Things and Changes) and was part of Bowie's progress at the time. When he went to the meeting/audition after Chris Squire had called him, Steve Howe gave him a lift home and said he'd pick him up at 10am next morning. That's when he realised he'd joined YES without actually saying he had. Great musicians and great characters.
Imagine hearing this album at 15 years old? I wouldn’t say life changing because there was so much other great music during the early 70’s but it seemed like every day was like Christmas. Something new, something you never heard before and usually making you think “it can’t get better than this, can it?” Somehow it always did get better. This song shows you where Yes was heading with the Fragile and Close To The Edge albums. Just a great, great album. Thank you JP for another classic and an excellent review!! 👌
"Perpetual Change" is my favorite track on The Yes Album and for me that middle section that came out of nowhere and is split in two with the other theme is the added attraction of this awesome track! I also really like the ending with the vocal theme and the guitar solo which close the track. I just wished the coda lasted a little longer.
You should have said what you were going to anyway - it would have seemed clairvoyant in a few listens from now when you realize the brilliance of the middle busy riff offset by the return of the chorus rhythm. The live version on Yessongs shows how great this idea works. Steve Howe once said this was all Bill Bruford's rhythmic gift at work and what a treasure.
Some nice Wes Montgomery octave playing...this album was a great introduction to the versatile young Howe who was destined for greatness! Great review! I can tell you really enjoy how a great song is constructed. 😊
The part you’re mentioning had to ditch the left channel so there is a place to bring the band back in. The timing here is strange because the right speaker is in 7/16 and the left speaker is in 6/4. It all fits though. Eddie Offord produced it and he was a genius who also engineered Tarkus.
Yes, the right speaker's in 7/16, but the left speaker is in 7/4. So they actually line up -- two repetitions of the fast figure on the right (four bars of 7/16) line up with one of figure on the left.
Hi Justin - it's always a good day when I see you're listening to more Yes! Thanks. "Keys in the background" (20:05) that's actually Steve playing harmonics on the guitar. "They made music that's meant to be listened to" - exactly! Stay safe, be well. Peace from SF
Y Darlun Mawr Hey you! As a person who made my own Steve Howe posters as a kid, cherished and played all and played TO records, tapes, and CDs he was on until they were unplayable, bought a host of his solo work, bought his guitar book which he signed years later at a sound check, this is a welcome vid! Thank you so very much. Connecting with other Yes and Steve Howe fans is like getting in touch with a brother. Even though you’ve never met them before, they already know so much about you. Steve was one of my first ‘idols’ growing up. His music and creativity is beyond words at times. My favorite periods were the 70s of course as much I loved his playing after that, I always loved his attack and sound from that decade. Seemed like he really was hitting the strings much harder back then and was more aggressive. A one of a kind.
@@operating And I saw Steve Howe's last greatest moments! Last show of the Tomato tour 6/30/79. Miami/Hollywood FL. In The Round. Greatest show ever! He was never the same after that show. Not even close. Saw yes 54 times after that. From 1984 to 2016. No Steve until 1991 with Rabin. All Steve starting in 1997. 54 shows put together don't equal 6/30/79!
Always am happy to listen to Yes in the morning, gives the mind a workout, gets it ready for the day. To me, Howe is borderline country in parts with his lazy slow bends, don’t really think he succeeds when he does this. I did like the jazzy bluesy quieter part. He’s a great player but sometimes his bends and some of his slide playing gets annoying to me. It may be because he tends to play cleaner most of the time, makes it harder. The song wasn’t perfect but it was good. It totally is a Yes song, nobody else like them. Great album. Take care everyone, masks, hand washing, and glasses can keep us healthy, I enjoy this community, Peace and lovely Music
I like your point about the distinction between "listening" to music Vs "hearing" music...which can be a profound difference. The music of Yes (and Pink Floyd, Beatles from Revolver on, Rush, Supertramp, etc) are music forms meant to be listened to, not just heard.
Lovely reaction, you're really a good Yes fan! Yesterday I heard a new interview with Jon and he was saying how much Eddy Offord contributed 'like a 6th member of the band'.
That strange bit in the middle is very much a part of YES - this is the dose of craziness that classes them into Progressive Rock in a big way. It is crazy because it is pseudo-random and defies all music rules in any culture. So, crazy is great.
Bill's drum solo !! That was recorded at The Academy of Music, NYC. It was recorded on the Fragile Tour. I believe King Crimson was on the bill that night, too (Fripp, Boz Burell, Ian Wallace & Mel Collins). You just know Yes was watching KC's set that night. They were huge fans, all of them...
@Folker Winkelmann This lacks the pre-song band chatter, tuning up & Wakeman playing a snazzy version of "Shave and A Haircut"...lol. I know my Yes !! 😎🇺🇸
I believe you would enjoy the Live version of the same in the live album YESSONGS, 1972 - the solo has been skilfully extended by Steve Howe and is worth a listen or two.
Probably my favorite song on the album. The middle section does take time to get used too. Great live versions of this song too. I've found with Yes, that it does take multiple listens to some of their tracks to fully appreciate and digest what's going on.
This is my favorite song on the Yes Album. Possibly my favorite Yes song, although South Side of the Sky and Gates of Delirium are way up there as well.
Only five thousand subscribers to go before we get your take on my favorite Yes album. I know I'm in the minority choosing Tales as my favorite but, what can I say? I like what I like. I was going to say that I can't really explain the attraction but now that I'm listening to it as I type this, I think I've figured it out. There is not a single moment in all the eighty-five minutes it takes to tell these tales where any of the brilliant musicians involved make sure we notice their prodigious skills. They all shine, to be sure, but only in service to the music. And, being a storyteller myself, I am captivated by the beauty in the storytelling in the music itself. Forget the lyrics (I gave up trying to understand them when I was still in high school), the story is in the music, and I *love* it when music tells a story (probably why my favorite classical symphony is Rimsky-Korsakov's, Scheherazade) (As a matter of fact, when still in high school, my best friend discovered that all four topographic tales form a terrific soundtrack for Edgar Rice Burroughs' Martian novels. To this day -- forty-five years later -- certain sections of the music still call up images I conjured back in the day. Now *that's* storytelling...). As always, thank you, thank you, thank you for being so generous with your time and your insights. I've enjoyed your appreciation of my second favorite Yes album. Carry on, friend. Oh, and don't forget about City Boy...
Tales is my favorite album, too...by anyone. Many of Yes' other albums come in a close 2nd, 3rd, 4th... It took me 40 years to decide that it is my favorite. I like it because listening to it is like an exploration. My memory isn't great, so it still feels a lot like an exploration each time I listen, even though it's all familiar to me while I'm actually hearing it. I guess another way to say it is that I regularly want to take the trip through it and be reminded of what's in there. It has so many fun melodies, riffs, and rhythms that I haven't yet gotten tired of it after probably a hundred or more listens.
I get a charge when you “get it”. Like when there’s a part coming where I know you’re going to catch it, and you do. I knew I would get goosebumps when Jon voices the last part, and I did, but then you got it. Way cool. It’s really cool watching someone who is really listening and giving honest opinions.
I'm glad you finally got to this song. I've been waiting for a couple of weeks, ever since you did A Venture. So far you are the only one I've seen who has reacted to it. You should really check out the live version of this song from the album Yessongs. I'm not saying do a video reaction to it necessarily. But that version is where the song reaches its full potential. There is an extended outro solo by Howe that is among my favorite playing by him (along with the middle section from To Be Over.) And the way Squire, Wakeman, and Bruford provide support throughout is astounding.
@@JustJP awesome! And please, make sure it is the version from Yessongs. There may be other live versions out there, but I can't guarantee the performance will be similar.
Another great song that is definitely better on Yessongs. Man, how they could improve a song live is beyond me! Yessongs should be on jour list JustJP!
Hey Justin My Man!!! Always have to go straight to the comment section when reacting to my favorite band YES!!! We were so lucky to be in high school when this amazing music was made!!! I've seen them multiple times in my life all unforgettable!!!! First time: 1974 Tempe Diablo Stadium outdoors!!!AZ!! It was so hot but nobody cared!!! This song is so fun isn't it??? Except for the break! I totally agree with you JP! I found it so unnecessary and took away from the cool flow! Kate does sound great here and yes JP- you must check out YESSONGS!!! One of the greatest live albums ever!!!! I'm so glad we have such an amazing piece of musical history in common!!! So grateful for all the young people of today who recognise that YES MUSIC ISNT JUST MEANT TO BE HEARD BUT: LISTENED TOO!!! SPOT ON AGAIN MY MAN!!! Your #1AZ FAN MICHAEL🙀🙀😊😊
Hey Michael My Man and fellow Arizonian! Yes is also my favorite band. I have to disagree about the middle section which I think is brilliant. Last time I say the band was 2017 at the Mesa Arts Center with my teenage son. I also saw them a couple of times at Desert Sky Pavilion in the '90s. Stay Cool dude!
@@linfleetwood6295 Wow how cool is that? My ex wife hated them and genesis!! Lol! So I'm.trying to get JP to finish the album: STRAWBS- HERO AND HEROINE!! Are you a fan of them too? My birthday is this Saturday! I'll be 62yrs old! I want him to react to the song: GRACE DARLING off of Strawbs Ghosts album!! Did you ever get into the Italian prog band PFM? I just love Jo's breakdowns!!! He's really awesome!! You stay cool too! Peace to us all out there!😊😊
@@michaelkolb5900 Fortunately my wife and my older son love Yes. My two younger kids could not care less. Even though I'm 61 I have two 14 year olds (they keep me young). I never heard Strawbs or PFM, and only a few Genesis songs, so I'm discovering the music thru JP. It also give new perspective to the bands I know like Tull, Floyd, Dan, etc. For the past year I've been starting my day listening to JP. So very cool!
@@linfleetwood6295 Hey MICHAEL HERE! How's it going?? Just curious! Did you go to high school out here?? I went to EAST HIGH SCHOOL! It used to be at 48thst and Van Buren!! Great school! The AZ Cardinals used to practice there in the early - mid 80s! So if your interested: you can search JPs reaction to: STRAWBS- AUTUMN/ WINTERLONG and tell me what you think!!! Plus GRACE DARLING! That's such a cool song and I love the sound of the lead singers vocals- DAVE COUSINS!! REALLY UNIQUE!! Okay my friend! Have a great night and thanks for responding!! Isnt JP so cool and articulate for such a young man right??😊😊😊Ttyl hour AZ BUDDY!!
I really like the live version on Yessongs. Howe's guitar really flies there and the arrangement is more obvious. Bruford solos and hits his snare to sound like that start/stop section in the end.
The middle part of this song is one of the greatest moments in the history of music. Just keep that in mind as you're listening to it again and learning to love it.
Now that I've had some coffee... Tony Kaye returned for the 90125 album and tour. I was especially taken with the coordination of his playing of the opening riff on "Changes" with the synchronized light display on the screen behind him. According to Wikipedia, the introduction to Changes was put together by Alan White, even though it's played on keyboard and guitar. It was awesome to hear and see.
Great song, one of my favorites. The 'stereo' effect in the middle always gets me, but I think this was just experimentation with what they could do with stereo sound, but it always makes me think my stereo system has suddenly died. :-)
I am so glad you are enjoying this album. You got to listen to the live version from Yessongs! It has a great drum solo from Bruford and Wakeman's interpretation of Kaye's organ is very good. A little side note...Tony Banks of Genesis cites this album as his favorite by Yes because of Kaye's work. Can't wait until you do Tales from Topographic Oceans! I am a member of a couple of Yes discussion groups on Facebook so I am sharing this video to drum up support and subscriptions to get you to that 13K...😉
This is first song the made me a YES FAN when I saw them LIVE by chance at 15 years old with Jethro Tull. The emotional, lyrical, heavenly, atmospheric, edgy , polyrhythmic intricacies lifted my soul higher than I knew it could fly. YOU GET IT NOW! YES must be LISTENED TO not just heard! So True! and EACH member is a world within themselves that is completely interwoven with the whole! BUT I think the change is supposed to jar you a bit, like the way their opening of CTTE jars you but they always brings you smoothy back into the familiar. LYRICALLY it's Jon at his early best. The STAR is an illusion BECAUSE the light is a look into the past like the illusion of being in control which we are not. We are governed by Forces far beyond our understanding yet we learn from all we take within and without. GORGEOUS STUFF. This music and lyrics had a profound effect on my 15 year old consciousness. i CANT WAIT TO HEAR YOUR REACTION TO THE "controversial" TALES. IT'S ANOTHER OF MY ALL TIME YES MASTERPIECES. I COMPLETELY DISAGREE WITH ALL NAYSAYERS. It's a brilliant BRAVE LEAP into another PROGRESSIVE GROUNDBREAKING STEP into their REMARKABLE SONIC IMAGINATION . For what it's worth I think its PERFECTION that should not be compared to their other works accept that it's YES pushing their own envelope after the great Close to the Edge! Keep your mind open and relish the UNIQUELY ORIGINAL elements the OCEAN polyrhythmic WAVES of sound moving through this WORK OF ART. And Be aware that this HIGHLY VISCERAL music BASED by Paramahansa Yogananda that describes four bodies of Hindu texts about a specific field of knowledge, collectively named shastras: the shruti, smriti, puranas, and tantras.
Saw 'em twice in the early '70's . Utterly impressive They , ELP , and Jethro Tull . Virtuosos with feel ...still bring joy & goosebumps . Thanks for your astute ears .
Eddie Offord is the producer - and I've noticed he usually keeps a nice balance in Yes recordings. For example, in almost all Yes songs, without fail, Chris' bass audio track is anchored to the center front. So that side fade is very unusual - it was used by the Moody Blues on "Best Way to Travel", perhaps they were thinking along those lines.
The middle section works for me. It is a driving frenzied guitar solo. They were faced with a difficult transition and used drums and a descending synth note, not brilliant but effective. This song and Yours is No Disgrace are excellent, but definitely feel that Starship Troopers is the best song on the album.
And under it all, weaving it back together, is the always excellent Chris Squire! My favorite Yes album! As far as some of the changes, remember, the song is titled "Perpetual Change" and Yes was always perfectly comfortable making us a little uncomfortable from time to time. It keeps you engaged! To me, it's like a good "shake" or "slap in the face" every now and then....."are you there?" You said something that makes an awful lot of sense, "they made music to be listened to, not just heard, but listened to!" I think it's probably the main reason their music would not resonate with the average young fan today, especially the "theme" albums. As the lady said "ain't nobody got time for that" , and that's a shame. I am a child of the "album oriented" era of music, where we NEVER played individual cuts, unless we were trying to learn them to play. Drop the needle and sit back, turn when needed, back in the dust jacket/sleeve. There was really no such thing as a "playlist" and we were perfectly happy with that! A "playlist" for us was a stack of 45s back when singles were released on 45. Damn, I'm old......
I'm 58, loved Yes for 40 years and you know way more about them than I do. I'm subscribing just off this video. Excellent breakdown after the song, I've never seen anyone do these videos that way. Impressive, 5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ! Wow
Try the live version on Yessongs with Wakeman. This was always an amazing song live. Yesongs showcases the band live, and it's one of the rare times that the live versions are better than the studio albums. Even more incredible, Alan White had only three days to learn all the songs when Bill Bruford quit the band right before that tour. New keyboard player, Wakeman, new drummer, White, and still a masterpiece of live performances.
This song is ALWAYS a fave at concerts. If you have never been to a YES concert, almost every person either conducts, sings, plays air guitar, air bass, air keyboards, or air drums on this song. It's hard to decide who to watch-- the band or the audience. Has anyone else noticed this?
I was going to come here this morning and comment "Dammit, close out _The Yes Album_ already!" ... And, sure enough, you did. : ) (Now you just need to also finish PG3, which you've been nursing for months now. : /) May I recommend trying out _Drama_ next? It's one of their most underrated albums, and their third best 'Wakeman-less' album (after this and _Relayer_ ). And Jon may not be there, either, but Trevor Horn is pretty effective in filling in for him.
@@JustJP I think you should do their first two. You already reacted to the America cover. They also did a Beatles cover on their first album to 'Every Little Thing'. Their first 2 albums aren't as good as the next 5, but I still like them and would love to hear what you think of them. Oh yes, I believe you also reacted to Time and a Word. That's on their second album.
Thanks JP for reacting to my favorite Yes song. Yes even the middle section (which actually ties back in the 7/4 chorus rhythm in the left channel). Perhaps it doesn't scale the epic progressive heights of later works, but there's something magical and pure about this album. It seemed like a bit of a musical paradigm shift to me. Great observations as usual! That synth part/whistle was pretty unique at the time. I remember my older brother turning out the lights and cranking up that part "you gotta hear this!"
I wish I could like this every time I re-watch it! Even with your honest uncertainty on sections, this is, to me, one of the best, most thorough and detailed reactions you have done! Finally starting an actual playlist.... I posted the above before I watched your reactions to the lyrics! OMG, you do get it, Sir! You are a Hippie at heart!
The first time I listened this song, I thought the CD was skipping during the middle section. And my other surprise was "hey, prog rock with a hint of country music". About Tony Kaye, I enjoy his bluesy style a lot. "Perpetual Change" is a foreshadowing of things to come with the band.
Definitely have a listen to the version on Yessongs after you've listened to the album version a few times. It's much more muscular and Brufford plays on it (and on Long Distance Runaround & The Fish).
Y'know, you could justify listening to the Yessongs version as a first listen because it is sufficiently different from the studio version that it could almost be classed as a different song.
One of the great “deep tracks” by Yes. It’s not name-checked in the same way that Close to the Edge, Gates of Delirium or Awaken are, but every person I’ve know who is a big Yes fan loves it. They played it one of the times I saw them- which was both a surprise and an unexpected pleasure
KAY is a solid player he left Yes because he hated synths he was classically trained saw synths as not natural sounding instruments like piano or hammond organ, the middle part is illustrating perpetual change .
I find with Yes, they were so creative.. Endless Ideas, musical phrases.. They were just amazing imo. That middle section takes a bit of getting used too Justin. But, Jon's vocals once again are stunning on this album. Steve's work is sublime, rock, jazz, blues.. He can do it all imho. ❤️ Great review butty, so glad you went back to finish this masterpiece by Yes.. Been waiting for Perpetual change, great end to an album imo. 😊 Yes arrived big time with this album. Awesome stuff ❤️
The ending (from “All of the way...” onwards) is my favorite part of the song, especially when the organ kicks in...this sense of riding off into the horizon and the unknown, but mixed with a sense of warmth and that it’ll work out all right...just ‘Classic Yes’, what can you say....
I went back and listened to this song again from my archives. It seems like the mix is different, I like mine better. Just here for a like and a listen, and enjoying the channel.
Good Name , give this channel time, it would be a shame if it doesn’t take off. To me this channel is about music, not popularity. Hope he keeps it that way.
Another great analysis, Justin. As to your comments re: *Chris Squire* perhaps not getting quite the recognition he deserved, I agree in this sense: I don't think he got quite the recognition he deserved for being the absolute foundation of their sound during their most creative period. Hell, for me, YES was "the band whose sound was built around the creative genius of bassist extraordinaire, Chris Squire." Yes, the melody content YES' songs were tremendous, and yes all the other musicians were supremely talented, but I think they all realized that Chris was special and that they needed to build their compositions around his dominating sound. They knew they were creating something special when they let Chris lead them down his path of inspiration. By the time of the Trevor Rabin iteration of YES, Chris seemed to accept a more subdued role in the band, but at their peak, he was the musician I was always looking forward to hearing. Looking forward to your review of *"South Side Of The Sky"* on the Fragile album, which I actually like more than Roundabout.
His vocals too, were incredibly valuable. He lent a wonderful harmonic element to the vocals that nobody has yet to replicate in the lineups since his passing. It was glaringly missing during one of the more recent Yes concerts I attended a few years ago. Made me so sad.
Nevermind re: *South Side Of The Side* . . . I just found out you already reviewed it w/your former partner, which reminded me of why I've enjoyed your reviews so much more since you decided to push ahead without his less than impressive contributions weighing down your efforts. Just saying...
I love this song and I love the whole album, but to me the version from the YESSONGS live album sounds a lot more dynamic and mature. I would like to place a link to the song here, but when I try, my comment is always not shown ???
This was the first album where Yes was writing the songs in the studio. The prior albums were made up mostly of songs that they had performed several times live before they recorded it. But, with their producer Eddie Offord, they focused more on composition beyond the limitations of what they could come up with live. As a result longer songs, like this, were often recorded in sections and then put together in the editing stages. This made for really awesome compositions, but the transitions between the different sections weren't always smooth or natural. However, when they performed these songs live they smoothed out the transitions and made them seem more natural. This song, in particular, benefits from this. You should check out the live version on Yessongs. The transition to that weird trippy section is a lot smoother and more natural. Plus there's an awesome jam at the end with a cool drum solo by Bill Bruford. I also love the way they sustain that one note before resolving to the enormous stanza just before the final verse. It really adds to the song's epic feel. Definitely check out the live version on Yessongs, I think you'll like it a lot more.
I have 3 albums by Yes all of which I enjoy, but I don't have this one and I think I like it the most and will have to get a copy. I completely agree with your overview on this song. That transition is way abrupt and jarring in a way that disaligns the music. It actually sounds like they had to edit it with a gap missing in order to appeal to album side timing and length because musically it doesn't make sense. There are plenty of transitions in othrr music (check out Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring) that are seemingly abrupt but still follow a compositional idea with great affect and purpose, but the transition here feels like a giant gash in the mixdown. The jazzy bridge I love and I could swear that I was sitting at a tropical restaurant over a marina watching the sunset when BLAM! I get squashed by Godzilla. I guess I like music that exists own its own and doesn't feel composed, like you can feel the composer going, I need a sudden transition here, or, I'm now composing an anthem here, which is what most of the rest of this song feels like. I dislike about 99% of anthem rock and unfortunately Yes frequents this form often. But the weird thing is I still like it enough to make it my song for the day on my FB page because I think the lyrics are great and people need to hear them and for the most part the music serves the lyrics well; it just needs a better music editor to my mind. Ciao✋
You pinned down the issue I have at times upon relistening to this song BUT I do love it. I think the transition is a play on the song title as they through in an unexpected change. If change is the only constant (aka perpetual) then I think the producer through it in as a progressive element. Does it truly work though? I think it does but it also limits the accessibility of the piece. Can’t wait for Tales and Lamb and hopefully soon JP!
This album is when Yes began their rise as a force in the new genre of progressive rock. Along with King Crimson, Pink Floyd, Genesis, The Moody Blues, Cream and ELP (and others), they set the bar high for other bands to follow. Bands like Rush and Kansas, for instance. Mixing rock, blues, R & B and classical music into a harmonious blend of ethereal happiness! It's not simply the music...it's also the lyrical content! It's the message of love, hope and beauty! When you have time, listen to the TRIPLE ALBUM, "Yessongs!" It brings together arguably Yes' best work...the 3 albums released in a short 22-month period from November 1971- September 1972. "Yessongs" pulls them together live!!! 💚💚💚💚💚
When thinking of great Yes songs, I never think of this one so thanks for reminding me how good this is. This album is my favorite by Yes, I think, where you could see still see the contours of Pop in their songs. On another topic, Not so sure that listening to Tales From Topographic Oceans in one sitting is much of an inducement. Maybe Brain Salad Surgery instead? It was a very popular album in it's day.
I agree with many other people here that you have to listen to a live version of this song to fully appreciate the middle section. I think it's one of their best songs though. South Side of the Sky is a real gem as well.
I am convinced that Chris Squire and Bill Bruford are the most interesting and creative and virtuosic rhythm section in the history of rock music.
They definitely are. I really like Andy Ward and Richard Sinclair from Camel though.
Bruford and John Wetton are the dream team in my opinion
It’s nice to see a younger generation appreciate great music.
The part you're having trouble with is a weird double time inversion of the main theme. The band splits up, with Bill, Chris and one of Tony's hands doing the inversion on one side of the stereo field, then gradually bringing in the main theme with Steve and Tony's other hand (some additional crashes from Bill to support that) The two pieces merge together in chaos and release back into the main theme. It's the trickiest part to pull off live. There's a little synth in there at the end of it, which is dubbed in by Tony on the album, although Jon played synth live before Rick arrived.
Thanks for that great explanation. Now I like it even more : )
Interesting! Ty Sam
Sam Marsh I think the live version of this song on Yessongs is better than the studio version. I like how the live version flows.
@@bjwnashe5589 I also love the abrupt way they end it on Yessongs! Although, to be honest, I can't think of another way they could have done it, since they can't do a "fade-out" live. But still, I love the Yessongs version.
Same thing happens on Siberian Khatru when Howe’s guitar separates and returns to an earlier riff and it eventually all comes together again.
For those who are interested : Rick Beato had an interview with Jon Anderson the other day.
th-cam.com/video/mWib02yZmKc/w-d-xo.html
About Tony Kaye: I like his playing, too. Not such a virtuoso like the ones who followed him but he had a very unique style of playing the organ what had a great impact on their first three albums. So I think that he deserves a good part of the honours Yes got in the beginning. Same for Peter Banks who played the guitar before Steve Howe.
It's a great interview. Jon is still so vibrant after all these years.
Just listened to it. It's the first part and just great. Jon is a superb person. At least that's what I feel, as I don't know him personnally.
I agree totally about Tony and Peter…
Thanks for the link. I enjoyed that interview immensely. You could tell Rick Beato was in seventh heaven, interviewing one of his heroes!
Kaye does a nice piano in A Venture, but Anderson must have begged him to play the Minimoog solo in Perpetual Change, since Kaye was not interested in synths.
Yay! One of my favourite Yes tunes. Oh, to be a teenager in the 70s again. Songs like this would make my week. The music fading to one side was an exploration of what could be done from a production standpoint, much like was done later with footsteps. I suppose it can seem weird by today's standards but back then, man it was cool.
One of my favorite Yes songs since high school. I always look forward to the middle section as the chaos builds and resolves. Just genius.
The live version in Yessongs is amazing. One of best performances of Steve Howe.
Without a doubt
To me, that's the definitive version.
I hate to say it every time JP plays a Yes song that's also on Yessongs, but for me every song played on Yessongs is better than the studio version! Again in this case of course...
The live version from "Yessongs" is MAGNIFICENT!!!
Let's not forget the tasty Bruford solo.
In my opinion. ..One of Yes's best songs.
So many great things about this track - the dynamic shifts, the drum and bass unison in the first theme, the thematic overlaps in the instrumental bridge, Howe’s copping Wes Montgomery riffs.... it’s Yes at one of their best.
I really appreciate your comments about an album that I have loved for close to 50 years. I really appreciate you not pausing to comment. Keep up the good work.
Ty Gary!
It's nearly 50 years old. How can that be? It still blows me away that people can discover this today. That would be like me discovering music from 1921 when this came out.
OMG my husband and I often talk about that time element, and it's mindblowing. Glad to know that we have a kindred spirit with a fellow music lover!
I love this song. The tightness of the drums and bass throughout is amazing. Also, the experiment with counter rythm discrete in each channel foreshadows their future, progressive directions. I think you may be missing the intention of the transitions, although it might have been produced differently in later eras of recording, it is a musical demonstration of the title theme, Perpetual Change.
Rick Wakeman joined after this album, he was so fascinated by Yes sound. Actual True fact the day that he was asked to join David Bowie asked him to form The Spiders from mars for his Ziggy stardust album. That was one hell of a decision
Rick had also already played on tracks for Bowie and others (Life On Mars, Oh You Pretty Things and Changes) and was part of Bowie's progress at the time. When he went to the meeting/audition after Chris Squire had called him, Steve Howe gave him a lift home and said he'd pick him up at 10am next morning. That's when he realised he'd joined YES without actually saying he had. Great musicians and great characters.
Imagine hearing this album at 15 years old? I wouldn’t say life changing because there was so much other great music during the early 70’s but it seemed like every day was like Christmas. Something new, something you never heard before and usually making you think “it can’t get better than this, can it?” Somehow it always did get better. This song shows you where Yes was heading with the Fragile and Close To The Edge albums. Just a great, great album. Thank you JP for another classic and an excellent review!! 👌
"Perpetual Change" is my favorite track on The Yes Album and for me that middle section that came out of nowhere and is split in two with the other theme is the added attraction of this awesome track! I also really like the ending with the vocal theme and the guitar solo which close the track. I just wished the coda lasted a little longer.
You should have said what you were going to anyway - it would have seemed clairvoyant in a few listens from now when you realize the brilliance of the middle busy riff offset by the return of the chorus rhythm. The live version on Yessongs shows how great this idea works. Steve Howe once said this was all Bill Bruford's rhythmic gift at work and what a treasure.
Some nice Wes Montgomery octave playing...this album was a great introduction to the versatile young Howe who was destined for greatness! Great review! I can tell you really enjoy how a great song is constructed. 😊
The part you’re mentioning had to ditch the left channel so there is a place to bring the band back in. The timing here is strange because the right speaker is in 7/16 and the left speaker is in 6/4. It all fits though.
Eddie Offord produced it and he was a genius who also engineered Tarkus.
Yes, the right speaker's in 7/16, but the left speaker is in 7/4. So they actually line up -- two repetitions of the fast figure on the right (four bars of 7/16) line up with one of figure on the left.
@@BlakeAlbinson ignore my initial reply if you saw it, I read your comment wrong
The 'Yessongs' version is the definitive version IMHO. Steve's guitar work on that is mind blowing.
Hi Justin - it's always a good day when I see you're listening to more Yes! Thanks. "Keys in the background" (20:05) that's actually Steve playing harmonics on the guitar. "They made music that's meant to be listened to" - exactly!
Stay safe, be well.
Peace from SF
:happy sigh:
What a way to start the day before even my first cuppa.
Good morning Justin and fellow followers.
Illume Eltanin ☕️420🙃
It's songs like this that got Steve Howe voted best guitarist multiple times by GP magazine, back in the day.
And he was of course
Oh yes.
Yup!!
Y Darlun Mawr Hey you! As a person who made my own Steve Howe posters as a kid, cherished and played all and played TO records, tapes, and CDs he was on until they were unplayable, bought a host of his solo work, bought his guitar book which he signed years later at a sound check, this is a welcome vid! Thank you so very much. Connecting with other Yes and Steve Howe fans is like getting in touch with a brother. Even though you’ve never met them before, they already know so much about you. Steve was one of my first ‘idols’ growing up. His music and creativity is beyond words at times. My favorite periods were the 70s of course as much I loved his playing after that, I always loved his attack and sound from that decade. Seemed like he really was hitting the strings much harder back then and was more aggressive. A one of a kind.
@@operating And I saw Steve Howe's last greatest moments! Last show of the Tomato tour 6/30/79. Miami/Hollywood FL. In The Round. Greatest show ever! He was never the same after that show. Not even close. Saw yes 54 times after that. From 1984 to 2016. No Steve until 1991 with Rabin. All Steve starting in 1997. 54 shows put together don't equal 6/30/79!
Always am happy to listen to Yes in the morning, gives the mind a workout, gets it ready for the day.
To me, Howe is borderline country in parts with his lazy slow bends, don’t really think he succeeds when he does this. I did like the jazzy bluesy quieter part. He’s a great player but sometimes his bends and some of his slide playing gets annoying to me. It may be because he tends to play cleaner most of the time, makes it harder.
The song wasn’t perfect but it was good. It totally is a Yes song, nobody else like them. Great album.
Take care everyone, masks, hand washing, and glasses can keep us healthy, I enjoy this community,
Peace and lovely Music
A workout for the mind is a great way of putting it!
I like your point about the distinction between "listening" to music Vs "hearing" music...which can be a profound difference. The music of Yes (and Pink Floyd, Beatles from Revolver on, Rush, Supertramp, etc) are music forms meant to be listened to, not just heard.
I'm really enjoying reading all these comments here. You folks really know your stuff.
One of my very favorite Yes tunes man do I love Bruford even if this isn't one of his funky drumming tunes.
Saying yes to YES. Enjoyable. Some channels actually don’t dig in and review a song. You do! Thanks for that. Like the subscriber goals black board.
Ty Lj! Its more fun/interesting to actually talk about the music😄
Lovely reaction, you're really a good Yes fan! Yesterday I heard a new interview with Jon and he was saying how much Eddy Offord contributed 'like a 6th member of the band'.
I’ve always loved this song; I’m confident that, given more listens, you’ll love it too - even the middle part 😁
After almost 50 yrs of listening to Yes, I am glad to still have decades more to continue listening. Great Stuff!
Just brilliant! One of my favorite songs!
That ending bit, I always see men and women in medieval garb perfectly and snobbishly performing a waltz to Yes music.
That strange bit in the middle is very much a part of YES - this is the dose of craziness that classes them into Progressive Rock in a big way. It is crazy because it is pseudo-random and defies all music rules in any culture. So, crazy is great.
The version on the live Yessongs is very energetic. Worth a listen.
Bill's drum solo !! That was recorded at The Academy of Music, NYC. It was recorded on the Fragile Tour. I believe King Crimson was on the bill that night, too (Fripp, Boz Burell, Ian Wallace & Mel Collins). You just know Yes was watching KC's set that night. They were huge fans, all of them...
@Folker Winkelmann
This lacks the pre-song band chatter, tuning up & Wakeman playing a snazzy version of "Shave and A Haircut"...lol. I know my Yes !! 😎🇺🇸
The best live album I've ever heard.
Great track JP. High School memories abound.
I believe you would enjoy the Live version of the same in the live album YESSONGS, 1972 - the solo has been skilfully extended by Steve Howe and is worth a listen or two.
Probably my favorite song on the album. The middle section does take time to get used too. Great live versions of this song too. I've found with Yes, that it does take multiple listens to some of their tracks to fully appreciate and digest what's going on.
I have always loved this one. The transitions or “change” ...so well done
This is my favorite song on the Yes Album. Possibly my favorite Yes song, although South Side of the Sky and Gates of Delirium are way up there as well.
I’m not a musician but that change in tempo @ 8:05 is a thing Yes did great.
....dannnng such a good song!!
A good song to rediscover. Yes!!!
I must have heard this song 1000 times. You should hear their live version off of the "Yessongs" album; Talking about building up....!
The spirit of this song...always leaves me feeling good on that fade-out.
Only five thousand subscribers to go before we get your take on my favorite Yes album. I know I'm in the minority choosing Tales as my favorite but, what can I say? I like what I like. I was going to say that I can't really explain the attraction but now that I'm listening to it as I type this, I think I've figured it out. There is not a single moment in all the eighty-five minutes it takes to tell these tales where any of the brilliant musicians involved make sure we notice their prodigious skills. They all shine, to be sure, but only in service to the music. And, being a storyteller myself, I am captivated by the beauty in the storytelling in the music itself. Forget the lyrics (I gave up trying to understand them when I was still in high school), the story is in the music, and I *love* it when music tells a story (probably why my favorite classical symphony is Rimsky-Korsakov's, Scheherazade) (As a matter of fact, when still in high school, my best friend discovered that all four topographic tales form a terrific soundtrack for Edgar Rice Burroughs' Martian novels. To this day -- forty-five years later -- certain sections of the music still call up images I conjured back in the day. Now *that's* storytelling...).
As always, thank you, thank you, thank you for being so generous with your time and your insights. I've enjoyed your appreciation of my second favorite Yes album. Carry on, friend. Oh, and don't forget about City Boy...
Tales is my favorite album, too...by anyone. Many of Yes' other albums come in a close 2nd, 3rd, 4th... It took me 40 years to decide that it is my favorite. I like it because listening to it is like an exploration. My memory isn't great, so it still feels a lot like an exploration each time I listen, even though it's all familiar to me while I'm actually hearing it. I guess another way to say it is that I regularly want to take the trip through it and be reminded of what's in there. It has so many fun melodies, riffs, and rhythms that I haven't yet gotten tired of it after probably a hundred or more listens.
I get a charge when you “get it”. Like when there’s a part coming where I know you’re going to catch it, and you do. I knew I would get goosebumps when Jon voices the last part, and I did, but then you got it. Way cool. It’s really cool watching someone who is really listening and giving honest opinions.
Ty :)
I'm glad you finally got to this song. I've been waiting for a couple of weeks, ever since you did A Venture. So far you are the only one I've seen who has reacted to it. You should really check out the live version of this song from the album Yessongs. I'm not saying do a video reaction to it necessarily. But that version is where the song reaches its full potential. There is an extended outro solo by Howe that is among my favorite playing by him (along with the middle section from To Be Over.) And the way Squire, Wakeman, and Bruford provide support throughout is astounding.
Ty Chris, ill give it a look!
@@JustJP awesome! And please, make sure it is the version from Yessongs. There may be other live versions out there, but I can't guarantee the performance will be similar.
Another great song that is definitely better on Yessongs. Man, how they could improve a song live is beyond me! Yessongs should be on jour list JustJP!
This was an album that I lived with for months when I first snagged it.
Hey Justin My Man!!! Always have to go straight to the comment section when reacting to my favorite band YES!!! We were so lucky to be in high school when this amazing music was made!!! I've seen them multiple times in my life all unforgettable!!!! First time: 1974 Tempe Diablo Stadium outdoors!!!AZ!! It was so hot but nobody cared!!! This song is so fun isn't it??? Except for the break! I totally agree with you JP! I found it so unnecessary and took away from the cool flow! Kate does sound great here and yes JP- you must check out YESSONGS!!! One of the greatest live albums ever!!!! I'm so glad we have such an amazing piece of musical history in common!!! So grateful for all the young people of today who recognise that YES MUSIC ISNT JUST MEANT TO BE HEARD BUT: LISTENED TOO!!! SPOT ON AGAIN MY MAN!!! Your #1AZ FAN MICHAEL🙀🙀😊😊
Hey Michael My Man and fellow Arizonian! Yes is also my favorite band. I have to disagree about the middle section which I think is brilliant. Last time I say the band was 2017 at the Mesa Arts Center with my teenage son. I also saw them a couple of times at Desert Sky Pavilion in the '90s. Stay Cool dude!
@@linfleetwood6295 Wow how cool is that? My ex wife hated them and genesis!! Lol! So I'm.trying to get JP to finish the album: STRAWBS- HERO AND HEROINE!! Are you a fan of them too? My birthday is this Saturday! I'll be 62yrs old! I want him to react to the song: GRACE DARLING off of Strawbs Ghosts album!! Did you ever get into the Italian prog band PFM? I just love Jo's breakdowns!!! He's really awesome!! You stay cool too! Peace to us all out there!😊😊
@@michaelkolb5900 Fortunately my wife and my older son love Yes. My two younger kids could not care less. Even though I'm 61 I have two 14 year olds (they keep me young). I never heard Strawbs or PFM, and only a few Genesis songs, so I'm discovering the music thru JP. It also give new perspective to the bands I know like Tull, Floyd, Dan, etc. For the past year I've been starting my day listening to JP. So very cool!
@@linfleetwood6295 Hey MICHAEL HERE! How's it going?? Just curious! Did you go to high school out here?? I went to EAST HIGH SCHOOL! It used to be at 48thst and Van Buren!! Great school! The AZ Cardinals used to practice there in the early - mid 80s! So if your interested: you can search JPs reaction to: STRAWBS- AUTUMN/ WINTERLONG and tell me what you think!!! Plus GRACE DARLING! That's such a cool song and I love the sound of the lead singers vocals- DAVE COUSINS!! REALLY UNIQUE!! Okay my friend! Have a great night and thanks for responding!! Isnt JP so cool and articulate for such a young man right??😊😊😊Ttyl hour AZ BUDDY!!
I really like the live version on Yessongs. Howe's guitar really flies there and the arrangement is more obvious. Bruford solos and hits his snare to sound like that start/stop section in the end.
The middle part of this song is one of the greatest moments in the history of music. Just keep that in mind as you're listening to it again and learning to love it.
Now that I've had some coffee...
Tony Kaye returned for the 90125 album and tour. I was especially taken with the coordination of his playing of the opening riff on "Changes" with the synchronized light display on the screen behind him. According to Wikipedia, the introduction to Changes was put together by Alan White, even though it's played on keyboard and guitar. It was awesome to hear and see.
Listen to the live version, Justin. It’s also a movie: YESSONGS!
Thank you for reviewing this number. Forty-nine years later, it still transports me.
Happy to!
Something to consider as you dig deeper into Yes: Yessongs, their brilliant triple-LP live album from 1973.
Great song, one of my favorites. The 'stereo' effect in the middle always gets me, but I think this was just experimentation with what they could do with stereo sound, but it always makes me think my stereo system has suddenly died. :-)
Lol!
I am so glad you are enjoying this album. You got to listen to the live version from Yessongs! It has a great drum solo from Bruford and Wakeman's interpretation of Kaye's organ is very good. A little side note...Tony Banks of Genesis cites this album as his favorite by Yes because of Kaye's work. Can't wait until you do Tales from Topographic Oceans! I am a member of a couple of Yes discussion groups on Facebook so I am sharing this video to drum up support and subscriptions to get you to that 13K...😉
Ty William!
This is first song the made me a YES FAN when I saw them LIVE by chance at 15 years old with Jethro Tull. The emotional, lyrical, heavenly, atmospheric, edgy , polyrhythmic intricacies lifted my soul higher than I knew it could fly. YOU GET IT NOW! YES must be LISTENED TO not just heard! So True! and EACH member is a world within themselves that is completely interwoven with the whole! BUT I think the change is supposed to jar you a bit, like the way their opening of CTTE jars you but they always brings you smoothy back into the familiar. LYRICALLY it's Jon at his early best. The STAR is an illusion BECAUSE the light is a look into the past like the illusion of being in control which we are not. We are governed by Forces far beyond our understanding yet we learn from all we take within and without. GORGEOUS STUFF. This music and lyrics had a profound effect on my 15 year old consciousness. i CANT WAIT TO HEAR YOUR REACTION TO THE "controversial" TALES. IT'S ANOTHER OF MY ALL TIME YES MASTERPIECES. I COMPLETELY DISAGREE WITH ALL NAYSAYERS. It's a brilliant BRAVE LEAP into another PROGRESSIVE GROUNDBREAKING STEP into their REMARKABLE SONIC IMAGINATION . For what it's worth I think its PERFECTION that should not be compared to their other works accept that it's YES pushing their own envelope after the great Close to the Edge! Keep your mind open and relish the UNIQUELY ORIGINAL elements the OCEAN polyrhythmic WAVES of sound moving through this WORK OF ART. And Be aware that this HIGHLY VISCERAL music BASED by Paramahansa Yogananda that describes four bodies of Hindu texts about a specific field of knowledge, collectively named shastras: the shruti, smriti, puranas, and tantras.
Saw 'em twice in the early '70's . Utterly impressive
They , ELP , and Jethro Tull .
Virtuosos with feel ...still bring joy & goosebumps .
Thanks for your astute ears .
Happy to Tim! Ty
Great review. Subscribed!
Ty Daniel!
Eddie Offord is the producer - and I've noticed he usually keeps a nice balance in Yes recordings. For example, in almost all Yes songs, without fail, Chris' bass audio track is anchored to the center front. So that side fade is very unusual - it was used by the Moody Blues on "Best Way to Travel", perhaps they were thinking along those lines.
Someone leaned on the pan slider while having tea...
The middle section works for me. It is a driving frenzied guitar solo. They were faced with a difficult transition and used drums and a descending synth note, not brilliant but effective. This song and Yours is No Disgrace are excellent, but definitely feel that Starship Troopers is the best song on the album.
And under it all, weaving it back together, is the always excellent Chris Squire! My favorite Yes album! As far as some of the changes, remember, the song is titled "Perpetual Change" and Yes was always perfectly comfortable making us a little uncomfortable from time to time. It keeps you engaged! To me, it's like a good "shake" or "slap in the face" every now and then....."are you there?" You said something that makes an awful lot of sense, "they made music to be listened to, not just heard, but listened to!" I think it's probably the main reason their music would not resonate with the average young fan today, especially the "theme" albums. As the lady said "ain't nobody got time for that" , and that's a shame. I am a child of the "album oriented" era of music, where we NEVER played individual cuts, unless we were trying to learn them to play. Drop the needle and sit back, turn when needed, back in the dust jacket/sleeve. There was really no such thing as a "playlist" and we were perfectly happy with that! A "playlist" for us was a stack of 45s back when singles were released on 45. Damn, I'm old......
Well done JP.. you are always willing to take things on and give a good understanding of the music.. keep it up.
Ty🐦
I'm 58, loved Yes for 40 years and you know way more about them than I do. I'm subscribing just off this video. Excellent breakdown after the song, I've never seen anyone do these videos that way. Impressive, 5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ! Wow
Thanks so much Scott! Ty
The Revealing Science of God is my favorite Yes ever. Can't wait for Tales!!
Maybe my favorite song on this very special album. Love it!!!
Try the live version on Yessongs with Wakeman. This was always an amazing song live. Yesongs showcases the band live, and it's one of the rare times that the live versions are better than the studio albums. Even more incredible, Alan White had only three days to learn all the songs when Bill Bruford quit the band right before that tour. New keyboard player, Wakeman, new drummer, White, and still a masterpiece of live performances.
just try it out: th-cam.com/video/gMP-ogxdZdA/w-d-xo.html
This song is ALWAYS a fave at concerts. If you have never been to a YES concert, almost every person either conducts, sings, plays air guitar, air bass, air keyboards, or air drums on this song. It's hard to decide who to watch-- the band or the audience. Has anyone else noticed this?
I was going to come here this morning and comment "Dammit, close out _The Yes Album_ already!" ... And, sure enough, you did. : ) (Now you just need to also finish PG3, which you've been nursing for months now. : /)
May I recommend trying out _Drama_ next? It's one of their most underrated albums, and their third best 'Wakeman-less' album (after this and _Relayer_ ). And Jon may not be there, either, but Trevor Horn is pretty effective in filling in for him.
Love Drama. It's just a fun album, and they did it without Anderson or Wakeman. Crazy.
@Paul-Martin Scheib Yep. So is Machine Messiah and Tempus Fugit. It's a great album and they still sound like YES. Just amazing.
Haha ty! Not sure which album we'll do next from Yes; we'll see!
@@JustJP I think you should do their first two. You already reacted to the America cover. They also did a Beatles cover on their first album to 'Every Little Thing'. Their first 2 albums aren't as good as the next 5, but I still like them and would love to hear what you think of them. Oh yes, I believe you also reacted to Time and a Word. That's on their second album.
Thanks JP for reacting to my favorite Yes song. Yes even the middle section (which actually ties back in the 7/4 chorus rhythm in the left channel). Perhaps it doesn't scale the epic progressive heights of later works, but there's something magical and pure about this album. It seemed like a bit of a musical paradigm shift to me. Great observations as usual! That synth part/whistle was pretty unique at the time. I remember my older brother turning out the lights and cranking up that part "you gotta hear this!"
I wish I could like this every time I re-watch it! Even with your honest uncertainty on sections, this is, to me, one of the best, most thorough and detailed reactions you have done!
Finally starting an actual playlist....
I posted the above before I watched your reactions to the lyrics! OMG, you do get it, Sir! You are a Hippie at heart!
Came up in my feed today, so I watched again.🤷
The first time I listened this song, I thought the CD was skipping during the middle section. And my other surprise was "hey, prog rock with a hint of country music". About Tony Kaye, I enjoy his bluesy style a lot. "Perpetual Change" is a foreshadowing of things to come with the band.
Definitely have a listen to the version on Yessongs after you've listened to the album version a few times. It's much more muscular and Brufford plays on it (and on Long Distance Runaround & The Fish).
Y'know, you could justify listening to the Yessongs version as a first listen because it is sufficiently different from the studio version that it could almost be classed as a different song.
Wow! I'd forgotten what a great song that is. Thanks. ✌
Virtuosity. Pure and simple.
music to be listened to not just heard. Wise words JP.
One of the great “deep tracks” by Yes. It’s not name-checked in the same way that Close to the Edge, Gates of Delirium or Awaken are, but every person I’ve know who is a big Yes fan loves it. They played it one of the times I saw them- which was both a surprise and an unexpected pleasure
You really need to check out these older Yes tunes live from Yessongs.
just try it out: th-cam.com/video/gMP-ogxdZdA/w-d-xo.html
Amen to that.
KAY is a solid player he left Yes because he hated synths he was classically trained saw synths as not natural sounding instruments like piano or hammond organ, the middle part is illustrating perpetual change .
I find with Yes, they were so creative.. Endless Ideas, musical phrases.. They were just amazing imo.
That middle section takes a bit of getting used too Justin. But, Jon's vocals once again are stunning on this album.
Steve's work is sublime, rock, jazz, blues.. He can do it all imho. ❤️
Great review butty, so glad you went back to finish this masterpiece by Yes.. Been waiting for Perpetual change, great end to an album imo. 😊 Yes arrived big time with this album. Awesome stuff ❤️
Well said Neil!
Heard this song a 1000 times never gets old
The ending (from “All of the way...” onwards) is my favorite part of the song, especially when the organ kicks in...this sense of riding off into the horizon and the unknown, but mixed with a sense of warmth and that it’ll work out all right...just ‘Classic Yes’, what can you say....
"and there you are.." a great Yessong ;)
Great song. I always thought it worked much better live, especially the 7/8 bass and organ riff. One of the first riffs I learned on bass...
I went back and listened to this song again from my archives. It seems like the mix is different, I like mine better. Just here for a like and a listen, and enjoying the channel.
The Yessongs version blows this song up, and ends with a drum solo. EPIC LIVE
for me most of the songs from the early studio albums on the YESSONGS are better (and live)
@@inckyprog6924 agreed! Actually I dare to say every song is better on Yessongs!
Good review as always!
Good Name , give this channel time, it would be a shame if it doesn’t take off. To me this channel is about music, not popularity. Hope he keeps it that way.
Another great analysis, Justin. As to your comments re: *Chris Squire* perhaps not getting quite the recognition he deserved, I agree in this sense: I don't think he got quite the recognition he deserved for being the absolute foundation of their sound during their most creative period. Hell, for me, YES was "the band whose sound was built around the creative genius of bassist extraordinaire, Chris Squire." Yes, the melody content YES' songs were tremendous, and yes all the other musicians were supremely talented, but I think they all realized that Chris was special and that they needed to build their compositions around his dominating sound. They knew they were creating something special when they let Chris lead them down his path of inspiration. By the time of the Trevor Rabin iteration of YES, Chris seemed to accept a more subdued role in the band, but at their peak, he was the musician I was always looking forward to hearing. Looking forward to your review of *"South Side Of The Sky"* on the Fragile album, which I actually like more than Roundabout.
His vocals too, were incredibly valuable. He lent a wonderful harmonic element to the vocals that nobody has yet to replicate in the lineups since his passing. It was glaringly missing during one of the more recent Yes concerts I attended a few years ago. Made me so sad.
Nevermind re: *South Side Of The Side* . . . I just found out you already reviewed it w/your former partner, which reminded me of why I've enjoyed your reviews so much more since you decided to push ahead without his less than impressive contributions weighing down your efforts. Just saying...
I love this song and I love the whole album, but to me the version from the YESSONGS live album sounds a lot more dynamic and mature. I would like to place a link to the song here, but when I try, my comment is always not shown ???
That transition is my favorite part!!
This was the first album where Yes was writing the songs in the studio. The prior albums were made up mostly of songs that they had performed several times live before they recorded it. But, with their producer Eddie Offord, they focused more on composition beyond the limitations of what they could come up with live. As a result longer songs, like this, were often recorded in sections and then put together in the editing stages. This made for really awesome compositions, but the transitions between the different sections weren't always smooth or natural.
However, when they performed these songs live they smoothed out the transitions and made them seem more natural. This song, in particular, benefits from this. You should check out the live version on Yessongs. The transition to that weird trippy section is a lot smoother and more natural. Plus there's an awesome jam at the end with a cool drum solo by Bill Bruford. I also love the way they sustain that one note before resolving to the enormous stanza just before the final verse. It really adds to the song's epic feel. Definitely check out the live version on Yessongs, I think you'll like it a lot more.
I have 3 albums by Yes all of which I enjoy, but I don't have this one and I think I like it the most and will have to get a copy. I completely agree with your overview on this song. That transition is way abrupt and jarring in a way that disaligns the music. It actually sounds like they had to edit it with a gap missing in order to appeal to album side timing and length because musically it doesn't make sense. There are plenty of transitions in othrr music (check out Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring) that are seemingly abrupt but still follow a compositional idea with great affect and purpose, but the transition here feels like a giant gash in the mixdown. The jazzy bridge I love and I could swear that I was sitting at a tropical restaurant over a marina watching the sunset when BLAM! I get squashed by Godzilla. I guess I like music that exists own its own and doesn't feel composed, like you can feel the composer going, I need a sudden transition here, or, I'm now composing an anthem here, which is what most of the rest of this song feels like. I dislike about 99% of anthem rock and unfortunately Yes frequents this form often. But the weird thing is I still like it enough to make it my song for the day on my FB page because I think the lyrics are great and people need to hear them and for the most part the music serves the lyrics well; it just needs a better music editor to my mind. Ciao✋
You pinned down the issue I have at times upon relistening to this song BUT I do love it. I think the transition is a play on the song title as they through in an unexpected change. If change is the only constant (aka perpetual) then I think the producer through it in as a progressive element. Does it truly work though? I think it does but it also limits the accessibility of the piece. Can’t wait for Tales and Lamb and hopefully soon JP!
Wow, I forgot how good this song was, time for me to go back and listen to this whole album
This album is when Yes began their rise as a force in the new genre of progressive rock. Along with King Crimson, Pink Floyd, Genesis, The Moody Blues, Cream and ELP (and others), they set the bar high for other bands to follow. Bands like Rush and Kansas, for instance. Mixing rock, blues, R & B and classical music into a harmonious blend of ethereal happiness! It's not simply the music...it's also the lyrical content! It's the message of love, hope and beauty!
When you have time, listen to the TRIPLE ALBUM, "Yessongs!" It brings together arguably Yes' best work...the 3 albums released in a short 22-month period from November 1971- September 1972. "Yessongs" pulls them together live!!! 💚💚💚💚💚
A great song but this does not sound like my original vinyl LP version wich I prefer. Is this a remastered version?
Yes. It sounds so much better on the album...this one completely blanks out one side with no sound at all, until the other side with bass comes in.
These albums are masterpieces
For sure!
When thinking of great Yes songs, I never think of this one so thanks for reminding me how good this is. This album is my favorite by Yes, I think, where you could see still see the contours of Pop in their songs. On another topic, Not so sure that listening to Tales From Topographic Oceans in one sitting is much of an inducement. Maybe Brain Salad Surgery instead? It was a very popular album in it's day.
I agree with many other people here that you have to listen to a live version of this song to fully appreciate the middle section. I think it's one of their best songs though. South Side of the Sky is a real gem as well.