Yessongs [Live, Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered]

Yes | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 27, 1994)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Live, Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
• Label: Atlantic Records
• ASIN: B000002J1Y
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (109 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,231 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

No Description Available
No Track Information Available
Media Type: CD
Artist: YES
Title: YESSONGS
Street Release Date: 09/20/1994
Domestic
Genre: ROCK/POP

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The most exciting live album I have ever heard, June 4, 2006

By 

Jeffrey J.Park (Massachusetts, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Yessongs (Audio CD)

As far as I am concerned, this live album from the Fragile and Close to the Edge tours is by far the most incredible display of virtuosity displayed on a live prog album. Period. In fact, the virtuosity and the sheer ferocity with which they all play is both overwhelming and yet completely and utterly exhilarating. As a huge prog fan I have listened to a lot of live prog albums, but none seem to top the raw beauty of Yessongs.

Another property of this album that makes it a personal favorite is that the guys do not simply reproduce the studio works note for note or throw in gratuitous solos. New sections are added to the original pieces and the solos are incredible works unto themselves. In fact, listen to Chris Squire's awe-inspiring bass tour de force on The Fish - this piece alone inspired me to take up the bass guitar in the first place. Rick Wakeman also presents a nice 6'35" synopsis of his then recently released solo album The Six Wives of Henry VIII.

Bill Bruford had left Yes to join King Crimson and was replaced by Alan White on the Close to the Edge tour who had come from a strictly rock background. Based on what I have read, Alan had a rough time with the material straight off (who wouldn't), but gradually got better with subsequent concerts. I feel that his performances on Yessongs are quite solid - he plays on every track except for Perpetual Change and Long Distance Runaround/The Fish (Bill plays on these tracks).

I should note that the sound quality of this album is not great (it is thin, trebly, and harsh), although it does not bother me in the least. This is Yes after all and I would probably listen to the most poorly recorded bootleg over and over again without flinching.

Like other folks I have great memories of this album and as I recall, rode my bike five miles to pick the album up from a local store. In that it was 1979 or 1980, the triple album was still being issued on vinyl and was a very heavy thing. One aspect of the Yessongs experience that I do miss is the incredible inner gatefold art of the original vinyl release along with the awesome color booklet. With the huge triple gatefold, it was truly something to check Roger Dean's incredible artwork out while I listened to the music. Although the artwork presented in the CD format does not quite have the same magic, the music still blows me away. My hope is that Rhino will remaster this incredible gem because this version from Atlantic, although remastered, is not the best that it can be.

All in all this is an incredible statement from an incredible band. Very highly recommended with every fiber of my being along with all of their albums from 1971 - 1977 (The Yes Album through Going for the One).

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Live majesty., July 26, 2001

By 

Lord Chimp (Monkey World) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Yessongs (Audio CD)

I didn't think that Yes' supra-complex, textured studio recordings preceding this live set would be translated effectively to the live setting. It's not perfect, but the inadequacies created by the limitations of playing live are part of Yessongs' charm. And while the songs are occasionally missing small ingredients that flesh them out so well on the studio versions, the band's heaving energy more than makes up for it. You can especially hear it in Jon Anderson's singing. His voice is often delicate on studio albums, but here he's surprisingly powerful, singing full-force over his equally lively buddies, who jam with fervor exploding from their instruments. And man, there are lots of jams! Songs are often extended by five minutes or so for soloing, and although many would find it tiring, I think the intensity makes it totally exciting.

The songs cover three of the band's best albums: The Yes Album, Fragile, and the progressive monster Close to the Edge. This is the best lineup the band had (Anderson, Howe, Wakeman, Squire, Bruford/White), all of whom clearly feel the deeply spiritual, stirring nature of their music. Their most recent studio album, Close to the Edge, is especially well-represented, which is a marvel given the complexity of the music. The 19-minute title track is as beautiful and moving as the studio rendition. "Siberian Khatru" has tenfold the zeal. Disappointingly, "And You and I" is notably weaker than the studio version because Howe uses an electric guitar throughout, not the acoustic, which [...takes] away some of the original's subtle textures and simple charm.

Perhaps the most exciting songs come from The Yes Album. "Perpetual Change" blasts off after a lengthy jam interlude in the middle, returning to the exciting verses and impelling on Squire's rumbling bass lines. Wakeman's solo on "Starship Trooper" is killer, and when Howe came in with his lead, the crowd must have been slain. Fragile too gets covered well. After a stunning excerpt from Wakeman's "The Wives of Henry VIII," the band moves into a high-energy version of their biggest hit to that point, "Roundabout." "Heart of the Sunrise," with exciting drum & bass interplay and emotional vocals, makes for one of the best moments on the album.

Certainly the best live album from this era of progressive rock.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Live Yes, October 18, 2001

By 

Thomas Magnum (NJ, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Yessongs (Audio CD)

When it was originally released in 1973, Yessongs was a sprawling three record set that typified the classic 70's excess that many bands partook in. Despite the excess, Yessongs is a tremendous live album that captures the essence of the band. Yes has always been influenced by classical music and they show it by opening up the album with a piece from Stravinsky. The album has the arena staples of the drum, guitar and keyboard solos, but the band reels them in a bit and they don't become plodding and boring. The first disk's highlights include a stirring version of "And You & I", "Heart Of The Sunrise" and Rick Wakeman's work on his solo effort "Six Wives Of Henry VIII" is compelling. Disk two is tremendous from beginning to end and the band sounds as tight as they even have especially on "Close To The Edge" and "Yours Is No Disgrace". The cd also contains some of Roger Dean's coolest work, but unfortunately it doesn't translate as well into the cd booklet.