Monday, October 28, 2013

Music Monday (Going for the One, Side 1)

After 1974's Relayer, Yes took a three year break (with everyone doing solo albums and such) before releasing another album. Rick Wakeman rejoined the band (for the first time) and in 1977 they did an album called Going for the One.

For some stupid reason, they chose Hipgnosis to do the album cover instead of Roger Dean. I have no idea why. This is what it looked like:






And now, on to the music itself.




1) Going for the One - First song up is the title track. It's a straight forward rock type song with a lot of sports references. Steve Howe jams big time on this one.

Get the idea cross around the track
When you leap on the flank ff a thoroughbred racing chaser
Get the feel as the rhythm flows
Would you like to go and shoot the mountain masses?
And here you stand no taller than the grass seas
And should you really chase so hard
The truth of sport plays rings around you

Going for the one - Going for the one

Get in the way as the tons of water
Racing with you crash into the rudders
Once at the start can you gamble that
You really surely really mean to finish
After seeing all your sense of fear diminish
As you treat danger as a pure connection
As you throw away all misconceptions

Going for the one - Going for the one
Going for-ward to
Listen in time, Taken so high
To touch, to move
Listen to life

Touching, touch time
Travel, twilight
Taken so high
Roundabout, sounding out
Love me so

Now the verses I've sang don't add much weight to the story in my head
So I'm thinking I should go and write a punchline
But they're so hard to find in my cosmic mind
So I think I'll take a look out of the window
When I think about you I don't feel low
Should I really chase so hard?
The truth of sport plays rings around you

Going for the one - Going for the one
Going for-ward to 

Listen in time - Taken so high - To touch, to move - Listen to life

Touching, touch time - Travel, twilight -  - Taken so high - Taking your time

Turn on to love - Turnstile to one - Tender timing - Rocking, rolling

Listen in time - Taken so high - To touch, to move - Listen to life

Touching, touch time - Travel, twilight - Taken so high - Taking your time

Turn on to love - Turnstile to one - Tender timing - Rocking, rolling

Turn on to love - Turnstile to one - Tender timing - Rocking, rolling

Moments decide...
Moments delight...
Moments invite...
Talk about sending love...
Love...
Love...
Love...
Love

********************************************************************************



2) Turn of the Century - This song rivals "Soon" as one of the most beautiful works Yes has ever done. It is based on the story of Pygmalion and Galatea and tells the tale of a sculptor who creates a statue of his deceased wife that comes to life. It also has some very romantic lyrics, which is not usually their cup of tea.

Realising a form out of stone,
Set hands moving. 
Roan shaped his heart,
Through his working hands. 
Worked to mold his passion into clay, 
Like the sun. 

In his room, his lady,
She would dance and sing so completely. 
"So be still," he now cries,
"I have time, oh let clay transform thee so." 

In the deep cold of night, 
Winter calls, he cries "Don't deny me!" 
For his lady, deep her illness. 
Time has caught her,
And will for all reasons take her. 

In the still light of dawn, she dies. 
Helpless hands soul revealing. 

Like leaves we touch, we learn. 
We once knew the story. 
As winter calls he will starve,
All but to see the stone be life.

Now Roan, no more tears. 
Set to work his strength,
So transformed him.
Realizing a form out of stone,
His work so absorbed him.

Could she hear him? 
Could she see him? 
All aglow was his room,
Dazed in this light. 
He would touch her,
He would hold her.

Laughing as they danced,
Highest colors touching others. 

Did her eyes at the turn of the century,
Tell me plainly.
How we'll meet, how we'll love, 
Oh, let life so transform me. 

Like leaves we touch, we dance. 
We once knew the story. 
As autumn called and we both,
Remembered all those many years ago. 
I'm sure we know. 

Was the sign in the day with a touch,
As I kiss your fingers. 
We walk hands in the sun,
Memories when we're young, 
Love lingers so. 

Was it sun through the haze,
That made all your looks, 
As warm as moonlight? 
As a pearl deep your eyes, 
Tears have flown away, 
All the same light. 

Did her eyes at the turn of the century,
Tell me plainly.
When we meet, how we'll look, 
As we smile time will leave me clearly. 

Like leaves we touch, we see,
We will know the story. 
As autumn calls we'll both remember,
All those many years ago.

********************************************************************************


3) Parallels - This is a Chris Squire song that was intended for his Fish Out of Water solo album, but instead ended up here. Rick Wakeman on the church organ is awesome.

When you've tried most everything and nothing's taking you higher
When you've come to realise, you've been playing with fire
Hear me when I say to you, it's really down to your heart

It's the beginning of a new love in sight
You've got the way to make it all happen
Set it spinning turning roundabout
Create a new dimension
When we are winning we can stop and shout
Making love towards perfection

I've been all around the world and seen so many faces
Young and old a story told, filling in my spaces
Now without a trace of doubt, I feel it every hour

It's the beginning of a new love inside
Could be an ever opening flower
No hesitation when we're all about
To build a shining tower
No explanations, need to work it out
You know we've got the power

Parallel our sights
And we will find, that we, we need, to be, where we, belong
Parallel our heights
Display our rights and wrongs, and always, keep it STRONG

It's the beginning of a new love in sight
Could be an ever opening flower
No explanations, need to work it out
You know we've got the power

It's the beginning of a new love inside
You've got the way to make it all happen
Set it spinning turning roundabout
Create a new dimension
When we are winning we can stop and shout
Making love towards perfection

********************************************************************************

The 2003 re-issue contained some bonus tracks of original material (unlike the re-issue of Relayer which only had a few edits). Most of these are instrumentals where it sounds like they are trying to develop certain parts of longer songs. The best of these are Chris Squire's Amazing Grace solo, and Montreux's Theme.


Chris Squire/Amazing Grace

 Montreux's Theme

No comments:

Post a Comment