Music Monday (Big Generator, Side 1)

So Yes had just hit it big with a massively popular album, 90125, and their first #1 single "Owner of a Lonely Heart", and what do they do? They bicker over creative differences and the direction of the band, miss a big window of opportunity in the 80's, and take over four years to put out their next album. Not so epic.

What they do turn out is a massively over-produced album called Big Generator (which I originally covered here).

The Music

1) Rhythm of Love - One of their hit singles so it actually has a video to it (which appears to be over-produced as well). This is a good song though, one which they described as being slightly "sexy". This is not your Yes of olden days.

2) Big Generator - The title track, just like the album, is all over the place. I have never really known what to make of this song. I mean it "sounds" cool, but what does it say? It just doesn't sound like it has a point. The song, according to Jon Anderson, is about how we are all a part of the Earth, its eyes, its ears, its voice. Yeah, okay.

3) Shoot High, Aim Low - This is probably the best song on the album to me. It is actually two different songs sung together. The song, according to Jon Anderson's announcements on many shows of the tour, is about war; specifically, a future in which mankind will live beyond war. In most of these announcements, Jon explains that the "blue fields" mentioned in the first line are in Nicaragua. At the time the album was being worked on, a legal battle between the U.S. and Nicaragua had occurred over U.S. aid to anti-government guerrillas. Anderson also explains on some occasions that Trevor Rabin, who performs lead vocals on the song (alternating with Anderson) is singing in "dreamtime", while Anderson is singing in real time.

4) Almost Like Love - This song ends Side 1 and I actually like it more than the "hits". JA sings it so fast though that I will include the lyrics.

Who was it organizing the right to follow my leader?

Seems we look and stand around waiting for a sign from God

Speaking for myself

The Christian need, the Muslim need the Buddhist need

To testify the need for brotherly love

I know there's so many hundred things to talk about

Making us laugh just like a Shakespeare revolution

Please organize our spiritual evolution

So that you'll feel it and we'll feel it, appreciate it

It's almost like love

Saint or sinner makes no difference in who you believe

In a world of superstition caught in a total nuclear greed

Pioneers of the twenty first century looking on and looking fast

To try and fix and try and help this very need

I know there's so many ways that we can work it out

Making us laugh and cry, whether we live or die

Please organize the simple evolution

So there's got to be, so we can see to be free

It's almost like love

So promised in a hundred letters 

Should be getting to you any time now

So promised a surprise for you

For getting so far from now

It's love

It's almost like love

The way the first one out discovers

It's almost like

How many times can you recover?

It's almost like love