This Day in Music History: Yes/Close to the Edge (09/13)

Close to the Edge is the fifth studio album from the English progressive rock band Yes, released on this day in 1972 on Atlantic Records.

It peaked at #3 in the United States and #4 in the United Kingdom. The album is certified Platinum by the RIAA for selling over one million copies. It contains only three "songs": the multi-movement title track which covers all of side one, with "And You And I", and "Siberian Khatru" on the B-side.

Close to the Edge is ranked #1 in Prog Archives's top album list, with an average rank of 4.65 stars. It is considered by many the greatest prog album of all time.

I have previously covered this album in more depth in these posts: Side One, Side Two

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And You And I

All complete in the sight of seeds of life with you

Coming quickly to terms of all expression laid
As a moment regained and regarded both the same
Emotion revealed as the ocean maid
A clearer future, morning, evening, nights with you

And you and I climb, crossing the shapes of the morning
And you and I reach over the sun for the river
And you and I climb, clearer, towards the movement
And you and I called over valleys of endless seas

Music Monday/Close to the Edge (Side 2)

Side 1 of CTTE was the title track that took up the entire side of the album. You can listen to that here, and also check out the lyrics over there to the right. Side 2 only contains two songs in itself. If you think only three songs on an entire album is weird, wait until next time when there's only four songs on a DOUBLE album, one on each side. But I digress...

When you unfold the outward cover of the album, this is what you find inside. More beautiful artwork from Roger Dean. I've read where this depicts a part of the planet from the Fragile cover as it's breaking apart. Another fantastic image.

Now onto the music:

1) And You and I - Another song with multiple parts. It describes Martin Luther (sad preacher nailed upon the colored door of time) and what I believe is a reference to Isaac Asimov's Foundation series (as a foundation left to create the spiral aim). Also, TV producer and writer Joss Whedon allegedly named his production company Mutant Enemy Productions after the line in this song (they'll be no mutant enemy that we shall certify).

I. Cord of Life

The song opens with Steve Howe tuning his guitar, and his voice can be heard at the beginning of the track, then playing mostly natural harmonics, played around what will become the central melody, using a 12-string acoustic guitar which quickly forms into a simple chord progression over distant organ chords. Then, the Moog enters for a simple solo, presenting a subsequent phrase, albeit differently arranged. The vocals begin at about 1:40. The line "All Complete in the sight of seeds of life with you" is sung, which is repeated throughout the song. At about 2:50, there's an distinct change: Anderson sings a sharper melody, accompanied by a second vocal track by Anderson harmonizing with himself, plus Chris Squire and Steve Howe providing a counter-melody and alternate lyrics.

II. Eclipse (Beginning at 3:47)

"Eclipse" is the slowest part of the song based on a measured and deliberate melody reminiscent of Sibelius. It is led by Rick Wakeman's epic Mellotron and Minimoog synthesizer. The lyrics are all from the first stanza of "The Cord of Life", but are sung in a different melody, which is also epic and slightly sad. Finally ending with the 12-string acoustic guitar leading into "The Preacher, The Teacher".

III. The Preacher, The Teacher (Beginning at 6:16)

The melody and lyrical structure is very similar (for the most part) to that of "The Cord of Life", with some variations. The exception is that "The Preacher, The Teacher" has a fast synthesizer solo by Rick Wakeman at one point during the song. The last stanza again consists of lines from "The Cord of Life", now sung in a different order and a completely different mood. At 8:34 there is a reprise of the previous section "Eclipse", which lasts until 9:12. The section ends with a cadenza-like orchestral statement, on Mellotron and Moog, reminiscent of neo-Wagnerian compositions from Strauss or Bruckner.

IV. Apocalypse (Beginning at 9:26)

"Apocalypse" is the shortest piece of the song, only about 40 seconds long, it consists only of four lines, accompanied only by Howe's guitars. The lyrics are taken from "Cord of Life", but are sung in the key of B, making them more upbeat:

And you and I climb, crossing the shapes of the morning.

And you and I reach over the sun for the river.

And you and I climb, clearer, towards the movement.

And you and I called over valleys of endless seas.

 2) Siberian Khatru - Shortest song on the album at 8:55. Pretty straightforward with the usual cosmic lyrics. Even to this day I don't know what a khatru is.

And that's it for Close to the Edge. Three cosmic songs that you have to really listen to over and over, especially because two of them contain multiple parts. To many, this was Yes at their peak and this album is considered their crowning achievement. I would put it behind the album that is coming next week. Until then...