A naked man, five different lines crossing him, and the colossal emergence of skyscrapers toward ancient skies: this is the vision bestowed by Storm Thorgerson of the famous Hipgnosis, to describe the album of a band that courageously accepted to renew itself and effectively face the musical evolution of a 1977 that seemed to sweep everything away.
“Going for the One”, the band’s last masterpiece, is the perfect example of balance and synthesis between the past and the future of the band, a balance that would never be completely regained. Even the change of the album cover designer is symptomatic of the band seeking landscapes different from the “fantastic” ones of the visionary Roger Dean, while still maintaining the band’s classic logo, designed by Dean himself. The album opens with the lively “Going for the One”, a song with a brilliant sound that seems to distance itself from the band’s overly committed past. In this respect, the flamboyant keyboardist Rick Wakeman, returning to the band after the departure of the talented Patrick Moraez, declared that Yes were back to composing songs again: the polemical reference to the “heavy” “Tales From Topographic Oceans” and “Relayer” was all too evident, as these albums were never loved by Wakeman. The track is dominated by Steve Howe's steel guitar and the massive use of vocals by Anderson, Squire, and Howe.
The rhythm section, consisting of Chris Squire on bass and Alan White on drums, is very dynamic and varied, and Wakeman's phrases serve to further saturate the band’s sound. This energetic and lively start leads us to the album's first masterpiece, “Turn Of The Century”. The sweet phrases of Howe’s acoustic guitar bring forth Jon Anderson’s splendid voice, merging into the ethereal sea created by Wakeman and the inspired bass interventions by Squire. Like a sunrise, the track grows slowly yet majestically, accompanied by Wakeman’s beautiful piano interpretation, until even White’s percussion, beyond just driving the rhythm of the band, begins to draw simple melodies thanks to careful tuning of his instruments. The track concludes with Howe alone caressing the strings of his acoustic guitar with immense class and inspiration.
The romantic and meditative atmosphere is interrupted by the grand bursts of Wakeman’s organ introducing “Parallels”, a track to which the entire band gives an energetic and majestic interpretation. “Parallels” is a rework of “Hold Out Your Hand”, a track from Squire’s solo album “Fish Out Of Water”. Squire’s bass rages throughout the track, challenging Howe and Wakeman to follow and surpass him. Anderson improvises as a modern minstrel with his “Wonderous Stories”, a simple and delicate song in which the band discreetly accompanies the beautiful voice of the singer, adorned in the final part by the lovely interventions of Howe.
Wakeman’s piano introduces us to the album&rsquos second masterpiece, “Awaken”. After a beautiful introduction by Wakeman, Anderson’s voice begins to float in an ethereal sea dominated by Wakeman’s keyboards and Howe’s guitar. Suddenly, an epic phrase by Howe gives energy to the track, leading the band toward majestic sonic landscapes where each member exhibits all their class. The track almost seems to fade out suddenly, but from afar, a melody from White’s tuned percussion surfaces. Howe's guitar joins it, inspiring Wakeman in the creation of fantastic sonic visions. From this sonic magma, Anderson's voice reemerges, pushing the track even further until it meets the chorus of the “Richard Williams Singers” for a stunning crescendo.
Having reached the “summit,” we dive back into the ethereal and dreamy atmosphere of the initial moments to sink definitively and gently into an eternal sea. The “awakening” is the dialogue with God…
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Going for the One (05:31)
Get the idea, cross around the track
When you reap the flank of 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 pure collection
As you throw away misconception
Going for the one
Going for the one
Going for a 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 their 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 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 in flight
Talk about sending love
Love...
Love...
Love...
Love
02 Turn of the Century (07:36)
Realizing a form out of stone,
Set hands moving.
Roan shaped his heart,
Through his working hands.
Work 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 touched, we danced.
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 in 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.
03 Parallels (06:11)
(Squire)
When you've tried most everything and nothing's taking you higher.
When you come to realize, 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 trce 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.
04 Wonderous Stories (03:49)
I awoke this morning
Love laid me down by the river
Drifting I turned on up stream
Bound for my forgiver
In the giving of my eyes to see your face
Sound did silence me
Leaving no trace
I beg to leave, to hear your wonderous stories
Beg to hear your wonderous stories 'LA AHA'
He spoke of lands not far
Nor lands they were in his mind
Of fusion captured high
Where reason captured his time
In no time at all he took me to the gate
In haste I quickly
Checked the time
If I was late
I had to leave, to hear your wonderous stories
Had to hear your wonderous stories 'LA AHA, LA AHA'
Hearing
Hearing hearing your wonderous stories
Hearing your wonderous stories
It is no lie I see deeply into the future
Imagine everything
You're close
And were you there
To stand so cautiously at first
And then so high
As he spoke my spirit climbed into the sky
I bid it to return
To hear your wonderous stories
Return to hear your wonderous stories
Return to hear your wonderous stories
LA AH LA AH AH AH
Hearing
Hearing
Hearing
Hearing
Hearing
05 Awaken (15:26)
High vibration go on
To the sun, oh let my heart dreaming
Past a mortal as me
Where can I be
Wish the sun to stand still
Reaching out to touch our all being
Past all mortal as we
Here we can be
(He can be here)
(Be here now)
Here we can be
Suns | High | Streams | Through
Awaken gentle mass touch
(Gentle mass touch)
Awaken gentle mass touch
(Gentle mass touch)
Strong | Dreams | Reign | Here
Awaken gentle mass touch
(Gentle mass touch)
Awaken gentle mass touch
(Gentle mass touch)
Awaken gentle mass touch
(Star | Song)
Star | Song | Age | Less
Awaken gentle mass touching
(Gentle mass touch)
Awaken gentle mass touching
(Gentle mass touch)
Awaken gentle mass touching
Touching...
Touching...
Touching...
Workings of man
Set to ply out historical life
Reregaining the flower of the fruit of his tree
All awakening
All restoring you
Workings of man
Crying out from the fire set aflame
By his blindness to see that the warmth of his being
Is promised for his seeing his reaching so clearly
Workings of man
Driven far from the path
Rereleased in inhibitions
So that all is left for you
All is left for you
All is left for you
All is left for you NOW...
Master of images
Songs cast a light on you
Hark thru dark ties
That tunnel us out of sane existence
In challenge as direct
As eyes see young stars assemble
Master of light
All pure chance
As exists cross divided
In all encircling mode
Oh closely guided plan
Awaken in our heart
Master of soul
Set to touch
All impenetrable youth
Ask away
That thought be contact
With all that's clear
Be honest with yourself
There's no doubt no doubt
Master of time
Setting sail
Over all our lands
And as we look
Forever closer
Shall we now bid
Farewell farewell...
High vibration go on
To the sun, oh let my heart dreaming
Past a mortal as me
Where can I be
Wish the sun to stand still
Reaching out to touch our own being
Past all mortal as we
Here we can be
Like the time I ran away
Turned around and you were standing close to me
Like the time I ran away
Turned around and you were standing close to me
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Other reviews
By mauro60
"Going For The One is one of those albums worth buying for the immense beauty of one track."
"The Yessound is lively, bursting with vibrancy from every pore."