Thursday, January 22, 2009

Oh Lordy, It's Another Early Clue to the New Direction

From 1974, here's helium-voiced Jon Anderson and the rest of the miscreants in Yes with the regrettably classic first movement of their Tales From Topographic Oceans.



Reviewing the album at the Magazine Formerly Known as Stereo Review, my late colleage Noel Coppage remarked that this was a primo example of the adverse effect that becoming one with the Cosmos has on syntax.

In any case, and with apologies to any fans of 70s prog rock out there, if there was ever a reason why first generation punk was a historical imperative, this is definitely it.

And as always, a coveted PowerPop No-Prize will be awarded the first reader who gleans the clip's relevance to tomorrow's Weekend Listomania.

[h/t Laura]

15 comments:

Noam Sane said...

Songs by bands that travel by unicorn.

steve simels said...

Songs by bands that travel by unicorn.

If I can ever find a context to steal that for, I will.
:-)

David Rasmussen said...

I may or may not have found the clue on youtube... some sort of copyright claim issue. What I found leads me to guess...
Pop/Rock Cures for Insomnia?

geor3ge said...

Songs that are no longer available due to a copyright claim by WMG?

Libby Spencer said...

Assuming that geor3ge and Coveted are wrong, and not being a Yes fan, I'm going to take a wild guess and say songs about flying.

word verify: sessin

Anonymous said...

Songs that make reference to the future?

Anonymous said...

Songs with references to maps or location.

ROT(Plumber)

steve simels said...

There's a copyright issue with this?

I had no idea. Does this make me liable for anything?

If so, I think it's an outrage that Coldplay are (apparently) walking the streets free men, despite having ripped off Joe Satriani.
:-)

Anonymous said...

songs where the lead singer is a male soprano?

songs with the word "yes" in the title or lyrics?

prog-rock bands that were better than Emerson, Lake, and Palmer? (waitaminute - that's ALL prog-rock; nobody's worse than ELP)

steve simels said...

prog-rock bands that were better than Emerson, Lake, and Palmer? (waitaminute - that's ALL prog-rock; nobody's worse than ELP)

Heh....
:-)

MBowen said...

prog-rock bands that were better than Emerson, Lake, and Palmer? (waitaminute - that's ALL prog-rock; nobody's worse than ELP)

Depends how you count Uriah Heep...

TJWood said...

I will admit to being somewhat of a fan of Yes, and rank this album among my chief guilty pleasures. At the same, I would never find myself disagreeing with any of the numerous criticisms leveled against it.

That out of the way, my only guess is: Songs That Reference Bodies of Water In Their Title or Lyrics. I realize this is similar to a list you had a month or so ago.

steve simels said...


Anonymous said...
Songs with references to maps or location.

ROT(Plumber)M.


Close enough, you bastid.

A coveted No-Prize is on its way to you; have your worm wranglers get on their pogo sticks and herd it home.

steve simels said...

That out of the way, my only guess is: Songs That Reference Bodies of Water In Their Title or Lyrics. I realize this is similar to a list you had a month or so ago.

Oops.

Gingko biloba may need to be my friend.
:-)

MBowen said...

I think punk, particularly the CBGB's side of it, was less a reaction to prog than it was to stuff like Orleans and Jefferson Starship.