The Most Humorous YES Release

[marklovesyes]

The Word Is Live has got to have one of the funniest recorded YES moments. Disc 1 - Jon Anderson, as he introduces "It's Love":

"Just have time fer a shortie, a quickie."
"We're gonna get ya shufflin' about - 'n boogaloo - do The Twist, or whatever."

I seriously just about fell over when I heard that the first time. Hilarious.

-mly

[Rick N Backer]

It's also interesting to see how his very broad Lancashire accent has changed over the years.

[fovman]

"Arriving UFO" - Tormato

[Orbert]

Jon always surprises me with the stage patter he comes up with. For so many years, all I had to go on was the few words he speaks on Yessongs and Yesshows, so I never got a "feel" for how he talks to the audience. My main impression is that he's usually better off saying as little as possible, as he always seems very excited and into it, but says some things that are kinda... I don't know... silly or embarassing.

Don't get me wrong - I love the guy. But his style of fronting a band just doesn't work for me. But heck, it's Jon. He's not from this planet, and I shouldn't expect him to act like it.

[smatt]

Jon always surprises me with the stage patter he comes up with. For so many years, all I had to go on was the few words he speaks on Yessongs and Yesshows, so I never got a "feel" for how he talks to the audience. My main impression is that he's usually better off saying as little as possible, as he always seems very excited and into it, but says some things that are kinda... I don't know... silly or embarassing.

Don't get me wrong - I love the guy. But his style of fronting a band just doesn't work for me. But heck, it's Jon. He's not from this planet, and I shouldn't expect him to act like it.


It has nothing to do with the drugs though.........


:dog:

[smatt]

The Word Is Live has got to have one of the funniest recorded YES moments. Disc 1 - Jon Anderson, as he introduces "It's Love":

"Just have time fer a shortie, a quickie."


-mly


Bet he tells Janieee that all the time.........



;)

:lmao:

[Faceintheplace]

"Just have time fer a shortie, a quickie."

The best part is after he says that "It's Love" goes on for nearly 20 minutes.

I've heard that on some bootlegs the before song intros to "It's Love" are even more funny, many including Jon swearing.

Jon's quips before Ritual on Yesshows always crack me up. "It's getting like a soul show." "Don't put that funk in my face!"

"Money" gets me every time, Rick's Monty Pythonesque politician parody voiceover.

I like on the Sheffield '73 version of The Remembering before the song Jon talks about how cold it is and Rick starts playing "White Christmas." Jon also mentions that when Tales... comes out it will cost about 5 pounds. After some muttering from the audience Steve says "Would you like to know how much it cost us?"

And when I saw Yes for the first time in Montreal '94 before HOTS Jon said "This next one was written a zillion years ago on the planet Zongo."

Humor does belong in music.

[smatt]

Thank You Face! I could never remember where that "Planet Zongo" reference came from........


:band:

[yessongs72]

Jon always surprises me with the stage patter he comes up with. For so many years, all I had to go on was the few words he speaks on Yessongs and Yesshows, so I never got a "feel" for how he talks to the audience. My main impression is that he's usually better off saying as little as possible, as he always seems very excited and into it, but says some things that are kinda... I don't know... silly or embarassing.

Don't get me wrong - I love the guy. But his style of fronting a band just doesn't work for me. But heck, it's Jon. He's not from this planet, and I shouldn't expect him to act like it.

if Jon would keep his mouth shut there would be time for at least one more song,lol!

[Scooty]

"Just have time fer a shortie, a quickie."

The best part is after he says that "It's Love" goes on for nearly 20 minutes.

I've heard that on some bootlegs the before song intros to "It's Love" are even more funny, many including Jon swearing.




OH YEAH!!
I have the weed, I think..
From the Yale Bowl in '71 is it??

Verbatim.."We're having a really great fuc*ing time I must tell you..." :lmao:

Love it!!

I also love the "It's getting like a soul show now...don't put that funk in my face.."

right...Yessoul...
Although the intro to Sweet Dreams from the QPR show..also available on The Word Is Live...is quite funky as well.

[Albedo]

Jon between songs can be quite interesting. If you listen to the Osaka 3/12/73 weed he is taking to a Japanese audience as if he isn't quite sure if they can understand him or not, and then he rambles on in a way that isn't really understandable in English either....

"...I know you can't, most of you cannot understand what I'm saying but I'm, I'm sure you understand lots of things about music that most people don't understand our music. It's a strange thing to say isn't Edward? Yeah I think so too. Really. This is a song called 'Close To The Edge'"...

[brotherofmine]

I like on the Sheffield '73 version of The Remembering before the song Jon talks about how cold it is and Rick starts playing "White Christmas." Jon also mentions that when Tales... comes out it will cost about 5 pounds. After some muttering from the audience Steve says "Would you like to know how much it cost us?"

Yeah! I was at Sheffield for that one my first ever concert of Yes and the concert was in November. As you may guess from The dialogue The Tales Tour took place before Tales was released.
Just to put into context I paid £2.60 for my ticket to see Yes, despite Tales being a double album, £5 was almost TWICE the ticket price..a Yes concert now is £35/40 so an equivalent now is that the album would cost £70/80!!!!
Of course it's possible Jon was joking..but I can't actually remember now.

[smatt]

Jon between songs can be quite interesting. If you listen to the Osaka 3/12/73 weed he is taking to a Japanese audience as if he isn't quite sure if they can understand him or not, and then he rambles on in a way that isn't really understandable in English either....

"...I know you can't, most of you cannot understand what I'm saying but I'm, I'm sure you understand lots of things about music that most people don't understand our music. It's a strange thing to say isn't Edward? Yeah I think so too. Really. This is a song called 'Close To The Edge'"...


It's not the drugs though.... I swear, it really has nothing to do with Jon's campy on-satge persona.... I love Jon, don't get me wrong... I think people often think I'm some kind of anti-Jon nut or something. Jon is a crack up, at times.. I do hate when he does the scripted thing though, when he adventures into unspoken teritory he can be really funny. Especialy when Rcik is about with his quik wit. Rick can spit out a funny on anything, about anyone at anytime. With Rick it's certainly NOT the drugs.......

You know, I'm often sad that Chris doesn't get more mic time on stage as far as patter, as the guy is just hilarious when he's in the mood for joking. Although, it's not very fun to be the butt of his jokes. Alan can be a card as well. I can't say as I've ever heard a JOKE out of Steve, he seems to be very serious most of the time, at least in company.

Yep, I love Jon's patter, as long as it's not the script stuff, that gets on my nerves night after night..... That's my ideieer ;)

[Sheerah]

Yep, I love Jon's patter, as long as it's not the script stuff, that gets on my nerves night after night..... That's my ideieer ;)

Of course, most people don't get to see Yes night after night. *er-hmmm*

[smatt]

Of course, most people don't get to see Yes night after night. *er-hmmm*


Um, well then they're kaka-head doo doo brains..... ;)

[Ancient tales]

Of course, most people don't get to see Yes night after night. *er-hmmm*

There must be something wrong with "most" people then!! It can't be ME that has the problems!

Cherry

[VentureRG]

There's no contest here. "Money" off of "YesYears" is easiliy the most humorous. Afterall who is the most humorous of the guys--Rick off course for what he says (though it's definitely Chris for what he does).

[Albedo]

It's not the drugs though.... I swear, it really has nothing to do with Jon's campy on-satge persona.... I love Jon, don't get me wrong... I think people often think I'm some kind of anti-Jon nut or something. Jon is a crack up, at times.. I do hate when he does the scripted thing though, when he adventures into unspoken teritory he can be really funny. Especialy when Rcik is about with his quik wit. Rick can spit out a funny on anything, about anyone at anytime. With Rick it's certainly NOT the drugs.......

You know, I'm often sad that Chris doesn't get more mic time on stage as far as patter, as the guy is just hilarious when he's in the mood for joking. Although, it's not very fun to be the butt of his jokes. Alan can be a card as well. I can't say as I've ever heard a JOKE out of Steve, he seems to be very serious most of the time, at least in company.

Yep, I love Jon's patter, as long as it's not the script stuff, that gets on my nerves night after night..... That's my ideieer ;)
I actually think Jon's great and I love this stuff, it makes him so human. Sincere/obscure - that's my take on Jon. In spite of a few cringes I don't really want it any other way.

[Faceintheplace]

The craziest I've ever heard Steve get was when Yes went on Howard Stern. At one point Steve says "You ever try to pee without looking?" out of the blue. Very unexpected.

[marklovesyes]

I can't say as I've ever heard a JOKE out of Steve, he seems to be very serious most of the time, at least in company.

Steve was pretty funny/witty when I saw him on the 1994 solo tour he did (Not Necessarily Acoustic). Very quick with the audience.
Half way through the show a lady blurted out, "Please come back!", to which Steve replied, "I haven't even left yet!" - much laughter.

[loulamb]

Steve was pretty funny/witty when I saw him on the 1994 solo tour he did (Not Necessarily Acoustic). Very quick with the audience.
Half way through the show a lady blurted out, "Please come back!", to which Steve replied, "I haven't even left yet!" - much laughter.

This is weird - same exact exchange happened at a Steve solo show that I was at, I believe it was in either Hilton Head or Charlotte. Any chance you were there too? Wasn't Asheville - that was the show where someone in the audience kept shouting "Narnia!" I guess thinking he was at a Steve HACKETT concert.

[marklovesyes]

This is weird - same exact exchange happened at a Steve solo show that I was at, I believe it was in either Hilton Head or Charlotte. Any chance you were there too? Wasn't Asheville - that was the show where someone in the audience kept shouting "Narnia!" I guess thinking he was at a Steve HACKETT concert.
Interesting. Nope - not Charlottle. I was only at the Seattle show at The Backstage (which sadly no longer exists).