Survival survives, and thrives!

[scootwhoman]

Does anyone else feel that 'Survival' was a foretaste of what Yes would become? It has long been one of my favorite songs by the group, in part because of the deeply spiritual nature of the song, and in part because it featured the harmonies, the orchestration, the structure, which epitomized Yes a few years later, I think. The song certainly showcased Jon's vocal style, while expressing one of the deepest beliefs of an ancient belief system.

Apart from "Looking Around", which I also consider to be one of the band's best efforts, I have never really gotten much out of the first album, feeling that it was too 'pop', without much substance. Except for 'Survival', there is nothing on the album which I can listen to repeatedly without getting bored.

[True Believer]

I love Survival! It was the first ever Yes song I heard. My brother had an Age of Atlantic sampler LP and this was on it.

[yarstruly]

Believe it or not, while I do understand and recognize that all the elements are there, or at least hinted at, I have never much cared for "Survival"...I don't know what it is..Intellectually I think, yeah, they had a lot of proto-prog elements in there, etc, but I just can't get into the melody or something in the song...

[umgy]

I didn't like it the first time I heard it, but it grew on me.

[Wakey's #1 Fan]

Survival...what a wonderful and magical track...it was one of the first Yes songs I've ever heard, and so it has a special place in my heart. I love it!

[relayeire]

a strangely melancholy but compelling track... I like the 12-string solo... overlapping vocal parts... this was an early favorite of mine, due in large part to Yesterdays...

[Ajay]

Like many of you, it was one of the first Yessongs I heard (certainly the first one from the original line-up), and I loved it from the start. I remember thinking the ending was really cool and loving the tune.
I agree that it was sort of a taste of things to come. It was the first classic Jon Anderson song, with his unique style of lyrics. Love it!

[chris21125150]

I love Survival! It was one of my earliest favorite YES songs. To this day it remains one of my favorites. I always forget that it's not Steve Howe playing on it when I listen to it. See my version of it at this link: http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=24320754

[Wild Westie]

I love Survival! It was one of my earliest favorite YES songs. To this day it remains one of my favorites. I always forget that it's not Steve Howe playing on it when I listen to it. See my version of it at this link: http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=24320754

I love your interpretation. You're very talented.

I too, have a fondness for this song. I'm especially attracted to the vocals.

[Original_Shifty]

Survival is the best song on the first two albums. One of my favs.

[Canonsong]

Yeah, a great song.... It inspires and has a gentleness all of its own.
Anderson's voice has never since touched or matched the sensitivity ,shown here, in his singing.

[bjlevine]

This has always been a favorite track of mine, certainly one of the best of Tony Kaye's work with Yes (along with the live version of America). And the birth of Jon's love for the pentatonic scale.

[Lifeseeker66]

I was going to start a thread about this track; Im glad to see that I don't have to. I too, love this track! I was recently listening to Yesterdays and have been thinking about how underrated it is (no pun intended - I know the word underrate is in the lyrics to this track).

It was nice to see it included on 1993's Symphonic Music of Yes compilation, but I don't believe it's been anywhere in between, has it?

[BeyondZero]

I had exposed a friend of mine to Yes and she became very fond of them. While we were talking one day, she mentioned the song Survival which I hadn't heard at the time. She sent me the mp3 and I was completely blown away. I had to investigate more early Yes.

When I eventually got the first two Yes albums, I fell in love. Despite the fact that they're not quite of the same calibre as the albums that followed, I still consider them fantastic albums and I listen to them more frequently than any other Yes. Survival is still the standout tune from those first two albums even after all these years of overplaying it. The harmonies are so delightful.

[YESOLA]

Does anyone else feel that 'Survival' was a foretaste of what Yes would become? It has long been one of my favorite songs by the group, in part because of the deeply spiritual nature of the song, and in part because it featured the harmonies, the orchestration, the structure, which epitomized Yes a few years later, I think. The song certainly showcased Jon's vocal style, while expressing one of the deepest beliefs of an ancient belief system.

Apart from "Looking Around", which I also consider to be one of the band's best efforts, I have never really gotten much out of the first album, feeling that it was too 'pop', without much substance. Except for 'Survival', there is nothing on the album which I can listen to repeatedly without getting bored.

Love both tracks, and I agree that the indications of what they were to be were in them.

[bjlevine]

Here's a funny story from my early years. I was a pretty big Yes fan in college but I only owned Yessongs. I grabbed Relayer when it first came out, gave Gates one listen, hated it, and shelved the album. Then a few months later I was listening to the college radio station and this song came on
which I thought was really great. As soon as the vocals kicked in I knew it was Yes, and I thought they had a new album out. I ran out looking for the "new" Yes album, which to my surprise, was there...Yesterdays. I quickly realized it was a reissue of earlier stuff, but I really liked it, and even talked my band into playing Survival (most of them didn't like Yes, but liked the song).

Of course, Relayer and Gates have gone on to become one of my favorite Yes albums. I've since learned to give any new Yes song a few listens before passing judgement on it.

[YESOLA]

I love Survival! It was one of my earliest favorite YES songs. To this day it remains one of my favorites. I always forget that it's not Steve Howe playing on it when I listen to it. See my version of it at this link: http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=24320754

Fantastic!

[rembutok]

I have always loved this song and for the reasons expressed here. It definitely signals what's to come for the band.

Funny side note, I used a line from this song in my HS Yearbook. You will see it in my signature. A lot of people, my kids mainly, think it is a bit inane. I don't know if it was so much exposure to Jon's lyrics but I don't have any problem understanding it.

It always gives hope at the end of the day. Words of inspiration for us now as we approach what may be the end of yes.

[neilius]

Ive always considered the first Yes album to be one of their best. So much raw power and energy.

Survival is a beautiful song.

[marklovesyes]

Great track, for sure.