Head to Head Wednesday 7/2/03. "Revealing" Vs. "Ritual"

[YesfanAndy]

My vote goes for "Revealing", mainly because it was the first YES song, I really loved... I chose these two because I think they are the most poplar on Tales... I guess I will see... Which one do you all prefer??

Vote #1, goes for "Revealing"

[YesfanAndy]

Gee, thanks for all voting guys.......

[RobAdams]

REVEALING is a great track, but I think RITUAL brings TALES to a climax. I could listen to Squire's bass solo section forever!

[Martin Riley]

I go for RSOG.

Like an ever opening flower, no expanation needed.

Ritual rocks though!!

[BrianD]

Ritual - it is more dynamic. I never tire of Nous somme du soleil.

[Robert Shupe]

Tales as a whole was not the easiest work for me to get into. My first copy of Tales was a cassette with no notes what so ever. It basically had the small cover a list of the four pieces and their times. At the time, I did not know any other Yesfan so I did not have anyone to bounce this complex work off of.

From day one, Ritual stuck with me. I also understood it best out of the four pieces. The Rituals of life and humanity were concepts I was able to pull out. Musically, I thought it rocked and conveyed beauty all at the same time. To this day, it can move me in the same way as when I first heard it. The percussion section on recent tours that the band have given us have been simply amazing. "We love when we play." So simple and so beautiful. "Hold Me My Love." I had dreamed of this and now I live it everyday. I think each member shines on this work. Chris booms and Steves work just grabs you and emotionally pulls the listener into it's musical world.


Oh yeah, I voted for Ritual. Revealing is also my second favorite of this great work.

Let's step up to the plate and vote here. I know it is hard but let's give YesfanAndy his money's worth.

I never tire of conversing about Tales. Yesfans gives me the opportunity to do this as it is not a work that the general musical public knows about. Tales is indeed complex and it is always a joy to hear what other people think about Tales.


Cheers Robert Shupe

[Original_Shifty]

Ritual got my vote. It's the endings for me that makes a wonderful Yes song, and this one is the best on the album. IMHO.:cheers:

[Mr. Holland]

Allright, made a stupid mistake here. I wanted to vote for RSOG here, but, somehow clicked on Ritual, was my heart trying to tell me something???? I actually think that those two songs are the best of TFTO, I'm not so fund of the other two songs. But to everbody who is looking at the score, count one more for RSOG and one less for Ritual.....

[Dantalion Rides Again]

You know, Ritual is great. But RSOG has that majestic feel that I love so much. The chant is one of my favorite parts of the whole album.

I've always thought that it's so cool how all four songs have two titles, haven't I, Kev. What? I say, it's cool how there's two titles for all the Tales songs, eh? Oh, oh yeah sure. Whatever you say.

[leqin]

TRSoG - actually Kev its maybe because they are two songs, so there aren't 4 songs on the album and there are actually 8 songs - if you play them backwards you can hear the other 4 ;)

[Dantalion Rides Again]

Hahaha . . . Nigel! It's a quadruple album!! Sweet! Maybe Rhino's reissue will feature the backwards versions. :D

[gt76yesman]

RSOG was great in 2002

[R'tanys]

Just gotta love RSOG! The best from Tales.

[soleil7]

Originally posted by Robert Shupe
Tales as a whole was not the easiest work for me to get into. My first copy of Tales was a cassette with no notes what so ever. It basically had the small cover a list of the four pieces and their times. At the time, I did not know any other Yesfan so I did not have anyone to bounce this complex work off of.

From day one, Ritual stuck with me. I also understood it best out of the four pieces. The Rituals of life and humanity were concepts I was able to pull out. Musically, I thought it rocked and conveyed beauty all at the same time. To this day, it can move me in the same way as when I first heard it. The percussion section on recent tours that the band have given us have been simply amazing. "We love when we play." So simple and so beautiful. "Hold Me My Love." I had dreamed of this and now I live it everyday. I think each member shines on this work. Chris booms and Steves work just grabs you and emotionally pulls the listener into it's musical world.


Oh yeah, I voted for Ritual. Revealing is also my second favorite of this great work.

Let's step up to the plate and vote here. I know it is hard but let's give YesfanAndy his money's worth.

I never tire of conversing about Tales. Yesfans gives me the opportunity to do this as it is not a work that the general musical public knows about. Tales is indeed complex and it is always a joy to hear what other people think about Tales.


Cheers Robert Shupe



i couldnt have stated it better, Robert !! this is exactly the way i feel about Ritual....i am still moved every time i hear it !!!

[marklovesyes]

The YESShows version is absolutely breathtaking. So emotional.

[headrott]

I reluctantly had to vote for Revealing. This was not an easy choice to make at all. Couldn't you do an easy head to head like Walls Vs. Close To The Edge. (Kust kidding).:D

Greg

[eddie]

Its got to be RITUAL, if only for the bass solo

[Bluetailfly]

Well, I voted for Ritual. I have listened to this album a lot in the past year, and everyone of the four pieces have been my favorite at one time or the other.

Revealing Science is great that it is first. I think it moves the best and sets the stage for the entire album. beautiful piece and was my favorite first. The band played it beautifully in N.A. 2002.

I think when I saw Ritual in 2001 I didn't appreciate it the way I do now. The nursery rhyme like melody didn't move me right off, but as I speak now it is perfect. The playful and child like spirit of the piece, bass solo and percussion being a part of that...There is something so healing and uplifting in this vision of humans playing in a safe world of love, as if it is our destiny to discover and experience the world as a child.
Now when I watch the Symphonic DVD, I just love Ritual, and I want to trun everyone on to it. Of course, most folks who aren't yesfans, don't get it right off.

[tardistraveler]

Ritual for me as well - I love the way the music builds in intensity, then ends in a blissful peace. And the lyrics just hit me personally - I find myself coming back to them time and time again.

[fragile34]

that's a tough one. i voted for revealing, but i'm not so sure..

[Full Tilt Boogie]

Easy - RSOG. Thas' not to say I dont like Ritual!

Ah, the sheer choice of it all! :D

[Speedy]

Revealing Science. I never get tired of listening to this track.

[Amy]

Revealing for me.
That and The Remembering are my two favorite tracks on Tales.

[Gabriel]

I prefer The Revealing since it was the first Yes song I ever heard [Tales was my first album] and its stuck with me ever since so its a special song for me. Ritual is however, a fantastic song as well.

[Grover]

I owned Tales on Vinyl for years, but it was the version on Keys to Ascension (overdubbed or not) that got me into The Revealing Science of God. I think the music is better on TRSOG, but I think Ritual comes across as a more exciting showpiece live.

Ritual is a great end to the main/second set, as is Awaken. So, if they are going to play Awaken, then they could play TRSOG earlier in the show. If they are going to play Ritual, then they could play CTTE or Gates or MD etc. earlier in the show.

[Ryan]

although both are great I much prefere Ritual. (I listened to bothe of these songs just last night). RSOG is good all the way through, but its a tad bit boring. Well; not really boring, just 20 minutes of non-upbeat playing. "Ritual" on the other hand is very agressive, and I like my yes that way. Some people say it goes downhill after the first four minutes. They're crazy! its just getting started at the four minute mark. you have the beatiful slide solo that reprises some themes that are in other parts of this album; and actually i think he plays a CTTE riff in there somewhere. Then you've got the Nous som ducelay; (I have no clue how to spell that and I don't want to go in my room and look how to spell it sorry) . and then it goes into some cool verse things; followed the really good "at all" part. My ears were kinda hurting at this part because i was listening to it at 30 volume on my minidisc player and thats as loud as it can go. But its so good! and then a little later you have an awsome drum solo; and then it goes back into the nous som ducelay part. The last 2 or so minutes of the song are my favorite though, because the way The guys build up is just so amazing. and then when its over I am very sad. Its the only song on tales that I wish were longer.

Thats all I half to say for now. bye.

[Hill St.]

Close but,the nod goes to TRSOG.

[DW Duke]

I voted for Ritual though Revealing is right there. Do you remember how amazed you were when you first listened to that album. I probably listened to it 100 times in the first month. (My friends used to smoke pot and listen to Ritual. They always said it felt like the tops of their heads were coming off at the top of the climax. LOL) I had studied and listened to classical music for years. But when I heard Ritual I felt that I had heard the best musicians the world has ever seen including all of the classical composers. That is still my view today.

[slazman]

Tricky .... when I first got Tales, RSOG was the one for me, first heard, first loved.

As time has passed Ritual has become my favourite - it takes me through the emotions and Steve's guitar just rips me apart for Jon's vocals to bring me back to peace.

Sounds pretentious? Well you did ask, and I've tried to sum it up in words.

[mornelth]

Love both, and though my sig borrows from "Revealing", I give my vote to the "Ritual". Hands down "Ritual".

[Earl Grey]

Not Fair!

I truly love them both equally. So I can't vote.

Bugger! The soundtrack of my 70's. Kiss the ring and genuflect.

:ele:

[CybrKhatru]

Tough choice, as for me these are my two favorite Tales sides.


But Revealing wins, by a chant! LOL...

The first time I heard that one live, at SLO....was one of the singlemost powerful and moving concert experiences of my life. I swear the place shook after the chant section!!

Matt

[hailhail]

First let me say these are not two songs but parts of one song
(no big rant this time)
I vote for REVEALING
As much as I love both of these Revealing is the only one
of the two that has "big glassy tearfull eyes " sections.
The tympani and cymbol section kills me
And the return to the main theme gets me every time
Thats it .......
but please remember all parts of one song

As for further thoughts see my avatar


:theband: :harp:

[The Whale]

It is "the" song.

RSoG!

[JL]

Revealing by quite a stretch, with The Ancient coming in ahead of Ritual.

[plodder]

Ritual for me.

The live Yessshows version is spectacular.

[Whitefish]

"The Revealing Science Of God."

"Ritual" is great too.

In fact, so is all of Tales From Topographic Oceans. It is best listened to (and performed and seen) live (we can only hope)!

[MrZuLu]

How can one vote the first movement against the last movement of the same piece of music?

I am sooooo confused!

[MrZuLu]

Ritual got my vote. It's the endings for me that makes a wonderful Yes song, and this one is the best on the album. IMHO.:cheers:
Go figure... it is the end of the song.

It is not better...

...it is the end

[Jackaranda]

No way I could choose between the two. Along with The Remembering, it's a three way tie for best track on Tales. The Ancient is a notch or two below the others, for me anyway.

[Witch Seasoner]

I chose Ritual, though my favorite song on that album is "The Remembering."

[Professor Yessor]

RSOG because I like the beginning chant and following synth F-E-C part.

But Ritual also gets some demerits for the following reasons:

The first lengthy solo by Steve is kind of meandering and lifts too many parts
from other Yes works.

The crazy drum solo in the middle is obnoxious. I'm sure it was mind-blowing
live, but as a studio work, it's noise.

The bass solo is BOH-RING. Chris has shades of "Amazing Grace" in there,
which he did during the "Drama" tour which is kind of interesting but... again,
as a studio work. .. . BOH-RING.

I find "nous somme du soliel" a ridiculous and pretentious lyric.

Oh. And if I'm on the subject of "demerits", RSOG does get 2:

1. For lyrics with no sentence structure. Once, it's creative, a la Siberian Khatru.
2 albums later, rhyming stuff like "reason, season" for the 9 millionth time...
shows a little lack of substance and purpose. Why not just MAKE UP words like
in the Ancient ?

2. For cutting off Rick's synth solo too quickly. It's just beginning to jam and
it's over with. Compare the feel of this solo to the extended one's from
"On the Silent Wings of Freedom" and "That, that is" and you can see where
Rick had a lot more to offer.