What is/are the best Rabin era song(s)?

[Mr. Holland]

I'v been looking through all the Rabin threads and to my surprise haven't found a thread like this. Maybe it has been there once, but I never came across it, so here I go.

What is/are the best song(s) of the Rabin era? Please vote on the pole and post your explanation of why that/those song(s) are the best in your opinion. As you can see, you can put in multiple votes!

[JudysTrevor]

Wow!! I think we could have voted from each album, different polls!! LOL!! It's hard to just pick a few. Here are my picks.

90125
Owner (of course!!)
City Of Love (guitar solo!!)

Generator
Rhythm (guitar solo!!)
Shoot High
Love Will Find A Way

Talk
Walls
Endless Dream (the PERFECT song!!)

Of course, I love it all!! It's hard to pick just these.

Judy
:guitar:

[Silent_wings]

My favorites
It Can Happen - Patrick says it's our song heehee
Hearts - Love that one
Shoot High Aim Low
Lift Me Up (now I've done it its stuck in my head)
What to do I find it hard to know;
Lord, the walk is not the one I chose...
The Calling
Endless Dream - Wish they would play this in concert, but I won't hold by breath.

[Erdy1]

I lean more to the prog side, with "I'm Running," "Cinema/Leave It" (Uh-oh, I forgot to vote for Cinema!!), "Miracle of Life," and "Endless Dream."

[PeterCologne]

This is tough, I voted for a lot songs. The quality of those three and a half Rabin-albums is high, there are no bad tracks. I find only two weaker ones: Our Song and Walls. It's like this on the clasic-yes-masterpieces too, there really no weak moments. And well, those Yes-West albums were produced with much care over a long time. So there was no danger to have much too rushed recorded material. But here are my favourites, I diciplined myself to name only 3 from every album.

90125:

It Can Happen (a mini-epic, there is so much fine music in it, and so much different sounds, it could have been some minutes longer for my taste)

City Of Love (More or less Heavy-Rock with brain, Led Zeppelin were the masters of this genre)

Hearts (Yes-East meets Yes-West, the basis seems to be an Anderson-song. As colourful as only Yes can be, and like It Can Happen the guitars and keyboards proove, that Trevor really has love for Yes and understands this group)

BIG GENERATOR:

I'm Running (strange kind of world music)

Big Generator (Rock, that is still ten years ahead of 2003)

Shoot High, Aim Low (Future-Blues, never heard before and after again)

TALK:
The Calling (one of the most fascinating fusion-songs ever, Rock, Folk, County, World music, combined to an organic one)

Endless Dream (like Yes invented the fine art of doing epics again, where CTTE or Tales are Monet, Endless Dream is Post Modern, less romantic, but with the beauty of industrial-roamticism.

I am Waiting (true beauty and passion, the "It happened in the Water"-passage" gives a lot tension, the work of a true genius)

Union:
Miracle of Life (not as detailed as the songs on the above albums, just a very, very short, but fascinating "epic", I always think it is longer, there is so much information in it).

The More We Live, Let Go (though More a song by Chris and Billy Sherwood)


Greetings
Peter

[Original_Shifty]

The More We Live-Let Go isn't really a Rabin song, it's a Squire/Sherwood composition, and if you ask me, it's the best song on Union.

[Earl Grey]

"Shoot High/Aim Low" The acoustic bit in the middle-eight.

And

"I Am Waiting"

'I Am Waiting' is the stuff of Howedom.

An amazing song, with all the subliminals we have expected from the best of YES.

Two amazing songs, and I can barely take it! I wish they would play these again. You never know!

:ele:

[pixiedave]

During the Union tour, Travor Rabin songs were a cue to go get another beer so we could be back in our seats for a Steve Howe song. Sorry had to be said.

[prem895]

Endless Dream Is Rabins Answer To Awaken~~~ Killer

[PO]

I'v been looking through all the Rabin threads and to my surprise haven't found a thread like this...

If you look through the threads that you've started yourself you can cull the answer you seek:

-Would you like the see a Rabin era tune played live by the current line-up?

-Would you like to see a Rabin era medley next years tour?

-Which Rabin Era song would you like to see the current line-up perform??

-Yes should play Rabin area songs also on this tour!!

-What is the best Rabin era album?

-What's your vote on OOALH??

-35th anniversary tour: will they play Owner?

-Which 80's or 90's song would you like Yes to play live again??

-1983 - 1994: which song from this era would you like to see perfomed the next tour?

Are you going to continue to ask until you get the correct answer?

[Mr. Holland]

If you look through the threads that you've started yourself you can cull the answer you seek:

-Would you like the see a Rabin era tune played live by the current line-up?

-Would you like to see a Rabin era medley next years tour?

-Which Rabin Era song would you like to see the current line-up perform??

-Yes should play Rabin area songs also on this tour!!

-What is the best Rabin era album?

-What's your vote on OOALH??

-35th anniversary tour: will they play Owner?

-Which 80's or 90's song would you like Yes to play live again??

-1983 - 1994: which song from this era would you like to see perfomed the next tour?

Are you going to continue to ask until you get the correct answer?

Sorry Paul, but those are all NOT asking the question of this thread. They're are a couple of simularities, but all are different questions with a possible different answer to them.
When I say I want the current line-up to play a Rabin era song and I name a certain Rabin era song that I like the current line-up to perform, that doesn't mean I think that is the best Rabin era song, just a song that I think would be most fitting for the current line-up to play.
When I say that I want a Rabin era medley the upcoming tour (or not) I'm not answering which Rabin era song I like best.
When I give an opinion about whether I think Yes should or should not play Rabin era songs upcoming tour, I haven't said which Rabin era song(s) is/are the best IMO.
When I say that Talk is the best Rabin era album, that still doesn't answer which Rabin era song I love most.
When I vote an 8 for Owner I still haven't given a clue about which Rabin era song is my favorite.
When I recon that they will play Owner on the 35th anniversary tour, that still doesn't say anything about what my Favorite Rabin era track is.
When I answer which 80's or 90's song I like to see Yes play live again (which can also be a none Rabin era song btw), it doesn't tell a thing about what Rabin era tune is the shyte for me.

When I look at the threads that I started the two questions basicly asking the same question are "Which Rabin Era song would you like to see the current line-up perform??" and "1983 - 1994: which song from this era would you like to see perfomed the next tour?", but the last one was part of a "bigger project", because I asked the same question about the '69-'73, '74-'80, '95-2001 era's.

Hey, I like to ask the opinions of my fellow Yesfans on Yes stuff and I like sharing mine and furthermore I also respect all those opinions and all the questions asked on this site by anyone, anytime, anywhere.........

[PO]

It seems like (hence, only my opinion) splitting hairs to me, which doesn't yield more hair. I see one or two overall questions simply being asked in different ways. Five of those threads, to me, are the same.

It makes me wonder (just wonder, not accuse) if you want the attention from posting more than peoples' opinions.

[pixiedave]

none

[JaneEyre]

ouch.

[teejay]

I somehow get the impression that Pixiedave doesn't care much for Trevor Rabin.

I suppose not everyone is going to like both Rabin & Howe songs, however when Talk came out I couldn't, and still dont, stop listening to it (except state of play, never did like that one) Endless Dream is an absolute masterpiece and why more people haven't voted for Walls is anyone's guess.

Any poll like this will inevitably bring out those that dislike the subject or will take an alternate view (surely surely).

[jimmygtr]

Endless Dream and Hearts have all the qualities of any era of Yes and are two songs that I would vote to have the band play if they lived into their hundreds!

[altaeria]

Is it just me or does anyone else think that the guitar riff in "I'M RUNNING" resembles that TEQUILA song a little too much? (...you know... the song that Pee-Wee Herman liked dancing to:)

Otherwise - it's a killer song.

PS ... Somebody actually voted for SAVING MY HEART ??? :WH:

[Jackaranda]

Endless Dream Is Rabins Answer To Awaken~~~ Killer

Exactly. I loved the Rabin era as much as anything. I voted for Endless Dream because, imho, it's about as good a piece as Yes has ever done.

Other favorites:

It Can Happen
Changes
Hearts
I'm Running
Lift Me Up
Everything on Talk

[JaneEyre]

Is it just me or does anyone else think that the guitar riff in "I'M RUNNING" resembles that TEQUILA song a little too much? (...you know... the song that Pee-Wee Herman liked dancing to:)

Otherwise - it's a killer song.

PS ... Somebody actually voted for SAVING MY HEART ??? :WH:


YES!! Every time I listen to that song, I picture Pee-Wee dancing on the bar! THANK YOU for making me feel less alone!


BTW, I was one of the people who voted for "Saving My Heart." (I voted for several songs.) I like it a lot.

[kruekutt]

"Leave It" -- one of the ultimate Yes vocal tunes (so complicated and thick they had to lip sync it on the 90125 tour)

"Rhythm of Love" -- the best mix of 70s and 80s Yes elements. Plus, it kicks!

"Shoot High Aim Low" -- A cool structure: Anderson and Trevor trading off on the verses, with Squire getting his vocal licks on the releases into the chorus. Moves forward like a big, sleek, stealth bomb of a song until it erupts at the end.

"Almost Like Love" -- a controversial pick, but it always reminds me of a cross between the Spencer Davis Group (after all, they did encore "Gimme Some Lovin'" on the first tour with Trevor) and Beethoven's 9th. Kind of what the early Yes was shooting for and often hit, IMHO.

"Lift Me Up" -- if nothing else, for the guitar/drum fireworks in the intro.

"The More We Live" -- More great harmonies, another great climax.

"The Calling" -- the last Yes tune that sounded like an anthem (the harmonies again), plus a kickin' riff for White to drum against!

Looking at the list, I think I favor the Rabin songs with a strong vocal element and/or a sleek harmonic structure.

[Timmo]

I think most Rabin-era Yes blows chunks, but I have to confess a soft spot for "Shoot High, Aim Low."

Tim
Venice, CA

[John Khatru]

my list of favorites from that line up...

It Can Happen
Hearts
Endless Dream
Changes
Real Love
Leave It
Owner
The Calling
Lift Me Up
Shoot High Aim Low
Rhythm Of Love
Love Will Find A Way

[brismike]

Great poll Mr Holland .. don't worry what other people who seem to have got out of the wrong side of the bed say lol ...

These were my picks...
From 90125
Owner of a Lonely Heart
Leave it

From Big Generator (What a fantastic underrated album this is, I wish Rhino would remaster it!)
Rhythm of Love
Shoot High Aim Low
Almost Like Love
Final Eyes
I'm Running

From Union
Lift Me Up
Miracle of Life

From Talk
Real Love
State of Play
Endless Dream

Mike

[Gabriel]

Too many to choose from so I voted for;

City of Love, Shoot High Aim Low, I'm Running, Lift Me Up, The More We Live and Endless Dream.

Although there are many more, those are definatly my favourites.

[BigGenerator]

Hello to all Yes fans,

My favourite songs are
1) final eyes
very good melody,nice lyrics;the keyboards are the 'soul' of the song
2) shoot high aim low
very good rhythm,good lyrics;the guitars and the drums make the song perfect

[Timmo]

About the only song that I actually LIKE from the Rabin era (I've learned to TOLERATE some of the Rabin/Yeswest ouvre) is "Shoot High, Aim Low."

TIM
Venice, CA

[cinderella]

It's impossible to choose, but I'd have to say my favorites are:

Changes (This is my favorite song of all. I do like the demo version better though, because it's sung completely by Trevor.)
I even had the word CHANGES on my license plate.

Hold On
Love Will Find A Way
Final Eyes (I wish Trevor could have sung this one.)
Shoot High Aim Low
Endless Dream
I'm Waiting
Real Love (The guitar solo near the end is great.)

"...Then there's 'City Of Love' which has the heaviest Metal sound I've ever heard - honestly that track is so dirty, it stinks." ....Trevor Rabin

[JaneEyre]

Cinderella, I loooooooove your TR quote! Looooooooove it!!

[BigGenerator]

About the only song that I actually LIKE from the Rabin era (I've learned to TOLERATE some of the Rabin/Yeswest ouvre) is "Shoot High, Aim Low."

TIM
Venice, CA
Hello muscla,
I'd like to hear from you a valid reason to dislike 80's yes,the yeswest style,because I can see no reason to hate Big Generator or 90125 for instance,they are both real good albums;to me,yeswest style is better than 70's style;the old yes style is good,but it is yet oldish;90125,Big Generator,Union and Talk are the natural evolution of the 70's yes;from naivety of their old songs,their music has become mature concerning their lyrics and melodies;yeswest is 100 % yes music;Anderson,Squire,White and Kaye were involved in the 80's yes music(otherwise,the founding members of yes),so you (you=all the so called yes fans against yeswest and Trevor Rabin) can't deny yeswest music and say "it's not yes music" just because you don't like it...I remember an answer of Jon Anderson about his favorite albums,8 years ago:90125 and Talk,that is yeswest music,weird,isn't it?

Yes music,from the 80's,has changed for a better music:a mature music,better lyrics,full songs,more simplicity,etc...
"time and a word","close to the edge","starship troopers" were good songs at their time,but if I listen to them now,they sound oldish if you compare them to Big Generator songs or Talk songs;sorry to say it but I'd rather listen to "final eyes","shoot high aim low","hearts","owner of a lonely heart" or "endless dream" than the best songs of the 70's-"starship troopers","time and a word","close to the edge" among other songs-

To me,a yes fan who doesn't like yeswest,has not understood yes music (that is a lot of people in these forums);yeswest is a part of the musical evolution of Yes;I prefer simplicity and accuracy of the yeswest style rather than the complex and sometimes boring songs of the 70's,but it's just my opinion

[cinderella]

Originally posted by JaneEyre

Cinderella, I loooooooove your TR quote! Looooooooove it!!

I got that quote from an interview Trevor did with Kerrang magazine several years ago. :kissme:

[allpurechance]

...I voted for Hold On.Very close between that and Shoot High Aim Low.Hold On manages to ...uh... hold on to the Yes flavor of previous times,while still giving Trevor a chance to shine vocally and instrumentally.He really rocks on this song.Jon's vocal is one of his all-time glorious best.Chris & Alan hold down the lower end with power and authority in both of these tunes.I love Chris' unfolding,almost precessing bassline in Shoot High Aim Low.But,I saw Hold On live on the Union tour,and it was every bit as much fun,if not more,live,than it is on 90125.

[crotale2112]

The Hold On Live Track From The Live Solos Is Fantastic

[tardistraveler]

I voted for several here.

I like Owner. I know it's a hit, and was commercial, but I like it anyway - always fun to hear it played.

I also love Hearts! The most "Yessy" of the Rabin era, to me, and never fails to bring tears.

From BG, I voted for Rhythm of Love, Shoot High Aim Low, and I'm Running

From Union was Lift Me Up, and from Talk, I Am Waiting and Endless Dream.

I do like others from the era, but these were my faves!

[cactus jon]

It was close between " Where will you be?" and "Endless Dream". I think that they are movements of the same song, witness the 8 note reprise of WWUB at the end of ED. Definitly Rabin's best work IMHO.

[yarstruly]

I chose:

Hold On
Hearts
It Can Happen
Changes
Cinema
Leave It
Hearts
Final Eyes
I'm Running
Holy Lamb
Lift Me Up
Miracle of Life
The More We Live-Let Go
The Calling
State of Play
Endless Dream

(I would have also chosen Make It Easy, were it a choice)

[SonicDeath10]

Exactly. I loved the Rabin era as much as anything.
i agree one hundered percent. still high quality. :theband: if you want to listen to hard to play prog rock your whole life, you have thousands of bands who will do the same thing over and over. while Yes moved into weirder, more accesible areas: however, there was still an intense artiness to their songs that made them different than the 80's crap you'd hear.

[Rocksurfer]

All of them!

[PrimeMover]

Owner, Hold On, It can happen, Changes, Cinema, Leave it, Hearts, Rythm, Shoot High aim low, Love will find a way, Final Eyes, The calling, I am waiting and Endless dream!! Someone who thinks the opposite? ;)

[SonicDeath10]

All of them!
I'd say the same if it wasn't for City Of Glove and Onion. Other than that, Trevor rocks hard! :git:

[Steve St Thomas]

Too many to choose from, but my mouse went to SHOOT HIGH AIM LOW. I absolutely think Trevor Rabin kicks ass.

[Steve St Thomas]

I think most Rabin-era Yes blows chunks, but I have to confess a soft spot for "Shoot High, Aim Low."

Tim
Venice, CA

Wow, what an insult to all the hard work currently active YES members put into those albums. I honestly do not know how I can go through all the minutes of Leave It without seriously respecting the amount of work Rabin & Squire did on those background vocals. I get the same feeling from 10CC's ''I'm Not In Love'', which predates all the Synclaviers and Fairlights, by recording the vocals over 250 times, and using the mixing board like a sequencer. That was a serious amount of work in both songs, and for that I do not think anything deserves to be referred to as ''thrown up half digested food'. ;) Nothing personal.

[Steve St Thomas]

Is it just me or does anyone else think that the guitar riff in "I'M RUNNING" resembles that TEQUILA song a little too much? (...you know... the song that Pee-Wee Herman liked dancing to:)

Otherwise - it's a killer song.

PS ... Somebody actually voted for SAVING MY HEART ??? :WH:

Yea, I'm reminded when I listen to certain portions of Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman, Howe and THE LADDER how much a song or two sounds like 'On Broadway'. ;)

[SonicDeath10]

Shoot High Aim Low is definitely a highlight of that album. Very strange sort of song I've never really heard emulated.

[pianozach]

I really like most of the Trvor Rabin contributions to Yes - so I voted for almost all of them, eve "The More We Live - Let Go" which I don't think is really a Rabin thing - I thought is was a Sherwood/Squire thing.

I think that "Holy Lamb (Song for harmonic convergence)" is a Jon thing

[SonicDeath10]

yeah it's been said by trevor that it was a jon thing. and that he (trevor) didn't like it.

[vivafra]

I personally don't like the Rabin's style, but Hearts, Hold On and Cinema were pretty good...........I don't like almost all the songs the yesband wrote in th 80s...............

[JB86]

I voted for Rhythm of Love. I love the opening to it, and it sounds great live...especially the time at Houston when they extended the intro by about 2 minutes...also, I like the lyrics.

My other choices, in album order are:

Changes- I love the bitterness and general feeling of hurt that comes across at the start of this song. 'I'm moving through some changes, I'll never be the same'...I need to hear more songs like this, damnit!

It Can Happen (both the cinema and Yes versions)...just a great riff. Not sure which lyrics I prefer; Jon Anderson's or Cinema's. If I'm feeling all sappy, then I'd go with Cinema.

Shoot High, Aim Low. I think it's a sexy song.

[luckeydoug1]

For me it just doesn't get any better than Trevor and YesWest. I truely love nearly every song from this group of musicians. (Ok, Saving My Heart and Walls aren't my favorites but...)

That being said, My favorite Rabin song, and indeed my most favorite piece of music of all time is with out a doubt "I'm Running". This song is a true masterpiece from start to finish as it goes from style to style, continent to continent and back again. No other song gives me the emotional rush at Volume 8 (window rattling, police calling... volume) as this song does. I am often totally drained at the completion of this song. And what a guitar clinic Trevor puts on, too.

After this, I would single out Miracle of Life as his next best one. What an exceptional message being told in such a musical way.

Owner, of course, the song that brought me to Yes is #3.

After that, well... where to start....

Leave It (esp the a capella version)
Hold On
It Can Happen
Changes
Cinema
Our Song
City of Love
Hearts
Rhythm of Lvoe
Big Generator
Shoot High, Aim Low
Almost Like Love
Love Will Find a Way
Final Eyes
Lift Me Up
the Calling
Real Love
State of Play
Where Will You Be
Endless Dream

Jack Frost Soundtrack
The Great Raid Soundtrack
much of National Treasure soundtrack

[gambleriver]

I hear ya on I'm Running luckeydoug1. Seems like the forgotten diamond of that whole period to me. Just an amazing, insightful, eerie, hopeful, style pushin', Yes noodling, bad ass, beautiful song... :note:

[JB86]

I wish I'd heard Talk before I voted on this, but new additions to my favourites are:

Final Eyes
Endless Dream (notably Silent Spring)

[lrs]

Miracle of Life, Shoot High and Walls

I have ta say this stuff is growing on me, I used to listen only to the 70s stuff, but I have started to appreciate all of the other directions Yes have taken.

One thing about the Rabin era, not enough epics. endless dream and ... ?

mike

[SonicDeath10]

the extended dance remix of owner of a lonely heart! Duh!

[Mind Driver]

Any of those songs where Jon sings lead vocals!

[cinderella]

What is/are the best Rabin era song(s)

It's actually easier for me to list the worst Rabin era songs.

I'm Running
Almost Like Love (Trevor hated this one too.)
State Of Play
Shock To The System


I absolutely HATE these 4 songs with a passion and refuse to listen to them.

Once was enough.

The rest I adore. :D

[Joe]

Endless Dream is KILLER!