what the hell is roundabout about?

[Ryan]

If you read the lyrics of this song it doesn't really seem to be about anything. I was wondering If anyone knew what it was about. thanks

-Ryan

[PO]

A Christmas Carol (*sung to the tune of Good King Wensceslas)

Good King Wensceslas looked out
On the feast of Steven
When the band played Roundabout
Jon and Chris and Steven
Rick had soloed in a duel
With guitars by Gibson
Alan struck the drums that
Wooden splintered fu -e -l

Other than that, it might be about driving around in a car.

[BlueEagle]

the story told by Jon and Steve is that it was written when they were riding in a van around Loch Ness in Scotland (the lake) the road goes through a narrow canyon (mtns. come out of the sky) and theres a roundabout on the hiway before they got to Edinburgh-wahlah. And a day later (24) they were going home.

[gt76yesman]

Jon standing in a Roundabout directing traffic near a lake and mountains.

Simple :poop:

More Good King Wincenslas

Jon was singing songs that day
early in to evenin'
Alan drumming by his side
Keeping tempos even
When the end was drawing near
Chris laid out the bass line
Roundabout is what they played
Made the patrons che -e- er

[podo]

The only way to answer this is with 3 new questions:

Isnt this a Yes forum ?

Your asking what the lyrics to a Yes song are about ?

Why are you even bothering to ask ??

There is no correct answer, or more correctly, every answer is correct

[R'tanys]

It's about eight minutes long.

[Earl Grey]

Roundabout is a love song!

I wonder who Jon was singing to?

Not Janee, at that early date. I wonder...

'Change the day, your way...' Love on YOUR terms.

'I will remember you: your sillouette will charge the view, of distant atmosphere...'

I think Jon is singing to The Muse.

'Along the drifting cloud the eagle searching down on the land/catching the swirling wind...'

This is a perfect example of the eternal artist moving in momentum, gathering and elucidating that which he/she has gathered from the great unknown...

I think ROUNDABOUT concerns the artist's courting of the Muse.

Just my take on it.

'In and around the lake... Mountains fall out of the sky and stand there'.

No one knows where art comes from. It appears to arrive from someplace just left of the cranium, south of the heartstrings. First star to the right and on till morning.

This is my guess to the meaning, of course your interpretation is just as valid here. That's the beauty of it all.

Earlie G :yesbird:

[doctor_how]

I found this analyzation on guitarnoise.com:

If we look at the chorus, the last line is “Twenty four before my love you’ll see I’ll be there with you”. Twenty four obviously relates to hours. Twenty four before, or a day earlier than expected, in other words, I’ll be home a day ahead of schedule.



It’s clear enough that the song is about driving home through the Alps. When I was three, we were driving through the Swiss Alps. At one point, my mother told us to look down. In the valley, ringed by mountains, was a lake. The day was sunny and radiant. The sky was reflected in that lake. It looked as though the mountains were actually coming out of the sky. It was quite a view for me to remember it so clearly so many years later.



So, “In and around the lake/Mountains come out of the sky” obviously refers to the same phenomena. I suspect this was really what inspired the song, the whole point of it.

[Earl Grey]

Most Amazing, Dr Howe!

I agree.

Roundabout is the PERFECT song for YES to close with, in the perfect concert.

We couldn't ask for more.

Climbing that mountain, which seems unattainable, in distant atmosphere.

In and around the lake, and here, and now.
Our reason to be here.

All good things.

:ele:

[illusion]

I believe that it is Scotland, not the Alps.

[Earl Grey]

Illusion: Scotland, The Swiss Alps...

we don't know.

Anywhere but here.

:ele:

[Earl Grey]

Sorry...

Strange days.

[rememberer]

I'm moved by the story because, um, I don't know if I can explain this well, but once I got into Roundabout, everywhere I would go with lakes or mountains that song would immediately pop into my head. It was like they had written the soundtrack to mountains and lakes everywhere or something. Yes music has always had very strong associations with imagery for me, I used to listen to the music and stare at the Roger Dean lp cover tacked to the wall and be... transported. I don't know where to, but as long as I can look up and see that place out of the corner of my eye, it seems to bring me great peace to this very day.

I was thrilled a few days ago when I got to the front of Tim Morse's Yesstories which I'm apparently reading backwards, and read Jon's description of the inspiration for these lyrics, as he described it during a radio show in 1989 (quoted in bits below), it sounds so very much like I always pictured it...

"We were travelling from Aberdeen through to Glasgow and we'd started this song... One of the things you'll drive through is a very winding road that goes through this incredible valley and the mountains are sheer from both sides of the road - they just climb out of the sky... And we came to a roundabout right at the bottom of this road... In and around the lake - just before you get to Glasgow there's a very famous lake, the Loch Ness... So we were driving in and around the lake..."

(And he says he was thinking it was only 24 hours before he got to go home to see Jenny...)

Being also somewhat geographically challenged myself, I was wondering if Jon was thinking of the Cairngorm mountains and maybe Loch Alvie or Loch Insh? Between, say, maybe Aviemore and Newtonmore? Maybe they were seven days from the end of a tour instead of 24 hours, on 3/22/71 they played Aviemore, two days before Glasgow and continued through to 3/30/71, on which day they played Wolverhampton then took a month off apparently, according to my stashed copy of a page from the currently AWOL FY.

But the Ordinance Survey is kinder about labelling sheep pens on maps than it is about labelling roundabouts (I really don't know whether to look for something with wooden horses that goes around, or some kind of building or road feature myself), so I can only daydream still of being able to point to a map and say, "Ha, here it is, THE Roundabout"...

(Since I AM daydreaming, next the Liquor Locusts were going to Scotland to descend on the THE Roundabout with offerings and libations, my partner was going to win on Jeopardy again only this time win the trip to Scotland instead of Ireland, and we would fly to meet everyone, and then we would all descend on InverYes and the Loch Yes Monster with more offerings and libations, and then quickly jump on the next flight home before anyone got curious about the origins of South Side of the Sky...)

I tried to see if Google knew any answers but it quickly brought me to this page. (Can't escape Yesfans for an hour can I?) :-) Alas, unless someone else knows better, the location of THE Roundabout seems to remain a Topographical mystery...

[tardistraveler]

We have a roundabout here in Nashville now, and I think of the song every time I drive through it!

I love everyone's interpretations here - that's the beauty of Yes music - it's all about the imagery provoked by the words. When I hear Roundabout, I see beautiful mountains and skies, and feel love . . .

[umgekehrt]

It's About The Round

[tardistraveler]

It's About The Round

The YesFan? :lmao:

[relayer_1]

[QUOTE=BlueEagle]the story told by Jon and Steve is that it was written when they were riding in a van around Loch Ness in Scotland (the lake) the road goes through a narrow canyon (mtns. come out of the sky) and theres a roundabout on the hiway before they got to Edinburgh-wahlah. And a day later (24) they were going home.

This is quite close to the version that appears in the book "Yesstories : Yes In Their Own Words" by Tim Morse; Jon mentions that they were riding a bus or van, and that their trip was so dull and boring that all they could do was to stare at the mountains that came from the horizon or "out of the sky" like the lyrics say. I agree, the lyrics seem rather goofy but it sure is not a love song.

Relayer

[tardistraveler]

Ah, but it does say "Twenty-four before my love, I'll be there with you".

Sounds like there's a love element to ME!

[InverYes]

"We were travelling from Aberdeen through to Glasgow and we'd started this song... One of the things you'll drive through is a very winding road that goes through this incredible valley and the mountains are sheer from both sides of the road - they just climb out of the sky... And we came to a roundabout right at the bottom of this road... In and around the lake - just before you get to Glasgow there's a very famous lake, the Loch Ness... So we were driving in and around the lake..."

(And he says he was thinking it was only 24 hours before he got to go home to see Jenny...)

Being also somewhat geographically challenged myself, I was wondering if Jon was thinking of the Cairngorm mountains and maybe Loch Alvie or Loch Insh? Between, say, maybe Aviemore and Newtonmore? Maybe they were seven days from the end of a tour instead of 24 hours, on 3/22/71 they played Aviemore, two days before Glasgow and continued through to 3/30/71, on which day they played Wolverhampton then took a month off apparently, according to my stashed copy of a page from the currently AWOL FY.

LAKE!! LAKE!??? LOCH LADDIE! LOCH!!

There's only one lake in Scotland, Lake of Mentieth, which although near Glasgow isn't on the Aberdeen road. It's quite possible Jon's brain was a bit addled when trying to remember the route, but rememberer, I'm impressed!!! by yours. He could well have been describing the road south of Aviemore, going over the Drumochter Pass. Not very narrow but a very forboding landscape with the hills rising steeply on both sides, usually shrouded in mist. great inspirational stuff for a song. There is a loch just south of the Drumochter pass too, which heads off west into the far distance again with steep hills boths sides so if they had played Aviemore ( are you serious?) that would be the road Jon went.

But the Ordinance Survey is kinder about labelling sheep pens on maps than it is about labelling roundabouts (I really don't know whether to look for something with wooden horses that goes around, or some kind of building or road feature myself), so I can only daydream still of being able to point to a map and say, "Ha, here it is, THE Roundabout"...

(Since I AM daydreaming, next the Liquor Locusts were going to Scotland to descend on the THE Roundabout with offerings and libations, my partner was going to win on Jeopardy again only this time win the trip to Scotland instead of Ireland, and we would fly to meet everyone, and then we would all descend on InverYes and the Loch Yes Monster with more offerings and libations, and then quickly jump on the next flight home before anyone got curious about the origins of South Side of the Sky...)

YIKES! Need to get that storm shelter built!

I tried to see if Google knew any answers but it quickly brought me to this page. (Can't escape Yesfans for an hour can I?) :-) Alas, unless someone else knows better, the location of THE Roundabout seems to remain a Topographical mystery...

I thought of much more urban geography when I heard they wrote it in Scotland. Just outside Glasgow is the 60's "new town" of East Kilbride which is just full of roundabouts. You can't go more than a mile before coming to your next one. Since you feel like you're constantly going round in circles getting nowhere you could get the feeling that it would be at least "24 before" you got anywhere!

You don't have roundabouts in the States do you? - but did you know they were invented in the US but just didn't catch on.

[tardistraveler]

We have a roundabout here in Nashville!

[Sheerah]

My Grandmother, who lived in England, lived directly across the street from this huge roundabout.

I remember seeing picture postcards that my grandmother had sent to us, of the roundabout, when I was very small. You could see her apartment in the postcard.

The roundabout, was huge. It had four tunnels that led in/out of it. You would walk down the stairs, into the tunnel, and you would enter this huge roundabout. It was like a small park. I remember grass and a few trees. It was not only a means for controlling traffic, but it was a means of crossing one side of the busy road to the other. It was constructed for large red and white cement blocks, and it was probably about 60 feet deep. It was cool.

The roundabout is located in Mill Hill, at Apex Corner. Does anyone know of this particular roundabout?

[InverYes]

If rememberer's theory is right, and it sounds pretty good to me, then this could be the very loch, Loch Ericht, that Jon saw and inspired the song.

http://www.inspiration-kelso.co.uk/tr/drumochter_nw/a0224.jpg

[squiresrickenbacker]

I wish people who really knew how to build roundabouts would have been part of the planning committee that came up with the idea to add one to our town... all I can say is its round... but its small and there are more yeilds and stop signs posted around it that people dont know if they are coming or going.. some just say the heck with it and drive on with out yielding... sure isnt what comes to mind when I'm listening to roundabout.... tho listening to roundabout might keep you sane while progressing thru it....

[Timmo]

The Liquor Locusts MUST make a pilgrimage to Scotland, find this roundabout, and drink vodka.

It is WRITTEN and FORETOLD, dammit!

[umgekehrt]

This one here's pretty damn confusing:

http://img121.exs.cx/img121/2963/rndabout8to.jpg

[DaveJB]

What were they thinking when they built that?? Where is this Umgekehrt? This looks like a crack fever dream made real.

[umgekehrt]

It's in Swindon, Wiltshire I think. Check out this website:

http://www.swindonweb.com/life/lifemagi0.htm

Another interesting trivia: the rock band XTC comes from Swindon, and they wrote the song "The Magic Roundabout" inspired by the above thingy.

[Insane Teacher]

Jon recently discussed Roundabout at his solo concert with the Contemporary Youth Orchestra in Cleveland. He said it was a traveling song they wrote while traveling from the North of Scotland to Glasgow (sp?). He said, in a voice that sounded like a Beatle, that as you travel there there are these big mountains and the clouds obscured his view of the top of the mountains. In his Beatle voice, Jon said that the mountains came out of the sky and sort of stood there. If you listen to some of the words, "morning driving through the sound and in and out the valley, in and around the lake, mountains come out of the sky and stand there," I can almost see their drive south through Scotland.

The rest of the words sound to me like Jon's beautiful stream of consciousness that he has given us so many times. Often a collection of images from his life and imagination. There are probably many meanings there, many for us to reach.

[InverYes]

It could have been this one as well. Mind you they would have to have been lost to go this way.

[Pete Griggs]

We have a roundabout here in Nashville now

Must be the only one in the USA.

[JaneEyre]

Must be the only one in the USA.
Nope. There are loads of 'em.

[Melissa]

Nope. There are loads of 'em.

Especially here in Massachusetts.

[relayeire]

Must be the only one in the USA.

there is at least one in Fort Collins, CO - one of the last places the Classic Lineup performed... there's even a sign identifying it as a roundabout...

Nope. There are load's of 'em.

ahem... note my correction above...

[The Ancient]

It's in Swindon, Wiltshire I think. Check out this website:

http://www.swindonweb.com/life/lifemagi0.htm

Another interesting trivia: the rock band XTC comes from Swindon, and they wrote the song "The Magic Roundabout" inspired by the above thingy.

And Swindon's Finest, the fantastic band XTC has made a song called English Roundabout, about it ...

[relayeire]

And Swindon's Finest, the fantastic band XTC has made a song called English Roundabout, about it ...

I thought Swindon branch were made redundant?

[JaneEyre]

there is at least one in Fort Collins, CO - one of the last places the Classic Lineup performed... there's even a sign identifying it as a roundabout...



ahem... note my correction above...

I've driven the won in Ft. Collins load's of times. Smart ass.

[yesman1955]

When I listen to Yes' CTTE & Fragile. It is more about the images the words create in my mind. Or what it brings up in my heart. Jon has always been very inventive lyrically and alliterative. Many of his lyrics are not literal but he's trying to use words to paint images. Also I think he was hiding his beliefs and thoughts that wouldn't get past the record producers otherwise.

My suggestion is to open your heart and mind and let the lyrics speak to you. or just feel where it takes you.

[rikensquire]

It's a day at the lake. Obviously, Jon had enjoyed a little bit of nature and then reflected on it. Was it 24 hours till he was to meet his lover there, or was it some thoughts on the 24th birthday? Hmmmmm

[CybrKhatru]

We drove through a roundabout in Sacramento a couple weekends ago.


I wish Jon still wrote lyrics in this stream-of-consciousness style....

[InverYes]

Here's the explanation in Jon's own words.

https://www.yousendit.com/download/U0d3SU5JWlRoeWJ2Wmc9PQ

Like I said, geography isn't his strong point.

[Jackaranda]

I always thought it was about an acid trip.

[Roan's Lady]

We drove through a roundabout in Sacramento a couple weekends ago.


I wish Jon still wrote lyrics in this stream-of-consciousness style....

Me, too. Either that or his stoned-out-of-his-mind consciousness, or a reasonable facsimile thereof. Literal lyric-writing is not his strong point. The more he tells me point-blank that love makes the world go 'round, the more I feel like ripping something up. I lamented the thought of him turning into Neil Sedaka with a slightly earthy bent. I always appreciated not quite knowing what he was talking about - it made me pay that much more attention to what he said. :D

Oh, and "Roundabout" is a great song. I don't care what it's supposed to be about. :D