Top 5 Rick Wakeman Yes Songs

[Mr. Holland]

Purely from a keyboard playing point of view, what are your five favourite Yes songs when it comes to Rick Wakeman's performance?

[Homemade Parachute]

I strongly suspect there will be zero (0) surprises in my own list here, but:

1. And You And I
2. Close to the Edge
3. Heart of the Sunrise
4. Awaken
5. Cans and Brahms

[Enlighten]

Close to the Edge

Awaken

Roundabout

Going for the One

OTSWOF

[Mr. Holland]

I strongly suspect there will be zero (0) surprises in my own list here, but:

1. And You And I
2. Close to the Edge
3. Heart of the Sunrise
4. Awaken
5. Cans and Brahms

I think Cans and Brahms is rather surprising given the fact that Wakeman himself pretty much loaths it.

[patrickq]

my 2¢…

1. South Side of the Sky (because of the midsection (piano)
2. Close to the Edge (the church organ through the incredible synth solo—his best)
3. Heart of the Sunrise (the whole thing, including the transition piano sections, but especially the fast synth figures that Rabin used to play along with)
4. Siberian Khatru (here for the harpsichord)
5. the Yessongs version of “Starship Trooper” (his monophonic solo at the end might be the highlight of this incredible album)

[JMKUSA]

Close to the Edge
Siberian Khatru
Heart of the Sunrise
South Side of the Sky
Parallels

[Soundwaveseeker]

favorite Wakeman Yes moments:

South Side O' The Sky (beautiful piano in the middle)
CTTE (rockin' organ throughout the second half)
Awaken (a predictable choice, but wonderful)
Future Times/Rejoice (I actually like the squiggly, chaotic synth sounds on that album, the birotron or whatever it was)
6 Wives from Yessongs (true, its a solo spot, but it feels like a solo showcase with a group rather than a solo artist emphasizing himself in an appearance with a group - like it was on one o' the Yes albums)

[michelforest]

In chronological order:

1-Roundabout
2-Heart of the Sunrise
3-Close to the Edge
4-The Revealing Science of God
5-The Remembering

Weird, I picked two songs from Tales, even if Rick doesn't like that album. But his solo on "Revealing" is my favorite Wakeman moment ever and his solo spot in the last section of The Remembering is beautiful (and was even better live.)

[Homemade Parachute]

I think Cans and Brahms is rather surprising given the fact that Wakeman himself pretty much loaths it.

Well, for me, it works in the context of the album, it's just a sparky little solo played with wit and panache. And not overthought.

[pjt]

Close To The Edge
Heart of the Sunrise
Awaken
OTSWoF
Mind Drive

[madbear]

Revealing Science of God
Siberian Khatru
The Remembering
Close to the Edge
Heart of the Sunrise

[patrickq]

Revealing Science of God

I still haven’t “gotten”Tales from Topographic Oceans, but Wakeman in particular has a really great sound on the whole album, especially on this side.

[pianozach]

Roundabout
Starship Trooper (Yessongs)
Awaken
The Revealing Science of God
The Remembering

[Mr. Holland]

Close to the Edge
Revealing Science of God
Awaken
Heart of the Sunrise
And You And I

[Susanne]

Awaken
Heart of the Sunrise
Siberian Khatru
Revealing Science of God
Roundabout

But I find it incredibly difficult to isolate single instruments in my Yes listening, as they all flow and swirl together into the various corners in my head. So I can't be at all sure that I'm not letting at least some other aspects of the songs intrude into my decision, here...