What is your favorite version of Close To The Edge?

[John Vehadija]

So I really like the Yessymphonic Version, and for the speed the Yessongs version

[Gilly Goodness]

Yes symphonic for me. The climax is beyond. Great use of orchestra. Still my fave live dvd. Will we see another orchestra tour with Steve's mate and the MACEDONIAN ALLSTARS!

[Homemade Parachute]

Yessongs version all the way for me… The organ solo section continues to send a shiver down my spine every time I hear it, after good lord 35 years of listening to it… It's a tricky solo to get right, not least because Wakeman could, in later tours, make some "unfortunate" choices in keyboard sounds… But it also speaks to Alan White's amazing transition to the group, and how quickly he was able to bring the material to life. Huzzah!

[YESOLA]

The album version.

[Ash Armstrong]

The original studio version stands as a statement of creative musical intent without peer.
Symphonic version is great.
I'd love to have a professional or soundboard recording from the Going For The One tour. What I've heard on boots, and what I remember from the 3 shows I saw in 77, leave me thinking they'd blow the lid of most other live performances from other tours.

[PeterCologne]

Maybe the late 74 version from Boston Gardens with Patrick Moraz, it swings enormously and Steve gets really wild.

[Bill Darragh]

Have to agree with 1974! I've often thought that they were at their wildest in 1974. Been listening to the 4-16-74 Germany show. SK, CTTE, Ancient....wow! Plus the first part of the year was Wakeman/Topographic, then the end of the year was Moraz/Relayer. Would love to relive those shows....

[Leo the Lion]

Yessongs and Masterworks with Igor versions of this, the best song ever written

[Steve Young]

The ABWH with Jeff Berlin on bass get a mention from me. There's a point in the first few bars when Bruford lets out a machine gun snare that moves me every time. But the Symphonic version probably nudges ahead. BTW, isn't the church organ bit in the Yessongs version overdubbed?

Steve

[Chrisklenox]

Tough call. They are all favorites, but I think the 1977 tour versions are absolutely insane. I really don’t think they ever topped those versions as far as intensity goes. Watch Alan White on the Glasgow video from that year… amazing stuff. Steve was pretty insane on all of the 70’s versions, especially from the Tales tour on. I think the LA Forum 3-18-1974 show is pretty high up there for me. Yessongs of course… Masterworks… the version on the Symphonic Dvd might be the one I go with when I have a gun to my head. The emotional wallop I get from that one is unreal. That whole Amsterdam 2001 concert is a real career highlight for them if you ask me.

[Yorkshire Square]

https://youtu.be/B1V2kiImdUY

[soundchaser09]

has to be the original

[Gtkgasman]

1- YESSONGS.
2- Original.
3 - All the rest....LOL.

I can listen to any version any era any time!!!