Books about Yes & Books about Yes Lyrics?

[Soundchaser413]

There was a book back in the 90s called something like Yes but what does it mean which apparently tried to explain in detail the lyrics to several Yes songs. I had a friend who was a big Yes fan and he had it but I don't remember much about it. I mention it because the title of this thread mentioned lyrics and it's the only one I know of that dealt specifically with this topic. I believe it's been out of print for some time now and is very expensive.

[tumnus]

Is Bruford's biography worth picking up?

Very much so, he writes lucidly and honestly. Instead of rock god pontifications you get an real account of a working musician and bandleader. I wish they'd do a kindle version though (personal reasons!)

[BillGuitar]

Is Bruford's biography worth picking up?

[BillGuitar]

From owning the original two YES COMPLETE: VOLUME ONE & TWO, I'm going to throw out a guess that none of these Yes "music books" actually have anything even remotely accurate as to how the songs were actually played. Garbage - and I could have bought some other vinyl albums instead of throwing the money away.

The very reason I can play Yes on my guitars is precisely because I trained my ear, by myself, to teach myself those songs.

I learned a great deal from Tim Morse's YESSTORIES book. So I certainly hold it in much higher regard than the consensus here.

STEVE HOWE GUITAR PIECES has some nice pictures of Steve. Had a friend transcribe a section of Clap into tablature so (I thought) I could then play it. Wrong.

[Spiritual Architect]

My First Yesbook !.

‘Send the story to the lords of the city, prostrate and uncertain

Changing to open lore from depths of forgotten, childish memories

Many the lives change into duration and the road be hard trodden

Many demons have seen his face and sworn to the winds
In defiance the winds have come to blow away the pain
Apiece apart and unwholesome to the living life source
The dance ends, the flames dwindle, and gods and men awake”

Me thinks Ash should have been writing the lyrics to the non-Jon albums.

[yairisan]

Hi all. New guy here. I think Music of Yes (Martin) is the best book about the band that I’ve read. Is it a tad pretentious? Sure, but it’s well-written and the author’s enthusiasm is refreshing.

It's a curious entry into the Yes library; I enjoyed some of it (most notably, the sheer level of enthusiasm he clearly has for the band, as you mention), but steeping the subject matter in such religious / philosophical / academic contexts feels awkwardly incongruous and plain silly a lot of the time - the citations alone are worthy of Monty Python; yet, he's actually serious! I found myself digging back into it on occasion just to revel in the author's ability to write about a bunch of blokes playing '70s pop rock with such gravity. I shelved it around the part where he starts equating Squire to Charlie Parker. That's not a good...parallel.

[Wordnat]

Hi all. New guy here. I think Music of Yes (Martin) is the best book about the band that I’ve read. Is it a tad pretentious? Sure, but it’s well-written and the author’s enthusiasm is refreshing.

[Art Vandaley]

This semester, chaps, we’ll be delving into an exhaustive study of Beowulf, an in-depth analysis of Chaucer’s works, perusing Dickens, and capping things off with Othello and Macbeth.

However, to begin this English Literature course properly, we’ll be going on an odyssey through the collective works of Anderson, Squire, Howe, and Rabin. We will analyze the lyrics of Tales from Topographic Oceans and meditating on what it means to see a man in a white car. Do we agree that sudden call shouldn't take away the startled memory? We’ll discuss the imagery of armored movers taking approach to overlook the sea and compare it to the Ukraine invasion.

This class will leave you chased amid fusions of wonder and disjointed but with purpose! We hope, upon completion of CTTE132, you’ll want to take the successive companion course ABWH90215.

[John Vehadija]

This is great info, thank you!

[Esthe]

Have these two Yes sheet music book too:

Those are great photos of the band!

[madbear]

Oh, also have a Yesterdays music book on the shelf with the tour books. I read the Howe, didnt like it, have the Welch, Popoff, Bill Martin etc. Don't think any are particularly good to be honest. The Martin is the most intelligent, along with his other book on progrock.

[madbear]

I have a Fragile song/music book. And various tour booklets - are we including them?

[GAZ]

Have these two Yes sheet music book too:

SHEET MUSIC SONG BOOK YES YESSONGS 1973
SHEET MUSIC SONG BOOK CALLED YESTHIS BOOK INCLUDES SONGS FROM CLOSE TO THE EDGE THE YES ALBUM AND FRAGILE PLUS 24 PAGES OF EXCLUSIVE BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPHS.OF, STEVE HOWE CHRIS SQUIRE RICK WAKEMAN JON ANDERSON ALAN WHITE

[Gtkgasman]

Favourite one is Dan Hedges, charmingly written and constructed. Sadly it stopps after Drama, he should have continued...

And then of course Bill Martin, I often use it, it is like "Junior Woodchucks' Guide Book" to me.

Friend of mine 😊 is sending me a copy of the Dan Hedges book - can’t wait!!! 👍👍

[GAZ]

These are the books I have. I think I have more. I have a chord/ music book from the late 70's but I can't put my hands on it. It's white with the band on the front. Chris Squire has dark hair and looks really thin.
Anyone got that?