Why was "awaken" not included on yesshows?

[Soundchaser413]

There was no option for this in the live section so here it is. I'm curious why "awaken" was not included on yesshows. Since it was newer than ritual or g.o.d. wouldn't it have made more sense for it to be on there than either of those? I suppose if yesshows was a triple album it could have made it. Anyway, I'm just wondering about this.

[Ash Armstrong]

I assume because of the limitations of vinyl, and that the option of a third LP wasn't available, as you intimate. The release on CD included the two songs on the free single that came with Classic Yes, and the CD of that album duplicates those same two songs, Roundabout and I've Seen All Good People.
Awaken, either from the Going For The One Tour or from the In The Round Tormato tour would have been very nice, especially as we had to wait till 1996 and Keys to Ascension before we got a live Awaken.
That the contents of Yesshows was made up of material from tours from the Solo Albums in 1976 to Tormato in 1978 always left me expectant of their being more that could have been released subsequently. That that didn't happen until The Word is Live has been a source of ongoing frustration for me.
I believe the source of the material on Yesshows was Chris, and for (most of) The Word is Live it was Steve, from their respective personal collections.
I remain stubbornly optimistic, nevertheless, that more from the tours represented on Yesshows will eventually be made available in what remains of my lifetime.

[True]

I'd be happy with more official releases of live material from this period. The tours of 76, 77, 78 & 79 were all fabulous.

[josuev80]

This will probably provide as much information as you can find.

[Ash Armstrong]

This will probably provide as much information as you can find.

Fished my copy off the shelf, and note I bought it from Leicester Virgin Megastore (now defunct) on Monday May 18, 1998... that's a whole century ago!

[PeterCologne]

Somone should ask Scotty Squire, where those tapes are from which Yesshows was made. Like Ash said my information is also that the tapes came from Chris. And if there is chance to still get them it would be feast if those single shows could be relesed, Frankfurt, Rotterdam from 77, Detroit from 76 and London from 78. The sound of all the excerpts on Yesshows at least is so crystal clear and energetic. I don't mind the stuff from The Word Is Live but compared to Yesshows it sounds more muddy and remote.

[Soundchaser413]

I have that yesstories book. I suppose I should re-read it.

[Gilly Goodness]

I have that yesstories book. I suppose I should re-read it.

Remember buying the book. Pre internet. After Keys and OYE. Only to discover the band had made 2 albums called Talk and Union. The book's stories didn't fill me with excitement, trepidation more likely.

[Spiritual Architect]

This will probably provide as much information as you can find.

GREAT link you provided there. 'Yessongs' is my all time favorite album, but I could not force myself to buy 'Yesshows.' A friend had it and I knew it well, but I was not a fan of 'Word' or 'Whale'. And chopping 'Ritual' in two was a no-no. I went and listened to it on YouTube and 'Gates' sounds fairly frenetic and 'Ritual' as one track on the updated CD sounds very vibrant too. Would have been better as a triple sister album with 'Awaken' on it after 'Stories'.

[HankCPA]

Once again, I apologize for posting so late in the process. But I want to say how impressed I am with the knowledge you all possess for all things Yes. You really know your stuff and it shows the love you have for the band. Thank you for being such a treasure source of information!