Yes - Guilty Pleasures

[Ash Armstrong]

I've come to look upon Circus of Heaven as a child's view of the Apocalypse... Whether one buys into all that eschatological guff, wholly or in part, is irrelevant. It's a song of endings, whether cosmologically-speaking, or of the individual end of consciousness.
It's one of my favourites on the album.

[Awaken]

Sweet Dreams
It can Happen
Cinema
Shoot High, Aim Low
Can You Imagine
Onward
Real Love
Time and a Word
The Messenger
Foot Prints

P.S. I like your avatar!!!

[tumnus]

Circus Of Heaven
- I have a young son with severe SEN, this used to be a joke track for me but listening to it after his birth I found Jon's coda vocal part to be profoundly moving, almost to tears.
OK it dissipates a bit when rick starts playing circus music piano, but still, I can't deny how I felt then so definitely is a guilty pleasure!

[Enlighten]

I'm guilty of experiencing pleasure while listening to Yes (if you know what I mean)

I’m sure you have a hand in that co-created experience.

[Soundchaser413]

Count me in for Union also. I still like it even though I realize at least half of it was played by a ghost band.

[Old Frothingslosh]

I love Step Beyond, Arriving UFO, and The Man You Always Wanted Me To Be.

Nice to see Arriving UFO getting some positive feedback. One of my favorites from the band!

[Ash Armstrong]

I'm guilty of experiencing pleasure while listening to Yes (if you know what I mean)

Stop that right now!

[cjreyes]

I'm guilty of experiencing pleasure while listening to Yes (if you know what I mean)

[Ceasar’s Palace]

Count me in the “not-guilty” camp.
But…. I listened to Big Generator this afternoon and still love Almost Like Love!

[patrickq]

I don't do guilt. Pleasure, yes, but not guilt.

Also why are good songs guilty pleasures by default, if they're not prog masterpieces? Like Lift Me Up or Fortune Seller? I get If Only You Knew, being straightforward schmaltzy (but I like it too enough not to skip it )

I guess that, like other phrases, “guilty pleasure” describes an idea which its individual words only approximate. But yeah, I’m capable of feeling guilt, but I don’t feel guilty about liking “If Only You Knew!” This thread might’ve alternately been titled “songs you like but which you think other Yes fans generally don’t.”

[pjt]

Also why are good songs guilty pleasures by default, if they're not prog masterpieces? Like Lift Me Up or Fortune Seller? I get If Only You Knew, being straightforward schmaltzy (but I like it too enough not to skip it )

[patrickq]

“Arriving UFO,” “Holy Lamb,” “Miracle of Life,” “Lift Me Up,” “Walls,” “Love Shine,” “Fortune Seller,” “If Only You Knew.” Oh, and the Cinema version of “It Can Happen.”

Does “Leave It” count?

I’ll also echo others who mention that Open Your Eyes has lots of catchy tunes.

[Soundchaser413]

I suppose I could have said "wonderous stories" also but never really thought of it as a hated Yes track.

[Yesed]

I like making playlists of demos, 1st takes & early versions. I like throwing in the alternate Roundabout and Siberian Khatru versions on the remastered bonus material.
Putting side by side the two versions of Everydays, Dear Father and Somethings Coming. Interesting the subtle, but intentional different takes. They were really illustrating the potential of that powerful Yes sound.

[pjt]

Walls - can't help but sing along loudly

Almost Like Love - great headbanger

Man in the Moon - good solid track

Bumpy Ride - not really a track, but almost everyone seems to hate this part of the FFH suite, I really like it.

In a World of Our Own - quite like the bluesy feel of this

All those above
+ Union
+ Also isn't That, That Is a great epic and a guilty pleasure at the same time? I actually prefer it to Mind Drive
+ Someone wrote The State of Play, i simply like it as a song, no guilt there
+ Don't Go, that's one sure
+ The Man You Always Wanted Me to Be, Chris on vocals, odd meter, great ending. But heck, the Committee for Officially Accepting Songs as Good Yes Songs (the COASGYS) says "does not comply", hence guilty pleasure

Edit: Actually, let's add OYE. I don't really like Wonderlove and From The Balcony, but I remember having the CD in the drive while playing Quake, listening to the tracks instead on Nine Inch Nails, lol. So No matter how much little I like some songs on it, it's still special.