Yes Vocal Harmony

[Leo the Lion]

Whether it was Jon-Chris-Steve, Jon-Chris-Trevor, the current lineup or any other Yes incarnation, one of Yes’s greatest strengths has always been its vocal harmonizing exemplified in so many of their songs……which are your favorites?

I know, I know too many to list but mine include some obvious choices CTTE, All Good People, Starship Trooper but also so impressed with hidden gems Be the One and That That Is (Chris really shines on these). Also Shoot High, Aim Low, I Am Waiting, and Billy was excellent with his vocals throughout Open Your Eyes.

[soundchaser09]

very difficult to narrow it down too much- I'll add some to the list, Ritual, Leave it, Going for the One, Does it Really Happen, The More we Live Let Go, the Western Edge- but honestly so many Yes songs have fantastic harmonies

[Ash Armstrong]

South Side of the Sky, I Get Up, I Get Down, Perpetual Change, Starship Trooper, Revealing Science, Footprints, Homeworld, Can You Imagine

[TommyTopographic]

One worth a mention which I always find moving, is the harmony section right at the end of Revealing Science Of God (not to mention the song features great vocals throughout):
Past present movers, moments we'll process the future
But only through him we know, send flowered rainbows
A piece apart chased flowers of the dark and lights
Of songs to follow and show all we feel for
And know of cast round, you seekers of the truth
Accepting that reason will relive and breath and hope
And chase and love for you and you and you

[GAZ]

When I saw most of Yes play Union live in London I think it was 1991 I was very impressed with all the bands backing vocals on Yours Is No Disgrace. In fact the sound quality and the singing and backing singing at that whole concert was superb!

[Gilly Goodness]

Plus, it may be an unpopular opinion, looking at you FrumeeB, but I adore the DOWE INDEX, Davison and Howe twinning in close harmony on TQ. Hypnotic. Medieval. Futuristic.

Otherwise I love when Chris used to have his own line of singing inserted. Drama. Big Gen. Not harmony exactly. Just a rush of novelty. Western Edge has a bit of it. Thrusting Billy front of centre. Sparing but effective.


ELECTRIFY EVERYTHING

[Khatrooper]

I was pleasantly surprised by the ‘Dowe Index’ vocals on Dare To Know and Leave Well Alone, but they aren’t so effective (oh stop trying to be nice, they aren’t very good) on Music To My Ears or Damaged World. DTK is really good, Jon is not just following Steve’s vocal lines, or doing a straight harmony (like sticking to 5ths or 3rds) and he uses a couple of tracks, and maybe Steve does too, there a really low voice in one ear in places, maybe MTME & DW would’ve benefited from that approach.
(Just to preface the sentence below, I have always been a fan of Jon D. from the first vid of the Auckland show in 2012 I was SO glad the guys got a good singer, he saved Yes after the disaster of (my fellow Canadian and all round nice guy) Benoit.)
Many of the fans who don’t like Jon D’s vocals say his voice is thin or shrill, so pairing him with Steve’s foggy timbre is a genius way to address that complaint, but that probably wasn’t the band’s intention*, and based on comments at the Former Place it did not sway those naysayers.
* Steve produced it so if he wants to sing who will say no?

[Ant45]

I note the asterisked comment at the bottom of the previous entry and could not agree more but I feel the opposite about the DOWE INDEX. The Quest would be quite a strong Yes album if it were not for the many long sections of JD and SH duetting. Steve does an excellent job performing harmony vocals on Yes albums but he is not a Yes lead vocalist. The thing which has always elevated Yes among their peers is that every member of the band is a virtuoso in their own area of excellence. Jon Anderson’ vocals were as strong and captivating as Chris’s bass playing, Steve’s guitars etc. etc. Steve has a perfectly acceptable voice but it is not strong and he should keep his lead vocals to his own albums and let Jon D a get on with it on Yes albums, just adding harmony. The songs on The Quest where Jon and Billy are responsible for the vocals have a much better sound.
If you want to find a good example of Yes Harmony I feel there is very little to surpass Jon A and Chris singing Onward on Keys to Ascension.

[Ash Armstrong]

I fancy a threesome of female backing singers...

[Khatrooper]

I fancy a threesome of female backing singers...

This is Yesfans, not Onlyfans.

[Gilly Goodness]

I fancy a threesome of female backing singers...

I bet you do!

[PeterCologne]

... and Billy was excellent with his vocals throughout Open Your Eyes.

... oh yes!

[1yesfan]

I found the that JA/CS/TR were the best sounding vocals YES has ever had. Three diff voices that somehow just came together so well.

[PeterCologne]

I found the that JA/CS/TR were the best sounding vocals YES has ever had. Three diff voices that somehow just came together so well.

... oh yes!