Songs You would Have Liked The Classic Yes Line Up To Cover?

[GAZ]

I was just listening to Good Vibrations by The Beach Boys and suddenly thought how much I would have liked the early/classic Yes line up to cover that amazing song.

Are there any songs you would have liked the early/classic line up to cover that you think Yes could have worked their magic on?

Also, how many covers did Yes actually attempt? I'm aware of America by Paul Simon and also Every Little Thing by The Beatles .
Are there any other covers? Or even snatches of songs they recorded or performed live?

[Ash Armstrong]

The Byrd's - I See You
Buffalo Springfield - Everydays
Ritchie Havens - No Opportunity Necessary

-all three appear on the first two Yes albums.

Beatles - Eleanor Rigby & I'm Down
Wilson Pickett - In The Midnight Hour
Sondheim/Bernstein - Something's Coming

Quite likely there are more from their early shows.

I'd have liked to have heard them do some early Dylan...

[Mr. Holland]

The Byrd's - I See You
Buffalo Springfield - Everydays
Ritchie Havens - No Opportunity Necessary

-all three appear on the first two Yes albums.

Beatles - Eleanor Rigby & I'm Down
Wilson Pickett - In The Midnight Hour
Sondheim/Bernstein - Something's Coming

Quite likely there are more from their early shows.

I'd have liked to have heard them do some early Dylan...

Let me add:

Beatles - I'm Down. Played in the mid 70's, as released on the Yesyears boxset, as well as when Jimmy Page guested on the 90125 tour.

https://youtu.be/TaKWJvqD4f0

https://youtu.be/j90CnFv3rtY

Spencer Davis Group - Gimme Some Lovin', played on occasion as an encore on the 90125 tour

https://youtu.be/29TreA26wtY

Elvis Presley - Jailhouse Rock, on the 25th anniversary of Elvis' passing in 2002:

https://youtu.be/gHgB7CYS-5Y

Beatles - Here Comes the Sun, as a tribute to George Harrison after his passing in 2001

https://youtu.be/jrtJ3M8cgAE

[Mr. Holland]

The Byrd's - I See You
Buffalo Springfield - Everydays
Ritchie Havens - No Opportunity Necessary

-all three appear on the first two Yes albums.

Beatles - Eleanor Rigby & I'm Down
Wilson Pickett - In The Midnight Hour
Sondheim/Bernstein - Something's Coming

Quite likely there are more from their early shows.

I'd have liked to have heard them do some early Dylan...

What comes closest probably is Steve' recording of "Sadeyed Lady of the Lowlands", with Jon Anderson on vocals, from Steve's "Portraits of Bob Dylan" album:

https://youtu.be/ALiJaBQ83gg

[Ash Armstrong]

What comes closest probably is Steve' recording of "Sadeyed Lady of the Lowlands", with Jon Anderson on vocals, from Steve's "Portraits of Bob Dylan" album:

https://youtu.be/ALiJaBQ83gg

Indeed. I had that partly in mind, but it was the first song on Blonde on Blonde that sprang to the fore rather than the last song....

[Ceasar’s Palace]

That’s funny, just the other day I was thinking how I only know 2 songs with the word vibration in it, Good Vibrations and Awaken...

But I’m happy with the covers they did. Maybe I would like to hear how a 1971/2 studio version of It’s Love, preferably with Howe, would have turned out...

[Ash Armstrong]

That’s funny, just the other day I was thinking how I only know 2 songs with the word vibration in it, Good Vibrations and Awaken...

But I’m happy with the covers they did. Maybe I would like to hear how a 1971/2 studio version of It’s Love, preferably with Howe, would have turned out...

First track on Bob Marley's album Rastaman Vibration is called Positive Vibration, and we know Jon Anderson is a fan.

[GAZ]

Many thanks for all the song mentions. Some I could kick myself for not remembering and some that are totally new to me!!!😲

[Yorkshire Square]

Iron Maiden's Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner. That would be effin cool. 😎

[Soundwaveseeker]

I recall a Yes interview, must have been in the 2000's when Jon Anderson was still there - it was semi recently - Chris mentioned he suggested that Yes record a cover of The Night Has A Thousand Eyes by Bobby Vee, and Jon was like 'Let's not go there...'. He was probably joking, but you never know. I'd say Yes cover that.

Some Dylan covers from the early Yes would have been good, but I guess that was Keith Emerson's territory. The Nice sure did a bunch of 'em. Both the Nice and ELP were known for rock arrangements of classical pieces, where Yes may have had classical snippets infused into a song, and created their own rock symphonies with classical elements. So maybe Yes could cover something classical like Sorcerers Apprentice or something - full on drums & synth & organ & widdly guitar. That would be nice/Nice.

Yes also covered Purple Haze during the Talk tour in 1994.

[Imperatrix]

Dizzy (Tommy Roe).

I was seven years old when it was released, and it knocked me flat: four keys; eleven key changes. It’s also one of the most perfect pop songs ever written.

Hats off to the Wrecking Crew, too. 😎

[Gilly Goodness]

Do the Seals & Croft big ones and add instrumental oomph!

"We may never pass this way again"

[Roundabob]

Yes did a couple of stanzas of Purple Haze by Hendrix at an outdoor show in Raleigh, NC that I attended on August 14, 1994. (I had to look that up to verify). Woodstock ‘94 was being celebrated in NY that weekend, so the band was commemorating that event. I’m a Howe fan, but Trevor was better suited for that particular tune, which he played quite well that night as I recall.

[Ceasar’s Palace]

Yes did a couple of stanzas of Purple Haze by Hendrix at an outdoor show in Raleigh, NC that I attended on August 14, 1994. (I had to look that up to verify). Woodstock ‘94 was being celebrated in NY that weekend, so the band was commemorating that event. I’m a Howe fan, but Trevor was better suited for that particular tune, which he played quite well that night as I recall.

But it was Howe who put the Hendrix quote in Siberian Khatru. And did it well...

[rabin105]

I will say this are other yes songs from different lineups fair game as I would of loved to hear the classic lineup do more Yeswest

shoot high aim low
final eyes
i am waiting
miracle of life
etc