What is your favorite version of And You And I?

[John Vehadija]

Mine is from 2003 Montreaux, and close second the Union Shorline

[Soundwaveseeker]

I'll go for the Madison Square Gardens 1980 with good Trevor Horn vocals and Geoff's solo was different to the ones from the Album series tours, those were just note-for-note recreation of the original solo played by Wakeman. The 1980 one was a more 'squiggly' sounding Asia-type futuristic solo. The Big Generator tour And You And I was also powerful, especially Rabin's squealy lead instead of Steve Howe's steel guitar in the solo. For some reason it's about the solo from the second section of the song (Apocalypse, I think). Yessongs version is classic too. They used to play it live with the acoustic intro lopped off and instead starting off full-band in a more bombastic manner. When did they stop doing it that way? Maybe time to bring that approach back.

[luvyesmusic]

The next one I experience live, is always the best one for me. ;-)

[PeterCologne]

I'll go for the Madison Square Gardens 1980 with good Trevor Horn vocals and Geoff's solo was different to the ones from the Album series tours, those were just note-for-note recreation of the original solo played by Wakeman. The 1980 one was a more 'squiggly' sounding Asia-type futuristic solo. The Big Generator tour And You And I was also powerful, especially Rabin's squealy lead instead of Steve Howe's steel guitar in the solo. For some reason it's about the solo from the second section of the song (Apocalypse, I think). Yessongs version is classic too. They used to play it live with the acoustic intro lopped off and instead starting off full-band in a more bombastic manner. When did they stop doing it that way? Maybe time to bring that approach back.

Wow, great choices. I also like the 1980 AYAI. Like with the other Yes-classics Trevor Horn gives it a fresh atmosphere, I dig the way he stretches the vocal-lines a bit like a slight slow-motion, that creates a certain tension.

My favourite And You And I's are the one from the 1997 Universal-Theatre-show with a great vibe and the one I experienced 2004 myself at the London-show, something magical was going on, hard to describe, no drugs, not much alcohol, but it was like the music came over me like waves. One or two others also said it was special.

Honorary mention for 1994's AYAI with Rabins piano-intro, I wished Yes had experimented more like that with their stuff.

[Gtkgasman]

The next one I experience live, is always the best one for me. ;-)

I love that! 🍻🥂. Can’t top it! 😊

I will go with the Original, followed by YESSONGS/Progeny/Any CTTE tour boots I have.

[Ash Armstrong]

The studio album version.
The first time I heard it live in 1973 on the Tales Tour I was shocked by how they did it! I'd not at that time heard Yessongs. I grew to love it.
I wasn't too keen on how Moraz did it in 1975. He was too fond of the pitch-wheel on his synths for me.
Horn's singing in 1980 was abysmal!

Hearing it in 1989 with ABWH with the acoustic elements for the first time brought me to tears. Beyond beautiful.

Hearing it again live in 1998 was deeply moving.

[Chris2210]

The version on An Evening of Yesmusic plus is pretty magical.

But I too remember the early 2000s version fondly - In the Presence Of was also played that night and those two songs - almost thirty years apart - were profoundly moving highlights. I can’t remember being so affected by any other concert.

[Ash Armstrong]

The version on An Evening of Yesmusic plus is pretty magical.

But I too remember the early 2000s version fondly - In the Presence Of was also played that night and those two songs - almost thirty years apart - were profoundly moving highlights. I can’t remember being so affected by any other concert.

Absolutely true! Very special..

[True]

The Yessongs version is my favorite of them all. I wish Steve Howe had not ditched the EDS 1275 !

[Mr. Holland]

My favourite And You And I's are the one from the 1997 Universal-Theatre-show with a great vibe and the one I experienced 2004 myself at the London-show, something magical was going on, hard to describe, no drugs, not much alcohol, but it was like the music came over me like waves. One or two others also said it was special.

I can vouch for that! It was magical. And the next day we were at a signing at the then HMV store and I got the chance to talk to Anderson briefly and he said that he felt this absolutely amazing energy flowing back and forth from the audience to the band and vice versa to the point it became a spiritual experience and that he had only felt this on a handful of ocassions before.

[luna65]

Besides the original album version I really love the Houston '88 recording on YesYears.

[John Vehadija]

I'm really happy to read about all your favorite versions, every time I went to a Yesshow and AYAI would come up, there was a very unique telepathic plug in happening... the 'spiral aim' activating

[Yesjim]

In 1988 I saw them perform at a small arena called Tingley Coliseum in Albuquerque. The stage barely fit the venue and took up most of the floor space, which was covered with sawdust and a handful of concession carts. The lighting and speaker grids were right above the bands heads! That PA was massive overkill for a venue of that size, the entire building was shaking! That night I stood in front of Chris while they delivered what I recall as the most blistering, devastating and soul-melting version of AYAI I've experienced - maintaining eye contact with Chris during the final crescendo!

[GAZ]

I like this version. Any other fans??

[Solano]

Yessongs. And the magnification tour version was great.