Going For The One (1977)
1976 saw nothing new from Yes. The band had taken a break, during which time the members worked on solo projects. However, writing and recording was in the works. The band decided to record their next album in Switzerland and headed for Mountain Studios in Switzerland to do so. Emerson, Lake & Palmer were recording Works and had run over their projected time, so Yes were obliged to wait. Most of the writing was completed during this time. Eddie Offord had left to pursue other projects and the album was produced entirely by the band. Roger Dean's Yes logo is featured on the album, but the rest of the album art was designed by HipGnosis. What does it mean? Does it need to mean anything? It's probably just designed to catch the eye and sell records. I have some of my own ideas. The buildings are Century Plaza in Los Angeles. A hat tip the Turn Of The Century, perhaps? The naked man: is he an older version of the naked boy on Yesterdays, indicating that the band had grown up? It's not my favourite Yes album art, but what it contains more than makes up for any disappointment in the art department.
As has been noted earlier, Patrick Moraz had been asked to leave the band, in order to make room for Rick Wakeman's return. It seems that there was something of a gamble involved since Melody Maker already had the information that Wakeman had rejoined the band before he actually agreed to do so. His photograph was on the front cover of Melody Maker within hours of his acceptance of the position. Presumably, the band's management were sure enough that Rick would accept their offer that they let Moraz go without being sure of having a keyboard player for the new album.
The band was ready to repeat earlier methods of recording the church organ parts and mixing the recordings into the rest of the performances, but Switzerland's telephone system was capable of high-speed data transmission, so lines were set up between the church and the studio and Wakeman played his organ pieces in real time. He later described the experience as "magical".
The album opens with the title track, a tight little rock number. Nothing seems too much out of the ordinary. The performance is unquestionably brilliant, but there is nothing to indicate yet that the band had reached their Bohemian Rhapsody/Stairway To Heaven/2112 moment. Turn Of The Century opens with a guitar/voice duet from Steve Howe and Jon Anderson, with the rest of the band joining in for what turns out to be a beautifully sung and played ballad, with extended instrumental sections from all of the band members. The next track "Parallels" is introduced by Rick Wakeman at the church organ, to which Chris Squire soon adds his bass. Throughout the album, Alan White's percussion section keeps time. Wonderous Stories follows. Released as a single, with Parallels on the B-side, it enjoyed some chart success in the UK until, as noted by Rick Wakeman, the band appeared on Top Of The Pops and the record buying public collectively said "My God! They're hideous!" and the rise up the chart was over. However, it's a charming piece, and Yes fans don't buy singles in any case. Awaken completes the album, and this is the Bohemian Rhapsody/Stairway To Heaven/2112 moment I mentioned earlier. Awaken is over 15 minutes long on the album, with live performances being much longer. The band pulled out all of the stops for this track with pedal steel guitar sections from Steve Howe, more church organ and piano input from Rick Wakeman, Alan White playing his drum kit more as a musical instrument that a rhythm section, powerful bass guitar from Chris Squire and Jon Anderson's fantastic voice rising over everything.
I generally try to steer clear of YouTube videos in these threads, due to the potential for YT content to disappear, but I'll take the chance and add one for Awaken, for anyone who may have managed to miss it.
Track list:
Side one
1. "Going for the One" 5:30
(Jon Anderson)
2. "Turn of the Century" 7:58
(Jon Anderson, Steve Howe, Alan White)
3. "Parallels" 5:52
(Chris Squire)
Side two
1. "Wonderous Stories" 3:45
(Jon Anderson)
2. "Awaken" 15:38
(Jon Anderson, Steve Howe)
Personnel
The band:
Jon Anderson – lead vocals, harp
Steve Howe – steel guitar, acoustic and electric guitars, vachalia, pedal steel guitar, vocals
Chris Squire – bass guitar, vocals
Rick Wakeman – piano, electric keyboards, church organ at St. Martin's in Vevey, Polymoog synthesizer, choral arrangement on "Awaken"
Alan White – drums, percussion, tuned percussion
Additional personnel
Ars Laeta of Lausanne – choir on "Awaken"
Richard Williams Singers – choir on "Awaken"
Further reading at
YESWORLD