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Yes – Roundabout (8:30)

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About This Track

“Roundabout” is the opening track for the 1971 album Fragile by British progressive rock band Yes. The song was written by singer Jon Anderson and guitarist Steve Howe. In January 1972, an edited version of the song was released as a single with “Long Distance Runaround” on the B-side. “Roundabout” has become one of the best-known songs by Yes. Live versions of the song are found on the albums Yessongs (1973), Keys to Ascension (1996), House of Yes: Live from House of Blues (2000), and Live at Montreux 2003 (2007). The Yessongs version was released as a single in 1974.[1] An acoustic arrangement of “Roundabout” was recorded for The Ultimate Yes: 35th Anniversary Collection, released in 2003.

The single was one of the band’s biggest hits in the United States, peaking at #13 on the Billboard Hot 100. The single version of the song was edited down to 3:27 for American pop radio airplay, although many stations played the full version of the song. “Roundabout” peaked at #22 on the Dutch Top 40.[2]

Anderson has said that the song’s cryptic lyrics simply came to him while driving to the studio one early morning. This explains the lyric “Call it morning driving through the sound and even in the valley”.

Howe’s use of octave harmonics on the acoustic guitar introduction of the song and the instrumental break in the middle, plucking four notes that compose an Em chord on an open guitar, has become one of his signature pieces of guitar work.
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Albums featuring this track

  • Fragile
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  • Classic Yes
    Yes Play
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  • Yessongs (disc 1)
    Yes Play
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  • Ultimate Yes: 35th Anniversay Collection
    Yes Play
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  • MarsAsAGirl

    Such a brilliant song. I was first introduced to Yes via Owner of a Lonely Heart and thus dismissed them for ages. I'm really glad I finally gave Fragile a go!

    Thursday morning

  • lumbarpain

    Yes, I was a sophomore in high school. Or was I a freshy.

    10 days ago

  • Drazba

    love those drums

    19 days ago

  • Hypnotheticall

    ''Between echoes of the most schizophrenic Tool band, the crepuscular decadentism of Pain Of Salvation, or the aggressivity of some Meshuggah'' www.hypnotheticall.it Try to listen..

    21 days ago

  • oyveychris

    Pure songcraft, what happened to music?

    24 days ago

  • lzcool

    Uma das melhores.Esse som não envelhece nunca.

    27 days ago

  • greglypoop123

    i'll be there with youuuu!!

    last month

  • Oregon_Myst

    Saw them a couple of times in concert. They were great and had a great sense of humor too.

    last month

  • garrettmcmxci

    yes + a good spliff = good day

    last month

  • scott0329

    The first Yes song I ever heard and I was sn instant fan.

    last month

  • nick_honest

    YES, indeed a great song

    last month

  • scientist4u

    Classic !!

    last month

  • rtdavis

    Oh.....Yes yes yes!!!

    last month

  • WaySilentBob69

    @Bicknor, what about Florence too! That intro always gets me, just that little harmonic. I always think "Cool, ELP 'In The Beginning", but no, it's Roundabout (again). Meh, still pretty cool.

    last month

  • euquerosuamae

    so great

    last month

  • dewfish

    awesome.

    last month

  • Joemiers

    great song

    March 2012

  • lonelyfurrow

    Does anyone else start singing .."I'm just a love machine and I won't work for nobody but you" during the intro to this track..... just me then.

    March 2012

  • gsl434

    YES!!!

    March 2012

  • Tukusui

    It's my favorite song, everything in this song is perfect :D

    March 2012
See all 517 shouts

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