Top 5 Progressive Rock: Yes – Signature and Popular Songs

Homeworld (The Ladder)YES

Homeworld (The Ladder) by Yes

After experiencing member departures, hiatuses, and splits, YES resumed activity in the 1990s.

“Homeworld (The Ladder),” included on their 1999 album The Ladder, is a song crafted by vocalist Jon Anderson around themes such as science fiction and space, showcasing the grand, quintessential YES sound.

The album was produced by the renowned Bruce Fairbairn, known for his work with Bon Jovi and AC/DC.

He died of a heart attack during the final mixing of the album, and it is known as his posthumous work.

I’ve Seen All Good PeopleYES

YesSongs #2: YES – I’ve Seen All Good People

I’ve Seen All Good People begins with a beautiful chorus.

It appears on the 1971 release The Yes Album.

The song has two parts, and the first part, Your Move, was released as a single and became a hit.

Even today, it is known as one of YES’s most famous songs.

Its appeal lies in its bright harmonies and a sound that reflects influences from country rock and folk.

Although this was before YES had fully established their direction as a progressive rock band, it’s interesting that you can already sense prog-like elements.

RitualYES

The Ritual Nous Somme Du Soleil in HD by Yes

The track Ritual (Japanese title: Gishiki) closes out the sixth studio album, Tales from Topographic Oceans, released in 1973.

As its name suggests, it’s distinguished by an oriental, mystical sound driven by the timbre of the electric sitar and lyrics imbued with religious and philosophical overtones.

Crafted under a grand concept, this over-20-minute epic is packed with quintessential prog elements.

It’s a piece that lets you forget the real world and immerse yourself in a completely different worldview.

Yours Is No DisgraceYES

Yours Is No Disgrace (2008 Remaster)

In 1971, with The Yes Album, YES moved away from their earlier art rock and fully transitioned into progressive rock.

The first track on the album is Yours Is No Disgrace.

It’s YES’s first anti-war song, with lyrics contrasting soldiers suffering and fighting in the Vietnam War with people partying in Las Vegas, expressing the sentiment that “the war is not your young people’s fault.” The album also features the brilliant playing of guitarist Steve Howe, who joined for this record and would go on to have a major impact on the band’s sound!

The Ancient (Giants Under The Sun)YES

The Ancient in HD by Yes

The highly artistic and dreamlike track “The Ancient (Giants under the Sun)” appears on their sixth studio album, Tales from Topographic Oceans, released in 1973.

The album was inspired by Hindu scriptures that Jon Anderson read during YES’s tour of Japan.

Comprising four tracks of around 20 minutes each, it shows the band’s pursuit of even greater musical complexity.

Despite its challenging content, the album topped the UK charts for two weeks after its release—a testament to YES’s enduring popularity.

Lonely Heart (Owner of a Lonely Heart)YES

Owner Of a Lonely Heart – Yes (HQ Audio)

Yes, who debuted in 1969, were initially known as leading figures in the field of so-called progressive music—complex and theoretical in nature.

However, with the release of Owner of a Lonely Heart in 1983, their sound took a sharp turn, embracing a richly pop-oriented production that became a massive hit in many countries.

Following this track, Yes went on to produce numerous hits throughout the 1980s.

Brother of MineAnderson Bruford Wakeman Howe

Brother of Mine | Yes / Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe [HD]

Vocalist Jon Anderson, who left the band because he disliked Yes’s pop direction, gathered members who had previously been in Yes in 1988 to recreate the band’s 1970s musical style.

Although they couldn’t use the name “Yes” due to rights issues, the band Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe effectively operated as Yes.

From this track on their sole album, “Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe” (released in Japan as “Senkō”), you can clearly sense the aroma of 1970s progressive rock.