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Top 5 Progressive Rock: Yes – Signature and Popular Songs

music writerKOH-1
Started working as a music writer as a side job while employed at a record shop, and for over 18 years I’ve contributed to music magazines, disc guide books, mooks, and web media. As a writer my main field is Western music, but as a listener for over 35 years, I always try to keep my curiosity alive with the motto “I like what I like.” I have experience playing in bands, where I was a bassist who handled songwriting and composition. Instruments I’ve played include bass, guitar, and piano. I began studying English in my mid-40s and continue to do so today.
Composer/arranger, guitarist, and bloggerSaitō Ayumu
I started playing guitar in elementary school, and in junior high and high school I played the horn in the concert band. In college I became engrossed in composing and began using DTM. These days, I provide songs to artists as a composer, run a blog under the name “Sakki,” and post music lesson videos on YouTube. My musical roots are in rock, but I also love dance music!

Among the progressive rock bands that Britain proudly boasts, Yes stands out as one of the so-called “Big Four” or “Top Five” of prog, having achieved global success with their powerful yet symphonic ensemble underpinned by advanced technique, artwork that exudes aesthetic sensibility, mystical lyrics, and beautiful melodies.

Over their long career, the band has undergone many lineup changes and even explored more pop-oriented directions at times, so it may take some persistence for newcomers to trace their illustrious history.

In this article, we introduce a number of Yes’s wonderful and representative classic songs.

We hope this serves as a gateway for you to discover their music!

[The Big 5 of Prog] Yes – Signature and Popular Songs (21–30)

Endress DreamYES

Yes – Endless Dream

Endress DreamYES

It’s a complex piece from the 1994 album Talk, in which tense sections and more relaxed passages unfold in alternation.

There was a theory that it was a sequel to the band’s signature song “Close to the Edge,” but that is said not to be true.

Even so, this superbly constructed track can rightly be considered a signature song of Yes in the 1990s.

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Don’t Kill The WhaleYES

Yes – Don’t Kill the Whale

Don’t Kill The WhaleYES

It’s a bright-sounding track with a restrained technical vibe for Yes.

Still, when you hear the brilliantly constructed solo section, you realize it’s a piece only Yes could create.

It’s included on the 1978 album Tormato.

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Open Your EyesYES

YES – OPEN YOUR EYES

Open Your EyesYES

This is the title track from the 1997 album Open Your Eyes.

On this song, Steve Porcaro of TOTO appears as a guest, stepping in for departing keyboardist Rick Wakeman.

As a huge Yes fan, Steve delivers a performance brimming with his love for the band, making it a track you can truly enjoy.

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Owner Of Lonley HeartYES

YES – Owner of a Lonely Heart (Official Music Video)

Owner Of Lonley HeartYES

Yes is a British rock band that helped lay the foundation of progressive rock and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017.

“Owner of a Lonely Heart,” the title track from their 1983 album, was used in Japan in commercials for Nissan Basara, Sanyo’s eneloop, and UCC Ueshima Coffee’s Clear.

Its simple yet unforgettable introductory guitar riff delivers the perfect impact to kick off the album.

If you play guitar, it’s a highly addictive rock tune you’ll definitely want to try covering.

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Hoshino Takashi

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Leave ItYES

Yes – Leave It (Official Music Video)

Leave ItYES

A song released as a single in 1984 by the British rock band Yes.

It is the follow-up to their hit song “Owner of a Lonely Heart.” The music video, directed by Godley and Creme, was produced in 18 different versions.

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