Lift Me Up (Yes song)

Last updated
"Lift Me Up"
Yes - Lift Me Up - promo CD single cover.png
Single by Yes
from the album Union
B-side "Take the Water to the Mountain" (EU)
"America" (US)
Released20 May 1991 [1]
Recorded1989–1991
Genre Pop rock
Length5:03(Single version)
6:30 (Album version)
Label Arista - Arista ASCD-2218
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Trevor Rabin
Yes singles chronology
"Rhythm of Love"
(1987)		"Lift Me Up"
(1991)		"Saving My Heart"
(1991)

"Lift Me Up" is a song by the progressive rock band Yes. It was the first single released from their 1991 album Union . It reached the number-one spot on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart in May 1991, and stayed in this position for six weeks. It also charted on the Billboard Hot 100, their last single to do so.

Contents

Background

Following Yes's 1987–88 tour to support the Big Generator album, singer Jon Anderson left the band and formed a new group with 1970s-era Yes members Steve Howe (guitars), Rick Wakeman (keyboards) and Bill Bruford (drums). As their new band Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe, the quartet released a self-titled album and went on tour. [2]

Meanwhile, the remaining members of the "official" Yes, guitarist Trevor Rabin, bassist Chris Squire, drummer Alan White and keyboardist Tony Kaye, continued work on a follow-up to Big Generator. [2] Among the songs recorded was the Rabin- and Squire-penned "Lift Me Up", the lyrics of which allude to homelessness:

Lyrically, the verse was a little dark, we tried to make it somewhat vague as to what it was about, but one of the pictures is that it's a homeless person... 'Look around, I've got nowhere to stay... you look me up, you look me down' the guy who goes into the restaurant to use the bathroom and they look at him, 'No you can't come in here.' And he just looks to the sky [and says], 'Lift me up and turn me over,' you know, help me out.

— Trevor Rabin, Yesstories: Yes in their own words by Tim Morse [3]

The two competing bands had fought for the rights to use the "Yes" name, with the Squire/Rabin/White/Kaye faction filing suit to prevent Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe from using the name "Yes" during their tour promotion. [2] However, once both factions were signed to Arista Records, the record label decided to combine the musicians' efforts and produce an album, Union, featuring songs from each group. [2] "Lift Me Up" was one of four Rabin or Squire songs included on the album; its follow-up single, "Saving My Heart", was another. [3]

Chart performance

"Lift Me Up" was Yes's third (and as of 2025, last) single to reach number one on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart, following 1983's "Owner of a Lonely Heart" from 90125 and 1987's "Love Will Find a Way" from Big Generator. [4] "Lift Me Up" spent six weeks at the number one spot, from May 4 to June 8, 1991. [5] It also charted on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, where it reached number 86. [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yes (band)</span> English progressive rock band

Yes are an English progressive rock band formed in London in 1968 by lead singer Jon Anderson, bassist Chris Squire, guitarist Peter Banks, keyboardist Tony Kaye, and drummer Bill Bruford. The band has undergone numerous lineup changes throughout their history, during which 20 musicians have been full-time members. Since February 2023, the band has consisted of guitarist Steve Howe, keyboardist Geoff Downes, bassist Billy Sherwood, singer Jon Davison, and drummer Jay Schellen. Yes have explored several musical styles over the years and are most notably regarded as progressive rock pioneers.

<i>Close to the Edge</i> 1972 studio album by Yes

Close to the Edge is the fifth studio album by English progressive rock band Yes, released in the UK on 8 September 1972 and in the US on 13 September 1972 by Atlantic Records. It is their last album of the 1970s to feature original drummer Bill Bruford, who found the album particularly laborious to make and felt unable to contribute better ideas, which influenced his decision to join King Crimson once recording had finished.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trevor Rabin</span> South African musician (born 1954)

Trevor Charles Rabin is a South African musician, songwriter, and film composer. Born into a musical family and raised in Johannesburg, Rabin took up the piano and guitar at an early age and became a session musician, playing and producing with a variety of artists. In 1972, he joined the rock band Rabbitt, which enjoyed considerable success in South Africa, and released his first solo album, Beginnings. In 1978, Rabin moved to London to further his career, working as a solo artist and a producer for various artists including Manfred Mann's Earth Band.

<i>The Yes Album</i> 1971 studio album by Yes

The Yes Album is the third studio album by English progressive rock band Yes, released in the UK on 19 February 1971 and in the US on 19 March 1971 by Atlantic Records. It was the band's first album to feature guitarist Steve Howe, who replaced Peter Banks in 1970, as well as their last to feature keyboardist Tony Kaye until 1983's 90125.

<i>Union</i> (Yes album) 1991 studio album by Yes

Union is the thirteenth studio album by English progressive rock band Yes, released on 30 April 1991 by Arista Records. Production began following the amalgamation of two bands that featured previous and then-current members of Yes: Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe (ABWH), consisting of vocalist Jon Anderson, drummer Bill Bruford, keyboardist Rick Wakeman and guitarist Steve Howe, and Yes, at that time comprising bassist and vocalist Chris Squire, guitarist and vocalist Trevor Rabin, keyboardist Tony Kaye and drummer Alan White. The eight musicians signed with Arista and a combination of unfinished tracks by both groups were selected for Union.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe</span> British rock band

Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe (ABWH) were an English progressive rock band active from 1988 to 1990 that comprised four past members of the English progressive rock band Yes. Singer Jon Anderson left Yes as he felt increasingly constrained by their commercial and pop-oriented direction in the 1980s. He began an album with other members from the band's 1970s era: guitarist Steve Howe, keyboardist Rick Wakeman, and drummer Bill Bruford, plus bassist Tony Levin.

<i>Big Generator</i> 1987 studio album by Yes

Big Generator is the twelfth studio album by English progressive rock band Yes, released on 28 September 1987 by Atco Records, their last album of new music for the label. After touring in support of their previous album, 90125 (1983), which saw the band move from progressive rock towards a pop-oriented and commercially accessible direction, Yes started work on a follow-up in 1985 with producer Trevor Horn. It was a laborious album to make; recording began at Carimate, Italy, but internal and creative differences resulted in production to resume in London, where Horn ended his time with the band due to continuing problems. The album was completed in Los Angeles in 1987 by Trevor Rabin and producer Paul DeVilliers.

<i>Talk</i> (Yes album) 1994 studio album by Yes

Talk is the fourteenth studio album by English progressive rock band Yes. It was released on 21 March 1994 by Victory Music, and is their last studio album to feature guitarist Trevor Rabin and keyboardist Tony Kaye.

<i>The Ultimate Yes: 35th Anniversary Collection</i> 2003 box set by Yes

The Ultimate Yes: 35th Anniversary Collection is a compilation album by the English progressive rock band Yes. It was originally released on 2 CDs on 28 July 2003 by Warner Music in the United Kingdom. A 3 CD edition with additional material, including new recordings from October 2003, was released in the US on 27 January 2004 by Rhino Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yes discography</span>

This is a discography of the English progressive rock band Yes. Over the course of their career they have released 23 studio albums, 18 live albums, 15 compilation albums, 44 singles, and 23 videos.

<i>Fragile</i> (Yes album) 1971 studio album by Yes

Fragile is the fourth studio album by the English progressive rock band Yes, released in the UK on 12 November 1971 and in the US on 4 January 1972 by Atlantic Records. It was the band's first album to feature keyboardist Rick Wakeman, who replaced Tony Kaye after the group had finished touring their breakthrough record, The Yes Album (1971).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roundabout (Yes song)</span> Single by Yes

"Roundabout" is a song by the English progressive rock band Yes from their fourth studio album Fragile, released in November 1971. It was written by singer Jon Anderson and guitarist Steve Howe and produced by the band and Eddy Offord. The song originated when the band were on tour and travelled from Aberdeen to Glasgow, and went through many roundabouts on the way.

<i>Yesyears</i> (video) 1991 video by Yes

Yesyears is a 1991 video retrospective of the progressive rock group Yes covering the band's entire history from their formation in 1968 through their 1991 album Union and its subsequent tour. The video features interviews with the entire band, which, at the time of filming, featured eight members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Make It Easy</span> 1991 single by Yes

"Make It Easy" is a 1991 song by the progressive rock band Yes. An early version of this song from 1981 was written and sung by Trevor Rabin, originally as a demo titled "Don't Give In". It was later re-worked by Yes which included Chris Squire, Alan White and Tony Kaye after Jon Anderson made his departure from the band.

<i>Union Live</i> 2011 live album by Yes

Union Live is a live album and video by English progressive rock band Yes, released in January 2011 on Voiceprint Records. It was originally released in three versions; a single DVD, a double CD, and a limited edition double CD and DVD set. The album and video were recorded in 1991 during their Union Tour, staged in support of their studio album Union (1991) and featured the group's eight-member formation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Love Will Find a Way (Yes song)</span> 1987 single by Yes

"Love Will Find a Way" is a song by the progressive rock band Yes, from their 1987 album Big Generator. It was released as the first single from that album, reaching number 30 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in late 1987. It also topped the U.S. Mainstream Rock chart, holding onto the number one spot for three weeks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saving My Heart</span> 1991 single by Yes

"Saving My Heart" is a song by British rock band Yes, written and produced by Yes vocalist and guitarist Trevor Rabin. It was the second single released from their 1991 "reunion" album Union, following "Lift Me Up". "Saving My Heart" peaked at number nine on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Tracks chart in 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Calling (song)</span> 1994 single by Yes

"The Calling" is a song by the progressive rock band Yes, from their 1994 album Talk. It was a rock radio hit for the band, reaching number 3 on Billboard's Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.

References

  1. ↑ "New Singles". Music Week . 18 May 1991. p. 37.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Welch, Chris (2003). Close to the Edge: The Story of Yes (3rd ed.). Omnibus Press. pp. 223–228. ISBN   978-0-7119-9509-3 . Retrieved October 17, 2010.
  3. 1 2 Morse, Tim (May 15, 1996). Yesstories: Yes In Their Own Words. St. Martin's Griffin. p. 93. ISBN   0-312-14453-9.
  4. 1 2 "Yes: Billboard singles chart information". allmusic . Retrieved October 17, 2010.
  5. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (February 1, 2003). Joel Whitburn's rock tracks. Record Research Inc. p. 179. ISBN   978-0-89820-153-6 . Retrieved October 17, 2010.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.