The Gates of Delirium

Last updated

"The Gates of Delirium"
The Gates of Delirium.png
UK album A-side label
Song by Yes
from the album Relayer
Released29 November 1974
Recorded1974
Genre
Length21:50
Label Atlantic
Songwriter(s) Yes
Producer(s)

"The Gates of Delirium" is a song by the English progressive rock band Yes, recorded for their seventh studio album, Relayer . At almost 22 minutes in length, the song is loosely based on the 1869 novel War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy which originated from a musical idea that frontman Jon Anderson had that depicted a battle. It was then developed and arranged into a complete track by Anderson and the rest of the band, namely bassist Chris Squire, guitarist Steve Howe, drummer Alan White, and keyboardist Patrick Moraz. [2] Musically, the song represents an introductory vocal section followed by an instrumental that represents the battle. The final section, entitled "Soon", is a gentle, soothing prayer for peace and hope.

Contents

The song was originally released in November 1974 as side one of Relayer. A shortened version of "Soon" was released as a single in the United Kingdom in January 1975, which did not chart. Yes performed "The Gates of Delirium" live between 1974 and 1976; it was not played live again until 2000. The piece was performed live with an orchestra on stage with the band in 2001, and it was reinstated into the band's live set in 2019.

Recording

A loud crashing sound heard in the middle of the song is caused by a set of old automobile parts mounted on a rack being pushed over. The band decided to keep it in instead of doing another take. Alan White explains in the liner notes of the 2003 remaster of the album.

"The percussion on that song is pretty unusual," he says. "Jon and I used to travel together to Chris' home studio, where we recorded the album. We would stop at a junkyard along the way and pick up parts of cars. We'd just go there and bang on things. There were springs and pieces of metal, brake, and clutch plates. We'd buy them and bring them back to the studio. We built a rack and hung all these things off it, and we'd bang on them. During the recording I pushed the whole thing over. That crash is what you hear on the album."

Live

The song "The Gates of Delirium" was performed in its entirety during the lengthy set of tours between the releases of Relayer and Going for the One . It was revived for the 2000 Masterworks tour based on a fan survey [3] in which it came out as the top choice for songs fans wanted to hear Yes play live. Yes continued to play the song in the 2001 Magnification tour. [4]

Otherwise, only the "Soon" fragment was performed. [5]

Single

"Soon"
Soonchaser.jpg
Single by Yes
from the album Relayer
B-side
Released8 January 1975 (US) [6]
Recorded1974
Genre Progressive rock
Length4:18
Label Atlantic
Songwriter(s) Yes [lower-alpha 1]
Producer(s)
  • Yes
  • Eddie Offord
Yes singles chronology
"And You and I"
(1972)
"Soon"
(1975)
"Wonderous Stories"
(1977)

Entitled "Soon", the last part of the song "The Gates of Delirium" was issued as Atlantic single #3242 in January 1975. [8] Its B-side was typically a single edit of "Sound Chaser" (3:13), though copies exist of the release with both "Sound Chaser" – probably in the same single edit – and "Roundabout" or a mono version of the song (without "Sound Chaser" in any form) as the B-side. [9] Cash Box described it as "the distinctive sound of Yes is here presented in an eerie, mysterious setting with vocalist Jon Anderson floating amidst the spacey sounds of the rest of the band." [10]

A very different edit of "Soon," this one 5:44 in length, was released on The Ultimate Yes: 35th Anniversary Collection .

Remaster

The 2003 remastered version of the Relayer album included a studio run-through of this song in its entirety. It is somewhat shorter than the original version, with a run time of 21:16 compared to the 21:56 running time on this reissue. However, no date is given for this recording.

See also

Notes

  1. "Soon" is credited solely to Jon Anderson per BMI records. However, the track is credited to Yes as a whole on both the original single and the 2003 remaster of the album. [7]

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>Relayer</i> 1974 studio album by Yes

Relayer is the seventh studio album by the English progressive rock band Yes, released in November 1974 by Atlantic Records. After keyboardist Rick Wakeman left the group in May 1974 over disagreements with the band's direction following their double concept album Tales from Topographic Oceans (1973), Yes entered rehearsals as a four-piece in Buckinghamshire. They auditioned several musicians, including Greek keyboardist and composer Vangelis, before settling with Swiss musician Patrick Moraz of Refugee who incorporated elements of funk and jazz fusion to the album. Relayer is formed of three tracks, with "The Gates of Delirium" on side one and "Sound Chaser" and "To Be Over" on side two.

<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>Going for the One</i> 1977 studio album by Yes

Going for the One is the eighth studio album by English progressive rock band Yes, released on 15 July 1977 by Atlantic Records. After taking a break in activity in 1975 for each member to release a solo album, and their 1976 tour of the United States and Canada, the band relocated to Montreux, Switzerland to record their next studio album. During rehearsals, keyboardist Patrick Moraz left the group, which marked the return of Rick Wakeman who had left to pursue a solo career after differences surrounding Tales from Topographic Oceans (1973). In a departure from their previous albums, Going for the One, with the exception of the fifteen-minute "Awaken", features shorter and more direct songs without an overarching concept, and saw Yes record with new engineering personnel and cover artists.

<i>Keys to Ascension</i> 1996 live album / studio album by Yes

Keys to Ascension is the fourth live and fifteenth studio album by English progressive rock band Yes, released as a double album in October 1996 on Essential Records. In 1995, guitarist Trevor Rabin and keyboardist Tony Kaye left the group which marked the return of former members Steve Howe and Rick Wakeman, thus reuniting them with vocalist Jon Anderson, bassist Chris Squire, and drummer Alan White, a line-up that had last performed in 1979. The group relocated to San Luis Obispo, California to make a new album and to promote their reunion with three shows at the Fremont Theater, in March 1996. Keys to Ascension features half of the live set from the 1996 shows and two new studio tracks which marked a return to Yes writing longform pieces.

<i>Time and a Word</i> 1970 studio album by Yes

Time and a Word is the second studio album by English rock band Yes, first released in the UK on 24 July 1970 and later in the US on 2 November 1970 by Atlantic Records. It was put together several months after the release of the band's 1969 eponymous debut, during which they continued to tour heavily and recorded Time and a Word between shows. Yes continued to follow their early musical direction of performing original material and cover versions of songs by pop, jazz, and folk artists. A small orchestra of brass and string session musicians was used on most of the album's songs.

<i>Drama</i> (Yes album) 1980 studio album by Yes

Drama is the tenth studio album by the English progressive rock band Yes, released on 22 August 1980 by Atlantic Records. It was their only album to feature Trevor Horn on lead vocals and the first with Geoff Downes on keyboards. This followed the departures of Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman after attempts to record a new album in Paris and London had failed. Drama was recorded hurriedly with Horn and Downes, as a tour had already been booked before the change in personnel. The album marked a development in Yes' musical direction, combining the band's progressive signature with Horn and Downes' new wave sensibilities.

<i>Tormato</i> 1978 studio album by Yes

Tormato is the ninth studio album by English progressive rock band Yes. It was released on 22 September 1978 on Atlantic Records, and is their last album with singer Jon Anderson and keyboardist Rick Wakeman before their departure from the group in 1980. After touring their previous album Going for the One (1977), the band entered rehearsals in London to record a follow-up. The album was affected by various problems, such as internal disputes over the direction of the music and artwork, and the departure of engineer Eddy Offord early into the sessions, resulting in the group producing the album themselves.

<i>Yes</i> (Yes album) 1969 studio album by Yes

Yes is the debut studio album by English rock band Yes, first released in the UK on 25 July 1969 and later in the US on 15 October 1969 by Atlantic Records. After forming in the summer of 1968, the band toured extensively across the United Kingdom with sets comprising both original material and rearranged cover versions. They signed with Atlantic in March 1969, and entered Advision and Trident Studios in London to record their first album. Yes includes covers of "Every Little Thing" by the Beatles and "I See You" by the Byrds.

<i>Yesshows</i> 1980 live album by Yes

Yesshows is the second live album by the English progressive rock band Yes. It was released in November 1980 on Atlantic Records as the final album before the group disbanded in early 1981. Their first live album in seven years, it is compiled of recordings from their 1976, 1977, and 1978 tours from dates in North America and Europe with its mixing supervised by bassist Chris Squire.

<i>9012Live: The Solos</i> 1985 live album by Yes

9012Live: The Solos is the third live album by English rock band Yes, released as a mini-LP on 7 November 1985 by Atco Records. Recorded during their 1984 world tour in support of their eleventh studio album, 90125 (1983), the album features a selection of solo tracks performed by each of the five band members, plus live versions of two songs from 90125. The album was a companion release to the band's 1985 concert film, 9012Live. In 2009, the album was reissued in Japan by Isao Kikuchi for Warner Music Japan, with two bonus tracks.

<i>Magnification</i> (album) 2001 studio album by Yes

Magnification is the nineteenth studio album by the English progressive rock band Yes, released on 10 September 2001 by Eagle Records. It is their only album recorded both as a four-piece band and without a keyboardist, and their last album to feature founding member and lead vocalist Jon Anderson. Following the departure of keyboardist Igor Khoroshev, the band decided to record a new studio album with orchestral arrangements for the first time since Time and a Word (1970). The album was recorded and mixed using Pro Tools with producer Tim Weidner and orchestral arrangements by Larry Groupé conducting the San Diego Symphony Orchestra.

"Shoot High Aim Low" is a song by Yes. It appears on the band's 1987 album, Big Generator. The song reached position #11 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart in the 1980s. It appeared on every show on the Big Generator tour, but nowhere else to date.

<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).

"Heart of the Sunrise" is a progressive rock song by British band Yes. It is the closing track on their fourth album, 1971's Fragile. The compositional credits go to Jon Anderson, Chris Squire, and Bill Bruford, though keyboardist Rick Wakeman contributed some uncredited sections.

<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.

The Close to the Edge Tour was a concert tour by progressive rock band Yes in promotion of their 1972 album, Close to the Edge. Lasting from 30 July 1972 until 22 April 1973, and including 97 performances, the tour began at the Dallas Memorial Auditorium, and ended at the West Palm Beach Auditorium in West Palm Beach, Florida. The tour was Alan White's first with the band.

References

  1. "All 183 Yes Songs Ranked Worst to Best". 4 December 2018.
  2. Charles Snider (April 2008). The Strawberry Bricks Guide to Progressive Rock. Strawberry Bricks. p. 188. ISBN   978-0-615-17566-9.
  3. "Masterworks Tour: The Forgotten Side of Yes". Forgotten Yesterdays. 18 July 2000. Archived from the original on 15 July 2003.
  4. "Yes tour log: "Gates Of Delirium"". Forgotten Yesterdays. Archived from the original on 12 October 2004. Retrieved 26 January 2007.
  5. "Yes tour log: "Soon"". Forgotten Yesterdays. Archived from the original on 30 November 2003. Retrieved 26 January 2007.
  6. "Yes singles".
  7. "BMI Work #1386284". BMI records.
  8. Relayer remaster liner notes, issued 2003.
  9. Yesworld Yes official site, retrieved 26 January 2007
  10. "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. 18 January 1975. p. 22. Retrieved 11 December 2021.