Heart Of The Sunrise
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| "Heart of the Sunrise" | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
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| Song by Yes | ||
| Released | 1972 | |
| Genre | Progressive Rock | |
| Length | 11:27 | |
| Label | Atlantic Records | |
| Producer(s) | Yes and Eddie Offord | |
| Fragile track listing | ||
| "Mood For a Day" (8) |
"Heart of the Sunrise" (9) |
End of album |
Heart of the Sunrise is a progressive rock song by British band Yes. It is the ninth and final track on their fourth album, 1972's Fragile. The compositional credits go to Jon Anderson, Bill Bruford, and Chris Squire, though keyboardist Rick Wakeman contributed some uncredited sections.
The song is incredibly popular in fan circles, eventually rising to become the band's fourth most-played song.[1] However, it was played approximately three hundred times less than I've Seen All Good People and received little if any airplay. It was popular enough, however, to appear on Yessongs, Classic Yes, In a Word: Yes (1969 - ), and many other studio and live retrospectives.
Contents |
[edit] Meaning
According to Anderson, the song is about being lost in the city.[2] This was explained on many tours. On the Big Generator tour, Anderson says that the song is about the power and energy of the sunrise.[3] Sometimes, he makes other comments. For example, on the October 16, 1971 show, Anderson states that the organ in the song is inaudible and will be performed without it. He further notes that the organ is "one of the best jokes in the business."[4]
[edit] Content and Structure
The song begins with a churning, bass-heavy riff in 3/4 time. After one full sequence, it merges into a new, slightly funky section in 4/4 that lasts for a minute and a half. It afterwards breaks back into three full cycles of the main riff.
At around 3:25, after the final cycle, the song switches to a much softer style, where Jon Anderson begins singing. This section starts in 6/8 but includes many individual sequences, including a quirky 5/4 riff that appears in various speeds and arrangements. The song gradually builds in intensity, eventually including the main riff interspersed with the other sections. A brief classical snippet of Rick Wakeman's is used as well in both classical and rock arrangements.
The song itself ends around 10:35, but a reprise of "We Have Heaven" from earlier on the album is included as a hidden track, extending it to 11:27 (11:32 on the 2003 release). At either length it is the longest song on the album.
[edit] Live versions
A number of live versions were released:
- Yessongs (Close to the Edge tour)
- The Word is Live (Tormato tour)
- Yesyears (Big Generator tour)
When performed live, the song was mostly performed the same as the studio version, accounting for obvious differences in instrumentation. Of course, the introductions changed as well. In the early part of the Big Generator tour, the main riff was worked into an instrumental version of "Almost Like Love" which led off the show.
[edit] In Film
"Heart of the Sunrise" was used in the Vincent Gallo film Buffalo 66, with matching cinematography. "Sweetness", from the band's eponymous debut, was also used.
[edit] Personnel
- Jon Anderson: Lead vocals
- Bill Bruford: Drums and percussion
- Steve Howe: Electric guitar
- Chris Squire: Bass guitar and backing vocals
- Rick Wakeman: Keyboards
[edit] Notes and references
- ^ Forgotten Yesterdays Yes tour log, retrieved March 2, 2007.
- ^ Forgotten Yesterdays Yes tour log, retrieved March 2, 2007.
- ^ Forgotten Yesterdays Yes tour log, retrieved March 2, 2007.
- ^ Forgotten Yesterdays Yes tour log, retrieved March 2, 2007.
