Yes, “Roundabout” Live 1972
Close To The Edge Tour, 1972
If you were lucky enough to catch English progressive rockers Yes on their Close To The Edge tour in 1972, then you were also lucky enough to see this electric performance of the iconic ‘Roundabout’ – trust us, it does not disappoint! The nearly 9 minute long epic functioned as an extended jam session of sorts when performed live, and was a fantastic ending to Yes’ 17-song set that night.
Fun Fact:Â “Roundabout” has become one of the best-known Yes songs; it has been performed at nearly every concert since November 1971 and is their most played song live.
Typically, ‘Roundabout’ is a winding, weaving tale of a man just desperate to get home to the woman he loves and mixes elements of Latin rock with hard rock, psychedelia and folk; but when performed live as in this exclusive footage, it turns into this epic journey that Yes is more than happy to take you along for. The real star of this performance, however, is the late bassist-singer Chris Squire, whose leap-frog bass rhythm on ‘Roundabout’ is surely the best thing he could have ever written!
+ Roundabout lyrics +
I’ll be the roundabout
The words will make you out ‘n’ out
I spend the day your way
Call it morning driving thru the sound and in and out the valley
The music dance and sing
They make the children really ring
I spend the day your way
Call it morning driving thru the sound and in and out the valley
In and around the lake
Mountains come out of the sky and they stand there
One mile over we’ll be there and we’ll see you
Ten true summers we’ll be there and laughing too
Twenty four before my love you’ll see I’ll be there with you
I will remember you
Your silhouette will charge the view
Of distance atmosphere
Call it morning driving thru the sound and even in the valley
In and around the lake
Mountains come out of the sky and they stand there
One mile over we’ll be there and we’ll see you
Ten true summers we’ll be there and laughing too
Twenty four before my love you’ll see I’ll be there with you
Along the drifting cloud the eagle searching down on the land
Catching the swirling wind the sailor sees the rim of the land
The eagle’s dancing wings create as weather spins out of hand
Go closer hold the land feel partly no more than grains of sand
We stand to lose all time a thousand answers by in our hand
Next to your deeper fears we stand surrounded by a million years
I’ll be the roundabout
The words will make you out ‘n’ out
I’ll be the roundabout
The words will make you out ‘n’ out
In and around the lake
Mountains come out of the sky and they stand there
Twenty four before my love and I’ll be there
I’ll be the roundabout
The words will make you out ‘n’ out
You spend the day your way
Call it morning driving thru the sound and in and out the valley
In and around the lake
Mountains come out of the sky and they stand there
One mile over we’ll be there and we’ll see you
Ten true summers we’ll be there and laughing too
Twenty four before my love you’ll see I’ll be there with you
