Yes - Our Song

[ThomasKDye]

So I got into a "90125" mood today and played it front-to-back. One thing I always found curious was that in all the "stories of how Cinema became Yes," most of the songs were mentioned, but not "Our Song." And I wonder.. Anderson is credited first on that song. Is that something he brought to the studio and everyone else chipped in on? Because at its core, it does feel like an outtake from "Animation," particularly the verse. (Imagine "Toledo was just another good stop along the good king's highway" with a bad drum machine and Jack Bruce plugging along.

It's actually an underrated little number, quite different from the other Horn-produced material, and always felt a little like the odd man out on that album. Anyone (preferably people who still liked Yes after "Going For the One") have any thoughts?

[dnieper]

This is probably my favorite song on 90125. The introductory fanfare thing is pretty cool, and the verses have this weird time signature / counterpoint thing going, but you don't really notice it unless you pay attention. Reminds me of Rush's "Limelight," Genesis' "Turn it on Again," or even Yes' "Release Release" in that regard. The chorus is a lot straighter and isn't so great, but it's ok. I would have guessed it was more of a Squire composition, but I don't know.

[Adinfinitum]

Before 90125 was released, Yes released OOALH as a 45, the B side was Our Song. I remember going WTF when first listening to Owner and then flipped the 45 over to listen to Our Song and was much relieved. I thought Our Song held out hope that the album wouldn't be crap.

[ThomasKDye]

I would have guessed it was more of a Squire composition, but I don't know.

Come to think of it, the chorus does feel very Squire-ish to me. Maybe it's because his vocals are so high up in the mix at that point.

[arabicadabra]

Love this tune. Think it's my favorite on the record.

[Scott Bails]

Love this tune. Think it's my favorite on the record.

Agreed. It always seems to get overlooked.

[trurl]

Yep, this, It Can Happen and Hearts are my favorites.

[Mstove]

It Can Happen is my favorite on the album, but Our Song is quite good.

[arj]

Always been my favourite.
I dig the ascending bass notes at the end leading up to the "Music, good to you" bit. I noticed Squire also did that at the end of Fly from Here.

[yamishogun]

This is probably my favorite song on 90125.

Me too. Well, tied with Cinema. Then Hold On, It Can Happen and Leave It tied for second. The rest tied for third.

90125 , what an album and right after the great Drama

[the winter tree]

I really love this song. I've noticed over the years that many people on this site have complained about this song but I think it's pretty strong on every level.

[bob_32_116]

For me this is one of a bunch of songs that make 90125 worthwhile. The others are It Can Happen, Leave It, Hearts and Changes. A couple of the others are OK.

I wouldn't have said that Our Song sounds particularly an odd one out though. If any song on the album is slightly out of place, I'd say it would be Hearts, but in a good way, a sort of mini spiritual epic that seemed a nod to their past.

[jrw]

Me too. Well, tied with Cinema. Then Hold On, It Can Happen and Leave It tied for second. The rest tied for third.

90125 , what an album and right after the great Drama

I played those two albums back to back so many times. Prior to that, I played Tormato and Drama back to back quite often. Those are three totally different albums!

[Reginod]

Funny that you started this thread, I had this tune in my head last night and when I woke up today. Nice earworm. I do think it's a great forgotten Yes song, even if the lyrics are kinda nonsensical in Jon Anderson's particularly lovable way.

[bob_32_116]

^^ I'm not sure that Our Song is "forgotten", more that every song on the album gets forgotten, except you-know-what.

[GuitarGeek]

I've got a show from the 90125 tour, from the second US leg, after they came back from Europe. The thing that's interesting is they had dropped Yours Is No Disgrace, and replaced it with Our Song, which I think was the one song from 90125 that wasn't played on the spring leg of the tour. And by replaced, I mean they took that ridiculous guitar cadenza that Rabin played in Yours Is No Disgrace and inserted it into Our Song. And somehow, it seems to work better in this song. I don't know why, but it seems less ridiculous in Our Song. Go figure.

If I remember correctly, CBC used to have a weekend music video show back in the 80's, and they used the fanfare intro as their theme music.

[YESHEAD777]

This and "Hearts" always sounded like Anderson/Yes tunes to me, and I always digged them alot. "Changes" is still my fav from the album though, but this song did help to remind me this is still YES.

[tormato]

It's weird this is on here. I was shopping and heard a car go by playing a hip-hop tune that used "Our Song" samples. Maybe the most bizarre thing I've heard.

[Gerhard]

[Fracktured]

This and Hearts are my favorite tracks on the album also. Great song with a nice Yes vibe running through it. It does sound like Jon had a lot to do with it. It just sounds like something he'd come up with and it stands apart from the numbers that Rabin penned.

[trurl]

I don't care for Changes. Great, great intro and then- pffffft. Much prefer Leave It.

[bob_32_116]

I don't care for Changes. Great, great intro and then- pffffft. Much prefer Leave It.

If asked to nominate my favourite track on the album, I think I'd pick Leave It.

[Rand Kelly]

I absolutely love Our Song. I bought the 45 of OoALH and Our Song and found myself only playing Our Song. When I saw them in the Spring of 1984 at the Cow Palace they didn't play it and I was truly bummed. I have never heard or seen a live version of it yet. I did hear though that Chris played the Gibson Thunderbird that he used on Release,Release and Does It Really Happen.

[No Pride]

It's a great tune from a great album!

I don't care for Changes. Great, great intro and then- pffffft. Much prefer Leave It.

Funny you should say that, it's the only tune I don't like on the album, despite the proggy intro. And speaking of that, they did the same thing with "Miracle of Life" on the Union album. The first two minutes are fantastic, but after that, it's a fairly mediocre tune.

[Sean]

That was kinda Rabin's thing then- epic opening to typical 80s pop rock tune.