Top 10 Best Yes Songs

The best song by Yes for me, probably my favorite song of all time. It's basically a modern symphony in that musical ideas are introduced, then developed and revisited in interesting ways (much like other songs in the Yes catalog). But this one stands out for being so raw and powerful, and all the pieces come together for a most glorious climax and ending to a musical piece I've heard. It deserves the #1 spot on this list.

Even though this song is about 19 minutes long, it's actually accessible. Unlike their later songs, which are great but plagued by excess, this song just feels like it was exactly right. When I hear it, everything feels like it's exactly the way it should be, and that there's the right amount of everything.

I say that this is just as much of a masterpiece as Bohemian Rhapsody or Stairway To Heaven. It has an amazing sound, great lyrics, and it tells a story. How did this work of art become so underrated?!

This is honestly one of the greatest prog rock songs ever. I love Yes, Pink Floyd and King Crimson, but Yes album covers are works of art. I'm serious, they should put the covers in a museum.

The only Yessong I knew up until 2022 when I got into them. Even with the Jojo meme hysteria that isn't enough to ruin this masterpiece

Easily one of my favorite songs of all time, as well as one of the greatest songs of all time. My face beams every time I hear that little keyboard bit at the chorus: "In and around the lake, mountains come out of the sky and they stand there... Bananananananananana." You know what I'm talking about. It also takes the spot for greatest keyboard solo of all time. Any Grand Theft Auto V fans who frequent the rock radio station is overjoyed when this song comes on.

I've been long a fan of modern prog rock and prog metal, but only recently did I start listening to the original prog rock kings, now that I'm old enough to appreciate it. And I have to say, among the many Yes songs I've found, this is still my favorite. But my second favorite is very close...to the edge.

Great Bass song no word can describe when I start hearing the song I am very amaze the first time I heard this song it give a a quite a shock in my brain telling me thi is a badass song..!

I have no idea how they wrote this. It's like the song has ADD. As soon as you get into the groove with one idea, it drifts to something totally different. And yet it works magnificently - the ideas keep coming back in fresh ways and it keeps you amazed for 10+ minutes. Wakeman's work especially dazzles here. Easily a top tier Yes song by any measure.

Hard to pick between so many songs that all evoke fond memories, but this is one of the most poignant songs written. Great change of pace and the way the song comes full circle to the end make this a masterpiece. This was the band at its greatest, its zenith.

Sitting at an outdoor theater a few years back - open air and Jon Anderson singing Heart of the Sunrise as it was echoing in the wind - life didn't get any better than that. It was beautiful... and made this my favorite.

Heart of the sunrise? I think you mean the heart of Yes. Some bands have no heart but Yes has enough for the whole world.

This song is not an easy listen, even by prog standards, especially during the middle part of the song. It took me probably 10 times of listening to this to fully appreciate it. But once you can truly appreciate it this song is absolutely mind blowing. The last 5 minutes of this song is probably the most beautiful part of any song yes ever made.

I was 14 years old when this LP was released. At first "The gates of Delirium" was not easy-to-listen because of its contorted sound, but then, the more I listened to it, the deeper where the feelings that it was generating. The central part with the instrumental furious pace is still making me shiver. I really put this LP at the first seed of the progressive rock ones!

Technically the best song by Yes In my opinion - songwriting, production, performance, just everything is top notch. Even more impressive it was done after some substantial lineup changes! CTTE gives me goosebumps every time so it has to be my favorite, but this is a close second.

The most beautiful moment in the entire Yes catalog is the "Soon" section of this song coming right after all the craziness of Steve Howe and Patrick Moraz and Chris Squire and Alan White. It comes as a nice, refreshing turn of events.

Wow, this song is amazing. To me at least, the third part of this song (called "Wurm") sounds especially unbelievable. It seems kinda simplistic at first but it sounds genius nonetheless, and it builds until it has many different instruments going at the same time, and that guitar solo in the last minute or so is legendary. Ever since I first heard this song a couple of days ago (I know I'm kinda late to the party, but whatever), those chords will not get out of my head. I guess you could say I've got an EARWURM! Haha...sorry, hopefully some people understand that pun. Anyway, great song!

I am glad this song seems to go on forever because it should. It is pure YES. If you love YES, you have to admire this outstanding arrangement. It has so many great parts to it.

This is one of the greatest rock songs of all time, it is a timeless classic and is most certainly my favorite YES song. It is impossible not to love this song.

Being a fan of one, if not the greatest band, this still stands out amongst many fantastic tracks. I wish the quality of Groups like this were still around!

There's nothing like Owner. I will never ever get tired of it. It's on the same echelon as the Genesis pop songs and is even better than OTHER 80s pop songs. Woe to all who dismiss the Rabin era as a whole just because of this song.

This song shouldn't be hated by the 70's Yes fans. I'm not saying it's underrated or anything, since many people clearly like it, but I think since it's short and more radio-friendly, many of the fans of Yes's older songs dismiss and even hate this song for not being like those, and being too mainstream. This is true to an extent, but it isn't necessarily a bad thing. It isn't my favorite Yes song, but you can still love it even if it doesn't seem like an epic masterpiece like other songs. If you legitimately don't like this song, then that's fine, since it's just personal taste and there's nothing you can do to change that about yourself or anyone else. However, you should at least give it a chance to love the song for what it is and stop comparing it to the older songs without giving it a fair chance first. The different likes and dislikes of genres and types of songs aren't mutually exclusive, as you can still love both types of songs if you have an open mind, which shouldn't be a ...more

Classic song of the 80s. My favorite from Yes! Enjoy listening to this awesome song. Fantastic! Amazing!

Truly a classic & I am seeing them tonight at the Bristol Coulston Hall, can't wait.

A worthy follow up to the masterpiece Close to the Edge, which allows the listener to catch their breath with a piece a bit more folk-like. But this turns into so much more. The middle section features a chord progression which seamlessly transitions into several different keys before the song climaxes with one of Anderson's greatest vocal performances. One of the most tender and moving moments of the Yes catalog.

This is my favorite song as well. The very first Yes song I heard was Roundabout, I was an immediate Yes fan, but when I first heard And You And I, it resonated with my soul. Over the many years I'd wondered if another song could replace it as my favorite song... it hasn't happened in forty-three years, so I think it will always reign supreme in my heart.

Absolute raw power. Listened to this for the first time the night my cat who I loved died. Brought me to tears. Such an amazing song, before I'd heard this song, I'd heard ones like "yours is no disgrace" etc but I was still unsure. I'm a massive prog fan and after I heard this I thought "it's official, I'm a yes fan! "

And You And I is the single most beautiful piece of music I have ever heard. I want it played at my wedding, my funeral and all the best bits inbetween. It literally brought tears to my eyes the first time I heard it, and to this day remains so powerful, so emotional to me, that listening to it gives me chills.

This is one of Yes' long songs, and contains more sections than any other. It has a breathtaking atmospheric chant at the beginning, and another at the finish; Jon Anderson, Steve Howe, and Chris Squire singing in cascades, and glorious instrumentation. This song is lush, powerful, striking, wondrous, yearning, haunting, meandering, eloquent, dramatic, striding, fun, subtle, bluesy, lilting, intense, spacious, and majestic. It has depth and height. A treasure.

This song is to Close to the Edge like the March of the Black Queen is to Bohemian Rhapsody. Arguably the greatest contribution to music the band has made, except one gets far more credit than the other.

The instrumentation is this song is astounding, the vocals are soaring AND have a deep meaning behind them, and it's 22 minutes long. Classic Yes from an album that deserves more credit than it's received

One of the most underrated Yes songs from an underrated Yes album. Amazing intro by Rick Wakeman and powerful lyrics by Jon Anderson as well as brilliant guitaring by Steve Howe and introducing Alan White, a great successor to Bill Bufford

Easily the best yes song. Yes, better than roundabout, and definitely owner of a lonely heart (I personally think that the song is not that good) but everyone member of yes has their part to it, and the piano is beautiful

Favourite yes song. Put together much like roundabout, except I believe this track superior. The bridge alone is absolute perfection. I would call this a perfect song.

This is so underrated. It is one of the best songs ever. Oh, and the piano...I'm thinking of playing that for my school talent show. This should be Number One!

Haha great when you're favorite is second to last. The Prophet is one of my favorites too, and it's not even on here.

Pretty good track, but why is this above South side of the sky and Siberian khatru, it's not a masterpiece or something.

I was a young man in the service. Talk about long distance... Great song, great memories.

Should be in the top 5 hands down!

The bass riff second to none!

The first song I listened from them. I am a musician and I was shocked. Everything was new...the opening, the chorus, the arrangements, the mandolin, the 2 sections of the song...a masterpiece that now, in my fifties still brings pure emotion to my soul.

The current song I'm listening to by Yes is always my favorite. A band that has been with me from the very beginning. Epic.

I love this song, especially the first half of it. It sounds very happy and merry, which is always what makes a song good.

Best song ever. The first song I heard of this band and while I love all their music, this one stole my heart.

"Awaken" is the first song I heard that actually transplanted my brain out of my physical location. I remember that night vividly, as a teenager, lying on my bed, listening to this in the dark, and having the cyclical nature of the harmony (especially the central passage featuring the church organ and harp) spin my head around in way that could only be called lovingly intoxicating. Still gives me goosebumps every time I give it a serious listen. It's difficult to imagine a song inspiring more awe than this.

A true masterpiece. After a 4 minute musical meditation session comes "Master of images, songs cast a light on you...Master of soul, set to touch all impenetrable youth...be honest with yourself, there's no doubt, NO DOUBT". This is one of the greatest musical moments where light meets sonic vibration. The vibration of YES (and the feeling of yes! ) is well captured in this song.

Pure undiluted magic. Possible the greatest song of all time. The way it flows, the way it transitions. Yes, 'Close to the Edge' is regarded as their Masterpiece (Definitely Yes, if talking about the glorious Anderson Squire Wakeman Bruford Howe band), but Awaken trumps it on beauty and pure musicality. Close to the Edge doesn't flow. This song does.

It showcases Yes's instrumental prowess from Steve Howe's guitar to Rick Wakeman's keyboard. In all it brings the best parts of Yes into one song, and live it is even enhanced further an sounds even better.

Saw them open the Union tour with this one - all nine members jamming as the stage rotated - it was epic. Still my go-to Yes song.

One of the signature Yes tracks. One of the better tracks they've done.

By far their best - Steve Howe's licks are nasty.

This song needs to be in the top 5!

Can't believe this is so low. The guitar work on this song is just absolutely phenomenal. I'm usually a sucker for Yes' 20 minute compositions, but Sound Chaser is definitely Yes' greatest achievement.

Absolutely the most phenomenal intro to any song ever. When the vocals come in, it becomes pure bliss.

No Yes production comes close to Sound Chaser, by far their best, hands down, period.

My favourite yes song: a piece truly beautiful in its insanity.

Definitely their best. Listen to the studio version off the Yes Album, though. The anthemic keyboard intro, the bluesy countryfied Chet Atkins-like playing courtesy of Steve Howe at certain parts, the awe-inspiring lyrics, the vocal part at the beginning kind of reminds me of a Christmas song and that's interesting as well, and then it's a totally bizarre progfest til the end!

The album is full of great songs but this particular track is the best one in regards to development and production. Definitely the best track off the album.

Where is this. The highlight of the first Yessongs Disc to me, this is an underrated masterpiece.

So good! So catchy. Love it.

Man, I love this song. The lyrics are so profound... "Do not suffer through the game of chance that plays; always doors to lock away your dreams... "

Probably my favorite Yes track.
Steve How's guitar playing is superb. This song plays in my head for days after each time I listen to it

Machine Messiah, and some song about camera. Drama is an album that marks the end of the seventies. Awesome travel music. Feels like a soundtrack to arriving in a new country alone.

I loved Yes in Year 3, and this was my favourite song.

This should be Number One!

An aural masterpiece like no other. "Changes" gives me chills, thrills, goosebumps, and spine-tingling sensations that I have never experienced before. The time signatures, both simple rhythms and shifting tempos, blend incredibly well. It is as if the the 10 greatest musicians got together to make the most electrifying, earth shattering, and addictive song in history. Have I mentioned that I like this song?

So many changes in a song about changes seems very fitting and interesting. Changes in time signature, too. Way too much talent in this song. I'm not a hardcore Yes fan, but this can't be #14.

The Rabin era of Yes is an overlooked one, certainly by the more snobbish 'true prog fans'. But a song like 'Changes' has many depths and layers, musically and there is some great playing and singing on it.

Definitely one of the better songs of the 80s-era Yes. I do prefer the version from 9012Live because there is less production, but the lyrics and vocal exchange between Rabin and Anderson are great nonetheless

This is one of Yes' long songs, and particularly beautiful. The various sections are gentle and charming, ringing, bright and clear, gliding, wise, lonely, sprightly, lilting, bold and joyfully rocking, towering in height, rolling like thunder, traveling, misty, intense as a blizzard. So much to love in this one.

Their most underrated song and it's a masterpiece in my opinion, it is in my top 5.

One of my favourite. It's very underrated in my opinion.

I remember hearing this the summer it came out (1977) and it blew me away. It is elevated a billion times with headphones. If you have not played this song LOUDLY with headphones, you are doing yourself a disservice. Since that day and to this day, it has been my favorite song. It is the tune by which all other music is judged, for me.

Leave it to Yes to start with a typical twangy country-blues riff (albeit with a few odd time signatures to keep you on your toes) and then turn it into so much more. This is a high energy tune with the band firing on all cylinders. Should have gotten more radio time over the years than it has.

It's epic and a classic. Wonderful virtuosity but with heart and a story - what more could you ask for?!

My favorite yes song...

The main guitar riff in this song is absolute genius by Trevor Rabin. Too much attention gets paid to the "chez nous" line, when everything else about the song is awesome.

This is my favorite Yes song. I get goosebumps when I hear that 12 string electric guitar rift! I loved this song the second it started the first time I heard it.

My favorite on BiG Gen by far. The Chez Nous line is iconic.

I can't believe this song doesn't even appear in the top 41 songs! In my opinion this is the best song ever!

Should be much higher on the list!