by Len Di Gregorio

Created on: December 29, 2010

The late 60’s and early 70’s was the timeline of which many bands extended the rock and roll genre from previous decades. That music - music so impressionable, so diverse, and so unique, that, in today’s world, calling it “rock” or “rock and roll” simply does not do it justice. No, this music from that time frame is now appropriately known as “classic rock.” 

One of the bands from that era was YES. A five member band with the simple name, but consisting of writers of complex lyrics, chords and melodies. Know as the pioneers of progressive rock, for creating long, extended and intricate “pieces of music”, as frontman Jon Anderson affectionately refers to these songs, their 1977 album Going For The One remains one of their most classic recordings, and arguably their best. I have previously written about one other song from that album, Turn Of The Century, and now I will attempt to describe, decipher and transform the true meaning of the lyrics of another song, Wonderous Stories. In this particular song, Anderson steps aside from the band to write the lyrics and music himself, along with performing all the vocals: 

I awoke this morning
love laid me down by a river.
Drifting I turned on upstream
Bound for my forgiver.
In the giving of my eyes to see your face.
Sound did silence me
leaving no trace.
I beg to leave, to hear your wonderous stories.
Beg to hear your wonderous stories.

He spoke of lands not far
or lands they were in his mind.
Of fusion captured high
where reason captured his time.
In no time at all he took me to the gate.
In haste I quickly checked the time.
if I was late I had to leave to hear your wonderous stories.
Had to hear your wonderous stories.

Hearing
Hearing
Hearing your wonderous stories.
Hearing your wonderous stories.
It is no lie I can see deeply into the future.
Imagine everything
You're close
and were you there to stand
so cautiously at first and then so high.
As he spoke my spirit climbed into the sky.
I bid it to return
to hear your wonderous stories.
Return to hear your wonderous stories.

Hearing,
Hearing,
Hearing,
Hearing,
Hearing, 

In the first two lines, Anderson is describing the process of being born, of birth itself: 

I awoke this morning
love laid me down by a river. 

In the next two lines, he is comparing living out your life, to flowing down a river. Ultimately, this person will live a fulfilling life, and will eventually die and go to heaven:

Drifting I turned on upstream

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>