"And You and I" | |||||||
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Single by Yes | |||||||
from the album Close to the Edge | |||||||
A-side | "And You and I (Part I)" | ||||||
B-side | "And You and I (Part II)" | ||||||
Released | 1972 | ||||||
Genre | Progressive rock | ||||||
Length | 10:09 | ||||||
Label | Atlantic Records | ||||||
Writer(s) | Jon Anderson, Steve Howe (except "Eclipse"), Chris Squire, Bill Bruford | ||||||
Producer(s) | Eddie Offord | ||||||
Yes singles chronology | |||||||
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"And You and I" is the second track from the album Close to the Edge by the English progressive rock band Yes. The song is just over ten minutes in length and consists of four movements. The first and second parts of the song were released as a single edit and reached #42 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Introducing the song live in 1972, Anderson said they called it "The Protest Song" when they were making the Close to the Edge album.
TV producer and writer Joss Whedon allegedly named his production company Mutant Enemy Productions after the line in this song.
The song opens with Steve Howe on 12-string acoustic guitar, and his voice can be heard at the beginning of the track, then playing mostly natural harmonics, played around what will become the central melody, using a 12-string acoustic guitar which quickly forms into a simple chord progression over distant organ chords. Then, the Moog enters for a simple solo, presenting a subsequent phrase, albeit differently arranged. The vocals begin at about 1:40. The line "All Complete in the sight of seeds of life with you" is sung, which is repeated throughout the song. At about 2:50, there's a distinct change: Anderson sings a sharper melody, accompanied by a second vocal track by Anderson harmonizing with himself, plus Chris Squire and Steve Howe providing a counter-melody and alternate lyrics, with their voices fed through a Leslie speaker.
"Eclipse" is the slowest part of the song based on a measured and deliberate melody reminiscent of Sibelius. It is led by Rick Wakeman's epic Mellotron and Minimoog with a thematic quote from "Cord of Life" played by Steve Howe on a delay-soaked Sho Bud Pro1 Pedal Steel guitar. The lyrics are all from the first stanza of "The Cord of Life", but are sung in a different melody, which is also epic and slightly sad. In this section, the song cycles from the key of D to the key of A, E, and finally B, in which it remains for the duration of the song. It ends with the 12-string acoustic guitar leading into "The Preacher, The Teacher".