Close to the Edge (song)
| "Close to the Edge" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Yes | |
| from the album Close to the Edge | |
| Released | September 1972 |
| Genre | Progressive rock |
| Length | 18:43 |
| Label | Atlantic Records |
| Songwriter(s) | Jon Anderson, Steve Howe |
| Producer(s) | Yes and Eddie Offord |
| Close to the Edge track listing | |
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"Close to the Edge" is the title track to progressive rock band Yes's Close to the Edge album of the same name. The song is over 18 minutes in length and takes up the entire first side of the album. It consists of four movements.
The progressive nature of the piece is revealed immediately as the song fades in with the sounds of running water, wind chimes, and birds chirping; a layering of sounds derived primarily from "environmental tapes" collected by lead vocalist Jon Anderson. These nature sounds move through a crescendo and into a somewhat menacing guitar solo, the backdrop for which is a cacophonous musical passage that serves as a replacement for the natural cacophony that preceded it. The guitar solo is punctuated by a series of sudden vocables. Again, a crescendo signals a transformation, this time into a more down to earth melody. Like a classical composition, this melodic passage is the establishment of a theme that will go through many variations throughout the life of the song.
The lyrics are introduced at 4:00, along with a chorus that remains throughout the song. Like the previously established melody, this chorus will be developed in many different ways, which will include changes to the lyrical content, as well as changes in time and key signatures, tempo, and harmony:
Down at the edge, round by the corner...
Close to the edge, down by a river...
The song continues with generally the same melody and style, though the bass part changes significantly. The chorus here changes to a faster pace, and then slows down again at the end of the section. The final words "I get up, I get down" introduce the next segment.
This section, along with a sped-up version of the introduction of birds chirping at the beginning and a small part of the beginning of "I Get Up I Get Down" at the end, was remixed as a 3:21 single prior to the release of the album. It was included as a bonus track on the remastered version of "Close to the Edge".
This is the shortest of the four sections of "Close to the Edge".
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Wikipedia