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Close to the Edge

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Album

Close to the Edge · After the success of Fragile, Yes began rehearsing in May 1972 in a dance hall in Shepherd's Bush. Jon Anderson and Steve Howe had collected sketches along the way, but not a single song was finished. The group put those fragments together in the studio step by step. Producer and engineer Eddy Offord built a wooden stage at Advision Studios in London so that the band would sound livelier. The recording was so gruelling that drummer Bill Bruford left for King Crimson.

The album consists of just three long pieces. Close to the Edge, 18 minutes, is a suite in four parts with themes from Hermann Hesse's Siddhartha. And You and I is pastoral and folk-like, while Siberian Khatru is a hard-driving rocker. Rick Wakeman used Mellotron and church organ. Roger Dean's green-coloured sleeve also introduced the group's well-known logo. The record was a great success, reaching number 3 on the American Billboard 200.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to And You and I and notice the contrast with the rest of the record: acoustic guitar and calm vocals, before the music grows bigger.

Track list

CD 1

  1. 1Close to the Edge: i. The Solid Time of Change, ii. Total Mass Retain, iii. I Get up I Get Down, iv. Seasons of Man (2025 Remaster)18:43Apple Music ↗
  2. 2And You and I: i. Cord of Life, ii. Eclipse, iii. The Preacher the Teacher, iv. Apocalypse (2025 Remaster)10:13Apple Music ↗
  3. 3Siberian Khatru (2025 Remaster)8:57Apple Music ↗

CD 2

  1. 1Close to the Edge: i. The Solid Time of Change, ii. Total Mass Retain, iii. I Get up I Get Down, iv. Seasons of Man (2025 Steven Wilson Remix)18:42Apple Music ↗
  2. 2And You and I: i. Cord of Life, ii. Eclipse, iii. The Preacher the Teacher, iv. Apocalypse (2025 Steven Wilson Remix)10:10Apple Music ↗
  3. 3Siberian Khatru (2025 Steven Wilson Remix)9:12Apple Music ↗
  4. 4Close to the Edge: i. The Solid Time of Change, ii. Total Mass Retain, iii. I Get up I Get Down, iv. Seasons of Man (2025 Steven Wilson Remix) [Instrumental]18:42Apple Music ↗
  5. 5And You and I: i. Cord of Life, ii. Eclipse, iii. The Preacher the Teacher, iv. Apocalypse (Instrumental)10:10Apple Music ↗
  6. 6Siberian Khatru (2025 Steven Wilson Remix) [Instrumental]9:12Apple Music ↗

CD 3

  1. 1America (Single Version) [2025 Remaster]4:10Apple Music ↗
  2. 2Total Mass Retain (Single Version) [2025 Remaster]3:18Apple Music ↗
  3. 3And You And I (Promo Radio Edit) [2025 Remaster]3:27Apple Music ↗
  4. 4Siberia (Studio Run-Through of Siberian Khatru) [2025 Remaster]9:19Apple Music ↗
  5. 5Close to the Edge: i. The Solid Time of Change, ii. Total Mass Retain, iii. I Get Up I Get Down, iv. Seasons of Man (Rough Mix) [2025 Remaster]17:43Apple Music ↗
  6. 6And You and I: i. Cord of Life, ii. Eclipse, iii. The Preacher the Teacher, iv. Apocalypse (Alternate Version) [2025 Remaster]10:16Apple Music ↗
  7. 7America (Dry Mix)10:30Apple Music ↗
  8. 8Siberian Khatru (2025 Steven Wilson Edit)4:59Apple Music ↗
  9. 9Cord of Life (Steven Wilson Edit)2:39Apple Music ↗
  10. 10Total Mass Retain (Steven Wilson Edit)4:13Apple Music ↗

CD 4

  1. 1Siberian Khatru (Live at The Rainbow, London, England, 12/16/1972)9:01Apple Music ↗
  2. 2I've Seen All Good People: a. Your Move, b. All Good People (Live at The Rainbow, London, England, 12/16/1972)7:09Apple Music ↗
  3. 3Heart of the Sunrise (Live at The Rainbow, London, England, 12/16/1972)11:12Apple Music ↗
  4. 4And You and I: i. Cord of Life, ii. Eclipse, iii. The Preacher the Teacher, iv. Apocalypse (Live at The Rainbow, London, England, 12/16/1972)9:29Apple Music ↗
  5. 5Close to the Edge: i. The Solid Time of Change, ii. Total Mass Retain, iii. I Get Up I Get Down, iv. Seasons of Man (Live at The Rainbow, London, England, 12/16/1972)17:19Apple Music ↗

CD 5

  1. 1Excerpts From The Six Wives of Henry VIII (Live at The Rainbow, London, England, 12/16/1972)6:32Apple Music ↗
  2. 2Roundabout (Live at The Rainbow, London, England, 12/16/1972)8:09Apple Music ↗
  3. 3Yours is No Disgrace (Live at The Rainbow, London, England, 12/16/1972)11:36Apple Music ↗
  4. 4Starship Trooper: a. Life Seeker, b. Disillusion, c. Würm (Live at The Rainbow, London, England, 12/16/1972)9:54Apple Music ↗

30-second previews via Apple Music. Listen to the whole album on Apple Music ↗

See also

Categories: Albums and songs