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Saturday, July 9, 2011

Yes Yes Yes!


I've never been a big fan of Astrology and zodiac signs. I fail to understand how people are categorized into groups with similar characteristics. I mean, how is it possible that all the people born during a certain time of the year have similar qualities? Sounds a little absurd, if you ask me. But some of my friends are firm believers and they even tried to explain it to me by telling me it’s got something to do with the positioning of planets yada yada yada. (They even judge other people based on their sun sign.)
So when I read the basic features of a Scorpion (which is me), I did relate to many of the things. So somehow, a teensy weensy part of my brain thought maybe, just maybe all this is true to some extent. I completely agree with basic three things the website said about Scorpions. They’re: passionate, obsessive and emotional.

Currently I’m obsessed with this song called ‘And You and I’ by this band called Yes. And like so many other times, with so many other songs in the past, I've been listening to it over and over again, endlessly. The more I listen to it, the more I want to listen to it. It’s a continuous loop I tell you! It’s a beautiful, harmonic, soulful, deep track and it makes me sprout two wings on my back, fly up to a tall cliff and stands amidst the clouds, fall free from there, and then fly up just before reaching the ground [swooooosh!] higher and higher into the sky. Uh, pretty graphic, I know. It is unbelievable! The guitar, the bass, the high pitched yet poignant voice of Jon Anderson, the harmonies, the melody! OMG, I LOVE IT!

It makes me feel why the era of such amazing, rock music with their soul stirring lyrics and breath taking stage performances; turned to a generation of nasal black people hopping about and preteens (who sound like girls) romancing older girls on the screen. And it makes me wonder how people can prefer to ignore bands like Pink Floyd, Simon and Garkunkel and Radiohead who come up with songs that talk about, love, life, peace, nature, war and the deep convoluted emotions of people like you and me; and listen to songs that talk about human bodies and the act of fornication in the most vulgar way. I want to go live in the 1970s and attend a Yes concert and jump and scream like crazy, and tear my hair and clothes apart and probably burn the entire place down with the excitement and exhilaration of merely being there and witnessing such awesomeness! The song is par excellence! Par brilliance! Par beauty! Par par, dil ke aar paar! (Okay, I know I need to be kicked hard for saying that last bit, but what the hell!)

Check out the lyrics:

Part One: The Cord of Life

A man conceived a moment’s answers to the dream,
Staying the flowers daily, sensing all the themes.
As a foundation left to create the spiral aim,
A movement regained and regarded both the same,
All complete in the sight of seeds of life with you.

Changed only for a sight of sound, the space agreed.
Between the picture of time behind the face of need,
Coming quickly to terms of all expression laid,
Emotion revealed as the ocean maid,
All complete in the sight of seeds of life with you.

Turn round tailor, coins and
Assaulting all the mornings of the crosses
Interest shown, never know
Presenting one another to the cord, their fruitless worth;
All left dying, rediscovered cords are broken,
Of the door that turned round, locked inside
To close the cover, the mother earth.
All the interest shown, they won’t
To turn one another, to the sign hide, hold, they won’t
At the time tell you, watching the world,
To float your climb. watching all of the world,
Watching us go by.

And you and I climb over the sea to the valley,
And you and I reached out for reasons to call.

Part Two: Eclipse

Coming quickly to terms of all expression laid,
Emotion revealed as the ocean maid,
As a movement regained and regarded both the same,
All complete in the side of seeds of life with you.

Part Three: The Preacher and the Teacher


Sad preacher nailed upon the coloured door of time;
Insane teacher be there reminded of the rhyme.
There’ll be no mutant enemy we shall certify;
Political ends, as sad remains, will die.
Reach out as forward tastes begin to enter you.

I listened hard but could not see
Life tempo change out and inside me.
The preacher trained in all to lose his name;
The teacher travels, asking to be shown the same.
In the end, we’ll agree, we’ll accept, we’ll immortalise
That the truth of the man maturing in his eyes,
All complete in the sight of seeds of life with you.

Coming quickly to terms of all expression laid,
As a moment regained and regarded both the same,
Emotion revealed as the ocean maid,
A clearer future, morning, evening, nights with you.

Part Four: The Apocalypse

And you and I climb, crossing the shapes of the morning.
And you and I reach over the sun for the river.
And you and I climb, clearer, towards the movement
And you and I called over valleys of endless seas.

As you can see, the song is divided into four parts. I tried hard to interpret the meaning of the song, but essentially, what I could come up with is that this is a song about love. Undying, endless, immortal love. Sniff ;) Also, almost all the other Yes songs have this... feel about them. You'll know what I'm talking about once you listen to them.
Anyhoo, this song holds a special place in my heart for various reasons, and it’s one of the most enchanting songs I’ve heard. Youtube it right now and experience the magic!

12 comments:

  1. this is such a beautiful song....and I LOVE the aar paar joke (it makes me want to meet you :) )
    have u listened to one slip by pink floyd?...i heard it on radio and it's my present favourite song....and also blackest eyes(porcupine tree)

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  2. er...and also..puscifer's nature nurture

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  3. It is! It is! I know you're into such jokes.. and erm, me too! :D They should be completely idiotic and lame; and that's what makes them so laughable! Right?! I LOVE One Slip and I was obsessed with Blackest Eyes at one point of time! OMG let's meeeeeet! :D

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  4. I Would love it if u wud have continued to talk about astrology...it really makes me understand the personality of different ppl in its real sense..believe me..it does matter if not completely so what...hehe..stilll very nicely written post n the lyrics r really nice!

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  5. Oye you are forgetting Led Zep and Scorpions

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  6. aww...ur talking about my type of music, my kinda bands, my kinda era. when Pink Floyd sang the line "wish you were here" they were probably talking about you. us and our types . i grew up on Simon and Garfunkel. wish we were there. :) and i agree, hip-hop/ rap isn't music. more like beats. and yea...you get my point. full marks there. A plus.

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  7. @astha : come to delhi and we shall :D

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  8. The '70s was probably the best decade in the post World War 2 era.

    More importantly, it was the decade where the transition from 'old times' to 'modern times' happened in every way. People started becoming more open minded, global awareness grew, globalization began, the sense of equality of women gained momentum, the view on relationships n physical intimacy changed, n so on n so forth.

    Also, politically and economically, the new world boundaries (present day) were defined (good as well as bad ones). Iranian revolution (Iran becoming an Islamic state after the Shahs were overthrown), Soviet-Afghan war, the foundations for the collapse of USSR, East n West German unification gained popularity, dictatorship was assumed in many countries in North Africa.

    '70s saw the emergence of some of the most legendary personalities and some of the most famous movies ever were made. A new genre - modern day war movies was born - Apocalypse Now. Then you had the Star Wars Series. Then you had Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, Godfather, etc...cant stop once I get started on this topic.

    As for music...I need to say much! We all know the greatness of the '70s on this front!!

    N being a football fan, the '70s laid the structure of the modern day European Leagues and the movement of players from a country to another to ply their trade.

    All in all, wish I too got the chance to experience how it would have been to live the life of a youth in the '70s.

    Manu

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  9. Chetna, thanks. I think we should continue our Astrology debates in college itself :P

    Udit, yes, Led Zep, Scorpions.. you get the idea.

    El, I am so glad you agree with me. I suddenly like you so much more! :)

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  10. Manu, whoa this is a splendid comment! Probably the best one I've received on my blog so far! :)
    I never thought about the '70s this way. Now that you mention all of this, it suddenly makes so much sense. It WAS a great time to be born into. Life was much simpler, yet it was blooming culturally, economically and politically. And, a time of good music. If only we had a time machine :)

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  11. uh, we have a time machine. it's called the Mind. the only catch being that you gotta leave your body behind. the mind goes, the body stays.
    stupid, i know. but what if the Mind could take the Body along. and i should stop. or maybe this is my moment. or maybe i'm writing this from 1972, watching the Godfather when it hit the silver screen for the first time, already predicting that i will be coming back in time from the year 2011 to comment on your blog written in 2011 in the year 1972. this is confusing, maybe i left my mind behind and this is just my body writing without a mind...or maybe it's you who finds this confusing. so maybe you're the one doing the time-travelling, minus your mind.
    there! long, useless, utterly brainless comment. ;)

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  12. Thank you Astha :) I'll take it as a genuine compliment! Yes, life was a lot less complicated back then I suppose.

    P.S/- The economy was not 'blooming'. Economically the '70s was not the best decade...but I am talking about the lasting impacts n influence on new policies it had for the next 2 decades.

    Same with politics, it was the cold war at its 'warmest point'. But those scars continue to shape/affect modern day world affairs n International Relations.

    Culturally n socially it was legendary. Best generation for movies, music, etc...N back then you actually lived life to the fullest n enjoyed all the little things bestowed upon you. K, guess enough 'Gyaan' for now...what to do, I totally love this topic you chose :)

    Manu

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I love it when you have a say! So, type away! :)