AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Yes

 

Artist:Yes

Song:Owner of a Lonely Heart

Album:Yesstory

Of course most music fans are familiar with the progressive rock group Yes from albums like Fragile and singles like Roundabout. But a reformed version of Yes topped the charts with the 1983 single Owner of a Lonely Heart. It was their only number one hit. Things weren't going well when Yes was trying to record the followup to the 1978 album Tomato. The result was lead singer Jon Anderson and keyboard player Rick Wakeman left Yes. Bassist Chris Squire brought in lead singer Trevor Horn and keyboard player Geoff Downes. They were known as Buggles and had a hit single with Video Killed the Radio Star. After the 1980 album Drama and subsequent tour, Yes decided to split up. Downes and guitarist Steve Howe formed Asia with King Crimson bassist John Wetton and drummer Carl Palmer of Emerson, Lake and Palmer. Squire and drummer Alan White planned to form a new group first with Jimmy Page and then with Robert Plant. When neither worked out, Phil Carson of Atlantic Records introduced them to singer Trevor Rabin from the South African group Rabbitt. After they brought in original Yes keyboard player Tony Kaye, the band was going to be called Cinema. Horn was brought back initially to sing but he ended up producing the album 90125. They recorded demos. All the songs were written by Rabin. Squire encountered Jon Anderson at a Los Angeles party. He played him the demos and after Anderson decided to join, it was officially a Yes reunion. Rabin objected to this at first but he realized it was good marketing strategy. The big surprise was when Owner of a Lonely Heart topped the Billboard Hot 100. So though the album sounded nothing like classic Yes, it was certified 3XPlatinum so it was very successful. The problem was the album Big Generator wasn't released until 1987 as Rabin and Horn weren't getting along and Rabin took over as producer. The album did OK and they toured. But then Anderson left. This 1993 2CD budget comp covers Yes's history up until that point. Yes released an album in 2014. But Howe, White and Downes still lead a version of Yes. Chris Squire died in 2015. Here's the video of Owner of a Lonely Heart by Yes.