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Tom Ozric 
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 Topic: 'Worst' track on...Fragile
Posted: March 07 2018 at 14:07 |
I’m one of those who wishes that 5% could’ve been 35% - it’s a tricky little piece that’s way too short, and it’s not even 5 per cent of the album’s playing time  I enjoy Wakeman’s keyboards on Cans, but that is the ‘weaker’ piece of this brilliant album.
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Barbu
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Posted: March 07 2018 at 12:18 |
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Cans
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irrelevant
Collaborator
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Posted: March 07 2018 at 03:55 |
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Track 2 is a skipper.
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Frenetic Zetetic
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Posted: March 07 2018 at 01:55 |
 AFlowerKingCrimson wrote:
Dellinger wrote:
^ Exactly, 5% is short... very short. If you get a bit distracted, it will pass by and you won't even notice. I don't think it really harms the album. Cans and Brahms... yeah, it's not really terrible, but I guess it's the one that breaks the flow of the album the most... I read once that what later became Catherine of Aragon is what Wakeman wanted to use as his contribution, but he couldn't write music for Yes because of contracts and such. With only that change the album would have been perfect in my book. |
Right. Because of contractual obligations with A&M he had to perform something that was already written. I guess for whatever reason that didn't apply to live albums since he performed a medley of his Six Wives tracks on yessongs.
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Eh, it's only 16 bars anyway 
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"I am so prog, I listen to concept albums on shuffle." -KMac2021
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AFlowerKingCrimson
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Posted: March 06 2018 at 22:19 |
Dellinger wrote:
^ Exactly, 5% is short... very short. If you get a bit distracted, it will pass by and you won't even notice. I don't think it really harms the album. Cans and Brahms... yeah, it's not really terrible, but I guess it's the one that breaks the flow of the album the most... I read once that what later became Catherine of Aragon is what Wakeman wanted to use as his contribution, but he couldn't write music for Yes because of contracts and such. With only that change the album would have been perfect in my book. |
Right. Because of contractual obligations with A&M he had to perform something that was already written. I guess for whatever reason that didn't apply to live albums since he performed a medley of his Six Wives tracks on yessongs.
Edited by AFlowerKingCrimson - March 06 2018 at 22:20
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AFlowerKingCrimson
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Posted: March 06 2018 at 22:17 |
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I quite enjoy "cans and Brahms." I voted for "five percent for nothing" because I just don't really see the point of it but it's harmless enough. I think the shorter tracks make the album more interesting to be honest.
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Dellinger
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Posted: March 06 2018 at 21:16 |
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^ Exactly, 5% is short... very short. If you get a bit distracted, it will pass by and you won't even notice. I don't think it really harms the album. Cans and Brahms... yeah, it's not really terrible, but I guess it's the one that breaks the flow of the album the most... I read once that what later became Catherine of Aragon is what Wakeman wanted to use as his contribution, but he couldn't write music for Yes because of contracts and such. With only that change the album would have been perfect in my book.
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micky
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Posted: March 06 2018 at 18:09 |
definitely the half assed half hearted Bruford contribution... Of course Squires and Howes pieces are A+... Anderson's rather interesting.. in a Jon dope smoking space cadet kind of way. Give the album a B for that. Wakeman.. ehh.. nice musical interlude and excuse to step out and have a smoke but not really offensive.. C
but I can't point to a single redeeming aspectto 5 per cent.. except that it was short. D- haha
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The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip
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Frenetic Zetetic
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Joined: December 09 2017
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Posted: March 06 2018 at 17:46 |
Logan wrote:
Squonk19 wrote:
Cans and Brahms followed by Five Percent of Nothing and then We Have Heaven. Not particularly against these lesser tracks, but they are the reason why I prefer CTTE, The Yes album etc. to Fragile - despite the many nailed-on classics on the album. |
I love "We Have Heaven" which I think works very well as a lead-in to "South Side of the Sky". As for "Cans and Brahms", give me Can and Brahms any day over it (can I get a "Halleluwah" brother from my Can bros?) The "Five Percent for Nothing" piffle is aptly titled. That said, those two don't detract from my enjoyment of the album at all -- they bring more eclecticism to it, and I like eclecticism. I do think the album could have been better with some editing by getting rid of some noodly bits that don't bring value to the music to me (for instance, in "Heart of the Sunrise", still a great track).
Fragile was my first Yes album and has a lot of sentimental value. I never managed to get into Close to the Edge (I do like the title track very much). I guess the Yes album and Time and a Word are my favourite Yes albums. |
Fragile was my first YES record, and it was exactly what I needed to hear. It's essentially perfect. Even with the "worst" track(s), it's essentially perfect. I personally enjoy Five Percent for Nothing, and think of it as you say almost an eclectic excursion. The "main" tracks are very solid, and the production is perfect IMO. The only thing that tops it is Close to The Edge.
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"I am so prog, I listen to concept albums on shuffle." -KMac2021
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Logan
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Posted: March 06 2018 at 14:16 |
Squonk19 wrote:
Cans and Brahms followed by Five Percent of Nothing and then We Have Heaven. Not particularly against these lesser tracks, but they are the reason why I prefer CTTE, The Yes album etc. to Fragile - despite the many nailed-on classics on the album. |
I love "We Have Heaven" which I think works very well as a lead-in to "South Side of the Sky". As for "Cans and Brahms", give me Can and Brahms any day over it (can I get a "Halleluwah" brother from my Can bros?) The "Five Percent for Nothing" piffle is aptly titled. That said, those two don't detract from my enjoyment of the album at all -- they bring more eclecticism to it, and I like eclecticism. I do think the album could have been better with some editing by getting rid of some noodly bits that don't bring value to the music to me (for instance, in "Heart of the Sunrise", still a great track). Fragile was my first Yes album and has a lot of sentimental value. I never managed to get into Close to the Edge (I do like the title track very much). I guess the Yes album and Time and a Word are my favourite Yes albums.
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hellogoodbye
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Posted: March 06 2018 at 14:00 |
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Roundabout chorus. Never liked it.
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Squonk19
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Posted: March 06 2018 at 13:40 |
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Cans and Brahms followed by Five Percent of Nothing and then We Have Heaven. Not particularly against these lesser tracks, but they are the reason why I prefer CTTE, The Yes album etc. to Fragile - despite the many nailed-on classics on the album.
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“Living in their pools, they soon forget about the sea.”
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Frenetic Zetetic
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Joined: December 09 2017
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Posted: March 06 2018 at 13:08 |
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CAB. Touching track, but...meh.
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"I am so prog, I listen to concept albums on shuffle." -KMac2021
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CPicard
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Posted: September 02 2016 at 01:18 |
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"South Side of the Sky", for sure.
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Terakonin
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Posted: August 31 2016 at 17:45 |
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5% for Nothing, followed closely by Cans and Brahms.
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You left a note in your perfect script
Stay as long as you like
I haven't left your bed since
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emigre80
Forum Senior Member
Joined: January 25 2015
Location: kentucky
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Posted: August 31 2016 at 06:49 |
Dellinger wrote:
emigre80 wrote:
dr prog wrote:
5% is 30 seconds of excellence. If you're a fan of true prog then how can u not like it? Long distance runaround has boring verses |
I have to say, while I don't dislike Long Distance Runaround, I would be totally fine with never hearing it again. While driving up to the recent Yes concert in MI, I offered the theory that the true masterpiece of Fragile might in fact be South Side of the Sky, expecting my husband to break into an impassioned defense of Heart of the Sunrise. Instead I got 2 minutes of thoughtful silence, after which he said quietly, "You may well be right." I can count on one hand the number of times he's said "You may be right" in 35 years, so SSOTS FTW! |
Actually, I do like "Long Distance Runaround" well enough... specially if I consider it as a combo with "The Fish". However, I guess I would actually agree with "South Side of the Sky" being my favourite from the album... that middle piano section is one of the hooks that got me to listen to the album again and again when I was first getting into Yes and I couldn't understand what was going on with the songs. And from the group songs of the album, "Heart of the Sunrise" is actually the one that's been more difficult for me to get into... a bit too repetitive. If I really want to enjoy that one, then I have to go for the ABWH live version, which I enjoy more. |
Combining Long Distance Runaround with The Fish improves it immensely, but even then I'm waiting for LDR to finish so I can hear the cool bass solo... I've been listening to the middle piano section of SSOTS a lot lately. I'm not nearly as wild over Wakeman's work as many on this site are - I find a lot of it kind of flashy, to be honest - but his playing on Fragile is brilliant and the keyboards on Roundabout, HOTS and especially SSOTS are totally, totally amazing.
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Dellinger
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Posted: August 30 2016 at 21:02 |
emigre80 wrote:
dr prog wrote:
5% is 30 seconds of excellence. If you're a fan of true prog then how can u not like it? Long distance runaround has boring verses |
I have to say, while I don't dislike Long Distance Runaround, I would be totally fine with never hearing it again. While driving up to the recent Yes concert in MI, I offered the theory that the true masterpiece of Fragile might in fact be South Side of the Sky, expecting my husband to break into an impassioned defense of Heart of the Sunrise. Instead I got 2 minutes of thoughtful silence, after which he said quietly, "You may well be right." I can count on one hand the number of times he's said "You may be right" in 35 years, so SSOTS FTW! |
Actually, I do like "Long Distance Runaround" well enough... specially if I consider it as a combo with "The Fish". However, I guess I would actually agree with "South Side of the Sky" being my favourite from the album... that middle piano section is one of the hooks that got me to listen to the album again and again when I was first getting into Yes and I couldn't understand what was going on with the songs. And from the group songs of the album, "Heart of the Sunrise" is actually the one that's been more difficult for me to get into... a bit too repetitive. If I really want to enjoy that one, then I have to go for the ABWH live version, which I enjoy more.
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miamiscot
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Location: Ohio
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Posted: August 30 2016 at 14:54 |
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Easy: Cans And Brahms
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Rednight
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Posted: August 30 2016 at 13:26 |
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They're all good; the whole thing gels into one of the finest song assortments in prog history. For shame for even suggesting any worst tracks!
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"It just has none of the qualities of your work that I find interesting. Abandon [?] it." - Eno
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Tom Ozric
Prog Reviewer
Joined: September 03 2005
Location: Olympus Mons
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Posted: August 30 2016 at 07:04 |
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'Worst' track on...Fragile
