Bad Lyrics in Prog

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 Keltic wrote:

The one line I often cite as an example of prog pretentiousness ( also read, drivel  ) is the opening salvo from  Close To The Edge by Yes.
Ironically, it is taken from the track ( and album ) I regard as their finest recording.

Nevertheless, for me,  the line, " A seasoned witch could call you from the depths of your disgrace  and rearrange your liver to the solid mental state " takes the biscuit every time.

Mr Jon Anderson must have swallowed a rare batch of Accrington mushrooms when he came up with that one.

Well again it's personal preferences. I think "A seasoned witch could call you from the depths of your disgrace" is a nicely turned line, "seasoned witch" is excellent, it gives a sense of time, age, seasons, experience & wisdom and she is not just doing some spell but calling you "from the depths of your disgrace" that is something to be appreciated. The stuff about rearranging the Liver is odd, but it could be a reference to the Prometheus myth where he was chained to a rock and had an eagle peck his liver everyday to have it grow back at night to be pecked again and again. Also it could be referring to the humours relating to the four elements which were thought to emanate from the Liver, so rearranging these dispositions would be an appropriate thing for a seasoned witch to do. 

As for being pretentious, i don't see that as a criticism, art is pretence, the question is do they use that pretence to do anything? Jon's lyrics fit Yes' music perfectly, something more concrete would tie the music down and make it stodgy, Jon is definitely weaving spiritual ideas into his lyrics, if you find spiritual ideas drivel, then you will find his lyrics drivel. They are suggestive rather than prescriptive and I think that is again right as it keeps the songs open.