Your first Prog Song?

It all started for me with Boston. Foreplay / Longtime made me very curious about the hammond organ and so I found other bands like ELP and Yes :)

If you want to be blown away by one of the most amazing Prog Rock songs check out the 15 minute long song "Utopia" from Todd Rundgren's Utopia. It has the same effect on me now as it did when I first heard it. I would rank it in the Prog top 5 of all time. Brilliantly amazing!

There was a song which I’d classify from the prog rock genre from around 1974ish which I haven’t heard since the 70’s. I never was able to catch the artist/title. I suspect someone on this site might remember who the artist is and what the title was. WLIR on Long Island NY was notorious for playing this song.

 

The synopsis of the lyrics is a spaceship lands, a landing ramp opens, children board it, the ramp closes up and takes off with the children. I remember it starting with a synthy type of intro.

 

I've mentioned this to people and the first thing they say is Styx "come sail away" but that is not it. Some have suggested Klaatu “Calling occupants of interplanetary craft” or Billy Thorpe “children of the Sun”. Not those either.

 

It’s definitely something obscure. Nothing popular that anyone remembers or ever plays. Can you recall the artist/title? Do you think anyone in your prog rock circles may know?

Hi all,

Mine was "Close To The Edge" by Yes

I Think

Edited by Cornelius - May 10 2013 at 06:28

I imagine growing up in the 60s and 70s would render this sort of question almost impossible to answer. I know I have trouble finding out myself, because I didn't know about 'prog' for a loooooooooooooooooooong time - even if I listened to music that evidently was 'prog'. But if you grew up listening to this stuff on the radio from way back, then who's not to say that you popped out of momma's baking oven to the sounds of the hospital staff radio playing Careful with that Axe, Eugene?

Technically it would be "Limelight". But the first prog song I listened to with the intent of getting into prog was "The Musical Box" by Genesis. Been one of my favorites ever since!

HolyMoly wrote: My dad had a lot of prog albums when I was growing up, so it's hard to say what came first.  I just kind of grew up with it.  Even when I was 5 years old I had 2 of my own Moody Blues records.

Realizing I never gave an actual answer to the thread's question, I'll go out on a limb and say "the Voyage" by the Moody Blues.  Read my bio on PA for details.

Mine was Queen 2, I was 8 years old and in hospital with meningitis, my dad worked at a sawmill and all his co-workers clubbed together and bought me a Panasonic Walkman. In their wisdom they bought me a Bros tape, which quickly made me more ill. Seeing my distress my  parents got me Queen 2 for Christmas as i fell ill late December. I can remember hearing " Procession" for the first time and a wonderful stereo image of an  almost orchestral arrangement leading into "Father to sun"  rock out was a real awakening for me. 23 years later it is still a delight to behold. 

Before I knew what Prog is: TEARS IN MY EYES - URIAH HEEP

Edited by Ivan_Melgar_M - April 20 2013 at 12:13

My father (and mother) was loving a lot Caravan - In the Land of... I heard this album so many times when I was a child that when I really started to listen to prog rock, I already known every notes of the solos in nine feet underground... Still one of my all time fav album.