Relayer iz t3h r00lz3r!!!

YES has always been one of my favorite bands for years. I've seen them perform probably ten times by now. The one album that I find most emotional and haunting is their 1974 release, RELAYER. That was one of the albums during their epic phase. RELAYER is comprised of one 22 minute song, and two 10+ minute songs. This is also the only YES album with keyboardist Patrick Moraz. This was the beginning of a period of malaise. After this album, the group split up and each member put out a solo record and got back together again in a couple years again. Patrick QUIT YES to join the Moody Blues. Probably a big career mistake, but who's to know.

Getting back to RELAYER, the band consisted of:

• Jon Anderson: Vox
• Chris Squire: Bass
• Steve Howe: Guits
• Patrick Moraz: Keys
• Alan White: Drums

I've always loved this album. It's so wildly different from most YES music, yet so definitively YES.

I always hoped to see YES perform "The Gates of Delirium" but it seems that Rick Wakeman refuses to play anything from that album. HOWEVER, on one tour Rick was absent and they had some young guy playing the keyboards. That night they played some of the songs I always wished they would, including...

THE GATES OF DELIRIUM
by YES from the album RELAYER

Stand and fight we do consider
Reminded of an inner pact between us
That's seen as we go
And ride there
In motion
To fields in debts of honor
Defending

Stand the marchers soaring talons,
Peaceful lives will not deliver freedom,
Fighting we know,
Destroy oppression
The point to reaction
As leaders look to you
Attacking

Choose and renounce throwing chains to the floor.
Kill or be killing faster sins correct the flow.
Casting giant shadows off vast penetrating force
To alter via the war that seen
As friction spans the spirits wrath ascending to redeem.

Wars that shout in screams of anguish,
Power spent passion bespoils our soul receiver,
Surely we know.
In glory
We rise to offer,
Create our freedom,
A word we utter,
A word.

Words cause our banner, victorious our day.
Will silence be promised as violence display?
The curse increased we fight the pow'r
And live by it by day.
Our gods awake in thunderous roars,
And guide the leaders hand in paths of glory to the cause.

Listen, should we fight forever
Knowing as we do know fear destroys?
Listen, should we leave our children?
Listen, our lives stare in silence;
Help us now.

Listen, your friends have been broken,
They tell us of your poison; now we know.
Kill them, give them as they give us.
Slay them, burn their children's laughter
On to hell.

The fist will run, grasp metal to gun.
The spirit sings in crashing tones,
We gain the battle drum.
Our cries will shrill, the air will moan and crash into the dawn.
The pen won't stay the demon's wings,
The hour approaches pounding out the Devil's sermon.

Soon, oh soon the light,
Pass within and soothe this endless night
And wait here for you,
Our reason to be here.

Soon, oh soon the time,
All we move to gain will reach and calm;
Our heart is open,
Our reason to be here.

Long ago, set into rhyme.
Soon, oh soon the light,
Ours to shape for all time,
Ours the right;
The sun will lead us,
Our reason to be here.

Soon, oh soon the light,
Ours to shape for all time,
Ours the right;
The sun will lead us,
Our reason to be here.