I've Seen All Good People Turn Their Heads Each Day So Satisfied I'm On My Way

Extra credit question: all or some good people? satisfied, or merely having moved on?

but of course

Extra credit question:
- all
- plum satisfied

no DOO DOOO DOOO DOO DOO DOO DOO DOOOO no credibility

are the people satisfied? or am I?

Am I really on my way? Or am I in fact still singing about it, many minutes later?

Hey, just don't surround yourself with yourself and we'll get along fine.

If you are good, you are satisfied. If you satisfied, you are not necessarily good. If you are not satsfied, you are not necessarily bad. Satisfaction is as satisfaction does. Life is like a box of Khoroshevs: you never know which one's going to prison. Sweet dreams are made of this. Dear father, I have sinned. WHOOSH. What was that? Jon's sanity has escaped again; just ignore it, it will go away. No opportunity necessary, no lyricist required. Waiter, there's a tormato in my soup. Yes Rick, we know you're grumpy; perhaps it's time you had a curry stage left. Is that a Birotron in your pocket or are you just pleased to see me? Careful with that stick Alan. If we were flowers we would worship the sun, so why not now? Because it's Friday. I'm on my way.

Your move.

haha:
I dont know if anyone else realized this, but they definitely seem to be referring to a board game of some kind.
- John, Mountain Lakes, NJ

YOU SIR ARE A PHILOSOPHER

"Don't surround yourself with yourself" is good advice in both chess and the rest of life.

http://www.songmeanings.net/lyric.php?lid=68157

by MrMojoRisin5552 on 07-22-2002 @ 09:58:36 PM
Listening to this song while clam-baking a car with my two best friends was one of the best experiences of my life, and has changed me forever. This song is amazing.
I'm not sure what it's about.

(it goes on, but really)

Give peace a chance

Rock Is The Medium Of Our Generation - A Jon Anderson Appreciation Thread

hey, ya

People who dig this song also like "Tom Sawyer" "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "My Sharona."

Thx v. much, songfacts!

I have no idea what this song is about, except for chess, but it kicks ass, especially the Yessongs version.

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Da mystery of yesboxin'

Oh noes, Xgau likes it!

the album's one great cut, "I've Seen All Good People," where all their arty eclecticism comes together for 6:47.

I think this thread killed Bobby Fischer.

someone sent an instant karma to him, initialed it with lethal care

Hey, my mom likes this!

I love how Anderson suddenly turns into Rod Stewart, just to sing that final "...for the queen to use!" His sole moment of gruffness to be found amongst the whole discography?

I'll never forget listening to this song on the radio sitting in a converted tennis court (which used to be a parking lot and which has now been demolished so new dorms can be built) in the hot summer sun.

What is "clam-baking a car"?

I was wondering about that myself.

Bill Martin tries so hard to make sense out of Yes lyrics that he almost convinces me. I can sort of buy his interpretation of this line, that it's a comment on conformity and apathy: "I see everyone else, even (or especially) the 'good people' looking away and ignoring bad shit so why should I be any different? On my way!" (Maybe this is obvious. It wasn't to me before reading BM, not that I'd put a lot of thought into it.)

so then the "good people" are the ones who won't give peace a chance? silly human race

F-16s come out of the sky and they stand there

How can the wind with its arms around me?

Yeah, not saying there's no precedent for Yes lyrics making no sense or anything but this does kind of work, esp if you add articles and punctuation: "I've seen all the 'good people' turn their heads each day so, satisfied, I'm on my way." (It becomes trickier if you have to explain all of it, chess analogies, anti-war commentary, and all.)

Sharp distance: I imagine this to be like the be-all of perspective (as it's represented in Renaissance paintings); an point of focus that all the universe falls into.

yeah but Sundar in your version the narrator is practically advertising that he's an asshole, isn't he?

I think the point is that this assholish attitude (of the chorus) is presented and is then responded to with the soloist's admonitions to not surround yourself with yourself and to send out 'an instant karma.' Then a new chorus emerges, perhaps convinced by the soloist, imploring good people to give peace a chance. However, this doesn't really explain why in the 2nd movement, we just get the original refrain repeated over and over. Nor does it explain all the chess stuff.

No, I don't suppose this holds up to close scrutiny.

http://www.adventurejournalist.com/magneticpoetry.jpg

(Seriously, I think it's kind of great that Yes lyrics read like they were chosen purely for their sound with next-to-zero concern for semantics, probably by a non-English-speaker.)

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

this seems like a rather high number of people to give a rat's ass about this particular poll, I am...satisfied and on my way

Yes lyrics read like they were chosen purely for their sound with next-to-zero concern for semantics

anderson has always stated this is the case

the narrator is practically advertising that he's an asshole . . .
in the 2nd movement, we just get the original refrain repeated over and over. since he's insanely optimistic (the band's called yes?), maybe he's being ironic?

to give a rat's ass = taking a second to defend an all-time classic