I've Seen All Good People
A two-part song that opens in a cappella harmony and turns into driving rock; "Your Move" reached 40 in the US.
Yes, from The Yes Album (1971)
- Written by
- Jon Anderson, Chris Squire
- Released
- 1971
- Album
- The Yes Album
The song is a suite of two tunes, "Your Move" and "All Good People". Anderson wanted it to start quietly and grow into a large church organ sound before the driving rock of the second part. The opening has Anderson, Squire and Howe singing the first lines twice a cappella, then Howe plays a Spanish laud, recorders join in the third verse and a Hammond organ follows. The band had trouble recording "Your Move", so they made a tape loop of bass and drums and Howe overdubbed the laud on top. Colin Goldring of Gnidrolog played the recorder.
The lyrics use chess as a metaphor for relationships. "Send an instant karma to me" alludes to John Lennon's "Instant Karma!", and the backing vocalists sing the chorus of "Give Peace a Chance" under the end of "Your Move". "Your Move" was released as a single in 1971 and reached number 40 in the United States. The song appears in the film Almost Famous.
More songs by Yes
Roundabout, The Revealing Science of God (Dance of the Dawn), Wonderous Stories, It Can Happen, Starship Trooper, Long Distance Runaround, Owner of a Lonely Heart
Sources
- I've Seen All Good People, Wikipedia
- The Yes Album, Wikipedia