“Saving My Heart” from 1991’s Union found Yes looking over the precipice of their career – and deciding to jump.
Written and produced by Trevor Rabin, “Saving My Heart” is in keeping with other songs Rabin provided for the world’s greatest progressive rock band. Alan White demonstrates his versatility nailing down a reggae beat, while Chris Squire moves the melody along. There are also touches of Tony Kaye’s organ, electric piano and synthesizer to keep the ball rolling. Rabin has no difficulty melding it all together with his rhythm guitar.
Jon Anderson’s vocals meld easily with Trevor Rabin’s, and the song has a big-time hook featuring the Yes choir. It’s fascinating, since Rabin did not envision the song for Yes; he wanted to save it instead for his solo work, or for a project with Roger Hodgson.
My quibble with “Saving My Heart” is that it’s an obvious attempt at making a hit. Given the songs Jonathan Elias forced together with Anderson Bruford Wakeman and Howe, it’s easy to see why Arista Records saw the need for ‘YesWest’ to come up with radio-friendly songs. Unfortunately, it just doesn’t sound like a Yes song, as there is just a hint of desperation in the hook as they search for that big hit.
That said, “Saving My Heart” ended up reaching the Top 10 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock chart, so it seems the ploy worked.
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