Fly from Here is another album that proves that a restless Yes is a good Yes. After what was the longest recording break in the band’s history, a revamped Yes lineup forged boldly ahead without their founding lead singer and their main-sequence keyboardist.
Building off of Drama-era material produced a title-song suite which rivals the best Yes epics. “The Man You Always Wanted Me to Be” then travels in an unexpected yet rewarding direction after the opening suite.
Written in early 2000 by bassist Chris Squire and Gerard Johnson with lyrical contributions from Simon Sessler, the ballad effectively changes the tone of the album. “The Man You Always Wanted Me to Be” contains one of Squire’s best lead vocals, which are further enhanced by the backing of Benoit David. Light conga touches are added to the song by session player Luis Jardim, and Gerard Johnson contributes piano.
Nuanced time signature changes add unexpected progressive elements to the song. Steve Howe’s electric guitar leads are as fluid as always, further making the song a Yes song. Lyrically, Squire and Johnson construct an uplifting, affirmative narrative that fits neatly on a Yes album. In fact, the song has a personal touch often missing in Yes lyrics.
After the stellar Fly From Here suite, it would be easy to skip “The Man You Always Wanted Me to Be,” but that would be a mistake as Chris Squire’s last Yes lead vocal has a lot to offer.
- Bernie Chiaravalle, Fernando Perdomo + Others: Preston Frazier’s Best of 2024 in Rock - December 13, 2024
- Jazz Guitarist Juan Dhas Discusses ‘Aether’: Something Else! Interview - November 30, 2024
- Mark Anthony K. Discusses Projekt Gemineye’s ‘Canada: Stories and Legends’ - November 16, 2024
