Time has allowed for some perspective regarding Yes’ 21st studio album, 2014’s Heaven and Earth: Most of the album is salvageable with more focused production and adventurous arrangements.
“The Game,” one of Chris Squire’s last writing contributions before his death in 2015, is one such song which could have benefitted from a little more focus.
Squire and Jon Davison handle a majority of the writing, with Squire collaborator Gerard Johnson providing musical input. The basic structure dated back well before Heaven and Earth, as Squire and Johnson developed the musical theme but did not flesh it out until song ideas were floated around for these sessions. Yes also borrowed the backing vocal coda from the song “The Gift of Love,” a song which later appeared on the From a Page EP.
“The Game” does have a more zesty feel than most of Heaven and Earth. Steve Howe starts things off with an E-Bow guitar introduction, which is quickly followed by synthesizer passages by Geoff Downes and electronic piano from Gerard Johnson. Davison provides a strong vocal which conveys a more direct lyrical context that we’re used to from Yes. Squire’s harmonies are a perfect blend on the choruses.
Howe’s switch from E-Bow to a swelling volume pedal lead guitar builds the intensity. What’s surprising is the restrained bass passages played by Squire, which seem tentative and buried in the mix. Alan White’s approach also gives “The Game” a first-take feel, as if Yes was going to take a few more passes and replace the drums with the finished product. Adding tom-tom overdubs throughout the song only enhances the perception that the production was rushed.
This is actually one of the better moments on Heaven and Earth, but “The Game” could have been so much better. In fact, “The Game” and “Believe Again” were both played extensively on the 2014 tour, and they evolved into songs that paired well alongside classics from Close to the Edge and Fragile.
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