Machine Messiah
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| "Machine Messiah" | ||
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| Song by Yes | ||
| From the album Drama | ||
| Album released | August 22, 1980 | |
| Recorded | ||
| Genre | Progressive rock | |
| Song Length | 10:27 | |
| Record label | Atlantic Records | |
| Producer(s) | Yes Backing tracks: Eddie Offord |
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| Drama Album Listing | ||
| (beginning of album) | Machine Messiah (Track 1) |
White Car (Track 2) |
"Machine Messiah" is a song performed by the British band Yes. It is the first song on their tenth studio album Drama. It was brought to the group by Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes, but received extensive input from the other three band members (Chris Squire, Steve Howe, and Alan White). The writing credit for the song went to all five members, as it did for all songs on the album.
Yes used Machine Messiah to respond to many fans' fears that the new Yes would abandon longer songs; the length is 10:27 and it is the longest song on the album. The lyrics are similar to Yes' usual style, even though they are by Trevor Horn; the band's regular lyricist, Jon Anderson, was not in this line-up. The song does lean towards darker imagery in many parts.
The heavy metal and hard rock aspects of the song were something unusual for the band, and the song is noted among Yes fans for being one of the band's hardest rocking songs. This is mostly due to the layering of several sheets of metallic guitars, courtesy of guitarist Steve Howe. However, there is still a slight progressive edge that runs throughout the whole song, and even without Jon Anderson's vocals, it is easily identifiable as Yes.
The song was included on the box set compilation In a Word: Yes (1969 - ).
It is a common request in the Yes community to see the song performed live, but singer Jon Anderson refuses to perform any material from Drama.
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