The Word Is Live

The Word is Live
Box set by Yes
Released	23 August 2005
Recorded	12 March 1970 – 19 February 1988
Genre	Progressive rock
Length	3h49:40
Label	Rhino
Producer	Steve Woolard
Yes chronology
Songs from Tsongas (2005) The Word is Live (2005) Live at Montreux 2003 (2007)

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Allmusic	[1]

The Word is Live is a live box set by progressive rock band Yes and was released in 2005 through Rhino Records.

Considered the live companion to 2002's studio In a Word: Yes (1969 - ) box set, The Word is Live serves to document the band's live story from early BBC recordings in 1970 with Peter Banks to 1988 shows for Big Generator. All but the first two tracks were previously unreleased.

Many of the tracks were originally broadcast on radio shows and have been bootlegged extensively. In these, it is often the case that the radio show's final mix was the only mix available so few improvements in quality could be done for the release. While a few of the recordings (mostly those from the 1980 tour) do feature a less-than-polished quality to them, The Word is Live is still considered a fine document of Yes in a concert setting.

The box set also comes with a 52-page book containing images and stories by Yes fans and praising retroperspectives from artists such as John Frusciante from Red Hot Chili Peppers. The opening for the book was written by Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake & Palmer.

The set includes several pieces not originally released as studio recordings by Yes, including "It's Love", an extended cover of a song by The Young Rascals, and "Go Through This" and "We Can Fly From Here" from the tour to support Drama, but which were not released on this album. The latter would eventually be reworked and released thirty-one years later in the album Fly from Here.

The title is an alteration of the lyric "The word is love" from the song "Time and a Word".

Track listing

Disc one

1. "Then" (Jon Anderson) – 5:25
2. "For Everyone" (Jon Anderson/Chris Squire) – 4:44
   • Tracks 1 – 2: BBC, 1970
3. "Astral Traveller" (Jon Anderson) – 7:24
4. "Everydays" (Stephen Stills) – 11:01
   • Tracks 3 – 4: Gothenburg, 1971
5. "Yours Is No Disgrace" (Jon Anderson/Chris Squire/Steve Howe/Tony Kaye/Bill Bruford) – 11:45
6. "I've Seen All Good People" – 7:52
   1. "Your Move" (Jon Anderson)
   2. "All Good People" (Chris Squire)
7. "America" (Paul Simon) – 16:21
8. "It's Love" (Felix Cavaliere/Eddie Brigati) – 11:07
   • Tracks 5 – 8: London, 1971

Disc two

1. "Apocalypse" (Jon Anderson/Chris Squire/Steve Howe/Bill Bruford) – 3:08
2. "Siberian Khatru" (Jon Anderson; Themes by Jon Anderson/Steve Howe/Rick Wakeman) – 10:10
3. "Sound Chaser" (Jon Anderson/Chris Squire/Steve Howe/Patrick Moraz/Alan White) – 11:17
   • Tracks 1 – 3: Detroit, 1976
4. "Sweet Dreams" (Jon Anderson/David Foster) – 6:22
   • Track 4: London, 1975
5. "Future Times" (Jon Anderson/Chris Squire/Steve Howe/Rick Wakeman/Alan White)/ "Rejoice" (Jon Anderson) – 6:59
6. "Circus of Heaven" (Jon Anderson) – 4:52
   • Tracks 5 – 6: Oakland, 1978
7. "The Big Medley" (Jon Anderson/David Foster/Chris Squire)– 25:53
   1. "Time and a Word"
   2. "Long Distance Runaround"
   3. "Survival"
   4. "The Fish"
   5. "Perpetual Change"
   6. "Soon"
   • Track 7: Inglewood, 1978
8. "Hello Chicago" (Jon Anderson/Chris Squire/Steve Howe/Rick Wakeman/Alan White) – 2:11
9. "Roundabout" (Jon Anderson/Steve Howe) – 8:42
   • Tracks 8 – 9: Chicago, 1979

Disc three

1. "Heart of the Sunrise" (Jon Anderson/Chris Squire/Bill Bruford) – 10:56
   • Track 1: Oakland, 1978
2. "Awaken" (Jon Anderson/Steve Howe) – 17:53
   • Track 2: Chicago, 1979
3. "Go Through This" (Steve Howe) – 4:21
4. "We Can Fly from Here" (Geoff Downes/Trevor Horn) – 6:46
5. "Tempus Fugit" (Geoff Downes/Trevor Horn/Steve Howe/Chris Squire/Alan White) – 5:53
   • Tracks 3 – 5: New York City, 1980
6. "Rhythm of Love" (Jon Anderson/Chris Squire/Trevor Rabin/Tony Kaye) – 6:42
7. "Hold On" (Jon Anderson/Chris Squire/Trevor Rabin) – 7:24
8. "Shoot High, Aim Low" (Jon Anderson/Chris Squire/Trevor Rabin/Tony Kaye/Alan White) – 8:27
9. "Make It Easy/Owner of a Lonely Heart" (Jon Anderson/Chris Squire/Trevor Rabin/Trevor Horn) – 6:09
   • Tracks 6 – 9: Houston, 1988

Chart position

The Word Is Live (Rhino R2 78234) failed to chart in the UK or US.

References