Characteristics Of Progressive Rock In The Music Of Yes

The greatest distinguishable inequity between the 1971 progressive rock song “Yours is No Disgrace” by Yes and other general “rock” songs of the time is the length of it. Progressive rock is notable for its many extensive aspects, such as long and complex instrumental solos and the overall length some songs in the genre can have, sometimes even featuring separate movements within a song which sound entirely different from a previous section (Yes utilizes movements frequently in their songs, as seen in their hit “I’ve Seen All Good People”). In an era when pop rock songs on the radio were averaging about three minutes a song (Billboard lists the top song of 1971, “Joy to the World” by Three Dog Night as 3:40 long), “Yours is No Disgrace” triples this by clocking in at a whopping 9:41. The extended length of the song allows for the musicians to each have their bear intricate solos, a staple of progressive rock.

Another key contrast between progressive rock and general rock seen in this Yes song can be seen in the composition. Most pop and rock songs at the time and even to this day follow the simple layout of “Verse-Chorus-Verse-Chorus-Bridge-Chorus,” a tried and true formula for creating catchy and memorable songs. Progressive rock chooses not to follow such formulas, instead becoming more free-forming and random. “Yours is No Disgrace” does have some of the components of this structure of song anatomy (there are a few different verses sung throughout the song and a repeating chorus at 3:20 and 7:20), but there are also several guitar and keyboard solos thrown in, along with extended instrumental sections of varying tone and stride. All of these solos and vocal sections definitely do not follow such a rigid outline as previously described, adding to the complexity of progressive rock.

The lyrics of “Yours is No Disgrace” are far from what one would hear in a standard rock or pop song, being more in line with those of progressive rock. Pop and general rock songs have lighter, mostly simple lyrics about things such as admire, growing up, rebellion or just unimaginative having fun. Progressive rock however has much more in-depth and meaningful lyrics, often telling some sort of story inviting fantasy / science fiction elements. The lyrics in “Yours is No Disgrace” seem to relate some sort of sci-fi war, described by “Death defying, mutilated armies scatter the earth, Crawling out of dirty holes, their morals, their morals disappear.” Also described are “battleships” which are “shining, flying, purple wolfhounds” and a storyteller looking for someone/something. These lyrics are mighty more profound and weave a deeper story than those of “Joy to the World” by Three Dog Night, which is meant to be nonsensical and fun. • Finally, progressive rock songs usually feature a plethora of different instruments exotic to standard pop and rock songs. While these standard rock bands have a few guitarists, a bassist and a drummer, progressive experiments with instruments not usually heard in pop songs such as classical string instruments (violin, cello) and possibly brass and woodwind instruments. Yes has a guitar, bass and drums, but they also took advantage of the newest synthesizers, keyboards and organs offered at the time to create a completely different sound from what people previously heard in songs on the radio. “Yours is No Disgrace” is dominated by the sounds of organs and synthesizers, instruments with a deep-rooted history in progressive rock.

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