From
Wikipedia:
"
The Gates of Delirium" is the first track on
Yes's
1974 album,
Relayer. The album title comes from the lyrics of "The
Remembering (
High The Memory)" from
Tales from Topographic Oceans.
Based on
Leo Tolstoy's
War and Peace, the song begins with a prelude, which leads into a lengthy instrumental section (beginning at about the 8 minute mark) representing the battle. The final section (entitled "
Soon"), released as a single in
1975, is a very gentle, soothing prayer for
peace and hope which represents the aftermath of the battle. Before the re-issue of Tales from Topographic Oceans or In a
Word: Yes (
1969 - ), this was the longest officially released studio recording by the band with almost 22 minutes, taking up the entire first side of the LP.
It is the only Yes studio album to feature
Patrick Moraz, who replaced keyboardist
Rick Wakeman earlier in the year. Relayer reached #4 in the UK (remaining 8 weeks in the
Top 40) and #5 in the US (remaining 16 weeks in the Top
200).
A loud crashing sound heard in the middle of the song is caused by a set of old automobile parts mounted on a rack being pushed over.
The band decided to keep it in instead of doing another take.
Alan White explains in the liner notes of the
2003 remaster of the album. "The percussion on that song is pretty unusual," he says. "Jon and I used to travel together to
Chris' home studio, where we recorded the album. We would stop at a junkyard along the way and pick up parts of cars. We'd just go there and bang on things. There were springs and pieces of metal, brake, and clutch plates. We'd buy them and bring them back to the studio. We built a rack and hung all these things off it, and we'd bang on them. During the recording I pushed the whole thing over. That crash is what you hear on the album."
Lyrics:
Stand and fight we do consider
Reminded of an inner pact between us
That's seen as we go
And ride there
In motion
To fields in debts of honor
Defending
Stand the marchers soaring talons,
Peaceful lives will not deliver freedom,
Fighting we know,
Destroy oppression
The
point to reaction
As leaders look to you
Attacking
Choose and renounce throwing chains to the floor.
Kill or be killing faster sins correct the flow.
Casting giant shadows off vast penetrating force
To alter via the war that seen
As friction spans the spirits wrath ascending to redeem.
Wars that shout in screams of anguish,
Power spent passion bespoils our soul receiver,
Surely we know.
In glory
We rise to offer,
Create our freedom,
A word we utter,
A word.
Words cause our banner, victorious our day.
Will silence be promised as violence display?
The curse increased we fight the pow'r
And live by it by day.
Our gods awake in thunderous roars,
And guide the leaders hand in paths of glory to the cause.
Listen, should we fight forever
Knowing as we do know fear destroys?
Listen, should we leave our children?
Listen, our lives stare in silence;
Help us now.
Listen, your friends have been broken,
They tell us of your poison; now we know.
Kill them, give them as they give us.
Slay them, burn their children's laughter
On to hell.
The fist will run, grasp metal to gun.
The spirit sings in crashing tones,
We gain the battle drum.
Our cries will shrill, the air will moan and crash into the dawn.
The pen won't stay the demon's wings,
The hour approaches pounding out the
Devil's sermon.
Soon, oh soon the light,
Pass within and soothe this endless night
And wait here for you,
Our reason to be here.
Soon, oh soon the time,
All we move to gain will reach and calm;
Our heart is open,
Our reason to be here.
Long ago, set into rhyme.
Soon, oh soon the light,
Ours to shape for all time,
Ours the right;
The sun will lead us,
Our reason to be here.
Soon, oh soon the light,
Ours to shape for all time,
Ours the right;
The sun will lead us,
Our reason to be here.
- published: 18 Nov 2012
- views: 137674