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Yes - Roundabout - Live at the Rainbow Theatre, London, UK 1972





"Roundabout" is a song by the English progressive rock band Yes from their fourth studio album Fragile, released in November 1971. It was written by singer Jon Anderson and guitarist Steve Howe and produced by the band and Eddy Offord. The song originated when the band were on tour and travelled from Aberdeen to Glasgow, and went through many roundabouts on the way.


The song originated in March 1971 when the band were on tour promoting The Yes Album (1971), travelling from Aberdeen to Glasgow after a gig in Aviemore, Scotland. They encountered many roundabouts on the way; Anderson claimed "maybe 40 or so", which inspired Anderson and Howe to write a song about the journey as they sat in the back of the band's transit van, and include the roundabouts and the surrounding mountains into the lyrics.







Lyrics


I'll be the roundabout

The words will make you out and out

I spend the day your way

Call it morning driving through the sound in and out the valley


The music dance and sing

They make the children really ring

I spend the day your way

Call it morning driving through the sound in and out the valley


In and around the lake

Mountains come out of the sky and they stand there

One mile over we'll be there and we'll see you

Ten true summers we'll be there and laughing too

Twenty four before my love you'll see I'll be there with you


I will remember you

Your silhouette will charge the view

Of distance atmosphere

Call it morning driving through the sound even in the valley


In and around the lake

Mountains come out of the sky and they stand there

One mile over we'll be there and we'll see you

Ten true summers we'll be there and laughing too

Twenty four before my love you'll see I'll be there with you


Along the drifting cloud the eagle searching down on the land

Catching the swirling wind the sailor sees the rim of the land

The eagle's dancing wings create as weather spins out of hand


Go closer hold the land feel partly no more than grains of sand

We stand to lose all time a thousand answers by in our hand

Next to your deeper fears we stand surrounded by a million years


I'll be the roundabout

The words will make you out and out

I'll be the roundabout

The words will make you out and out


In and around the lake

Mountains come out of the sky and they stand there

Twenty four before my love and I'll be there


I'll be the roundabout

The words will make you out and out

You spend the day your way

Call it morning driving thru the sound and even in the valley


In and around the lake

Mountains come out of the sky and they stand there

One mile over we'll be there and we'll see you

Ten true summers we'll be there and laughing too

Twenty four before my love you'll see I'll be there with you



Songwriters: J. ANDERSON / S. HOWE

Roundabout lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Ltd., Topographic Music Inc., WB Music Corp. O/B/o Topographic Music Ltd.





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