Leave It

This one is easy. It is about being in a band and on the road. They talk about being so weary of the party and "young man's pleasure" that your "sense of measure" is gone and the dreams you built for yourself (as in making it as a band) are breaking down. It makes you want to "leave it" all. He talks about the number of towns and shows. When he gets home, he's not alone. There are fans or press constantly hounding him. Downtown they're giving away but she never came back might be a reference to the roadies. They give it away, but they get no relationship. No phone can take your place is obvious.

Propblast is almost right in that it's about a band on the road. But it's not about them, it's about another nameless band, one that wastes its time doing pointless gigs ("MacArthur Park in the driving snow" -- "MacArthur Park" the song, by the way), and gets back to the hotel to do some blow ("Goodbye bad, hello heaven"). They even count off the number of dates remaining on their tour because its become just an exercise. "Leave It" is also a reference to the last line in the Beatles' "Lovely Rita".

"I can feel no sense of measure No illusions as we take Refuge in young man's pleasure Breaking down the dreams we make real"

Here yes is in a timeless bubble, playing what they dreamed to make and exercise their songs to a large audience with no sense of memory, only drifting from one town to another in a zen feeling.

"One down one to go Another town and one more show Downtown they're giving away But she never came back"

They're on tour, they have no roots, just never fulling landing. Coming off stage they own it down town, and he met a girl during the tour, but she never came back.

"No phone can take your place Do you know what I mean" He had an affair but now he's having to call her.

"We have the same intrigue As a court of kings" They both believed during the affair he was a king and they were famous but he has to leave it.

Ah leave it, ah leave it Dit, dit, dit, dit, dit, dit, dit Doot, doot, doot, doot, doot, doot, doot

"Two down there you go McArthur Park in the driving snow"

They just finished now the next tour and it's unromantic - pushing through the snow to get to the tour.

"Uptown they're digging it out Better lay your claim" You rest and party and the business is still going. You have to constantly be on the scene to keep the momentum even if you don't feel like it.

"Get home you're not alone You just broke out of the danger zone Be there to show your face On another dreamy day"

Now you come home, you're out of the affair, the girls can't reach you and you have loyalty and you have to show your face to the person you have been with, still blitzed from the tour.

[Edit: shorter]

No one's commented on this? This is a great song, my favorite on 90125 other than owner of a lonely heart. And it has that really dated music video with cheap video effects being applied to a photo of the band.

Love this song. Quintessential Yes. No idea what it's about though.

where can i find the video?

"We have the intrigue as a court of kings"

A stab/reference to King Crimson??

Like most prog rock songs, it's not supposed to have a meaning. I love the a cappella beginning.