I've been a YES fan since 1978, when I was 14. That is over forty years of fanmanship. I became a fan just in time to see the release of "Going for the One" and, one year later, "Tormato". So I enjoyed a while of the "Golden Age" of YES, before they went into remission around 1980.
In spite of being educated as a linguistics and literature teacher, I've always had to struggle with Jon Anderson's lyrics. Lots of it is gibberish, just made-up words and phrases just for the heck of it. Let's call it 'associative poetry', like it was popular in the 1950's and 1960's (when Jon grew up).
It was with 'Madrigal' that I realized, young as I was, that I really did not have to take all these lyrics seriously. I loved (and still love) the music, the instrumentation, I love Jon's vocal part, and will gladly sing along. But I have no need to establish any definite 'meaning' of this song. I think there isn't, and there never was.
this song is only about what you think it is about. A lyrical Rorschach test, if you like.
I've been a YES fan since 1978, when I was 14. That is over forty years of fanmanship. I became a fan just in time to see the release of "Going for the One" and, one year later, "Tormato". So I enjoyed a while of the "Golden Age" of YES, before they went into remission around 1980.
In spite of being educated as a linguistics and literature teacher, I've always had to struggle with Jon Anderson's lyrics. Lots of it is gibberish, just made-up words and phrases just for the heck of it. Let's call it 'associative poetry', like it was popular in the 1950's and 1960's (when Jon grew up).
It was with 'Madrigal' that I realized, young as I was, that I really did not have to take all these lyrics seriously. I loved (and still love) the music, the instrumentation, I love Jon's vocal part, and will gladly sing along. But I have no need to establish any definite 'meaning' of this song. I think there isn't, and there never was.
this song is only about what you think it is about. A lyrical Rorschach test, if you like.