Five Per Cent For Nothing

by

Yes

Album: Fragile      Released: 1972

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Bill Bruford wrote this instrumental about the management of the group. They get 5% for essentially doing nothing. (thanks, Mike - Mountlake Terrace, Washington)

Each of the 5 members of the band contributed one track of their own design to this album. Bill Bruford created this, which was played by the entire group with percussion instruments. "The Fish" was created by Chris Squire using only the bass guitar. Steve Howe did "Mood For a Day" as a solo guitar piece. "Cans And Brahms" was not only arranged by Rick Wakeman, he played all the parts as well. Jon Anderson sang all the vocal parts in "We Have Heaven" himself. (thanks, Randy - Chicago Heights, IL)

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Comments:

I had always assumed that the song was "filler", as in the song consumes 5% of the overall time of the album. (I just realized while typing this that an Upper Case 5 on the keyboard is the % symbol. Something else to ponder...).
- Billy, Palm Harbor, FL

This song was originally going to be called "Suddenly Its Wednesdey"
- Max, Sydney, Australia

A truly crazy song.....short but good!
- Max, Sydney, Australia

I wonder if Yes can rememeber writing these words when presenting Roy Flynn with a gold Dunhill lighter in 1969:- 'To Roy Flynn,who has done more for us than anybody else in the business. We hope this small gift will enlighten you as much as you have enlightened us' ...six months later he was dumped. If the real truth were known, Yes would be a NO NO! I wonder if they realise how lucky they have been?
- Jessica, Oxford, England

The story behind the title is that Yes's original manager, Roy Flynn, was dumped from the band shortly after "Time and a Word" was released in 1970. Flynn was a good nightclub manager, but the band needed someone who really knew the business, like Brian Lane. They eventually worked out a contract where Flynn would receive 5% of their earnings for his early efforts. According to Flynn, he never saw a single cent of it.
- Kent Lyle, Palo Alto, CA

Bill had Steve, Chris, and Rick play their instruments as if they were percussion instruments, thus turning the band into one percussion ensemble. You can hear glimmers of his future jazz fusion arrangement style here.
- Kent Lyle, Palo Alto, CA

My friends and I always joke about this song. If we have nothing to play, we'll go "hey lets play five per cent for nothing!" and we'll all just start doing a bunch of random stuff. I have grown to like this though. Although it may be strange, it is certaintly interesting and can really give you ideas. Keep it up Bill!
- Jonathan, Ann Arbor, MI

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