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This song describes the paradox of loneliness. Once you've been hurt, loneliness is better than a broken heart.

This was the group's one and only #1 charting hit. It was heavily played on radio and the video was played on MTV often as well. (thanks, Mike - Mountlake Terrace, Washington, for above 2)

This is the first single from 90125. The album was a drastic departure from Yes' progressive sound in the '70s, containing distorted guitar and synthesizers.

This was written by Yes guitarist Trevor Rabin, who joined the band that year. It was sung by Jon Anderson. (thanks, William - Brentwood, TN, for above 2)

According to Trevor Rabin on the DVD Yes Video Hits, he wrote this song in his bathroom (which had very good acoustics), and it was a "particularly long visit." (thanks, Evna - São Paulo, Brazil)

Trevor Horn, formerly of The Buggles, produced the 90125 album. Horn took over for Jon Anderson as lead singer of Yes for for their 1980 album Drama, and after a tour to support the album the band broke up and Horn focused on production work. When Yes reformed for 90125, Anderson returned along with Tony Kaye, Chris Squire and Alan White, and Horn produced the album. This song hit #1 in the US the week of January 21, 1984, and held the position the following week, when in the UK another Horn-produced song, "Relax" by Frankie Goes To Hollywood, claimed the top spot. This made Horn the only producer to have simultaneous #1 hits in both the UK and the US with different songs by different artists.

This song was once parodied on Mystery Science Theater 3000. Tom Servo thought Yes didn't go far enough by saying "The owner of a lonely heart is much better than the owner of a broken heart...". He wanted them to come up with a comparison between the owner of a broken heart and the owner of other various other things, like a perfectly functional cheese slicer, a pie, a pencil, etc. (thanks, Homer - Versailles, IL)

90125's logo was designed on an Apple IIe computer (very modern at the time,) and would be used on Yes' next album Big Generator. (thanks, Wil - Brentwood, TN)

Comments:

Correction on the Cinema name. No they did not changed the name because someone already had the name. Here is the real story from Trevor Rabin. Trevor and Chris were in the studio working on new material. Jon had called Chris on the phone. Trevor told Chris why doesn't he invite Jon down to the studio to hear the new material. Jon came down and listen to the tracks and started to sing on them. Chris asked him to join the band. They decided since Jon is back they might as well call the band "Yes Again. If you do not believe this. Try and get a copy of "Yesyears" which is "RARE" and only on VHS and you can hear the whole story.
- Guadalupe, Scurry, TX

It is true, better to be lonely, than have a broken heart. There are many songs I like by Yes both before and after this song (and on the same album, "Leaving", "Changes", "Hearts"). But you know, I would not have even KNOWN ABOUT YES unless it were for this song.
- Greg, Dallas, TX

This is one of those songs that sounded so cool I neither knew nor cared what the lyrics were. Great song!
- Tom, Marble Falls, AR

awesome awesome song about a real human conflict. a testament to creativity and change. uncomplicated and real..sweet melody and easy to sing to. takes me back to my teens and the day when real talent reigned. besides, how many of you can say you sat in your bathroom and wrote a song that became a hit? it's easy to be critical. i don't like every song i hear either...but this is one i love.
- dee, xenia, OH

This song is the best thing since sliced toast. Now I am hungry for toast :-)
- Alf, Kingston, Canada

I think the song is the best thing the band has produced. It's their Stairway to Heaven. Very good song
- K, Miami, FL

If there was a countdown of the best song of the 80's, this song would be somewhere in the top ten.
- K, Miami, FL

Trevor Rabin is so overrated and the stereotypical rock star. Personally, I have seen Jon Anderson do acoustic versions of this, and it's actually very, very good. 90215 is a decent album, certainly not their best. As much as I am not a Rabin fan, I really do enjoy the "Talk" album.
- Rick, Mount Ephraim, NJ

Great cowbell song. Which is better this or BLUE OYSTER CULT'S cowbell song DON'T FEAR THE REAPER?
- Don, B G, KY

Here's something to listen out for...Jon's vox are extremely wet (i.e., heavy with studio effects) for the the whole song, EXCEPT for the second "shake" in the line "Shake - shake yourself" where it is completely dry. I have always wondered what that's all about.
- Trevor, St. Augustine, FL

Like many songs in 90125, this one was written by Trevor Rabin, and later got some improvement - for the better, in my opinion. Rabin released an album called 90124, and Owner is there in its original version (as are Changes and Hold on). The new group would be called Cinema, but I read somewhere there was already a group with such name, so they decided to call it Yes because most of the members came from a former Yes lineup. This was, I think, a big mistake, because it was not their intention to restore the old group. I think Trevor Rabin has paid a very high price for this, with all the comparisons between him and Steve Howe, the criticism and full responsability for their "new sound" (well, I think all members have agreed to play his material, Trevor certainly did not point a gun to their heads!!!).
- Evna, São Paulo, Brazil

I agree with many of the others. This song is nothing compared to their 70s stuff. I know I sound rather close-minded, but I just can't really get into 80s pop/dance stuff. Or 90s or now stuff either. I'm a flower child, what can I say?
- Corey, Barrie, ON

There was a lot of speculation back in the '80s about what the album title 90125 meant. Turns out, it was simply the catalog number given to the LP by Atlantic records.
- Tim, Denver, CO

I agree with everyone who believes that this song (and the whole "90125" album) is good for what it is. However, I too have to admit that it's just not as good "Close to the Edge"-era stuff. "Owner" isn't even the best song on the album - I personally prefer the much-overlooked "Hearts".
- Michael, Oxford

How did such an amazing band end up making something so terrible?
- Wade, Vancouver, Canada

Yeah, the song's alright, but It's a shame that Yes didn't stick with their prog rock. Their 70's work was much better.
- Daniel, Perth, Australia

Tony Kaye left the band while 90125 was being recorded. As a result, most keyboards are played by guitarist Trevor Rabin. Kaye was replaced by Eddie Jobson, who actually appears in the song video, if very briefly. But Kaye would eventually return, tour with the band and remain there for ten additional years.
- Luis, Madrid, Spain

Certainly more pop-rock and less impressive than their 70s work, but that doesn't change the fact that this song rocks.
- Ryan, Marion, IA

this song is awesome. Although i do like their more prog rock music its still unbelievable
- Justin, Albany, NY

this is a good Yes song, don't get me wrong, but I'm personally a much bigger fan of their 70's output
- Ian, Huntington, WV

One of my favorite songs of the 80s. To all those who think this song is somehow "inferior" to Yes' other work, get over it and enjoy a kick-butt song. I remember being in the school orchestra in junior high when this song came out; the whole class would jam to this before class started. I played cello, and the bassline was ours. Good times.
- Jameson, Lexington, KY

I absolutely love this song. I also liked many of Yes's songs from the 70s.
- Farrah, Elon, NC

Yes is one of my favorite bands of all time. This song is a piece of pop crap thinly disguised as prog. 90125, Big Generator, and Talk are insults to the musical prowess that is Yes.
- Mike, Long Island, NY

Iused to like this song a lot when I was into the 80's, but now I like more classic songs, one of them being Yes' Roundabout. Owner of the lonely is still a good song though, i like the breaks and the drum groove
- Juan, Miami, FL

The only thing i like about this WHOLE song...is the vidio...its interesting, my least favourite part is the sound affects when the guys going down the lift
- Max, Sydney, Australia

I have a hard time putting into words how tired I get of the pretentious prats who complain about how this song is somehow less valuable than Yes' other songs because it's in a more pop style. While it doesn't bounce around between unnecessarily complicated rhythms or make use of intentionally dissonant chords, and while the melody isn't deliberately difficult to sing or listen to, the music is skillfully executed and the song is about something real, even if it's not going out of its way to be somehow "important." The purpose of art is to reflect human experience, and human experience includes fun and love in addition to politics and philosophy. People who obsess on politics and philosophy and great literature and pay no attention to fun and love aren't better or smarter than others. In fact, they're quite the opposite - they're fools who are wasting their lives. The capacity for joy is one of the most important traits human beings have.
- Dennis, Anchorage, AK

THIS SONGS DISTURBS ME!this and the rest of 90125 i'm now getting slowly over it but it stills haunts me to think the've gotten soooo low. It's like if AC/DC decided to do a love song... 90125 IS NOT YES!
- william, montreal, Canada

i believe that this is when yes sold themselves out
- Joe, Albion, NY

This song is good, but it's not like their other stuff. Personally, I'm not bothered by it at all.
- Stefanie, Rock Hill, SC

Yes i agree this song is kinda dull. But, Yes had a crack at Pop.. And they got it to #1 on the charts. But its not as good as their Yes album close to the edge or Going for the one type music
- Max, Sydney, Australia

The horn bursts heard directly after the drum solo in this song were sampled by LL Cool J on "That's a Lie" from his debut LP "Radio", which features Russell Simmons telling preposterous lies (which actually have all come to pass in some form or another).
- Chris, New York, NY

The only Yes song I like. Otherwise, I don't see what's so good about them.
- Leon, Waterbury, CT

this is also 1 of my all-time favorite albums, from front to back totally enjoyable. 'hearts' couldnt be a better ending.
- nick, nyc, NY

Yeah, this is a good song, but not really a good Yes song. It's good stuff but nothing compared to the Yes Album/Close to the Edge Years.
- Erik, Somers, NY

This song is really dull in comparison to all their others
- Roger, America, PA

Yes is one of the best bands ever, in all kind of music. Yes is the meaning of Progressive rock and this song is one of the worst songs ever. I´m a huge fan of Yes and, honestly, I hate this one, it has nothing to do with prog rock, it´s just more of the 80's comercial pop. But what can I say, this song is not Yes! That happens because Anderson, Squire, Howe, White and Wackeman wasn´t together at the studio. I had the opportunity to go to a Yes concert in Lima in 1999. It was one of my best moments in life. I enjoyed most of the songs, like "And you and I", "Perpetual Change", "Close to the Edge", "Heart of the Sunrise" and more, but when they played this one I went out of the show and came back as it had finished.
- Willy Espinoza, Lima, Peru

Hahah a "gank" is really called an "Orchestral Hit." It's basically a sample of an entire orchestra playing one loud note in unison, usually at the end of a piece.
- Elson, Los Angeles, CA

One of the best albums of all times if you ask me. 90125 is great from opening to the last song. "Owner of a Lonely Heart" was the biggie, but every song could have gotten air play in my opinion, but to many people can't handle smart lyrics.
- Dee, Indianapolis, IN

Rob from Santa Monica, you're absolutely right - the "gank" (although I've never heard it called that before) was very much in fashion then, but Yes did not jump on the band wagon, they built it. Trevor Horn's amazing production on this record proved to be very trend-setting. Everyone else's ganks appeared after they had heard his.
- Mickey, Langley, VA

This song come out during the one year period when every song had to have a "gank" in it. A gank being the noise that sounds like hitting 10 keys on a synthesizer at once. There at least a dozen ganks here, making it one of the gankiest. "The Unforgettable Fire" by U2 had a mere 4 ganks. The all time gank kings are Duran Duran, whose "View to a Kill" consists almost entirely of ganks.
- Rob, Santa Monica, CA

True that...the video freaked me out.
- Savannah, Salem, IN

Yes's dance beat megahit. Probably owes a lot of its atmosphere to Trevor Horn's production. It is unclear if Tony Kaye played any keyboards on this song.
- Kent Lyle, Palo Alto, CA

This song was produced by Trevor Horn, previously half of "Buggles" - a one and a half hit wonder band with "Video killed the Radio Star". He had been Yes's lead single for a short while when Jon Anderson temporarily left - but his voice really didn't suit their style. Luckily Jon soon rejoined and Trevor had a successful career as a producer - with ABC, Frankie Goes To Hollywood and Simple Minds, but also working for a while with Yes as Producer on 90125.
- John, Surrey, England

Appears in Season 1 Episode 2 of Cold Case on CBS. The title of the episode is "Gleen".
- Jonathan, Natchitoches, LA

One of the most imaginative videos to come out of the eighties - very disturbing and Orwellian, and surprisingly graphic.
- steph, Ottawa, Canada