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This was Yes' breakthrough hit that remains one of their most well-known songs. An edited version was released as a single and introduced many new listeners to the band. (thanks, Ryan - Marion, IA)

Written by Jon Anderson and Steve Howe, this song is known as a showcase for the musicianship of Yes, notably the keyboard work of Rick Wakeman and the acoustic guitar intro played by Howe. Fragile was Wakeman's first album with the band. (thanks, ni - mechanicsburg, PA)

The lyrics describe a psychedelic-country life, with allusions to driving. A roundabout is a kind of traffic circle.

Comments:

When I was in college, my roommate had a reel-to-reel tape player and this album on tape. If you ran the tape backwards, the first sound on the opening is a piano chord. It repeats again in the opening. Very cool.
- Ron, Tyler, TX

Reply to Bryan of KY. Thanks for sharing that story, it also happened to me, with another band, growing up un Mexico there weren`t many listening options, one day I heard a riff and singing so powerful it blew me away, no one could tell me who it was, the song, black dog from zep. from then one it was a world of seeking, discovery and awe. YES sprung it to another level. Zeppelin opened the door but YES opened a gate. As I started sharing this music with others the Lyrics became a challenge, being a spanish speaker explaining the songs was not easy, long story short, I became an english teacher.
- Mario Anthar, Tijuana, Mexico

I liked the stage costumes the band members of Yes wore when the performed on stage back in the early seventies. The stage costumes were very rock n roll.
- Dean, Miami , FL

Just ONE of the many songs that made the 70's a very memorable time in music. Right up there with Steely Dan, Led Zeppelin, Stones, etc.
- Sam, Hipsville, CA

A great YES song,classic! The whole band is excellent. And Chris Squire rocks it on the bass.
- wayne, Salem, VA

"twenty-four before my love we'll see, I'll be there with you..." phone conversation on tour? trying to reassure a girlfriend they'll be together soon? trying to make sense of Jon's writing would take forever, that's why god gave him that wonderful voice!
- Liz, Wilton, NH

In high school, I brought these lyrics to an English class doing a section on lyrics interpretation. This one had the teacher scratching her head. Sort of cruel. Luckily, she didn't ask me what I thought they were about.
- Ed, Raleigh, NC

describing days of driving, supposedly the lyric was generated on tour thru England, where the 'lake' was 'Lake' [or Loch] Ness, one day [24 hrs] out of London. ABSTRACT?? yay :-)
- hilarleo, berkeley, CA

Good driving song.
- Roger, Waterford, MI

Chris Squire is probably one of the best bass players who uses a pick. Very agressive yet so clean.
- Guy, Benson, NC

Gotta love that middle eight!
- Michael, Oxford

The song was inspired by a short trip to Scotland ("..in and around the lake, mountains come out of the sky...")
- Charles, Charlotte, NC

In 1970, my parents bought a house in the deep country and my sister and I were stranded in the middle of nowhere, 13 miles from town (population 2000) and a mile and a half from any neighbors! That Christmas we got matching AM radios that were shaped like a globe with two eyes. Remember those? Anyway, the only thing we could pick up was WLS in Chicago. Late at night, when we were supposed to be asleep, we'd listen to WLS. One night, she in her room with her little earplug in and I in my room with my little earplug in also, this amazing song came on the radio. The disc jockey neither front-announced or back-announced the song, so we didn't know who the artist was or even the title, but we both remarked the next day that it was the most incredible song we'd ever heard and we were on a mission to find out who it was. Fast-forward two years later and we found out it was Yes. Now, many years later after having seen them live probably a dozen times on just about every tour, even meeting them and interviewing them a couple of times, and collecting every solo album/cd of every member and their offshoot bands and what-not...I can say this song still gives me chills. I got to tell Jon Anderson this story one of the times in our meeting and he was so genuinely pleased upon hearing the story of the unknown song...Cheers Jon!
- Bryan, Morgantown, KY

Chris Squire is very inventive when it comes to creating basslines. This is his very best. Wakeman on the keyboards, what more needs to be said?
- Caleb, Camp Point, IL