The Word Is Live

Infobox Album
Name = The Word is Live
Type = Box set
Artist = Yes


Released = August 23 2005
Recorded = March 12 1970 – February 19 1988
Genre = Progressive rock
Length = 3:49:40
Label = Rhino Records
Producer = Steve Woolard
Reviews =
* Allmusic Rating|2.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:9xjxlf3escqo link]
Last album = ""
(2003)
This album = "The Word is Live"
(2005)
Next album = "Essentially Yes
(2006)

"The Word is Live" is a live box set by progressive rock band Yes and was released in 2005 through Rhino Records.

Considered the live companion to 2002's studio "" box set, "The Word is Live" serves to document the band's live story from early BBC recordings in 1970 with Peter Banks to 1988 shows for "Big Generator". All but the first two tracks were previously unreleased.

Many of the tracks were originally broadcast on radio shows and have been bootlegged extensively. In these, it is often the case that the radio show's final mix was the only mix available so few improvements in quality could be done for the release. While a few of the recordings (mostly those from the 1980 tour) do feature a less-than-polished quality to them, "The Word is Live" is still considered a fine document of Yes in a concert setting.

The box set also comes with a 52 page book containing images and stories by Yes fans and praising retroperspectives from artists such as John Frusciante from Red Hot Chili Peppers. The opening for the book was written by Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake & Palmer.

The set includes several pieces not originally released as studio recordings by Yes, including "It's Love", an extended cover of a song by The Young Rascals, and "Go Through This" and "We Can Fly From Here" from the tour to support "Drama", but which were not released on "Drama".

The title is presumably an alteration of the lyric "The word is love" from the song Time and a Word.

* [http://www.scopecreep.com/Rhapsody/2005/12/yes-word-is-live.html Listen to The Word is Live] with Rhapsody

Track listing

Disc one

#"Then" (Jon Anderson) – 5:25
#"For Everyone" (Jon Anderson/Chris Squire) – 4:44
#* "Tracks 1 - 2: BBC, 1970"
#"Astral Traveller" (Jon Anderson) – 7:24
#"Everydays" (Stephen Stills) – 11:01
#* "Tracks 3 - 4: Gothenburg, 1971"
#"Yours Is No Disgrace" (Jon Anderson/Chris Squire/Steve Howe/Tony Kaye/Bill Bruford) – 11:45
#"I've Seen All Good People" – 7:52
##"Your Move" (Jon Anderson)
##"All Good People" (Chris Squire)
#"America" (Paul Simon) – 16:21
#"It's Love" (Felix Cavaliere/Eddie Brigati) – 11:07
#* "Tracks 5 - 8: London, 1971"

Disc two

#"Apocalypse" (Jon Anderson/Chris Squire/Steve Howe/Bill Bruford) – 3:08
#"Siberian Khatru" (Jon Anderson; Themes by Jon Anderson/Steve Howe/Rick Wakeman) – 10:10
#"Sound Chaser" (Jon Anderson/Chris Squire/Steve Howe/Patrick Moraz/Alan White) – 11:17
#* "Tracks 1 - 3: Detroit, 1976"
#"Sweet Dreams" (Jon Anderson/David Foster) – 6:22
#* "Track 4: London, 1975"
# A. "Future Times" (Jon Anderson/Chris Squire/Steve Howe/Rick Wakeman/Alan White) B. "Rejoice" (Jon Anderson) – 6:59
#"Circus of Heaven" (Jon Anderson) – 4:52
#* "Tracks 5 - 6: Oakland, 1978"
#"The Big Medley: Time and a Word/Long Distance Runaround/Survival/The Fish" (Jon Anderson/David Foster/Chris Squire) – 25:53
#* "Track 7: Inglewood, 1978"
#"Hello Chicago" (Jon Anderson/Chris Squire/Steve Howe/Rick Wakeman/Alan White) – 2:11
#"Roundabout" (Jon Anderson/Steve Howe) – 8:42
#* "Tracks 8 - 9: Chicago, 1979"

Disc three

#"Heart of the Sunrise" (Jon Anderson/Chris Squire/Bill Bruford) – 10:56
#* "Track 1: Oakland, 1978"
#"Awaken" (Jon Anderson/Steve Howe) – 17:53
#* "Track 2: Chicago, 1979"
#"Go Through This" (Steve Howe) – 4:21
#"We Can Fly from Here" (Geoff Downes/Trevor Horn) – 6:46
#"Tempus Fugit" (Geoff Downes/Trevor Horn/Steve Howe/Chris Squire/Alan White) – 5:53
#* "Tracks 3 - 5: New York City, 1980"
#"Rhythm of Love" (Jon Anderson/Chris Squire/Trevor Rabin/Tony Kaye) – 6:42
#"Hold On" (Jon Anderson/Chris Squire/Trevor Rabin) – 7:24
#"Shoot High, Aim Low" (Jon Anderson/Chris Squire/Trevor Rabin/Tony Kaye/Alan White) – 8:27
#"Make It Easy/Owner of a Lonely Heart" (Jon Anderson/Chris Squire/Trevor Rabin/Trevor Horn) – 6:09
#* "Tracks 6 - 9: Houston, 1988"

"The Word Is Live" (Rhino R2 78234) failed to chart in the UK or US.