Song Of Seven

Album: Song Of Seven (1980)
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Songfacts®:

  • Running 11:07, this is a song about dreams, and embracing life's mysteries. Jon Anderson wrote it after leaving his band Yes, which he founded in 1968. His lyrics often explore spiritual themes and tie in with his personal growth; with "Song Of Seven," he was feeling very open about life and excited to begin his solo career.

    As a solo artist, he didn't have the sales numbers he did with Yes, but that's not what he was after. He returned to the band in 1983, but kept a lot of side projects going, including more solo albums and various collaborations with the Greek composer Vangelis.
  • What's the significance of the number seven in this song? In a Songfacts interview with Jon Anderson, he said: "There are seven colors in a rainbow and seven musical notes. Seven has a very powerful connection to our psyche."
  • "Song Of Seven" is the title track to Anderson's second solo album. It's one he remained fond of; in 2020, it got a 40th anniversary re-release.
  • Anderson was far more than just a singer and lyricist with Yes - he helped structure the songs and was always coming up with musical ideas. On this orchestrated track, he had to dive into it musically, which he found quite rewarding. Musicians on it include Clem Clemson on guitar, John Giblin on bass, Ronnie Leahy on keyboards, and Maurice Pert on percussion. Strings were provided by the Delmé String Quartet.
  • Anderson often layers his own vocals to provide a choral effect, but on this one he got some help, with Chris Harley, known for his work with The Alan Parsons Project, lending his voice.

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