Song Of Seven

Album: Song Of Seven (1980)
Play Video

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.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Director Paul Rachman on "Hunger Strike," "Man in the Box," Kiss

Director Paul Rachman on "Hunger Strike," "Man in the Box," KissSong Writing

After cutting his teeth on hardcore punk videos, Paul defined the grunge look with his work on "Hunger Strike" and "Man in the Box."

Yoko Ono

Yoko OnoSongwriter Interviews

At 80 years old, Yoko has 10 #1 Dance hits. She discusses some of her songs and explains what inspired John Lennon's return to music in 1980.

Phone Booth Songs

Phone Booth SongsSong Writing

Phone booths are nearly extinct, but they provided storylines for some of the most profound songs of the pre-cell phone era.

Mark Arm of Mudhoney

Mark Arm of MudhoneySongwriter Interviews

When he was asked to write a song for the Singles soundtrack, Mark thought the Seattle grunge scene was already overblown, so that's what he wrote about.

Name the Character in the Song

Name the Character in the SongMusic Quiz

With a few clues (Works at a diner, dreams of running away), can you name the character in the song?

Penny Ford of Snap!

Penny Ford of Snap!Songwriter Interviews

The original voice of Snap! this story is filled with angry drag queens, video impersonators and Chaka Khan.