The Solution (song)

"The Solution"
"The Solution"
Song by Yes
from the album Open Your Eyes
Released	24 November 1997
Recorded	Summer 1997
Length	23:47 (5:26+2:00 (silent)+16:21)
Label	Atco Records
Composer(s)	Jon Anderson, Steve Howe, Billy Sherwood, Chris Squire, Alan White
Lyricist(s)	Jon Anderson
Producer(s)	Yes

"The Solution" is a song by Yes. It appeared as the closing track of the 1997 album Open Your Eyes. The song itself was never played live, but the closing ambient section opened every show of the album's tour, followed by a tape recording of "Firebird Suite" by Igor Stravinsky. It did not see a single issue.^[1]

On the album

The work is the last track on the disc. While the recording's index lasts for 23 minutes and 47 seconds, the song itself is only 5:26. The remainder of the composition is consumed by an atmospheric section consisting of a two-minute break and 16:21 of nature sounds and clippings of vocals from each track. As such, it remains the longest studio track in the Yes catalogue, but not the longest studio recording (the title work from Fly From Here, a series of six songs, took this title in 2011, beating it by 2 seconds), despite being essentially two separate compositions.

Alternate issues

Surround sound

When the album was first released, a surround sound edition was available which excluded the ambiance ghost track.^[2]

Japanese issue

The Japanese issue of the album also includes this ambiance track.^[3] In addition, the radio edit of "Open Your Eyes" appears before this song and after "Somehow, Someday".

Personnel

Jon Anderson – vocals
Chris Squire – bass, vocals
Steve Howe – lead guitars, vocals
Billy Sherwood – keyboards, guitar, vocals
Alan White – drums

Notes and references

^ Yesworld Archived 3 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine Yes official site, retrieved 4 February 2007.
^ Allmusic review, retrieved 4 February 2007.
^ Allmusic review of Japanese version, retrieved 4 February 2007.