Tales From Topographic Oceans is my all time favorite album!!!

I felt the same in the early 70s. But, 49 live shows later, I'm still learning to appreciate their talents and hear something new each time. #1 band, ever.

That is quite a choice to put Jana thru for the first time, but this is my all time favorite YES Album. I just close my eyes and dream while listening.

Topographic is a masterpiece. A bit to jump into if you aren’t used to these epics. Well done

Will require many listens to fully appreciate. A lot going on, but the Rick Wakeman synth solo is worth the price of admission alone.

A brave companion you have there, asked if she's up for a 20 something minute song, and she says , go for it... Jana is more adventurous than she lets on.... great reaction!

This is hard to listen but is WONDERFULL. The entire album is the band doing a simphony in 4 moviments.

I always forget how much I like this album until I hear it again. .

This is one of my favorite YES songs.

The thing that really sold me on this song was the live version from the first Keys To Ascension album. That version got me to absolutely love this whole piece rather than just a few sections. So, I would recommend taking a listen to that one as well.

The first time I saw YES they preformed this album, what a concert. I believe it was early 1974 if memory serves.

Nathan, Jana - this was so much fun. Watching as Jana's heart grew three times listening to the beautiful music entering her ears. The changes of tempo, from rock parts to soft parts are absolutely necessary to understand the piece. It's important with progressive music to consider the musicianship that goes into creating such beauty. this may have been the quickest 20 minutes you have had in a long time. Thanks for the reaction video. Keep up the good work, Ken

Wow, talk about jumping into the deep end 😳🤣. Glad she enjoyed some of it. Good show!

Very surprised that you started with this as one of their masterpieces. I figured you would do Close to the Edge or Gates of Delerium or even Awaken first! But great reaction!

After many years of listening, I find this album keeps giving. And since Covid, I have a lot more time to get reacquainted with all the "Yes" epics and can sit down and just listen. I understand Jana's response, it's a lot to take in. Thanks guys!

Loved your reactions. Keep it up and never give up. All the best.

This Album holds a special place in my heart. It was My first time seeing Yes Live. And It all revolves around my very first introduction to, ‘Tales From Topographic Oceans’. (TFTO). The very first time I heard this Album, was 'Live', in its entirety, (All 4 Sides of this Double Album), at my hometown venue, Leicester’s 'De Montfort Hall', on the 26th Nov' 1973. It was less than 2 weeks before the Album was officially released in Dec' '73. I was just 17 years old. Imagine that. And I’d already been a fan for 3 Years. I remember reading in the Music Papers I used to have, ‘Sounds’, ‘Melody Maker’ and the ‘New Musical Express’, they said it was a big gamble that ‘Yes’ were taking, playing the whole Album Live, as some of the earliest Shows on the ‘TFTO’ Tour, were pre the Album coming out. So, as a 17 year old, there with my friends, standing right at the front, near the Stage, we were mesmerised, watching and listening, open mouthed in amazement, so close to our Musical Heroes. Almost within touching distance of Jon, Chris, Rick, Steve and Alan. It was mind blowing, scintillating to see. I’ll never forget that night. The Roger Dean style Images we all had on previous Album sleeves and the Posters all over my bedroom walls, had come to life, on Stage, before our very eyes! And we were blown away at the performance and the musical sounds from ‘TFTO’! I couldn’t take my eyes off Jon, there just above me on Stage. We were transported to another world. It was incredible. We were also lucky enough to get the whole of the ‘Close To The Edge’ Album too that night! With ‘Roundabout’ as a encore. So what a Show that was! But when I bought the ‘TFTO’ Album, just a couple of weeks later, I took it home and had a extra special smile on my face. Because, I knew what was coming! Incredible. And I’ve always Loved it. I still get goosebumps at the Opening Section of ‘The Revealing Science Of God’, as Jon’s voice comes in and the Music builds up to that amazing Crescendo! Fabulous. Awesome. Mind blowing! These are just my own personal feelings. 🎶❤️🎶

Jana, I think your criticism was very fair and I'm glad you said it. I love this piece, but I totally understand why some might not, at least on first listen. My guess is you'll like it more with further listens, mostly because of how beautiful it is and I think it will resonate deeper with you on future listens.

I love the tid bit but your dad using this song as a lullaby!! It totally makes sense to me but he has to listened to it SOO many times to go through it like that :) I think this is my favourite Yes song so thank you for this video!!

WOW....amazed that someone did a reaction video to this epic song. Thanks...!

You can see Jana connect with the passage from 16:30 to 20:06, and rightly so, it's one of the best passages Yes ever recorded

Beatiful. Master piece

the shuffle idea is soooo good!!!

Backtracking from your Storytime reaction to see what you have done before. I'm a long time Prog fan and was listening to this Yes song on vinyl decades ago.

Thank you for your reaction. You're great, natural, and interested. This is a great album, the third of Yes for me. But this song is one of the 5 all-time best of Yes. They are superb at this epic, climatic, and story-telling music.

I love this track and The Remembering. But Close to the Edge is my all time favourite song.

I’ve seen them play this live twice. The best tour was Masterworks Tour. July 2000. 8 songs total. Close to the Edge, Starship Trooper, Gates of Delirium, Leaves of Green, Heart of the Sunrise, Ritual, I’ve Seen All Good People, Roundabout. Kansas opened for them.

Tales is my favorite Yes album. It is a sonic journey and adventure. Yes is one of the very few bands who take the time to produce these epics to take the listener to new places. Even though this music is nearly 50 years old it is still from a different place in the far future even in 2021. For this type of music you need to lay back in a darkened room with no distractions to focus on the music. You need several listens to grasp the complexity of the whole work as new aspects pop out each time. It is a song that really grows on you big time if you let it. But it is a really tough ask for Prog novice to take a journey like this it is long. Most people are so well conditioned to the 3 to 4 minute song. You made it through such an epic most work through the early albums first. But a very good reaction. Thanks for video and putting on-line most people are scared when they see how long it is.

Great comments Jana!😎

I anticipate watching You two react to The Ancient. Back in '73 we were all trying to learn the acoustic section. Steve Howe "The Maestro"

I Love this album, interesting how Jon speaks of Spirits as "they move fast", and the part of the song where mankind, and earthly life is sung about the song slows down to Human Speed, "and through the rhythm of moving slowly, sent through the rhythm work out the story" allowing the music to show that vibration is fundamental to the material world.

good appreciation

Hey my friend, your father is absolutely right. I always play this at night to fall asleep... It's a very spirited song... You guys didn't mention the word spiritual... Anyway , u should listen to it when laying down relaxing and listen to each instrument... Excellent piece of work.. Also close to the edge is great

Dont worry lady.. listen to it several times and you will lovr it

Jana, if you like it by some parts at first listen, you definitivly have to give it some other listens, because this kind of music grows in you the more you know it. And also listent the whole album.

I absolutely LOVE you guys.....you guys are just Adorable!!!! Really hip but not prestigious. And Jana is right....and Yes only played this song once in the 4 times I saw them in concert....so.......it is an epic great tune that could have been condensed a bit. Not purposely concise like Close To The Edge or Awaken or Gates of Delirium...so she is right....about too long. However, I have the vinyl and the CD and play it like once a month....I mostly listen to Close To The Edge and Fragile Going For The One....almost all the time.

non-prog wife, l love that. i have one of those too! now i have a label.

All great music requires many listens to appreciate its qualities

Lightmane brought me here. I am the biggest YES fan on all the planets! So much to explore with YES. This is a song to enjoy after you have heard dozens and dozens of others first. But, any time is a good time to listen and enjoy the musicianship of the greatest band of all time!😎

Jana, you will enjoy Turn Of The Century by Yes a beautiful sad love song.and its not that long

Own the LP's set since the 70's. This is a Great Album. I don't like all 4 songs, just 3 of them. This album was one I would not share with just anyone. This first song (1 of 4) are all 22 minutes long. Most folks won't sit that long. This one is the easiest of the 4 to listen to. Nathan: It is obvious he knows this song well, he knew the changes coming up well in advance. TRY: "Sea of Tranquility" from Total Eclipse / Billy Cobam.

Jana, mass R-E-S-P-E-C-T, girlfriend! Yes is my favorite band ever, and even for me sitting through the four side length epics of this album can be tough. I really have to be in the mood for it. If you're interested, I do recommend you read through the lyrics separately from the music. They can be cryptic, but they're based on Eastern mystic spirituality and can bring peace of mind just reading them as poetry.

Longtime Yes fan here... this is a tough album to digest. There are so many beautiful moments, but some parts just seem to drag on for too long. They set out to do a double album with four songs before they ever wrote anything, and you can hear they really had to stretch to fill up four sides of vinyl. But sides 1 and 4 are the best for sure. That screaming synth solo is a major highlight. Always love seeing reactions from people hearing Yes for the first time!

best prog track ever

Jana, I was surprised to hear you say your mind was wandering as it looked like you were pretty much engrossed and judging by your amused facial expressions that you were ‘getting’ a lot of the clever shifts in the music. If you were able to give it a few listens you would start to hear more of the differences in the parts of the piece. Trouble is this is true for the whole double album and would take an enormous investment of time to really appreciate the full extent of what the band achieved with Topographic Oceans ( I speak as someone who loved the sound of it when I first heard it in 1973 but didn’t really understand it till after several years of listening).

This used to be my all time favourite Yes album. Overtime Close to the Edge has replaced that as my favourite but Tales still certainly has a place in my top five.

Its based on indu texts. One piecd divided in 4 parts of movements. Jon and steve had to convince the rest of band this monumental and epic work

Yes’ To Be Over is probably not on the Top 100 Prog list, but the Mrs. might like it. It was nice to listen to this classic again.

Dude, I'm with you. My wife and grown up kids really fo not get it. I'm happy that it's a personal thing; just like everyone's own journey through life and making sense of it. Enjoy buddy.

Didn't this song have a short keyboard intro?

I'm a 50 year Yes fan and WOULD HAVE NEVER reccomended this as your next piece. Don't fret, you'll "get it" 1 day. Go back and listen too their first few albums and go from there onward too the Yes Album and Fragile.

Listen not just with your ears, but with your non-rational mind, your soul, your heart. Not easy. Why did you do this to her Nathan? (Just kidding… but this song could potentially turn her off to prog) it’s a lot on th first hearing. And it’s my very favorite. ‘Ooompa, ooompa’, that was too cute! Much credit to you giving it a shot.

Very cool. Might I suggest To Be Over from Relayer…

You're already throwing your wife into the Ocean? Wow! 😎😀😛🙂

Next up Tarkus. 😉

I’m a huge Yes fan and even I don’t like this one that much. Some parts are fine but overall…not doing it for me.

These pieces are not long at all. This is not pop music. Thats why radio pop critics did not understand it and embraced punk.