The Story and Meaning Behind “Roundabout” by Yes, a Song that Made the Best of an Eventful Road Trip

The next time you take a road trip, pay attention not to just the scenery, but also the traffic intersections. That’s the lesson we should take a way from Yes, because their landmark song “Roundabout” couldn’t have happened without the band taking notice of all of the above on one fateful trip.

The song also came to life because Yes had found a sweet spot after several lineup changes, settling on a quintet that hit on all cylinders for their 1971 album Fragile. Let’s take a look back at “Roundabout,” a progressive-rock landmark.

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A Fragile Peace

More than most bands, Yes didn’t hesitate to make personnel changes when the chemistry just wasn’t right. Their first two albums gained them acclaim as virtuosic players with inventive ideas, but they lacked memorable songs. Their self-titled third album, released in 1970, began to broaden their audience, helped as it was by the addition of both new guitarist Steve Howe and stronger songwriting on tracks live “I’ve Seen All Good People” and “Yours Is No Disgrace.”

But there was still some dissension in the ranks. Keyboardist Tony Kaye had fought against the idea of incorporating more ornate sounds to his arsenal, which incurred the ire of lead singer Jon Anderson, who wanted to push the band’s sound further. Yes made the decision to replace Kaye.

Rick Wakeman got the gig as the new keyboardist and began pitching in to sessions for Fragile, which would become the band’s second album to be released in 1971. His contributions would be critical, not just to the album as a whole, but specifically to “Roundabout,” the multipronged song that would take shape as the album’s lead track and centerpiece.

An Eventful Trip

Yes was touring their previous album in March 1971 and were traveling along from one gig to another in scenic Scotland. Oddly enough, however, it wasn’t the beauty of nature that inspired Jon Anderson and Steve Howe as they looked around (although the mountains and the lake did work their way into the lyrics).

Instead, they were struck by how many roundabouts they encountered on the journey. That’s what set them off and running in writing the song. While Anderson concentrated on the lyrics, Howe set about coming up with the nifty acoustic intro. Meanwhile, the pair got together with the rest of the band and began plotting out the different sections to what would become an eight-and-a-half-minute behemoth of a song.

“Roundabout” benefits from the incredible give-and-take between all the instrumentalists. Chris Squire’s grinding bass delivers much of the forward momentum, while Howe sneaks in with his melodic flourishes on guitar. Drummer Bill Bruford is ready and waiting at every twist and turn, never losing the plot. And Wakeman delivers an incredible organ assault, at times joyous and aggressive, at times contemplative and atmospheric. It’s a thrillingly dynamic musical journey that evokes all the wonder that enveloped Anderson and Howe when they first came up with the idea.

What is the Meaning of “Roundabout”?

Jon Anderson gained a reputation as a lyricist who could be a bit elliptical with his poetry, and there’s certainly some of that to be found in “Roundabout”: Go closer hold the land, feel partly no more than grains of sand / We stand to lose all time, a thousand answers by in our hand. But ultimately, the song is about the magic of reunion: Twenty-four before my love you see / I’ll be there with you.

The idea seems to be that what should have been a mundane journey is transported into something special by the knowledge that his love is waiting. I will remember you, Anderson sings. Your silhouette will charge the view. He compares himself to a sailor looking to land after a long time away.

I’ll be your roundabout, Anderson promises to his love. If you’ve even driven in a busy roundabout, you probably know the feeling of wanting to get out of there as quickly as possible. But few listeners want to stray from “Roundabout” by Yes, because the musical maelstrom it delivers engenders the best kind of dizziness.

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