Close To The Edge lyrics by Yes, 2 meanings, official 2024 song lyrics | LyricsMode.com
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Yes – Close To The Edge lyrics
I. The Solid Time Of Change
(Anderson/Howe)

A seasoned witch could call you from the depths of your disgrace,
And rearrange your liver to the solid mental grace,
And achieve it all with music that came quickly from afar,
Then taste the fruit of man recorded losing all against the hour.
And assessing points to nowhere, leading ev'ry single one.
A dewdrop can exalt us like the music of the sun,
And take away the plain in which we move,
And choose the course you're running.

Down at the edge, round by the corner,
Not right away, not right away.
Close to the edge, down by a river,
Not right away, not right away.

Crossed the line around the changes of the summer,
Reaching out to call the color of the sky.
Passed around a moment clothed in mornings faster than we see.
Getting over all the time I had to worry,
Leaving all the changes far from far behind.
We relieve the tension only to find out the master's name.

Down at the end, round by the corner.
Close to the edge, just by a river.
Seasons will pass you by.
I get up, I get down.
Now that it's all over and done,
Now that you find, now that you're whole.

Ii. Total Mass Retain
(Anderson/Squire)

My eyes convinced, eclipsed with the younger moon attained with love.
It changed as almost strained amidst clear manna from above.
I crucified my hate and held the word within my hand.
There's you, the time, the logic, or the reasons we don't understand.

Sad courage claimed the victims standing still for all to see,
As armoured movers took approached to overlook the sea.
There since the cord, the license, or the reasons we understood will be.

Down at the edge, close by a river.
Close to the edge, round by the corner.
Close to the end, down by the corner.
Down at the edge, round by the river.

Sudden problems shouldn't take away the startled memory.
All in all, the journey takes you all the way.
As apart from any reality that you've ever seen and known.
Guessing problems only to deceive the mention,
Passing paths that climb halfway into the void.
As we cross from side to side, we hear the total mass retain.

Down at the edge, round by the corner.
Close to the end, down by a river.
Seasons will pass you by.
I get up, I get down.

Iii. I Get Up, I Get Down
(Anderson/Howe)

In her white lace, you could clearly see the lady sadly looking.
Saying that she'd take the blame
For the crucifixion of her own domain. I get up,
I get down,
I get up,
I get down.

Two million people barely satisfy.
Two hundred women watch one woman cry, too late.
The eyes of honesty can achieve.
How many millions do we deceive each day?
I get up, I get down.
I get up, I get down.

In charge of who is there in charge of me.
Do I look on blindly and say I see the way?
The truth is written all along the page.
How old will I be before I come of age for you?
I get up, I get down.
I get up, I get down.
I get up, I get down.

Iv. Seasons Of Man
(Anderson/Howe)

The time between the notes relates the color to the scenes.
A constant vogue of triumphs dislocate man, it seems.
And space between the focus shape ascend knowledge of love.
As song and chance develop time, lost social temp'rance rules above.
Ah, ah.

Then according to the man who showed his outstretched arm to space,
He turned around and pointed, revealing all the human race.
I shook my head and smiled a whisper, knowing all about the place.
On the hill we viewed the silence of the valley,
Called to witness cycles only of the past.
And we reach all this with movements in between the said remark.

Close to the edge, down by the river.
Down at the end, round by the corner.
Seasons will pass you by,
Now that it's all over and done,
Called to the seed, right to the sun.
Now that you find, now that you're whole.
Seasons will pass you by,
I get up, I get down.
I get up, I get down.
I get up, I get down.
I get up.
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Lyrics taken from /lyrics/y/yes/close_to_the_edge.html

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Songwriters: JON ANDERSON, STEVE JAMES HOWE
Close To The Edge lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC

Close To The Edge meanings

  • p
    + 4
    Per Nordin
    Jon has in several interviews said that not even he knows what his lyrics mean or are about, but feels that he learns it on an emotional or spiritual or intuitive level as the years go by and he sings the songs.
    So any interpretation is as good as any other. Anyones best shot is as valid as anyone else's.

    As for me, I often feel (and love) that he is just using beautiful yet random words in interesting phrases. To me, he is simply just painting with words and using his voice as any other instrument. Nobody would dream of asking what Rick Wakeman meant by that solo or this chords or same of Steve Howies phrasing, guitar timbre or choice of pedals, etc. I see Jons lyrics as just beautiful sound combinations he makes with his mouth that can tickle my ears, heart and mind same as any good instrumentalist.
    Honestly, read the lyrics and you will find that not only are they abstract to the extreme (to put it positively) but actually often even lack any grammatical coherence. And I absolutely love it! He is my favorite lyricist for those reasons: it is just beautiful.
    But guess away. It's everyones right and can be a good exercise.
    Add your reply
  • U
    + 2
    Unregistered
    This is about people in relationships who come close to the edge of death, whether it is the death of the realationship, death of the spirit or death of the body by suicide as a result of one person lacking the maturity to be faithful ("lost social temperance" and "two million women barely satisfy" = s** addiction, while "two hundred women watch one woman cry too late") because the damage is done. How old will I be before I come of age for you? = when will I mature enough to break the addiction? Gussing problems only to deceive the mention = we guess at what the problem is because there is no true communication. "passing paths that climb halfway into the void" = we avoid taking the path of honesty and admitting the problem is "half the battle"; a constant vogue of triumphs dislocates man so it seems = endless sexual encounters pulls him from where he should be (in harmony with his partner). The last part is about recovery as the addict suddenly becomes aware of how the addiction kept him from moving forward (called to witness cycles only of the past), now that you find now that you're whole. The ups and downs through the song change meaning: the ups and downs during addiction are the pleasures and guilt; the ups and downs post addiction represent feeling the triumph over the addiction and the guilt of realizing the damage it caused.
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    • p
      + 4
      Per Nordin
      Jon has in several interviews said that not even he knows what his lyrics mean or are about, but... Read more →
    • U
      + 2
      Unregistered
      This is about people in relationships who come close to the edge of death, whether it is the death... Read more →

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