| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [2] |
Classic Yes is the second compilation album by the English progressive rock band Yes, released on 11 December 1981 by Atlantic Records. It was released after the group had disbanded in early 1981, following their 1980 tour in support of their tenth studio album, Drama (1980). The tracks were compiled by bassist Chris Squire and the cover was designed by Roger Dean.
Upon its release, it charted at No. 142 on the US Billboard 200. Some pressings included a free single of previously unreleased live versions of “Roundabout” and “I’ve Seen All Good People“. The album became a strong seller, and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for selling over one million copies.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original album | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | “Heart of the Sunrise“ | Jon Anderson, Chris Squire, Bill Bruford | Fragile (1971) | 10:34 |
| 2. | “Wonderous Stories“ | Anderson | Going for the One (1977) | 3:45 |
| 3. | “Yours Is No Disgrace“ | Anderson, Squire, Bruford, Steve Howe, Tony Kaye | The Yes Album (1971) | 9:41 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original album | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4. | “Starship Trooper“” | Anderson, Squire, Howe | The Yes Album | 9:29 |
| 5. | “Long Distance Runaround“ | Anderson | Fragile | 3:30 |
| 6. | “The Fish” | Squire | Fragile | 2:36 |
| 7. | “And You and I“” | Anderson, Bruford, Howe, Squire | Close to the Edge (1972) | 10:03 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8. | “Roundabout” (Live at Oakland Coliseum, 7 October 1978) | Anderson, Howe | 7:47 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9. | “I’ve Seen All Good People” (Live at Empire Pool, 28 October 1978) | Anderson, Squire | 7:24 |
Personnel
Yes
- Jon Anderson – lead vocals
- Steve Howe – guitars, vocals
- Chris Squire – bass guitar, vocals
- Tony Kaye – keyboards on “Yours Is No Disgrace” and “Starship Trooper”
- Rick Wakeman – keyboards on everything else
- Alan White – drums on “Wonderous Stories”, “Roundabout”, and “I’ve Seen All Good People”
- Bill Bruford – drums on everything else
Production
- Chris Squire – album compilation
- Yes – production
- Eddie Offord – production, engineer
Charts
| Chart (1981) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200[3] | 142 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[4] | Silver | 60,000^ |
| United States (RIAA)[5] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
- ^ “BPI”.
- ^ Connolly, D. (2011). “Classic Yes – Yes”. allmusic.com. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
- ^ “Yes Chart History (Billboard 200)“. Billboard. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
- ^ “British album certifications – Yes – Classic Yes”. British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Formats field. Type Classic Yes Yes in the “Search:” field.
- ^ “American album certifications – Yes – Classic Yes”. Recording Industry Association of America.
