WCSX Classic Cuts : Long Distance Runaround
WCSX Classic Cuts
Yes: “Long Distance Runaround”
The Hook: A piano riff Rick Wakeman was playing in the studio triggered Jon Anderson’s arrangement for a song he’d already written.
Album: Fragile
Year: 1972
Writer: Jon Anderson
Stats: The B-side of “Roundabout,” which reached number-13 on the Billboard Hot 100, it became an AOR staple on its own.
Background: Fragile was the first Yes album to feature the talents of the band’s then-new keyboardist, Rick Wakeman. Their former singer, Jon Anderson recalls how Wakeman inspired the arrangement for “Long Distance Runaround.”
Former Yes singer Jon Anderson on how hearing a piano riff Rick Wakeman was playing triggered the entire arrangement for “Long Distance Runaround.” OC:…the guideline. :30
“I would walk into a studio and hear Rick going Duh-duh-duh-dum Tuh-tuh-tuh Duh-duh-duh-dum Tuh-tuh, just on his own in the corner. And I’d say, ‘Rick, play that again.’ And then Steve would be there. ‘Could you play that with him? Because I’ve got this song,’ and I’d start strumming this song. And it’s a song about the confusion, really, of religion – ‘Long distance runaround, looking for the light.’ And then Chris would just do very simple bass parts. And when we started to do the recording I said, ‘Let’s just keep it very, very simple, but use that hook as the guideline.’”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6lFj_SZlH0
