''Song of Seven'' is the second solo album by Yes lead singer Jon Anderson, released in 1980, and his first to use an actual band (the New Life Band).

Overview

''Song of Seven'' was released during Anderson's first hiatus from Yes and supported by his first solo tour. Anderson has said the album's backing tracks took three weeks to record, with further overdubs another two or three weeks. "Some Are Born", "Days", "Everybody Loves You" and "Hear It" were originally written and demoed during the ''

Tormato ''Tormato'' is the ninth studio album by English progressive rock band Yes. It was released on 22 September 1978 on Atlantic Records, and is their last album with singer Jon Anderson and keyboardist Rick Wakeman before their departure from the ...

'' sessions. The "Some Are Born" and "Days" demo versions from these sessions were included as bonus tracks on the 2004 CD reissue of ''Tormato'', however, the arrangements recorded on ''Song of Seven'' draw more on Celtic and R&B influences.

Track listing

All songs written by Jon Anderson unless indicated.

Side One

#"For You for Me" – 4:21 #"Some Are Born" – 4:03 #"Don't Forget (Nostalgia)" – 2:59 #"Heart of the Matter" (Anderson,

Ronnie Leahy Ronald Leahy (born 4 October 1947 in Glasgow) is a Scottish keyboard player best known for his work with Jack Bruce, Jon Anderson, Steve Howe on his second solo album and Nazareth (1998–2002, when Leahy retired from touring). He first gained r ...

) – 4:18 #"Hear It" – 1:48

Side Two

"Everybody Loves You" – 4:06

#"Take Your Time" – 3:07 #"Days" – 3:28 #"Song of Seven" – 11:16

Personnel

*Jon Anderson - lead vocals, acoustic guitar (2), keyboards (1,7,8), harp (9) *

- keyboards (1-9) * Damian Anderson - keyboards (5) *

Ian Bairnson Ian Bairnson (born 3 August 1953 as ''John Bairnson'') is a Scottish musician, best known for being one of the core members of The Alan Parsons Project. He is a multi-instrumentalist, who has played saxophone and keyboards, although he is best ...

- guitar (1-3, 5-8), bass (2), backing vocals (2) *

Clem Clempson David "Clem" Clempson (born 5 September 1949) is an English rock guitarist who has played as a member in a number of bands including Colosseum and Humble Pie. Career Clempson began his career in the late 1960s with the power trio, Bakerloo (or ...

- guitar (4,9) *

John Giblin John Giblin, is an active session musician, contributing mainly as an acoustic and electric bass player, and spanning genres of jazz, classical, rock, folk and avant-garde music. Best known as a studio musician, recording film scores and cont ...

- fretless bass (1,3,6-9) *

Jack Bruce John Symon Asher Bruce (14 May 1943 – 25 October 2014) was a Scottish bassist, singer-songwriter, musician and composer. He gained popularity as the primary lead vocalist and ‍bassist ‍of British rock band Cream. After the group disband ...

- bass (4) *Mel - bass (5) *

Morris Pert Morris David Brough Pert (8 September 1947 – 27 April 2010) was a Scottish composer, drummer/percussionist, and pianist who composed in the fields of both contemporary classical and jazz-rock music. His compositions include three symphonies, p ...

- drums, percussion (1-3, 5-7, 9) * Simon Phillips - drums (4) *

Dick Morrissey Richard Edwin Morrissey (9 May 1940 – 8 November 2000) was a British jazz musician and composer. He played the tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone and flute. Biography Background He was born in Horley, Surrey, England. Dick Morrissey emerg ...

- saxophone (2,4) *

Johnny Dankworth Johnny is an English language personal name. It is usually an affectionate diminutive of the masculine given name John, but from the 16th century it has sometimes been a given name in its own right for males and, less commonly, females. Varian ...

- alto saxophone (3) *

Chris Rainbow Christopher James Harley, known by the stage name Chris Rainbow (18 November 1946 – 22 February 2015), was a Scottish pop rock singer and musician whose songs "Give Me What I Cry For" and "Solid State Brain" were often played by British radio ...

- backing vocals (2-4, 6,8,9) *

Deborah Anderson Deborah Leigh Anderson (born 16 December 1970) is an English musician, photographer, and film director. Her early music work was as a vocalist on her father Jon Anderson's albums. Her 1995 single " Feel the Sunshine" was her first song that cha ...

- harmony vocals (9) *Delmé String Quartet; arranged by David Ogden (9) ;Technical *Mike Dunne - engineer *Brian Gaylor - electronic *Jon Anderson - cover *Alwyn Clayden - art direction, design *Ian Nicholson - illustrations

Charts

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Song of Seven 1980 albums Jon Anderson albums Atlantic Records albums