Shoot High Aim Low
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"Shoot High Aim Low" is a song by Yes. It appears on the band's 1987 album, '' Big Generator''. The song reached position #11 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart in the 1980s. It appeared on every show on the Big Generator tour, but nowhere else to date.


Meaning

The song, according to Jon Anderson's announcements on many shows of the tour, is about war; specifically, a future in which mankind will live beyond war. In most of these announcements, Anderson explains that the "
Bluefields Bluefields is the capital of the South Caribbean Autonomous Region in Nicaragua. It was also the capital of the former Kingdom of Mosquitia, and later the Zelaya Department, which was divided into North and South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Regi ...
" mentioned in the first line are in
Nicaragua Nicaragua (; ), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (), is the largest country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north, the Caribbean to the east, Costa Rica to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Managua is the countr ...
. At the time the album was being worked on, a legal battle between the U.S. and Nicaragua had occurred over U.S. aid to anti-government guerrillas. Anderson also explains on some occasions that
Trevor Rabin Trevor Charles Rabin (; born ) is a South African rock musician and composer. Born into a musical family and raised in Johannesburg, Rabin took up the piano and guitar at an early age and became a session musician, playing and producing with a va ...
, who performs lead vocals on the song (alternating with Anderson) is singing in "dreamtime", while Anderson is singing in real time.


Live performances

In live performances, the song usually appeared just prior to " Big Generator". It would typically last, discounting announcements, for about 8 minutes 30 seconds. Rabin's electric guitar solo was somewhat extended live, but typically only by a short amount of time. By November 22, 1987,Forgotten Yesterdays
Yes tour log, retrieved December 25, 2006 this song was performed after "Big Generator." A live version can be found on the live box set ''
The Word is Live ''The Word is Live'' is a box set by the English progressive rock band Yes, released in August 2005 by Rhino Records. A triple album, the set is compiled of live recordings from radio broadcasts and concert tours between 1970 and 1988, mostly f ...
''.


Personnel

* Jon Anderson – vocals *
Chris Squire Christopher Russell Edward Squire (4March 1948 – 27June 2015) was an English musician, singer and songwriter best known as the bassist and backing vocalist of the progressive rock band Yes. He was the longest-serving original member, having r ...
– bass guitar, backing vocals *
Trevor Rabin Trevor Charles Rabin (; born ) is a South African rock musician and composer. Born into a musical family and raised in Johannesburg, Rabin took up the piano and guitar at an early age and became a session musician, playing and producing with a va ...
– guitar, lead and backing vocals, keyboards, mixing, production, string arrangements * Tony Kaye – keyboards * Alan White – drums, percussion *
Trevor Horn Trevor Charles Horn (born 15 July 1949) is an English music producer, label and recording studio owner, musician and composer. He is best known for his production work in the 1980s, and for being one half of the new wave band The Buggles (wit ...
– production


Notes and references

{{Yesband Yes (band) songs Anti-war songs 1987 songs Songs written by Jon Anderson Songs written by Trevor Rabin Songs written by Chris Squire Song recordings produced by Trevor Horn Songs written by Alan White (Yes drummer)