Time and a Word

Time and a Word
Studio album by Yes
Released	July 24, 1970
Recorded	November 1969–January 1970 at Advision Studios, London, England
Genre	Progressive rock
Length	40:06
Label	Atlantic
Producer	Tony Colton
Yes chronology
Yes (1969) Time and a Word (1970) The Yes Album (1971)
Alternative cover
U.S. cover

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic
Robert Christgau	(C)

Time and a Word is the second album by progressive rock band Yes, released in mid-1970 in the UK and November 1970 in the US. This was the last Yes album to feature the group's original line-up, as Peter Banks was fired before the album's release.

Time and a Word (Atlantic 2400 006) reached #45 in the UK. The North American release of the album (Atlantic SD 8273) did not chart.

The album

With Jon Anderson's decision to use a live orchestra on most of the album's songs (as Anderson reported in the YesYears video), Peter Banks was very much at odds with the decision. Tensions within the band increased, and just after the album's recording was completed in early 1970, Banks was asked to leave. Steve Howe would join the line-up that March, replacing Banks. The album includes two songs Jon Anderson wrote with David Foster, a former band mate in The Warriors.

Time and a Word's use of a studio orchestra seemed intrusive to some critics, and the album was received in a lukewarm fashion (UK #45, Yes' first chart entry at home). The opening track contains an orchestral intro to Richie Havens' song "No Opportunity Needed, No Experience Necessary", featuring a main theme from the 1958 film The Big Country by Jerome Moross. Also, the track "The Prophet" borrows from Gustav Holst's "Jupiter" from the Planets Suite.

Album cover

The US and UK releases had different album artwork; the UK version used a black-and-white Dada-esque photo-montage of a nude woman with butterfly, but this was deemed inappropriate in the US, so the cover there showed a picture of the band. Despite appearing on the US cover, Steve Howe does not play on the album. The back cover of both versions features photographs of Anderson, Squire, Kaye, Bruford and Banks.

Track listing

Side one

1. "No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed" (Richie Havens) – 4:48
2. "Then" (Jon Anderson)* – 5:46
3. "Everydays" (Stephen Stills) – 6:08
4. "Sweet Dreams" (Anderson, David Foster) – 3:50

Side two

5. "The Prophet" (Anderson, Chris Squire) – 6:34
6. "Clear Days" (Anderson) – 2:06
7. "Astral Traveller" (Anderson) – 5:53
8. "Time and a Word" (Anderson, David Foster) – 4:32

2003 Remaster bonus tracks

Time and a Word was remastered and reissued in 2003 with several bonus tracks:

9. "Dear Father" (Anderson, Squire) – 4:14
10. "No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed (Original Mix)" (Havens) – 4:46
11. "Sweet Dreams (Original Mix)" (Anderson, Foster) – 4:20
12. "The Prophet (Single Version)" (Anderson, Squire) – 6:33

Tracks 9–11 first appeared on early West German pressing of Time and a Word, Atlantic/Teldec (GE) (24/4/70).

Personnel

• Jon Anderson: vocals, percussion
• Peter Banks: electric and acoustic guitars, vocals
• Chris Squire: bass, vocals
• Tony Kaye: piano, organ
• Bill Bruford: drums, percussion

with

• David Foster: vocals on "Sweet Dreams", acoustic guitar on "Time and a Word"

Reissues

1989 - Atlantic - CD
1994 - Atlantic - CD (Remastered )
2003 - Rhino - CD (Remastered with Bonus Tracks )

Sources

• Time and a Word CD booklet essay, Mike Tiano, c. 2003
• AllMusicGuide.com