Songwriters: Squire, Chris; Howe, Steven James; Ka… Read Full Bio ↴From 'The Yes Album'.
Songwriters: Squire, Chris; Howe, Steven James; Kaye, Tony
Yours Is No Disgrace
Yes Lyrics
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Caesar's palace, morning glory, silly human race,
On a sailing ship to nowhere, leaving any place,
If the summer change to winter, yours is no disgrace
Battleships confide in me and tell me where you are,
Shining, flying, purple wolfhound, show me where you are,
Lost in summer, morning, winter, travel very far,
Yesterday a morning came, a smile upon your face
Caesar's palace, morning glory, silly human, silly human race,
On a sailing ship to nowhere, leaving any place,
If the summer change to winter, yours is no,
Yours is no disgrace
Yours is no disgrace
Yours is no disgrace
Death defying, mutilated armies scatter the earth,
Crawling out of dirty holes, their morals,
Their morals disappear
Yesterday a morning came, a smile upon your face
Caesar's palace, morning glory, silly human, silly human, silly human race,
On a sailing ship to nowhere, leaving any place,
If the summer change to winter, yours is no,
Yours is no disgrace
Yours is no disgrace
Yours is no disgrace
Battleships confide in me and tell me where you are,
Shining, flying, purple wolfhound, show me where you are,
Lost in summer, morning, winter, travel very far,
Lost in musing circumstances, that's just where you are
The lyrics to Yes's song "Yours Is No Disgrace" appear to be a stream of conscious reflection on life and the human experience. The song's opening lines speak of a morning that comes with a smile on someone's face, but then moves on to the image of Caesar's palace and the "silly human race." This seems to be a commentary on society's obsession with power and status and the foolishness of it all. The next lines mention being on a sailing ship to nowhere, leaving any place, and the idea that even if summer changes to winter, "yours is no disgrace." This suggests a sense of freedom and detachment from earthly concerns.
The next verse speaks of "battleships confiding" and "shining, flying purple wolfhounds." These surreal images suggest a disconnect from reality and a sense of being lost in "musing circumstances." The final lines of the song speak of "death defying, mutilated armies" and their disappearing morals. This could be interpreted as a commentary on the horrors of war and the loss of humanity that can result from it.
Overall, the lyrics to "Yours Is No Disgrace" appear to be a reflection on the human condition and the inherent contradictions and complexities of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Yesterday a morning came, a smile upon your face
In the past, you experienced a positive moment and expressed happiness on your countenance
Caesar's palace, morning glory, silly human race
These grandiose edifices and beautiful mornings are vain and insignificant due to the foolish actions of humanity
On a sailing ship to nowhere, leaving any place
You are traveling aimlessly without a destination or purpose
If the summer change to winter, yours is no disgrace
Even in the face of change, your character remains honorable and respectable
Battleships confide in me and tell me where you are
I want to know your location and situation, just like how ships in war communicate secretly
Shining, flying, purple wolfhound, show me where you are
A mystical creature is asked to guide me to your whereabouts
Lost in summer, morning, winter, travel very far
You are wandering and traversing through different seasons and times without direction or purpose
Lost in musing circumstances, that's just where you are
You are currently in a state of contemplation and uncertainty
Death defying, mutilated armies scatter the earth
There are many wars happening with catastrophic effects on human life and nature
Crawling out of dirty holes, their morals disappear
The horrors of war have dire consequences, such as the loss of moral values and virtues
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHRIS SQUIRE, JON ANDERSON, STEVE JAMES HOWE, TONY KAYE, WILLIAM SCOTT BRUFORD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ross S.
I said it a millions times, you can't beat the 1970s for some of the most amazing rock music ever created!!
American Patriot
That’s right. 70’s rock was a renaissance period for the best R&R ever created.
Marc Fedak
Hi Ross, I agree, it's hard to beat the mid 60s (from Animals, "House of the RIsing Sun" to about the mid to late 70s) for an astounding range of rock music and advanced playing abilities. I say this as one whose formative years were the late 70s to late 80s.
Europa Invicta
True - probably the best decade (but the look was dire)
Chuck M
Say it a million more times it's true!
A. Horne
I think it’s because from the mid-‘60s forward, whether by coincidence or whatever, bands with any kind of “progressive” bent at all were realizing that they were free to try new approaches, accentuate different instruments (like, I’m happy to say, the mighty Hammond Organ... the melancholy, haunting & beautiful Mellotron... and the Minimoog) and everything...!
Yeti Vanmarshall
Saw Jon and band geeks last night at NJPAC. Did the song justice and Jon's voice was incredible.
JustWasted3HoursHere
I went to a Yes concert in the early seventies that was just over 3 hours long. They played five songs. It was bliss.
mariosirius
"Uhhhhhh... What a Lucky Maaaaannnn...
You Are!"
Bob The Bear
Okay we all know that's a big exaggeration LOL