Roundabout

Zoo Freaks, get ready to groove with the Zoo Crew as we spin the iconic "Roundabout" by Yes from their 1971 album Fragile. This progressive rock masterpiece, written by Jon Anderson and Steve Howe, was inspired by a wild road trip through Scotland in March 1971. Picture the band, cruising in a van from Aviemore to Glasgow, encountering what Anderson called "maybe 40 or so" roundabouts. High on the vivid scenery—and perhaps a joint or two—Anderson scribbled freeform lyrics in a notebook, capturing the mystical vibe of mountains and valleys. As he later told Dig!, "Everything was vivid and mystical," and the words flowed without much editing. Howe, strumming his Martin 0018 folk guitar, laid down the song’s unforgettable acoustic intro in a hotel room, and the demo was born.

The magic of "Roundabout" truly came alive at Advision Studios in London, where Yes recorded Fragile with producer Eddy Offord. New keyboardist Rick Wakeman, fresh from Strawbs, brought a game-changing energy, doubling octaves on a grand piano to fatten the sound. Anderson noted in a Dig! interview, "Rick coming into the group made us work faster and harder than we’d ever done before." The band jammed the track into an 8:29 prog-rock epic, with tricky time signatures—mostly 4/4, but slipping into 14/4 for choruses and 7/4 for the outro. Drummer Bill Bruford even shouted for an organ solo mid-rehearsal, as Wakeman recalled in a Mix interview, adding to the song’s dynamic flow. The single, chopped to 3:27 for radio, hit #13 on the Billboard Hot 100, but Anderson was shocked by the edit, telling Songfacts, "It was just totally wrong musically." Still, it skyrocketed their fame.

"Roundabout" has a life beyond the charts, Zoo Freaks. It became the ending theme for the 2012 anime JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, chosen because manga creator Hirohiko Araki vibed to it while writing. This sparked the viral "To Be Continued" meme, where the song’s acoustic intro plays over freeze-framed videos of imminent chaos—like accidents or pranks—racking up over 220 million TikTok views. Anderson, in a chat with YouTuber Rick Beato, beamed about this resurgence, saying, "It’s like playing tennis; you send an idea out, and it comes back with another idea." The song’s deceptive cadence, a surprising chord shift noted by songwriter Glen Burtnik on Songfacts, keeps listeners hooked. It even rocked the 2017 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction for Yes, performed with Rush’s Geddy Lee on bass in place of the late Chris Squire.

Now, let’s rewind to how Yes got started. Formed in London in 1968, the band began with Jon Anderson (vocals), Chris Squire (bass), Peter Banks (guitar), Tony Kaye (keyboards), and Bill Bruford (drums). Anderson and Squire met at a Soho club, bonding over Simon & Garfunkel’s harmonies, and recruited the others through ads and local gigs. Their early days were spent playing covers of rock, pop, blues, and jazz at clubs like The Marquee, as detailed on Wikipedia. Their self-titled debut (1969) and Time and a Word (1970) mixed originals with covers, but it was 1970’s shift to progressive rock that defined them. Steve Howe replaced Banks, and The Yes Album (1971) marked their breakthrough. Rick Wakeman joined for Fragile, replacing Kaye, bringing classical chops and a flair for Mellotron and Moog. Known for elaborate live shows and Roger Dean’s iconic album art, Yes became prog-rock pioneers.

Stay connected with Yes and their cosmic vibes, Zoo Freaks! Check their official site at yesworld.com for tour dates and news. Follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and X for updates, like their 2018 post about "Roundabout"’s U.S. release on X. Join fan communities at YesFans on Facebook or explore yesfans.com for forums and trivia. Keep spinning with the Zoo Crew, and let "Roundabout" take you in and out the valley!