Tales from Topographic Oceans

Tales from Topographic Oceans is the sixth studio album by the progressive rock band Yes, released in 1973.

Album
Jon Anderson was fascinated by the thought of Paramahansa Yoganada after he had read Autobiography of a Yogi, and, together with Howe, decided to create a concept made by four long compositions based on the four Shastra scriptures: Shruti (knowledge), Smriti (memory), Puranas (truth) and Tantras (war between good and evil). The recording took place at the Morgan Studios in London, where Black Sabbath were recording Sabbath Bloody Sabbath in the September of the same year, and the sessions featured the presence of the drummer Alan White, called to substitute Bill Bruford. Although the band prepared decorations to make the studio similar to the countryside in order to inspire the compositions, Wakeman was not particularly enthusiast of the project and spent a lot of time in studio with Black Sabbath; his disliking towards the album continued after the release, and brought him to to left the band after the promotional tour.

Release and Reception
After the success of the previous two albums, there were great expectations among fans and critics for the new Yes's album, which ended up arousing a big disappointment: before the release, the band presented a preview of the album with a gig at the Rainbow Theatre in London, dividing fans and critics between those who were amazed of the new bombastic compositions and those who felt the music was uninspired, focused on the complexity of the musical architecture rather than the feeling. However, this didn't interfere with the success of the double LP, which became a golden disc with the only prenotations, and reached the n.1 positions in the English sales and the n.6 position on Billboard. The tour to promote the album was succesful and was characterized by magnificent scenographies and special effects: the band used to appear on stage going out from a tunnel and White played drums in a big shell. In this period the conflict between Yes and Wakeman grew in worse because the keyboardist couldn't stand the new musical direction and the vegan habits the band had taken during the recording, and at the end of the tour Rick lef the band.

Tracklist

 * 1) "The Revealing Science of God (Dance of the Dawn)" (20:27)
 * 2) "The Remembering (High the Memory)" (20:38)
 * 3) "The Ancient (Giants Under the Sun)" (18:34)
 * 4) "Ritual (Nous Sommes Du Soleil)" (21:35)

Bonus Tracks (2003 Re-Issue)
 "Dance of the Dawn" (Studio Run-Through) (23:35) "Giants Under the Sun" (Studio Run-Through) (17:17) 

2016 Definitive Edition
The printed booklet for this edition lists the alternate take of "Dance of the Dawn" as "Studio Run-Through", but the version of the song pressed on both the Blu-Ray and CD discs is actually the "Extended Version" of "The Revealing Science of God (Dance of the Dawn)" from the 2003 Rhino release.

CD

 * CD1 – 2016 Stereo Mixes


 * 1) "The Revealing Science of God (Dance of the Dawn)" (20:18)
 * 2) "The Remembering (High the Memory)" (20:32)
 * 3) "The Ancient (Giants Under the Sun)" (18:40)


 * CD2 – 2016 Stereo Mixes


 * 1) "Ritual (Nous sommes du soleil)" (21:44)
 * 2) "Dance of the Dawn" (22:36)
 * 3) "Dance of the Dawn (Extended version, mislabelled as Studio Run-Through)" (22:23)


 * CD 3 – 2016 Stereo Mixes


 * 1) "High the Memory (Studio Run-Through)" (20:36)
 * 2) "Giants Under the Sun (Studio Run-Through)" (17:18)
 * 3) "Ritual (Nous sommes du soleil)" (Live in Zurich, 21 April 1974)) (23:11)
 * 4) "The Revealing Science of God (Single Edit)" (3:54)
 * 5) "The Remembering (Single Edit)" (2:50)
 * 6) "The Ancient (Single Edit)" (3:26)
 * 7) "Ritual (Single Edit I)" (4:20)
 * 8) "Ritual (Single Edit II)" (3:47)

Blu-ray Disc/DVD-Audio

 * 2016 Stereo Mix (LPCM Stereo 24-bit/96kHz)


 * 1) "The Revealing Science of God" (20:18)
 * 2) "The Remembering" (20:32)
 * 3) "The Ancient" (18:40)
 * 4) "Ritual" (21:44)
 * 5) "Dance of the Dawn (Extended Version of "The Revealing Science of God")" (22:36)


 * 5.1 Surround Sound Mix (LPCM Stereo 24-bit/96kHz and DTS-HD MA)


 * 1) "The Revealing Science of God" (20:18)
 * 2) "The Remembering" (20:32)
 * 3) "The Ancient" (18:40)
 * 4) "Ritual" (21:44)
 * 5) "Dance of the Dawn (Extended Version of "The Revealing Science of God")" (22:36)


 * Original Stereo Mix from Flat Transfer (LPCM Stereo 24-bit/192kHz)


 * 1) "The Revealing Science of God" (20:26)
 * 2) "The Remembering" (20:41)
 * 3) "The Ancient" (18:40)
 * 4) "Ritual" (21:35)


 * Alternate Takes (LPCM Stereo 24-bit/48kHz, mislabelled as 96 kHz)


 * 1) "Dance of the Dawn (Extended version, mislabelled as Studio Run-Through)" (22:23)
 * 2) "High the Memory (Studio Run-Through)" (20:36)
 * 3) "Giants Under the Sun (Studio Run-Through)" (17:18)
 * 4) "Ritual (Nous sommes du soleil)" (Live in Zurich, 21 April 1974)) (23:11)


 * 2016 Stereo Singles Edits (LPCM Stereo 24-bit/48kHz, mislabelled as 96 kHz))


 * 1) "The Revealing Science of God (Single Edit)" (3:54)
 * 2) "The Remembering (Single Edit)" (2:50)
 * 3) "The Ancient (Single Edit)" (3:26)
 * 4) "Ritual (Single Edit I)" (4:20)
 * 5) "Ritual (Single Edit II)" (3:47)


 * 2016 Stereo Instrumental Mixes (LPCM Stereo 24-bit/96kHz)


 * 1) "The Revealing Science of God" (20:18)
 * 2) "The Remembering" (20:32)
 * 3) "The Ancient" (18:40)
 * 4) "Ritual" (21:44)
 * 5) "Dance of the Dawn (Extended Version of The Revealing Science of God)" (22:36)


 * UK Vinyl Needle-Drop Transfer (LPCM Stereo 24-bit/48kHz, mislabelled as 96 kHz)


 * 1) "The Revealing Science of God" (20:27)
 * 2) "The Remembering" (20:38)
 * 3) "The Ancient" (18:34)
 * 4) "Ritual" (21:35)


 * US Banded Promo Vinyl Needle-Drop Transfer (LPCM Stereo 24-bit/48kHz, mislabelled as 96 kHz))


 * 1) "The Revealing Science of God" (a. 3:30 / b. 6:17 / c. 3:21 / d. 4:30 / e. 2:55) (20:27)
 * 2) "The Remembering" (a. 4:40 / b. 3:06 / c. 8:10 / d. 1:45 / e. 3:06) (20:38)
 * 3) "The Ancient" (a. 3:15 / b. 4:19 / c. 2:17 / d. 3:56) (18:34)
 * 4) "Ritual" (a. 5:25 / b. 6:42 / c. 5:20 / d. 4:18) (21:35)

Line-Up

 * Jon Anderson - vocals, timpani, harp, tambourine
 * Steve Howe - electric and acoustic guitars, timpani, backing vocals
 * Chris Squire - bass, timpani, backing vocals
 * Rick Wakeman - minimoog synthesiser, Mellotron, Hammond organ, piano
 * Alan White - Drums, percussions