Songoftheday 7/15/13 - I can feel no sense of measure no illusions as we take refuge in young man's pleasure breaking down the dreams we make real...

Yes - "Leave It"
from the album 90125 (1983)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #24 (two weeks)
Weeks in the Top-40: 7

Today's Song of the day is by the British progressive rock group Yes, who reunited in 1983 for a huge pop album that brought them to the American masses on 90125. The first single from the project, "Owner Of A Lonely Heart", scored them a #1 pop single, and planted them squarely on MTV with an ultra-cool video that heightened their profile. For their followup, the band returned with a song written by members Trevor Rabin and Chris Squire along with (sometime member and) producer Trevor Horn that was written before vocalist Jon Anderson returned to the band. "Leave It" featured their harmonies in full force with a nostalgic "doo-doo" that recalls their 70s classic "Roundabout". The video to accompany the track was filmed by former 10cc guys Godley & Creme, the masters of the art at that time, using an array of editing tricks on a simple group shot.

"Leave It" became the band's fourth top-40 pop hit in April of 1984, while going as high as #3 on rock radio (where I would squeal to hear it on WMMR or WYSP). In their native Britain it was a much more modest success, stalling at #56 there.

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...and here's the band live in 1984 promoting the record...

Up tomorrow: Boston new wavers arrive at Heartbeat City.