106. Men in Black

106. "Owner of a Lonely Heart" by Yes

Although much different from what Yes had recorded earlier, and much different from a lot of what they would record afterwards, 90125 was still an outstanding album. And the lead song "Owner of a Lonely Heart" just happened to hit the charts at the same time I received my last romantic rejection in high school, which for me turned it into the break-up song that I'd listen to and think, "Yes!"

Because that's the name of the band.

I'd also think, "I agree. The owner of a lonely heart is much better than a owner of a broken heart." And that thought inspired me. I was so convinced of the truthfulness of this idea that I committed myself to bachelorhood, stopped going to dances, stopped dating, and tried to focus on running track, playing in band, hanging out with the Arimo Mafia, and working on the family farm. (And by "working" I mostly mean riding my motorcycle in the 40 acres behind the house.)

In fact, I believe this was one of the last songs I played at a high school dance before I quit DJ-ing and retreated into the emotional monestary of continual angry depression. And what I mostly did while in this mind-cloister was listen to songs that reinforced my new mysogynistic attitude and promoted an extended existential crisis. During this time, this song was comfort food for me. But that's probably because I refused to contemplate the lyrics that said "take your chances win or loser" and that "there's no real reason to be lonely."

But besides the lyrics, there were other positive aspects of the song that made it enjoyable to listen to.

1. Opening rockin' guitar riff

2. Catchy bass line

3. Cowbell!

4. Lots of interesting percussion, synthesizer bits, and sound effects mixed into the music

5. Gunshot after the "eagle in the sky" line

6. Yeow! during the break

7. Interesting new (at the time) guitar solo sound

The video for this song was also interesting. Why not have a gander!




Many people dislike this video, including the band. But to my mind there are a bunch of saving graces.

First, it's all based on a Kafka book, "The Trial." And since it's Kafka, you have to expect the video to be a little freaky. Kafka's story is about a man that is arrested by an unknown authority for an unknown crime and is forced to go to trial in a court system that he can't figure out until he receives the inevitable death sentence. Yep. That pretty much sums up what it feels like be spurned by a lover and have your heart broken.

Second, it's got a fake-out opening that works well into the general theme. You're just watching a traditional music video and then...BLAMMO! You get these strange video snippets of the members of the band you were just watching turning into an eagle...and a snake...and a lizard...and cat in a bathroom. And you don't have a clue what this all means, and you want somebody to explain it to you, but nobody does, so you struggle and struggle to make sense of it, and then...

Fourth, you are suddenly transported into a surreal black-and-white story where this dude is abducted and brought to trial in an office building, where he starts to spaz out to these flashbacks of animals attacking him. And the attacks are in color, so you know there's probably some symbolism in that, and you're trying to think about that really hard because it might explain just what the hell is going on and then...

Banana, the maggot flashbacks begin. Maggots on the hand. Washing the face with maggots. Then more animal attacks. Then a naked lady in bed turns into a frog. Even more animal attacks. Maggots on the eyes (twice!), and then the guy is shoved into a black and white elevator that goes down, down, down to...

Lester, a colorized version of hell, where he gets into a fist fight with Hell's Welder, which he wins by hitting the guy right in the nards with a board or pipe or something else we can't see and then knocking him out with a single punch to the face. And he then runs away and climbs up, up, up to...

Eleventeenth, the roof of a skyscraper, where Yes surrounds him, and the guy realizes these guys are shapeshifters and are the creepy animals that have been attacking him. But Yes doesn't even touch the guy. They just stare at him while wearing black suits and ties, which turns out to be so terrifying that the only choice left to the man is to pitch himself off the skyscraper roof. As he falls, you think he turns into an eagle and flies away, but there he is going to work again (in color!), but he decides it isn't worth it (good point) and turns around and goes back home (in black and white). The end.

You confused? Me too. I've taken advanced courses in literary analysis, but the interpretation of these story elements is so--

Wait a minute!... the guy is walking on a... concrete bridge... over a brown river... and the cars are all driving in the wrong direction because they're in... London?

Oh! Now I get it! What clever symbolism! The whole thing makes complete sense!

It can only mean one thing--YES is the Walrus!

Goo-goo g'joob!