Listening to Jon Anderson and Todmobile: Awaken

This is Awaken, by Yes, performed by Jon Anderson and Todmobile. It is sensational!

All rights and music: Yes, Todmobile, Atlantic Records

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[eidurarnarsson]

I am immensely proud of our live performance of Awaken with Jon and orchestra/choir and freely admit that I watch this video a few times each year to re-live the magic. But I am equally proud of our performance of Supper's Ready with Steve Hackett and orchestra/choir. Jim, maybe you should also do a reaction video of that? Greetings, Eidur, Todmobile's bass player.

[mathewsandford]

In my opinion, the single greatest live performance of that song ever. It's remarkable.

[matthewblack]

It is quite simply; one of the greatest songs written and performed by human beings, *EVER...*

[fatlikara]

As Jon said, "like the time i ran away and turned around, you were standing close to me".

That lyrics changed my perspective of life right away. God always be with us, no mater how far we ran away from him

[Babaziba]

With the words "master of images", heaven opens. I can tell you felt it too. I've been watching this for a year and still can't make it through without a tear or two.

[souldreamer]

I love the smile on the guitarists face throughout. You can tell that his boyhood dream is coming true and he’s loving every minute.

[martinhayward]

With the greatest respect to Steve, Chris, Alan & Rick, surely this shows Jon is the heart and soul of Yes.

[richardzeiders]

I am just a little bit younger than Jon. I grew up listening to YES during the most formative years of my life & their music made me realize my place in our Universe, that there is something bigger, grander to reach out & understand. YES has gone through many changes throughout their performing years. Whether it's just 5 artists on stage or a large orchestra playing behind them, certain pieces of their discography are some of the most inspirational, ethereal, or simply goose-bump creating sounds that cause my eyes to tear up & cause my voice to crack. Jon is & will always be the voice of YES. My first live YES concert was June 13, 1976, at RFK stadium in Washington D.C. It was a all day concert that included Gary Wright, Peter Frampton, & the Pousette-Dart Band & YES was the headliner band. My ears were ringing days after that show because I stood up against the stage & the enormous speakers. I was in Rock Music Heaven. Jon was the presiding Angel, with a voice that was so clear & sharp above all those instruments in that large stadium. Unforgettable.

[TheReaperMan]

Jon really feels this and believes in it with every fibre of his being. He puts his entire heart and soul into singing this magical, magical piece of music.

[garydunn]

Never gets old. It's like a musical out of body experience

[chrisjenkins]

There will never be a better song written or performed by anyone ever again. Long live John Anderson .

[nikkibarron]

This is better than the studio version and any live versions I've heard Yes do. Here they make the dynamics more pronounced, the extra instrumentation granted does help (choir/orchestra)....but just listen to the volume changes throughout the track, especially in the middle section. It's just so well done

I do though want to get massive props the guitarist Tod, the fact he did the arrangements for the choir and orchestra maybe explains why he got all the nuances in Steve Howe's guitar work on the track down to a you weren't watching it you would honestly believe you were hearing Steve Howe, and if you play guitar you will know just how hard thats is to do.

[mariolafrance]

No tears, Jim ??? You're good ! I cry every time I listen to this rendition with Todmobile.

[havscr]

oh my f***ing god...this is the best version i have heard of awaken in my 52 years of loving them...jon jon jon you are the only voice of YES and i have seen many incarnations
and i am going to see them in glasgow in may with the current line up!!!

[sasheaf]

Moved to tears myself with such a masterpiece. Touches my spirit and soul to there be music on the other side. Please let there be sweet beautiful

[chadmitchell]

Wow, just when you thought this piece couldn't *get* any bigger, a bunch of Icelandic orchestral types say "Hold my Gædingur" and proceed to blow the roof apart. I think Jon himself was pretty gobstruck. Stunning.

[tonycarbisnewmusic]

Great reaction. I have been listening to this song for 45 years and never get tired of it.

[RonF-ql]

That song has surely touched the ears of

[T-Zett]

The original is just fantastic, but this is simply heaven! 😍🤩
By the way, Jon was 69 years old, he's 77 now

[moc]

Your reaction just confirms what so many Yes fans around the world have known for almost 50 years...this is one of the greatest pieces of rock 'n' roll music ever created. Thank you for sharing your feelings and obvious joy.