Description

Following Yes’s 1987–88 tour to support the Big Generator album, singer Jon Anderson left the band and formed a new group with 1970s-era Yes members Steve Howe (guitars), Rick Wakeman (keyboards) and Bill Bruford (drums). As their new band Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe, the quartet released a self-titled album and went on tour. Meanwhile, the remaining members of the “official” Yes, guitarist Trevor Rabin, bassist Chris Squire, drummer Alan White and keyboardist Tony Kaye, continued work on a follow-up to Big Generator. Among the songs recorded was the Rabin- and Squire-penned “Lift Me Up”, the lyrics of which allude to homelessness. The two competing bands had fought for the rights to use the “Yes” name, with the Squire/Rabin/White/Kaye faction filing suit to prevent Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe from using the name “Yes” during their tour promotion. However, once both factions were signed to Arista Records, the record label decided to combine the musicians efforts and produce an album, Union, featuring songs from each group. “Lift Me Up” was one of four Rabin or Squire songs included on the album; its follow-up single, “Saving My Heart”, was another. “Lift Me Up” was released as the first single from this “reunion” album. It reached the number-one spot on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart in May 1991, and stayed at the top for six weeks. It also charted on the Billboard Hot 100, their last single to do so.

Track list:
1. Lift Me Up-edit
2. Lift Me Up-album version
3. Take The Water To The Mountain-edit