Jon Anderson of Yes and Zach Page (Playing Clap) MSNBC Smerconish

[AmexCafe]

Love Jon.

[RobJMeronek]

If you notice on The Yes Album, after Jon anounces it as The Clap, only one person claps. I kinda think of it as the "just one" clap. Even though it is correctly called Clap.

[Inquisitor6321]

I believe Steve Howe wrote this song when his new born son was only a few days old. The song was for his son.

[NaraelNico]

I love that end when he saying "Steve Howe should check it out":D

[MariMagdalen]

Zach way more entertaining than Jon.

[MaksimLevinskyMusic]

That's Cool! but isn't The Clap a slang word for Gonorrhea? :P

[Berniedru]

@MaksimLevinskyMusic , you are right. Steve Howe wanted to name it The Clap, nothing to do with the disease. But then there was a mistake in the credits on the album, someone wrote just clap, Something Howe was really unease and ashamed of. And it's been Clap for ever...

[tonusaitis]

@Berniedru No, it's the opposite. The song was named "Clap," by Bruford when he heard Howe playing it because it made everyone want to clap along. But on the live recording that appeared on The Yes Album, Jon Anderson brain cramped and announced it as "The Clap." Then Atlantic Records were a bunch of morons and insisted on labeling it "The Clap" despite Steve Howe's objections. This is all documented in the book "Yesstories" and the real name of the song is simply Clap.

[nimrodery]

@tonusaitis Atlantic records "morons"? Because some singer can't remember the name of a song his band plays? Atlantic records is one of the best labels in history. Jon is a new age freak who can barely focus at the best of times. And I like Jon. But credit where credit is due. Don't blame Atlantic for Jon being a ditz.

[tonusaitis]

@nimrodery Yes, Atlantic displayed all the classic arrogance that record labels are despised for. There was no reason for them to disregard the real name of the tune (Clap) and insult the artist who created it by renaming it "The Clap" despite his objections, ESPECIALLY since at that time "the clap" referred to venereal disease. Instead, it should have been the other way around with Anderson's bogus announcement on the live recording disregarded with the true name kept intact as Clap,

[nimrodery]

@tonusaitis You have to keep in mind that "Time and a word" was not a hit, and things were shaken up by Atlantic for "the Yes Album". This was them trying to recoup losses (large ensemble playing on Time, promotions, 2 albums, etc.). That's why Eddy was hired and they recorded in (a barn? I can't remember). Yes was in no position to dictate terms. They were very lucky Atlantic was still interested, and that Atlantic gave artists like Yes and Led Zeppelin room to grow.

[nimrodery]

@tonusaitis Sorry reply so long. It sounds like an honest mistake to me, and I doubt Yes' manager would even try to correct it at the time, though he might have told the band "we'll have this misunderstanding cleared up in no time." That just seems more likely to me than the "arrogant record company" thing, especially when we're talking about Atlantic, well regarded by musicians and listeners as being one of the best Jazz labels of all time. A label accustomed to allowing artistic freedom.