Song for.. Yes?

We are in Fab Feb, so I tend to listen to albums that were issued in Februaries. Kind of "happy birthday" party. And so, during my recent listenings to Kansas' "Song For America" from their same-titled album (issued in 1975), I noticed, that there might be sort of "echoes" of "Song For America" piece (just this one song, not the whole album) in Yes' "Into the Lens" piece from their 1980's "Drama" album. Nothing wrong with that, obviously, why shouldn't Yes be inspired by other bands - it could actually be quite flattering for Kansas, I would have thought so. But I'm just wondering whether Trevor, before writing his song, was, by any chance, listening a bit to Kansas? Probably yes..

Edited by Darious - February 11 2017 at 11:11

As a fan of both albums, I have never considered "Into the Lens" to have been inspired by "Song for America."  The similarities are fairly superficial, I think.

The intro rhythmic structure is about the only similarity I find. But any similarity between my favorite Kansas song and certainly a resident in my bottom 5 most hated Yes songs is pretty humorous.

Tapfret wrote: The intro rhythmic structure is about the only similarity I find. But any similarity between my favorite Kansas song and certainly a resident in my bottom 5 most hated Yes songs is pretty humorous.

I've never noticed it personally but I suppose it's possible. 

People have accused Livgren  (or maybe Hope) of ripping off Rutherford's baseline on Watcher of the Skies for Song for America.