No. Look at the changes and the arrangement of chords.

However, it did somehow make it on the charts. ..Which would make it a popular song thus making it pop.

^ Agreed.

Roundabout has the complexity factor at least.

Pop? The band released a shortened version as a hit single, and Rick Wakeman called that "a  musical abortion".

Maybe we should call the single version  "pop" and the album version "progressive rock". How about that?

I have always felt it had a pop ''feel'' to it, but not purely poppish of course!

Not your common 4/4 song, but the atmosphere, the recurrent bassline, etc. makes it somewhat of a poppish song.

I would agree with Royal Jelly, thing were less defined at the end of the sixties. That is how we can see Santana, jefferson airplane, Yes, the Moodies, or Janis Joplin on the pop chart. Music was evolving rapidly, the short 3 minute dities were on their way out, and longer cuts became radio play as FM radio started to expand...Then came AOR radio, and I remember seeing some long songs in the charts...In a Gadda da Vida,By iron Buttelfy, "Music",By John Miles (great song), There was  song by Eric Carmen that was long, and charted well, and i also remember something from a duo of piano players, Twins I believe called Mark and Clark that was very extensive and charted well in Holland.

I think Yes has done Poppier things than Roundabout, and one problem if you hear a song often or played to death you will soon enough learn to hate it. Roundabout may have suffered from that, but technically and musically it is a masterpiece and well crafted piece of music.

NO!!!!

Just because it sounds slightly commercial doesn't make it Pop. 90125 is pop.

Roundabout was a surprise Top 10 hit single back in 1972, cobb ... at least I think so ...

but the album version on Fragile is quality prog-rock in my book, not pop at all ...

anotherbrick wrote: ColinInLA wrote: Does it truly matter one way or another? Why must it be labled? The virtue of reaching and pleasing a lot of ears neither makes a song good nor bad. The same goes for complexity of arrangement or instrumentation. The fact that we're still even discussing the relative merits of this 33 year old song says it all. It's a standout piece of work that - perhaps more than any other of their compositions - defines what has made YES one of the world's major acts. Without a doubt, it's their signature song. If music moves you, lables are superfluous. Well said! We listen to it because we like it! Not because of the clothes it wears, so to speak.

I´ve always thought the same thing. The reason I started this poll is because I still don´t understand most of proggers watching at the label before listening to  the music and what it makes them feel. Look at the "Duke" reviews. The first lines are always something like: "This is not early Genesis", "This is their first pop album", "This is not foxtrot and it is too poppy". In the end, the whole album is enjoyable from the very beggining to the last song. For many at least. Of course it´s not prog in the purest sense, so what?.

In the same way, Roundabout may have these poppy and catchy choruses all over, still, the song is great, be it as it may. One of my favourite songs ever is "Don´t forget about me" by Simple minds. Pure pop. Still, it´s full of energy, passion and conviction. I may as well listen every "Lizard´s" single second and feel excited. You are very right at pointing out: "If music moves you, labels are superfluous" 

eduardossc wrote: Just wondering. Is Roundabout a POP song with superb instrumentation?. Prog-pop perhaps ?

you are pop

Logos wrote: It's one of the best prog songs ever - and that's all that matters.

thats what i'mtalking about