"The Calling" is a song by the progressive rock

Progressive rock

Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...

 band Yes

Yes (band)

Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...

, from their 1994 album Talk. It was a rock radio hit for the band, reaching number 3 on Billboard

Billboard (magazine)

Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...

Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.

Background

In 1992, eight current and former members of Yes toured to support their 1991 album Union. Following the completion of the tour, guitarist Steve Howe

Steve Howe (guitarist)

Stephen James "Steve" Howe is an English guitarist, known for his work with the progressive rock group Yes...

, keyboardist Rick Wakeman

Rick Wakeman

Richard Christopher Wakeman is an English keyboard player, composer and songwriter best known for being the former keyboardist in the progressive rock band Yes...

 and drummer Bill Bruford

Bill Bruford

William Scott "Bill" Bruford is an English drummer, percussionist, composer, producer, and record label owner. He was the original drummer for the progressive rock group Yes, from 1968-1972. Bruford has performed for numerous popular acts since the early 1970s, including a stint as touring...

 left the band, leaving the five members who had performed as Yes during the 1980s: singer Jon Anderson

Jon Anderson

Jon Anderson is an English singer-songwriter and musician best known as the former lead vocalist in the progressive rock band Yes...

, guitarist Trevor Rabin

Trevor Rabin

Trevor Charles Rabin is a South African born musician, best known as a guitarist, vocalist and songwriter for the British progressive rock band Yes from 1983–1994, and since then, as a film composer.- Early years :...

, bassist Chris Squire

Chris Squire

Christopher Russell Edward "Chris" Squire , is an English musician, known as the bass guitarist and backing vocalist for the progressive rock group Yes. He is the only member of the group to appear on every album.-Before Yes:...

, drummer Alan White

Alan White (Yes drummer)

Alan White is an English rock drummer known for his work with the progressive rock band Yes. White was also a member of the Plastic Ono Band, playing live in 1969 at the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival, which was recorded and released three months later as Live Peace in Toronto 1969...

 and keyboardist Tony Kaye

Tony Kaye (musician)

Tony Kaye is a British musician.Kaye was the original keyboard player for the progressive rock group Yes from 1968 to 1971, and rejoined Yes from 1983 to 1995...

.

"The Calling" was written by Rabin, Anderson and Squire, with Rabin producing. As with the other tracks on Talk, "The Calling" was recorded and mixed digitally, rather than on tape as was done with previous Yes recordings. The song has been described as featuring a modern sound, with heavy focus on Rabin's guitars, and a three-part vocal harmony featuring Anderson, Rabin and Squire.

According to Anderson, the song's lyrics were inspired by the concept of "local history", the current three-thousand year window of history, outside of which mankind has little visibility or understanding.

Chart performance

"The Calling" was a number-three Mainstream Rock hit for the band in 1994, their last (as of 2010) top-ten hit on that chart. Yes had two subsequent Mainstream Rock hits: 1994's "Walls

Walls (Yes song)

"Walls" is a song by the progressive rock band Yes, from their 1994 album Talk. It was a rock radio hit for the band, reaching number 24 on Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.- Details :...

" (also from Talk) and 1997's "Open Your Eyes

Open Your Eyes (Yes song)

"Open Your Eyes" is a song by the progressive rock band Yes, from their 1997 album of the same name. It was a rock radio hit for the band, reaching number 33 on Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.- Details :...

" from the album of the same name

Open Your Eyes (Yes album)

Open Your Eyes is the seventeenth studio album by progressive rock band Yes, released in 1997. The follow-up to the twin projects Keys to Ascension and Keys to Ascension 2, Open Your Eyes marked Billy Sherwood becoming an official member of Yes, following Rick Wakeman's departure.-History:Sherwood...

.

"The Calling" has appeared on several Yes compilations. The 2002 boxed set In a Word: Yes (1969–) included the album-length version, and the 2003 greatest hits package The Ultimate Yes: 35th Anniversary Collection

The Ultimate Yes: 35th Anniversary Collection

The Ultimate Yes: 35th Anniversary Collection is a triple compilation album by progressive rock band Yes, was released in 2003 in the United Kingdom and in early 2004 in the United States, and covers the length and breadth of the band's thirty-five-year career.Released on Warner Music in the UK as...

included the single edit.