"I've Seen All Good People" is a song performed by the English progressive rock band Yes. Written by Yes members Jon Anderson and Chris Squire, it was first included on 1971's The Yes Album and has appeared on several later albums. As with many progressive rock songs, the track consists of multiple distinct movements spliced together to form a cohesive longer work. The first movement, titled "Your Move", was released as a single. It became a top 40 hit in the United States, which helped the group build momentum. Later, album-oriented rock stations would frequently play the entire nearly seven-minute track, including both "Your Move" and the second movement titled "All Good People"; this version remains a staple of classic rock stations to today.

In the studio recording on The Yes Album, the song opens with Jon Anderson, Chris Squire and Steve Howe singing the sentence "I've seen all good people turn their heads each day so satisfied I'm on my way" twice a cappella, in three-part harmony. This is followed by a solo intro by Steve Howe on a Portuguese 12-string guitar. Howe also sometimes plays the solo on a standard acoustic guitar. As the 12-string begins a repeated four-bar phrase, it is joined by bass drum as Anderson resumes singing the lyrics, solo and in three-part harmony. Dual recorders enter on the third verse. Finally, a Hammond organ joins them, playing the same chords as the laúd until the first part of the song ends on a loudly sustained and unresolved organ chord.

The second part, "All Good People", consists of many repetitions of the sentence "I've seen all good people turn their heads each day so satisfied I'm on my way" sung to the same melody as before, but over a driving country rock accompaniment, ending in a powerful vocal harmony and organ phrase which begins on a chord progression of E, D, C, G, then A. Each repetition of the verse is one whole step lower than the previous as the song fades out. Anderson has stated that he wanted to have the song develop quietly but then open up into a big grandiose, church organ sound.

Lyrics

I've seen all good people turn their heads each day

So satisfied I'm on my way

I've seen all good people turn their heads each day

So satisfied I'm on my way

Take a straight and stronger course

To the corner of your life

Make the white queen run so fast

She hasn't got time to make you a wife

'Cause it's time, it's time in time with your time

And its news is captured

For the queen to use!

Move me on to any black square

Use me anytime you want

Just remember that the goal

Is for us all to capture all we want (Move me on to any black square)

Don't surround yourself with yourself

Move on back two squares

Send an instant karma to me

Initial it with loving care (Don't surround yourself)

'Cause it's time, it's time in time with your time

And its news is captured

For the queen to use!

Diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit didda

Diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit didda (Don't surround yourself with yourself)

Don't surround yourself with yourself (Don't surround yourself)

Move on back two squares

Send an instant karma to me (Send an instant karma to me)

Initial it with loving care (Don't surround yourself)

'Cause it's time, it's time in time with your time

And its news is captured

For the queen to use!

Diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit didda (All we are saying)

Diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit didda (Is give peace a chance)

Diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit didda (All we are saying)

Diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit didda (Is give peace a chance

'Cause it's time, it's time in time with your time

And it's news is captured

I've seen all good people turn their heads each day

So satisfied I'm on my way

I've seen all good people turn their heads each day

So satisfied I'm on my way

I've seen all good people turn their heads each day

So satisfied I'm on my way

I've seen all good people turn their heads each day

So satisfied I'm on my way

I've seen all good people turn their heads each day

So satisfied I'm on my way

I've seen all good people turn their heads each day

So satisfied I'm on my way

I've seen all good people turn their heads each day

So satisfied I'm on my way

I've seen all good people turn their heads each day

So satisfied I'm on my way

I've seen all good people turn their heads each day

So satisfied I'm on my way

I've seen all good people turn their heads each day

So satisfied I'm on my way

I've seen all good people turn their heads each day

So satisfied I'm on my way

Writer/s: CHRIS SQUIRE, JON ANDERSON

Publisher: Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind