Move On Back Two Squares

Jon Anderson and Chris Squire of Yes wrote the song ‘I’ve Seen All Good People’ for the groups 1971 third studio album The Yes Album.  Yes are an English progressive rock band and this song reached #40 on the US charts.  The song is divided into two sections, ‘Your Move’ written by lead singer Jon Anderson and ‘All Good People’ written by bassist Chris Squire.  The first part of this song discusses how to navigate interpersonal relationships using chess terminology as a metaphor for male–female relationships and life’s spiritual challenges.  The song mentions a queen and squares, the colors white and black, and it references news being captured.  Like chess, life can be a game where strategically placed situations are presented to you, and you have to learn how to live with them and work with them.  Opportunities or doors will open and sometimes they will be closed.   This song tries to convey the idea that we are surrounded by a spirit, or God, or energy which is in time with our understanding of who we are.

The line, “I’ve seen all good people turn their heads each day, so satisfied I’m on my way” could be about a soldier who is fighting the enemy and he is unsure that this is a just cause, but since the people back home keep cheering him on, he has made peace with his involvement in the fighting.  The next line, “Take a straight and stronger course to the corner of your life” could be a voice inside of his head telling him not to blindly follow orders, because he could end up being dead, as the other corner of a chess board, is where your chess piece can be easily captured.  The following line, “Make the white queen run so fast, she hasn’t got time to make you a wife” is very confusing and the only thing I can come up with is that the queen wants another queen, because in chess you can have more than one queen.  The rule of promotion is where you move your pawn to the last row on the opponent’s side and convert it to a more powerful piece such as a rook, bishop, knight or Queen.

Another chess reference comes in with, “‘Cause it’s time, it’s time in time with your time and its news is captured for the queen to use!” and this happens when it is your opponent’s turn to make a move, you sit by waiting like you are suspended in time till you are allowed to move, and when your opponent sees the move that make their queen can use it to her advantage.  Again, “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.”  People that play chess have a purpose so they are not just aimlessly moving their pieces around the board.  The line, “Don’t surround yourself with yourself, move on back two squares” might be that voice inside of his head telling him not to be so self-involved that he can’t reach out to others, as the world isn’t always an us or them situation and he should be more than just a white or black chess piece.  Moving forward and attacking his opponent may seem like progress, but sometimes it is about prospective, and the better move may be to retreat back two squares.  Chess is a game where you constantly need to rethink your position.  War is a lot like a game of chess, and this is an anti-war song.  The song references John Lennon’s ‘Instant Karma’ and ‘Give Peace a Chance’.

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

Written for KL Caley’s Thursday Write Photo – Chess.