Owner of a Lonely Heart

When Yes was preparing to release their 1983 album, 90125, the band needed a track that would resonate. That’s when "Owner of a Lonely Heart" emerged. The piece kicks off with a distinctive guitar riff, courtesy of Trevor Rabin, which feels like an abrupt cut, almost cinematic, to plunge us into the song. Producer Trevor Horn layered electronic sounds and syncopated percussion, crafting an atmosphere that strayed from Yes’s more traditional sound. Even the lead vocals in the chorus are a collaboration between Jon Anderson and Horn himself, adding a unique vocal texture.

The story of "Owner of a Lonely Heart" traces back to 1979, when Trevor Rabin—still outside Yes—conceived the full idea of the song in an unexpected moment. He recorded his first demos with home equipment, including a 4-track recorder. One of these early versions, featuring acoustic guitar and vocals, would become the foundation. By 1980, a more developed version with drums, keyboards, and lyrics already existed. These initial recordings would see the light years later, in 2003, on the compilation album 90124. Upon joining Yes, Rabin brought these ideas, which merged with the work of Chris Squire and Jon Anderson, under Trevor Horn’s production, shaping what would become the album’s first single, 90125, released in October 1983. The song became a commercial success in the United States, topping both the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks charts.