Yes - Leave It: How many versions were there?

I can't seem to find much trace of it online, but I know that when Yes released the video for "Leave It" that they had at least 8 versions of it.

Maybe 10. 12?

MTV made a HUGE deal out of this too. They did a "World Premiere" for every single version, which of course, was true. Each video was a little different. All by the masterminds of Godley and Creme. In one the band would bounce all around. In another, their heads or bodies would spin around. One was acapella. I can't recall all of the versions, though I tried to video tape them all on my Betamax.

After the debut, MTV would air the various versions randomly, putting a # beside the title of the song ("Leave It" #5). Eventually, once they had released all of the versions, a final version was made that incorporated parts of the many other versions. Sort of a "Best Of" if you will. See below.

I find it very odd that in the age of DVD that Yes would release a collection of videos and NOT include all of these different versions for "Leave It." Odder still, that the internet has very little record of this odd little moment in music (video) history.


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There were literally over a hundred versions of this produced. I remember being quite young, around 7, and watching all of them. Don't quote me, but the number was 112 I believe.

I remember watching the premiere on MTV. They showed all the videos back to back. One of the guys would have a different color tie or some other minor alteration from video to video. I only remember there being 8 versions. I hope that they do, in fact, one day release all of the versions. I'm glad to see that there is at least one other person out there that remembers this. I thought I was the only one who remembered this (as you so aptly put it) "odd little moment in music (video) history."

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