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King Crimson: In the Court of the Crimson King

 A l b u m   D e t a i l s


Label: Virgin Records
Released: 1969
Time:
 43:51
Category: Pop/Rock
Producer(s): See Artists ...
Rating: *********. (9/10)
Media type: CD
Web address: www.king-crimson.com
Appears with: Robert Fripp, Tony Levin
Purchase date: 1989.05.23
Price in €: 16,99



 S o n g s ,   T r a c k s


[1] 21st Century Schizoid Man/Mirrors (R.Fripp) - 7:20
[2] I Talk to the Wind (R.Fripp) - 6:05
[3] Epitaph/ March For No Reason/Tomorrow And Tomorrow (R.Fripp) - 8:47
[4] Moonchild/The Dream/The Illusion (R.Fripp) - 12:11
[5] Court Of The Crimson King/The Return Of The Fire Witch/The Dance Of The Puppets (I.McDonald) - 9:22

 A r t i s t s ,   P e r s o n n e l


Robert Fripp - Guitar, Producer
Ian McDonalds - Reeds, Woodwind, Vibes, Keyboards, Mellotron, Saxophones, Clarinet, Flute, Background vocals, Producer
Greg Lake - Bass, Lead vocals, Producer
Michael Giles - Drums, Percussions, Vocals, Producer

Peter Sinfield - Words, Illumination

 C o m m e n t s ,   N o t e s


In the Court of Crimson King an observation by King Crimson, 1969.



The group's definitive album, and one of the most daring debut albums ever recorded by anybody. At the time, it blew all of the progressive/psychedelic competition ( the Moody Blues, the Nice etc.) out of the running, although it was almost too good for the band's own good -- it took them nearly four years to come up with a record as strong or concise. Ian McDonald's Mellotron is the dominant instrument, along with his saxes and Fripp's guitar, making this a somewhat different-sounding record from everything else they ever did. And even though that Mellotron sound is muted and toned down compared to their concert work of the era (see Epitaph, below), it is still fierce and overpowering -- coupled with some strong songwriting, most of it filled with dark and doom-laden visions, the strongest singing of Greg Lake's entire career, and Fripp's guitar playing (a strange mix of elegant classic, Hendrix-like rock explosions, and jazz noodling), the mix was overpowering. Fripp would be the only survivor on their subsequent records. Note: Be sure the CD you buy indicates it was made or distributed by Caroline Records -- earlier versions sounded awful.

Bruce Eder, All-Music Guide



One of the pioneering works of art-rock, and a musical and lyrical signpost for the pomposity of early 70s progressive rock music, In The Court Of The Crimson King is of lasting interest mainly thanks to the superb musicianship of Greg Lake, Ian McDonald and Michael Giles, and the wonderfully inventive guitarwork of the masterful Robert Fripp. Subtitled 'An Observation By King Crimson', the album flounders on Pete Sinfield's dreadful lyrics and the stilted dynamics of the multi-part arrangements. Anyone wishing to investigate the roots of Yes and Emerson, Lake And Palmer, however, should refer to this album.



"Ein gewagtes, aber auch interessantes Unternehmen ist diese CDFassung einer Analogaufnahme von 1969. Obschon nicht ganz rauschfrei, ringt die Digitaltechnologie dem King-Crimson-Klassiker ungeahnte klangliche Dimensionen ab. Ob schrille Gitarren in '21stCentury Schizoid Man', grollender Paukendonner in 'Epitaph' oder leise Zwischentöne in 'Moonchild'- so macht Popmusik den Ohren Spaß."

Stereoplay 3/83



"That the group started out as a collective operation ought to be evident from the chamber music dynamics found in most of the playing on 'In the Court of the Crimson King'. Although best remembered for the sci-fi fury of "21st Century Schizoid Man", the other songs find the band operating in the semi-classical mode favored by early art rockers."

ROLLING STONE ALBUM GUIDE ***1/2



KC's debut album introduced to the world a group that threw various '60s genres into a blender and set the results afire with a blowtorch. One of the pioneers of the progressive rock movement that began in the late '60s and flourished in the early '70s, King Crimson were arguably the most consistently creative bands in the genre. On IN THE COURT they blend wispy, Donovan-ish folk-rock with Wagnerian grandeur, mind-bending psychedelia and even a free jazz sensibility. Greg Lake's vocals are effectively theatrical but more restrained than in his later ELP work. Fripp was just learning how to make mincemeat of a chord progression, but he's alternately lyrical and frenetic as the moment requires.
The extended jams on cuts like "Moonchild" are light-footed and inventive, never ponderous, thanks largely to the crisp, jazzy drumming of Michael Giles. "20th Century Schizoid Man'"s bone-crushing ensemble riffs and crazed solos were of a heft unprecedented in rock and roll. Most importantly, the trademark Crimson would stick to throughout their career is shown here; dynamic variations between soft/lyrical and raucous/experimental. This was seen not just between songs but in the drastic dynamic shifts between sections in a single composition.


The history of King Crimson is well-known in progressive circles, and the influence of their first album is taken as a given today. But thirty years later, it is perhaps possible to not fully appreciate how powerful and unique In The Court Of The Crimson King was and still is.

Robert Fripp, Peter Giles, and Mike Giles released an album in 1968 called The Cheerful Insanity Of Giles, Giles, And Fripp. An odd release of quirky tunes and spoken interludes, Cheerful Insanity would seem to contain very little that would show up the follwing year with the first King Crimson release - save for Fripp's excellent guitar work. Giles, Giles, and Fripp saw very little attention given to their album, and soon were involved with other musicians. By early 1969, the group had settled into a linup of Fripp on guitar, Mike Giles on drums, Greg Lake on bass and lead vocals, and Ian McDonald on keyboards, reeds and vocals. Adding in Pete Sinfield, who wrote lyrics and attended to various other duties, and the band King Crimson was born. Sinfield picked the name as a synonym for Beelzebub.

The band's live work gained them a large audience, and the album was the most commercially successful released under the KC name. Robert Fripp has stated that this line-up of Crimson was the only one that could have had large success. Regardless of the commercial factors, though, the music recorded and performed by the original 1969 line-up was hugely powerful and paved a road for much of what would be called "progressive rock".

In 1997, Robert Fripp's DGM label released "Epitaph" - a 4CD set of live material from the original Crimson. Culled from a variety of sources (from BBC recordings to bootlegs that were digitally cleaned up by Fripp and David Singleton) it offers a fascinating view into 1969 Crimson - and should effectively alter the perspective of a fan who only knows the Court album.
This band was as capable of excellent forays into extended improvisation as they were delivering the album material - and that material gets a new light or two shined on it as well. "Epitaph" is as much a part of this line-up's legacy as In The Court, and it will be considered here along with the studio album.


21ST CENTURY SCHIZOID MAN -
The album opens with odd, quiet sounds. Many an unsuspecting listener (not to mention unsuspecting stereo speakers) must have been quite surprised at the violent burst that destroys this atmosphere. Future Crimsons would use the device of contasting dynamics, it is born here.
The opening riff - composed by Greg Lake - pulls the listener into the best known 7 minutes of Crimson history, and this track seems to sum up much of what "progressive rock" fans look for in King Crimson - excellent instrumental interplay, strong composition, and Robert Fripp's unique guitar work. Strange to consider then how different this song is from the four which follow - and to consider how well the five tracks form the album.

Lake's riff is joined by an ascending chromatic run (Ian McDonald's idea, according to Fripp) which the band plays in unison. Careful listening reveals that Lake has overdubbed a second bass part treated with a fuzz distortion effect - and that his line runs against the guitar rather than in unison. The use of fuzz bass was not uncommon in the late 60s, but Lake's application is highly effective. He would use fuzz live with Crimson on other tracks, and also after leaving the band to form Emerson, Lake & Palmer (in fact, the first thing one hears on the first eponymous ELP album is fuzz bass) and his playing here is superb - more on that in a moment.

After the assault of the main riff, we are brought to the first verse. The marriage of Lake's vocal delivery and the intensity of the music to Peter Sinfield's lyrics is superb - as it is throughout the album. Sinfield has taken a considerable amount of criticism for his lyrics - branded everything from "pretentious" to "airy fairy". In the liner notes to the "Epitaph" set, Fripp asserts his own support for Sinfield's work on this album. (Interestingly, he also states his reservations on some of Sinfield's later work with Crimson. Sinfield had similar problems with Fripp's later music.) These lyrics placed in any context would be stirring, but in the context of the In The Court music they are brought to another level - one of this albums great strengths lies in the music's appropriateness for the text, and vice versa.

Lake's vocal performance here (and throughout) drives that point home, and his voice (also treated with a distortion effect) delivers Sinfield's violent imagery with a harshness matched by the verse's pounding rhythms. The first verse is followed by another run through the main riff, then to the second verse. Then the storm of the riff brings us to the instrumental section.

We are launched into a manic spray of fast lines - contributed by Fripp and matched by the other members - that lead into an odd section of saxophones and sustained guitar notes, then into Fripp's best known guitar solo. Even in the late 90s, this solo's influence is felt - Fripp was voted into a Top 100 Solos poll in Guitar World magazine in 1998. Since the release of In The Court, Robert Fripp has become a major force in the evolution of rock guitar and a newcomer to his unique style needs no better introduction than this - a bizarre fuzzed-out statement that sounds no less strange and powerful 30 years later than it did then. His use of long sustain and with strange melodic figures has become a hallmark of his style - here it is for the first time.

Then we are brought to Ian McDonald's saxophone solo - another bizarre and unique musical statement. McDonald's playing throughout the album is tasteful and excellent. Here, he lets fly with sax notes that equal the intensity of Fripp's previous guitar work. It is actually something of a sax duet - two instruments weaving around each other in a squawking musical duel.

Underneath all this, we hear one of the most underappreciated rhythm sections in all of rock music at their blazing best - Greg Lake and Michael Giles are not names one finds in musician polls here in the latter part of the 90s, but their work in Crimson is astonishing. Fripp's liner notes to "Epitaph" show the guitarist's own admiration for Giles' drumming - going so far as to call him "arguably the most exciting and original drummer in rock". This high praise is not undeserved - Giles' energy and rhythmic inventiveness is huge throughout In The Court (and Epitaph) and it is quite a wonder that he did not assume the status of the other known rock drummers of the late 60s - along with Mitch Mitchell (with Jimi Hendrix), Ginger Baker (of Cream), Bill Bruford (of Yes and later of a certain band with the initials KC), and the other names of the period, Giles drumming is a thing to behold. In fact, Bruford has very kind words for his predecessor himself, having witnessed the '69 KC during his tenure with Yes.

Greg Lake achieved fame with Crimson, and later with ELP, but his contribution to the bass guitar is sadly overlooked. A player of much skill and strength, Lake is easily among the finest bassists in "prog-rock". And as with Fripp, one need look no further for great work from Greg Lake than here at the Schizoid Man solo.

Speaking as a bassist myself, and as someone who has put some time into learning sections of Lake's parts here (aided by a Guitar World magazine transcription - musicians in the 90s are quite lucky to have these tools) I must say I am impressed not only by Lake's technical skill, but by two other factors. First, his note choice is impeccable - he goes to places that seem obvious only after he has gone there. These are not the average pentatonic rock bass riffs being played here. ("Pentatonic" for the less techie inclined is used to describe the kind of scale being used - much rock bass and guitar is based on certain figures to the point that these figures show up constantly. Lake is essentially playing in C minor here, but he's not staying too long in the "boxes" most players do. The same can be said of Fripp.)
Secondly, his approach to the rhythm - the "groove" - here is quite remarkable. Holding this rhythm together at this intensity, and giving it the character Greg gives it is not a small feat - and any bass player looking to build his "chops" up can go spend a few hours with this excellent line. Superb stuff, boys and girls.

After the sax break, the band goes back into the sax/sustained guitar theme from the beginnning of the instrumental section and into a fast section (apparantly, it was Giles' idea to play this section in unison) that demonstrates the band's tightness and discipline - a highly impressive piece of ensemble work. (It is also interesting -and somewhat amusing - to note that this section is based on the classic I-IV-V blues progression) Then, Giles gets a quick break by himself leading us through another quick run through one of Fripp's riffs, then back into the initial main riff and the final verse. The final verse almost comes as a breath of fresh air from the insanity that preceeds it, but of course, the lyrical content offers no easy relief. Back to the main riff, and a dramatic buildup on the chromatic run, then the song ends with a fury of harsh, psychotic thrashing from the whole ensemble. Well, it almost ends - right when it seems to be backing off, they pick it up again, as if to bludgeon the whole song into our heads. The musical effect is exhilerating - and we're only 7 minutes into the album!

21st Century Schizoid Man was a live staple throughout the inital run of Crimson's existence - until 1974. The song was not performed live ny the band again until 1996, though Lake has performed it solo and with ELP. The Epitaph set contains five different performances of Schizoid Man from the 69 band - including their first ever recording (for the BBC) and a version from their last performance at the Fillmore West in San Francisco. All versions are instructive to listen to - most notably for the differences in the solos and for Giles powerhouse drumming.

The psychotic ending today has it's parallels in such acts as John Zorn's Naked City - and Ian McDonald's performance on 21st Century Schizoid Man is not far removed from those of Zorn at his noisiest. But how to follow this musical assault? Why not have a pretty ballad next? Oh, right. THAT'S an idea... :)


I TALK TO THE WIND -
With hardly a second to breathe, the Schizoid Man's final breakdown leads directly into a beautiful song written by McDonald and Sinfield. I Talk To The Wind is built on an intelligent chord progression that features some nice contrasts between major and minor tonalities - often found in the best pop music of the 60s, and particularly that of The Beatles. The song almost seems McCartney-ish, in fact. The harmony vocals (McDonald and Giles are credited with extra vocals) add to the delicate melody and Lake's understated lead vocal is a strong contrast to the violence of the previous track. This side of King Crimson does not recieve the attention that the more "athletic" instrumental pieces do, yet it is an essential part of the King's Court. Each subsequent KC album would feature quieter melodic moments and some of these are highlights of the albums they appear on. The recent KC line-ups featuring Adrian Belew have recorded his Beatles-esque ballads with charm and style, and we can obviously trace these back to the precedent set by I Talk To The Wind.
That softer side of the Crimson King gets a fine treatment here with McDonald's lovely melody (and equally lovely flute work) and Sinfield's poetic lyrics - again an excellent match for the music.

I Talk To The Wind was performed live, though the only offical version exists on the first selection from the DGM Collector's Club - Robert Fripp's answer to the "bootleg" problem.

That release is taken from a recording at the Marquee Club. Fripp says in the liner notes that the tape is rumoured to be from July 6th. (His diary entry for that date states that the audince has learned when to clap.)
It's an audience recording, and the sound is rather ragged, though Fripp and Singleton's work apparantly has cleaned it up somewhat - it's still quite listenable.

This version of I Talk To The Wind is gorgeous, Lake turning in a lovely vocal performance aided by fine harmony backing from McDonald and Giles. His bass playing is also more predominant and his thick tone works quite well here. The rest of the band provides excellent support - McDonald's Mellotron playing adding much to the effect. Fripp and Giles are admirably restrained while still providing plenty of interest. Luckily, the dodgy quality of the sound doesn't obscure the beauty of each player's performance and it is a true treasure for the hardcore KC fan.
Unfortunately, this CD has just gone out of print. (I write this in early May 99, three weeks after recieving my copy and I'm quite glad to have recieved one of the last copies.) Hopefully, interest in the DGM Club will continue and this lovely performance can be heard by more people if DGM chooses to bring it back into print. Further note - this CD also contains versions of Schizoid Man and Epitaph that have portions missing but are still of interest (lovely flute work on Epitaph) as well as a bonus track - the only known recorded version of the song Trees. I will comment on this at the end.

EPITAPH -
Intense instrumental interplay, violent lyrical assaults, tender ballads, flute solos...the first King Crimson album is already quite memorable at only two-thirds of the way through the first side. But following I Talk To the Wind's gentle caresses, we are brought to yet another corner of The Court. As the previous song fades into the mist, a dramatic drum roll brings us to Epitaph - the Mellotron Epic. The huge orchestral sounds that usher in this dark piece are courtesy of one of the more infamous keyboard devices - the Mellotron. The Mellotron operates on tape loops - a primitive sampling machine. Mellotrons are notorious for their technical problems (Fripp has written many an amusing commentary on their tendencies to break down and be perpetually out of tune) but they also provide a unique sound. King Crimson weren't the first to use them (The Moody Blues had already done work with them, as had The Beatles) but their use of it had an enormous impact on the new "progressive" style and huge psudeo-orchestral passages would find their way onto many a "prog" album courtesy of the Mellotron. One band - Genesis - would begin one of their best known early 70s songs (Watcher Of The Skies) with the same Mellotron that Crimson used on In The Court.

McDonald's use of the instrument adds much weight to Epitaph's dark prophecy - Sinfield's lyrics at their bleakest. Those lyrics are sung by Lake in one of his most memorable vocal performances. Lake's voice is yet another factor that gives In The Court so much of its listening pleasure and for the curious fan, let us look again at the live collection that got its name from this song.

Volume One of the Epitaph set features two versions of its title track. One, recorded for the BBC, is a beautifully recorded version. But the second. recorded at New York's Fillmore East on November 21st of 1969 is, in the opinion of this writer, worth the price of the entire set. Lake's vocal performance here is stunning - I must admit, the first time I heard this, I spent 7 minutes staring at my speakers. Lake possesses one of the most arresting voices in rock music, and it is put to magnificent effect here. The backing from the band superbly carries his performances, with excellent use of dynamics, and the buildup leading to the flute solo is breathtaking. Fripp's guitar arpeggios bring us to that solo, and McDonald's flute is every bit as powerful as Lake's voice - a beautifully timed and executed solo rich in melodic invention. The band quietly backs him up, until Fripp hits one chord that breaks the atmosphere, perfectly bringing McDonald's solo to an end. The band dramatically moves into the final verse, and Lake sounds as if he's singing for his life. An astounding performance, and one only hinted at in the otherwise fine studio take.

At the end of the first side of the original vinyl, we have met three very different sides of King Crimson - sides that would appear on future albums as well, but appear here already in mature form.

MOONCHILD -
The longest track on the album, and quite an unusual one. Beginning with a soft ballad and moving into a long improvisation, Moonchild may seem to be a lower point on the album, but is really quite a milestone in Crimson history - their propensity towards improvisation begins here.

The vocal ballad starts with soft arpeggios from Fripp over which he layers a melody on a second guitar - with a delay effect and pushed back in the mix. That adds to the atmosphere and the part shows a restraint and melodic intelligence that is a strong feature of much of Fripp's guitar work. Quiet keyboards from McDonald provide fine support and Lake comes in with a breathy vocal singing a strong melody.
The entrance of Giles' drumming adds a whole new flavor to the song, and his distinctive cymbal work is a hugely effective part of this lovely track. His drum fills are also excellent, and the odd drum sound adds to the effect. (In fact, the whole album has a rather strange approach to drum sounds which brings a certain atmosphere to each track.)

This is only the first two and a half minutes of this piece, though. The remaining ten are taken up by one of the most unusual bits of Crimson history and this still sounds as "outside" today as it did thirty years ago. Beginning with a strange texture, the improvisation is a fascinating excercise in restraint and shows a band unafraid to tackle what could be seen as some very indulgent playing. Actually, Fripp has stated that he would today edit this piece down, and the argument that it is overlong can not be taken too lightly - this is not the easiest ten minutes of music for many listeners to get through.

Still, we have a very important moment in the life of this band, because the idea - an unstructured improv wherein the band members attempt to react to each other's playing rather than simply overlay solos on top of accompianment - appears throughout Crimson history up to the time of this writing. King Crimson (and the recent ProjeKct spin-offs which are based on this idea) have released improvs that could very well be considered stronger than that in Moonchild, but it is a worthy track nonetheless because of it's sheer audacity.

And it is quite simply a lovely piece of music. Overlong? Perhaps. Indulgent? Maybe. But this very quiet and strange piece does call for repeated listening, and is, in this writer's view, one of the most underappreciated pieces in the band's catalog.

IN THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON KING -
And then we are brought back into the darker chambers of the Court. Opening with a huge Mellotron theme and strong drumming, the title piece sets out it's gothic atmosphere immediately. The verse comes in quieter, with Fripp picking out arpeggios on acoustic guitar while Lake delivers Sinfield's epic lyrics. McDonald brings in some flute and Lake ends the verse with the word "king" held over the Mellotron theme - singing the melody along with the huge keyboard backing. The second verse follows, again through the theme, and then into the next section - Fripp pounding his acoustic guitar chords in a buildup to a strong Mellotron figure with a driving bass line from Lake. Lake walks the line up at the end, bringing us back to the main theme.
After another run through the verse and theme, we enter a quiet section for a melodic flute solo backed with Lake's very tasteful and unobtrusive bass work. McDonald's melodicism is at a peak here (the song is his music with Sinfield's lyrics) and the faster figures he uses to close the solo provide a strong build up (Lake's bass picking up a bit behind it) that leads into the fourth and final verse. McDonald lets his flute flutter across Fripp's arpeggios and Lake's voice enters for the last time.
The main Mellotron theme comes back in (still more superbly timed fills from Giles) and the final chord holds for a dramatic tom roll and then into a large crashing chord that resolves the powerful theme and seems to end the song on a strong note.

But it is not the end. Giles lets a few cymbal notes quietly break the silence and then we find ourselves treated to a whimsical moment of McDonald's keyboards lightly playing a variation on the Mellotron theme - the effect is like an odd circus music. This strange moment ends and a moment of silence is broken by Giles drums leading us back into that theme. His drumming through this section is fantastic and on this final run through, he plays some of his most inventive work.
Various odd keyboard noises cut across the theme and at the end of the song, we get quite a strange surprise. Instead of a "proper" ending, the tape suddenly speeds up as if the band is flying off of the surface of the CD/vinyl/tape and into the sky. Then it is over.

This nine and a half minute marvel is one of the highlights of the entire Crimson canon and not for the reasons that so often are touted as examples of Crimson's style. Rather than providing intricate ensemble work, twisted rhythmic devices, or angular harmony, the song is really fairly straightforward. But it's huge atmopsheres, contrasts between light and shade, and beautful melodies mark it as an immensely moving piece of music, and one that would have a large impact on the hordes of "progressive" bands that would follow in the wake of this album.

Live versions of the Court's title song feature some different lyrics and Lake's tasteful use of fuzz bass (his playing is rather more aggressive on this cut in its live format, and he adds some nice statements into the Mellotron theme) combined with an assurance and confidence that sets apart the best of Crim's live work. The BBC version on CD1 of Epitaph is an excellent recording and a strong version.

A very effective ending for its album, an album with few flaws and many pleasures. In The Court Of The Crimson King deserves its place in every rock listener's collection.

KING CRIMSON 1969 LIVE -
I've discussed the Epitaph box set above, but along with its versions of Court material, there are several other songs included that Crim performed but weren't released by this lineup. Some of these were early versions of later Crim tracks, others were covers or songs not otherwise released.

GET THY BEARINGS -
A BBC version of Get Thy Bearings appears on Epitaph CD1 and was written by Donovan - at the height of his popularity in the late 60s it wouldn't have been unusual for a band like Crim to cover one of his songs (Jefferson Airplane being another rock band of the period to do a song of his live) and their version is a very jazzy affair. After the initial verse, the saxophone takes a solo over one of the Lake/Giles rhythm section's most jazz-influenced backings. The song would have seemed out of place on Court, but in the context of the live shows works quite well. The BBC version fades out after nearly 6 minutes.

CD 3 contains a ten-minute version. This CD was recorded at the Plumpton Festival (the store-release of Epitaph contains the first two CDs, for the other two, the buyer has to mail-order from DGM) and its bootleg sound would likely scare off audio purists, but the atmosphere is strong despite some audible technical problems.

McDonald takes a sax break by himself with some inventive playing before the band crashes back in for another verse. At the end of this verse, Lake plays a short bass break that ends abruptly with the band softly working in the back. Fripp leads the way into the next improvisation and plays some odd phrases going through a few changes in mood, incuding a frenzied passage of some very "out" playing that is instructive for those who think of him as "calculated". A short drum fill brings the band back into a restatement of the song's main them and into another verse. (Some feedback behind Lake's vocal reminding us of the "unprofessional" nature of the recording.)
Another verse features some bizarre and twisted backing from the band before the conclusion.

The CD4 version is a long one at 18 minutes. Recorded at the Chesterfield Jazz Club, it is also of bootleg quality, though it has a more intimate atmosphere that some listeners may find preferable to CD3. This version starts similar to the CD3 one until Lake's bass break. After that, the band goes off into a different tangent with some strong mid-tempo interplay. After slowing back down, Fripp plays some quiet figures, increasing his speed up with a part not disimilar to that on the song Fracture recorded a few years later. Then the band comes in with more frenzied playing which once again slows back down then into a jazzier section. The contrasts in texture and dynamics are remarkable and show a very different side of the 69 Crim's improvisation than the studio Moonchild.
A particulalry tasty flute solo from Ian comes in, reminiscient of Eric Dolphy's work in the early 60s. The flute's use in rock is generally associated with Ian Anderson from Jethro Tull, but other fine players of the era did some excellent work on the instrument and Ian McDonald is surely one of the most underrated musicians of the era. Following the flute, the rhythm section takes off into a strong groove over which Fripp layers another interesting guitar solo. Fripp himself has been critical of his own playing through this era, but the sense one gets listening to these live recordings is one of a guitarist searching for new ways of expression and for his musical voice. To these ears, Fripp's search is highly rewarding listening and his development into one of the most interesting voices in rock guitar is highly inspirational stuff.
Following this lengthy foray into uncharted territroy, the Chesterfield version of Get Thy Bearings ends with a last passionate play through the verse.
For the completist, another version of Get Thy Bearings appears on the Frame By Frame box set.

A MAN, A CITY -
In The Wake Of Poseidon followed In The Court, but by that time the band had already splintered and other musicians were brought in to finish the second Crim album. One of the highlights was Pictures Of A City, a jazzy number with some strong interplay reminiscient of Schizoid Man.
Epitaph reveals the early stages of the song's development with two versions under its working title of A Man, A City.


With the benefit of hindsight, one can see that chronologically King Crimson were not miles ahead of the rest of the progressive rock pack. In fact Genesis, Yes, Van der Graaf Generator, Jethro Tull, and Pink Floyd had all released at least one album by the time King Crimson burst onto the scene in mid-1969. The profound difference is that all of the other aforementioned releases amounted to mere embryonic blueprints in comparison to the seminal and audaciously authoritative In The Court of the Crimson King. This first (and ultimately, rather short-lived) incarnation of King Crimson single-handedly defined most of the major characteristics and mannerisms that soon became hallmarks of progressive rock: Complex and unconventional song structures, instrumental virtuosity, heady subject matter, and the simultaneously warm and haunting presence of the Mellotron.

When speaking of the members of King Crimson, Robert Fripp usually gets the lion’s share of the attention, but others deserve a mention here too. Ian McDonald refreshingly eschews the softer, more common uses of the saxophone in favor of a grittier style. His input was key in helping the wild and bold "21st Century Schizoid Man" become a standard for the genre, and the dramatic "Epitaph" still stands as Greg Lake’s finest vocal performance even after considering his subsequent tenure with prog giants Emerson, Lake & Palmer. The title track features still more Mellotron chord colorings and consistently intriguing lyrics. Drummer Michael Giles contributes significantly to the feel of this song, and in general his versatility keeps a method to the madness for the entire album.

The remaining two tracks "I Talk To The Wind" and "Moonchild" are remarkably subdued in comparison. The former features a slow, sweet flute melody from Ian McDonald. Given his volatile sax style on "Schizoid," one might expect his flute playing here to be more akin to Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull) or Thijs Van Leer (Focus), but he chooses a docile, Moody Blues-ish classical approach suitable to the mood of the song. "Moonchild" begins with an atmosphere similar to "I Talk To The Wind", but an extended "experimental tinkering" jam session follows. Eventually, a short-format song idea has stretched out to 12 minutes. This section of the proceedings may sound a bit dated (some would dare say indulgent) today, but it does hint at the freeform improvisational approach that Crimson would soon be perfecting. For this reason, one can look at this piece rather fondly in retrospect and forgive its touch of long-windedness.

Numerous magical live performances (documented on the Epitaph box set, available on Robert Fripp’s DGM label) followed throughout 1969, but sadly the vibe faded near the close of the decade. The group disbanded and left the heartbroken Robert Fripp to pick up the pieces. He did exactly that, and then some, in the years that followed. From a fan’s point of view, Robert Fripp is now arguably the most well respected (and enigmatic) personality in progressive rock, due in large part to this album. He spearheaded equally powerful and influential configurations of King Crimson that were active at various times during the three decades that followed the release of In The Court of the Crimson King, but fans will always have a soft spot for this exemplary first album. It’s a tough one to top.

Doug Boucher's Review
 

 L y r i c s


21st Century Schizoid Man

including Mirrors

Cat's foot iron claw
Neuro-surgeons scream for more
At paranoia's poison door.
Twenty first century schizoid man.

Blood rack barbed wire
Polititians' funeral pyre
Innocents raped with napalm fire
Twenty first century schizoid man.

Death seed blind man's greed
Poets' starving children bleed
Nothing he's got he really needs
Twenty first century schizoid man.


I Talk To The Wind

Said the straight man to the late man
Where have you been
I've been here and I've been there
And I've been in between.

I talk to the wind
My words are all carried away
I talk to the wind
The wind does not hear
The wind cannot hear.

I'm on the outside looking inside
What do I see
Much confusion, disillusion
All around me.

You don't possess me
Don't impress me
Just upset my mind
Can't instruct me or conduct me
Just use up my time

I talk to the wind
My words are all carried away
I talk to the wind
The wind does not hear
The wind cannot hear.


Epitaph

including March For No Reason and Tomorrow And Tomorrow

The wall on which the prophets wrote
Is cracking at the seams.
Upon the instruments if death
The sunlight brightly gleams.
When every man is torn apart
With nightmares and with dreams,
Will no one lay the laurel wreath
As silence drowns the screams.

Between the iron gates of fate,
The seeds of time were sown,
And watered by the deeds of those
Who know and who are known;
Knowledge is a deadly friend
When no one sets the rules.
The fate of all mankind I see
Is in the hands of fools.

Confusion will be my epitaph.
As I crawl a cracked and broken path
If we make it we can all sit back
and laugh.
But I fear tomorrow I'll be crying,
Yes I fear tomorrow I'll be crying.


Moonchild

including The Dream and The Illusion

Call her moonchild
Dancing in the shallows of a river
Lovely moonchild
Dreaming in the shadow
of the willow.

Talking to the trees of the
cobweb strange
Sleeping on the steps of a fountain
Waving silver wands to the
night-birds song
Waiting for the sun on the mountain.

She's a moonchild
Gathering the flowers in a garden.
Lovely moonchild
Drifting on the echoes of the hours.

Sailing on the wind
in a milk white gown
Dropping circle stones on a sun dial
Playing hide and seek
with the ghosts of dawn
Waiting for a smile from a sun child.


The Court Of The Crimson King

including The Return Of The Fire Witch and The Dance Of The Puppets

The rusted chains of prison moons
Are shattered by the sun.
I walk a road, horizons change
The tournament's begun.
The purple piper plays his tune,
The choir softly sing;
Three lullabies in an ancient tongue,
For the court of the crimson king.

The keeper of the city keys
Put shutters on the dreams.
I wait outside the pilgrim's door
With insufficient schemes.
The black queen chants
the funeral march,
The cracked brass bells will ring;
To summon back the fire witch
To the court of the crimson king.

The gardener plants an evergreen
Whilst trampling on a flower.
I chase the wind of a prism ship
To taste the sweet and sour.
The pattern  juggler lifts his hand;
The orchestra begin.
As slowly turns the grinding wheel
In the court of the crimson king.

On soft gray mornings widows cry
The wise men share a joke;
I run to grasp divining signs
To satisfy the hoax.
The yellow jester does not play
But gentle pulls the strings
And smiles as the puppets dance
In the court of the crimson king.




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