The ELP sound is dominated by the Hammond organ and Moog synthesizer of the flamboyant Emerson. The band's compositions are heavily influenced by classical music in addition to jazz and – at least in their early years – hard rock. Many of their pieces are arrangements of, or contain quotations from, classical music, and they can be said to fit into the sub-genre of symphonic rock. However, Lake ensured that their albums contained a regular stream of simple, accessible acoustic ballads, many of which received heavy radio airplay. Lake, besides providing vocals, bass guitar, electric guitar and lyrics, also produced the band's first five albums.
On two occasions in 1969, The Nice (with Keith Emerson on keyboards) and King Crimson (with Greg Lake on vocals and bass) shared the same venue, first on 10th August 1969 at the 9th Jazz and Blues Pop Festival in Plumpton, England, and on 17th October 1969 at Fairfield Hall in Croydon, England. After playing at a few of the same concerts, Emerson and Lake tried working together and found their styles to be not only compatible but complementary. Emerson wanted to make the "best damned three-piece band in the world", and thought the line-up of The Nice (keyboard, bass, drums) was the way to go.
Before settling on drummer Carl Palmer (formerly Atomic Rooster, The Crazy World of Arthur Brown), they approached Mitch Mitchell of the Jimi Hendrix Experience; Mitchell was uninterested but passed the idea to Jimi Hendrix. Hendrix, tired of his band and wanting to try something different, expressed an interest in playing with the group; the British press, after hearing about this, speculated that such a supergroup would have been called "Hendrix, Emerson, Lake & Palmer", or HELP. Due to scheduling conflicts such plans were not immediately realised, but the initial three planned on a jam session with Hendrix after their début at the Isle of Wight Festival, with the possibility of him joining. Hendrix died shortly thereafter, so the three pressed on as Emerson, Lake and Palmer.
Their first four years were a creatively fertile period. Lake produced their first six albums, starting with Emerson, Lake and Palmer (1970), which contained the hit "Lucky Man" featuring Emerson's first experiments with Moog. Tarkus (1971) was their first successful concept album, described as a story about "reverse evolution". The March 1971 live recording (Newcastle, U.K.) of the band's interpretation of Modest Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition was issued as a low-priced record, the success of which contributed to the band's overall popularity. The 1972 album Trilogy contained ELP's best-selling single to date, the understated "From the Beginning".
In late 1973 Brain Salad Surgery, with an eye-catching sleeve designed by H.R. Giger, was released and became the band's best-known studio album. The lyrics were partly written by Peter Sinfield, who was the creator of the King Crimson concept and lyricist for their first four albums. The subsequent world tours were documented with a massive three-LP live recording, "Welcome Back My Friends to the Show That Never Ends".
Their best known early performance had been a relatively modest show at the August 1970 Isle of Wight Festival, one of the last of the great Woodstock-era festivals. At the end of their set, Emerson and Lake lit two cannons either side of the stage. By April 1974, ELP were joint headliners of the California Jam Festival, and completed the concert when co-stars Deep Purple elected to go on stage first. ELP's California Jam performance was broadcast nationwide in the US and is often seen as the summit of the band's career.
After taking a break, the band began working with an orchestra and released Works Volume 1 in 1977 to mixed reviews. The album contained the band's signature tune, "Fanfare for the Common Man", reaching number two in the British charts. However, punk rock had began influencing the music scene, and the progressive rock giants of the time were suffering as a result. Rifts within the band were beginning to show, and the following albums, Works Volume 2 and Love Beach (one released in 1977,the other in 1978) were mainly made to finish their record contract. They released Works Live in 1979 with the orchestra, but touring was overly expensive and so the orchestra were dropped half way through the tour.
The band split in 1979, with each member doing his own thing. Carl Palmer joined Asia and had commercial success. In 1985 Emerson and Lake wanted to reform, but with Palmer in Asia, they tried out other drummers such as Simon Phillips, but settled on Cozy Powell. Emerson, Lake & Powell released one self-titled album in 1986.
Since then the original ELP have reformed in 1991 and released two studio albums: Black Moon (1992) and In the Hot Seat (1994). Neither albums were critically acclaimed, but the band still managed to sell out venues as they toured the world. The band split again in 1998.
On 25 July 2010, ELP reunited for a single show to commemorate their 40th anniversary. But this reunion was only to celebrate their anniversary and after that show they split again in 2010.
Emerson died on 11 March 2016 in Santa Monica, California, of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. His body was found at his Santa Monica home. Following an autopsy, the medical examiner ruled Emerson's death a suicide, and concluded that he had also suffered from heart disease and from depression associated with alcohol. According to Emerson's girlfriend Mari Kawaguchi, Emerson had become "depressed, nervous and anxious" because nerve damage had hampered his playing, and he was worried that he would perform poorly at upcoming concerts and disappoint his fans.
Lake died in London on 7 December 2016, at the age of 69, after suffering from cancer. His manager announced the news on Twitter, describing Lake's battle with the illness as "long and stubborn". Numerous fellow musicians paid tribute, including Rick Wakeman, Steve Hackett, Ringo Starr, John Wetton, and ELP drummer Carl Palmer. With Lake's death and that of Keith Emerson earlier in 2016, Palmer is the last surviving member of the group.
Black Moon
Emerson Lake & Palmer Lyrics
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There's one more hole in space
Every time I walk across the street
I feel the gas blowing in my face
We never learn even deserts burn
And all politicians lie
They won't do nothing till we reach our noon
Black moon
Ain't nobody gonna walk on water
When it falls like acid rain
Nobody gonna fake you out
Every poison stains
We're all stuck here right in the middle
We never call the tune
If we don't get active we'll become immune
Black moon
In the night see the red sky burning
There's fire on the mountain
Oil slicks on the sea
The black moon is rising
How long will it be
you take a look around the world
The future never waits
We're skating on the thin ice
And we're in the hands of fate
What we need's a little redirection
To find our blue lagoon
You know it wouldn't come a moment too soon
Black moon
Emerson Lake & Palmer's song Black Moon is a poignant commentary on the dire state of the world and its precarious future due to human exploitation and neglect. The song is written from the perspective of someone who is aware of the danger but feels helpless to do anything about it. The opening lines, "Every day I see a new cloud coming, there's one more hole in space," set the apocalyptic tone of the song, depicting the gradual deterioration of our environment.
The lyrics go on to explore the various ways in which humans contribute to the destruction of the planet, be it through pollution, political corruption or apathy. The line "Ain't nobody gonna walk on water, When it falls like acid rain," alludes to the idea that even miracles cannot save our dying planet. The song's titular phrase "Black Moon" refers to the ominous, looming danger of an environmental apocalypse, where the world as we know it may cease to exist. The song ends on a somewhat hopeful note, with a suggestion that we still have time to alter the course of our impending doom.
In conclusion, Black Moon is a powerful and thought-provoking song that serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need to take action to protect our environment. It uses vivid imagery and poignant lyrics to convey a message that has become more relevant today than ever before.
Line by Line Meaning
Every day I see a new cloud coming
Every day, I witness a new problem or crisis emerging in the world.
There's one more hole in space
The world is being damaged more and more every day, with no regard for the consequences.
Every time I walk across the street
Even daily activities like walking across the street are not immune from environmental dangers.
I feel the gas blowing in my face
Air pollution is a constant reminder of the harm done to the environment.
We never learn even deserts burn
Despite ample evidence of the consequences of inaction, humans continue to destroy the environment.
And all politicians lie
Politicians are not to be trusted when it comes to their environmental policies.
They won't do nothing till we reach our doom
Politicians only act on environmental issues when it's too late or crisis has already hit.
Black moon
Environmental crisis is coming, and it will affect us all.
Ain't nobody gonna walk on water
No one is impervious to environmental destruction and pollution.
When it falls like acid rain
Environmental problems do not discriminate and can affect things that we previously thought safe.
Nobody gonna fake you out
Environmental problems are real, and we need to acknowledge them before we can address them.
Every poison stains
The effects of environmental problems are long-lasting and far-reaching.
We're all stuck here right in the middle
We all share this planet and must work together to combat environmental problems.
We never call the tune
We are not in control of our environment, and we must adapt to its changes.
If we don't get active we'll become immune
If we continue to ignore environmental problems, they will ultimately catch up to us and have disastrous consequences.
Black moon
Environmental degradation and destruction is impending, and we must act now to prevent it.
In the night see the red sky burning
The effects of pollution and climate change are evident and visible in the world around us.
There's fire on the mountain
The natural world is being damaged and destroyed by human action.
Oil slicks on the sea
Even the vast and powerful ocean is struggling to cope with human pollution and activity.
The black moon is rising
The time for action on environmental issues is coming, and it's crucial that we heed the warning signs.
How long will it be
It's up to us how long it takes for us to take meaningful action and address environmental problems.
You take a look around the world
If one takes a closer glimpse of the world, things don't seem too pleasant.
The future never waits
Action on environmental problems is needed now for a better future.
We're skating on the thin ice
We are currently living in a precarious and unstable environmental state, and must be cautious in our actions.
And we're in the hands of fate
The actions we take or don't take will ultimately determine our environmental fate.
What we need's a little redirection
Environmental problems can be solved or mitigated with the right course correction and actions.
To find our blue lagoon
We must work to restore and protect the natural beauty and ecological balance of our planet.
You know it wouldn't come a moment too soon
Environmental action is needed now, and cannot be delayed any further.
Black moon
Environmental crisis is coming, and it will affect us all unless action is taken.
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, BMG Rights Management
Written by: KEITH NOEL EMERSON, GREG LAKE, CARL FREDERIC PALMER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind