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.
Footprints In The Snow
Emerson Lake & Palmer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You tried to hide but I could see
A special beauty in your eyes
Passion flying like a spark
Like an arrow to the mark
I feel it sting my jealousy
Before you know there's footprints in the snow
Desire like a river flows
Where it comes from no one knows
Love just like a flower grows
And then God only knows
It comes down like guillotine
Now I feel the rain
of love torn by a hurricane
One night eclipsed the sun
How deep still waters run
How deep they go like footprints in the snow
Take my love into your brest
Commit my spirit to the test
You wwill see him like a knight
His armour gleams
We'll fly upon his angel's wings
Above the clouds in rainbow rings
We can sail a ship of dreams
Chorus
If you will take my hand
We can cross this desert made of sand
We can break in through the ice
And feel the wind of paradise
We'll feel it blow our footprints in the snow
Anytime you feel alone
Just raise your hand, pick up the phone
Take in my number, there I'll be
If one day your stars won't shine
I will give you some of mine
Cause they could fall so easily
We both know there's footprints in the snow
The lyrics of "Footprints In The Snow" by Emerson Lake & Palmer tell the story of a passionate and intense love between two people, from the moment they met to the end of their relationship. The first verse describes the attraction between them and the intense jealousy that comes with it. The chorus speaks of the indelible mark that love leaves on our lives, like footprints in the snow. The second verse talks about the depth of desire and how it can be both beautiful and dangerous, like a flower and also a guillotine. The third verse is a message of hope, urging the person the singer loves to take their hand and face the challenges of life together, promising to be there for them always.
The song is a beautiful expression of the power of love and how it can leave a lasting impression on our hearts and souls. The lyrics are full of imagery and metaphor, painting a vivid picture of the emotions and experiences of the singers. The use of natural elements like snow, rain, and wind adds to the emotional impact of the song, creating a sense of wonder and awe at the power of nature and of love.
Line by Line Meaning
First time when you looked at me
The first moment when we made eye contact
You tried to hide but I could see
Although you attempted to conceal your feelings, I perceived them immediately
A special beauty in your eyes
Your eyes possess an extraordinary beauty
Passion flying like a spark
The intensity of our passion was like a flickering spark
Like an arrow to the mark
It effortlessly hit its target, our hearts were pierced with bliss
I feel it sting my jealousy
I sense jealousy arising within me
Before you know there's footprints in the snow
Our love leaves behind an indelible mark or legacy
Desire like a river flows
Our desires flow like an unstoppable river
Where it comes from no one knows
The origins of this passion are unexplainable
Love just like a flower grows
Love blossoms gradually like a flower
And then God only knows
God possesses sole knowledge of the depth of our love
It comes down like guillotine
But still, love can be devastating, falling rapidly and cutting off anything in its path
Now I feel the rain
Presently, torrents of emotions pour down on me
of love torn by a hurricane
Our love, battered by turbulent winds
One night eclipsed the sun
A single night overshadowed our happiness
How deep still waters run
Our love and passion runs deep, as deep as tranquil waters
How deep they go like footprints in the snow
Our love will remain forever, like footprints in the snow
Take my love into your brest
Hold my love within your heart
Commit my spirit to the test
Test my spirit and ability to love unconditionally
You wwill see him like a knight
You will see me like a heroic knight
His armour gleams
My strength shines brilliantly
We'll fly upon his angel's wings
We can transcend to a celestial realm, carried by angelic wings
Above the clouds in rainbow rings
We'll traverse above the clouds, in circular rainbow amidst the beauty of the sky
We can sail a ship of dreams
We can sail together on a vessel towards our dreams
If you will take my hand
If you take my hand
We can cross this desert made of sand
We can overcome any obstacles, like traversing a vast desert of sand
We can break in through the ice
We'll triumph and break through any barriers or ice blocks
And feel the wind of paradise
Like basking in the cool breeze of a heavenly paradise
We'll feel it blow our footprints in the snow
Our love and legacy will still be felt, even into the future
Anytime you feel alone
Whenever you feel lonely or distressed
Just raise your hand, pick up the phone
Just communicate with me, I'll always be there for you
Take in my number, there I'll be
Dial my number, and I'll be with you
If one day your stars won't shine
If one day you feel lost or hopeless
I will give you some of mine
I'll always lend you my light and support
Cause they could fall so easily
For I know, even I could stumble and fall at times
We both know there's footprints in the snow
We know our love and legacy will last forever, like the footprints in the snow
Contributed by Julian S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@315Bodhi17
Footprints In the Snow.....Greg Lake has given years to music. Thank you!!
First time when you looked at me
You tried to hide but I could see
A special beauty in your eyes
Passion flying like a spark
Like an arrow to the mark
I feel it sting my jealousy
Before you know there's footprints in the snow
Desire like a river flows
Where it comes from no one knows
Love just like a flower grows
And then God only knows
It comes down like guillotine
Now I feel the rain
Of love torn by a hurricane
One night eclipsed the sun
How deep still waters run
How deep they go like footprints in the snow
Take my love into your brest
Commit my spirit to the test
You wwill see him like a knight
His armour gleams
We'll fly upon his angel's wings
Above the clouds in rainbow rings
We can sail a ship of dreams
Chorus
If you will take my hand
We can cross this desert made of sand
We can break in through the ice
And feel the wind of paradise
We'll feel it blow our footprints in the snow
Anytime you feel alone
Just raise your hand, pick up the phone
Take in my number, there I'll be
If one day your stars won't shine
I will give you some of mine
Cause they could fall so easily
We both know there's footprints in the snow
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
@deborahklinlger8565
I think he had a wonderful life filled with the music he loved & a wife, a daughter, family & friends & fans. Traveling to perform in concerts & answering questions in q & a's for his fans.
Greg was a poet & storyteller & I think he genuinely liked people.
Greg was a good human being & soul. I pray his soul found the peace he didn't have while dying from cancer. 🙏🙏❤️🙏😢. Greg I loved your music, your smile, your warmth , & you are missed.
@315Bodhi17
Greg Lake has left his footprints on our minds with his unforgettable voice, lyrics and classic presentation....what's not to love. This Band has grown on me in a very short time. Thank you ELP! r.i.p Keith and Greg. Miss you always.
@tamaraposton4270
Greg Lake is a genius - his music, lyrics, and the sound of his voice is like no other. Melts in my soul. Always will remember where I was and what I was doing every time I hear an ELP song for the first time. Makes an impression like no other experience.. Watching Over You, Lend your love to me tonight Oh, my father - songs I am sure so many people have never heard. It makes me sad.
@tamaraposton4270
+Tamara Poston - Thank you to those who agreed with me.
@johnbidding9340
+Tamara Poston Keith. Rest in peace!
@TheBewdleyboy
Greg Lake! A truly magnificent and criminally underrated musician!
@gerry6459
I,m so agree with you Tamara :)
@craigfelde882
Only now, sadly, will people understand how right you are. Rest with God, Greg.
@psychlos21
Greg Lake. What a beautiful spirit. He gave us so much great music and perspective about the life we live. Thank you Greg for everything. We will always keep your music alive generation after generation.
@gelubatir9794
yes, indeed ! I also thank you, my friend, for your beautiful thoughts ! if heaven existed, this was ! i don't have more words for whatever el& p were for us ! gelu batir romania 21st of dec 2018