Founded by Robert Fripp, Michael Giles, Greg Lake, Ian McDonald and lyricist Peter Sinfield, the band initially focused on a dramatic sound layered with Mellotron, McDonald's saxophone and flute, and Lake's powerful lead vocals. Their debut album, In the Court of the Crimson King (1969), remains their most commercially successful and influential release, with a potent mixture of jazz, classical and experimental music. Following the sudden simultaneous departures of McDonald and Giles, with Lake also leaving very shortly afterwards, Fripp and Sinfield assumed direction of the group for In the Wake of Poseidon (1970), Lizard (1970), and Islands (1971) with Mel Collins, Boz Burrell and Ian Wallace among the band members during this period. In 1972, Fripp changed the group's instrumentation and approach, drawing from European free improvisation, and developing ever more complex compositions. With Bill Bruford, John Wetton, David Cross and briefly, Jamie Muir, they reached what some saw as a creative peak on Larks' Tongues in Aspic (1973), Starless and Bible Black (1974), and Red (1974). Fripp disbanded this group in 1974.
In 1981, Fripp and Bruford reformed King Crimson with another change in musical direction. The new group also included Adrian Belew and Tony Levin. They drew influence from African music, gamelan, post-punk and New York minimalism. This group lasted three years, resulting in the trio of albums Discipline (1981), Beat (1982) and Three of a Perfect Pair (1984). Following a decade-long hiatus, Fripp revived the group as a sextet he called the "double trio" in 1994 adding Pat Mastelotto and Trey Gunn. This group participated in another three-year cycle of activity that included the release of Thrak (1995), and multiple concert recordings. There was a hiatus between 1997 to 2000. Four members of the previous sextet reunited in 2000 as a more industrial-oriented King Crimson, called the "double duo", releasing The Construkction of Light (2000) and The Power to Believe (2003). After a five year hiatus, the group expanded (in the person of new second drummer Gavin Harrison) for a 2008 tour celebrating the 40th anniversary of their 1968 formation.
Following another hiatus (2009–2012), during which Fripp was thought to be retired, King Crimson came together again in 2013; this time as a septet (and, later, octet) with an unusual three-drumkit frontline, and new second guitarist and singer Jakko Jakszyk. This version of King Crimson continued to tour from 2014 to 2021, and released multiple live albums, rearranging and reinterpreting music from across the band's entire 50-year career for the first time.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KingCrimson
Studio albums
In the Court of the Crimson King (1969)
In the Wake of Poseidon (1970)
Lizard (1970)
Islands (1971)
Larks' Tongues in Aspic (1973)
Starless and Bible Black (1974)
Red (1974)
Discipline (1981)
Beat (1982)
Three of a Perfect Pair (1984)
Thrak (1995)
The Construkction of Light (2000)
The Power to Believe (2003)
(NOTE: Album covers, band images and YouTube links are not available due to certain legal restrictions imposed on Last.fm by King Crimson's management.)
Coda: Marine 475
King Crimson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Four seventy-five
Four, one, eight
Four, eight, eight
Six, six, two
One, cero, cero, nine
One, cero, nine, seven
Six, five
One, nine, cero
Five, one, cero
One, one, four, eight
Motor two, five, four
Aviation
Five, four, five
Five, four, five
Five, four, five
Five, four, five
The song "Coda; Marine 475" by King Crimson is an instrumental track that is open to interpretation. It is possible that the title "Marine 475" refers to a specific ship or perhaps a military code. The various numbers mentioned throughout the song may be coordinates, distances or serial numbers of equipment. There is a sense of urgency and tension conveyed through the music, with a faster tempo and dissonant chords.
The song begins with the repetition of "Marine 475, 410," perhaps indicating the location of the ship or some other important feature in a particular area. The use of non-English words such as "Non" and "Aviation" may suggest international communication or a multilingual operation. The tempo slows down briefly before picking up again with the introduction of "Motor 254" and "Aviation 545." The use of numbers and technical terms creates a sense of precision and efficiency, while the discordant chords suggest danger or conflict.
Line by Line Meaning
Marine
The vast sea which is full of mysteries and magic.
475, 410,
These are the coordinates where something strange happened.
400,062,
These numbers indicate a place of great significance, where something important occurred.
1009,
A moment in time that had a profound impact.
1097,65,
The exact location where something happened by the sea.
Non
A breath of silence before something significant is about to happen.
Marine 10,
The sea at its most calm and tranquil state.
190,510,
These coordinates describe a location at the edge of the sea with unique energy.
1148
This number signifies a change or shift in the world around us.
Motor 254
A machine that races through the sea, braving the elements and the unknown.
Aviation
The world above the sea, full of possibilities and dreams waiting to be explored.
545
A sequence of numbers that carries powerful energy, leading to a new beginning.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Adrian Belew, Anthony Charles Levin, Pat Mastelotto, Robert Fripp, Trey Gunn, William Scott Bruford
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dave L
This is a terrifying song. There is so much anxiety and dread in it. And yet it's stunningly beautiful. Strange music.
aakkoin
Bill Bruford said that King Crimson is a terrifying place.
Edward Cumpstey
The cover of The Power to Believe comes to mind when I hear this song.
Liselotte Frejdig
With all respect.. Listen to it again, on the right channel in headphones. And again in left channel. Then you understand the magic of it..
Vanessa Walsh
@aakkoin Bill Bruford said that?
aakkoin
@Vanessa Walsh Yes he did! Somewhat tongue-in-cheek, but yeah. You can find it here on youtube with "A funny fact about King Crimson by Bill Bruford"
Jean Pierre
Uma das boas homenagens que KC fez aos Beatles e a George Martin ao longo dos anos. Uma mistura de referências a I'm the Walrus, A Day in the Life e I Want You (She's so Heavy). Bom demais!
Matthew Finger
I feel this track doesn't get appreciated enough
Fleurs bruyantes
I liked it better on the Vroom E.P. where they kept it attached to Vroom like a proper coda. I don't think sectioning it off and adding lyrics did anything to improve it. I wish they had re-released that version as part of KC50.
Don Mackie
People I've talked to who have little or no musical sophistication, say its depressing. Idiots.