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 (2009โ2012), 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.)
Epitaph including 'March For No Reason' and 'Tomorrow And Tomorrow'
King Crimson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On which the prophets wrote
Is cracking
At the seams
Upon the
Instrument's object
The sunlight
Where every man
Is torn apart
With nightmares
And with dreams
Will no one lay
The laurel wreath
When silence
Drowns the screams
Confusion
Will be my epitaph
As I crawl
This 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
Yes I fear tomorrow
I'll be crying
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
If no one
Sets the rules
The fate of all
Mankind I see
Is in
The hands of fools
The wall
On which the prophets wrote
Is cracking
At the seams
Upon the
Instrument's object
The sunlight
Brightly gleams
Where every man
Is torn apart
With nightmares
And with dreams
Will no one lay
The laurel wreath
When silence
Drowns the screams
Confusion
Will be my epitaph
As I crawl
This 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
Yes I fear tomorrow
I'll be crying
Crying
Crying
Yes I fear tomorrow
I'll be crying
Yes I fear tomorrow
I'll be crying
Crying
King Crimson's "Epitaph" is a hauntingly prophetic song that deals with the theme of mortality and the meaninglessness of life. The lyrics begin by describing a wall on which prophets wrote, but which is now cracking at the seams. This image serves as a metaphor for the world, which is falling apart and descending into chaos. The phrase "march for no reason" may be interpreted in either of two ways: It may refer to soldiers who march to their death without knowing why they have been asked to do so, or it may mean that people in general are blindly following others without knowing why they do so. This is a commentary on the mindlessness of humanity and its tendency to be swayed by emotion rather than reason.
The instrumental object referred to in the song is likely a musical instrument, as evidenced by the line "upon the instrument's object the sunlight brightly gleams." This is a powerful image that juxtaposes light and darkness, and suggests that there is something beautiful and hopeful even in the midst of chaos and despair. However, this beauty and hope is only fleeting, and is quickly overshadowed by the "nightmares and dreams" that plague every man. The line "will no one lay the laurel wreath when silence drowns the screams" speaks to the idea that society has become so apathetic that it does not even recognize the suffering of others. This is a bleak and pessimistic view of the world, and one that suggests there is no hope for change.
The final refrain of the song, "but I fear tomorrow I'll be crying," is a deeply emotional moment that encapsulates the song's themes of fear, anxiety, and despair. It suggests that the future is uncertain and that even if we make it through the present, there is no guarantee that things will get better. The song ends with the powerful image of crying, a universal symbol of pain and sadness. Overall, "Epitaph" is a powerful commentary on the human condition, and a reminder that we are all searching for meaning and purpose in a world that often feels meaningless and chaotic.
Line by Line Meaning
The wall
The structure that represents the words of the prophets
On which the prophets wrote
The wall that the prophets used to convey their messages
Is cracking
It is breaking apart
At the seams
At the points where it was put together
Upon the
On top of
Instrument's object
The tool or device used for creating music
The sunlight
The light from the sun
Brightly gleams
Shines brilliantly
Where every man
All individuals
Is torn apart
Is emotionally or mentally destroyed
With nightmares
With horrific dreams
And with dreams
And with aspirations
Will no one lay
Will nobody place
The laurel wreath
The symbol of victory and honor
When silence
During a time of quietness
Drowns the screams
When the screams of the suffering are silenced
Confusion
A lack of clarity or understanding
Will be my epitaph
Will be the inscription on my tombstone
As I crawl
As I move slowly
This cracked and broken path
This difficult and troubled journey
If we make it
If we survive
We can all
All of us
Sit back
Relax and enjoy the moment
And laugh
Find amusement or pleasure in something
But I fear tomorrow
I am afraid of what will happen in the future
I'll be crying
I will shed tears
Between the iron gates of fate
Between the unchangeable decisions of destiny
The seeds of time were sown
The beginnings of the future were started
And watered by
And nurtured by
The deeds of those
The actions of individuals
Who know
Who possess knowledge
And who are known
And are recognized by others
Knowledge is
Intelligence and information are
A deadly friend
A dangerous companion
If no one
If nobody
Sets the rules
Establishes the guidelines
The fate of all
The destiny of everyone
Mankind I see
I observe humanity
Is in
Is determined by
The hands of fools
The control of ignorant individuals
Crying
The act of shedding tears
Lyrics ยฉ Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GREG LAKE, IAN MCDONALD, MICHAEL REX GILES, PETER JOHN SINFIELD, ROBERT FRIPP
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@danielmaldonado807
The wall on which the prophets wrote
Is cracking at the seams
Upon the instruments of death
The sunlight brightly gleams
When every man is torn apart
With nightmares and with dreams
Will no one lay the laurel wreath
When silence drowns the screams
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
Yes, I fear tomorrow I'll be crying
Between the iron gates of fate
The seeds of time were sown
And watered by the deeds of those
Who knows and who are known
Knowledge is a deadly friend
If no one sets the rules
The fate of all mankind I see
Is in the hands of fools
The wall on which the prophets wrote
Is cracking at the seams
Upon the instruments of death
The sunlight brightly gleams
When every man is torn apart
With nightmares and with dreams
Will no one lay the laurel wreath
When silence drowns the screams?
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
Yes, I fear tomorrow I'll be crying
Crying
Crying
Yes, I fear tomorrow I'll be crying
Yes, I fear tomorrow I'll be crying
Yes, I fear tomorrow I'll be crying
Crying
@CSemperFi135
Ah, yes. My favorite song: "Eulogy," by "Emperor Crimson."
@derism_
copyright go brrrr lol
@michaelmukti7637
Is this a JoJo reference
@Emporio_of_Light
@@michaelmukti7637 no, japanese copyright removed the name king crimson
@Emporio_of_Light
@SPINE BONG you missed the joke oof
@GIR177
To be fair, this is one of the better localization name changes, along with Made in Heaven --> Maiden Heaven.
@tecno_gamer4308
Even King Crimson cannot skip this song.
@user-dg5pm9jb8q
no blues band is kingcrimson๐ฅฐ๐โชโ!
@lucrece4563
I came for JoJo I stayed for the song
@user-dg5pm9jb8q
kingcrimson๐ฅฐisnorock'n'rollband๐๐๐๐ค๐ใป