Frame by Frame
King Crimson Lyrics


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Frame by frame (suddenly)
Death by drowning (from within)
In your own, in your own analysis

Step by step (suddenly)
Doubt by numbers (from within)
In your own, in your own analysis
Frame by frame (suddenly)
Death by drowning (from within)
In your own, in your own analysis

Step by step (suddenly)




Doubt by numbers (from within)
In your own, in your own, in your own analysis

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Frame by Frame by King Crimson allude to the danger of overthinking and analyzing one's own life. "Frame by frame" suggests an individual who is overly focused on scrutinizing every minute detail of their life, causing them to become trapped and "drown" in their thoughts. The song warns against becoming too consumed and paralyzed by one's own analysis, as it leads to doubt and uncertainty that can be suffocating.


Furthermore, the repetition of the lyrics emphasizes the monotony that comes with overthinking, and the danger of getting caught up in the same thought pattern and not being able to move forward. It's ambiguous whether the "analysis" referred to is coming from within oneself or from external sources, but the lyrics suggest that it's a self-imposed torture that one must snap out of to regain clarity and purpose.


Overall, the lyrics of Frame by Frame caution against becoming too caught up in one's own mind and the constant analysis of one's own life, as it can lead to stagnation and self-doubt.


Line by Line Meaning

Frame by frame (suddenly)
Experiencing life in detail, little by little, all of a sudden


Death by drowning (from within)
Emotionally overwhelmed with negative feelings, as if drowning


In your own, in your own analysis
Examining and interpreting your own experiences and thoughts


Step by step (suddenly)
Gradually moving forward, suddenly


Doubt by numbers (from within)
Feeling uncertain due to a multitude of internal conflicts


In your own, in your own analysis
Analyzing and deciphering your own personal perceptions and reactions


Frame by frame (suddenly)
Experiencing life in detail, little by little, all of a sudden


Death by drowning (from within)
Emotionally overwhelmed with negative feelings, as if drowning


In your own, in your own analysis
Examining and interpreting your own experiences and thoughts


Step by step (suddenly)
Gradually moving forward, suddenly


Doubt by numbers (from within)
Feeling uncertain due to a multitude of internal conflicts


In your own, in your own, in your own analysis
Continuously analyzing your own thoughts and feelings to understand yourself better.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Adrian Belew, Anthony Charles Levin, Robert Fripp, William Scott Bruford

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@luis_mars6229

Robert Fripp's riff in this song is impossible... You can play like for 10-15 seconds at most and you lose it, but he just keeps going and going... Dann, that's just impeccable technique...

@ba_charles

Haha I used to play it as part of my warmup. Don't forget that the bar set by the older generations is meant to be leapt over.

@IAmInfinitus208

And then there's Fracture...

@tross6380

And Tony Levin.. come on...onnnnnnnnn

@Relayer6a

You watch him play and it's like he's a spectator. Not even really paying attention to what he's playing.

@DominiqueHallMason

It"s super easy after a year :D

48 More Replies...

@m.a.freund3332

Ok, yeah, the guitar parts are pretty much the most permanently mindwarping thing I've ever heard, but how about Belew's singing? Just gorgeous. You can hear so much of his influence in Thom Yorke. Of all the aspects of King Crimson that get overlooked, the biggest one for me is Belew's singing on these records, when he actually sings.

@willard2729

Yes. This is the song in which he got the most out of his natural abilities

@rkrussland4150

This song is a proof of Robert Fripp's genius.

@anonymousSWE

Not saying you're wrong, but there is decades of his music proving that thing.

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