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.)
Free as a Bird
King Crimson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's the next best thing to be
Free as a bird
La, la, la, la
Home and dry
Like a homin' bird I fly
As a bird on wings
Whatever happened to the life that we once knew
Can we really live without each other?
Where did we lose the touch
That seemed to mean so much
It's always made me feel so
Free as a bird
It's the next best thing to be
Free as a bird
La, la, la, la
Home and dry
Like a homin' bird I fly
As a bird on wings
Whatever happened to
The life that we once knew?
Always made me feel so free
Free as a bird
It's the next best thing to be
Free as a bird
Free as a bird
Free as a bird
Free as a bird, oh, oh, oh
The song "Free as a Bird" by King Crimson appears to be a reflection on the freedom that comes with being independent and uninhibited. The lyrics describe the freedom experienced by birds, who can fly wherever they like, and compares it to the freedom of being truly free in one's own life. The repetition of the phrase "free as a bird" serves to emphasise this point.
The lyrics also touch on the idea of lost love, and seem to question whether it's possible to truly live without someone we once loved. The lines "Whatever happened to the life that we once knew / Can we really live without each other?" express this uncertainty and show the singer's longing for the past. However, the song ultimately returns to the theme of freedom, with the singer ending the piece with the repeated line "Free as a bird".
In conclusion, "Free as a Bird" is a song that explores the concept of freedom both in relation to independence and relationships. It's a song that celebrates the freedom of being able to transcend one's limitations and fly high like a bird, while also acknowledging the desire for a life that might be more stable and familiar.
Line by Line Meaning
Free as a bird
Being free is the ultimate form of existence
It's the next best thing to be
Other than being free, there is nothing better
Free as a bird
Being free is the ultimate form of existence
La, la, la, la
Expressing freedom through song
Home and dry
Safe and secure
Like a homin' bird I fly
Flying freely and without restraint
As a bird on wings
Being unencumbered and without limits
Whatever happened to the life that we once knew
Reflecting on past experiences
Can we really live without each other?
Considering the importance of human connections
Where did we lose the touch
Questioning what led to a separation
That seemed to mean so much
Reflecting on the value of a lost relationship
It's always made me feel so
The relationship was a source of comfort and freedom
Free as a bird
Being free is the ultimate form of existence
It's the next best thing to be
Other than being free, there is nothing better
Free as a bird
Being free is the ultimate form of existence
La, la, la, la
Expressing freedom through song
Home and dry
Safe and secure
Like a homin' bird I fly
Flying freely and without restraint
As a bird on wings
Being unencumbered and without limits
Whatever happened to
Reflecting on past experiences
The life that we once knew?
Questioning what happened to a previous way of living
Always made me feel so free
The lost way of life was a source of freedom and happiness
Free as a bird
Being free is the ultimate form of existence
It's the next best thing to be
Other than being free, there is nothing better
Free as a bird
Being free is the ultimate form of existence
Free as a bird
Being free is the ultimate form of existence
Free as a bird
Being free is the ultimate form of existence
Free as a bird, oh, oh, oh
Repeating that freedom is the ultimate form of existence
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Richard Starkey, Paul Mccartney, George Harrison, John Winston Lennon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@judah-benmorales9759
King Crimson covering The Beatles! What an unexpectedly pleasant surprise!!!
@petrovic7064
and tomorrow never know too
@albertmigre9801
Its the Lennon version, the original
@PrimitiveInTheExtreme
Magnificent cover of this great Beatles song. Huge Belew as ever.
@jameshosford4627
Totally agree in this case. This minimal rendition is achingly beautiful.
@MrAngy
This was right as the Anthology was being released and Belew had based his performance on a copy of Lennon's demo. That's why you hear giggling in the parts of the song that had obviously unfinished lyrics. The record version by the Beatles had, among other things, more lyrics. As a result of the timing, it's pretty likely it hadn't been performed in public by anyone else.
@graaarm
Love this!! Would love to hear it when he's worked out the lyrics!!
@albertmigre9801
Chapeaux Adrian!
@NoelEldridge
I love this this: Lennon via Belew. Wow.
@21schizoidman43
Nice cover