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.)
In the Wake of Poseidon
King Crimson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Snare truth in bone and globe
Harlequins coin pointless games
Sneer jokes in parrot's robe
Two women weep, dame Scarlet screen
Sheds sudden theater rain,
Whilst dark in dream the midnight queen
Knows every human pain
In air, fire, earth and water
World on the scales
Air, fire, earth and water
Balance of change
World on the scales
On the scales
Bishop's kings spin judgment's blade
Scratch "faith" on nameless graves
Harvest hags hoard ash and sand
Rack rope and chain for slaves
Who fireside fear fermented words
Then rear to spoil the feast
Whilst in the aisle the mad man smiles
To him it matters least
Heroes hands drain stones for blood
To whet the scaling knife
Magi blind with visions light
Net death in dread of life
Their children kneel in jesus till
They learn the price of nail,
Whilst all around our mother earth
Waits balanced on the scales
The lyrics of "In the Wake of Poseidon" by King Crimson are packed with cryptic, metaphoric language that must be carefully analyzed in order to glean any meaning. At first glance, the song appears to be a condemnation of power-hungry leaders and their willingness to sacrifice innocent lives for their own gain. The opening lines describe the "cold ivyed eyes" of Plato's spawn, who are attempting to capture the truth in "bone and globe." This could be interpreted as a reference to the way in which powerful figures try to control the world around them - they seek knowledge and control over other human beings, reducing them to mere objects.
The theme of manipulation is continued in the next verse, where harlequins (jesters) engage in pointless games and sneer at others while disguised in parrot's robes. The line "two women weep" alludes to the concept of the tragic heroine, a common trope in literature and mythology. The mad queen, who knows every human pain, appears to be a symbol of humanity itself, collectively suffering and oppressed by those in power. The chorus turns to a description of the world in the four classical elements - air, fire, earth, and water - and the balance that must be struck between them.
The final two verses paint a bleak picture of society as ruled by corrupt religious leaders, brutal rulers making judgments and victims of oppression, while children are indoctrinated and forced to learn the cost of submission. The song concludes with a call to acknowledge the delicate, precarious balance of existence that must be maintained between humanity and the natural world, which is always hanging in the balance.
Line by Line Meaning
Plato's spawn cold ivyed eyes
A reference to ancient Greek philosophy which speaks of the idea that overintellectualization can make one cold and distant.
Snare truth in bone and globe
Our pursuit of truth is confined by our physical limitations
Harlequins coin pointless games
The entertainment industry, often empty and meaningless.
Sneer jokes in parrot's robe
People often repeat things without understanding what they mean
Two women weep, dame Scarlet screen
The theater presents a distanced kind of realistic emotions, bringing audiences to tears
Sheds sudden theater rain
The theater presents sudden, emotional twists which can be compared to rain
Whilst dark in dream the midnight queen
Our dreams allow us to connect with deep-seated, universal pain held within our collective unconscious.
Knows every human pain
She has an acute sense of human suffering and empathy.
In air, fire, earth and water
The four elements of antiquity
World on the scales
The world existing in a fragile balance.
Air, fire, earth and water
The four elements of antiquity are fundamental to how the world is perceived.
Balance of change
The idea of impermanence, of one thing giving way to another
On the scales
As if being weighed and evaluated.
Bishop's kings spin judgment's blade
Religious and political leaders are using religion and justice to mask unchecked power.
Scratch 'faith' on nameless graves
People are dying for their beliefs without recognition, as a common feature of life.
Harvest hags hoard ash and sand
Death and decay are a harsh reality, and people cannot escape it.
Rack rope and chain for slaves
Slavery is a pervasive issue around the world, where those in power abuse those without it.
Who fireside fear fermented words
The hate and fear that we brew without proper consideration can lead to violence and misunderstanding.
Then rear to spoil the feast
People will gladly trample anything and anyone to get more for themselves, often because they feel they have less than what they deserve.
Whilst in the aisle the mad man smiles
Amidst all this chaos, the people who still maintain sanity have learned to not take themselves too seriously.
To him it matters least
The mad man is free from the concerns of the previous lines.
Heroes hands drain stones for blood
Leaders are often more focused on war than human life.
To whet the scaling knife
The leaders' desire for power is only heightened by the blood they shed.
Magi blind with visions light
Magi, people who use spiritualism and mysticism to gain insights, cannot withstand the light of the visions they've received.
Net death in dread of life
To see every detail of life is to understand the death that inevitably comes.
Their children kneel in jesus till
Their religion highly regards a version of life through humility and obedience
They learn the price of nail
They will understand, through the Christian tradition, what it means to experience serious pain for the sake of others.
Whilst all around our mother earth
Despite all of these problems,
Waits balanced on the scales
The world continues to function, hanging in the balance.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PETER JOHN SINFIELD, ROBERT FRIPP
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind