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.)
Man With an Open Heart
King Crimson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Or be a servant to a telephone ring
She could be sleeping in the comfort of another bed
It wouldn't matter to a man with an open heart
It wouldn't matter to a man with an open heart
It wouldn't matter to a man with an open heart
Here comes right now
She could be moody, dramatic as a play
Or be evasive as a shadow in the shade
Could be irregular and singing in her underwear
It wouldn't matter to a man with an open heart
It wouldn't matter to a man with an open heart
It wouldn't matter to a man with an open heart
Here comes right now
Here comes right now
Her wild and wise womanly
Introspectiveness
Her faults and files of foolishness
It wouldn't matter to a man with an open heart
It wouldn't matter to a man with an open heart
It wouldn't matter to a man with an open heart
Here comes right now
Here comes right now
Here comes right now
Here comes right now
The lyrics to King Crimson's song, Man With an Open Heart, seem to center around the idea of unconditional love. The man in the song is portrayed as someone who accepts and loves his partner completely, without any reservations or conditions. He is willing to overlook any perceived flaws, whether it be her moodiness, her irregularities, or even her foolishness. The message seems to be that when someone truly loves another person, nothing else matters, and they are accepting of everything that comes with that person.
The reference to the woman not needing to be a bird without a wing or a servant to a telephone ring suggests that the man in the song values freedom and independence. He doesn't want his partner to be beholden to anyone or anything, and he wants her to have the ability to make her own choices and live her life as she sees fit. He wants her to be able to sleep in a different bed if she wants to, knowing that it wouldn't affect his love for her in any way.
Overall, the lyrics paint a picture of a man who loves his partner unconditionally, without any reservations or conditions. It's an uplifting message that celebrates the power of love and the acceptance that comes with it.
Line by Line Meaning
She wouldn't need to be a bird without a wing
She doesn't need to have every single thing all figured out like a bird, constantly flapping its wings to stay afloat.
Or be a servant to a telephone ring
She doesn't need to be tied down to a certain place, always answering to others at the first sound of a ringing phone.
She could be sleeping in the comfort of another bed
She can have her independence and even form new relationships with others.
It wouldn't matter to a man with an open heart
Her behavior, past or present, wouldn't alter the love and acceptance he has to offer.
It wouldn't matter to a man with an open heart
He recognizes the hold and burden society puts on expectations and limitations of what people should be and how they should act.
It wouldn't matter to a man with an open heart
He believes that true love is unconditional and accepting of imperfections and flaws.
Here comes right now
He is eager to embrace the present moment with his love interest.
She could be moody, dramatic as a play
She doesn't have to hide the range of her emotions, even if they seem unpredictable and intense at times.
Or be evasive as a shadow in the shade
She doesn't have to be constantly available and always, in the literal sense, in the spotlight.
Could be irregular and singing in her underwear
She has the freedom to be herself, quirks and all.
Her wild and wise womanly introspectiveness
He values the depth of her thoughts, even if they seem unconventional or rare in society.
Her faults and files of foolishness
He knows that everyone has made mistakes and has had moments of foolishness in their lives.
Here comes right now
He is still excited to be with her in spite of her past missteps.
Here comes right now
He's living in the moment, putting any preconceptions and judgments aside.
Here comes right now
He's ready to be fully invested in the relationship right now and doesn't want to waste another second.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Adrian Belew, Anthony Charles Levin, Robert Fripp, William Scott Bruford
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@BrytonBand
This should’ve been a smash hit on the radio.
@unikon1
@Vincent M. So what are you doin' here?
@unikon1
@Vincent M. So good luck!
@Indskret
@Vincent M. looks like someone was a man with an open heart
@Shiva108
in the 80ies
@aidangallagher8703
Great song, obviously this record feels a bit dated in sound - but still great songs
@helfmeyerglenn491
This song and Model Man helped me big time through a tough breakup back in the day. Love this trilogy of albums and consider myself very lucky to have seen this lineup live back in the day. This is timeless... Still soooo enjoyable.
@yandan7010
"...here comes right now."
@mrkremko1
I envy you
@daandammers8701
this song is so catchy