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.)
Matte kudasai (altarnate vers
King Crimson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pain like the rain that's falling
She waits in the air
Matte kudasai
She sleeps in a chair
In her sad America
When, when was the night so long
She waits in the air
Matte kudasai
She sleeps in a chair
In her sad America
The lyrics for King Crimson's "Matte Kudasai" deal with themes of waiting, pain, and sadness. The opening lines describe a woman by a window, waiting in the falling rain. The repeated line "Matte kudasai" translates to "please wait" in Japanese, adding a sense of longing and anticipation to the song. The woman is then described as sleeping in a chair in her "sad America," suggesting feelings of isolation and melancholy.
The second verse continues with a sense of longing and waiting, questioning when the night will end and using the metaphor of notes being sent to convey a sense of distance between the singer and the woman. The repeated plea to "wait" adds a sense of urgency to the lyrics, highlighting the emotional distance between the two characters.
Overall, "Matte Kudasai" is a haunting and emotional song, with sparse instrumentation that allows the powerful lyrics to shine through. It's a standout track on King Crimson's album "Discipline," and continues to be a fan favorite.
Line by Line Meaning
Still by the window pane
Remaining motionless, gazing through the glass of the window
Pain like the rain that's falling
Experiencing emotional distress and turmoil like the droplets that fall from the sky
She waits in the air
She lingers in the atmosphere with a sense of anticipation
Matte kudasai
Please wait a moment, I need to gather my thoughts
She sleeps in a chair
She slumbers in a seated position, suggesting a lack of comfort or stability in her surroundings
In her sad America
In a country that brings her sadness, anguish and despair
When, when was the night so long
Reflecting on a time of prolonged darkness and difficulty
Long like the notes I'm sending
Extending for a length similar to the duration of the letter she's writing
Contributed by Chase R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.