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.)
Peace—A Beginning
King Crimson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lit by the flame
I am the mountain
Peace is my name
I am the river
Touched by the wind
I am the story
I never end
In "Peace-A Beginning", King Crimson conveys a spiritual message through the metaphorical representation of natural elements. In the opening lines, the singer proclaims that he is the ocean that is lit by the flame, which is the manifestation of the divine presence in everything. Here, the ocean symbolizes spiritual consciousness, which is infinite and omnipresent. In the second line, the singer declares himself as a mountain, which embodies the stability and steadfastness of human nature that is rooted in the eternal principles of truth, love, and compassion. Peace is the name of the mountain, signifying that inner peace is the true nature of our being that guides us towards enlightenment.
Line by Line Meaning
I am the ocean
I am vast, deep and mysterious like the ocean, representing the incomprehensible and infinite nature of existence.
Lit by the flame
I am illuminated and brought to life by some divine or creative force, like a flame igniting a candle.
I am the mountain
I am solid, immovable and enduring like a mountain, representing the unchanging and eternal aspects of nature and humanity.
Peace is my name
I embody peace and tranquility, promoting harmony, balance and understanding between all beings.
I am the river
I flow effortlessly and serenely like a river, symbolizing the natural rhythm and movement of life.
Touched by the wind
I am moved and shaped by unseen and unpredictable influences, like the wind blowing through the leaves of a tree.
I am the story
I am the ongoing narrative of existence, encompassing all experiences, lessons, struggles and triumphs of humanity.
I never end
I am infinite and eternal, transcending time and space, constantly evolving and transforming in endless cycles of creation and renewal.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PETER JOHN SINFIELD, ROBERT FRIPP
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kingston
This album always makes me sad when I listen to it because after this the band pretty much broke up and King Crimson was never the same, the only persons who stayed in the band was Robert Fripp and Peter Sinfield, but even Peter eventually left the band too after helping with “Island”
Michael Gallardo
Actually they did their best work after this. Check out the album RED. It's amazing.
Lucas Marino
B-b-but... Br00f
Vladimir Kornienko
whatever happened to KC, we can only be thankful for what followed
Mark F
That’s was crimson at its best Mac Donald and Gilles left and the record company would not allow them back. Fripp went broke trying to make it happen. That’s why they are touring so much. Mel Collins is now the backbone in my opinion
WildJoker
@Ji Zhou I agree, if it was the same lineup all throughout it probably would have gotten stagnant fast. KC's sound seems to always be evolving, and that's one of the best parts of the band
Gary McKinnon
No way! I saw King Crimson in London when i was 7, i fell asleep but grew to love it in later years.
Gary McKinnon
@Pauluk James Shiilings and pence :)
Pauluk James
I saw them in Watford in the 70s for 34pence or 6'8d the first 4 or 5 albums were great learning to like the later stuff as well.
A L
Holy shit, Fripp is on fire with these releases. I am going to get them on vinyl someday but it's nice to just have this on youtube!