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.)
Three of a Perfect Pair
King Crimson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He is impossible
They have their cross to share
Three of a perfect pair
He has his contradicting views
She has her cyclothymic moods
They make a study in despair
Three of a perfect pair
One, one too many
Schizophrenic tendencies
Keeps it complicated (complicated)
Keeps it aggravated (aggravated)
And full of this hopelessness
Oh, what a perfect mess
He has his contradicting views
She has her cyclothymic moods
They make a study in despair
Three of a perfect pair
One, one too many
Schizophrenic tendencies
Keeps it complicated (complicated)
Keeps it aggravated (aggravated)
And full of this hopelessness
Oh, what a perfect mess
One, one too many
Schizophrenic tendencies
Keeps it complicated (complicated)
Keeps it aggravated (aggravated)
And full of this hopelessness
Oh, what a perfect mess
One, one too many
Schizophrenic tendencies
Keeps it complicated (complicated)
Keeps it so aggravated (aggravated)
And full of this hopelessness
Oh, what a perfect mess
The lyrics of King Crimson's song Three of a Perfect Pair describe the complex and tumultuous relationship between an unpredictable woman and an opinionated man. The first verse sets the stage by describing their individual challenges: she is susceptible to emotional extremes, while he is impossible to reason with. But despite these obstacles, they share a common burden, symbolized by their "cross to share", and are thus "three of a perfect pair". The second verse continues to spotlight the difficulties of their union, highlighting their "contradicting views" and her "cyclothymic moods". The repeated refrain of "One, one too many, schizophrenic tendencies" emphasizes the chaotic nature of their relationship, as they both struggle with mental health issues.
Overall, the song seems to be a commentary on the impossibility of achieving perfection in any human relationship. Even when two people seem like they should complement each other perfectly, there will always be personality clashes and obstacles to overcome. The repeated refrain of "Oh, what a perfect mess" suggests that the singer is resigned to the difficulties of this particular pairing, but cannot help but be fascinated by its complexity.
Line by Line Meaning
She is susceptible
She is easily influenced or affected by others.
He is impossible
He is extremely difficult to deal with or please.
They have their cross to share
They both have their own difficulties to deal with and share a burden.
Three of a perfect pair
Despite their differences and difficulties, they are a perfect match for each other.
He has his contradicting views
He holds opposing opinions and ideas at the same time.
She has her cyclothymic moods
She experiences periods of highs and lows in her mood, but not to the extent of full bipolar disorder.
They make a study in despair
Their troubles and struggles are a subject of scrutiny or examination for themselves and others.
One, one too many
Too much of a good thing becomes a problem.
Schizophrenic tendencies
Behavior that is erratic and contradictory, as if having two different personalities.
Keeps it complicated (complicated)
Keeps the situation or relationship difficult and confusing.
Keeps it aggravated (aggravated)
Makes things worse by stirring up negative emotions or conflict.
And full of this hopelessness
Feeling completely hopeless and without optimism.
Oh, what a perfect mess
Despite the chaos and problems, it seems to be a perfect or fitting situation for them to be in.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Adrian Belew, Anthony Charles Levin, Robert Fripp, William Scott Bruford
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@tyuouypoiuhkoi854
She is susceptible
He is impossible
They have their cross to share
Three of a perfect pair
He has his contradicting views
She has her cyclothymic moods
They make a study in despair
Three of a perfect pair
One, one too many schizophrenic tendencies
Keeps it complicated (complicated)
Keeps it aggravated (aggravated)
And full of this hopelessness
What a perfect mess
He has his contradicting views
She has her cyclothymic moods
They make a study in despair
Three of a perfect pair
One, one too many schizophrenic tendencies
Keeps it complicated (complicated)
Keeps it so aggravated (aggravated)
And full of this hopelessness
Oh, what a perfect mess
One, one too many schizophrenic tendencies
Keeps it complicated
Keeps it so aggravated
Full of this hopelessness
Oh, what a perfect mess
One, one too many schizophrenic tendencies
Keeps it complicated (complicated)
Keeps it so aggravated (aggravated)
And full of this hopelessness
Oh, what a perfect messshe is susceptible
@HazardProfile
SIDE A : ❤❤🙌🎶😍
SIDE B : Į̶̤̘͖̖̀N̸̞̤̫͙̺̙̩̠̟̫̅̏̈́͜D̷̮̳̮͍̫͈̅͛̃̈̈́̓͊̓̕͠͝U̶̬̦̼̜̦̞̮̰̣͋͐́̔͆̊̐͂͝͝Ś̴̙̼͇͓̀̽̈́͌̓̌̽͆͝͝T̴̛̪̞̖̺̼̼̱̹̩͎͛̇̊̉͐͜Ṟ̶̱͈̓̂̇̐̒̊̔̊̚͝͠I̵̝͎͊̔̆͐̊̕̕͠A̷̞̠̟͎̠̖̯̘̜̺̒̋Ľ̴̨̩͔͓̃̉̄͘̚
@RbOlUeGuE
Acurate
@officialpierluk
in a nutshell haha tight
@opedrodubois
Bonus Tracks: kInG cRiMsoN baRbEr sHOp
@methyod
@@opedrodubois that was my shit when i was 13
@markharris8703
I love both sides.
@matthewfinger2381
This song came on at the gym today. Last thing I was expecting to hear in there lol.
@rosealfidi9510
Ikr
@caiobernardo9111
ONE, ONE TOO MANY SCHIZOPHENIC TENDENCIES KEEPS IT COMPLICATED
@spectralmaya4586
COMPLICATEEED