Wind
King Crimson Lyrics


Said the straight man to the late man
Where have you been?
I've been here and I've been there
And I've been in between

I talk to the wind
My words are all carried away
I talk to the wind
The wind does not hear
The wind cannot hear

I'm on the outside looking inside
What do I see?
Much confusion, disillusion
All around me

I talk to the wind
My words are all carried away
I talk to the wind
The wind does not hear
The wind cannot hear

You don't possess me
Don't impress me
Just upset my mind
Can't instruct me or conduct me
Just use up my time

I talk to the wind
My words are all carried away
I talk to the wind
The wind does not hear
The wind cannot hear

I talk to the wind
My words are all carried away
I talk to the wind
The wind does not hear
The wind cannot hear

Said the straight man to the late man
Where have you been?
I've been here and I've been there and
I've been in between


Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, O/B/O DistroKid



Written by: Greg Lake, Ian Mcdonald, Michael Rex Giles, Peter John Sinfield, Robert Fripp

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@corazondehojaldre9922

[Verse 1]
Said the straight man to the late man
"Where have you been?"
I've been here and I've been there
And I've been in between

[Chorus]
I talk to the wind
My words are all carried away
I talk to the wind
The wind does not hear, the wind cannot hear

[Verse 2]
I'm on the outside looking inside
What do I see?
Much confusion, disillusion
All around me

[Chorus]
I talk to the wind
My words are all carried away
I talk to the wind
The wind does not hear, the wind cannot hear

[Verse 3]
You don't possess me, don't impress me
Just upset my mind
Can't instruct me or conduct me
Just use up my time

[Chorus]
I talk to the wind
My words are all carried away
I talk to the wind
The wind does not hear, the wind cannot hear

[Instrumental Interlude]

[Chorus]
I talk to the wind
My words are all carried away
I talk to the wind
The wind does not hear, the wind cannot hear

[Verse 1]
Said the straight man to the late man
"Where have you been?"
I've been here and I've been there
And I've been in between

[Instrumental Outro]



@youexpectedanamebutitwasmedio

Since no one ever commented here with a similar interpretation of the song how I do, I now leave my comment.
I'm a 22 y/o woman with ADHD and this is a great way of showing how people like us live and breathe. I'm an inattentive type and I always space out into a whole new dimension of reality.
I've noticed that I use a unique coping mechanism for myself. Since I also have trouble expressing my thoughts and emotions, venting to another person never helped me. They either misunderstood me, or don't understand me at all.
I personally cope with things by venting to my thoughts. I let loose when I daydream and I feel comforted by it. (Mostly when I ride the bus or train, I love to escape into my very own dimension of reality)
"I talk to the wind, my words are all carried away" is what expresses this the best I think.

And when people would ask me how I always manage to keep a good mood, I think to myself "If they only knew" :')
It's almost like the like

Said the straight man to the late man "where have you been"
"I've been here and I've been there and I've been in between"

This "between" is my dimension of reality, my escape.




Is there a person who by mere coincidence has a psychologist kinda title? I'm suspecting myself to be autistic since I catch myself having autistic tendencies. Does, what I said above, give you a clue? It would really help me if someone could answer this question.



@youexpectedanamebutitwasmedio

@@loucat2779 That's actually so sweet?? You've made my day better than it already was :') I did not expect such a heartwarming response to this comment.

I really hope that I can find that someone, just like you did. I'm very happy that a person who has a similar way of thinking, has found their other half. I'm sincerely happy for you :)

I'm still figuring out how my real identity is like without "adjusting myself according to the person or situation" so I kind of don't have a single clue what kind of person my someone would be like, or if I even need a someone.

Anyway, thanks again for that wholesome answer and I wish you a nice (whatever daytime it is at your place).

Love from Germany 🫶🏼



@flazzorb

I love this song for how open ended it is in interpretation.

"Said the straight man, to the late man" Is the straight man literally speaking to the late man, or only metaphorically?

"Where have you been?" Shows that the late man is, in fact, almost definitely dead, why would he be the "straight man" otherwise?

"I've been here and, I've been there and, I've been in between." Either; The late man is responding, saying he has been in the world of the living (presumably as a ghost of some sort), the afterlife, and in between, probably some form of limbo; or it is the straight man continuing to speak to the unresponsive late man (or likely, his grave).

"I talk to the wind... my words are all caried away... the wind does not/can not hear" Implies the late man is not responding, as the speaker does not feel heard, or that the late man is responding, but the straight man can not hear his response.

"I'm on the outside, looking in side, what do I see? Much confusion, disillusion, all around me."
Either; The straight man is speaking, and referring to how others around him perceive the death of others;
The straight man is speaking, and referring to how the dead perceive their own deaths;
The late man is speaking, and referring to how living people perceive their death, or the deaths of others;
The late man is speaking, and referring to how others come to grips with, or fail to come to grips with, their own death and the afterlife.
It's probably the last one, but the fact it's so open ended is incredible.

[Repeat chorus]

"You don't possess me, Don't impress me... Can't instruct me or conduct me" Possess as in own, or inhabit as a ghost? Impress as in to inspire admiration, or as in to force to act? Instruct as in teach or to order? Conduct as in to lead or conduct as a medium? Either the late man, or the straight man could be speaking and the line still makes sense.

"Just upset my mind... Just use up my time" Heavily implies that the straight man is speaking, and is dwelling in their grief in a way they know is unhealthy.

[Repeat chorus]

[Repeat opening]

Over all, the song is probably a partially one sided dialogue of a straight man, who is unable to move on, speaking to the late man, who is unable to respond. However, there are several lines where it is entirely unclear who is speaking to, or at, who. A very brilliantly written song.


Or of course, I'm over thinking this.



All comments from YouTube:

@pchristianzenner904

Back in 1978, I caught my Mom listening to this on my headphones. She said she loved this. Miss her so much.

@progrockplaylists

i was born in 2003 and can't even imagine what great fun you had back then. can't imagine being born in the 40s like your mother either

@pchristianzenner904

@@progrockplaylists late '20s. Glad to hear you're into this stuff. Good music is timeless. To quote a lyric..."teach your children". And we all take the memories with us. ✌

@goofygoobah9395

Off topic but I miss the old days of when electronics and other stuff was in its early stages ;-;

@daniel0-01

@@pchristianzenner904 I'm glad to know there is another generation of king crimson fans

@andreasballe7470

@@pchristianzenner904 You're born in the late 20s??? You're almost a hundred years old?

143 More Replies...

@humbertohinostroza4936

Rest in peace Grandpa 🙏🏼🕊️ 9/19 This is the last song you told me to play for you. ❤️

@tulyar57

"Where have you been?"
"I've been here and...I've been there and...I've been inbetween"
I used Peter Sinfield's lyrics to a teacher when i was late for school almost fifty years ago. Sadly, he didn't understand the philosophical content and I got one hours detention instead.

@AdeneTzr

F

@Burt472

Sorry about that, bro...You tried....

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