After having been asked to leave the group by Robert Fripp, Sinfield continued to be active in the progressive rock scene. He produced Roxy Music's first album Roxy Music, and later recorded a solo album, Still, in 1973. The album was later reissued on CD with additional tracks as Stillusion. He then turned up providing lyrics for fellow Crimson alumnus Greg Lake in Emerson, Lake and Palmer, as well as others like Italian progressive rock group PFM and former Procol Harum singer/pianist Gary Brooker.
Latterly, he has worked in the pop music field. For example, he wrote the lyrics to "The Land of Make Believe" by Bucks Fizz and "Think Twice" for Celine Dion. He has also written lyrics for another Crimson alumnus, David Cross.
Sinfield's best known work is the lyrics for the "atheist" Christmas song "I Believe in Father Christmas" by Greg Lake in 1977 which has now become a Christmas standard.
The Piper
Peter Sinfield Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A changeling child with cinnamon eyes
Wends his way to a secret glade
and plays his pipe in a serenade
In and out of the spectral trees
Between the starlight burnished leaves
He strolls the speckled toadstool way
The brown owl hoots upon the oak
The foxes howl and the green frogs croak
As through the wood to a marvelous moon
He blows the notes of an elfin tune
Towards the moss-weed bridge he goes
Where burble-pebble water flows
Across the meadow up the hill
And on the wind I hear him still…
The song, The Piper, is a poetic and mystical tribute to an elusive and magical figure lurking within the forest - the piper. The piper is portrayed as a child with cinnamon eyes, who makes his way to a secret glade beneath the tinsel twilight skies to play his pipe in a mesmerizing serenade that entrances animals and forest dwellers alike. He walks through a magical path, the speckled toadstool way, where he joins the elfin court to play an elfin tune. The brown owl, foxes and green frogs gather around the piper drinking up his notes of enchantment.
The lyrics paint a picture of a fantastical world, where the piper takes center stage in dictating the music of the night. His tunes drift through the forest, up the hill, and on the wind to reach the ears of the listener. The magical realm is incredibly enchanting, and the piper is a central figure in tying everything together. The lyrics also evoke a sense of nostalgia and whimsy, making it a true poetic masterpiece that captures the listener's imagination.
Line by Line Meaning
Beneath the tinsel twilight skies
Underneath the shiny, fake skies of dusk
A changeling child with cinnamon eyes
A child who was swapped with another at birth, with warm brown eyes
Wends his way to a secret glade
Makes his way to a secluded clearing
and plays his pipe in a serenade
And plays a tune on his flute
In and out of the spectral trees
In and out of the ghostly trees
Between the starlight burnished leaves
Among the shining leaves that reflect the stars
He strolls the speckled toadstool way
He walks on the path covered in spotted mushrooms
to join th elfin court in play
To join the magical group of elves in their games
The brown owl hoots upon the oak
The brown owl calls out from the tree
The foxes howl and the green frogs croak
The foxes make a high-pitched sound and the green frogs make a deep sound
As through the wood to a marvelous moon
As he goes through the forest to a wondrous full moon
He blows the notes of an elfin tune
He plays a melody on his flute like an elf
Towards the moss-weed bridge he goes
He heads towards the bridge covered in moss and weeds
Where burble-pebble water flows
Where the water flows swiftly over the small stones
Across the meadow up the hill
Across the open field and up the hill
And on the wind I hear him still…
And I can still hear the sound he makes on the wind...
Contributed by Eva R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Andrew Brash
It’s just too beautiful. Lost magic, a world that seems to be gone.
JR Montilla
Love it
nerolux
Excellent
massimo marchesin
Molto bella intimista boschiva notturna introspettiva spirituale un po' come KATMANDU o Into WHITE di CAT STEVENS !!!!!!! Un vero capolavoro tratto dall'album STILL !!!!!!
Philip s.
Let's fellow the Piper to forgotten places here there here everywhere 🥴
Eduard Antoniu
Man, this sounds like a Lake ballad, I forgot which & on which ELP album. So this is where he stole it from, actually? He used to credit Lake/Sinfield penned songs. RIP Lake.
aciradika
glad you like... Information about the album; http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=6893
https://www.wikizeroo.org/index.php?q=aHR0cHM6Ly9lbi53aWtpcGVkaWEub3JnL3dpa2kvU3RpbGxfKFBldGVfU2luZmllbGRfYWxidW0p
enjoy!