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In the Court of the Crimson King

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Album

In the Court of the Crimson King · King Crimson first played live in April 1969 and in July supported the Rolling Stones in Hyde Park. The first sessions with the producer Tony Clarke produced no result, after which the band produced the album themselves at Wessex Sound Studios in London. Ian McDonald layered Mellotron and wind instruments on top of one another for hours, creating a rich, orchestral sound. In Epitaph, he had two Mellotron parts move against each other in volume during the mixing.

The album is often regarded as the first true progressive rock album. It combines rock with jazz, classical and symphonic music, with lyrics about war, alienation and corrupt authority. 21st Century Schizoid Man was compared to heavy metal, while I Talk to the Wind is gentler and was meant to show that side of the band. It reached number five in Britain and became the group's most successful album.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen in Epitaph to the layers of Mellotron moving beneath the vocals. Notice how this keeps the chords from sounding flat.

Track list

  1. 121st Century Schizoid Man (Including "Mirrors")7:23Apple Music ↗
  2. 2I Talk to the Wind6:06Apple Music ↗
  3. 3Epitaph (Including "March for No Reason" and "Tomorrow and Tomorrow")8:47Apple Music ↗
  4. 4Moonchild (Including "The Dream" and "The Illusion")12:13Apple Music ↗
  5. 5The Court of the Crimson King (Including "The Return of the Fire Witch" and "The Dance of the Puppets")10:03Apple Music ↗
  6. 621st Century Schizoid Man (Radio Version)6:41Apple Music ↗
  7. 7I Talk to the Wind (Duo Version)4:45Apple Music ↗
  8. 8A Man a City (Live at the Fillmore West)11:44Apple Music ↗

30-second previews via Apple Music. Listen to the whole album on Apple Music ↗

Categories: Albums and songs