Music Nerd School! A 5-Song Primer for When You’re Finally Ready to Get into King Crimson

The pantheon of progressive rock bands is not all that large, and any discussion of the genre almost certainly evokes a mention of King Crimson. Other bands, like Yes, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Jethro Tull, Pink Floyd, Genesis, and Rush would probably come up as well, but unlike those other groups, King Crimson has enjoyed little mainstream popularity in the U.S.

If you like the work of these other bands but aren’t familiar with King Crimson, you may enjoy their music as well—but that’s not a given. Like other prog rock bands, King Crimson is known for its creative blending of different genres, unusual time signatures, and long suites that take listeners on a circuitous journey. There are also important differences between King Crimson and their prog rock compatriots, and the things that are unique about them help to explain why they have had only limited commercial success. Their music can be more abrasive than typical prog fare, but it also has its twee moments.

It’s also hard to categorize King Crimson’s sound, because it has varied across the band’s different eras. That is due, in part, to guitarist Robert Fripp being the only constant member of the band since its 1968 inception. The scope of their catalog is difficult to sum up with just a handful of songs, but the five included here represent their three most popular eras, showcase some of their various sounds, and offer relatively accessible entry points into their larger catalog.

1. “The Court of the Crimson King”

This track from the band’s 1969 debut, In the Court of the Crimson King, is a great showcase for lead vocalist Greg Lake, whose voice is instantly recognizable to anyone familiar with Emerson, Lake & Palmer. Everything about “The Court of the Crimson King” feels epic, including Lake’s forceful vocals, Fripp’s haunting acoustic guitar melodies, and especially the mellotron, which gives the chorus its gravitas. The mellotron part is played by someone familiar to fans of classic rock: the late Ian McDonald, who was a member of Foreigner for their first three albums. McDonald also plays the flute solo, which brings the temperature down during the song’s middle section. A shortened version of the track was released as King Crimson’s first-ever single, and it’s their only Billboard Hot 100 hit, reaching No. 80.

2. “21st Century Schizoid Man”

Including a second track from In the Court of the Crimson King means that less emphasis is placed on King Crimson’s remaining 12 albums on this list, but there is no way anyone should begin an exploration of the band without “21st Century Schizoid Man.” It’s a great example of King Crimson’s harder side, and if not for its jazz influences, it would be straight-up heavy metal. Yet it’s also more melodic and accessible than some of their later songs, such as “Larks’ Tongues in Aspic, Part One” and “Requiem.” Because of its influential soundscape and always-relevant anti-war message, “21st Century Schizoid Man” doesn’t sound as dated in the 21st century as one might have expected it would in 1969. No wonder it sounded right at home when it was sampled for Kanye West’s “Power.”

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3. “Easy Money”

Between In the Court of the Crimson King and King Crimson’s fifth album, Larks’ Tongues in Aspic, the band had undergone numerous personnel changes. With Larks’ Tongues, King Crimson settled into a period with a stable core of Fripp, vocalist/bassist John Wetton (formerly of Family and the future frontman for U.K. and Asia), and Bill Bruford (formerly of Yes). This version of the band also included violinist David Cross and percussionist Jamie Muir. “Easy Money” is another Crimson track that shows their heavier side. Muir is credited with playing “assorted found items and sundry instruments,” and on “Easy Money,” you can hear him play several of them, which gives the track a slightly eccentric feel.

4. “Red”

By the time King Crimson released Red in 1974, they had been whittled down to the core of Fripp, Wetton, and Bruford. The title track provides an example of the band’s leaner sound, but it also shows the stripped-down lineup putting the “power” in power trio. This instrumental is a straightforward composition by Crimson standards, led by Fripp’s hummable guitar melody. Still, Bruford dresses up the song with monster fills and syncopation, and he throws in the occasional three-beat measure to keep listeners on their toes.

5. “Sleepless”

King Crimson would break up three months after the release of Red, but they would return in the early ‘80s with a new lineup, a new sound, and a trilogy of new albums. Fripp and Bruford returned for this incarnation, joined by vocalist/guitarist Adrian Belew—who had performed on albums by David Bowie, Talking Heads, and Tom Tom Club—and bassist and Chapman stick player Tony Levin (from Peter Gabriel’s band). This version of Crimson, like its predecessors, was versatile, and their songs even occasionally verged on pop. “Sleepless,” from Three of a Perfect Pair (1984), was King Crimson’s most successful track on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart, reaching No. 51, and its official video received airplay on MTV. Levin’s propulsive bass line and Bruford’s busy, incessant beat lay the foundation for Fripp and Belew’s ethereal guitar interplay. The song’s musical push-and-pull is the perfect backdrop for Belew’s tortured lyrics about nighttime visions that kept him from sleeping.

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