Larks' Tongues in Aspic (song)

Song_infobox
Name = Larks' Tongues in Aspic


SorA = album
Artist = King Crimson
Album = Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Three of a Perfect Pair, The ConstruKction of Light
Released = March 23, 1973; March 27, 1984; May 23, 2000
Recorded =
Genre = Progressive rock
Length = 36:00 (13:36/7:12/6:05/9:07 [3:41/2:50/2:36] )
Writer = D. Cross/R. Fripp/J. Wetton/B. Bruford/J. Muir/T. Levin/A. Belew/T. Gunn/P. Mastelotto
Composer =
Label = Island Records, Warner Bros., Virgin Records
Producer = King Crimson
Chart position =
Misc = Extra tracklisting
Album = Larks' Tongues in Aspic
Type = studio
prev_track = Beginning of Album
"The Talking Drum"
prev_no = Track 5
this_track = "Larks' Tongues in Aspic (Part I)"
(Track 1)
"Larks' Tongues in Aspic (Part II)
track_no = Track 6
next_track = "Book of Saturday"
(Track 2)
End of Album
next_no = Extra tracklisting
Album = Three of a Perfect Pair
Type = studio
prev_track = "No Warning"
prev_no = Track 8
this_track = "Larks' Tongues in Aspic (Part III)"
track_no = Track 9
next_track = "The King Crimson Barber Shop"
next_no = Track 10Extra tracklisting
Album = The ConstruKction of Light
Type = studio
prev_track = "The World's My Oyster Soup Kitchen Floor Wax Museum"
prev_no = Track 6
this_track = "Larks' Tongues in Aspic (Part IV)"
track_no = Tracks 7-9
next_track = "Coda: I Have a Dream"
next_no = Track 10

"Larks' Tongues in Aspic" is a multi-part epic progressive rock song by King Crimson released over the course of three albums and 27 years, "Larks' Tongues in Aspic" in 1973, "Three of a Perfect Pair" in 1984, and "The ConstruKction of Light" in 2000. Part II has appeared on multiple King Crimson live albums, and Part IV is one continuous track on its live releases.

Part I

Part I is the longest part of the song and was first released in 1973 on the "Larks' Tongues in Aspic" album. It begins with a long percussion introduction, provided by Jamie Muir before entering a driving, hard rock section fuelled by Robert Fripp's electric guitar and introduced by a slowly-building violin. It slows down after a few minutes with David Cross' violin becoming more prominent until the beginning of Book of Saturday.

Live versions

Few live performances have been documented; however, one is available on the King Crimson Collectors' Club release "The Beat Club, Bremen". The same version was released on "The Beginners' Guide to the King Crimson Collectors' Club". The version on these two albums is only about seven minutes long. It is also included on the boxed set The Great Deceiver, a live set chronicling the 1972-1974 lineup of the band.

The song was dropped after the Starless and Bible Black tour.

Personnel

*David Cross (violin, viola, mellotron)
*Robert Fripp (guitar, mellotron, devices)
*John Wetton (bass)
*Bill Bruford (drums)
*Jamie Muir (various percussion)

Part II

Part II is driven throughout by guitars and recalls a few segments of Part I. The beginning developed into the familiar rhythm found in Parts III and IV. This is the second shortest part of the epic, but also the most familiar. It was released, as with Part I, on the "Larks' Tongues in Aspic" album. It segues perfectly out of The Talking Drum and was usually performed directly after it.

Part of the score for the 1974 French erotic film "Emmanuelle" was based heavily on Part II. After taking legal action against the film's producers, composer Robert Fripp eventually settled out of court. [http://imdb.com/title/tt0071464/trivia IMDB Trivia page for "Emmanuelle"] [http://www.dgmlive.com/diaries.htm?entry=5548 The diary of Robert Fripp]

Live versions

One need not look far to find live versions of this track; every incarnation since the band which initially recorded it up to the the current lineup has performed this live. Example versions can be found on "" (1981-4 band), "USA" (Starless and Bible Black lineup), and the "déjà VROOOM" DVD (double trio). The "double duo" line-up appears to have dropped this in favor of Part IV, released on "The ConstruKction of Light"; it was not restored for the tour supporting "The Power to Believe". However, this part of the song has been performed regularly by the current lineup (featuring Belew, Fripp, Levin, Mastelotto and Porcupine Tree drummer Gavin Harrison.

Personnel

*David Cross (violin, viola, mellotron)
*Robert Fripp (guitar, mellotron, devices)
*John Wetton (bass)
*Bill Bruford (drums)
*Jamie Muir (various percussion)

Part III

Part III appeared on 1984's "Three of a Perfect Pair" album. It featured familiar rhythms to the first two parts, but was delivered much differently. The sound was far more electronic-sounding, as evidenced by the intro alone, a quotation of the guitar rhythm at 4:50 on Part I. This is the shortest part of the epic. It is positioned at the end of the LP, on side 2, which consisted of more experimental tracks.

Live versions

This part was only played live in 1984 and always directly followed No Warning and was followed by Thela Hun Ginjeet (no story). Because this part was only performed on the "Three of a Perfect Pair" tour, not many live versions have been released. However, a version can be found on "" as well as the DVD "Neal and Jack and Me".

Personnel

*Adrian Belew – fretted guitar, fretless guitar
*Robert Fripp – guitar
*Tony Levin – bass, stick, synth
*Bill Bruford – acoustic and electric drumming

Part IV

Part IV was first released on 2000's "The ConstruKction of Light"; it is the second-longest part of the epic at just over nine minutes; even if the coda, "I Have a Dream" is included - as it is in live recordings - this part is still shorter than Part I. It is similar, in many ways, to Part II. Like most tracks on "The ConstruKction of Light", it is heavily guitar driven with a variety of effects applied to the sound.

Coda

If the coda is included, then this is the only part which includes vocals. The vocals are processed to make Adrian's voice sound heavily mechanical as he makes note of several of the most world-shatteringly important events of the time, focusing heavily on loss and sadness. Eerily, it referenced the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center - about a year before it would again be attacked. The vocals were later dropped from the live performance.

Live versions

Because it has been performed on both of the two most recent tours - those in support in "The ConstruKction of Light" and "The Power to Believe", several live versions can be found easily. For example, one version can be found on the "Happy With What You Have to Be Happy With" EP. Another can be found on "Heavy ConstruKction".

Personnel

*Robert Fripp – guitar
*Adrian Belew – guitar, vocals
*Trey Gunn – Warr guitar
*Pat Mastelotto – drums

References