ELP epics: which is more lyrically bogus?

Syzygy wrote: Have you listened to much prog, Sweetnighter? I only ask because analysing the lyrics of prog epics expecting to find anything even vaguely coherent is being a tad optimistic. Granted, Sinfields lyrics aren't exactly meaningful, but they fit the music perfectly. Compared Close To The Edge, Supper's Ready, 2112, everything Gong ever recorded, King Crimson's serial employment of comically awful lyricists and Magma inventing their own language to sing cosmic nonsense in ELPs epics make perfect sense.

Good point, but in my opinion ELP is really the worst of the worst. The only ELP song lyrics I enjoy are on "From the Beginning". For your other examples... CTTE, as well as pretty much all Yes material, doesn't use words to tell a story in the same sense. Anderson's lyrics serve more to add to the sound of the music more than anything else... its a spiritual thing, and thats what Anderson has always been about. Yes didn't really tell a plot-based story until Gates of Delirium and than again on Turn of the Century, and even those pieces were loosely constructed. I guess what I'm saying is that it wasn't Yes' intention to tell a in-depth story, whereas ELP's creation of a mechanized armadillo seems to have had some thought put into it, and it fell flat on its face. And Supper's Ready? 2112? Whats wrong with those? No, they're not amazing, but their leagues ahead of Tarkus! 2112 especially, that has a clear plot direction, which is helped by notes on the album anyway. Fountains of Lamneth, even more so than 2112, has a very easily comprehended story as well, even after a first listen.

Reed Lover wrote: Zero the hero wrote: Quite a comical inturpritation of the two pieces. Hows about who gives a f**k they are master pieces? And the crowded chanted in unison: "are you Karnevil9 in disguise?"

bloody hope not

Not everything has to be serious. That's the problem with popular music. It's so confined within its own limits that all it can sing about is love. Boring if you ask me. ELP, along with other bands like Jethro Tull were able to make their lyrics fun, while keeping a certain level of professionalism within their music.

That said Tarkus is pretty wacky. 

Have you listened to much prog, Sweetnighter? I only ask because analysing the lyrics of prog epics expecting to find anything even vaguely coherent is being a tad optimistic. Granted, Sinfields lyrics aren't exactly meaningful, but they fit the music perfectly. Compared Close To The Edge, Supper's Ready, 2112, everything Gong ever recorded, King Crimson's serial employment of comically awful lyricists and Magma inventing their own language to sing cosmic nonsense in ELPs epics make perfect sense.

Sweetnighter wrote: Emerson, Lake, and Palmer: Masterful musicians! Storywriters? Not so sure. Here's my interpreted synopsis of the two epics. Tarkus: Large robotic armadillo drives around and kills things. Born out of some large egg that came from a volcano. Fights other quasi-robotic animals. Major battle with Manticore, a... uh... thing that looks sorta like a tiger... or wolf... or something. Swims away. (See gatefold album for the animated version) Karn Evil 9: Takes place in future. World sucks. Big freakish futuristic carnival features bishop's heads, strippers, grass, Jesus Christ, plus more. (Jazzy interlude). Big computer seeks to destroy humanity. Humanity fights back. Humanity loses. Computer breaks down. End. So thats my understanding of the two great ELP epics. If anybody would like to clarify or add details, feel free to do so.

....that pretty much sums it up. Not actactly Fish, Gabriel or Hammill..eh?

Emerson, Lake, and Palmer: Masterful musicians! Storywriters? Not so sure. Here's my interpreted synopsis of the two epics.

Tarkus: Large robotic armadillo drives around and kills things. Born out of some large egg that came from a volcano. Fights other quasi-robotic animals. Major battle with Manticore, a... uh... thing that looks sorta like a tiger... or wolf... or something. Swims away. (See gatefold album for the animated version)

Karn Evil 9: Takes place in future. World sucks. Big freakish futuristic carnival features bishop's heads, strippers, grass, Jesus Christ, plus more. (Jazzy interlude). Big computer seeks to destroy humanity. Humanity fights back. Humanity loses. Computer breaks down. End.

So thats my understanding of the two great ELP epics. If anybody would like to clarify or add details, feel free to do so.