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About This Track
Speed King is a song by British hard rock band Deep Purple from their 1970 album In Rock. The song is one of the loudest from the album, and featured some of the band’s greatest amount of improvisation in a song, on both the original version and later live versions across the years. It was released as the B-side of the single “Black Night”
The song was the first song to be written by vocalist Ian Gillan, who wrote the lyrics by writing down a mix of lines from Elvis Presley, Little Richard, and Chuck Berry songs in the order that they came to mind. Possibly because of this, the song was never played without him. However, during the years that he has been in the band, it has been one of the band’s staple live performances.
The song opens with a guitar solo by guitarist Ritchie Blackmore featuring large usage of the whammy bar. He is soon joined by bassist Roger Glover, organist Jon Lord and drummer Ian Paice. The four of them jam together for a minute, before the guitar, bass and drums leave the song, and Lord plays an organ solo. On the original U.S. edition of In Rock, the intro was cut out. The version on the compilation Deepest Purple starts with the organ intro. The organ solo lasts a few seconds, before the more recognizable section of the song begins, with Gillan’s vocals coming into the song. After the second verse, a keyboard-guitar battle is played between Blackmore and Lord. This is followed by a guitar solo by Blackmore, mainly consisting of one lick played several times in different keys.
The song was the first song to be written by vocalist Ian Gillan, who wrote the lyrics by writing down a mix of lines from Elvis Presley, Little Richard, and Chuck Berry songs in the order that they came to mind. Possibly because of this, the song was never played without him. However, during the years that he has been in the band, it has been one of the band’s staple live performances.
The song opens with a guitar solo by guitarist Ritchie Blackmore featuring large usage of the whammy bar. He is soon joined by bassist Roger Glover, organist Jon Lord and drummer Ian Paice. The four of them jam together for a minute, before the guitar, bass and drums leave the song, and Lord plays an organ solo. On the original U.S. edition of In Rock, the intro was cut out. The version on the compilation Deepest Purple starts with the organ intro. The organ solo lasts a few seconds, before the more recognizable section of the song begins, with Gillan’s vocals coming into the song. After the second verse, a keyboard-guitar battle is played between Blackmore and Lord. This is followed by a guitar solo by Blackmore, mainly consisting of one lick played several times in different keys.
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Albums featuring this track
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Deepest Purple: The Very Best of Deep Purple
Deep Purple
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In Rock
Deep Purple Buy- Download Album
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- 7digital Search
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- Buy Album
- Amazon $4.17
- eBay Search
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The Very Best of Deep Purple
Deep Purple Buy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 $8.97
- 7digital $12.99
- iTunes $11.99
- Buy Album
- Amazon $9.67
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Deepest Purple - The Very Best Of Deep Purple
Deep Purple Buy- Download Album
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- 7digital Search
- iTunes Search
- Buy Album
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Shouts
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michaelj57 wrote:
Great live version
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Rockinfreddy wrote:
Diese Zweikämpfe!Genial...
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NeilW3 wrote:
This goes well with my picture. DUCATI 916 SPS. It's a speed machine!
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lacalisto wrote:
tolle Version...
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ElectricEra wrote:
The song remains me the Highway... Need to go even faster!
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speedking1956 wrote:
super geile Aufnahme!!!!!!!!!!
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sovamilitari wrote:
вечная музыка!!!!!
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michouz wrote:
is this rock?
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Tecumseh666 wrote:
masterpiece:))
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rigelthe16th wrote:
lol right! :D
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ferraristipit wrote:
SuperTittenAffenGeile VERSION :-)
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slotto wrote:
A classic
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PinkFloydrulez wrote:
when i listen to this album I feel like my room should have wood paneling walls and reek of cigarettes and pot. playing from a turntable, of course. i want to get high and listen to this and just not give a fuck about anything
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guitarmeeuw wrote:
Oi Oi Oi!! ~~
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aerdnaben wrote:
lange nicht mehr gehört. super!!!!!
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molfi wrote:
one of my favorite DP!!
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Thommy05 wrote:
Einfach Spitze
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rigelthe16th wrote:
woah! :)
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bratka509 wrote:
I know how to Nei
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bratka509 wrote:
::::::::!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Track Stats
624,285 Scrobbles
188,964 Listeners
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Recent Activity
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justobvious, JAMESHANSEN1987, MetalfunUA and 1 other person loved Deep Purple – Speed King. 8 hours ago
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fd0m added Speed King to fd0m’s library. yesterday afternoon
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weenus69, alexyakovlev93, JackBiddle and 3 other people loved Deep Purple – Speed King. Monday evening
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sluitingstijd tagged Speed King with ‘rockwell’. Sunday afternoon
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NryTurunc, UNWHOLESOME and Kareembeez369 loved Deep Purple – Speed King. Sunday afternoon
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benellitrk899 added Speed King to benellitrk899’s library. Sunday morning
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d4406bt03, fatalportrait99, angles55 and 5 other people loved Deep Purple – Speed King. Saturday evening
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klub_login tagged Deep Purple – Speed King with deep purple, rock, classic rock and one other tag. Saturday morning
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travis6075, scottiedogg75, mochimoe and 13 other people loved Deep Purple – Speed King. Friday evening
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bacilisa added Speed King to a deleted playlist. Wednesday evening
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