About This Track
The song makes reference to the Vietnam War as exemplified in the lyric “innocents raped with napalm fire” and “politicians’ funeral pyre.” Before a live performance of the song on 14 December 1969 (as shown in the live album Epitaph), Fripp remarked that the song was dedicated to “an American political personality whom we all know and love dearly. His name is Spiro Agnew.”
Musically, the song is notable for its heavily distorted vocals sung by Greg Lake, a driving mechanical rhythm and piercingly loud saxophone and guitar, along with its instrumental middle section, called “Mirrors”. Most of the song is in either 4/4 or 6/8 time, save for the percussive section in “Mirrors” which alternates between 1/4, 2/4 and 5/4. The very end of the song is in free time.
King Crimson continued to perform it in their live act after Greg Lake left King Crimson in 1970 to form Emerson, Lake & Palmer. It appeared on four live albums from different versions of the band, first sung by Greg Lake on Epitaph, then by Boz Burrell on Earthbound (1972), by John Wetton, on USA (1974), and by Adrian Belew on Vrooom Vrooom (2001, recorded in 1996).
The song has recently been covered by Ozzy Osbourne on his cover album Under Cover. Flower Travellin’ Band, Entombed, Voivod, Unrest, Noir Désir, Afterhours, Rorschach and April Wine have also covered this song, as have Forbidden on their album Distortion. Cripple Bastards also covered this song on their ‘Your Lies In Check’ album
Similar Music
People who listen to this also like
| Track | Duration | Listeners | ||
|
|
King Crimson - Epitaph | 8:48 | 93,792 | |
|
|
King Crimson - Moonchild | 12:14 | 68,700 | |
|
|
Yes - Close To The Edge | 19:40 | 70,659 | |
|
|
Yes - Siberian Khatru | 10:16 | 73,618 | |
|
|
Genesis - Firth Of Fifth | 11:23 | 79,094 | |
|
|
Pink Floyd - Echoes | 16:32 | 266,471 |
Albums featuring this track
Shouts
Track Stats
Recent Listening Trend
Listening Now
Top Listeners
-
SinnerPoetry
Top Listener
-
Slapich
Top Listener
-
ProfessorBatu
Top Listener
-
kozan3rd
Top Listener
Recent Activity
-
Majest1c_, wrongID_, DxAxPanda and 4 other people loved King Crimson – 21st Century Schizoid Man. 1 minute ago
-
kexborough added 21st Century Schizoid Man to the playlist. yesterday evening
-
kexborough and AngrmUndrscr loved King Crimson – 21st Century Schizoid Man. yesterday evening
-
lastfmhgy added 21st Century Schizoid Man to lastfmhgy’s library. yesterday morning
-
CalebRozpruwacz, jopextwin0629, arscek and 4 other people loved King Crimson – 21st Century Schizoid Man. yesterday morning
-
aguntum added 21st Century Schizoid Man to aguntum’s library. Friday afternoon
-
aguntum added 21st Century Schizoid Man to the playlist. Friday afternoon
-
super_phun_tyme, kersjous and Tiggrrr loved King Crimson – 21st Century Schizoid Man. Thursday afternoon
-
nonfinerer added 21st Century Schizoid Man to nonfinerer’s library. Wednesday evening
-
Nster77, Nehebkau, pan_denis and 4 other people loved King Crimson – 21st Century Schizoid Man. Wednesday evening
Related Journals
-
the best progressive song of 1969!
by rokakuya |
1 Feb 2012
|
5 comments
-
my latest mix -- and it's FUCKING BEAUTIFUL!
by l-swagg |
22 Jan 2012
-
Kiff Mix
by Forkinator |
10 Jan 2012













