I Talk to the Wind (6:05)

“I Talk to the Wind” is the second track from the British progressive rock band King Crimson’s debut album, In the Court of the Crimson King.

Starting immediately after the cacophony that ends “21st Century Schizoid Man”, the mood of this song is a stark contrast; it is relatively serene, simple and peaceful. Ian McDonald’s flute begins the song, and is one of the lead instruments throughout. He also plays a classical-inspired solo in the middle of the song as a “C” section and a longer one at the end as a coda.

These themes would be revisited again by the band, notably on their second album, In the Wake of Poseidon. “Pictures of a City”, with a similar mood as “21st Century Schizoid Man”, would be followed by “Cadence And Cascade”, another relatively calm song for the band.

A version of this song appears on the 1992 album Mind Fruit by the band Opus III.

The Shapir-O’Rama also cover this song on their 1988 debut El Mundo de Vapor y Valentia (Old Vienna).

The song was performed live in 1996 by Ian McDonald and later King Crimson member John Wetton with Steve Hackett on Hackett’s Tokyo Tapes.

Another version of this song appears on the 2007 Jordan Rudess album The Road Home.