Peter Sinfield Appreciation Thread - Progressive Rock Music Forum

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Asyte2c00

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Topic: Peter Sinfield Appreciation Thread
Posted: September 08 2006 at 17:55

Having Listned to Sinfield era Crimson albums, thousands times, I belive PA has been overdue to appreciate the lyrcial genius Sinfield provided King Crimson and elaborate upon the folly Fripp commited when asking Sinfield to leave KC. Although I belive KC Wetton-era is muscially superior than Sinfield-era, Fripp, Wetton, Bruford would never attain the lofty heights of Sinfield's genius.

Personally, I am glad that Sinfield, in a sense, indirectly retaliated against Fripp by writng beautiful lyrics for Greg Lake like "Pirates" and C'est La Vie" ect...Moreover, Lake delivered lyrics better than Fripp.

However, on the whole, I feel only Hammill is a better lyricist than Sinfield but Sinfield is assuredly second.

I Would like to get Still, but dont want to pay the hefty price for a Japanese import.

What is your favorite Sinfield lyric song?

Mine is "Epitaph"

Penumbra

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Posted: September 08 2006 at 18:04

You are right! Although Sinfield isn't considered Symphonic, I still applaude him with a massive one-man ovation. I encourage others to do so as well because his songs such as "I Talk to the Wind" and "Lizard" TRULY speak to me. Through Sinfield I can always imagine the characters or scenes portrayed in early Crimson, especially "In the Court of the Crimson King". The sheer story telling ability endeared me to that album for all time.

Peter Sinfield, we will always love you and will be indebted to you for helping Progressive Music to develop! Thumbs Up

The Holy Trinity of Symphonic Progressive Rock

BebieM

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Posted: September 08 2006 at 18:04

Sinfield is great.

I would say Sinfield-era KC is musically better than the later eras as well, not just for the lyrics.

el böthy

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Posted: September 08 2006 at 18:09

Sinfield is definitly a poet in a music...his lyrics, as you said often overlooked, are extremly beautiful and...well, down right good!

I guess my favorite lyrics by him must be "I talk to the wind"...I love the "I´ve been here and Ive been there and Ive been in between" part!!!

...now, doesnt it suck that he wrote songs for Cher?

"You want me to play what, Robert?"

Kleynan

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Posted: September 08 2006 at 18:51

As I've suggested before, check out this site: http://www.songsouponsea.com/Promenade/

It contains a good insight and analysation of Sinfield's concept for the first four albums. And I agree, Sinfield is a very overlooked lyricist. His lyrics are much deeper than some realise, and they are a major factor of the overall feeling of early KC. That epic feeling, that some of you are familiar with when listening to Epitaph.

Edited by Kleynan - September 08 2006 at 18:54

You've just had a heavy session of electroshock therapy, and you're more relaxed than you've been in weeks.

chamberry

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Posted: September 08 2006 at 20:29

Kleynan wrote:

As I've suggested before, check out this site: http://www.songsouponsea.com/Promenade/

I discovered this site some months ago and convinced me that he is (from the ones I've heard) the best lyricist from the 70's.

Fassbinder View Drop Down

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Posted: September 09 2006 at 00:54

Yes, Sinfield is great! I like the lyrics of "Moonchild" very much... and others.

As for his solo albums (Still and Stillusion, not a big difference, I believe; I have Stillusion), they aren't bad, though don't sound like KC.

Fitzcarraldo View Drop Down

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Posted: September 09 2006 at 21:12

Some of Sinfield's lyrics are certainly very good, but the stuff he wrote for ELP's "Love Beach" is just awful in my opinion:

Taste of my Love

Ohhh, you look so hungry woman
how come you strayed in here with your eyes so bright
on this long hot night.
Could it be for a taste of my love
Down on your knees with your face to the wall
Saying please please please
My friend said I should call
well I do feel lonely woman
And to tell the truth , I could use some company
to come closer to me.
Help yourself to a taste of my love.
Call up room service, order peaches and cream
I like my desert first - if you know what I mean.
Yeah, taste it , taste it, taste it
Around the maze of pleasure to the gates of pain,
you're driving me insane.
Take all you need from the taste of my love
I want to love you like nobody ever loved you
Get on my stallion and we'll ride.
I want to hold you and enfold you beyond reason
I want to dynamite your mind with love tonight.
Go down gently with your face to the east
The sun may be rising but we haven't finished the beast.
Ohhh, you still look hungry woman
I'm glad your came in here with your eyes so bright,
on this long hot night
You need love - I need love, here it comes , the taste of my love.
I'm gonna love you like nobody ever loved you
climb on my rocket and we'll fly.
Over the moon past the sun till we find
the gates of heaven open wide for lovers
I'm gonna love you like nobody ever loved you
climb on my rocket and we'll fly.

All I Want Is You

Sweep those blues outside the door
You won't need them anymore
I'm coming to you
I must have been a fool before
Now all I want
All I want
All I want is you

So roll away your loneliness
You have to send your last S.O.S
Turn you heart on put mind at rest
'cause all I want
All I want
All I want is you

I'm on flight 1 1 2
The airports straight ahead
Runway lights in blue and red
Now the seatbelt sign's aglow
I'm nearly home, nearly home
So throw throw those long sad books away
Times and crimes of yesterday
Tonight I'm gonna love you
till the break of day
'cause all I want
All I want
All I want is you

Love Beach

Now that the coast is clear,
I'm moving out of here.
It's time to dissapear- with you,.
to where the skies are blue.
I want you by my side,
don't look so mystified.
You know I said I'd
always take you to love beach.
Out of reach of the eagles eyes tonight
we can make it to love beach.
Where pirate moons, throw silver spoons
across the waves to you.
Back when it all began,
I was your highway man.
Now I've got a different plan
For you.
And me beside the deep blue sea
the way it's meant to be.
Oh you'll believe me
When you see the ocean roll up
and the sun turn a mighty red
You can walk love beach forever
Till it lives inside your head .. I said
I want you by my side
I'll keep you satisfied
My love won't hide
We can make love on love beach
out of reach of the lion's claws tonight.
We can make love on love beach
I want your love, with the stars above
down on love beach
I'm gonna make love to you, on love beach
Make all your dreams come true, on love beach
Gonna make love to you, on love beach
Gonna make your dreams come true, on love beach
Gonna make love to you, on love beach ,...etc-

EDIT: Lord, it's time for bed: I wrote "Brain Salad Surgery" instead of "Love Beach"! Nighty, night.

Edited by Fitzcarraldo - September 09 2006 at 21:15

Read reviews by Fitzcarraldo

richardh

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Posted: September 10 2006 at 04:35

Sinfield has desperate time of it writing lyrics for Love Beach.To be fair it wasn't written in collobaration with them properly like he was at the recording sessions (which he wasn't).He had to keep sending them chunks of lyrics as and when they demanded it.The whole album had an air of desperation written all over it of course at at a time when ELP needed to fulfill their contractural obligation with Atlantic and were really on the verge of breaking up.

BTW Sinfield wrote the lyrics for Bucks Fizz 'Land Of Make Believe' and also supplied lyrics for 'Karn Evil 9 3rd Impression' as well as Lakes seasonal hit 'I Believe In Father Christmas'.He also came up with the idea of 'Karn Evil' as it sounded like Carnival.

Edited by richardh - September 10 2006 at 04:36

freebird

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Posted: September 10 2006 at 23:33

Its too bad that KC moved away from the lyrical concepts of Sinfield (& Palmer James to some extent) towards the new (Belew) style.

Eetu Pellonpaa View Drop Down

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Posted: September 11 2006 at 01:37

Peter is truly a master in painting moods with metaphors, and his wide references to history and philosophy proves, that he's very intelligent. His ejection from KC was understgandable though, as he and Fripp moved to different directions, but Peter did very good album after that ("Still"), which has maybe the best lyrics from him which I have yet seen!

soundsweird View Drop Down

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Posted: September 11 2006 at 18:18

I have both of the CD's "Still" and "Stillusion", and thought I'd explain why I keep both. "Stillusion" was released first, and contains two (good) bonus tracks. The version of "House of Hopes and Dreams" is an alternate take, not the same version on the original LP (admittedly, they are quite similar except for the intro). The big problem with "Stillusion" is the EQ'ing. Some of the high frequencies were boosted WAY too much. This creates a sibilant problem (the "S" or "SH" sound in the vocals becomes abnormally emphasized, leading to distortion).

The Japanese import CD "Still" has wonderful sound and contains the original version of "House of Hopes and Dreams". Also, the tracks appear in their original order; "Stillusion" mixed the tracks up for some reason.

Eetu Pellonpaa View Drop Down

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Posted: September 12 2006 at 02:18

^ Ofcourse the vinyl version of "Still" appered earlier on vinyl before "Stillusion"?

The earlier batch of the vinyl print has pink frames, but Peter wanted them to be changed as blue during the printing, and the later batch is in blue! There are few irritating song on it, but the good ones are truly exceptional. Never heard the bonus tracks on the CD...

soundsweird View Drop Down

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Posted: September 12 2006 at 17:50

Here's a description of the bonus tracks...

"Can You Forgive a Fool": Not much like anything on "Still"; a very lush , almost orchestral backing, very heavy reverb on the vocals, simpler lyrics about losing love.

"Hanging Fire": A shorter, quiet track with minimal acoustic guitar backing; also not much like anything on "Still". IMO the better of the two.