"The Night Watch" - Progressive Rock Music Forum

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fragile43k View Drop Down

Forum Groupie

Joined: October 26 2004
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 83

Topic: "The Night Watch"
Posted: May 24 2005 at 21:06

I have often found King Crimson's lyrics to be detatched and abstract, so when I listened to the lyrics to "The Night Watch" I did not think much of them. I am a huge Rembrant fan. I was looking at his painting of the same name and made the connection between the two ( I dont know why I did not earlier). Since then I see the song in a new light. My hat is off to King Crimson. Don Mclean's "Vincent" has nothing on this song. As a musical representation of this painting it is stunning. My opinion of King Crimson has considerably improved.

Edited by fragile43k

NetsNJFan

Prog Reviewer

Joined: April 12 2005
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 3047

Posted: May 24 2005 at 21:09

The Night Watch is one of the few post 1971 King Crimson songs I LOVE. Great song I wish they had done more in that gentler vein as oppose to the loud experimentation stuff.

Peter

Special Collaborator

Honorary Collaborator

Joined: January 31 2004
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 9669

Posted: May 24 2005 at 21:25

A very nice song, that makes the painting more pleasurable, and vice-versa.

I came to Crimson a bit late, as one who was already a fan of Genesis, Yes and ELP, and Starless & Bible Black was the first KC album I bought (it was new, then). I didn't like the predominant heaviness, at first, but the beautiful "The Night Watch" resonated with this big fan of the "prettier" Genesis songs immediately.

Of course, I learned to enjoy all manifestations of KC, and soon worked my way through their diverse catologue! Smile

"And, has thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'
He chortled in his joy.

frenchie

Prog Reviewer

Joined: July 30 2004
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 2234

Posted: May 24 2005 at 21:30

The Night Watch

Shine, shine, the light of good works shine
The watch before the city gates depicted in their prime
That golden light all grimy now
Three hundred years have passed
The worthy Captain and his squad of troopers standing fast

The artist knew their faces well
The husbands of his lady friends
His creditors and councillors
In armour bright, the merchant men

Official moments of the guild
In poses keen from bygone days
The city fathers frozen there
Upon the canvas dark with age

The smell of paint, a flask of wine
And turn those faces all to me
The blunderbuss and halberd-shaft
And Dutch respectability

They make their entrance one by one
Defenders of that way of life
The redbrick home, the bourgeoisie
Guitar lessons for the wife

So many years we suffered here
Our country racked with Spanish wars
Now comes a chance to find ourselves
And quiet reigns behind our doors
We think about posterity again

And so the pride of little men
The burghers good and true
Still living through the painter's hand
Request you all to understand

The Worthless Recluse

fragile43k View Drop Down

Forum Groupie

Joined: October 26 2004
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 83

Posted: May 24 2005 at 22:36

This is what Prog is all about. "Shine, shine, the light of good works shine"--maybe the most potent verse I have ever heard. Take the irreverance of contemporary rock and the haunting beauty of classical music and you understand why no other musical genre could have produced this musical glimpse into the heart of this painting.

Edited by fragile43k

omri

Forum Senior Member

Joined: April 21 2005
Location: Israel
Status: Offline
Points: 1250

Posted: May 25 2005 at 04:29

I never knew it was about the paintings. Worse than that in Israeli release the words were'nt aded. I just printed it all (thanks progger). It is one of my favorites songs !

omri

Guests

Forum Guest Group

Posted: May 25 2005 at 04:42

I really thank you, I knew it was about that era, but not about that painting. Now all matches. Yeas, it is definitely one ofr their best, and THIS IS ACTUALLY GOOD POPULAR MUSIC. Bye.

Guests

Forum Guest Group

Posted: May 25 2005 at 05:07

fragile43k wrote:

I have often found King Crimson's lyrics to be detatched and abstract, so when I listened to the lyrics to "The Night Watch" I did not think much of them. I am a huge Rembrant fan. I was looking at his painting of the same name and made the connection between the two ( I dont know why I did not earlier). Since then I see the song in a new light. My hat is off to King Crimson. Don Mclean's "Vincent" has nothing on this song. As a musical representation of this painting it is stunning. My opinion of King Crimson has considerably improved.

That's the whole thing about Cromso and prog...you just don't never know, really..

Lemming

Forum Newbie

Joined: May 21 2005
Status: Offline
Points: 39

Posted: June 09 2005 at 22:57

And such a sweet guitar solo by Fripp.

kirklott

Forum Senior Member

Joined: May 01 2005
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 623

Posted: June 09 2005 at 23:44

Now how about checking out the band Night Watch (now called The Watch) www.thewatch.it

Awesome prog that sounds like Gabriel-era Genesis.

"Progressive rock is the key to the continuance of human evolution." - Charles Darwin

Arsillus

Forum Senior Member

Joined: March 26 2005
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 7374

Posted: June 10 2005 at 00:08

What about Night Watch, the album? That album is amazing! It's live and that's where King Crimson definatley excelled. And it's with the Bruford/Cross/Fripp/Wetton line up, and that makes it like 10 times better.