Prog Music Lounge - "The Night Watch"

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"The Night Watch"

Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Music Lounge
Forum Description: General progressive music discussions
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=6591
Printed Date: June 07 2025 at 04:11
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Topic: "The Night Watch"

Posted By: fragile43k
Subject: "The Night Watch"
Date 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.

Replies:

Posted By: NetsNJFan
Date 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.

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Posted By: Peter
Date 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

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

Posted By: frenchie
Date 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

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The Worthless Recluse

Posted By: fragile43k
Date 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.

Posted By: omri
Date 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 !

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omri

Posted By: Guests
Date 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.

Posted By: Guests
Date 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..

Posted By: Lemming
Date Posted: June 09 2005 at 22:57

And such a sweet guitar solo by Fripp.

Posted By: kirklott
Date Posted: June 09 2005 at 23:44

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

Awesome prog that sounds like Gabriel-era Genesis.

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

Posted By: Arsillus
Date 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.

Posted By: Arsillus
Date Posted: June 10 2005 at 00:09

Darn, the picture didn't snow...^

<---"The Night Watch" [Live]

Posted By: BebieM
Date Posted: June 10 2005 at 01:24

Arsillus wrote:

Darn, the picture didn't snow...^

<---"The Night Watch" [Live]

well, that's because it's not winter