Print Page | Close Window

ItCotCK [title track] vs. Starless

Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Polls
Forum Description: Create polls on topics related to progressive music
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=102733
Printed Date: August 12 2025 at 09:44
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.01 - http://www.webwizforums.com


Topic: ItCotCK [title track] vs. Starless
Posted By: Komandant Shamal
Subject: ItCotCK [title track] vs. Starless
Date Posted: June 04 2015 at 00:08

"In the Court of the Crimson King" gets my vote.




Replies:
Posted By: Progosopher
Date Posted: June 04 2015 at 00:15
Starless gets mine.

-------------
The world of sound is certainly capable of infinite variety and, were our sense developed, of infinite extensions. -- George Santayana, "The Sense of Beauty"


Posted By: Imperial Zeppelin
Date Posted: June 04 2015 at 00:21
Nothing beats Starless.

-------------
"Hey there, Dog Man, now I drink from your bowl."


Posted By: Man With Hat
Date Posted: June 04 2015 at 00:35
^ Prertty much


-------------
Dig me...But don't...Bury me
I'm running still, I shall until, one day, I hope that I'll arrive
Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect.


Posted By: Svetonio
Date Posted: June 04 2015 at 01:43
I do like Starless, but In the Court of the Crimson King the title track is so great Symphonic rock song; actually, both songs are at same, the highest level of King Crimson's greatness.


Posted By: The-time-is-now
Date Posted: June 04 2015 at 02:24
In the Court.

My symphonic side, I guess :-)


-------------


One of my best achievements in life was to find this picture :D


Posted By: someone_else
Date Posted: June 04 2015 at 02:49
Not an easy choice. My voter goes to In the Court.

-------------


Posted By: Hercules
Date Posted: June 04 2015 at 03:50
ITCOTCK is one of the few KC tracks I really like.

Starless is not one of the others.


-------------
A TVR is not a car. It's a way of life.


Posted By: Meltdowner
Date Posted: June 04 2015 at 04:43
Starless is flawless Wink


Posted By: the lighthouse keepe
Date Posted: June 04 2015 at 05:17
Originally posted by Meltdowner Meltdowner wrote:

Starless is flawless Wink


Agree!
Starless gets my vote!

-------------
"Hello sun.Hello bird.
Hello my lady.
Hello breakfast.May I buy you
again tomorrow?"


Posted By: thwok
Date Posted: June 04 2015 at 05:24
How do you choose, between two of the finest songs from the world's greatest (IMHO) band?  Although I love them both, I think "Starless" gets the edge.  "In the Court of the Crimson King" seems (show your best shocked expression!) slightly repetitive by comparison.

-------------
I am the funkiest man on the planet!


Posted By: Michael678
Date Posted: June 04 2015 at 05:43
why Starless of course, but both are prog classics far and away.

-------------
Progrockdude


Posted By: tboyd1802
Date Posted: June 04 2015 at 07:16
Starless...

-------------
He neither drank, smoked, nor rode a bicycle. Living frugally, saving his money, he died early, surrounded by greedy relatives. It was a great lesson to me -- John Barrymore


Posted By: A_Flower
Date Posted: June 04 2015 at 08:03
^...and Bible Black


Posted By: irrelevant
Date Posted: June 04 2015 at 12:00
Yep, Starless

-------------
https://gabebuller.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow - New album!
http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=7385" rel="nofollow - http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=7385


Posted By: Polymorphia
Date Posted: June 04 2015 at 12:45
Starmore

-------------
https://dreamwindow.bandcamp.com/releases" rel="nofollow - My Music


Posted By: Barbu
Date Posted: June 04 2015 at 13:10
Court

-------------



Posted By: Wanorak
Date Posted: June 04 2015 at 13:23
Tough but Starless for me. It has an emotional intensity that ITCOTCK lacks IMO.

-------------
A GREAT YEAR FOR PROG!!!


Posted By: ole-the-first
Date Posted: June 04 2015 at 13:44
Starless

-------------
This night wounds time.


Posted By: Gully Foyle
Date Posted: June 04 2015 at 13:46
Starless by a mile - ITCOTKC is just a bit too silly (or maybe way too silly) in the lyric department, and dated in its sound for me...


Posted By: Friday13th
Date Posted: June 04 2015 at 13:52
Court is just as grand but not nearly as emotional as Starless. 
Starless > any other song 


Posted By: m2thek
Date Posted: June 04 2015 at 14:55
I think you people voting for Court are out of your minds. Starless is not only KC's best song, it's one of the best songs of the entire genre.

-------------

Matt


Posted By: HackettFan
Date Posted: June 04 2015 at 15:56
I can't stand Starless. It's just real slow and nothing happens in it, much as I feel about Red in General except for Providence. ITCOCK for me, thank you.


Posted By: Friday13th
Date Posted: June 04 2015 at 16:01
^ I don't get how you could say nothing happens in Starless (and Providence is easily the most nothing of all the songs with nothing but Violin improv for like 5 minutes). Maybe you think the riff build is too long, but then SOMETHING HAPPENS and by golly, that something is so face-melting and incredible.


Posted By: Horizons
Date Posted: June 04 2015 at 16:58
Wait people actually prefer In the Court.. over Starless? What?




-------------
Crushed like a rose in the riverflow.


Posted By: dr wu23
Date Posted: June 04 2015 at 17:16

Two of my favorite prog tracks from perhaps my favorite prog band......impossible to choose for me. They are from totally different bands and time frames. ITCOTCK was definitely an early prog-psych thing while Starless was a foray into much darker heavy prog. It's comparing apples and oranges.....can't do it....wouldn't be prudent.

Wink


-------------
One does nothing yet nothing is left undone.
Haquin


Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: June 04 2015 at 21:32
I love both, but Starless I (the live version, though, the one on Collectible King Crimson Vol 1, Disc 1). If it had been put against Epitaph, though, it would have been much harder for me to choose.


Posted By: kenethlevine
Date Posted: June 04 2015 at 22:33
It's easy to like Court over Starless.  I do  Tongue
Court is a more structured and balanced piece with a more catchy melody, indeed melodies, and better vocals.  Starless is gorgeous for the first few minutes and last minute, although Wetton's vocals let down the promise of the instrumental parts somewhat, but for my simple tastes, the middle part is too weird and chaotic, as well as lengthy, which is generally my beef with KC as their career progressed in the 1970s.   So Court easily.  Actually, all the songs from Court beat Starless except Moonchild for me, even Schizoid Man in spite of its chaotic aspects.  It just seems like more thought was put into structure there, which I understand has its issues for some people


Posted By: HackettFan
Date Posted: June 04 2015 at 23:18
Originally posted by Friday13th Friday13th wrote:

^ I don't get how you could say nothing happens in Starless (and Providence is easily the most nothing of all the songs with nothing but Violin improv for like 5 minutes). Maybe you think the riff build is too long, but then SOMETHING HAPPENS and by golly, that something is so face-melting and incredible.
We're not going to agree. Give me the violin improv in Providence any day. The middle instrumental build up in Starless is curious for using the guitar to play rhythmic lines that would normally done by the base while giving the base room for a little more room for tonal exploration. As a guitar player I don't care for that, and as a listener I just find it boring and static. Terrible idea. The experiment was already tried in the prior album and was only slightly more successful to ears. Starless and Bible Black is a far better album than Red, but I know I won't get much echo of agreement on that.


Posted By: cstack3
Date Posted: June 04 2015 at 23:38
I love both, but ITCOCK helped launch an entire movement in modern music, so it received my vote. 

KC played "Starless" during their last tour, and Fripp's guitar solo in that song remains one of his best, ever!  


Posted By: The.Crimson.King
Date Posted: June 04 2015 at 23:54
Court for me.  Never have liked the studio version of Starless but the live versions on "The Road to Red" are fantastic...without the sax and horn parts at the end, Fripp fills the space with amazing soloing Wink

-------------
https://wytchcrypt.wixsite.com/mutiny-in-jonestown" rel="nofollow - Mutiny in Jonestown : Progressive Rock Since 1987


Posted By: octopus-4
Date Posted: June 05 2015 at 06:53
Not an easy choice. I love Greg Lake's voice, but I like Starless more

-------------
I stand with Roger Waters, I stand with Joan Baez, I stand with Victor Jara, I stand with Woody Guthrie. Music is revolution


Posted By: Padraic
Date Posted: June 05 2015 at 08:33
Starless


Posted By: digdug
Date Posted: June 05 2015 at 14:12
both are great of course but I have to go with

In the Court


-------------
Prog On!


Posted By: akaBona
Date Posted: June 05 2015 at 18:31
Starless


Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: June 05 2015 at 19:01
Originally posted by The.Crimson.King The.Crimson.King wrote:

Court for me.  Never have liked the studio version of Starless but the live versions on "The Road to Red" are fantastic...without the sax and horn parts at the end, Fripp fills the space with amazing soloing Wink


Also, the live versions feature the main theme being played by the violin, and since that's the way I heard and liked first, for me that melody was made to be played with a violin, not a guitar (actually, that may just as well be the case).


Posted By: Bitterblogger
Date Posted: June 06 2015 at 00:20
Starless, by completely delivering on the bleakness it first portends.
Court isn't even the best cut on the album.


Posted By: rogerthat
Date Posted: June 06 2015 at 01:13
Originally posted by m2thek m2thek wrote:

I think you people voting for Court are out of your minds. Starless is not only KC's best song, it's one of the best songs of the entire genre.

Well, that's what different tastes are all about.  I guess ITCOTCK appeals to the more symphonic-loving, structure-obsessed type of prog listener.  Starless is unpredictable and passes through a wider array of emotions in its running length than perhaps the entire ITCOTCK album.  Easily gets my vote.


Posted By: Formentera Lady
Date Posted: June 06 2015 at 12:09
Starless, one of my favourite songs ever! Thumbs Up


-------------
http://theprogressiveweb.blogspot.de" rel="nofollow - Visit me in Second Life to talk about music.


Posted By: sublime220
Date Posted: June 10 2015 at 11:47
Starless is the greatest song ever created by KC, by progressive rock artist, and by anyone who has prduced a song on an album.

-------------
There is no dark side in the moon, really... Matter of fact, it's all dark...


Posted By: uduwudu
Date Posted: June 12 2015 at 06:39
Starless for me. Must confess that the studio version is the one I prefer over the live performances. Beautiful song. "water torture"* Fripp solo all tension, mad build up into a jazz frenzy then that awesome symphonic climax.

ITOTCK is magnificent and I've heard Hackett with Wetton and Asia (with Wetton) do it as well. I think this one gets an easier ride in performance than the way more difficult Starless. I think ITCOTCK is a more cohesive number written as it turns out.

I think KC got lucky with Starless and managed to fit the disparate entities together to make a Frankenstein's monster of a classic.

Slightly OT moment...  shame Asia and GTR did not merge with Wetton on vocals as well.

*some one else's description of Fripp's determination to be as nasty as he can, but I liked it (the description.. oh, and the solo) and it fits (the description) Oh, and the solo.


Posted By: Kirillov
Date Posted: June 12 2015 at 07:25
Just...
can't...
choose...


Posted By: twseel
Date Posted: June 12 2015 at 07:39
Someone should say this... In the Court of the Crimson King doesn't have a title track.

-------------


Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: June 12 2015 at 21:54
Originally posted by twseel twseel wrote:

Someone should say this... In the Court of the Crimson King doesn't have a title track.


Well, yeah, actually. But everyone understands what is being talked about.



Print Page | Close Window

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 11.01 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Copyright ©2001-2014 Web Wiz Ltd. - http://www.webwiz.co.uk