A Young Person's Guide to King Crimson

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A Young Person's Guide to King Crimson
Compilation album by
ReleasedFebruary 1976[1]
Recorded1969–1974
GenreProgressive rock
Length74:12
LabelIsland (UK)
Atlantic Records (Canada)
Polydor Records (UK)
E.G. Records
Virgin Records
Discipline Global Mobile
ProducerKing Crimson
King Crimson chronology
A Young Person's Guide to King Crimson
(1976)
The Compact King Crimson
(1986)
Singles from A Young Person's Guide to King Crimson
  1. "Epitaph"
    Released: February 1976 (UK)

A Young Person's Guide to King Crimson is a 2-LP compilation album by the band King Crimson, released in 1976. At the time of release, the band had been disbanded. Guitarist Robert Fripp selected the tracks for inclusion.

Its name is most likely derived either from the famous orchestral work The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra by composer Benjamin Britten or the 1960s television series Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, created by conductor/composer Leonard Bernstein.

The gatefold sleeve featured artwork by Scottish artist Fergus Hall, with the front cover being The Landscape Player and the back cover being Earth. Included as part of the package was a booklet, replete with photographs, and detailing gig history and notable events; this was compiled by Robert Fripp from his own archive.

To date, its sole CD release has been in Japan, in 1990. This 2-CD set, which faithfully duplicated the vinyl running order, included a reproduction of the booklet, scaled-down. Playing times are approximately 40 minutes long for CD1 and 35 minutes for CD2.

Track listing[edit]

LP 1[edit]

Side one[edit]

No.TitleWriter(s)Original albumLength
1."Epitaph" (including "March for No Reason" and "Tomorrow and Tomorrow")Robert Fripp, Michael Giles, Greg Lake, Ian McDonald, Peter SinfieldIn the Court of the Crimson King8:52
2."Cadence and Cascade" (Abridged version)Fripp, SinfieldIn the Wake of Poseidon3:36
3."Ladies of the Road"Fripp, SinfieldIslands5:27
4."I Talk to the Wind"McDonald, SinfieldEarly version[nb 1]3:15

Side two[edit]

No.TitleWriter(s)Original albumLength
1."Red"FrippRed6:18
2."Starless"Bill Bruford, David Cross, Fripp, Richard Palmer-James, John WettonRed12:17

LP 2[edit]

Side one[edit]

No.TitleWriter(s)Original albumLength
1."The Night Watch"Fripp, Palmer-James, WettonStarless and Bible Black4:38
2."Book of Saturday"Fripp, Palmer-James, WettonLarks' Tongues in Aspic2:52
3."Peace: A Theme"FrippIn the Wake of Poseidon1:14
4."Cat Food" (Abridged version)Fripp, McDonald, Sinfield"Cat Food/Groon" single [nb 2]2:43
5."Groon"Fripp"Cat Food/Groon" single3:30
6."Coda from Larks' Tongues in Aspic (Part I)"Bruford, Cross, Fripp, Jamie Muir, WettonLarks' Tongues in Aspic2:09

Side two[edit]

No.TitleWriter(s)Original albumLength
1."Moonchild" (Abridged version)Fripp, Giles, Lake, McDonald, SinfieldIn the Court of the Crimson King2:24
2."Trio"Bruford, Cross, Fripp, WettonStarless and Bible Black5:36
3."The Court of the Crimson King" (including "The Return of the Fire Witch" and "The Dance of the Puppets")McDonald, SinfieldIn the Court of the Crimson King9:21

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Recorded at 93A Brondesbury Road, London, England, UK, July 1968; it differs from the version released on In the Court of the Crimson King. The most notable difference is in the vocals, which are sung by Judy Dyble (Fairport Convention) rather than Greg Lake. This version is also available on The Brondesbury Tapes (1968) under the name of Giles, Giles and Fripp (VP235CD)
  2. ^ unedited version available on In the Wake of Poseidon

References[edit]

  1. ^ Strong, Martin Charles (1995). The Great Rock Discography. p. 460. ISBN 9780862415419.