I Talk to the Wind
Encyclopedia
"I Talk to the Wind" is the second track from the British
progressive rock
band King Crimson
's debut album, In the Court of the Crimson King
.
Starting immediately after the cacophony that ends "21st Century Schizoid Man
", the mood of this song is a stark contrast; it is serene, simple and peaceful. Ian McDonald
's flute begins the song, and is one of the lead instruments throughout. He also plays a classical-inspired solo
in the middle of the song as a "C" section and a longer one at the end as a coda
.
These themes would be revisited by the band, notably on their second album, In the Wake of Poseidon
. "Pictures of a City", with a similar mood as "21st Century Schizoid Man", would be followed by "Cadence And Cascade", another calm song.
This song is the only song on In the Court of the Crimson King
that does not have at least one separately titled section.
An earlier demo version of this song may be found on the now out-of-print LP Young Person's Guide to King Crimson, which featured Robert Fripp (guitar), Peter Giles (bass), Michael Giles (drums), and Ian McDonald (flute), along with Judy Dyble
(formerly of Fairport Convention and McDonald's girlfriend at the time) on vocals. This version was more up-tempo and lighter in instrumentation. The Young Person's Guide recording and another demo of the same song were recorded in 1968 by Giles, Giles and Fripp
. However the song did not actually appear on a Giles, Giles and Fripp record until The Brondesbury Tapes was released on CD in 2002.
A version of this song appears on the 1992 album Mind Fruit
by the band Opus III
.
The Shapir-O'Rama also cover this song on their 1988 debut El Mundo de Vapor y Valentia (Old Vienna).
The song was performed live in 1996 by Ian McDonald
and later King Crimson member John Wetton
with Steve Hackett
on Hackett's Tokyo Tapes
.
Klaus Waldeck
also covered this song on the album The Night Garden, 2001 (vocals by Brian Amos).
Judy Dyble
also released a version of this song on her 2006 album the Whorl.
Another version of this song appears on the 2007 Jordan Rudess
album The Road Home
.
"I Talk to the Wind" was featured as the second song performed in each concert during the 2010 tour of Keith Emerson
& Greg Lake
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
band King Crimson
King Crimson
King Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...
's debut album, In the Court of the Crimson King
In the Court of the Crimson King
In the Court of the Crimson King is the 1969 debut album by the British progressive rock group King Crimson. The album reached No. 5 on the British charts, and is certified gold in the United States....
.
Starting immediately after the cacophony that ends "21st Century Schizoid Man
21st Century Schizoid Man
"21st Century Schizoid Man" is a song by progressive rock band King Crimson from their debut album In the Court of the Crimson King.-Personnel:* Greg Lake – Vocals, bass guitar* Ian McDonald – saxophone* Robert Fripp – guitars* Michael Giles – drums...
", the mood of this song is a stark contrast; it is serene, simple and peaceful. Ian McDonald
Ian McDonald (musician)
Ian McDonald is an English multi-instrumental musician, best known as a founding member of progressive rock group King Crimson, formed in 1969, and of the hard rock band Foreigner in 1976. He is well-known as a rock session musician, predominantly as a saxophonist...
's flute begins the song, and is one of the lead instruments throughout. He also plays a classical-inspired solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
in the middle of the song as a "C" section and a longer one at the end as a coda
Coda (music)
Coda is a term used in music in a number of different senses, primarily to designate a passage that brings a piece to an end. Technically, it is an expanded cadence...
.
These themes would be revisited by the band, notably on their second album, In the Wake of Poseidon
In the Wake of Poseidon
In the Wake of Poseidon is the second album by the progressive rock group King Crimson. By the time this album was released, the band had already undergone their first change in line-up, however they still maintained much of the style of their first album, In the Court of the Crimson King.Greg Lake...
. "Pictures of a City", with a similar mood as "21st Century Schizoid Man", would be followed by "Cadence And Cascade", another calm song.
This song is the only song on In the Court of the Crimson King
In the Court of the Crimson King
In the Court of the Crimson King is the 1969 debut album by the British progressive rock group King Crimson. The album reached No. 5 on the British charts, and is certified gold in the United States....
that does not have at least one separately titled section.
An earlier demo version of this song may be found on the now out-of-print LP Young Person's Guide to King Crimson, which featured Robert Fripp (guitar), Peter Giles (bass), Michael Giles (drums), and Ian McDonald (flute), along with Judy Dyble
Judy Dyble
Judith Aileen Dyble, better known as Judy Dyble , is an award winning British singer/songwriter most notable for being one of the vocalists with, and founder members of, Fairport Convention and Trader Horne; in between these she was very briefly with Giles, Giles and Fripp, which evolved into...
(formerly of Fairport Convention and McDonald's girlfriend at the time) on vocals. This version was more up-tempo and lighter in instrumentation. The Young Person's Guide recording and another demo of the same song were recorded in 1968 by Giles, Giles and Fripp
Giles, Giles and Fripp
Giles, Giles and Fripp were an English late 1960s band, featuring brothers Michael Giles on drums and vocals, Peter Giles on bass guitar and vocals, and Robert Fripp on guitar.-Career:...
. However the song did not actually appear on a Giles, Giles and Fripp record until The Brondesbury Tapes was released on CD in 2002.
A version of this song appears on the 1992 album Mind Fruit
Mind Fruit
Mind Fruit is a 1992 album by Opus III."It's a Fine Day" is a cover of a 1983 single by Jane & Barton, and "I Talk to the Wind" is a cover of a King Crimson song from their 1969 debut album In the Court of the Crimson King.-Track listing:...
by the band Opus III
Opus III
Opus III were a techno and house music group from England who had success on the UK Singles Chart and on the U.S. Dance charts. The group consisted of vocalist Kirsty Hawkshaw and producers/musicians Kevin 'The Fly' Dodds, Ian Munro and Nigel 'Spider' Walton...
.
The Shapir-O'Rama also cover this song on their 1988 debut El Mundo de Vapor y Valentia (Old Vienna).
The song was performed live in 1996 by Ian McDonald
Ian McDonald (musician)
Ian McDonald is an English multi-instrumental musician, best known as a founding member of progressive rock group King Crimson, formed in 1969, and of the hard rock band Foreigner in 1976. He is well-known as a rock session musician, predominantly as a saxophonist...
and later King Crimson member John Wetton
John Wetton
John Kenneth Wetton is an English bassist, guitarist, keyboardist, singer and songwriter. He was born in Willington, Derbyshire, and grew up in Bournemouth. He has been a professional musician since the late 1960s...
with Steve Hackett
Steve Hackett
Stephen Richard Hackett is a British singer-songwriter and guitarist. He gained prominence as a member of the British progressive rock group Genesis, which he joined in 1970 and left in 1977 to pursue a solo career...
on Hackett's Tokyo Tapes
The Tokyo Tapes
The Tokyo Tapes is a live Steve Hackett album featuring a progressive rock supergroup lineup of John Wetton from King Crimson, UK and Asia; Chester Thompson from Weather Report, Frank Zappa and Genesis live; Ian McDonald, also from King Crimson, and Foreigner; and rounded out by keyboards man...
.
Klaus Waldeck
Klaus Waldeck
Klaus Waldeck, usually known by his stage name of Waldeck, is a Viennese former copyright lawyer and electronica musician.-History:Klaus Waldeck's musical career began in Vienna, Austria when he started piano lessons at the age of six...
also covered this song on the album The Night Garden, 2001 (vocals by Brian Amos).
Judy Dyble
Judy Dyble
Judith Aileen Dyble, better known as Judy Dyble , is an award winning British singer/songwriter most notable for being one of the vocalists with, and founder members of, Fairport Convention and Trader Horne; in between these she was very briefly with Giles, Giles and Fripp, which evolved into...
also released a version of this song on her 2006 album the Whorl.
Another version of this song appears on the 2007 Jordan Rudess
Jordan Rudess
Jordan Rudess is an American keyboardist best known as a member of the progressive metal band Dream Theater and the progressive rock supergroup Liquid Tension Experiment.-Biography:...
album The Road Home
The Road Home (Jordan Rudess album)
The Road Home is a cover album by Jordan Rudess. It was released on September 12, 2007.Rudess's arrangements of these classic prog tracks include many sections that were not in the original songs, especially solos...
.
"I Talk to the Wind" was featured as the second song performed in each concert during the 2010 tour of Keith Emerson
Keith Emerson
Keith Noel Emerson is an English keyboard player and composer. Formerly a member of the Keith Emerson Trio, John Brown's Bodies, The T-Bones, V.I.P.s, P.P. Arnold's backing band, and The Nice , he was a founder of Emerson, Lake & Palmer , one of the early supergroups, in 1970...
& Greg Lake
Greg Lake
Gregory Stuart "Greg" Lake is an English musician, songwriter and producer, best known as a vocalist and bassist of King Crimson, and the bassist, guitarist, vocalist, and lyricist of Emerson, Lake & Palmer.-1960s: King Crimson:...
.