Take a Pebble
Encyclopedia
"Take a Pebble" is a song by the British
progressive rock
group Emerson, Lake & Palmer
. It is the second track of their eponymous debut album. It was written by Greg Lake
, and was arranged by the full band.
The song starts as a soft ballad... On the original recording it begins with Keith Emerson
holding down voicings on the piano keys (without having the hammers strike the notes) while strumming the grand piano strings with a plectrum
, while Greg Lake enters on electric bass guitar, and Carl Palmer
on subtle percussion;
Emerson switches to fast Eb-Minor and F-Minor ascending and descending hand-over-hand piano runs (not to be confused with piano glissandos - See: Glissando
) in the first 8 bars of the first "A" section (when Lake first enters singing "Just take a pebble... And cast it to the sea", etc.);
Emerson switches back to strumming the grand piano strings with a plectrum between the first and second "A" sections, while the bass and drums play;
Then, Emerson improvises behind Lake's singing in the first 8 bars of the second "A" sections;
A short piano interlude leads into a composed band jazz section - where the theme Lake has previously sung is developed and expanded much further;
Then on the original recording, another piano interlude leads into strumming the grand piano strings;
The short Greg Lake folk-style acoustic guitar section that follows in the middle of the original recording (where Lake briefly switches from playing electric bass guitar, with Palmer playing water-like percussion sounds, then a rhythmic hoedown-like strummed guitar chord section, with hand-clapping on 2 and 4, followed by plucked guitar arpeggios), gives an idea of what the original style of song may have sounded like, before Emerson's arrangement of the majority of the piece;
Then another piano interlude leads into a modal jazz band improvisation, followed by the "head out" and coda.
The jazz-style sections are reminiscent in some ways of Keith Emerson's late-1960s jazz-style adaptation for his band "The Nice
" of "Hang On To A Dream" aka "How Can We Hang On to a Dream?
" (composed by American folk musician Tim Hardin
).
In later versions of "Take A Pebble", the Greg Lake song "Lucky Man (Emerson, Lake & Palmer song)
" (and later, "Still, You Turn Me On" followed by "Lucky Man" - as recorded on Welcome Back My Friends to the Show That Never Ends... Ladies and Gentlemen) was added to the Greg Lake folk-style acoustic guitar section, followed by a solo Keith Emerson jazz and blues piano medley of tunes (that the band would join in on the very end of), followed by a "Take A Pebble" band improvisation moving between F-minor and Eb-Minor (often featuring Palmer on Timpani
), and then the conclusion of the piece.
The Greg Lake folk-style acoustic guitar section and/or the format of inserting of other Greg Lake songs inside "Take A Pebble" was later completely dropped, and Emerson usually performs a shorter solo piano improvisation (not a medley of tunes) based on an F-minor ostinato, followed by the "Take A Pebble" band improvisation, and then the conclusion of the piece (as seen in the "Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Live at Montreux 1997" DVD http://www.eaglerockent.com/eaglerockUSA/media_detail.php?media_id=554).
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...
group Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Emerson, Lake & Palmer, also known as ELP, are an English progressive rock supergroup. They found success in the 1970s and sold over forty million albums and headlined large stadium concerts. The band consists of Keith Emerson , Greg Lake and Carl Palmer...
. It is the second track of their eponymous debut album. It was written by 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:...
, and was arranged by the full band.
The song starts as a soft ballad... On the original recording it begins with 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...
holding down voicings on the piano keys (without having the hammers strike the notes) while strumming the grand piano strings with a plectrum
Plectrum
A plectrum is a small flat tool used to pluck or strum a stringed instrument. For hand-held instruments such as guitars and mandolins, the plectrum is often called a pick, and is a separate tool held in the player's hand...
, while Greg Lake enters on electric bass guitar, and Carl Palmer
Carl Palmer
Carl Frederick Kendall Palmer is an English drummer and percussionist. He is credited as one of the most respected rock drummers to emerge from the 1960s...
on subtle percussion;
Emerson switches to fast Eb-Minor and F-Minor ascending and descending hand-over-hand piano runs (not to be confused with piano glissandos - See: Glissando
Glissando
In music, a glissando is a glide from one pitch to another. It is an Italianized musical term derived from the French glisser, to glide. In some contexts it is distinguished from the continuous portamento...
) in the first 8 bars of the first "A" section (when Lake first enters singing "Just take a pebble... And cast it to the sea", etc.);
Emerson switches back to strumming the grand piano strings with a plectrum between the first and second "A" sections, while the bass and drums play;
Then, Emerson improvises behind Lake's singing in the first 8 bars of the second "A" sections;
A short piano interlude leads into a composed band jazz section - where the theme Lake has previously sung is developed and expanded much further;
Then on the original recording, another piano interlude leads into strumming the grand piano strings;
The short Greg Lake folk-style acoustic guitar section that follows in the middle of the original recording (where Lake briefly switches from playing electric bass guitar, with Palmer playing water-like percussion sounds, then a rhythmic hoedown-like strummed guitar chord section, with hand-clapping on 2 and 4, followed by plucked guitar arpeggios), gives an idea of what the original style of song may have sounded like, before Emerson's arrangement of the majority of the piece;
Then another piano interlude leads into a modal jazz band improvisation, followed by the "head out" and coda.
The jazz-style sections are reminiscent in some ways of Keith Emerson's late-1960s jazz-style adaptation for his band "The Nice
The Nice
The Nice were an English progressive rock band from the 1960s, known for their blend of rock, jazz and classical music. Their debut album, The Thoughts of Emerlist Davjack was released in 1967 to immediate acclaim. It is often considered the first progressive rock album...
" of "Hang On To A Dream" aka "How Can We Hang On to a Dream?
How Can We Hang On to a Dream?
How Can We Hang On to a Dream? is a song composed and recorded by Tim Hardin.A cover version with a choral arrangement by Duncan Browne was recorded by The Nice, as "Hang On to a Dream," on their third album, Nice and Nazareth on Snakes 'N' Ladders . A closer cover version was performed by...
" (composed by American folk musician Tim Hardin
Tim Hardin
James Timothy "Tim" Hardin was an American folk musician and composer. He wrote the Top 40 hits "If I Were a Carpenter", covered by, among others, Joan Baez, Bobby Darin, Johnny Cash, Ramblin' Jack Elliot, and Robert Plant, and "Reason to Believe", covered by many, including Rod Stewart, as well...
).
In later versions of "Take A Pebble", the Greg Lake song "Lucky Man (Emerson, Lake & Palmer song)
Lucky Man (Emerson, Lake & Palmer song)
"Lucky Man" is a song by the English progressive rock supergroup Emerson, Lake & Palmer, from the group's 1970 self-titled debut album. Written by Greg Lake when he was 12 years old and recorded by the trio using improvised arrangements,...
" (and later, "Still, You Turn Me On" followed by "Lucky Man" - as recorded on Welcome Back My Friends to the Show That Never Ends... Ladies and Gentlemen) was added to the Greg Lake folk-style acoustic guitar section, followed by a solo Keith Emerson jazz and blues piano medley of tunes (that the band would join in on the very end of), followed by a "Take A Pebble" band improvisation moving between F-minor and Eb-Minor (often featuring Palmer on Timpani
Timpani
Timpani, or kettledrums, are musical instruments in the percussion family. A type of drum, they consist of a skin called a head stretched over a large bowl traditionally made of copper. They are played by striking the head with a specialized drum stick called a timpani stick or timpani mallet...
), and then the conclusion of the piece.
The Greg Lake folk-style acoustic guitar section and/or the format of inserting of other Greg Lake songs inside "Take A Pebble" was later completely dropped, and Emerson usually performs a shorter solo piano improvisation (not a medley of tunes) based on an F-minor ostinato, followed by the "Take A Pebble" band improvisation, and then the conclusion of the piece (as seen in the "Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Live at Montreux 1997" DVD http://www.eaglerockent.com/eaglerockUSA/media_detail.php?media_id=554).
Personnel
- Keith Emerson: pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
- Greg Lake: vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, acoustic guitarSteel-string acoustic guitarA steel-string acoustic guitar is a modern form of guitar descended from the classical guitar, but strung with steel strings for a brighter, louder sound... - Carl Palmer: drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...