C or D: "Karn Evil NIne" by ELP

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a thousand pardons if this has been addressed…searched for an existing thread and couldn'nt find none…

I heard it today and it brought a huge smile to my face…good lord, such pomposity! the shitty drum fills…the barrelhouse piano…that final Moog swoop…Greg fukkin' Lake…

I think its completely loveable…whatchoo think?

― veronica moser (veronica moser), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 21:58 (twenty years ago)

When I was about six, my brother would encourage me to stick my head between the speakers for the climactic synth panning gimmick. I was sufficiently impressed by this to declare Brain Salad Surgery my favourite record at school, just ahead of Sweet's "Blockbuster".

I don't think I could stand ELP today.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 22:22 (twenty years ago)

Not a big fan of this song. It does kind of have that sound that the Tubes or somebody would later use.

Now, "In the Beginning". THAT song is going to be what's on the soundtrack during the love scene of my unfilmed, unwritten time-travel movie.

― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 22:52 (twenty years ago)

It's pretty sick actually.

― James Slone (Freon Trotsky), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 23:51 (twenty years ago)

It's fine, but it's no Love Beach.

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Wednesday, 11 January 2006 00:07 (twenty years ago)

There are better ELP songs, but it's pretty sweet.

― vartman (novaheat), Wednesday, 11 January 2006 03:31 (twenty years ago)

Also, a good name for a Dungeons and Dragons character.

― everything, Wednesday, 11 January 2006 04:55 (twenty years ago)

The song rules, not the whole three part suite, but first impression part two, or whatever it is they play on classic rock radio. There's so much exuberance in Emerson's first sci-fi hoedown keyboard break, it sends my toes tapping. (Also awesome is the souped-up cover Rhino packaged for the re-release; HR Geiger in 3D!)

― vomit redux, Wednesday, 11 January 2006 06:42 (twenty years ago)

Maybe ELP's high point, but I've only ever owned three albums so I'm not sure. ("Trilogy" and "Tarkus" are the other two.) "1st Impression, Part II"'s showstopping kitchen-sink razzle-dazzle is corny but undeniable, and that split-second in Part I when all the instruments drop out but for Lake's voice ("We've got thrills and shocks/Supersonic fighting cocks") startled me even after a dozen-plus listenings. (Similar experience with NIN's "Wish", 20 yrs hence.) But for me, the high point is "2nd Impression", with Emerson alternating between jazzy piano and his massive Moog Modular spitting out those steel drum/gamelan sounds. (Reminding me of the theme to TV's "Untamed World" - any other oldsters remember that old nature show?) And he closes the solo with a Sonny Rollins quote. (Unsure of the title - it's one of his calypso-type heads.)

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Wednesday, 11 January 2006 07:48 (twenty years ago)

three months pass...

Hi, thanks for your support, I'm italian.... so forgive my bad english, I beg your help, what does 'karn evil 9' mean?
I mean, is it something about 'carnival' however?
It's really important to me, I bet with a friend it means 'carnival' but 9? He didn't listen to me and I could be wrong...
help me please, thanks in advance......

cindy

― cindy derin, Monday, 24 April 2006 02:22 (twenty years ago)

I'm guessing, but I think it's merely a faux-psychedelic spelling of carnival or "evil carnival karma", yes - which has no deep meaning. And the "9" probably has no important meaning either - perhaps it's a reference to "revolution 9" by the Beatles - however, that's a guess too.

― dave's good arm (facsimile) (dave225.3), Monday, 24 April 2006 11:50 (twenty years ago)

Knowing these guys and their classical leanings, it's likely a pun based on Schumann's "Carnaval, Opus 9".

― everything, Monday, 24 April 2006 20:09 (twenty years ago)

They were so wacky.

― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Monday, 24 April 2006 20:15 (twenty years ago)

i nearly wept with joy watching this…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-zCZKlgEEE&search=Emerson%2C%20Lake%20%26amp%3B%20Palmer

― veronica moser (veronica moser), Monday, 24 April 2006 20:51 (twenty years ago)

The third impression is best: awesome synth heralding backing a totally pissed psychic battle with a computer or something! Therefore, Awesome!

Man alone; born of stone;
Will stamp the dust of time
His hands strike the flame of his soul;
Ties a rope to a tree and hangs the Universe
Until the wind of laughter blows cold.

Fear that rattles in men's ears
And rears it's hideous head
Dread .... Death .... in the wind ....

Man of steel pray and kneel
With fever's blazing torch
Thrust into the face of the night;
Draws a blade of compassion
Kissed by countless Kings
Whose jewelled trumpet words blind his sight.

Walls that no man thought would fall
The altars of the just
Crushed .... Dust .... in the wind ....

No man yields who flies in my ship
DANGER!
Let the bridge computer speak
STRANGER!
LOAD YOUR PROGRAM. I AM YOURSELF.

No computer stands in my way
Only blood can cancel my pain
Guardians of a new clear dawn
Let the maps of war be drawn.

Rejoice! Glory is ours!
Our young men have not died in vain,
Their graves need no flowers
The tapes have recorded their names.

I am all there is.
NEGATIVE! PRIMITIVE! LIMITED! I LET YOU LIVE!
But I gave you life!
WHAT ELSE COULD YOU DO?
To do what was right...
I'M PERFECT! ARE YOU?

― Abbott (Abbott), Monday, 24 April 2006 20:58 (twenty years ago)

But the best part is he sounds totally bored when he says "let the maps of war be drawn."

― Abbott (Abbott), Monday, 24 April 2006 20:59 (twenty years ago)

two years pass...

First Impression, Part 2 is also a common radio staple, though the fact that the song opens with the "Welcome back" line can leave casual radio listeners a bit surprised, not necessarily knowing what led up to that point from Part 1

wiki lol

― velko, Sunday, 27 July 2008 20:55 (seventeen years ago)

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