First three albums by ELP

[infandous]

OK, your bias against "Lucky Man" is pretty well set. But just because Lake wrote it when he was 12 (I'm sure the ELP version isn't exactly the same as his 12-year old version), or because it's simple doesn't mean it's a terrible song. The fact that it's done so much for the band over the years has more than proven its worth.

That said, I agree that while many prog bands recorded songs like "Lucky Man" most gave them some kind of tweak to raise them above being a mere acoustic folk ditty. But in ELP's defense that's sort of what they did as well by tacking on this ginormous, Frankesteinian analog synth solo at the end. I can guarantee the first time anybody heard that song their heads pretty much exploded when that sucker hit their ears.

And you're right, the song *was* filler. But at least they didn't just let it go out without doing *something* to it. There's examples of that as well in progdom ("Holy Lamb" on Big Generator, for example.)

Well, as I said, I used to like the song (I've performed it, even). I think maybe my "bias" is more to do with having heard it so many damn times over the years. Also, after seeing Emerson in various places say that he basically was just messing with settings for the "famous" moog solo. Still, I thought it was cool the first few times I heard it. I just feel it is not a high point of the first album and it was obviously not planned to be on the album in the first place. Of course, it's probably their most well known song outside of prog circles.

[ytserush]

Can't choose. I love it all, especially live.