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Thread: King Crimson- Happy Family

  1. #1
    Member Digital_Man's Avatar
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    King Crimson- Happy Family

    I figure if someone can post about a Genesis song I can post about a KC song.

    Anyway, I was reminded of this because of the recent anniversary of the Beatles 50th anniversary of the Ed Sullivan show appearance. Apparently this song is about the Beatles and specifically their breakup. Because of the cryptic lyrics we might never know for sure but I certainly think it is about that. I remember reading that it has been speculated in the booklet that came with the "young person's guide" that I had a long time ago. Any thoughts or anyone want to try to speculate on specific lyrics?
    Do not suffer through the game of chance that plays....always doors to lock away your dreams (To Be Over)

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    Jazzbo manqué Mister Triscuits's Avatar
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    Jonah = John (the "caustic" one who "grew a wife")
    Judas/Jude = Paul ("Hey Jude," also the betrayer who finally broke up the Beatles)
    Silas = George (the "searching" spiritual Beatle)
    Rufus = Ringo (who "grew his nose" )

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    Member Digital_Man's Avatar
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    Oh ok. That makes sense now. I always thought it was "drew a knife." LOL.
    Do not suffer through the game of chance that plays....always doors to lock away your dreams (To Be Over)

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    Member Big Ears's Avatar
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    The Hoffman site has a year-old thread on this track: http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/thread...rimson.313616/
    Member since Wednesday 09.09.09

  5. #5
    "The Beatles are depicted in the cover art for Lizard, best seen on vinyl. The 40th anniversary edition is in 5.1 and stereo with bonus material. Start there!" (From the link above.)

    Yep. A debate we had here at PE a few years ago was whether or not KC minus Fripp and Sinfield (and all the support musicians) is depicted on the cover. I argued yes. Others said it was either Cream or the Experience.

    Other debates: Fripp and Wilson deleted some of the errant synth sounds on the 40th.
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  6. #6
    Member Digital_Man's Avatar
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    [Other debates: Fripp and Wilson deleted some of the errant synth sounds on the 40th.]


    Well for me that's kind of like colorizing a classic black and white movie. My feeling is "if it ain't broke don't fix it."
    Do not suffer through the game of chance that plays....always doors to lock away your dreams (To Be Over)

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    Yeah, that pissed me off. Specifically, a dissonant Mellotron note during the beginning of the Lizard suite, as Jon Anderson is singing, was completely dropped out. Sinfield liked it, Fripp did not... BTW, great album from beginning to end.

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    Member WytchCrypt's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Digital_Man View Post
    [Other debates: Fripp and Wilson deleted some of the errant synth sounds on the 40th.]


    Well for me that's kind of like colorizing a classic black and white movie. My feeling is "if it ain't broke don't fix it."
    Agreed...reminds me of Zappa's remix of "We're Only in it for the Money". I was cruising my local library CD section in the mid 90's and checked it out and really loved it, apparently it was on one of the early CD releases where they took the existing analog master and just did a straight transfer to digital with no cleanup. When I later bought it new I couldn't believe it was the same album! Everything sounded "wrong"...luckily after some hunting I found a used copy of the original CD release...Sorry Frank
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  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by WytchCrypt View Post
    Agreed...reminds me of Zappa's remix of "We're Only in it for the Money". I was cruising my local library CD section in the mid 90's and checked it out and really loved it, apparently it was on one of the early CD releases where they took the existing analog master and just did a straight transfer to digital with no cleanup. When I later bought it new I couldn't believe it was the same album! Everything sounded "wrong"...luckily after some hunting I found a used copy of the original CD release...Sorry Frank
    That's a case where I'm happy to have both.
    I want to dynamite your mind with love tonight.

  10. #10
    "Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
    "[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by polmico View Post

    Yep. A debate we had here at PE a few years ago was whether or not KC minus Fripp and Sinfield (and all the support musicians) is depicted on the cover. I argued yes. Others said it was either Cream or the Experience.
    I remember that discussion! I had sided with you in that i thought it was some of the band members depicted on the cover. Well, we were proven wrong by the artist herself, Gini Barris ! She had never even seen pics of what the Lizard-era Crimson looked like. She said in an interview that was linked to on DGM later on, that the band image was of a sort of a "imaginary super group" of Hendrix, Baker, and Chris Wood, even though she drew Jimi as a right-handed(!), bass-player(?). So, in regards to this one, we wuz proven wrong!
    "Wouldn't it be odd, if there really was a God, and he looked down on Earth and saw what we've done to her?" -- Adrian Belew ('Men In Helicopters')

  12. #12
    Dammit. I sure hate being wrong.

    I'll posit that the artist is more wrong, though. Right-handed bass player indeed . . .

    Well, a band with Wood on saxes/flute, Baker and Hendrix playing bass (I guess) might actually be interesting.
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  13. #13
    Jazzbo manqué Mister Triscuits's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by syncopatico View Post
    She said in an interview that was linked to on DGM later on, that the band image was of a sort of a "imaginary super group" of Hendrix, Baker, and Chris Wood, even though she drew Jimi as a right-handed(!), bass-player(?).
    The flute player is not Chris Wood, it's the artist's friend and future husband, Dave Wade.

  14. #14
    Well, that's even less of a supergroup then.
    I want to dynamite your mind with love tonight.

  15. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by polmico View Post
    Well, that's even less of a supergroup then.
    "Wouldn't it be odd, if there really was a God, and he looked down on Earth and saw what we've done to her?" -- Adrian Belew ('Men In Helicopters')

  16. #16
    Every deleted note is on the DVD disc in the set sounding mighty fine. So, it's a 2 versions scenario. win/win
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  17. #17
    ^ Yup. Same situation with the Lumpy Money box. I'm happy to have all versions though there are versions I prefer.
    I want to dynamite your mind with love tonight.

  18. #18
    That's Mr. to you, Sir!! Trane's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by soundsweird View Post
    .. BTW, great album from beginning to end.
    Their best IMHO... or at one of my fave from them

    Yeah, I also remember the ancient thread
    Last edited by Trane; 02-17-2014 at 08:21 AM.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mister Triscuits View Post
    Rufus = Ringo (who "grew his nose" )
    So, the reason that Rufus hates Phil Collins so much is that he's Ringo Star?

  20. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by Digital_Man View Post
    [Other debates: Fripp and Wilson deleted some of the errant synth sounds on the 40th.]


    Well for me that's kind of like colorizing a classic black and white movie. My feeling is "if it ain't broke don't fix it."
    Except who gets to decide of it's broke? You? Or the guy who made the record (and approved Wikson's remix)?

    Seems funny to me that folks feel so proprietary about this music. Since I am sure there are things we'd all go back and fix if we could, well, why can't artists go back and do that, if they can?

  21. #21
    Insect Overlord Progatron's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jkelman View Post
    Seems funny to me that folks feel so proprietary about this music. Since I am sure there are things we'd all go back and fix if we could, well, why can't artists go back and do that, if they can?
    Particularly in this case where the original mix is also provided.
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  22. #22
    Still my fave KC, by the way. I know you wanted to know.
    Sleeping at home is killing the hotel business!

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