KING CRIMSON

Islands
(HQCD)

(1971)

1. Formentera Lady 10'18
(Robert Fripp / Peter Sinfield)
2. Sailor's Tale 7'30
(Robert Fripp)
3. The Letters 4'29
(Robert Fripp / Peter Sinfield)
4. Ladies Of The Road 5'34
(Robert Fripp / Peter Sinfield)
5. Prelude: Song Of The Gulls 4'15
(Robert Fripp)
6. Islands 11'51
(Robert Fripp / Peter Sinfield)

Total Time: 43:57

  • Robert Fripp - Guitar, Mdlotron, Peter's Pedal, Harmonium and Sundry implements
  • Mel Collins – Saxophones, Flutes, Mellotron
  • Boz Burrell - Bass Guitar, Lead Vocals and Choreography
  • Ian Wallace - Drums, Percussion and Vocals
  • Peter Sin field - Words, Sounds and Visions

    Featured Players

  • Keith Tippett - Piano
  • Paulina Lucas - Soprano
  • Robin Miner - Oboe
  • Mark Charig - Cornet
  • Harry Miller - String Bass

    Produced by KING CRIMSON
    Engineer - Andy Hendrikson
    Equipment - Vick A Mike
    Cover Design and Painting - Peter Sinfield
    Photographs - Robert Ellis
    Outer Cover Illustration 'Trifid Nebula In Sagittarius' by Courtesy of The INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY and CARNEGIE INSTITUTION OF WASHINGTON

    All Songs Published by BMG MUSIC PUBLISHING Ltd.

    Recorded at COMMAND STUDIOS, Piccadilly. London, October 1971

    ©1971 Robert FRIPP




    1. Formentera Lady

      Houses iced in whitewash guard a pale shore-line
      Cornered by the cactus and the pine.
      Here I wander where sweet sage and strange herbs grow
      Down a sun-baked crumpled stony road.

      Dusty wheels leaning rusting in the sun;
      Snuff brown walls where Spanish lizards run.
      Here I'm shadowed by a dragon fig tree's fan
      Ringed by ants and musing over man.

      I'll unwind my old strings while the sun shine down
      Won't climb any high thing while the sun shine.
      Formentera Lady sing your song for me
      Formentera Lady sweet lover.

      Lamplights glows on old guitars the travellers strum;
      Insence children dance to an Indian drum.
      Here Odysseus charmed for dark Circe fell,
      Still her perfume lingers still her spell.

      Time's grey hand won't catch me while the sun shine down
      Untie and unlatch me while the stars shine.
      Formentera Lady dance your dance for me
      Formentera Lady dark lover.

    2. Sailor's Tale

    instrumental

    3. The Letters

      With quill and silver knife
      She carved a poison pen
      Wrote to her lover's wife:
      "Your husband's seed has fed my flesh".

      As if a leper's face
      That tainted letter graced
      The wife with choke-stone throat
      Ran to the day with tear-blind eyes.

      Impaled on nails of ice
      And raked with emerald fire
      The wife with soul of snow
      With steady hands begins to write:

      "I'm still, I need no life
      To serve on boys and men
      What's mine was yours is dead
      I take my leave of mortal flesh"

    4. Ladies Of The Road

      A flower lady's daughter
      As sweet as holy water
      Said: "I'm the school reporter
      Please teach me", well I taught her.

      Two fingered levi'd sister
      Said, "Peace", I stopped I kissed her.
      Said, "I'm a male resister",
      I smiled and just unzipped her.

      High diving chinese trender
      Black hair and black suspender
      Said, "Please me no surrender
      Just love to feel your Fender".

      All of you know that the girls of the road
      Are like apples you stole in your youth.
      All of you know that the girls of the road
      Been around but are versed in the truth.

      Stone-headed Frisco spacer
      Ate all the meat I gave her
      Said would I like to taste hers
      And even craved the flavour

      "Like marron-glaced fish bones
      Oh lady hit the road!"

      All of you know that the girls of the road
      Are like apples you stole in your youth.
      All of you know that the girls of the road
      Been around but are versed in the truth.

    5. Prelude: Song Of The Gulls

    instrumental

    6. Islands

      Earth, stream and tree encircled by sea
      Waves sweep the sand from my island.
      My sunsets fade.
      Field and glade wait only for rain
      Grain after grain love erodes my
      High weathered walls which fend off the tide
      Cradle the wind
      to my island.

      Gaunt granite climbs where gulls wheel and glide
      Mournfully glide o'er my island.
      My dawn bride's veil, damp and pale,
      Dissolves in the sun.
      Love's web is spun - cats prowl, mice run
      Wreathe snatch-hand briars where owls know my eyes
      Violet skies
      Touch my island,
      Touch me.

      Beneath the wind turned wave
      Infinite peace
      Islands join hands
      'Neathe heaven's sea.

      Dark harbour quays like fingers of stone
      Hungrily reach from my island.
      Clutch sailor's words - pearls and gourds
      Are strewn on my shore.
      Equal in love, bound in circles.
      Earth, stream and tree return to the sea
      Waves sweep sand from my island,
      from me.