21st Century Schizoid Man

King Crimson

About 21st Century Schizoid Man

"21st Century Schizoid Man" is a song by the progressive rock band King Crimson from their debut album In the Court of the Crimson King.


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Cat's foot iron claw
Neurosurgeons scream for more
At paranoia's poison door
Twenty first century schizoid man

Blood rack, barbed wire
Politicians' funeral pyre
Innocents raped with napalm fire
Twenty first century schizoid man

Death seed blind man's greed
Poets starving, children bleed
Nothing he's got he really needs
Twenty first century schizoid man

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King Crimson

King Crimson are a rock band founded in London in 1968 by members from western England. Widely recognised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history (including jazz and folk music, classical and experimental music, psychedelic rock, hard rock and heavy metal,New Wave, gamelan, electronica and drum and bass). They have been influential on many contemporary musical artists and have gained a large following, despite garnering little radio or music video airplay. more »

2 fans

Written by: Robert Fripp, Michael Rex Giles, Greg Lake, Ian Mcdonald, Peter John Sinfield

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


15 facts about this song

Band Formation
"21st Century Schizoid Man" is a song by King Crimson, an English progressive rock band that was formed in 1968.
Album Debut
The song was the opening track on their debut album "In The Court Of The Crimson King".
Release Date
It was released in October 1969.
Song Genre
The song is best categorized as progressive rock and is noted for its heavy guitar riff and abstract, often disturbing, lyrical content.
Influence on Music Genres
It had a great influence in the development of the heavy metal and progressive rock genres.
Live Performances
"21st Century Schizoid Man" was regularly performed live since its release, becoming their most played song.
Use in Popular Culture
Parts of the song were sampled in the track "Power" by rap artist Kanye West for his 2010 album "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy".
Distorted Vocals
The song features distorted vocals mixed in with the lead guitar parts, a pioneering technique for rock music at the time.
Musical Style
The song is characterized by its disjointed, polyrhythmic structure, punctuated by several drastic changes in tempo and mood.
Epic Solos
Peppered throughout are several solos, an extended saxophone solo by Ian McDonald and a famous guitar solo by Robert Fripp.
Songwriting Credits
The songwriting credits are divided among all band members: Robert Fripp, Greg Lake, Ian McDonald, Michael Giles, and lyricist Peter Sinfield.
Analysis of Lyrics
Lyrically, it can be read as a commentary on the violence and unrest of its time, with references to the Vietnam War and the civil rights movement.
Cover Versions
The song has been covered by numerous artists including April Wine, Ozzy Osbourne & the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Voivod, etc.
Song Duration
The original album version of the song is starkly different from the radio edits, lasting over seven minutes long.
Ranking
In 2015, Rolling Stone magazine ranked "21st Century Schizoid Man" as the 39th greatest progressive rock song of all time.

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