21st Century Schizoid Man
King Crimson
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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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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.
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Album DebutThe song was the opening track on their debut album "In The Court Of The Crimson King".
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Release DateIt was released in October 1969.
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Song GenreThe song is best categorized as progressive rock and is noted for its heavy guitar riff and abstract, often disturbing, lyrical content.
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Influence on Music GenresIt had a great influence in the development of the heavy metal and progressive rock genres.
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Live Performances"21st Century Schizoid Man" was regularly performed live since its release, becoming their most played song.
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Use in Popular CultureParts of the song were sampled in the track "Power" by rap artist Kanye West for his 2010 album "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy".
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Distorted VocalsThe song features distorted vocals mixed in with the lead guitar parts, a pioneering technique for rock music at the time.
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Musical StyleThe song is characterized by its disjointed, polyrhythmic structure, punctuated by several drastic changes in tempo and mood.
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Epic SolosPeppered throughout are several solos, an extended saxophone solo by Ian McDonald and a famous guitar solo by Robert Fripp.
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Songwriting CreditsThe songwriting credits are divided among all band members: Robert Fripp, Greg Lake, Ian McDonald, Michael Giles, and lyricist Peter Sinfield.
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Analysis of LyricsLyrically, 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.
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Cover VersionsThe song has been covered by numerous artists including April Wine, Ozzy Osbourne & the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Voivod, etc.
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Song DurationThe original album version of the song is starkly different from the radio edits, lasting over seven minutes long.
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RankingIn 2015, Rolling Stone magazine ranked "21st Century Schizoid Man" as the 39th greatest progressive rock song of all time.
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Citation
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"21st Century Schizoid Man Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 20 Sep. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/13958878/King+Crimson/21st+Century+Schizoid+Man>.
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