From the Beginning (song) explained
| From the Beginning |
| Cover: | ElpBeginning.jpg |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Emerson, Lake & Palmer |
| Album: | Trilogy |
| B-Side: | Living Sin |
| Released: | August 1972 |
| Genre: | Art rock, progressive rock, folk rock, psychedelic rock |
| Length: | 3:48 (single version)
4:14 (album version) |
| Label: | Cotillion |
| Producer: | Greg Lake |
| Prev Title: | Nut Rocker |
| Prev Year: | 1971 |
| Next Title: | Hoedown |
| Next Year: | 1972 |
"From the Beginning" is a song written by Greg Lake and performed by the progressive rock trio Emerson, Lake & Palmer. It was released on their 1972 album Trilogy. It hit #39 in the United States and was their highest-charting single there.[1]
Composition
The song was written in the key of A minor.[2] It is driven by an acoustic guitar line with layers of electric guitar (both rhythm and lead), electric bass guitar, and sung by Lake, with some backing on drums (played by Carl Palmer with congas, tympani mallets and without cymbals), and with a distinctive closing synthesizer solo from Keith Emerson, accompanied by overdubbed synthesizer sounds.[3] [4] This song was originally intended for King Crimson's debut album In the Court of the Crimson King, but band leader Robert Fripp didn't think it would fit into the album's context.
Record World said that "Greg Lake gets a great sound out of his band on this acoustically jazzy number that highlights his voice and fine lyrics."[5]
Personnel
Cover versions
- covered the song in Czech under the name "Studená koupel" in their 1982 album, Kousek přízně.[7]
- Dokken covered the song in their 1995 album, Dysfunctional.[8]
- The song was sampled by singer Amerie on the track "Got To Be There" from her debut 2002 album, All I Have with Greg Lake receiving a songwriting credit.[9]
Notes and References
- 28 October 1972. Billboard Hot 100. . 1 December 2017.
- Web site: From the Beginning. 1 December 2017. Musicnotes.com. 13 August 2012.
- Heller. Jason. Gehr. Richard. Epstein. Dan. Emerson, Lake and Palmer: 10 Essential Songs. 2 December 2017. Rolling Stone. 11 March 2016.
- News: Kovarsky. Jerry. The Art of Synth Soloing: Welcome Back My Friend (More Emerson). 2 December 2017. Keyboard. 17 June 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160618151323/https://www.keyboardmag.com/how-to/1255/the-art-of-synth-soloing-welcome-back-my-friend-more-emerson/58518. 18 June 2016.
- Record World. August 12, 1972. 2023-03-30. Single Picks. 8.
- Web site: 21 October 1972. Cash Box Top 100. 1 December 2017. 1 December 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171201233114/http://98.130.35.56/archives/70s_files/19721021.html. dead.
- News: Gratias. Petr. Hudební echo: Kousek přízně (1982). 2 December 2017. 22 September 2011. cs.
- Flick. Larry. Billboard. 23 November 1996. Dokken. 5 March 2012. 84. 108. 47.
- News: Verrico. Lisa. Talk of the Clones. The Times. 9 August 2002. 12. Other highlights include the jazzy ballad Nothing Like Loving You and the Emerson Lake and Palmer-sampling Got to be There..
