"Lucky Man" was my first Emerson Lake and Palmer tune. In the 90s, I was "thick as a brick" enough to do something nobody I know would do, mistaking it for a Jethro Tull song.
The song is in 6/8 time to begin with. So right off the hop it is more complex than people think. When he wrote it as a 12 year old it probably was the camp fire version of the song. The recorded version as stated here has some layering to it and is way more complex than one can imagine. I believe there are 2 acoustic guitars involved with an electric for the solo in the middle. One of the acoustic guitars is not in standard tuning. One of the guitars is playing an arpeggio pattern that is very difficult to sustain and get in the right rythym. Try it and you will see. I have done this song on a looper many times and it is quite tricky. The Moog solo at the end sends the song into the stratosphere in my opinion. Also in my opinion this song is like an extension of the original King Crimson. Greg had just left that band and this is very much in the vein of In The Court of THe Crimson King album. Carl Palmer's drumming on this is very much like Michael Gile's drumming. Lots of variation and little tasteful fills. I wish ELP had done more like this. From the Beginning and a few others were in this vein as well.
I always feel sorry for ELP who were the climax of progrock to me, but undeservedly vanished in history. But also for Greg who was a great bass player and singer, but also pretty good on acoustic guitar. When it comes to the best bassmen who can sing at the same time everone thinks of Paul McCartney or Sting and Greg certainly belongs in that tier, but noone thinks of him.
I'm sick with the silly comments like " ELP is underated, Greg bass playing is underated, etc " !!! ELP, Greg , etc had and have the world fame very well and strong ! BTW i Saw ELP 6 times in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Carl Palmer 5 , Asia 3 , John Wetton 3, Rick wakeman 9 , yes 11 , Tull 11, Clapton 3 , Deep Purple 10 , Martin barre, Steve Hackett, etc. All very well rated. No underated No overated
Well Lucky Man WASN'T progressive. It was basic rock by someone who would go on to make more complex music. Another example is 21st Century Schizoid Man. Not every song by progressive rockers is progressive rock. Black Sabbath is also pretty progressive but Paranoid was obviously a toss off to fill an album.
Listening to this song in stereo is life-altering. And the song was made before all the tech we have now.
I remember the first time I heard this song. It was at a college party in 1982. I've been a fan of ELP ever since.
Rest in peace, Greg Lake. And ELP. Saw them twice in concert. True originals.
Wow, to only to be there while he performed and told the story of Lucky man. 😮
Wonderful! ✨
This was the song many of us paratroopers in the early seventies wanted played if and when we fell.... I still want it.
"Lucky Man" was my first Emerson Lake and Palmer tune. In the 90s, I was "thick as a brick" enough to do something nobody I know would do, mistaking it for a Jethro Tull song.
The song is in 6/8 time to begin with. So right off the hop it is more complex than people think. When he wrote it as a 12 year old it probably was the camp fire version of the song. The recorded version as stated here has some layering to it and is way more complex than one can imagine. I believe there are 2 acoustic guitars involved with an electric for the solo in the middle. One of the acoustic guitars is not in standard tuning. One of the guitars is playing an arpeggio pattern that is very difficult to sustain and get in the right rythym. Try it and you will see. I have done this song on a looper many times and it is quite tricky. The Moog solo at the end sends the song into the stratosphere in my opinion. Also in my opinion this song is like an extension of the original King Crimson. Greg had just left that band and this is very much in the vein of In The Court of THe Crimson King album. Carl Palmer's drumming on this is very much like Michael Gile's drumming. Lots of variation and little tasteful fills. I wish ELP had done more like this. From the Beginning and a few others were in this vein as well.
Somehow I knew it when I was 12 ? Too ? Puff the Magic Dragon in my mind.......thx. 👍
I always feel sorry for ELP who were the climax of progrock to me, but undeservedly vanished in history. But also for Greg who was a great bass player and singer, but also pretty good on acoustic guitar. When it comes to the best bassmen who can sing at the same time everone thinks of Paul McCartney or Sting and Greg certainly belongs in that tier, but noone thinks of him.
It was NOT a one string guitar. It was the first guitar he received from his parents.
AI
@@scottward4316 No it was from Greg
s interview. AI has nothing to do with this.
I'm sick with the silly comments like " ELP is underated, Greg bass playing is underated, etc " !!!
ELP, Greg , etc had and have the world fame very well and strong !
BTW i Saw ELP 6 times in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Carl Palmer 5 , Asia 3 , John Wetton 3, Rick wakeman 9 , yes 11 , Tull 11, Clapton 3 , Deep Purple 10 , Martin barre, Steve Hackett, etc.
All very well rated.
No underated
No overated
How do you play chords on a one string guitar ?
Gregvdays Keith had just received a minimoog and he took it out of the box and started experimenting.
That experimenting is the one on the record.
Lucky man is great!!
There are some haters in each video of Carl Palmer or Greg Lake.
They are Dumbest guys !!
Well Lucky Man WASN'T progressive. It was basic rock by someone who would go on to make more complex music. Another example is 21st Century Schizoid Man. Not every song by progressive rockers is progressive rock. Black Sabbath is also pretty progressive but Paranoid was obviously a toss off to fill an album.
It’s just D, G, and A fer chrissakes
And the lyrics sound like they were written by a 12 year old.
@ I was going to say that too, but I didn’t want to be even more petty than I already was.
Dumbest song he ever wrote, what was he like 12 when he wrote it? Sounds like a 12 year old wrote it.
😂 hahaha exactly... Lucky Man.. WTH the guy has everything,
goes to war..gets slaughtered. Gets a swell funeral ⚱️? 12yr. Song fer sure..