Tarkus (song)
Encyclopedia
"Tarkus" is the title track of Emerson, Lake & Palmer
's second album
. The progressive rock
epic clocks in at 20:35. It was the longest studio song by the band until the three impressions of Karn Evil 9
and their concert performances. The name "Tarkus" refers to the armadillo
-tank
from the William Neal
painting
s on the album cover. The song "Tarkus" itself supposedly follows the adventures of Tarkus from his birth, through a fight with a manticore
, which he loses and concludes with an aquatic version of Tarkus named "Aquatarkus". The word 'tarkus' means wisdom
in Estonian Language
.
. "Eruption" itself presents a musical impression of cascading eruption on the keyboards
in an unusual 10/8 (4+3+3) time signature
, backed by Carl Palmer
on drums
. This segues into "Stones of Years" the first of three vocal sections. "Iconoclast" comes next, which represents travel of tarkus, and is rapidly overpowered by guitar for "Mass". "Mass", filled with numerous religious references, often has its lyrics dropped in tours by the Keith Emerson Band, as does Stones of Years. This is followed by "Manticore" in which the enemy of Tarkus appears and a battle ensues between variations on the "Tarkus" theme and the manticore's. Ultimately, "Tarkus" is defeated and "Battlefield" follows — the only part written entirely by Greg Lake
, containing some of the deepest lyrics of the album. "Aquatarkus" closes the track, centreing mostly on a march based on the "Battlefield" theme and then returning to the original "Eruption" theme as a farewell to Tarkus and a greeting to the aquatic Aquatarkus.
"Stones of Years" was used as a single from "Tarkus". The album as a whole reached number 1 on UK charts and number 9 in the US.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer played a 27 minute version of Tarkus on Welcome Back, My Friends, to the Show That Never Ends... Ladies and Gentlemen, Emerson, Lake & Palmer.
In 2004, the Japanese classical pianist Aki Kuroda released an album with a classical adaptation of "Tarkus".
In 2007, Dream Theater
keyboardist Jordan Rudess
included a cover of this song in his solo album The Road Home
, which consists mostly of covers of classic progressive rock songs.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Emerson, Lake & Palmer, also known as ELP, are an English progressive rock supergroup. They found success in the 1970s and sold over forty million albums and headlined large stadium concerts. The band consists of Keith Emerson , Greg Lake and Carl Palmer...
's second album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
. The progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
epic clocks in at 20:35. It was the longest studio song by the band until the three impressions of Karn Evil 9
Karn Evil 9
"Karn Evil 9" is an extended work by progressive rock group Emerson, Lake & Palmer, appearing on the album Brain Salad Surgery. A futuristic fusion of rock and classical themes, it is regarded by many fans to be their best work...
and their concert performances. The name "Tarkus" refers to the armadillo
Armadillo
Armadillos are New World placental mammals, known for having a leathery armor shell. Dasypodidae is the only surviving family in the order Cingulata, part of the superorder Xenarthra along with the anteaters and sloths. The word armadillo is Spanish for "little armored one"...
-tank
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
from the William Neal
William Neal
William Neal, is an English painter and graphic designer born in Guildford in 1947, but who was brought up in the village of Bramley, Surrey, England. He gained international fame for his artwork on the progressive rock albums Tarkus and Pictures at an Exhibition by the English progressive rock...
painting
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
s on the album cover. The song "Tarkus" itself supposedly follows the adventures of Tarkus from his birth, through a fight with a manticore
Manticore
The manticore is a legendary creature similar to the Egyptian sphinx. It has the body of a red lion, a human head with three rows of sharp teeth , and a trumpet-like voice. Other aspects of the creature vary from story to story. It may be horned, winged, or both...
, which he loses and concludes with an aquatic version of Tarkus named "Aquatarkus". The word 'tarkus' means wisdom
Wisdom
Wisdom is a deep understanding and realization of people, things, events or situations, resulting in the ability to apply perceptions, judgements and actions in keeping with this understanding. It often requires control of one's emotional reactions so that universal principles, reason and...
in Estonian Language
Estonian language
Estonian is the official language of Estonia, spoken by about 1.1 million people in Estonia and tens of thousands in various émigré communities...
.
Tracks
"Tarkus" itself is broken down into seven parts:- "Eruption" (instrumental) — 0:00 - 2:43
- "Stones of Years" — 2:44 - 6:28
- "Iconoclast" (instrumental) — 6:29 - 7:44
- "Mass" — 7:45 - 10:56
- "Manticore" (instrumental) — 10:57 -12:49
- "Battlefield" — 12:50 - 16:41
- "Aquatarkus" (instrumental) — 16:42 - 20:41
Personnel
- Keith EmersonKeith EmersonKeith Noel Emerson is an English keyboard player and composer. Formerly a member of the Keith Emerson Trio, John Brown's Bodies, The T-Bones, V.I.P.s, P.P. Arnold's backing band, and The Nice , he was a founder of Emerson, Lake & Palmer , one of the early supergroups, in 1970...
: Moog modular synthesizerMoog modular synthesizerMoog modular synthesizer refers to any of a number of monophonic analog modular synthesizers designed by the late electronic instrument pioneer Dr. Robert Moog and manufactured by R.A Moog Co...
, Hammond OrganHammond organThe Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard...
and Grand Piano - Greg LakeGreg LakeGregory Stuart "Greg" Lake is an English musician, songwriter and producer, best known as a vocalist and bassist of King Crimson, and the bassist, guitarist, vocalist, and lyricist of Emerson, Lake & Palmer.-1960s: King Crimson:...
: BassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, Electric GuitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, Acoustic guitarAcoustic guitarAn acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
and Vocals - Carl PalmerCarl PalmerCarl Frederick Kendall Palmer is an English drummer and percussionist. He is credited as one of the most respected rock drummers to emerge from the 1960s...
: Drums and Percussion
Tarkus Story
The parts supposedly follow Tarkus' birth in a volcanic eruption centuries before known history. The exact nature of Tarkus' actions are unknown, and left so by the creator, Keith EmersonKeith Emerson
Keith Noel Emerson is an English keyboard player and composer. Formerly a member of the Keith Emerson Trio, John Brown's Bodies, The T-Bones, V.I.P.s, P.P. Arnold's backing band, and The Nice , he was a founder of Emerson, Lake & Palmer , one of the early supergroups, in 1970...
. "Eruption" itself presents a musical impression of cascading eruption on the keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
in an unusual 10/8 (4+3+3) time signature
Time signature
The time signature is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats are in each measure and which note value constitutes one beat....
, backed by Carl Palmer
Carl Palmer
Carl Frederick Kendall Palmer is an English drummer and percussionist. He is credited as one of the most respected rock drummers to emerge from the 1960s...
on drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
. This segues into "Stones of Years" the first of three vocal sections. "Iconoclast" comes next, which represents travel of tarkus, and is rapidly overpowered by guitar for "Mass". "Mass", filled with numerous religious references, often has its lyrics dropped in tours by the Keith Emerson Band, as does Stones of Years. This is followed by "Manticore" in which the enemy of Tarkus appears and a battle ensues between variations on the "Tarkus" theme and the manticore's. Ultimately, "Tarkus" is defeated and "Battlefield" follows — the only part written entirely by Greg Lake
Greg Lake
Gregory Stuart "Greg" Lake is an English musician, songwriter and producer, best known as a vocalist and bassist of King Crimson, and the bassist, guitarist, vocalist, and lyricist of Emerson, Lake & Palmer.-1960s: King Crimson:...
, containing some of the deepest lyrics of the album. "Aquatarkus" closes the track, centreing mostly on a march based on the "Battlefield" theme and then returning to the original "Eruption" theme as a farewell to Tarkus and a greeting to the aquatic Aquatarkus.
The Making of Tarkus
According to Emerson, while Palmer was excited by some of the technical opportunities the song would present, Lake was not quite so enamoured. However, Lake evidently did have the album grow on him, stating in an interview after the release: "It's about the futility of conflict expressed in [the] context [...] of soldiers and war. But it's broader than that. The words are about revolution that's gone, that has happened. Where has it got anybody? Nowhere." He has also complimented "Stones of Years" as one of his favourite parts of "Tarkus". though admits he is not entirely sure about what it means, but says it is about, "listening, understanding, hearing".Reception
The song remains a fan favourite and was, and still is, consistently played at ELP, Keith Emerson Band and Carl Palmer band concerts."Stones of Years" was used as a single from "Tarkus". The album as a whole reached number 1 on UK charts and number 9 in the US.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer played a 27 minute version of Tarkus on Welcome Back, My Friends, to the Show That Never Ends... Ladies and Gentlemen, Emerson, Lake & Palmer.
In popular culture
Part of the song served as a background in Soviet film "Begstvo mistera Mak-Kinli" (1975).In 2004, the Japanese classical pianist Aki Kuroda released an album with a classical adaptation of "Tarkus".
In 2007, Dream Theater
Dream Theater
Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would...
keyboardist Jordan Rudess
Jordan Rudess
Jordan Rudess is an American keyboardist best known as a member of the progressive metal band Dream Theater and the progressive rock supergroup Liquid Tension Experiment.-Biography:...
included a cover of this song in his solo album The Road Home
The Road Home (Jordan Rudess album)
The Road Home is a cover album by Jordan Rudess. It was released on September 12, 2007.Rudess's arrangements of these classic prog tracks include many sections that were not in the original songs, especially solos...
, which consists mostly of covers of classic progressive rock songs.