The King Must Die (song)
Encyclopedia
"The King Must Die" is a song by Elton John
with lyrics written by Bernie Taupin
. It is the closing track of his 1970 self-titled album
. As with the rest of the album, the backing was assembled by session musicians.
"No man's a jester playing Shakespeare 'round your throne room floor.
While the juggler's act is danced upon, the crown that you once wore"
It could almost being placed in the vein of folk
;
"Tell the ostler that his name was the very first they chose"
An "ostler" being a stable boy, who seemingly is just another subject
.
"Sooner or later, everybody's kingdom must end" specifically symbolizes that the King is about to be overthrown.
"I'm so afraid your courtiers cannot be called best friends" symbolizes betrayal.
The last parts of the song flows together with the music, which is very dramatic, where the line "The king must die" ends in the crescendo
, "The king is dead" - "Long live the king".
Taupin might have been inspired by the book of the same name
.
. For the intro for the third verse, the piano and the drums play with each other. The song gets more and more tense, the vocal gets louder along with the orchestra, before ending in the crescendo, as described above.
Due to the volume of the orchestra, the song has sometimes been qualified as symphonic rock
.
of Australia. Because of that, it was also added to the 1988/89 World Tour, after which it disappeared completely. The last known performance of the song took place during the summer of 2004
when Elton for the second time toured with an orchestra.
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
with lyrics written by Bernie Taupin
Bernie Taupin
Bernard John "Bernie" Taupin is an English lyricist, poet, and singer, best known for his long-term collaboration with Elton John, writing the lyrics for the majority of the star's songs, making his lyrics some of the best known in pop-rock's history.In 1967, Taupin answered an advertisement in...
. It is the closing track of his 1970 self-titled album
Elton John (album)
Elton John is the eponymous second album by English singer/songwriter Elton John, released in 1970. It was his first album, however, released in America, thus commonly assumed by many as his debut, as Empty Sky would not be released in the U.S. until 1975...
. As with the rest of the album, the backing was assembled by session musicians.
Lyrical meaning
The song uses many archaic words, like many of Taupin's early compositions. It tells a story of a king who is about to get overthrown. Throughout the song there are many "King"-references, such as the opening line:"No man's a jester playing Shakespeare 'round your throne room floor.
While the juggler's act is danced upon, the crown that you once wore"
It could almost being placed in the vein of folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
;
"Tell the ostler that his name was the very first they chose"
An "ostler" being a stable boy, who seemingly is just another subject
Common People
"Common People" is a song by English alternative rock band Pulp. It was released as a single in 1995, reaching number two on the UK singles chart. It also appears on the band's 1995 album Different Class. The song is about those who were perceived by the songwriter as wanting to be "like common...
.
"Sooner or later, everybody's kingdom must end" specifically symbolizes that the King is about to be overthrown.
"I'm so afraid your courtiers cannot be called best friends" symbolizes betrayal.
The last parts of the song flows together with the music, which is very dramatic, where the line "The king must die" ends in the crescendo
Crescendo
-In music:*Crescendo, a passage of music during which the volume gradually increases, see Dynamics * Crescendo , a Liverpool-based electronic pop band* "Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue", one of Duke Ellington's longer-form compositions...
, "The king is dead" - "Long live the king".
Taupin might have been inspired by the book of the same name
The King Must Die
For the song by Elton John, see The King Must Die The King Must Die is a 1958 bildungsroman and historical novel by Mary Renault that traces the early life and adventures of Theseus, a hero in Greek mythology. Naturally, it is set in Ancient Greece: Troizen, Corinth, Eleusis, Athens, Knossos in...
.
Musical structure
The song starts with the first verse being accompanied by piano only. The drums and bass then kicks in for the second verse. There are no electric guitar on this song. There is an acoustic guitar, though it's quite hard to hear. The first chorus is then backed by a symphony orchestra and a horn sectionHorn section
In music, a horn section can refer to several groups of musicians. It can refer to the musicians in a symphony orchestra who play the horn . In a British-style brass band it refers to the tenor horn players. In popular music, it can also refer to a small group of wind instrumentalists who augment a...
. For the intro for the third verse, the piano and the drums play with each other. The song gets more and more tense, the vocal gets louder along with the orchestra, before ending in the crescendo, as described above.
Due to the volume of the orchestra, the song has sometimes been qualified as symphonic rock
Symphonic rock
Symphonic rock is a sub-genre of progressive rock. Since early in progressive rock's history, the term has been used sometimes to distinguish more classically influenced progressive rock from the more psychedelic and experimental forms of progressive rock....
.
Performances
"King" was an early live staple, played often from 1971 through 1973. It received a revival along with many other songs from the era during his 1986 orchestral tourLive in Australia with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
Live in Australia with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra is a live album by Elton John and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra recorded at the Sydney Entertainment Centre on 14 December 1986. The concert was the last of a series of concerts done throughout the last two months of 1986...
of Australia. Because of that, it was also added to the 1988/89 World Tour, after which it disappeared completely. The last known performance of the song took place during the summer of 2004
2004 in music
See also:* 2004 in music Record labels established in 2004-January:*January 1**The Vienna New Year's Concert is conducted by Riccardo Muti.**Kurt Nilsen wins World Idol....
when Elton for the second time toured with an orchestra.
Personnel
- Elton JohnElton JohnSir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
- pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, vocals - Clive Hicks - 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...
- Les Hurdle - bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Frank ClarkFrank ClarkFrank Clark is an English former footballer and manager. He is the current chairman of Nottingham Forest.-Playing career:...
- bassAcoustic bass guitarThe acoustic bass guitar is a bass instrument with a hollow wooden body similar to, though usually somewhat larger than a steel-string acoustic guitar... - Terry CoxTerry CoxTerence William Harvey 'Terry' Cox played drums in the British folk rock bands The Pentangle, Duffy's Nucleus and Humblebums....
- drumsDrum kitA 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 .... - Dennis Lopez - percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...