Trilogy
Released 1972
“Trilogy” is the third studio album by Emerson, Lake & Palmer, released in 1972. It continued the band’s exploration of classical and jazz influences within a rock context. The album is known for its musical diversity and includes one of their most popular songs, “From the Beginning.”
Produced by Greg Lake, it was recorded at Advision Studios in London in October 1971 and January 1972. “Trilogy” reached No. 2 in the UK and No. 5 in the US.
CD Track Listings:
- “The Endless Enigma (Part One)” (Emerson, Lake) – 6:41
- “Fugue” (Emerson) – 1:57
- “The Endless Enigma (Part Two)” (Emerson, Lake) – 2:03
- “From the Beginning” (Lake) – 4:14
- “The Sheriff” (Emerson, Lake) – 3:22
- “Hoedown” (Aaron Copland, arranged by Emerson, Lake, Palmer) – 3:43
- “Trilogy” (Emerson, Lake) – 8:54
- “Living Sin” (Emerson, Lake, Palmer) – 3:13
- “Abaddon’s Bolero” (Emerson) – 8:08
Brain Salad Surgery
Released 1973
“Brain Salad Surgery” is a landmark album in progressive rock, released by Emerson, Lake & Palmer in 1973. We all went crazy over “Karn Evil 9.”The album was produced by Greg Lake and recorded at Advision Studios, London, in June and September 1973. It achieved significant commercial success, peaking at No. 2 in the UK and No. 11 in the US.
CD Track Listings:
- “Jerusalem” (Hubert Parry, William Blake, arranged by Emerson, Lake, Palmer) – 2:44
- “Toccata” (Alberto Ginastera, arranged by Emerson) – 7:22
- “Still…You Turn Me On” (Lake) – 2:53
- “Benny the Bouncer” (Emerson, Lake, Peter Sinfield) – 2:21
- “Karn Evil 9” – 29:37 a. “1st Impression – Part 1” (Emerson, Lake) b. “1st Impression – Part 2” (Emerson, Lake, Sinfield) c. “2nd Impression” (Emerson) d. “3rd Impression” (Emerson, Lake, Sinfield)
Works Volume 1
Released 1977
“Works Volume 1” is a double album by Emerson, Lake & Palmer, released in 1977. This ambitious work consists of individual solo works by each member and a group-composed side. It highlights each member’s distinct talents while maintaining the band’s cohesive sound. I saw the Works tour during the summer of 1977 at MSG with an 80-piece orchestra. It was unbelievable.
The album was recorded at Mountain Studios, Montreux, Switzerland, and CBS Studios, London, in 1976. It peaked at No. 9 in the UK and No. 12 in the US.
Vinyl Track Listings:
Side One: Keith Emerson
- “Piano Concerto No. 1”
- “First Movement: Allegro giojoso”
- “Second Movement: Andante molto cantabile”
- “Third Movement: Toccata con fuoco”
- Writer: Keith Emerson
- Length: 18:18
Side Two: Greg Lake
- “Lend Your Love to Me Tonight”
- Writer(s): Greg Lake, Peter Sinfield
- Length: 4:01
- “C’est la Vie”
- Writer(s): Lake, Sinfield
- Length: 4:16
- “Hallowed Be Thy Name”
- Writer(s): Lake, Sinfield
- Length: 4:35
- “Nobody Loves You Like I Do”
- Writer(s): Lake, Sinfield
- Length: 3:56
- “Closer to Believing”
- Writer(s): Lake, Sinfield
- Length: 5:33
Side Three: Carl Palmer
- “The Enemy God Dances with the Black Spirits”
- Writer(s): Sergei Prokofiev, arranged by Emerson, Lake, Carl Palmer
- Length: 3:20
- “L.A. Nights”
- Writer: Palmer
- Length: 5:42
- “New Orleans”
- Writer: Palmer
- Length: 2:45
- “Two Part Invention in D Minor”
- Writer(s): J.S. Bach, arranged by Palmer
- Length: 1:54
- “Food for Your Soul”
- Writer(s): Palmer, Harry South
- Length: 3:57
- “Tank”
- Writer(s): Emerson, Palmer
- Length: 5:08
Side Four: Emerson, Lake & Palmer
- “Fanfare for the Common Man”
- Writer(s): Aaron Copland, arranged by Emerson, Lake, Palmer
- Length: 9:40
- “Pirates”
- Writer(s): Emerson, Lake, Sinfield
- Length: 13:18
2004 Reissue Bonus Tracks
- “Tank (Live in Indiana, 24 January 1978)”
- Length: 9:49
- “The Enemy God Dances with the Black Spirits (Live in Indiana, 24 January 1978)”
- Length: 3:13
- “Nut Rocker (Live in Indiana, 24 January 1978)”
- Writer(s): Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Kim Fowley
- Length: 4:18
Works Volume 2
Released 1977
Works Volume 2 is a compilation of tracks by Emerson, Lake & Palmer, released shortly after the ambitious Works Volume 1. This album features a variety of styles, including ballads, jazz-influenced tracks, and classical adaptations, showcasing the band’s versatility.
Recorded at various locations and times, the album was compiled from earlier recordings made between 1973 and 1976. It reached No. 20 in the UK and No. 37 in the US.
CD Track Listings:
- “Tiger in a Spotlight” (Emerson, Lake, Palmer, Peter Sinfield) – 4:34
- “When the Apple Blossoms Bloom in the Windmills of Your Mind I’ll Be Your Valentine” (Emerson, Lake, Palmer) – 3:56
- “Bullfrog” (Palmer) – 3:49
- “Brain Salad Surgery” (Emerson, Lake, Sinfield) – 3:07
- “Barrelhouse Shake-Down” (Emerson) – 3:48
- “Watching Over You” (Lake, Sinfield) – 3:54
- “So Far to Fall” (Emerson, Lake, Sinfield) – 4:55
- “Maple Leaf Rag” (Scott Joplin, arranged by Emerson) – 2:00
- “I Believe in Father Christmas” (Lake, Sinfield) – 3:17
- “Close but Not Touching” (Palmer) – 3:19
- “Honky Tonk Train Blues” (Meade Lux Lewis, arranged by Emerson) – 3:09
- “Show Me the Way to Go Home” (James Campbell, Reginald Connelly, arranged by Emerson, Lake, Palmer) – 3:31
Love Beach
Released 1978
Love Beach represents Emerson, Lake & Palmer’s venture into more pop-oriented material. Released in 1978, the album was created under commercial pressure and marks a departure from the band’s earlier, more complex style.
Recorded at Compass Point Studios in the Bahamas in 1978, Love Beach was less successful than previous albums, reaching No. 48 in the UK and No. 55 in the US.
CD Track Listings:
- “All I Want Is You” (Lake, Sinfield) – 2:35
- “Love Beach” (Lake, Sinfield) – 2:44
- “Taste of My Love” (Lake, Sinfield) – 3:31
- “The Gambler” (Emerson, Lake, Sinfield) – 3:22
- “For You” (Lake, Sinfield) – 4:27
- “Canario” (Joaquín Rodrigo) – 3:57
- “Memoirs of an Officer and a Gentleman” – 20:16 a. “Prologue / The Education of a Gentleman” (Emerson, Sinfield) b. “Love at First Sight” (Emerson, Lake, Sinfield) c. “Letters from the Front” (Emerson, Sinfield) d. “Honourable Company (A March)” (Emerson)
Black Moon
Released 1992
After a long hiatus, Emerson, Lake & Palmer reunited for Black Moon. Released in 1992, this album saw the band returning to their progressive rock roots, though with a contemporary sound.
Recorded at Marcus Studios and Olympic Studios, London, in 1991 and 1992, Black Moon reached No. 78 in the UK and No. 115 in the US.
CD Track Listings:
- “Black Moon” (Emerson, Lake, Palmer) – 6:59
- “Paper Blood” (Emerson, Lake, Palmer) – 4:28
- “Affairs of the Heart” (Lake, Geoff Downes) – 3:47
- “Romeo and Juliet” (Sergei Prokofiev, arranged by Emerson) – 3:40
- “Farewell to Arms” (Emerson, Lake) – 5:09
- “Changing States” (Emerson) – 6:02
- “Burning Bridges” (Lake, Keith Olsen) – 4:45
- “Close to Home” (Emerson) – 4:33
- “Better Days” (Emerson, Lake) – 5:35
- “Footprints in the Snow” (Lake) – 3:50
In the Hot Seat
Released 1994
In the Hot Seat, released in 1994, is the final studio album by Emerson, Lake & Palmer. The album features a blend of progressive rock and pop elements, with a generally softer tone compared to their earlier work.
Recorded at Goodnight LA Studios in Los Angeles in 1994, the album did not achieve significant chart success.
CD Track Listings:
- “Hand of Truth” (Emerson, Lake, Palmer) – 5:22
- “Daddy” (Lake) – 4:42
- “One by One” (Emerson, Lake) – 5:07
- “Heart on Ice” (Lake, Olsen) – 4:19
- “Thin Line” (Lake, Olsen) – 4:45
- “Man in the Long Black Coat” (Bob Dylan) – 6:35
- “Change” (Lake, Olsen) – 4:43
- “Give Me a Reason to Stay” (Lake, Olsen) – 4:14
- “Gone Too Soon” (Lake, Olsen) – 4:11
- “Street War” (Emerson, Lake) – 4:22
EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER LIVE ALBUMS
Pictures at an Exhibition
Released November 1971
Pictures at an Exhibition is a live album by Emerson, Lake & Palmer, released in 1971. This album is a vivid adaptation of Modest Mussorgsky’s suite of the same name. Recorded live at Newcastle City Hall in March 1971, Pictures at an Exhibition was a commercial success, reaching No. 3 in the UK and No. 10 in the US charts.
CD Track Listings:
- “Promenade” (Mussorgsky, arranged by Emerson) – 1:58
- “The Gnome” (Mussorgsky, arranged by Emerson, Lake, Palmer) – 4:18
- “Promenade” (Mussorgsky, arranged by Emerson, Lake, Palmer) – 1:23
- “The Sage” (Lake) – 4:42
- “The Old Castle” (Mussorgsky, arranged by Emerson) – 2:33
- “Blues Variation” (Emerson, Lake, Palmer) – 4:22
- “Promenade” (Mussorgsky, arranged by Emerson) – 1:29
- “The Hut of Baba Yaga” (Mussorgsky, arranged by Emerson, Lake, Palmer) – 1:12
- “The Curse of Baba Yaga” (Emerson, Lake, Palmer) – 4:10
- “The Hut of Baba Yaga” (Mussorgsky, arranged by Emerson, Lake, Palmer) – 1:06
- “The Great Gates of Kiev” (Mussorgsky, arranged by Emerson, Lake, Palmer) – 6:37
- “Nutrocker” (Tchaikovsky, arranged by Kim Fowley, Emerson, Lake, Palmer) – 4:26
Welcome Back My Friends to the Show That Never Ends – Ladies and Gentlemen
Released: August 19 1974
“Welcome Back My Friends to the Show That Never Ends – Ladies and Gentlemen” is a quintessential live triple album by Emerson, Lake & Palmer, released in 1974. This album captures the band’s 1973/1974 world tour. The album reached No. 6 in the UK and No. 34 in the US, and was certified Gold in the United States.
CD Track Listings:
Disc 1:
- “Hoedown” (Aaron Copland, arranged by Emerson, Lake & Palmer) – 4:27
- “Jerusalem” (Hubert Parry, William Blake, arranged by Emerson, Lake & Palmer) – 3:17
- “Toccata” (Alberto Ginastera, arranged by Keith Emerson) – 7:22
- “Tarkus” – 27:24 a. “Eruption” (Emerson) b. “Stones of Years” (Emerson, Greg Lake) c. “Iconoclast” (Emerson) d. “Mass” (Emerson, Lake) e. “Manticore” (Emerson) f. “Battlefield” (Lake) g. “Aquatarkus” (Emerson)
Disc 2:
- “Take a Pebble” (Lake) – 11:06 a. “Still… You Turn Me On” (Lake) b. “Lucky Man” (Lake)
- “Piano Improvisations” (Emerson) – 11:53 a. “Fugue” (Emerson) b. “Little Rock Getaway” (Joe Sullivan)
- “Take a Pebble (Conclusion)” (Lake) – 3:14
- “Jeremy Bender / The Sheriff” (Emerson, Lake) – 5:05
Disc 3:
- “Karn Evil 9” – 35:19 a. “1st Impression – Part 1” (Emerson, Lake) b. “1st Impression – Part 2” (Emerson, Lake, Peter Sinfield) c. “2nd Impression” (Emerson) d. “3rd Impression” (Emerson, Lake, Sinfield)
In Concert
Released: November 16, 1979.
CD Track Listings:
- “Introductory Fanfare” (Emerson) – 0:52
- “Peter Gunn” (Henry Mancini) – 3:35
- “Tiger in a Spotlight” (Emerson, Lake, Palmer, Peter Sinfield) – 4:06
- “C’est La Vie” (Lake, Sinfield) – 4:07
- “The Enemy God Dances with the Black Spirits” (Sergei Prokofiev, arranged by Emerson) – 2:39
- “Knife Edge” (Leoš Janáček, arranged by Emerson; lyrics by Lake, Richard Fraser) – 4:47
- “Piano Concerto No. 1: Third Movement: Toccata con Fuoco” (Emerson) – 6:50
- “Pictures at an Exhibition” – 15:35 a. “Promenade” b. “The Hut of Baba Yaga” c. “The Curse of Baba Yaga” d. “The Hut of Baba Yaga” e. “The Great Gates of Kiev”
Live at the Royal Albert Hall
Released: February 1993
Label: Sanctuary
Works Live
Released: December 1993
Label: Victor
Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970
Released: 1997
Label: Sanctuary
Live in Poland
Released: 1997
Label: Sanctuary
King Biscuit Flower Hour: Greatest Hits Live
Released: 1997
Label: King Biscuit
Then and Now
Released: 24 November 1998
Label: Eagle
The Original Bootleg Series from the Manticore Vaults Vol.1
Released: 2001
Label: Castle
The Original Bootleg Series from the Manticore Vaults Vol.2
Released: 2001
Label: Castle
The Original Bootleg Series from the Manticore Vaults Vol.3
Released: 2002
Label: Castle
From the Front Row…Live!
Released: 2003
Label: Silverline
The Original Bootleg Series from the Manticore Vaults Vol.4
Released: 2006
Label: Castle
A Time and a Place
Released: 14 May 2010
Label: Shout! Factory
High Voltage
Released: 5 October 2010
Label: Concert Live
Live at Nassau Coliseum ’78
Released: 22 February 2011
Label: Shout! Factory
Live at the Mar Y Sol Festival ’72
Released: 6 December 2011
Label: Shout! Factory
Live in California 1974
Released: 2012
Label: Shout! Factory
Live in Montreal 1977
Released: 2013
Label: Shout! Factory
Once Upon a Time: Live in South America 1997
Released: 2015
Label: Rockbeat
Live at Montreux 1997
Released: 2015
Label: Eagle
Masters from The Vaults
Released: 2017
Label: Vivid
Live At Pocono International Raceway, U.S.A., 8th July 1972
Released: 13 April 2019
Label: BMG
EMERSON LAKE & PALMER COMPILATIONS
The Best of Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Released: November 1980
Label: Atlantic
UK Certification: Gold
The Atlantic Years
Released: July 1992
Label: Atlantic
The Return of the Manticore
Released: November 1993
Label: Rhino
The Best of Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Released: 1994
Label: Atlantic
Classic Rock featuring “Lucky Man”
Released: 1994
Label: Rebound
The Very Best of Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Released: 2000
Label: Rhino
Extended Versions: The Encore Collection
Released: 2000
Label: BMG
Fanfare for the Common Man
Released: 2001
Label: Sanctuary
The Ultimate Collection
Released: June 2004
Label: Sanctuary
The Essential Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Released: 2007
Label: Manticore
From the Beginning
Released: September 2007
Label: Sanctuary
Gold Edition
Released: December 2007
Label: Nun Entertainment
The Ultimate Collection (3CD)
Released: 2020
Label: BMG
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