King Crimson - Dinosaur

Song Review

Lyrics - Live Performance on Late Night w/ Conan O'Brien

King Crimson is criminally underrated. The band members who played on this song alone, have worked with such famous and varied artists as:

-Genesis
-Frank Zappa
-Nine Inch Nails
-Talking Heads
-Brian Eno
-Blondie
-Tori Amos
-Seal
-Pink Floyd
-Cher
-Tina Arena
-Tim Finn

as well as putting out 13 albums, each one amazing. That the bassist who played on Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer", the guitarist who created the hypnotic guitar hook on David Bowie's "Heroes", the drummer who played on Mr. Mister's hit "Broken Wings", and the singer/guitarist who contributed to landmark albums "Remain in Light", "Graceland" and "The Downward Spiral", as well as appearing on Rockwiz, can be in the band that I personally (just opinion) believe is the greatest rock band ever...and yet barely anyone has even heard of them, baffles me.

But enough elitist fanboy histrionics. "Dinosaur" is a song from their 1995 album, "THRAK". This album features the "double-trio", an odd experiment involving two guitarists, two bassists, and two drummers. It's a novel idea, but when listening I don't really notice more than one drummer or bassist.

The song opens with guitarist Robert Fripp, playing an orchestral MIDI guitar line. King Crimson are no strangers to cutting-edge technology; in the 80s their drummer Bill Bruford revolutionised electronic drums, and Fripp himself devised (with Eno) a looping system involving tape machines, which seems quaint nowadays but was unheard of in 1974 (at least, in rock music).

This pensive intro gives way to crashing drums and distorted guitar. The main riff, an ever-constant alarm, is laid over crunchy chords and an inventive drum pattern. The first verse cools off, before dynamically leading into the ominous chorus.

The Adrian Belew-penned lyrics use the dinosaur as a metaphor for the protagonist's outlook on life. "Ignorance has always been something I excel in...Doesn't take a scientist to see how any clever predator could have a piece of me"; "when I look back on the past it's a wonder I'm not yet extinct". I've felt the way the song describes many a time, and in the end, emotion is the most important aspect of a song.

The middle section, a quiet ambient instrumental break with a MIDI guitar solo, this time sounding like a clarinet, allows quick respite before the main riff returns, and Fripp unleashes "a searing solo that pins you to the wall" [1]. The final chorus, where Belew howls "IIIIIII'M A DINOSAUR!" is one of those well-pulled off moments that could feel so daggy in a less impressive setting.

I may prefer King Crimson's 70s and 80s output more, but Dinosaur is a high-point for the band, and for the decade. Given Conan O'Brien's now starting at The Tonight Show, it's a happy coincidence that I discovered King Crimson performed Dinosaur on his show back in 1995.