King Crimson – Model Man

This is my second King Crimson post. I’ve heard their debut album the most and I like it. I went exploring and found this one. I can hear the 80s in this but not as strong as some…I like the slide guitar sound of Robert Fripp in this song.

This song to me is bridged progressive rock with a more contemporary, new-wave-influenced sound. This song was not released as a single but has become a favorite among fans of King Crimson. Their 1980s lineup was Adrian Belew on vocals and guitar, Robert Fripp on guitar, Tony Levin on bass guitar, and Bill Bruford on drums. 

This song was on the album Three of a Perfect Pair released in 1984. It peaked at #58 on the Billboard Album Charts, #43 in Canada, and #30 in the UK. This song is only 3:49 but not your average pop song. They seem to like throwing curves and they did with this one…like with the slide I mentioned being slightly off by Fripp makes this interesting.

Three of a Perfect Pair is the third album in a trilogy that began with Discipline (1981) and continued with Beat (1982). In this period the band consisted of Robert Fripp, Adrian Belew, Tony Levin, and Bill Bruford.

Model Man

Look for the signsLook for the symptomsLook for the slightCalm before the storm

I feel the silenceI feel the signalsI feel the strainTension in my headWell, what more can be said

Not a model manNot a saviour or a saintImperfect in a wordMake no mistakeBut I give you everything I haveTake me as I am

Look for the signsLook for the symptomsLook for the slightCalm before the storm

I feel the silenceI feel the signalsI feel the strainTension in my headWell, what more can be said

Not a model manNot a saviour or a saintImperfect in a wordMake no mistakeBut I give you everything I haveTake me as I am

Not a model manNot a saviour or a saintImperfect in a wordMake no mistakeBut I give you everything I haveTake me as I am

Look for the signs

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Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, Alternative music, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player. Not the slightest bit interested in politics at all.

23 thoughts on “King Crimson – Model Man”

  1. I don’t remember even hearing of this album! Like Yes, I guess they tried to change with the times a little and stay relevant, this one isn’t bad but isn’t something I’d go out of my way to hear. A lot of talent within the band though

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    1. You know much more about them than I do…I’ll check that one out. Glyn…this song sounds like it could have been played on commercial radio…I didn’t know they had songs like this.

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  2. Surprise! I was and still am a huge KC fan. The line up before this band was hard to beat for me. Belew’s vocals took some adjustment. It didn’t take long. The 3 albums this grouping did together provided me with some more music from Fripp (Love his playing) and the outstanding musicians he works with. Repeated listening’s just got better. A very different cut that you picked Max but that’s the beauty of music. Certain music finds it’s way into the ear of the listener

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    1. Yea CB…this one surprised me. I wasn’t expecting a song like this from them and it makes me respect them more because they ran the gambit. That is why I am a Beatles fan…because you get a little of everything. I liked this album a lot…I need to listen to the other two.

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  3. My dear longtime German music buddy digs King Crimson, Gentle Giant and other prog rock bands. I’ve made a couple of previous attempts to explore King Crimson’s music. Unlike Yes and (early) Genesis, I haven’t quite warmed to them. But it’s been a while. Plus, I don’t recall having heard “Model Man” before.

    The way the vocals are mixed “out front” and even the groove remind me a bit of Talking Heads. To me, this song is “easier on my ears” than some of the tracks I heard before. At 3:50 minutes, as opposed to 7 minutes-plus, it’s also “easy to digest”! 🙂

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    1. This one didn’t sound progressive to me…it’s more of a commercial sounding one but yes…they were a progressive band….most of their stuff is out there. Yes this is accessible.

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  4. I haven’t actually heard this one much. There’s a pretty interesting tension between Belew writing pop/rock songs and Fripp’s weirdness. Belew’s a talented guy, reminds me a bit of Todd Rundgren from the previous generation – both struggle with sincerity, but are immensely talented.

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    1. I was just beginning to know the early part. I looked for something a little more commercial to post and this triology of albums poppped up. Fripp’s guitar playing is one of a kind. He has his own style. Yea Belew is talented…I’m learning more about them.

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