Epitaph (King Crimson song)

"Epitaph" is the third track from the British progressive rock band King Crimson's debut album, In the Court of the Crimson King.

The song is noted for its heavy use of the mellotron, and as with the first track, "21st Century Schizoid Man", the song's lyrics have a distinctly dystopian feel to them.

The song's title was used as the name for a live album of recordings done by the original King Crimson, Epitaph.

Emerson, Lake & Palmer would later incorporate an excerpt from this song after the "Battlefield" portion of the live version of their song Tarkus, from the Tarkus album.

Epitaph Records also took its name from the song.

Personnel 

• Robert Fripp – guitar
• Greg Lake – bass guitar, vocals
• Ian McDonald – harpsichord, mellotron, reeds and woodwind
• Michael Giles – drums, percussion
• Peter Sinfield – lyrics

1976 single 

In 1976, Epitaph/21st Century Schizoid Man, a single released, a companion to the compilation A Young Person's Guide to King Crimson (1976).

Track listing 

1. "Epitaph" (Robert Fripp, Michael Giles, Greg Lake, Ian McDonald, Peter Sinfield)

   including:

   • "March for No Reason"
   • "Tomorrow and Tomorrow"

2. "21st Century Schizoid Man" (Fripp, Giles, Lake, McDonald, Sinfield)

   including:

   • "Mirrors"