Tarkus – Emerson, Lake & Palmer

The MARK’S VINTAGE VINYL page features something from Mark’s collection of recordings from over the years. Most of it is on vinyl – hence the name – though there will be a few entries from his CDs (remember those?).

Tarkus, by Emerson, Lake & Palmer

  • Second album by British progressive rock band Emerson Lake & Palmer, released in 1971.
  • Even though the album did not have a single that charted, the album still managed to sell relatively well. It was their only album to peak at #1 on the UK album charts, and in the U.S., it reached #9 on the Billboard 200 album chart. It was certified Gold, meaning that more than half a million copies were sold in the U.S.
  • “Tarkus” is the name given to the armadillo-tank on the cover of the album. It is derived from combining the word “Tartarus” – a place of punishment mentioned in the Bible – with the word “carcass.”
  • The song Tarkus is a 20+ minute epic that is broken into 7 separate sections. It follows the adventures of Tarkus from its birth to its defeat in battle.
  • Found a live performance of ELP performing Tarkus. It’s an abbreviated version – only 10 minutes. Check it out, prog rock fans! Crazy keyboard skills by Keith Emerson.

 

 

 

2 thoughts on “Tarkus – Emerson, Lake & Palmer”

  1. I miss progressive rock. It’s like a vacation. I appreciate the live cut of Tarkus too, not seen that before. THS Mark!

    1. It’s a vacation because you are going back in time by 40+ years, and remembering all that great music! Check out Rolling Stone’s list of the 50 greatest prog rock albums – just Google Rolling Stone Greatest Prog Rock Albums, and you’ll take a nice long vacation!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *