King In Crimson Lyrics

Lyric discussion by zidders 

Cover art for King In Crimson lyrics by Bruce Dickinson

Bruce stated in an interview that each song has a frame in which it operates. The first song-this one-is framed by fear. The album has a loosely religious theme overall (its name and its title track are derived from the Rosicrucian manifesto 'The Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz' by Johann Valentin Andreae, who was a German theologian who lived in the late 1500's/early 1600's).

This song uses the imagery of Beelzebub (or Satan), ravens (which in many cultures are bad omens/associated with death), nighttime/darkness and the concept of sin/coming doom to illustrate primeval fears. The lyrics are written as if by some nameless superstitious figure attempting to give warning to others.

My Interpretation