Indiscipline
King Crimson
Discipline (1981)
Bill Bruford, Tony Levin, Robert Fripp +1
Listen to the Song
At a glance
- Key
- E Phrygian
- Time signature
- 4/4
- Main progression
- i–bII–bV–bIII
- Chords used
- E5 · F5 · Bb5 · G5 · E (drone/textural)
- Form
- Intro-Verse-Chorus-Verse-Chorus
- Difficulty
- 9/10
Summary
Representing a radical reinvention of King Crimson in 1981, 'Indiscipline' explores the tension between rigid structure and chaotic improvisation. It is a definitive example of the 80s lineup's fusion of New Wave textures with complex, interlocking progressive rock arrangements.
Chord Sheet
Chords Used
Progression by Section
Chorus
Verse
Chord Diagrams
N/A
N/A
N/A
Musical Analysis
The harmony of 'Indiscipline' is non-functional and driven by modal exploration and rhythmic displacement. Instead of standard cadences, the song relies on the tension between the E tonic and highly dissonant intervals (minor seconds and tritones). The 'Discip…
History
The lyrics were adapted by Adrian Belew from a letter written to him by his then-wife, Margaret Belew. In the letter, she described a piece of art (likely a sculpture or painting) she had recently completed. Belew found the obsessive, descriptive nature of her…
“The song features a spoken-word vocal delivery rather than traditional melodic singing.”
📝 Lyrics
obsessive · intense · chaoticTheme
The obsessive and manic nature of the creative process
Surface
An individual describes their fixation on an unspecified object they have been working on, expressing a mixture of confusion and intense satisfaction.
Deeper meaning
A meta-commentary on the tension between 'Discipline' (technical precision/control) and 'Indiscipline' (raw inspiration/chaos). It explores the moment an artist loses themselves in their work and the psychological loop of creation, where the creator becomes subservient to the creation.
Symbols
Full musical analysis
The harmony of 'Indiscipline' is non-functional and driven by modal exploration and rhythmic displacement. Instead of standard cadences, the song relies on the tension between the E tonic and highly dissonant intervals (minor seconds and tritones). The 'Discipline' era of King Crimson focused on 'interlocking' guitar parts where harmony is an emergent property of two separate melodic lines rather than a series of block chords.
The lyrics were adapted by Adrian Belew from a letter written to him by his then-wife, Margaret Belew. In the letter, she described a piece of art (likely a sculpture or painting) she had recently completed. Belew found the obsessive, descriptive nature of her prose fitting for the song's tense musical atmosphere.
Representing a radical reinvention of King Crimson in 1981, 'Indiscipline' explores the tension between rigid structure and chaotic improvisation. It is a definitive example of the 80s lineup's fusion of New Wave textures with complex, interlocking progressive rock arrangements.
Some sections are still pending
6 of 12 sections are ready. Ask for the rest and this song moves up our analysis queue.
Song DNA
Genre
Rock
Era
80s
Mood
Aggressive
Tempo
Mid-tempo
Key
Modal
Texture
Layered
Sound
Guitar-driven
Feel
Polyrhythmic
Explore More
Similar Songs
Explore related
Statistics
762K
Plays
128K
Listeners
51K
Genius Views
3
Annotations
100%
Popularity
2:15
Duration
4/4
Time
Credits
Written by
Produced by
From the album Live In Vienna
Original release
- Discipline1981
Compilations
- On (and Off) the Road2016