The Barbarian (song)

"The Barbarian" is the opening track on the eponymous debut album of British progressive rock band Emerson, Lake & Palmer, released in 1970.

"The Barbarian"
Instrumental by Emerson, Lake & Palmer
from the album Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Released	1970
Recorded	1970
Genre	Progressive rock heavy metal[1]
Length	4:27
Composer(s)	Béla Bartók arr. Keith Emerson, Greg Lake, Carl Palmer
Producer(s)	Greg Lake

Description

This piece of music is instrumental, and it is the shortest one on the album (4:27). Although the composition of "The Barbarian" was attributed to the three band members, it is an arrangement for rock band of Béla Bartók’s 1911 piano piece Allegro barbaro.^[2][3] Although the original piece is for piano only, the band arranged the song for organ, piano, bass, and drums.^[4] The music of the song is aggressive with a heavy metal style. Greg Lake used a fuzz box to give his bass a fuller, guitar-like sound. The band members did not give credit to Bartók, thinking that the label would arrange the matter. Bartók's family sued ELP for copyright infringement,^[3] but eventually, the band gave equal credit to Bartók.^[5]

Personnel

• Keith Emerson - Hammond organ, piano
• Greg Lake - bass guitar
• Carl Palmer - drums, gong