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"From the Beginning"
Single by Emerson, Lake & Palmer
from the album Trilogy
B-side	"Living Sin"
Released	August 1972
Genre	Art rock, progressive rock, folk rock, psychedelic rock
Length	3:48 (single version) 4:14 (album version)
Label	Cotillion
Songwriter(s)	Greg Lake
Producer(s)	Greg Lake
Emerson, Lake & Palmer singles chronology
"Nut Rocker" (1971) "From the Beginning" (1972) "Hoedown" (1972)

"From the Beginning" is a song written by Greg Lake and performed by the progressive rock trio Emerson, Lake & Palmer. It was released on their 1972 album Trilogy. It hit #39 in the United States and was their highest-charting single there.

Composition

The song was written in the key of A minor. It is driven by an acoustic guitar line with layers of electric guitar (both rhythm and lead), electric bass guitar, and sung by Lake, with some backing on drums (played by Carl Palmer with congas, tympani mallets and without cymbals), and with a distinctive closing synthesizer solo from Keith Emerson, accompanied by overdubbed synthesizer sounds. This song was originally intended for King Crimson's debut album In the Court of the Crimson King, but band leader Robert Fripp didn't think it would fit into the album's context.

Record World said that "Greg Lake gets a great sound out of his band on this acoustically jazzy number that highlights his voice and fine lyrics."

Personnel

• Keith Emerson - Moog synthesizer
• Greg Lake - vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, electric bass
• Carl Palmer - drums, percussion

Charts

Cover versions

• Marsyas [cs] covered the song in Czech under the name "Studená koupel" in their 1982 album, Kousek přízně.
• Dokken covered the song in their 1995 album, Dysfunctional.
• The song was sampled by singer Amerie on the track "Got To Be There" from her debut 2002 album, All I Have with Greg Lake receiving a songwriting credit.

References

1. "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. 28 October 1972. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
2. "From the Beginning". Musicnotes.com. 13 August 2012. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
3. Heller, Jason; Gehr, Richard; Epstein, Dan (11 March 2016). "Emerson, Lake and Palmer: 10 Essential Songs". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2 December 2017.
4. Kovarsky, Jerry (17 June 2016). "The Art of Synth Soloing: Welcome Back My Friend (More Emerson)". Keyboard. Archived from the original on 18 June 2016. Retrieved 2 December 2017.
5. "Single Picks" (PDF). Record World. August 12, 1972. p. 8. Retrieved 2023-03-30.
6. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 4208." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
7. "Emerson Lake Palmer Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
8. "Cash Box Top 100". 21 October 1972. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
9. Gratias, Petr (22 September 2011). "Hudební echo: Kousek přízně (1982)" (in Czech). Retrieved 2 December 2017.
10. Flick, Larry (23 November 1996). "Dokken". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 47. p. 84. Retrieved 5 March 2012.
11. Verrico, Lisa (9 August 2002). "Talk of the Clones". The Times. p. 12. Other highlights include the jazzy ballad Nothing Like Loving You and the Emerson Lake and Palmer-sampling Got to be There.

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