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Emerson, Lake & Palmer — Still...You Turn Me On
Album: Brain Salad Surgery
Avg rating:
7.6

Your rating:
Total ratings: 2435









Released: 1973
Length: 2:49
Plays (last 30 days): 0
Do you want to be an angel,
Do you wanna be an angel
Do you wanna be a star
Do you wanna play some magic
On my guitar
Do you wanna be a poet
Do you wanna be my string
You could be anything

Do you wanna be the lover of another undercover
You could even be the
Man on the moon

Do you wanna be the player
Do you wanna be the string
Let me tell you something
It just don't mean a thing

You see it really doesn't matter
When you're buried in disguise
By the dark glass on your eyes
Though your flesh has crystallised
Still...you turn me on

Do you wanna be the pillow
Where I lay my head
Do you wanna be the feathers
Lying on my bed
Do you wanna be the cover
Of a magazine
Create a scene

Every day a little sadder
A little madder
Someone get me a ladder

Do you wanna be the singer
Do you wanna be the song
Let me tell you something
You just couldn't be more wrong

You see I really have to tell you
That it all gets so intense
From my experience
It just doesn't seem to make sense
Still...you turn me on
Comments (241)add comment
i always want to hear procol harem, whiter shade of pale or conquistador after hearing this song for some reason. oh, well. 
 On_The_Beach wrote:

I prefer a sober dulcimer.   ; )



IDK?  Hammered Dulcimers are a cheap date!   
 idiot_wind wrote:

You can never go wrong with a hammered dulcimer! 


I prefer a sober dulcimer.   ; )
 CoYoT51 wrote:

"Someone get me a ladder". Reminds me the last rime I fell in love with a German girl.



I'm glad someone had something enjoyable about the worse lyric in this (otherwise great) song.
Thank you for this amazing radio that has made my year and office hours so so so much better. Happy new year to both of you Bill & Rebecca, regards from Argentina 
"Someone get me a ladder". Reminds me the last rime I fell in love with a German girl.
 VV wrote:

Iconic Album Cover



Those Bündner Mountains made it happen!
 idiot_wind wrote:

that's quite the dulcimer playing. 


Except that it's probably not.  Album credits cite "Hammond organ, harpsichord, keyboard and Moog" for Emerson on this track.
I could go for synthesized dulcimer.
A classic and great band made up of three of the most talented guys ever. Yes, the Cal Jam in the 70's was the bomb! (someone mentioned that a time ago in a post). Glad I was there for that one......

Sad ending to the trio of ELP, losing Keith the way he went but he will always live on in the minds of those like me who love their music.



 wiegandshawn wrote:

Obviously this guy doesn't smoke weed often. My father tried telling me that same thing until he face planted  on the table. 


I can see his point. I usually just want to relax a bit and not get to the point of face planting. Kinda the difference between having a glass of wine and slamming a bottle of vodka.
"A complete waste of time, talent and electricity"(John Peel on Emerson, Lake & Palmer's debut concert)
 BCarn wrote:

"...clumsy, juvenile lyrics..." Really? And who elected you the determining factor of what constitutes good or bad lyrics? You must keep yourself pretty busy criticizing lyrics as, by your apparent standards, there are many songs would fall into that category of your discriminating critique. 
So please, post your lyrics of your hit songs and show us heathens how it is done.
For an extremely active commentor at RP you certainly post some condescending shyte.

I didn't know there was an election process to express one's opinions here.  There was no condescension intended, just a subjective observation -  an opinion which apparently differs from yours.
that's quite the dulcimer playing. 
 fredriley wrote:

I couldn't understand the lyrics 35 years back when I was an ELP fan, and I still don't, but I love the song.

I never understood the album title either, but it was ELP's best.



Brain Salad surgery, also known as "whip some skull on you," was slang then for giving head.
Ah Greg. Beautiful, and he still turns me on.
 wiegandshawn wrote:

Obviously this guy doesn't smoke weed often. My father tried telling me that same thing until he face planted  on the table. 
 
Face-planted on today's weed? My point exactly.
 VV wrote:
Iconic Album Cover
 
Also the album itself
 siriusrising wrote:
One of the greatest bass players of all time. Also, not a bad songwriter too.
 

Pretty adept at acoustic guitar as well
 AphidA wrote:
Yet another great hipgnosis album cover
 

Hipgnosis did Trilogy and Best Of, but I don't think they did BSS.
Giger worked directly with the band.
 MassivRuss wrote:
70’s weed was the best weed. And you could roll spliffs on album covers like this!
 
Obviously this guy doesn't smoke weed often. My father tried telling me that same thing until he face planted  on the table. 
Its that dulcimer!
Its impossible to do anything while this songs plays. 
 Vero_Luxemburg wrote:

The cover is a bit better than the song
(H.R. Giger)
 But not better than the album. And that 's coming from an Illustrator/artist who's been a fan of both since the early 70's.


Well, I was a high school freshman in 1973.
ELP was big for me back then

One of the greatest bass players of all time. Also, not a bad songwriter too.
 Doesn't compare favorably  with his  work with K.C. Missing discipline of the master?
 VV wrote:
Iconic Album Cover
 
The cover is a bit better than the song
(H.R. Giger)
One of the greatest bass players of all time. Also, not a bad songwriter too.
 idiot_wind wrote:
You can never go wrong with a hammered dulcimer! 
 
I don't think there is a dulcimer in that.  Sounds more like a harpsichord played with a pick on the strings...
New to me, had me thinking of the Airplane 
 AphidA wrote:
Yet another great hipgnosis album cover
 
by 

HR Giger.


 fredriley wrote:
I couldn't understand the lyrics 35 years back when I was an ELP fan, and I still don't, but I love the song.

I never understood the album title either, but it was ELP's best.
 
Electric Light Project? AS IF  you know all their work... sure, you're  Bill and all, but you have these folks under your spell and we both know it
I couldn't understand the lyrics 35 years back when I was an ELP fan, and I still don't, but I love the song.

I never understood the album title either, but it was ELP's best.
Great band at the time oh while I'm here please play some Terry Reid, he of the Superlungs song and Silver white light thanks
...or a tack piano!

 
idiot_wind wrote:
You can never go wrong with a hammered dulcimer! 
 

These guys would have been uber-phenomenal with a lyricist like Peter Sinfield.
Exelent,See this Song live in the seventies.
A great prog band! And  a 10
 Proclivities wrote:

They are pretty clumsy, juvenile lyrics, but they don't seem to bother too many people here.  I've heard worse.
 
"...clumsy, juvenile lyrics..." Really? And who elected you the determining factor of what constitutes good or bad lyrics? You must keep yourself pretty busy criticizing lyrics as, by your apparent standards, there are many songs would fall into that category of your discriminating critique. 
So please, post your lyrics of your hit songs and show us heathens how it is done.
For an extremely active commentor at RP you certainly post some condescending shyte.
Once a favorite, always a favorite.  
70’s weed was the best weed. And you could roll spliffs on album covers like this!
 VV wrote:
Iconic Album Cover
 
R.I.P. HR Giger.
Iconic Album Cover
 yeti wrote:
Once a favorite album.

 
It still is for me :-)
Only 5 - Decent from me  
You can never go wrong with a hammered dulcimer! 
 Redpoint wrote:

Pls see reply to Eagle 25000.
Cheers. 
 
Pls see reply to Dumdum pants 666
 somboed wrote:

If you don't like it, then get lost. IMHO. Just sayin'

 
Pls see reply to Eagle 25000.
Cheers. 
 Eagle25000 wrote:

Totally agree with you somboed. I think this guy's the "real thing" he talks about! LOL

 
Strangely enough this tune just popped up again and I revisited and edited my unlettered comment (must have been upset about something that day). I still stand by my first thoughts on hearing the song and understand that while you and sombroed enjoyed this tune, I (obviously) didn't. I've always felt the comments by listeners on RP should reflect both sides of the effect a certain song may have on them (good or bad)  as it pops up on RP. The old adage of 'if you don't have anything nice to say then don't say it' is not really the point here, critical comments can, and should be just as relevant as positive ones in an open forum. My error was to belittle the artist and in turn the folks that enjoy that artist by articulating my comment in a juvenile (ironically) and crass manner which is defiantly NOT the point of the comments section. For that pls accept my belated apologies.
Now back to the music... 
 MoxyP wrote:
In case you missed it elsewhere, here's an explanation for the lyrics.

They refer to his confounding, mixed feelings about his female fans, and ask what exactly they want/expect to be in relation to ELP.

"Someone get me a ladder" was actually something Keith shouted once when trying to extricate himself from a rather excited group.

And the odd, lascivious-sounding wah-wah that punctuates the otherwise beautiful music is about those mixed feelings again — "still, you turn me on" (next best thing to a wolf whistle, I suppose).

So yeah, the lyrics are a little weird but think metaphor. (And if you think this is extreme, you should see the original version, from his book "Word Sculptures." ;-)

 
Thanks for this.  I long ago pretty much guessed what the song was about but I never could understand the "ladder" line.
 MoxyP wrote:
In case you missed it elsewhere, here's an explanation for the lyrics.

They refer to his confounding, mixed feelings about his female fans, and ask what exactly they want/expect to be in relation to ELP.

"Someone get me a ladder" was actually something Keith shouted once when trying to extricate himself from a rather excited group.

And the odd, lascivious-sounding wah-wah that punctuates the otherwise beautiful music is about those mixed feelings again — "still, you turn me on" (next best thing to a wolf whistle, I suppose).

So yeah, the lyrics are a little weird but think metaphor. (And if you think this is extreme, you should see the original version, from his book "Word Sculptures." ;-)

 
Thank you, Moxy. I appreciate the explanation. You da ... person!
In case you missed it elsewhere, here's an explanation for the lyrics.

They refer to his confounding, mixed feelings about his female fans, and ask what exactly they want/expect to be in relation to ELP.

"Someone get me a ladder" was actually something Keith shouted once when trying to extricate himself from a rather excited group.

And the odd, lascivious-sounding wah-wah that punctuates the otherwise beautiful music is about those mixed feelings again — "still, you turn me on" (next best thing to a wolf whistle, I suppose).

So yeah, the lyrics are a little weird but think metaphor. (And if you think this is extreme, you should see the original version, from his book "Word Sculptures." ;-)
1974 California Jam 

I've seen a zillion shows over the years. One of the best was the 1974 California Jam with headliners ELP.  This solo by Gregg Lake was an unforgettable highlight. 
 Proclivities wrote:

They are pretty clumsy, juvenile lyrics, but they don't seem to bother too many people here.  I've heard worse.

 
I just popped in to say that it bothers me, but I'll recover. 
 lemmoth wrote:
Take me to the bridge

Where's that confounded bridge?

_________________________________

Someone get me a ladder 

 
{#Lol}
 Steely_D wrote:

They named this the "Someone get me a ladder" tour at the time, which I hope meant they had a sense of the absurd about the awful lyric.

 
They are pretty clumsy, juvenile lyrics, but they don't seem to bother too many people here.  I've heard worse.
ELP had fun with some of their lyrics.  This being one of them.  For more entertainment of the same sort listen to " Benny the Bouncer".
Remember it is for entertainment purposes only.
-John
High school late nights in the back seat of a car.  Not sure if those are good memories .....
Once a favorite album.


 somboed wrote:

If you don't like it, then get lost. IMHO. Just sayin'

 
Totally agree with you somboed. I think this guy's the "real thing" he talks about! LOL
 Redpoint wrote:
Holy crap, just pulled up the lyrics. Somebody should have taken the crayons away from these guys before this ever made it in to a recording studio. What a load of self absorbed old tosh. 7.7, you've got to be kidding folks. This pile of horse shit  (IMHO) needs burying in an equally large pile of the real thing...
Just sayin.
 
If you don't like it, then get lost. IMHO. Just sayin'
Seems pretty dreadful both lyrically and musically Imho. Others may beg to differ though.
Takes me back to high school, playing this on the 8-track at home and in the car.
Take me to the bridge

Where's that confounded bridge?

_________________________________

Someone get me a ladder 
 Grammarcop wrote:
Will someone please get this man a ladder?

 
They named this the "Someone get me a ladder" tour at the time, which I hope meant they had a sense of the absurd about the awful lyric.
 j1sey wrote:
oh yeah - more flashbacks to college, Bose 901s, smoky air and late nights.....

 
Bose 901's indeed.  I'll bet more than a few basements had a pair of 'em, eh?  {#Biggrin}
 bb_matt wrote:
What a strange music era. The sixties dead, excess and greed on the rise. Prog rock, for the most part sounds so massively dated now. A product of excess and introspective nasal gazing. Some great music came out of this era, but thank God for Punk!

 
In retrospection, the music (as opposed to the social movement) of puck was less radical than appeared at the time; the experimental work by non-punk, techno and Indie bands pushed things further musically than dear old Lydon did. 
a lot of EL&P lately in honor or Keith's death
how about something from The Nice
his band before EL&P
i'm sure Bill knows the ones to play 
.
btw, worse wah-wah ever 
amazing album, saw them live in 76 in Riverside
i love this song so much...
REALLY LIKED GREG LAKES WRITING AND SONGS / AND THE LOUDEST SHOW IVE EVER SEEN!
But this song has a hammered dulcimer and trippy, cryptic, and incoherent lyrics. Long live the 1970s!  
 bb_matt wrote:
What a strange music era. The sixties dead, excess and greed on the rise. Prog rock, for the most part sounds so massively dated now. A product of excess and introspective nasal gazing. Some great music came out of this era, but thank God for Punk!

 
For me this era stands for experiments with the new musical ideas from the 50thies and 60thies, combined with the classical ideas to create new and exciting music.
The minimalistic sound of for example Joy Division for me is part of this movement.

Then the 80thies until now... On average dull 3.5 minute music that's easy on the brains with distinctive repeating patterns so you recognize it like a commercial.  That's punk inclusive.
What a strange music era. The sixties dead, excess and greed on the rise. Prog rock, for the most part sounds so massively dated now. A product of excess and introspective nasal gazing. Some great music came out of this era, but thank God for Punk!
oh yeah - more flashbacks to college, Bose 901s, smoky air and late nights.....
 bev wrote:
This song has such a split personality disorder. So gentle and lilting; and then, after the lyric "...still...you turn me on..." there's that ridiculously dated "porn riff" (as noted in the comments below by Kregg).

I always thought that if I could just edit that out this would be such a great song. It doesn't help the tune at all...why is it there?!

And voila! Found Greg Lake's isolated vocals here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsVEEDtLr2A.

 
Yeah!...  To hell with the artistic vision of the original artist.
 Haha, that line always makes me smile/cringe..even though mostly I like this song.  almost anything Greg sings is divine

Grammarcop wrote:
Will someone please get this man a ladder?

 


The Shins. ELP. Only RP.
 hayduke2 wrote:
Besides "Alien" he has also designed some musical instruments
 
R.I.P. HR Giger.
Ah, to have been as gorgeous and charmed as Greg Lake.
Will someone please get this man a ladder?
Excellent
Datei:Giger gitarren.jpg
Besides "Alien" he has also designed some musical instruments
This song has such a split personality disorder. So gentle and lilting; and then, after the lyric "...still...you turn me on..." there's that ridiculously dated "porn riff" (as noted in the comments below by Kregg).

I always thought that if I could just edit that out this would be such a great song. It doesn't help the tune at all...why is it there?!

And voila! Found Greg Lake's isolated vocals here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsVEEDtLr2A.
Saw them in Germany soon after this came out. Great show !
 Lazarus wrote:

This song is good for the ears...
 

 

I agree...I just turned it way up
As a kid, I used to stare at this album cover (it was my brother's) and think to myself, "What the.....?"
Nice to hear this...as it doesn't see the light of day often.
luxury.. & topic..
.. 
... Ahhh....  "Man-Music" (even if I was only 15 or 16) still rings true. Though listening to the lyrics now...? It's pretty trite stuff with a rich baroque feel. Like the phony Rolls-Royce-looking front-ends they used to stick on Beetles...

This song is good for the ears...
 
 gjeeg wrote:
Alfred University. 1973. All pot, all the time. LSD. The Times were good.
 
Heh - in '73 I was at ECU, home of the Purple Perverts. Pot was $8 an oz. and beer was $1.25 a sixer.

And, to complete the joke, I can't remember how much acid cost . . .  
Yes, after 28 years, my wife, still, turns me on!!
Great song from a great album, well suited to chemically enhanced listening. Also the coolest cover art of all time.
Yea, we were going from 8  → 10.  Many hazy fond memories.
love this song
Alfred University. 1973. All pot, all the time. LSD. The Times were good.
 oldsaxon wrote:
Brain Salad Surgery, pot and black lights....YAY youth!
 
You forgot the beer.  ; )

Brain Salad Surgery, pot and black lights....YAY youth!
Still a 10
Circa 1975.  High School.  ELP cranked on the headphones while studying.  Yeah....
Ya know, the early Seventies had some great music. {#Music}
From one of the best albums EVER!  ELP at their best IMO,(and several others).  A great sleeve too.


 Kregg wrote:
love the porn riff they randomly insert
 
Snark snark - - - your right
  maybe that's why I liked it at 18

Is it important to have been stoned the first time you heard this? That's the only way I can figure out its apparent appeal.

 Kregg wrote:
love the porn riff they randomly insert
 
LOL

 scooterdog wrote:
Great LP..I have the High Res DVD Audio 5.1 Surround version of this and it is freaking awesome. One of those disc you pull out every once in and a while and bask in the greatness and chemistry these 3 had. If you have the capability to play DVD Audio disc's try and find this one, you won't be disappointed!
 
I got it and you are correct, sir!  I don't know why High Rez audio didn't catch on.  I've recently gotten the two Tom Petty releases,
Mojo and Damn the Torpedoes in Blu-Ray with the high resolution audio in surround and stereo.  You even get to download the CD tracks in .wav or mp3!

16 ears in prizon- that muzik ceeps mi alayve ther-for not lost my hyman ...

I love the line "Someone get me a ladder!"

But it would have been more powerful if the lyrics had been like this:

Gazing up beneath your window, I get a little sadder
A little MADDER!
SOMEONE GET ME A LADDER!!!

(Visualize the singer gazing up beneath his lover's bedroom window (or balcony) and growing more and more insane with desire eventually shouting "SOMEONE GET ME A LADDER!!!", which he desparely needs so he can climb up and join his lover in her bedroom)


1973 ... so high school was really 38 years ago?  Wow.  Glad to be alive and listening to RP.
awesome, brings back a lot of great memories.
Santa brought me "Mountains Come Out of the Sky - The Illustrated History of Prog Rock" by Will Romano for x-mas.

Of course, a nice chapter on ELP (among others) innit... 
Finally some ELP! I was beginning to think that it was not allowed on RP >_>

Great song. Great album cover art. I have it as a T-shirt. Pretty worn but still wearable.
reminds me of High School and I do Mean HIGH school.
yes kiddies let grandpa tell you that you did not invent 4:20
Love the song (but especially acoustic versions) and even the line "someone get me a ladder." Makes sense in the context — Lake was writing about his female fans whose ... um, enthusiasm sometimes inspired some elaborate escape plans. {#Hearteyes}

And Bill, another vote here for Pirates!

Great LP..I have the High Res DVD Audio 5.1 Surround version of this and it is freaking awesome. One of those disc you pull out every once in and a while and bask in the greatness and chemistry these 3 had. If you have the capability to play DVD Audio disc's try and find this one, you won't be disappointed!
 ShaunJ wrote:

Did anyone catch ELP at the High Voltage festival last weekend?
 
Yes! - they are showing their age a bit but still good.

First part of set was a bit iffy then kicked up a notch and they were great

Sad but during the 70s I wanted to look like Greg Lake - now in 2010 Greg Lake looks like me :-(

 
My lady's favorite song.
 Kregg wrote:
love the porn riff they randomly insert
 
Did anyone catch ELP at the High Voltage festival last weekend?

love the porn riff they randomly insert