AUTHOR’S NOTE: I don’t know why I never tackled In the Court of the Crimson King before, it’s tailor-made for the “tarotscope” treatment of text-and-card correlation because it’s chock-full of Medieval imagery. Lyricist Pete Sinfield said in 1971: “Crimson King is about oppressors and manipulators” and the king of the title seems to be the instigator of the entire drama. (One opinion is that the song is about Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II.) Apart from the story in the mystical lyrics, it would be possible to make a fascinating narrative out of these cards. (By the way, I can’t seem to get enough of that atmospheric, mantra-like “Ahh-AH ahhh” refrain.) The images below are from the Waite-Smith Centennial Edition except the Ace of Cups, which is from the Thoth Tarot; both are copyright of US Games Systems Inc, Stamford, CT.

The rusted chains of prison moons
Are shattered by the sun
I walk a road, horizons change
The tournament’s begun
The purple piper plays his tune
The choir softly sing
Three lullabies in an ancient tongue
For the court of the crimson king

[Refrain. repeated]
Ahh-AH-ahhh

The keeper of the city keys
Put shutters on the dreams
I wait outside the pilgrim’s door
With insufficient schemes
The black queen chants the funeral march
The cracked brass bells will ring
To summon back the fire witch
To the court of the crimson king

[Refrain, repeated]
Ahh-AH-ahhh

The gardener plants an evergreen
Whilst trampling on a flower
I chase the wind of a prism ship
To taste the sweet and sour
The pattern juggler lifts his hand
The orchestra begin
As slowly turns the grinding wheel
In the court of the crimson king

[Refrain, repeated]
Ahh-AH-ahhh

On soft gray mornings widows cry
The wise men share a joke
I run to grasp divining signs
To satisfy the hoax
The yellow jester does not play
But gently pulls the strings
And smiles as the puppets dance
In the court of the crimson king

[Refrain, repeated]

Ahh-AH-ahhh