Artist · EveryDisc catalogue

Peter Sinfield

Peter John Sinfield (December 27, 1943, London, England) is a British producer, songwriter, and musician. He is best known as the lyricist for the first King Crimson albums. His poems were included in the albums In the Court of the Crimson King, In the Wake of Poseidon, Lizard, and Islands, which he also produced. After Robert Fripp asked him to leave King Crimson, Sinfield remained loyal to the progressive rock scene. He produced Roxy Music’s eponymous first album and then, in 1973, recorded the solo album Still. Later, the album was re-released on CD under the title Stillusion, with additional tracks added. Then Sinfield began writing song lyrics for another King Crimson alumnus—Greg Lake from Emerson, Lake & Palmer, for the Italian prog-team PFM, and for the former vocalist and pianist of Procol Harum, Gary Brooker. In recent times, Sinfield worked in the field of pop music. For example, he wrote the lyrics for the song "The Land of Make Believe" by the group Bucks Fizz and the lyrics for "Think Twice" for Celine Dion. Furthermore, he wrote lyrics for yet another person from King Crimson—David Cross. The most popular song with lyrics by Peter Sinfield is Greg Lake’s "I Believe in Father Christmas." Released first as a single, and later on the ELP album Works Vol. 2 in 1977, it became one of the Christmas standards. Sinfield’s illusory lyrics are the fruit of the influence of Shakespeare, Shelley, Blake, and Rilke. Sinfield is considered a rare phenomenon in the world of poetry that emerged from the world of rock music.