Works Volume 1

For other uses, see Works.

Works Volume 1
Studio album by
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Released25 March 1977
Recorded1976[1]
StudioDe Lane Lea Studios, London
Mountain Studios, Montreux
Pathé-Marconi EMI Studios, Paris
Genre
Length87:23
LabelAtlantic
Producer
Emerson, Lake & Palmer chronology
Welcome Back My Friends to the Show That Never Ends – Ladies and Gentlemen
(1974) 		Works Volume 1
(1977) 		Works Volume 2
(1977)
Singles from Works Volume 1
  1. "Fanfare for the Common Man"
    Released: 27 May 1977[3]
  2. "C'est La Vie"
    Released: 26 August 1977[4]

Works Volume 1 is the fifth studio album by English progressive rock band Emerson, Lake & Palmer, released as a double album on 25 March 1977 on Atlantic Records.[5] Following their world tour supporting Brain Salad Surgery (1973), the group took an extended break before they reconvened in 1976 to record a new album. They were now tax exiles and recorded new material in London and overseas in Montreux, Switzerland and Paris, France. Works Volume 1 features a side dedicated for each member to write and arrange their own tracks, while the fourth side features songs performed collectively. Keith Emerson recorded his Piano Concerto No. 1, Greg Lake wrote several songs with lyricist Peter Sinfield, and Carl Palmer recorded tracks of varied musical styles.

The album peaked at No. 9 on the UK Albums Chart and No. 12 on the US Billboard 200 and went gold in both countries, the latter for 500,000 copies sold. The group track "Fanfare for the Common Man", Emerson's adaptation of the 1942 composition by Aaron Copland, was released as a single in May 1977. It went to No. 2 on the UK singles chart to become the band's highest-charting single in the UK. Additional material recorded in 1976, plus songs from previous studio sessions, were released as Works Volume 2. Both albums were supported with the 1977–1978 tour, which featured the band playing with an orchestra on stage for some early shows.

  1. ^ Macan, Edward (2006). Endless Enigma. Peru, Illinois, United States of America: Open Court. pp. 353–355. ISBN 978-0-8126-9596-0.
  2. ^ Smith, David Ross. "Works, Vol. 2 – Emerson, Lake & Palmer". AllMusic. Retrieved 4 September 2012.
  3. ^ "Music Week" (PDF). p. 56.
  4. ^ "Music Week" (PDF). p. 48.
  5. ^ "BPI".