Album: Emerson, Lake, and Powell (1986)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Clocking in at 9:10, this song was featured prominently on the only album and tour this lineup ever did. Originally titled "What's your game?" it was only changed to "The Score" at the very last minute.
  • The lyrics refer back to Emerson, Lake, and Palmer's 1973 song "Karn Evil 9" from the Brain Salad Surgery album.
  • The throbbing single-note motif heard at the very beginning of the song was created with the help of programmer Paul "Wix" Wickens on a Yamaha QX1 keyboard. The choir sounds came from a synthesizer called the Oberheim Matrix. "Wix" would go on to perform as a session musician on many albums in the late 1980s.
  • After their only tour, this lineup broke up when Keith Emerson and Greg Lake heard a rumor that Cozy Powell was leaving them to replace John Bonham in a reformed Led Zeppelin. The rumor proved to be untrue. Emerson would eventually form a band in 1988 with Carl Palmer and Robert Berry called Three. Emerson, Lake, and Palmer would reunite in 1992. Cozy Powell went on to play in Black Sabbath, and died in a car accident in 1998. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Steve - Torrance, CA, for all above

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Part of Their World: The Stories and Songs of 13 Disney Princesses

Part of Their World: The Stories and Songs of 13 Disney PrincessesSong Writing

From "Some Day My Prince Will Come" to "Let It Go" - how Disney princess songs (and the women who sing them) have evolved.

Marc Campbell - "88 Lines About 44 Women"

Marc Campbell - "88 Lines About 44 Women"They're Playing My Song

The Nails lead singer Marc Campbell talks about those 44 women he sings about over a stock Casio keyboard track. He's married to one of them now - you might be surprised which.

Director Nick Morris ("The Final Countdown")

Director Nick Morris ("The Final Countdown")Song Writing

Nick made some of the biggest videos on MTV, including "The Final Countdown," "Heaven" and "Don't Know What You Got (Till It's Gone)."

Grateful Dead Characters

Grateful Dead CharactersMusic Quiz

Many unusual folks appear in Grateful Dead songs. Can you identify them?

The Real Nick Drake

The Real Nick DrakeSong Writing

The head of Drake's estate shares his insights on the late folk singer's life and music.

Holly Knight ("The Best," "Love Is A Battlefield")

Holly Knight ("The Best," "Love Is A Battlefield")Songwriter Interviews

Holly Knight talks about some of the hit songs she wrote, including "The Warrior," "Never" and "The Best," and explains some songwriting philosophy, including how to think of a bridge.