Lucky Man Traditional Cache

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Sticks & SkaryShari: Alas... it's time to let this one go and get ready for Cacheapalooza 8.

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Hidden : 1/15/2013
Difficulty:
2 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size: micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:

"Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Lucky Man"

"Lucky Man" is a song by the English progressive rock supergroup Emerson, Lake & Palmer, from the group's 1970 self-titled debut album. Written by Greg Lake when he was 12 years old and recorded by the trio using improvised arrangements, the song contains one of rock music's earliest instances of a Moog synthesizer solo. "Lucky Man" was released as a single in 1970 and reached the top 20 in the Netherlands. The song also charted in the United States and Canada. The single was re-released in 1973 and charted again in the U.S. and Canada.
The urban legend surrounding the song states that on the last day of recording their debut album in September 1970, the group discovered they were short of satisfying the label's contract requirement of 21 minutes of music per album side, and therefore needed one more song, so Greg Lake began playing a song he had written when he was 12 years old. It was reported that producers raved about it and insisted it was going to be the lead single off the album. In truth however, according to session notes, recording for the album took place between July and September 1970, with Lucky Man actually being recorded early in the period.
Unlike many songs on the album, which use a distorted fuzz bass to sound like a guitar, "Lucky Man" is an acoustic ballad. The lyrics tell the ironic story of a man who had everything, went to war, and died. A Moog synthesizer solo, recorded in one take, is performed by Keith Emerson at the end of song, making it one of the first rock compositions in which a Moog was a featured solo instrument. The solo begins as an ominous drone on a low D before leaping up two octaves and using the glide control throughout.
When asked in an interview if he felt "lucky" to have written the song, Lake responded:

I did write “Lucky Man” when I was 12. My mum bought me a guitar and I was very lucky in that sense, the answer was yes instead of no. There was the first bit of luck because had the answer been no, my life would have probably been totally different. I got the guitar and I learned the first four chords that were D, G, A Minor and E Minor and with those chords I wrote “Lucky Man”. I truly cannot remember everything about writing it other than I think it struck me as being a sort of minstrel type of event with these chords, G, D, E Minor and A Minor, gave me this sort of minstrel feeling. “Lucky Man” has kind of an almost medieval element tone to it. It is like a medieval folk song in a way. That was the essence of the idea. I wrote the song in its entirety and I finished it and I remembered it. As far as its significance regarding me and how lucky I was, I suppose it does really. You cannot disassociate the tune, the song has been very lucky for me. It came about because of a piece of good fortune, which was my mother giving me the guitar and it has been lucky for me ever since. I would say if I was going to be honest, I have been very lucky in life. I certainly have been.


Cache placement approved by Martin Morse, park service specialist.
772-546-2771
Obey all speed limits. All wheels off the road. Do not block gates.

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