Richard Fraser
Richard Fraser was a lyricist for the British progressive rock band Emerson, Lake & Palmer (ELP). He received credit for "Knife-Edge", the third track of the group's 1970 debut album Emerson, Lake & Palmer, and for his lyrical contributions to Pictures at an Exhibition (1971). Fraser and bassist Greg Lake wrote the lyrics together, while Keith Emerson added some improvisations on the Hammond organ.
Also recorded as Dik Fraser
Richard Fraser
- Nationality
- United Kingdom
- Occupation
- poet · lyricist
- Known for
- Knife-Edge
- Languages
- English
In this article
Biography
(Lake worked with non-performing lyricists before and after this, notably Peter Sinfield.) Most of the music to "Knife-Edge" was borrowed from the first movement of Leoš Janáček's Sinfonietta (1926), except for the organ solo section, which is a note-for-note quotation of the Allemande of Bach's 1st French Suite in D minor, BWV 812. On the original Cotillion Records USA release of the Emerson, Lake & Palmer LP, "Knife-Edge" was credited entirely to Emerson, Lake and Fraser without any mention of Janáček or Bach; however, on the British Manticore LP re-release, Sinfonietta and Janáček were listed in the album credits, including on the back cover, and Keith Emerson has often mentioned the French Suite quote, including in the 1977 Keyboard Magazine interview. Re-issues of Emerson, Lake & Palmer on compact disc have used the older credits. Greg Lake said of Fraser in March 1972: "He was a roadie, a roadie's roadie, called 'Dynamite Legs.' We got to be good friends with him. He helped one day with the words, so we gave him the credit. We only gave him credit. We never gave him any money." Prior to Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Fraser was a roadie for King Crimson (which also included Lake in its lineup), and he later became a roadie for Genesis.
The recorded working language is English. Works named in the authority record are Knife-Edge.
Licensing
Text attribution
Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article Richard Fraser (lyricist), revision 1334169871 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Partially resolved
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 28 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Books
37,700 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Richard FlecknoeAuthor
- Richard FoersterAuthor
- Richard FordAuthor
- Richard Foster FlintAuthor
- Richard FurnessAuthor
- Richard GallAuthor
- Richard GardnerAuthor
- Richard GloverAuthor
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own a work by Richard Fraser?
A specialist will read what you send and tell you what the house can establish, what it cannot, and whether the object is suited to sale. There is no charge and no obligation. The object stays with you throughout; nothing is shipped to us unless it is arranged in writing beforehand.