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song: Animal Skins
artist: Crack the Sky
album: Animal Notes
released: 1976length: 3:28
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Shine on backwards oh, masters of my fate
Tell me great ones just how I rate
Should I bow my head or scream your holy names
Tell me dear ones am I still in the game?
Shine on up down to you dear lords I pray
Give me answers and happiness today
Should I dress in white or wear thee around my neck
Tell me great ones just how to write the check

To pay for my sins and keep my lords in animal skins
To pay for my acts and keep my lords in white cadillacs
Crack the Sky

Crack the Sky is an American progressive rock band formed in Weirton, West Virginia, in the early 1970s. In 1975, Rolling Stone declared their first album the "debut album of the year", and in 1978, Rolling Stone Record Guide compared them to Steely Dan. Their first three albums charted on the Billboard 200. In 2015, their debut album was ranked number 47 in the Rolling Stone list of "50 Greatest Prog Rock Albums of All Time

". The band continues to release albums and perform to a small but devoted fan base to this day.

Artist Website
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Comments ( 133 )
Posted 8 years ago by bm.deavenport613:
I must confess, I missed this group in 76. Not sure if I was listening to to much Zeppelin and Floyd and the likes. Maybe to much pot, or not enough.{#Rolleyes}
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Posted 5 years ago by unclehud:
Saw three of their albums in an antique store yesterday.   Ironic to note that they're antiques, and even further ironic that the checkout woman asked me, "Do you really have a turntable for these?"
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Posted 4 years ago by BCarn:
bm.deavenport613 wrote:
I must confess, I missed this group in 76. Not sure if I was listening to to much Zeppelin and Floyd and the likes. Maybe to much pot, or not enough.{#Rolleyes}
 
Too, to, and two. I know, it can be confusing.
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Posted 3 years ago by adib:
Wow - never heard this, or even heard of this group.
Pretty darned good...
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Posted 3 years ago by Pound33:
I always loved this band, especially the earlier albums. This song is great, but not particularly representative of most of their music. Check out the rest of the album, and the others. Thanks for playing, RP!
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Posted 9 years ago by Steely_D:
The first three CTS albums and the live album are just incredible, and mandatory. Not quite Prog rock, but really great intricate musicianship and complex arrangements with great lyrics. What more could you want?

Due to some personality issues and likely infighting (the lead singer for albums 1-3 isn't singing on the live album, for instance) things got less amazing afterward.
In fact, there's a big history to the band that's worth reading - later.

For now, go grab CTS, Animal Notes, Safety in Numbers, and Live Sky. You will so incredibly impressed. 
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Posted 3 years ago by lizardking:
+1 to 8 on the strength of the outro, and Long Live RP and lords in white Cadillac's! 
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Posted 5 years ago by Bert7:
I have never heard anyone playing this band other than RP... Fabulous, a band I still listen to today...
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Posted 8 years ago by Propayne:
As mentioned earlier - "Crack The Sky - Live Sky" is near the top of the best live rock albums of all time list IMHO.

As far as I know, it has never been released in it's entirety on CD, but I still enjoy my vinyl of it. Side one just kicks butt.

Compare the theme song from the recently not renewed HBO show "Vinyl" with the live version of "Lighten Up McGraw" (both can be found on youtube). 
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Posted 15 years ago by :



This is a great song from a great band...  remember them well...


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Posted 20 years ago by Pyro:
fluorophore wrote:
George Harrison wants his song back.
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Posted 2 years ago by fgreene:
Crack the Sky is one of my favorite "unknown" bands from way  back. Great to hear them on RP.  
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Posted 4 years ago by Huck:
Wow these guys are so far below the radar it’s hard to believe they aren’t doing it on purpose.  But Radio Paradise still found them.  They are still putting out albums!  
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Posted 5 years ago by Peace_tode:
Bert7 wrote:
I have never heard anyone playing this band other than RP... Fabulous, a band I still listen to today...
 
I agree! I have first 4 studio albums plus Live Sky. A band I was in during late 70's played Hold On and Lighten Up McGraw..
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Posted 5 years ago by Queue:
bm.deavenport613 wrote:
I must confess, I missed this group in 76. Not sure if I was listening to to much Zeppelin and Floyd and the likes. Maybe to much pot, or not enough.{#Rolleyes}
 

...or you didn't live near Baltimore.
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Posted 5 years ago by westslope:
Hmm.....  This song did not reach the coal mine single men's bunkhouse where I was living in 1976.  

Judging from some of the comments, I will have to pay more attention.  FWIW, this song reminds me a little of quebecois group Harmonium which could be described as acoustic-weighted prog rock.
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Posted 8 years ago by hayduke2:
very cool historically edged tribal boogie from a decade (70's) of wicked satire
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Posted 11 years ago by jhorton:
Everything about this song is BEAUTIFUL!
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Posted 16 years ago by :


Absolutely awesome...


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Posted 17 years ago by fredriley:
I thought the lyrics were way cheesy at first, then the line about 'keeping my lords in white cadillacs' came in and I finally twigged the satire. Nice one :o)
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