"Thela Hun Ginjeet" is a single by the band

King Crimson King Crimson were an English progressive rock band formed in London in 1968 by Robert Fripp, Michael Giles, Greg Lake, Ian McDonald (musician), Ian McDonald and Peter Sinfield. Guitarist Fripp remained the only constant member throughout the ...

, released in 1981 and on the album ''

Discipline Discipline is the self-control that is gained by requiring that rules or orders be obeyed, and the ability to keep working at something that is difficult. Disciplinarians believe that such self-control is of the utmost importance and enforce a ...

'' (1981). The song name is an

anagram An anagram is a word or phrase formed by rearranging the letters of a different word or phrase, typically using all the original letters exactly once. For example, the word ''anagram'' itself can be rearranged into the phrase "nag a ram"; which ...

of "heat in the jungle", itself a euphemism for city-based crime. (The term "heat" is American slang for firearms or for police.) While "Thela Hun Ginjeet" is in time,

Robert Fripp Robert Fripp (born 16 May 1946) is an English musician, composer, record producer, and author, best known as the guitarist, founder and longest-lasting member of the progressive rock band King Crimson. He has worked extensively as a session mu ...

's electric guitar plays in time during much of the song, creating a polymetric effect. The instrumental middle section of the song features a recording of

Adrian Belew Robert Steven "Adrian" Belew (born December 23, 1949) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. A multi-instrumentalist primarily known as a guitarist and singer, he is noted for his unusual approach to the instrument, his ...

's voice, in which he describes being confronted by a

British Jamaican British Jamaicans (or Jamaican British people) are British people who were born in Jamaica or who are of Jamaican descent. The community is well into its third generation and consists of around 300,000 individuals, the second-largest Jamaican ...

street gang and subsequently the police while walking around

Notting Hill Gate Notting Hill Gate is one of the main thoroughfares in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in Inner London. Historically the street was a location for Tollbooth, toll gates, from which it derives its modern name. Location At Ossingto ...

in London with a tape recorder.

Live versions

During King Crimson's tours in support of ''Discipline'' and its successor ''

Beat Beat, beats, or beating may refer to: Common uses * Assault, inflicting physical harm or unwanted physical contact * Battery (crime), a criminal offense involving unlawful physical contact * Battery (tort), a civil wrong in common law of inte ...

'', Belew would tell the story while the song was being performed. During the ''Beat'' tour, the story-telling was somewhat improvised. From the ''Three of a Perfect Pair'' tour onwards, this was dropped, leaving only the sung lyrics, although the original recording was played during tours in the band's mid-1990s "double trio" era. This practice continued during the 2024 "Beat" tour, which, while not technically King Crimson, included 2 of the 4 members that originally recorded the song.

Cover versions

* Groups with ''

''-era

members (e.g. Adrian Belew Power Trio, Stick Men, The Crimson ProjeKCt) have covered the song live. *

Les Claypool Leslie Edward Claypool (born September 29, 1963) is an American rock music, rock musician. He is the founder, lead singer, bassist, and primary songwriter of the band Primus (band), Primus. Listed as one of the greatest bassists of all time by ...

has covered this song live, along with Primus, his musical project Colonel Les Claypool's Fearless Flying Frog Brigade (as included on their live album '' Live Frogs Set 1''), and The Claypool Lennon Delirium. *Supergroup

Gizmodrome Gizmodrome (sometimes known as Copeland, King, Cosma & Belew) is a British-Italian- American rock supergroup formed in Milan, Italy in 2017. The four-piece band consists of Police drummer Stewart Copeland, Level 42 bassist Mark King, Italian ...

, of which Belew is a member, performed the song in concert during their 2018 tours and included a live version on the album Gizmodrome Live.

Track listing

7" version

#"Thela Hun Ginjeet" (

Bill Bruford William Scott Bruford (born 17 May 1949) is an English drummer and percussionist who first gained prominence as a founding member of the progressive rock band Yes. After leaving Yes in 1972, Bruford spent the rest of the 1970s recording and tou ...

Tony Levin Anthony Frederick Levin (born June 6, 1946) is an American musician and composer specializing in electric bass guitars, Chapman Stick and upright bass. He also sings and plays synthesizer. Levin is best known for his work with King Crimson (19 ...

) #" Elephant Talk" (Belew, Bruford, Fripp, Levin)

12" version

#"Thela Hun Ginjeet" (dance mix) (Belew, Bruford, Fripp, Levin) #"Elephant Talk" (Belew, Bruford, Fripp, Levin) #" Indiscipline" (Belew, Bruford, Fripp, Levin)

Personnel

– electric guitar, lead vocals, spoken word *

– electric guitar *

– bass guitar, backing vocals *

– drums, percussion

Notes

External links

* {{Authority control King Crimson songs 1981 singles Songs written by Adrian Belew Songs written by Bill Bruford Songs written by Robert Fripp Songs written by Tony Levin 1981 songs Warner Records singles