"Knife Edge" is based on the first movement of (1926) with an instrumental middle section that includes an extended quotation from the , but played on an organ rather than clavichord or piano.
A few years after "Knife-Edge" was released, the publisher who owned the rights to "Sinfonietta" brought up the issue, and Janacek was given a songwriting credit. Johann Sebastian Bach is also credited, as the song uses quotations from his "French Suite in D Minor."
ELP songs started with the music and had to stand on their own before they would consider vocals. In an interview with Carl Palmer, he said: "'Knife Edge,' which was the only rock track on the very first album, was something which came together very, very quickly in the studio and really worked - it was fantastic. We thought it was an instrumental, and Greg said, 'No, hang on.' He said, 'I could put a topline on this, we could have something.'" Richard Fraser is listed as a lyricist on this song along with Greg Lake. Fraser was one of many roadies for the band, and one they were particularly fond of. The official songwriting credits on the track read:
Music: Leos Janacek, Johann Sebastian Bach, arranged by Keith Emerson
Lyrics: Greg Lake, Richard Fraser
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