'' is an album released in
1978 by
Emerson, Lake & Palmer . Unlike ''
Works Volume I '' which consisted of three solo and one ensemble sides, ''Volume II'' was a single album which had the appearance of a patchwork pieced together from left-overs. Even so, however, there were some worthy tracks in this album, such as "Watching Over You" and "I Believe In Father Christmas". Furthermore, despite its apparent lack of focus, it does give a different side of the band, with blues, bluegrass and jazz being very prominent as musical genres in this recording.
"When The Apple Blossoms Bloom..." and "Brain Salad Surgery" had been recorded at the
1973 sessions for the album ''
Brain Salad Surgery '' but did not appear on it - rather strangely in the case of the latter.
An orchestral version of "I Believe In
Father Christmas " was released in the
UK as a
Greg Lake Single and became something of an annual
Christmas standard, alongside such others as
Slade 's "Merry Xmas, Everybody" and
Wizzard 's "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day". It has often been referred to as the only ''
Atheist Christmas carol.''
#"Tiger in a Spotlight" (4:32)
#"When the Apple Blossoms Bloom in the Windmills of Your Mind I'll Be Your Valentine" (5:36)
#"Bullfrog" (3:49)
#"Brain Salad Surgery" (3:07)
#"Barrelhouse Shake-Down" (3:37)
#"Watching Over You" (3:54)
#"So Far To Fall" (4:55)
#"Maple Leaf Rag" (2:00)
#"I Believe in Father Christmas" (3:17)
#"Close But Not Touching" (3:18)
#"Honky Tonk Train Blues" (3:09)
#"Show Me The Way To Go Home" (3:30)
