I've been studying Progressive Rock Music's prog epics for some time now. I've probably gotten to know about a third of them (there were over 900 in the "Classic Era" alone! and probably over 3000 all-time--and still counting!) From this study, I have made the decision to differentiate between Long-Playing songs, such as the many that have been created by artists in the Prog Electronic and Krautrock sub-genres, and true "epics" which tell a story in multiple parts and using multiple themes/motifs. This is a list of epics, not long-playing suites of oeuvres. Also, the songs chosen for this list of "epics" tell stories with the help of vocals. Finally, to conform to my "Long-Playing" requirement, I have only included songs that have a length of over 15 minutes--i.e. near to the traditional length of a "side" of vinyl.
Prog Perfection:
"Supper's Ready" - GENESIS (1972)
"At The Court of Alkinoos" - GLASS HAMMER (2005)
"The Ikon" - UTOPIA (1974)
"The Gates of Delirium" - YES (1974)
"Close to the Edge" - YES (1972)
"Awaken" - YES (1977)
"K.A. (Part III)" - MAGMA (2004)
"Silhouette" - EDISON'S CHILDREN (2013)
"Chapter IX" - AETHER (2005)
"Second Life Syndrome" - RIVERSIDE (2005)
"As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls" - PAT METHENY & LYLE MAYS (1981)
"The Sky Moves Sideways - Phase 1" - PORCUPINE TREE (1995)
"Fiori, frutti, farfalle" - HUMANA PROG (2014)
Exceptional:
"Ëmëhntëhtt-Ré II" - MAGMA (2009)
"The Way Up, Part Two" - PAT METHENY GROUP (2005)
"Glissements progressifs du plaisir (extraits)" - ART ZOYD (1997)
"The Real Thing" - KINGSTON WALL (1994)
"A Suite for the Everyman" - ECHOLYN (1992)
"The Garden of Dreams" - THE FLOWER KINGS (1999)
"The Geese and The Ghost" - ANTHONY PHILLIPS (1977)
"Dogs" - PINK FLOYD (1977)
"L'auberge du Sanglier/A hunting we shall go / Pengola / Backwards / A hunting we shall go (reprise)" - CARAVAN (1972)
"In the Dead of Night" - UK (1978)
"Slow Dance, Part Two" - ANTHONY PHILLIPS(1990)
"Walpurgi Flame" - MOTHER TURTLE (2016)
"Sulle ali del sogno Odissea" - C.A.P. (2005)
"Song of Scheherazade" - RENAISSANCE (1975)
"The Ninth Wave" - KATE BUSH (1986)
"Gevecht Met De Engel Deel I, II, & III" - FLAIRCK (1980)
"Marsibéli Kronikák I-VI" - SOLARIS (1984)
"1984, Part 1" - ANTHONY PHILLIPS (1981)
"Thick As a Brick, Part 1" - JETHRO TULL (1973)
"Cassandra Gemini" - THE MARS VOLTA (2004)
"Pentacle's Suite" - KOTEBEL (2006)
"Adonis" - ANYONE'S DAUGHTER (1979)
"Sovrano dell'illusione (parts 1 & 2)" - MAD CRAYON (2009)
Excellent:
"Tryptique" - SETNA (2013)
"L'araignée-mal" - ATOLL (1975)
"The Cathedral" - PÄR LINDH PROJECT (1997)
"Concerto for Piano and Electric Ensemble" - KOTEBEL (2012)
"Giovane figlia" - LA COSCIENZA DI ZENO (2015)
"The Fall of the House of Usher" - ALAN PARSONS PROJECT (1976)
"Nine Feet Underground" - CARAVAN (1971)
"Histoires sans paroles" - HARMONIUM 1976)"Tick Tock" - GAZPACHO (2009)
"Fécundée par un extra-terrestre" - CAMEMBERT (2017)
"The Dreaded Lurg" - REGAL WORM (2018)
"Madre Antica" - LA COSCIENZA DI ZENO (2015)
"Creature" - THE TEA CLUB (2019)
"Hamburger Concerto" - FOCUS (1975)
"Can't be long now / Françoise / For Richard / Warlock" - CARAVAN (1971)
"Pictures" - ISLAND (1977)
"Poisoned Youth" - ENGLAND (1977)
