Led Zeppelin is one of the defining bands of a generation. They burst into the music scene with a hammering hard rock sound, led by Robert Plant’s powerful, wailing, crooning vocals, Jimmy Page’s brilliant guitar work, John Paul Jones’ bass and keyboards, and John Bonham’s drums. Four men, and they started a phenomenon.
The band formed up in London in 1968, making them part of the British Invasion when they burst onto the American charts with their first album, the eponymous 1969 release, Led Zeppelin.
Led Zeppelin borrowed from blues and folk, folding them into the relatively new hard rock genre, and ended up parlaying that into an amazing success, with over 100 million albums sold worldwide. And now, to this day, I never tire of their work.
For this entry, let’s look at the first few years, from 1969 to 1971; I’d never be able to narrow down my choices to a reasonable number otherwise. Besides, in 1971, they released what is probably their best-known tune: Stairway to Heaven.
Let’s dive in.
Good Times Bad Times (1969): This is notable for being the first single released from Led Zeppelin’s first album, and it’s an interesting one. Jimmy Page later said about the song:
Whole Lotta Love (1969): This tune really showed off John Bonham’s drums. Robert Plant wrote the lyrics, which are, to say the least, spicy. The lyrics were adapted from a 1962 Muddy Waters tune called “You Need Love,” but Robert ramped up the, well, raunch.“John Paul Jones came up with the riff. I had the chorus. John Bonham applied the bass-drum pattern. That one really shaped our writing process. It was like, 'Wow, everybody's erupting at once.”
Dazed and Confused (1969): This is a live take from 1970, which I like better than the album version – although, like the next song on the list, I don’t remember seeing this one live. Also, you might remember the movie of the same name, which was set a few years after this tune was released; it was fun, because the kids in that movie were a couple of years older than my friends and I, and we could name our own school’s examples of the various stereotypes presented in the film. Not really germane to the song, but a fun memory all the same.Immigrant Song (1970): While this song came out in 1970, I love this 1972 live performance. Part of that was because a few years later (1978, if memory serves) I went with some buddies to see Zep in St. Paul, Minnesota. We worked our way right up to the stage and were about ten feet from Robert Plant as he was wailing this song out. What an awesome, amazing experience, even if our ears did ring for a week afterwards. This was and is the most Led Zeppelin song that ever Led Zeppelined, and I will stand by that.I ain't foolin', you need schoolin'
Baby, you know you need coolin'
Woman, way down insideI ain't foolin', woman you need coolin'
I'm gonna send you, right back to schoolin'
Way down inside your heart, woman
You need lovin'
And, yeah, we were deaf for a few days after. We did spend most of the show right in front of the speakers. And boy, howdy, of all the concerts I've ever attended, the two that really stand out are this one, and in 1991, the Grateful Dead.
Black Dog (1971): This was the first track on what was arguably Led Zeppelin’s best album, Led Zeppelin IV. What’s interesting is that the title of the song isn’t mentioned in the song, isn’t implied in the song, and isn’t a part of the song. The song was written when the band was working at Headley Grange, a mansion in Hampshire, England, and rumor has it that a stray Labrador Retriever would wander into the grounds during the day. It’s as good a theory as any, I suppose.Misty Mountain Hop (1971): Despite the name, this song was supposedly about a “love-in” near London that got raided by the bobbies. Robert Plant later said:And, finally, no Led Zeppelin playlist is complete without StairwayIt's about a bunch of hippies getting busted, about the problems you can come across when you have a simple walk in the park on a nice sunny afternoon. In England it's understandable, because wherever you go to enjoy yourself, 'Big Brother' is not far behind.
Stairway to Heaven (1971): This is one of the greatest rock & roll songs ever. It’s probably been covered by more bands with more different sounds than any other song, including one hilarious, brilliant cover by Frank Zappa. Stairway doesn’t have the hammering guitar work and powerful, wide-ranging vocals that most of Led Zeppelin’s work, but it remains today as, almost certainly, their best-known, most popular song.
And, just for fun, here’s that Zappa cover, the best Stairway cover everI have some great memories of this magnificent band. I’m sure some of you do as well. So, let us see them; the comments, again, are all yours, as are the request lines. Let me know what you’d like to see in the coming weeks!
