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FBG'S TOP 81 LED ZEPPELIN SONGS: #1 - When The Levee Breaks from Led Zeppelin IV (1971) (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter Anarchy99
- Start date
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
Anarchy99
Footballguy
I don't know which is sadder . . . me adding them all in . . . or you going back and reading them all. Let's call it a push.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
#67 - South Bound Saurez - In Through The Out Door (1979)
Appeared On: 2 ballots (out of 62) . . . 3.2%
Total Points: 13 points (out of 1,550 possible points . . . 0.84%)
Rankers: @In The Zone@BroncoFreak_2K3Friend
Highest Ranking: 18
Live Performances: None
Ultimate Classic Rock Ranking (out of 92 songs): 68
Vulture Ranking (out of 74 songs): 49
Rolling Stone Ranking (out of 40 songs): Not Ranked
Louder Ranking (out of 50 songs): Not Ranked
Uproxx Ranking (out of 50 songs): Not Ranked
WMGK Ranking (out of 92 songs): 64
SPIN Ranking (out of 87 songs): 79
Ranker Ranking (out of 87 songs): Not Ranked
Anachronarchy Ranking (out of 80 songs): 73
The song was originally called South Bound Piano. When the song title was changed, it was misspelled . . . or was it? Most people feel it was a typo and was supposed to be Suarez, Spanish for "party". So far, it has not been corrected. It’s a tribute to Elton John and rhythm and blues performed in sleazy night clubs in New Orleans. Early version of the song.
But there’s also an alternate song origin theory out there that holds that Robert Plant added the lyrics to the song after watching the 1978 Miss World contest televised from the Royal Albert Hall on 1978-11-16. The winner was 19-year-old Silvana Rosa Suárez of Argentina. The song was recorded shortly after that, and some feel that the married Plant intentionally misspelled the title to avoid drawing attention to her name if he had done something inappropriate (his wife was pregnant at the time). Plant would go on to divorce his wife in 1983 . . . and father a child with his ex-wife’s sister in 1991. These things happen to rock stars . . .
South Bound Saurez starts with a rollicking piano intro played by Jones, The song is credited to John Paul Jones and Robert Plant and is one of only three officially released original songs by the band not to bear a Jimmy Page composition credit (along with All My Love and Bonzo's Montreux).
At the time, Page and Bonham were spending a lot of time together and frequently showed up excessively late to the studio. Plant and Jones were the only two band members that were consistently arriving to the studio on time, and they had started work on this song when the other two were AWOL. John Paul Jones recalls: “There were two distinct camps by then, and we were in the relatively clean one.” For the first time, Page took a back seat to Plant in terms of the musical direction of the writing and recording sessions in the studio.
Bass player John Paul Jones did much of the work writing this. The song is centered around his piano playing. Page made a few minor guitar mistakes in the recording, but he left them in. He always preferred a spontaneous feel over a perfect take.
Author Dave Lewis calls the song a "track that conjures up the New Orleans bar room feel of the sleeve." The song was never performed live.
Ultimate Classic Rock (68 of 92 songs): Page and Bonham were MIA during much of the prep work for Zeppelin's last album before their split. So this tossed-off song hinges on Jones' rolling piano and Plant's restrained vocals.
Vulture Ranking (49 of 74 songs): Coming right after the album’s back-to-form leadoff track, In the Evening, this labored throwaway from the final album, with a particularly screechy solo from Page, was a puzzlement.
WMGK (64 of 92 songs): A fun honky-tonk jam, Jones on the piano is the obvious highlight to this track.
SPIN (79 of 87 songs): More of ITtOD‘s self-conscious genre-hopping, this time a jaunty honky-tonk number with Elton John saloon-style piano and one of Plant’s more irritating vocals. Someone should’ve spell-checked that title, too.
Warming up in the bullpen, another track from Coda, this one written and recorded by Ben. E. King in 1964.
Appeared On: 2 ballots (out of 62) . . . 3.2%
Total Points: 13 points (out of 1,550 possible points . . . 0.84%)
Rankers: @In The Zone@BroncoFreak_2K3Friend
Highest Ranking: 18
Live Performances: None
Ultimate Classic Rock Ranking (out of 92 songs): 68
Vulture Ranking (out of 74 songs): 49
Rolling Stone Ranking (out of 40 songs): Not Ranked
Louder Ranking (out of 50 songs): Not Ranked
Uproxx Ranking (out of 50 songs): Not Ranked
WMGK Ranking (out of 92 songs): 64
SPIN Ranking (out of 87 songs): 79
Ranker Ranking (out of 87 songs): Not Ranked
Anachronarchy Ranking (out of 80 songs): 73
The song was originally called South Bound Piano. When the song title was changed, it was misspelled . . . or was it? Most people feel it was a typo and was supposed to be Suarez, Spanish for "party". So far, it has not been corrected. It’s a tribute to Elton John and rhythm and blues performed in sleazy night clubs in New Orleans. Early version of the song.
But there’s also an alternate song origin theory out there that holds that Robert Plant added the lyrics to the song after watching the 1978 Miss World contest televised from the Royal Albert Hall on 1978-11-16. The winner was 19-year-old Silvana Rosa Suárez of Argentina. The song was recorded shortly after that, and some feel that the married Plant intentionally misspelled the title to avoid drawing attention to her name if he had done something inappropriate (his wife was pregnant at the time). Plant would go on to divorce his wife in 1983 . . . and father a child with his ex-wife’s sister in 1991. These things happen to rock stars . . .
South Bound Saurez starts with a rollicking piano intro played by Jones, The song is credited to John Paul Jones and Robert Plant and is one of only three officially released original songs by the band not to bear a Jimmy Page composition credit (along with All My Love and Bonzo's Montreux).
At the time, Page and Bonham were spending a lot of time together and frequently showed up excessively late to the studio. Plant and Jones were the only two band members that were consistently arriving to the studio on time, and they had started work on this song when the other two were AWOL. John Paul Jones recalls: “There were two distinct camps by then, and we were in the relatively clean one.” For the first time, Page took a back seat to Plant in terms of the musical direction of the writing and recording sessions in the studio.
Bass player John Paul Jones did much of the work writing this. The song is centered around his piano playing. Page made a few minor guitar mistakes in the recording, but he left them in. He always preferred a spontaneous feel over a perfect take.
Author Dave Lewis calls the song a "track that conjures up the New Orleans bar room feel of the sleeve." The song was never performed live.
Ultimate Classic Rock (68 of 92 songs): Page and Bonham were MIA during much of the prep work for Zeppelin's last album before their split. So this tossed-off song hinges on Jones' rolling piano and Plant's restrained vocals.
Vulture Ranking (49 of 74 songs): Coming right after the album’s back-to-form leadoff track, In the Evening, this labored throwaway from the final album, with a particularly screechy solo from Page, was a puzzlement.
WMGK (64 of 92 songs): A fun honky-tonk jam, Jones on the piano is the obvious highlight to this track.
SPIN (79 of 87 songs): More of ITtOD‘s self-conscious genre-hopping, this time a jaunty honky-tonk number with Elton John saloon-style piano and one of Plant’s more irritating vocals. Someone should’ve spell-checked that title, too.
Warming up in the bullpen, another track from Coda, this one written and recorded by Ben. E. King in 1964.
Last edited by a moderator:
![[scooter]](/data/avatars/m/22/22287.jpg?1659477690){kind=avatar}
[scooter]
Footballguy
"As Long As I Have You" was one of the first songs that the band rehearsed when they initially got together in 1968. Plant and Bonham had played it when they were in the Band Of Joy, and Page was likely familiar with the song because his old employer (Immediate Records) had licensed Garnet Mimms' version for British release. Also, Page had covered another Garnet Mimms song ("My Baby") when he was in The Yardbirds.
Zep could have easily released a studio version of the song, but it just didn't fit into the "themes" of their albums. Plus, I think they were making a conscious effort to avoid comparisons to Vanilla Fudge and other bands that made a living by re-interpreting American soul music.
But it's one of the great "what if" questions about Led Zeppelin, and it proves that they were so skilled and versatile that they could pretty much go in any direction -- and crush it -- if they really wanted to.
Robert Plant remained a fan of the song, and revisited it in 2000.
Side note: Zep rivals The Who were also fans of Garnet Mimms -- they covered "Anytime You Want Me" on one of their early B-sides. Roger (with Pete on guitar) decided to revive "As Long As I Have You" for Roger's 2018 solo album, turning in a competent if straight-laced performance.
Zep's concert in Spokane is the first known live recording of the band. They'd played ~34 concerts up to that point (some as The Yardbirds, some possibly as The New Yardbirds, and some as Led Zeppelin) but none were captured on tape, sadly.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
Yeah, I forget the section about Plant bringing back the song many years later. I had planned to but it slipped my mind. I have since added it into the song write up.
Brony
Footballguy
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
I read fast, so no biggie.
Some of Spin’s takes are obnoxious, which does not surprise me at all.
AAABatteries
Footballguy
South Bound Saurez was my guilty pleasure song I mentioned that made my last 10 out. I just couldn’t justify top 25.
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
Not something I feel the need to listen to much, but it’s a showcase of Bonzo’s tremendous talent.
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
It kind of sounds like New Orleans honky tonk on speed. The piano and the vocal are the stars here. Nothing to dislike about it, but it doesn’t stand out compared to most of their oeuvre.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
#66 - We’re Gonna Groove - Coda (1970 by way of 1982)
Appeared On: 2 ballots (out of 62) . . . 3.2%
Total Points: 15 points (out of 1,550 possible points . . . 0.97%)
Rankers: @Long Ball Larry@raidergil
Highest Ranking: 14
Live Performances:
LZ: 41(Montreux - 1970-03-07, Vancouver - 1970-03-21, Raleigh - 1970-04-08)
Page & Plant: 9
Plant: 51 (2000-?-?)
Other Versions: Manfred Mann
Ultimate Classic Rock Ranking (out of 92 songs): 78
Vulture Ranking (out of 74 songs): Not Ranked
Rolling Stone Ranking (out of 40 songs): Not Ranked
Louder Ranking (out of 50 songs): Not Ranked
Uproxx Ranking (out of 50 songs): Not Ranked
WMGK Ranking (out of 92 songs): 73
SPIN Ranking (out of 87 songs): 69
Ranker Ranking (out of 87 songs): 67
Anachronarchy Ranking (out of 80 songs): 68
We’re Gonna Groove is a song written and recorded as a B-side by Ben E. King, best known as being a member of The Drifters during their heyday. His version of the song was called Groovin’. His most famous song is probably Stand By Me (which Led Zeppelin performed only once in Osaka - 1972-10-09.
We're Gonna Groove kicks off the Coda album (one we have gotten to know a lot about so far). According to the album notes, it was recorded at Morgan Studios on 1969-06-02. As mentioned in an earlier write up, in order to meet their distribution agreement with Atlantic Records, they pretended that some live tracks were studio or rehearsal tracks.
It was later acknowledged to have come from a January 1970 concert at the Royal Albert Hall, with the guitar parts overdubbed and the original guitar part removed—this can be heard in the original Royal Albert Hall show in London - 1970-01-09 that would be included on the Led Zeppelin DVD release in 2003, over 30 years later. Zeppelin had a breakthrough moment with their performance that was broadcast that night. We're Gonna Groove kicked of the set of that now legendary performance. As Rolling Stone recalls:
“The Seventies were only nine days old when Led Zeppelin played the Royal Albert Hall, but it was already clear they could become the biggest band of the decade. A year and a half of relentless touring had turned them into an unbelievably tight unit, and Whole Lotta Love was peaking at number four on the U.S. Hot 100.”
“I look at the Albert Hall footage now,” Robert Plant said years later. “And the first thing I notice is how young we are. I look like what I was a Black Country hippie full of high ideals and low-cost living. I still couldn’t believe where I was. Everything had happened so fast for the group.”
The band did record a version of We’re Gonna Groove in the studio on 1969-06-02, as it was originally intended to be recorded for inclusion on Led Zeppelin II. As far as I know, the studio version has not been released. That same day, the band recorded also Living Loving Maid, Thank You, and Sugar Mama.
Ultimate Classic Rock (78 of 92 songs): The band used to play this Ben E. King-written cover a lot during the early years. They even had it slotted for their second album at one point. This version from Coda was recorded in 1970 with additional guitar overdubs from 1982. Hard to hear what the big deal is here.
WMGK (73 of 92 songs): Based on the Ben E. King song Groovin’, We’re Gonna Groove was originally intended for Led Zeppelin II. While that record has no fat on it at all, this would have fit in well if Zeppelin decided to make their sophomore album ten tracks long instead of just nine.
SPIN (69 of 87 songs): One of the rawer Zeppelin cuts, and the lead track on the odds-and-sods collection Coda. Not particularly long on hooks, but high on grit and short on runtime, so an enjoyable enough LZII outtake.
We already covered the #65 song in Black Mountain Side / White Summer. The #64 song is percolating on the stove . . . and it hails from In Through The Out Door. It looks like most of the songs are getting ranked newest released to oldest.
It looks like the teams are set to kickoff, so I am done for today. Hope your team wins.
Appeared On: 2 ballots (out of 62) . . . 3.2%
Total Points: 15 points (out of 1,550 possible points . . . 0.97%)
Rankers: @Long Ball Larry@raidergil
Highest Ranking: 14
Live Performances:
LZ: 41(Montreux - 1970-03-07, Vancouver - 1970-03-21, Raleigh - 1970-04-08)
Page & Plant: 9
Plant: 51 (2000-?-?)
Other Versions: Manfred Mann
Ultimate Classic Rock Ranking (out of 92 songs): 78
Vulture Ranking (out of 74 songs): Not Ranked
Rolling Stone Ranking (out of 40 songs): Not Ranked
Louder Ranking (out of 50 songs): Not Ranked
Uproxx Ranking (out of 50 songs): Not Ranked
WMGK Ranking (out of 92 songs): 73
SPIN Ranking (out of 87 songs): 69
Ranker Ranking (out of 87 songs): 67
Anachronarchy Ranking (out of 80 songs): 68
We’re Gonna Groove is a song written and recorded as a B-side by Ben E. King, best known as being a member of The Drifters during their heyday. His version of the song was called Groovin’. His most famous song is probably Stand By Me (which Led Zeppelin performed only once in Osaka - 1972-10-09.
We're Gonna Groove kicks off the Coda album (one we have gotten to know a lot about so far). According to the album notes, it was recorded at Morgan Studios on 1969-06-02. As mentioned in an earlier write up, in order to meet their distribution agreement with Atlantic Records, they pretended that some live tracks were studio or rehearsal tracks.
It was later acknowledged to have come from a January 1970 concert at the Royal Albert Hall, with the guitar parts overdubbed and the original guitar part removed—this can be heard in the original Royal Albert Hall show in London - 1970-01-09 that would be included on the Led Zeppelin DVD release in 2003, over 30 years later. Zeppelin had a breakthrough moment with their performance that was broadcast that night. We're Gonna Groove kicked of the set of that now legendary performance. As Rolling Stone recalls:
“The Seventies were only nine days old when Led Zeppelin played the Royal Albert Hall, but it was already clear they could become the biggest band of the decade. A year and a half of relentless touring had turned them into an unbelievably tight unit, and Whole Lotta Love was peaking at number four on the U.S. Hot 100.”
“I look at the Albert Hall footage now,” Robert Plant said years later. “And the first thing I notice is how young we are. I look like what I was a Black Country hippie full of high ideals and low-cost living. I still couldn’t believe where I was. Everything had happened so fast for the group.”
The band did record a version of We’re Gonna Groove in the studio on 1969-06-02, as it was originally intended to be recorded for inclusion on Led Zeppelin II. As far as I know, the studio version has not been released. That same day, the band recorded also Living Loving Maid, Thank You, and Sugar Mama.
Ultimate Classic Rock (78 of 92 songs): The band used to play this Ben E. King-written cover a lot during the early years. They even had it slotted for their second album at one point. This version from Coda was recorded in 1970 with additional guitar overdubs from 1982. Hard to hear what the big deal is here.
WMGK (73 of 92 songs): Based on the Ben E. King song Groovin’, We’re Gonna Groove was originally intended for Led Zeppelin II. While that record has no fat on it at all, this would have fit in well if Zeppelin decided to make their sophomore album ten tracks long instead of just nine.
SPIN (69 of 87 songs): One of the rawer Zeppelin cuts, and the lead track on the odds-and-sods collection Coda. Not particularly long on hooks, but high on grit and short on runtime, so an enjoyable enough LZII outtake.
We already covered the #65 song in Black Mountain Side / White Summer. The #64 song is percolating on the stove . . . and it hails from In Through The Out Door. It looks like most of the songs are getting ranked newest released to oldest.
It looks like the teams are set to kickoff, so I am done for today. Hope your team wins.
Last edited by a moderator:
fatguyinalittlecoat
Footballguy
That write up was too long I only read the first half.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
fatguyinalittlecoat
Footballguy
Anarchy99
Footballguy
fatguyinalittlecoat
Footballguy
Long Ball Larry
Footballguy
2Young2BBald
Footbaldguy
Anarchy99
Footballguy
dickey moe
Fingerpicker
dickey moe
Fingerpicker
Does anyone know why comments are turned off for almost all Zeppelin tunes on youtube?
jamny
Footballguy
[scooter]
Footballguy
Usually it's due to one of these reasons:
1. it was uploaded by a record company.
2. a record company filed a copyright claim, and they've allowed the video to stay online but with comments disabled.
It's not just happening to Led Zeppelin videos, though. It's the future of YouTube music.
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
I love the way Page's guitar just bursts through the proceedings at certain points. That's what sets it apart from your typical R&B cover by a rock band. Some excellent work by Bonzo here as well. Probably my favorite from Coda, but nothing from it was close to making my list.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
#64 – I’m Gonna Crawl – In Through The Out Door (1979)
Appeared On: 1 ballot (out of 62) . . . 1.6%
Total Points: 18 points (out of 1,550 possible points . . . 1.16%)
Ranker: @Just Win Baby
Highest Rank: 8
Live Performances: None
Other Versions: Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience
Ultimate Classic Rock Ranking (out of 92 songs): 58
Vulture Ranking (out of 74 songs): 36
Rolling Stone Ranking (out of 40 songs): Not Ranked
Louder Ranking (out of 50 songs): Not Ranked
Uproxx Ranking (out of 50 songs): Not Ranked
WMGK Ranking (out of 92 songs): 61
SPIN Ranking (out of 87 songs): 56
Ranker Ranking (out of 87 songs): Not Ranked
Anachronarchy Ranking (out of 80 songs): 56
I will hand the microphone over to @Just Win Baby, as he was the lone voter and had this one as his #8 song.
The closing song from the last album released while the band was still together. The In Through the Out Door album was named after the band took a voluntary exile from Great Britain for two years (for financial reasons), and they found that getting back into the spotlight in England proved to more difficult than they thought.
I'm Gonna Crawl is a relaxed blues track. Plant arranged it in the style of mid-1960s soul music such as Wilson Pickett and Otis Redding. Jones contributed a string synthesizer arrangement but is credited as the primary songwriter. Jones developed the song on his new Yamaha GX1 synthesizer, which he called The Dream Machine. Unlike previous Led Zeppelin albums, Jimmy Page was a lot less involved, which gave tracks like this one a different feel. They also later released a song called Blot (I'm Gonna Crawl), which is rough mix of the song.
Band manager Peter Grant reportedly encouraged the band to record a soulful torch song for the album. Plant added lyrics, which reflected back on his 1960s career as a soul-predominant singer, with stylistic influences from artists of the period. The inspiration behind the song was Plant's wife Maureen. Bonham noted this was one of Plant's best-ever vocal performances. Guitarist Jimmy Page plays one of his best slow burning guitar solos on the album, after being unusually low-key for many of the sessions.
The band never performed the song live, but Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience performed it on their 2010 tour.
Ultimate Classic Rock (58 of 92 songs): A sluggish closer to the band's career but also a fitting one, since the last song on their final album together is the closest thing to the blues, bringing it all, in a sense, full circle.
Vulture (36 of 74 songs): A nice-sounding, somewhat humble love plaint. Ten years into his career as a star, Plant seems to be discovering that need and vulnerability can be sexy, too. Page contributes a restrained guitar attack. As a whole, another sign of the maturity available on In Through the Out Door, which became the band’s last studio album. The band generally did a great job on their album covers. LZ III had a distinctive spinning wheel hidden inside the record sleeve, with die-cut holes designed to show all sorts of things as you spun the wheel. Physical Graffiti’s cover was a shot of a pair of buildings on St. Marks Place in New York, with the windows cut out to let various pictures on the inner sleeve show through. In Through the Out Door was even more novel. Sold in a brown-paper wrapper, the actual album sleeve featured different photos from a bar scene, and on the back, a variety of odd close-ups of the scene, in black and white, made out of what looked like Ben-Day dots. Turned out that if you put spit or water on them, they turned color! Mind. Blown.
WMGK (61 of 92 songs): Plant really wails on this album closer accompanied by Jones’ synth, but it’s hard not to get wistful when listening to it now, knowing that what it really was was the end of Zeppelin.
SPIN (56 of 87 songs): The final track on Zep’s final studio album was an underrated throwback to their super-early soul days, a torch ballad with a “25 Miles”-like lyrical hook of doing whatever it takes to get back to Plant’s woman. Of course they didn’t have this many synths back then, but that’s OK — the keys don’t distract from Plant’s superlative vocal performance, reaching tortured heights not heard from the singer since “In My Time of Dying.”
Currently baking in the oven, a track that was originally intended for the masterful fourth album, recorded in the same session that yielded Rock and Roll (which we won't see anytime soon).
Appeared On: 1 ballot (out of 62) . . . 1.6%
Total Points: 18 points (out of 1,550 possible points . . . 1.16%)
Ranker: @Just Win Baby
Highest Rank: 8
Live Performances: None
Other Versions: Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience
Ultimate Classic Rock Ranking (out of 92 songs): 58
Vulture Ranking (out of 74 songs): 36
Rolling Stone Ranking (out of 40 songs): Not Ranked
Louder Ranking (out of 50 songs): Not Ranked
Uproxx Ranking (out of 50 songs): Not Ranked
WMGK Ranking (out of 92 songs): 61
SPIN Ranking (out of 87 songs): 56
Ranker Ranking (out of 87 songs): Not Ranked
Anachronarchy Ranking (out of 80 songs): 56
I will hand the microphone over to @Just Win Baby, as he was the lone voter and had this one as his #8 song.
The closing song from the last album released while the band was still together. The In Through the Out Door album was named after the band took a voluntary exile from Great Britain for two years (for financial reasons), and they found that getting back into the spotlight in England proved to more difficult than they thought.
I'm Gonna Crawl is a relaxed blues track. Plant arranged it in the style of mid-1960s soul music such as Wilson Pickett and Otis Redding. Jones contributed a string synthesizer arrangement but is credited as the primary songwriter. Jones developed the song on his new Yamaha GX1 synthesizer, which he called The Dream Machine. Unlike previous Led Zeppelin albums, Jimmy Page was a lot less involved, which gave tracks like this one a different feel. They also later released a song called Blot (I'm Gonna Crawl), which is rough mix of the song.
Band manager Peter Grant reportedly encouraged the band to record a soulful torch song for the album. Plant added lyrics, which reflected back on his 1960s career as a soul-predominant singer, with stylistic influences from artists of the period. The inspiration behind the song was Plant's wife Maureen. Bonham noted this was one of Plant's best-ever vocal performances. Guitarist Jimmy Page plays one of his best slow burning guitar solos on the album, after being unusually low-key for many of the sessions.
The band never performed the song live, but Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience performed it on their 2010 tour.
Ultimate Classic Rock (58 of 92 songs): A sluggish closer to the band's career but also a fitting one, since the last song on their final album together is the closest thing to the blues, bringing it all, in a sense, full circle.
Vulture (36 of 74 songs): A nice-sounding, somewhat humble love plaint. Ten years into his career as a star, Plant seems to be discovering that need and vulnerability can be sexy, too. Page contributes a restrained guitar attack. As a whole, another sign of the maturity available on In Through the Out Door, which became the band’s last studio album. The band generally did a great job on their album covers. LZ III had a distinctive spinning wheel hidden inside the record sleeve, with die-cut holes designed to show all sorts of things as you spun the wheel. Physical Graffiti’s cover was a shot of a pair of buildings on St. Marks Place in New York, with the windows cut out to let various pictures on the inner sleeve show through. In Through the Out Door was even more novel. Sold in a brown-paper wrapper, the actual album sleeve featured different photos from a bar scene, and on the back, a variety of odd close-ups of the scene, in black and white, made out of what looked like Ben-Day dots. Turned out that if you put spit or water on them, they turned color! Mind. Blown.
WMGK (61 of 92 songs): Plant really wails on this album closer accompanied by Jones’ synth, but it’s hard not to get wistful when listening to it now, knowing that what it really was was the end of Zeppelin.
SPIN (56 of 87 songs): The final track on Zep’s final studio album was an underrated throwback to their super-early soul days, a torch ballad with a “25 Miles”-like lyrical hook of doing whatever it takes to get back to Plant’s woman. Of course they didn’t have this many synths back then, but that’s OK — the keys don’t distract from Plant’s superlative vocal performance, reaching tortured heights not heard from the singer since “In My Time of Dying.”
Currently baking in the oven, a track that was originally intended for the masterful fourth album, recorded in the same session that yielded Rock and Roll (which we won't see anytime soon).
Last edited by a moderator:
I don't think I've ever seen the terms "relaxed" and "Wilson Pickett" used to describe the same style.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
#63 - Boogie With Stu from Physical Graffiti (1975)
Appeared On: 4 ballots (out of 62) . . . 6.5%
Total Points: 24 points (out of 1,550 possible points . . . 1.55%)
Rankers: @Dr. Octopus@jwb@ConstruxBoy@FairWarning
Highest Ranking: 15
Live Performances:
LZ: None
Plant: 1
Other Versions: Joe Bonamassa
Ultimate Classic Rock Ranking (out of 92 songs): 74
Vulture Ranking (out of 74 songs): 38
Rolling Stone Ranking (out of 40 songs): Not Ranked
Louder Ranking (out of 50 songs): Not Ranked
Uproxx Ranking (out of 50 songs): Not Ranked
WMGK Ranking (out of 92 songs): 74
SPIN Ranking (out of 87 songs): 73
Ranker Ranking (out of 87 songs): 55
Anachronarchy Ranking (out of 80 songs): 67
This song was first recorded in early 1971 with former Rolling Stones piano player Ian “Stu” Stewart. Along with some other compositions, it was considered for inclusion on LZ IV, but the only track that made it from those sessions was Rock and Roll. It was initially entitled Sloppy Drunk.
“At Headley Grange, there was this old piano that had fallen into a state of disrepair and was almost unplayable,” Page recalls. “It was so bad, we never even thought to use it. But Ian came in an just started improvising this amazing lick on it. I did my best to tune my guitar to the piano, and the other guys just started playing tambourine, hand claps, and stomping and before we knew it, we had recorded Boogie With Stu.”
Plant is said to have played guitar, while guitarist Jimmy Page played mandolin. Plant started improvising, including “borrowing” some of the lyrics from Ooh My Head by Ritchie Valens (of La Bamba fame and who had died 15 years earlier). The band gave co-writing credit to Valens’ mother (who was said to have received no royalties from her son’s work). But other Valens heirs took umbrage to not crediting Ritchie Valens, and LZ was sued for back royalties.
HERE is an alternate version.
Ultimate Classic Rock (74 of 92 songs): Stu is Ian Stewart, who plays piano. The song is Ritchie Valens' "Ooh, My Head." Or close enough to it that the late rocker's mom eventually got a co-writing credit.
Vulture (38 of 74 songs): If you’d recorded a groovy studio jam with bashing piano courtesy of guest artist Ian Stewart, one of the founding members of the Rolling Stones and a key part of the Stones operation through much of its life, you might call it “Boogie With Stu.” Of course, you could also call it “Ooh, My Head,” seeing as how that’s the name of the actual song, which was written and recorded by early rocker Ritchie Valens, who died in the plane crash that also claimed the lives of Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper. It’s kinda funny to credit the song to the four members of the band and Stewart, too, and throw in a joking reference to “Mrs. Valens” — though it’s the kind of humor that allows one of the parties to go laughing all the way to the songwriting-royalties bank. Docked ten notches for song theft.
WMGK (74 of 92 songs): The “Stu” in the song’s title is Ian Stewart, a founding member of the Rolling Stones, who was relegated to non-membership status by their original manager Andrew Loog Oldham; he deemed the pianist’s cleancut image inappropriate for the band. A fan of early rock and roll and “boogie-woogie,” Ian Stewart was the perfect guy to tickle the ivories on this song. The songwriting credit was split between all four Zep members, Stewart and “Mrs. Valens,” the widow of Ritchie Valens, as they built the song around Valens’ ‘50s-era hit “Ooh My Head.”
SPIN (73 of 87 songs): Like “Black Country Woman,” this is back-end filler for Graffiti. Supremely silly, though there is some legitimate boogieing to be had, at least.
We already did the #62 song earlier (Black Country Woman) . . . and we will revisit In Through The Out Door again for our #61 entry,
Appeared On: 4 ballots (out of 62) . . . 6.5%
Total Points: 24 points (out of 1,550 possible points . . . 1.55%)
Rankers: @Dr. Octopus@jwb@ConstruxBoy@FairWarning
Highest Ranking: 15
Live Performances:
LZ: None
Plant: 1
Other Versions: Joe Bonamassa
Ultimate Classic Rock Ranking (out of 92 songs): 74
Vulture Ranking (out of 74 songs): 38
Rolling Stone Ranking (out of 40 songs): Not Ranked
Louder Ranking (out of 50 songs): Not Ranked
Uproxx Ranking (out of 50 songs): Not Ranked
WMGK Ranking (out of 92 songs): 74
SPIN Ranking (out of 87 songs): 73
Ranker Ranking (out of 87 songs): 55
Anachronarchy Ranking (out of 80 songs): 67
This song was first recorded in early 1971 with former Rolling Stones piano player Ian “Stu” Stewart. Along with some other compositions, it was considered for inclusion on LZ IV, but the only track that made it from those sessions was Rock and Roll. It was initially entitled Sloppy Drunk.
“At Headley Grange, there was this old piano that had fallen into a state of disrepair and was almost unplayable,” Page recalls. “It was so bad, we never even thought to use it. But Ian came in an just started improvising this amazing lick on it. I did my best to tune my guitar to the piano, and the other guys just started playing tambourine, hand claps, and stomping and before we knew it, we had recorded Boogie With Stu.”
Plant is said to have played guitar, while guitarist Jimmy Page played mandolin. Plant started improvising, including “borrowing” some of the lyrics from Ooh My Head by Ritchie Valens (of La Bamba fame and who had died 15 years earlier). The band gave co-writing credit to Valens’ mother (who was said to have received no royalties from her son’s work). But other Valens heirs took umbrage to not crediting Ritchie Valens, and LZ was sued for back royalties.
HERE is an alternate version.
Ultimate Classic Rock (74 of 92 songs): Stu is Ian Stewart, who plays piano. The song is Ritchie Valens' "Ooh, My Head." Or close enough to it that the late rocker's mom eventually got a co-writing credit.
Vulture (38 of 74 songs): If you’d recorded a groovy studio jam with bashing piano courtesy of guest artist Ian Stewart, one of the founding members of the Rolling Stones and a key part of the Stones operation through much of its life, you might call it “Boogie With Stu.” Of course, you could also call it “Ooh, My Head,” seeing as how that’s the name of the actual song, which was written and recorded by early rocker Ritchie Valens, who died in the plane crash that also claimed the lives of Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper. It’s kinda funny to credit the song to the four members of the band and Stewart, too, and throw in a joking reference to “Mrs. Valens” — though it’s the kind of humor that allows one of the parties to go laughing all the way to the songwriting-royalties bank. Docked ten notches for song theft.
WMGK (74 of 92 songs): The “Stu” in the song’s title is Ian Stewart, a founding member of the Rolling Stones, who was relegated to non-membership status by their original manager Andrew Loog Oldham; he deemed the pianist’s cleancut image inappropriate for the band. A fan of early rock and roll and “boogie-woogie,” Ian Stewart was the perfect guy to tickle the ivories on this song. The songwriting credit was split between all four Zep members, Stewart and “Mrs. Valens,” the widow of Ritchie Valens, as they built the song around Valens’ ‘50s-era hit “Ooh My Head.”
SPIN (73 of 87 songs): Like “Black Country Woman,” this is back-end filler for Graffiti. Supremely silly, though there is some legitimate boogieing to be had, at least.
We already did the #62 song earlier (Black Country Woman) . . . and we will revisit In Through The Out Door again for our #61 entry,
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In The Zone
Footballguy
I gotta admit that I'm a sucker for some jamming keyboards, especially a piano. That and harmonica which somewhat indirectly influence my rankings.
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ConstruxBoy
Kate's Daddy
MAC_32
Footballguy
I have each quite a bit higher, but I am rightfully the minority. They belong beside each other in any rankings though. I'm glad that's how this unintentionally shook out.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
Today's random toss in is the first track recorded by Robert Plant. In 1966, Plant was in a band called Listen. They recorded You Better Run, a cover of The Rascals from earlier that same year. A rock version of the song would later become a hit for Pat Benatar in 1980.
Here's an early description I found outling the arly part of his career . . .
By the time Plant was fifteen, his disapproving father would drive him to the Seven Stars Blues Club in Stourbridge every week, where Plant jammed with two of the bands he was in at the time Delta Blues Band, and Sounds of Blue. Some of the other various forgotten Birmingham blues combos he jammed with at night were the New Memphis Bluesbreakers, Black Snake Moan (named after a Blind Lemon Jefferson song), and the Banned. In 1965 Sonny Boy Williamson played in Birmingham and plant went backstage and borrowed one of his harps, which put him in physical contact with one of his idols. Years later he was quoted: 'I always got a shiver every time I saw Sonny Boy Williamson ... the way he would strut on stage.'
By the time he was eighteen he had graduated with A levels in English, history, and mathematics and some ability to play violin, piano, organ, and guitar. Another noted band Plant formed were, the Crawling King Snakes, (named for the John Lee Hooker boogie tune). Prior to attaining fame with that band Plant had his first vinyl release as vocalist for Listen in the shape of the 1966 CBS single 'You'd Better Run' / 'Everybody's Gotta Say'. In fact, Plant stayed with the label to release two solo singles 'Our Song' and 'Long Time Coming' before uniting with drummer John Bonham to form Band of Joy. During this unsuccessful period, Plant tried different clothing and hairstyles, briefly changed his name for the press to the rebel sounding Rob3ert Lee (He was the third member of the Plant family named Robert), was involved in a publicized marijuana possession court case, and offered to perform anywhere in the cause of world peace. He joined Obs-Tweedle in 1968, before hooking up again with Bonham, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones, as Led Zeppelin.
Here's an early description I found outling the arly part of his career . . .
By the time Plant was fifteen, his disapproving father would drive him to the Seven Stars Blues Club in Stourbridge every week, where Plant jammed with two of the bands he was in at the time Delta Blues Band, and Sounds of Blue. Some of the other various forgotten Birmingham blues combos he jammed with at night were the New Memphis Bluesbreakers, Black Snake Moan (named after a Blind Lemon Jefferson song), and the Banned. In 1965 Sonny Boy Williamson played in Birmingham and plant went backstage and borrowed one of his harps, which put him in physical contact with one of his idols. Years later he was quoted: 'I always got a shiver every time I saw Sonny Boy Williamson ... the way he would strut on stage.'
By the time he was eighteen he had graduated with A levels in English, history, and mathematics and some ability to play violin, piano, organ, and guitar. Another noted band Plant formed were, the Crawling King Snakes, (named for the John Lee Hooker boogie tune). Prior to attaining fame with that band Plant had his first vinyl release as vocalist for Listen in the shape of the 1966 CBS single 'You'd Better Run' / 'Everybody's Gotta Say'. In fact, Plant stayed with the label to release two solo singles 'Our Song' and 'Long Time Coming' before uniting with drummer John Bonham to form Band of Joy. During this unsuccessful period, Plant tried different clothing and hairstyles, briefly changed his name for the press to the rebel sounding Rob3ert Lee (He was the third member of the Plant family named Robert), was involved in a publicized marijuana possession court case, and offered to perform anywhere in the cause of world peace. He joined Obs-Tweedle in 1968, before hooking up again with Bonham, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones, as Led Zeppelin.
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Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
Seems about right ranking-wise. It’s fine for what it is, but aside from Plant’s vocal, I don’t have strong feelings about it.
skol asylum
Footballguy
Great great work Anarchy. Love all the extras. Thank you.
skol asylum
Footballguy
This one popped up on YouTube after your last link.
https://youtu.be/gq_7Dz4txY0
Band of Joy - For What It's Worth cover.
https://youtu.be/gq_7Dz4txY0
Band of Joy - For What It's Worth cover.
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
More light fun to fill out a heavy album. If Vulture is docking entries for song theft, they’re not going to leave much intact.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
#61 - Carouselambra from In Through The Out Door (1979)
Appeared On: 5 ballots (out of 62) . . . 8.1%
Total Points: 38 points (out of 1,550 possible points . . . 2.45%)
Rankers: @dhockster@Ghost Rider@FairWarning@Zeppelin@2Young2BBald
Highest Ranking: 6
Live Performances: None
Ultimate Classic Rock Ranking (out of 92 songs): 69
Vulture Ranking (out of 74 songs): 55
Rolling Stone Ranking (out of 40 songs): Not Ranked
Louder Ranking (out of 50 songs): Not Ranked
Uproxx Ranking (out of 50 songs): Not Ranked
WMGK Ranking (out of 92 songs): 88
SPIN Ranking (out of 87 songs): 26
Ranker Ranking (out of 87 songs): 61
Anachronarchy Ranking (out of 80 songs): 75
The song @2Young2BBald has been looking for. A progressive rock tour de force with keyboardist John Paul Jones driving the song on synthesizer and cryptic lyrics from Plant. At 10:34 in length, it’s the second-longest song the band recorded in the studio after In My Time Of Dying. It was originally called The Epic. It was developed at Clearwell Castle in the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire and was one of the first songs rehearsed for the album. Short rehearsal version. Long rehearsal version. The song ended up being called Carousleambra because it reminded the band of something you might hear when riding on a carousel.
Plant wrote the lyrics about the state of the band at the time. They were not getting along. Page and Bonham were spending a lot of time together enjoying life as rock stars, while Plant and Jones were showing up on time and doing most of the work on the album. As a result, the band wasn't working together as much, and Page and Bonham worked on their own and would add their parts when they did show up, usually very late at night.
The final mix of the song with an emphasis on synthesizer and guitar drown out the vocals, making the lyrics hard to understand. In a 2003 interview, Plant said: "I thought parts of Carouselambra were good, especially the darker dirges that Pagey developed. And I rue it so much now, because the lyrics were actually about that environment and that situation. The whole story of Led Zeppelin in its latter years is in that song . . . and I can't hear the words.”
Charles M. Young of Rolling Stone described Carouselambra as having "an extremely lame keyboard riff" and being too long, clocking in at "an absurd 10:28". Young also said, “Repetition to weave a hypnotic effect has always been part of the Zeppelin sound, what they are repeating here is not worth the effort."
Andrew Doscas of PopMatters gave Carouselambra a negative review, calling the song something you would hear from either Styx or Genesis and not Zeppelin. He said Plant "mumbled inaudible inanities for about 60% of the song." While Doscas found the synthesizers catchy, he felt Zeppelin fans would find it hard not to skip over after the four-minute mark in favor of the final two tracks.
The song was considered for Zeppelin’s Tour Over Europe in 1980, but it was never performed live. Portions of it were played on occasion across Page and Plant’s 1995-96 tour.
Ultimate Classic Rock (69 of 92 songs): What's going on here? Heavy-handed synths, incomprehensible lyrics and a groove that swerves into a few different directions . . . all of which goes on for an ###-numbing 10 and a half minutes.
Vulture (55 of 74 songs): A massive assemblage from the band’s final album, their last stab at epic, dressed up with an agreeable guitar barrage of the first order to kick things off, and a failure nonetheless. The band somehow lacked authority at this point, really, to keep our interest through such throwback-y stuff. When your audience’s most common reaction to a new work is, “Is this still the same song?” you’re on the wrong track.
WMGK Ranking (88 of 92 songs): There are plenty of “epics” in the Zeppelin catalog, but this is the only one you’ll likely find yourself thinking, “Is it over yet?” Much like an actual carousel, this song goes around and around without really going anywhere.
SPIN Ranking (26 of 87 songs): Certainly not among the fondest-remembered songs in Zeppelin’s body of work, the ten-plus-minute Carouselambra is nevertheless one of their most fascinating, half-prog and half-disco, with a zooming guitar line, a juggernaut of a synth hook (which unexpectedly goes all Kraftwerk about halfway in), and one of Plant’s all-time most-enigmatic lyrics (Opening lines: “Sisters of the way-side bide their time in quiet peace / Await their place within the ring of calm”). It shouldn’t work, and many likely would argue it doesn’t, but the playing is never less than air-tight, the groove is considerable, the melodic ideas are plentiful and unpredictable, and the sheer musical ambition is jaw-dropping.
Carouselambra is a catchy song. I have been whistling it all day. Coming up, a song from Physical Graffiti. Again. I'm getting sick of it.
Appeared On: 5 ballots (out of 62) . . . 8.1%
Total Points: 38 points (out of 1,550 possible points . . . 2.45%)
Rankers: @dhockster@Ghost Rider@FairWarning@Zeppelin@2Young2BBald
Highest Ranking: 6
Live Performances: None
Ultimate Classic Rock Ranking (out of 92 songs): 69
Vulture Ranking (out of 74 songs): 55
Rolling Stone Ranking (out of 40 songs): Not Ranked
Louder Ranking (out of 50 songs): Not Ranked
Uproxx Ranking (out of 50 songs): Not Ranked
WMGK Ranking (out of 92 songs): 88
SPIN Ranking (out of 87 songs): 26
Ranker Ranking (out of 87 songs): 61
Anachronarchy Ranking (out of 80 songs): 75
The song @2Young2BBald has been looking for. A progressive rock tour de force with keyboardist John Paul Jones driving the song on synthesizer and cryptic lyrics from Plant. At 10:34 in length, it’s the second-longest song the band recorded in the studio after In My Time Of Dying. It was originally called The Epic. It was developed at Clearwell Castle in the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire and was one of the first songs rehearsed for the album. Short rehearsal version. Long rehearsal version. The song ended up being called Carousleambra because it reminded the band of something you might hear when riding on a carousel.
Plant wrote the lyrics about the state of the band at the time. They were not getting along. Page and Bonham were spending a lot of time together enjoying life as rock stars, while Plant and Jones were showing up on time and doing most of the work on the album. As a result, the band wasn't working together as much, and Page and Bonham worked on their own and would add their parts when they did show up, usually very late at night.
The final mix of the song with an emphasis on synthesizer and guitar drown out the vocals, making the lyrics hard to understand. In a 2003 interview, Plant said: "I thought parts of Carouselambra were good, especially the darker dirges that Pagey developed. And I rue it so much now, because the lyrics were actually about that environment and that situation. The whole story of Led Zeppelin in its latter years is in that song . . . and I can't hear the words.”
Charles M. Young of Rolling Stone described Carouselambra as having "an extremely lame keyboard riff" and being too long, clocking in at "an absurd 10:28". Young also said, “Repetition to weave a hypnotic effect has always been part of the Zeppelin sound, what they are repeating here is not worth the effort."
Andrew Doscas of PopMatters gave Carouselambra a negative review, calling the song something you would hear from either Styx or Genesis and not Zeppelin. He said Plant "mumbled inaudible inanities for about 60% of the song." While Doscas found the synthesizers catchy, he felt Zeppelin fans would find it hard not to skip over after the four-minute mark in favor of the final two tracks.
The song was considered for Zeppelin’s Tour Over Europe in 1980, but it was never performed live. Portions of it were played on occasion across Page and Plant’s 1995-96 tour.
Ultimate Classic Rock (69 of 92 songs): What's going on here? Heavy-handed synths, incomprehensible lyrics and a groove that swerves into a few different directions . . . all of which goes on for an ###-numbing 10 and a half minutes.
Vulture (55 of 74 songs): A massive assemblage from the band’s final album, their last stab at epic, dressed up with an agreeable guitar barrage of the first order to kick things off, and a failure nonetheless. The band somehow lacked authority at this point, really, to keep our interest through such throwback-y stuff. When your audience’s most common reaction to a new work is, “Is this still the same song?” you’re on the wrong track.
WMGK Ranking (88 of 92 songs): There are plenty of “epics” in the Zeppelin catalog, but this is the only one you’ll likely find yourself thinking, “Is it over yet?” Much like an actual carousel, this song goes around and around without really going anywhere.
SPIN Ranking (26 of 87 songs): Certainly not among the fondest-remembered songs in Zeppelin’s body of work, the ten-plus-minute Carouselambra is nevertheless one of their most fascinating, half-prog and half-disco, with a zooming guitar line, a juggernaut of a synth hook (which unexpectedly goes all Kraftwerk about halfway in), and one of Plant’s all-time most-enigmatic lyrics (Opening lines: “Sisters of the way-side bide their time in quiet peace / Await their place within the ring of calm”). It shouldn’t work, and many likely would argue it doesn’t, but the playing is never less than air-tight, the groove is considerable, the melodic ideas are plentiful and unpredictable, and the sheer musical ambition is jaw-dropping.
Carouselambra is a catchy song. I have been whistling it all day. Coming up, a song from Physical Graffiti. Again. I'm getting sick of it.
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AAABatteries
Footballguy
Not that it means anything but 
for who is the last person to have a song appear from their list.
for who is the last person to have a song appear from their list.
skol asylum
Footballguy
Not the Zeppelin sound I'm looking for but one could see how if they had continued on as a band how this may have been more of their evolved sound for the early 80s to fit in with what was more popular at the time.
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
This was my last cut, so it is my #26, just like Spin’s. And I agree with their writeup. The repetitive synths, tight groove and wind-tunnel vocals are captivating to me. It really is a kind of disco-prog fusion, which was inconceivable to most people in 1979 but I think holds up well today.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
Yeah, I was going to comment that ITTOD and Carouselambra in particular reminded me of a similar pivot Van Halen made to more of a keyboard sound / vibe on 1984.
skol asylum
Footballguy
Damnit. Hot Dog popped up on my YouTube feed and I'm starting to dig it. What's wrong with me? Do I got the Rona? 
Anarchy99
Footballguy
I will post that when we get there. I believe there are 16 people that have their entire list inside the Top 50.Not that it means anything but
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
Are you drunk? Seems like a song that’s more enjoyable when you’re intoxicated.Damnit. Hot Dog popped up on my YouTube feed and I'm starting to dig it. What's wrong with me? Do I got the Rona?
2Young2BBald
Footbaldguy
Pretty much right on with my picking at 25. My first car was a 1968 Dodge Polara and I had a mix tape called "Driving Music" that included Carouselambra, Detroit Rock City by Kiss, Turn the Page from Live Bullet and such. Nice call on disco too as I recall liking Donna Summers Bad Girls and Hot Stuff right around the same time which likely elevated my liking of the song.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
What activities that don't involve moving vehicles aren't more enjoyable when you're intoxicated?
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skol asylum
Footballguy
Unfortunately no. But I am enjoying some Barq's Root Beer with my leftover pizza. Maybe a new variant that not only affects taste and smell but also hearing.
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