No, you're just coming to your senses.ĀDamnit. 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?
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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
Tau837
Footballguy
In college, this was the favorite Zeppelin song of the girlfriend of one of my roommates, and she got me interested in it. The stuff you quoted resonates with why I like it so much:
Kind of disappointed it ranked out so low, but not surprised. When I submitted my list, I posted in the other thread that I thought it was possible it would not be on any other lists. Just too many good to great songs for it to get its due appreciation.
Dwayne Hoover
Footballguy
So we've had a run of Coda and In Through the Out Door with a couple of lesser physical graffiti.Ā
What Presence will Presence have here.Ā One song in the top 15 and maybe 1-2 more coming soon?
What Presence will Presence have here.Ā One song in the top 15 and maybe 1-2 more coming soon?
skol asylum
Footballguy
Dwayne Hoover
Footballguy
Same but I will be shocked if there is less than 3, probably more the way this is going
Anarchy99
Footballguy
If there were fans of Presence, they didnāt turn out in droves to vote for it.Ā
Dwayne Hoover
Footballguy
I like it better than In Through the Outdoor and Coda, figure off those 2 have support than Presence has a few songs at least that are worthy
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
Presence was present on my list.
skol asylum
Footballguy
I could see how some could go for Achille's Last Stand. Not me. Nobody's Fault but Mine would probably be my favorite from Presence.
beer 30
Footballguy
Donāt hate man, itās a catchy tune. Youāll come roundā¦youāll all come around.cap'n grunge said: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?
Everytime a song comes up from In Through the Out Door I think about drinking Absinthe in New Orleans after a trade show. Had no idea the cover for the album was supposed to be that place.
dickey moe
Fingerpicker
Interesting to me that 20 songs into this, four of the bottom songs are from Physical Graffiti, which is their best album, IMO. Maybe because it was a double album, there is considered to be more fluff. Maybe the album is a bit uneven, because the best songs on the album are among the best that Zeppelin ever recorded. I think I have more of my Top 10 from PG than any other album.Ā
2Young2BBald
Footbaldguy
Had two on my list, these two and towards the bottom.Ā This is an album I'll put in when grilling and it is amazing on vinyl.Ā Ā
Anarchy99
Footballguy
The new tracks on PG are stellar. IMO, the songs they pulled out of the vault are not at the same level.
Newly recorded songs:
Custard Pie
In My Time of Dying
Trampled Underfoot
Kashmir
In the Light
Ten Years Gone
The Wanton Song
Sick Again
Old recordings that were used:
The Rover
Houses of the Holy
Bron-Yr-Aur
Down by the Seaside
Night Flight
Boogie with Stu
Black Country Woman
I think the majority of people would agree that the first grouping of songs is much stronger than the songs they resurrected.Ā
The new material added up to around 55 minutes of music. Was that too long to fit on a single LP? I donāt know why they tried to make it a double album. The explanation I have seen is that was three LP sides worth of material. If only the new tracks were released, would that have made it considered their best album? Or would more people have said that?
Ghost Rider
Footballguy
I stand by rankingĀ Carouselambra.Ā Good song.Ā Not even close to being the turd that many think it is.Ā It is pretty different for them, but the synths are nice, and Page has some sneaky killer guitar work in this song.Ā Not one I listen to often, but on the right day, it is quite nice.Ā
Anarchy99
Footballguy
I donāt think many people will hate on many songs. There were only so many votes to go around. Iām sure each of us have some tracks we arenāt into, but most of us will still really like a ton of songs we didnāt vote for.Ā
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
It was feasible -- but it would have greatly compromised the sound. If you jam too much onto one side of a vinyl record, it muddies things up. And Jimmy Page and Peter Grant cared a lot about that.Ā
They could have released a killer 6-song LP:
Side 1:
Custard Pie
Ten Years Gone
In My Time of Dying
Side 2:
In the Light
Trampled Under Foot
Kashmir
But obviously they liked The Wanton Song and Sick Again too much to discard them.Ā
And I happen to think The Rover and Houses of the Holy are just as good quality-wise as the new material, and fit in with it sonically. The other five tracks are filler by comparison, which is why most of them have appeared on this countdown already, but none of them are bad, and they provide a nice break from the intensity of everything else. So I'm perfectly happy with the choice they made.Ā
BroncoFreak_2K3
sucker for Orange
No Presence present
Anarchy99
Footballguy
I found a pretty detailed article on the first meeting of Page and Plant. I will post the beginning, but you can read the entire article HERE.
On July 20, 1968, Robert Plant was performing at a teachersā training college in Walsall, in the West Midlands, with a rather unimpressive group called Obs-Tweedle. The audience was practically nonexistent, just a handful of kids who were already pretty tanked up on beer, hardly paying attention to the band. Jimmy wasnāt wild about the music, either. āThe group was doing all of those semi-obscure West Coast kind of numbers,ā he said, things by Moby Grape, Jefferson Airplane, and Buffalo Springfield. āThe band overplayed, and there was a lot of hubbub and flash.ā
But . . . the singer! It was impossible to take your eyes off him. He was tall and lanky with skintight jeans and a resplendent halo of hair, which he kept sweeping off his face like a Hollywood ingenue. He moved like an ingenue, too. āHe had a distinctive sexual quality,ā as Jimmy remembered it, almost feline, androgynous in his gestures but in total command of the stage. And . . . the voice. At times it sounded like an unrefined Stevie Winwood, earthy and uninhibited, but it also soared into a āprimeval wail,ā which could be unnerving, coming out of the blue as it did. It was the whole package, but it worried Jimmy. āHis voice,ā he said, āwas too great to be undiscovered.ā What was he doing in this godforsaken backwater? Why hadnāt he caught on with a top band by now? āI immediately thought there must be something wrong with him personality-wise, or that he had to be impossible to work with.ā
Afterward, when they were finally introduced, Jimmy explained the seeds of his new venture, and Plant gave Jimmy a demo heād done with the Band of Joyāthree songs: āHey Joe,ā āFor What Itās Worth,ā and a Cyril Davies number Robert had rewritten as āAdriatic Seaviewāā that theyād recorded at IBC Studios in 1967. āWe did the whole thing in just a half an hour,ā recalls Kevyn Gammond, who played soaring Hubert Sumlināstyle solos on the session. āThe engineer just put mics up and said, āOkay, play your songs,ā so they all went down in one take.ā
That session might have been slapped together, but the result was as uncompromising as anything Led Zeppelin ever recorded. The brutality of the attack was unmistakable. Robertās delivery was genuinely stirring; it wrung all the tension and excitement out of the material. John Bonhamās adrenaline-fueled drumming was like the finale at the end of a fireworks display; it made the earth move. It sounded like no one else. Listening to the scratchy acetate, Jimmy heard the future. This was close to the sound heād been dreaming about.
On July 20, 1968, Robert Plant was performing at a teachersā training college in Walsall, in the West Midlands, with a rather unimpressive group called Obs-Tweedle. The audience was practically nonexistent, just a handful of kids who were already pretty tanked up on beer, hardly paying attention to the band. Jimmy wasnāt wild about the music, either. āThe group was doing all of those semi-obscure West Coast kind of numbers,ā he said, things by Moby Grape, Jefferson Airplane, and Buffalo Springfield. āThe band overplayed, and there was a lot of hubbub and flash.ā
But . . . the singer! It was impossible to take your eyes off him. He was tall and lanky with skintight jeans and a resplendent halo of hair, which he kept sweeping off his face like a Hollywood ingenue. He moved like an ingenue, too. āHe had a distinctive sexual quality,ā as Jimmy remembered it, almost feline, androgynous in his gestures but in total command of the stage. And . . . the voice. At times it sounded like an unrefined Stevie Winwood, earthy and uninhibited, but it also soared into a āprimeval wail,ā which could be unnerving, coming out of the blue as it did. It was the whole package, but it worried Jimmy. āHis voice,ā he said, āwas too great to be undiscovered.ā What was he doing in this godforsaken backwater? Why hadnāt he caught on with a top band by now? āI immediately thought there must be something wrong with him personality-wise, or that he had to be impossible to work with.ā
Afterward, when they were finally introduced, Jimmy explained the seeds of his new venture, and Plant gave Jimmy a demo heād done with the Band of Joyāthree songs: āHey Joe,ā āFor What Itās Worth,ā and a Cyril Davies number Robert had rewritten as āAdriatic Seaviewāā that theyād recorded at IBC Studios in 1967. āWe did the whole thing in just a half an hour,ā recalls Kevyn Gammond, who played soaring Hubert Sumlināstyle solos on the session. āThe engineer just put mics up and said, āOkay, play your songs,ā so they all went down in one take.ā
That session might have been slapped together, but the result was as uncompromising as anything Led Zeppelin ever recorded. The brutality of the attack was unmistakable. Robertās delivery was genuinely stirring; it wrung all the tension and excitement out of the material. John Bonhamās adrenaline-fueled drumming was like the finale at the end of a fireworks display; it made the earth move. It sounded like no one else. Listening to the scratchy acetate, Jimmy heard the future. This was close to the sound heād been dreaming about.
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Anarchy99
Footballguy
#60 - Sick Again from Physical Graffiti (1975)
Appeared On:Ā 2 ballots (out of 62) . . . 3.2%
Total Points: 39 points (out of 1,550 possible points . . .Ā 2.52%%)
Top 5 Ranker: @drunken slob
Other Ranker: @FairWarning
Highest Ranking: 3
Live Performances:
LZ: 90 (New York - 1975-02-12, London - 1975-05-25,Ā Los Angeles - 1977-06-23,Ā
Ā JP & The Black Crowes: 17
Plant: 1
Ultimate Classic Rock RankingĀ (out of 92 songs): 76
Vulture RankingĀ (out of 74 songs): 47
Rolling Stone RankingĀ (out of 40 songs): Not Ranked
Louder RankingĀ (out of 50 songs): Not Ranked
Uproxx RankingĀ (out of 50 songs): 32
WMGK RankingĀ (out of 92 songs): 92
SPIN RankingĀ (out of 87 songs): 64
Ranker RankingĀ (out of 87 songs): 63
Anachronarchy RankingĀ (out of 80 songs): 60
The final track on the sixth album, said to be about the loss of innocence and the decline of the groupie scene inĀ Los Angeles. The song originated after the 1973 North American tour, where band members had noticed that the groupies in L.A. had turned decidedly seedier. Singer Robert Plant's lyrics reflected his personal observations on what was going on with the women involved.Ā Early Version,Ā Rehearsal Track
Plant took pity upon these girls, who would flock to the hotel rooms of the band to offer them "favors." In an interview with Rolling Stone in 1975, he provided an explanation of the lyrics: āIf you listen to Sick Again, the words show I feel a bit sorry for them. "Clutchinā pages from your teenage dream in the lobby of the Hotel Paradise / Through the circus of the L.A. Queens, how fast you learn the downhill slide." One minute she's 12, and the next minute she's 13 and over the top. Such a shame. They haven't got the style that they had in the old daysĀ . . . way back in '68.ā
Multiple rock journalists believe the song is about a groupie named Lori Mattix. She was a teen groupie who is said to have had an affair with Jimmy Page when she was only 14. She often went clubbing with her friend, another groupie named Sable Starr, who also has been connected to both Page and Plant as a teen.
SickĀ Again was performed as the second song on the 1975 and 1977 tours and as an encore at the 1979 Knebworth shows. I couldnāt find which show, but Plant is said to have once performed the song in drag.Ā The 1979-08-04 Knebworth performance was released on the 2003 Led ZeppelinĀ DVD.
In a scaled down set list for the 1980 Over Europe tour, the song did not make the final cut of songs selected. It was, however, one of five songs that were performed at Jason Bonhamās wedding reception at the Heath Hotel in 1990. The groom performed with the three surviving members and also played Bring It On Home, Rock And Roll, Custard Pie (for only the second time ever), and Itāll Be Me (a Jerry Lee Lewis cover).Ā Ā Itāll Be Me ā Fort Worth ā 1977-05-22
The song was revived by Page when touring withĀ the Black CrowesĀ in 1999, and a recorded version was released on the albumĀ Live at the Greek in 2000.Ā The song is featured in the 2004 documentary film on Hollywood's Rodney BingenheimerĀ Mayor of Sunset Strip.
Ultimate Classic RockĀ (76 of 92 songs):Ā Most of the new songs especially recorded forĀ Physical GraffitiĀ are better than the leftover tracks that fill out the double LP. Not this lumbering rocker about teenage groupies.
VultureĀ (47 of 74 songs):Ā The epicĀ Graffitiās envoi is a groupie tribute from Plant, married to an incongruously dramatic guitar-setting from Page, and a spirited solo, too. I find the muddled production and the tedious outro kills it, though.
Uproxx (32 of 50 songs):Ā Itās been a minute since we discussed the problematic aspects of Zeppelin, so letās talk for a moment about their misogyny. The stories about Zeppelinās mistreatment of women abound in every book written about them, though āSick Againā is one of the few Zeppelin songs thatās actuallyĀ aboutĀ their shameless pursuit (and often cruel disposal) of every woman, young and slightly less young, in their orbit. But itās also true that many of the biggest Zeppelin fans (and the ones most insightful about what made them great) happen to be women, whether theyāre journalists like Jaan Uhelszki or lovers like Bebe Buell or hybrids like Pamela Des Barres. Based on accounts of people who were there, Zeppelin treated women like sex objects, but they also allowed women to treatĀ themĀ as sex objects, a dynamic that ultimately comes across vividly in āSick Again.ā
WMGKĀ (92 of 92 songs):Ā Much of Led Zeppelinās catalog hasnāt aged at all... but this song about underage groupies has. The ick-factor on this track goes to 11.
SPIN (64 of 87 songs):Ā The growling closer toĀ Graffitiās final LP side is an eye-openingly straightforward tale of prowling for underage groupies (āOne day soon youāre gonna reach sixteenā¦ You know Iām the one you want / I must be the one you needā), hitting a little close to home ā Page had actually recently taken up an affair with a 14-year-old Lori Maddox ā to be written off as satire. Hell of a riff, though.
Low and behold, I believe I see that Presence is about set to make an appearance.
Appeared On:Ā 2 ballots (out of 62) . . . 3.2%
Total Points: 39 points (out of 1,550 possible points . . .Ā 2.52%%)
Top 5 Ranker: @drunken slob
Other Ranker: @FairWarning
Highest Ranking: 3
Live Performances:
LZ: 90 (New York - 1975-02-12, London - 1975-05-25,Ā Los Angeles - 1977-06-23,Ā
Ā JP & The Black Crowes: 17
Plant: 1
Ultimate Classic Rock RankingĀ (out of 92 songs): 76
Vulture RankingĀ (out of 74 songs): 47
Rolling Stone RankingĀ (out of 40 songs): Not Ranked
Louder RankingĀ (out of 50 songs): Not Ranked
Uproxx RankingĀ (out of 50 songs): 32
WMGK RankingĀ (out of 92 songs): 92
SPIN RankingĀ (out of 87 songs): 64
Ranker RankingĀ (out of 87 songs): 63
Anachronarchy RankingĀ (out of 80 songs): 60
The final track on the sixth album, said to be about the loss of innocence and the decline of the groupie scene inĀ Los Angeles. The song originated after the 1973 North American tour, where band members had noticed that the groupies in L.A. had turned decidedly seedier. Singer Robert Plant's lyrics reflected his personal observations on what was going on with the women involved.Ā Early Version,Ā Rehearsal Track
Plant took pity upon these girls, who would flock to the hotel rooms of the band to offer them "favors." In an interview with Rolling Stone in 1975, he provided an explanation of the lyrics: āIf you listen to Sick Again, the words show I feel a bit sorry for them. "Clutchinā pages from your teenage dream in the lobby of the Hotel Paradise / Through the circus of the L.A. Queens, how fast you learn the downhill slide." One minute she's 12, and the next minute she's 13 and over the top. Such a shame. They haven't got the style that they had in the old daysĀ . . . way back in '68.ā
Multiple rock journalists believe the song is about a groupie named Lori Mattix. She was a teen groupie who is said to have had an affair with Jimmy Page when she was only 14. She often went clubbing with her friend, another groupie named Sable Starr, who also has been connected to both Page and Plant as a teen.
SickĀ Again was performed as the second song on the 1975 and 1977 tours and as an encore at the 1979 Knebworth shows. I couldnāt find which show, but Plant is said to have once performed the song in drag.Ā The 1979-08-04 Knebworth performance was released on the 2003 Led ZeppelinĀ DVD.
In a scaled down set list for the 1980 Over Europe tour, the song did not make the final cut of songs selected. It was, however, one of five songs that were performed at Jason Bonhamās wedding reception at the Heath Hotel in 1990. The groom performed with the three surviving members and also played Bring It On Home, Rock And Roll, Custard Pie (for only the second time ever), and Itāll Be Me (a Jerry Lee Lewis cover).Ā Ā Itāll Be Me ā Fort Worth ā 1977-05-22
The song was revived by Page when touring withĀ the Black CrowesĀ in 1999, and a recorded version was released on the albumĀ Live at the Greek in 2000.Ā The song is featured in the 2004 documentary film on Hollywood's Rodney BingenheimerĀ Mayor of Sunset Strip.
Ultimate Classic RockĀ (76 of 92 songs):Ā Most of the new songs especially recorded forĀ Physical GraffitiĀ are better than the leftover tracks that fill out the double LP. Not this lumbering rocker about teenage groupies.
VultureĀ (47 of 74 songs):Ā The epicĀ Graffitiās envoi is a groupie tribute from Plant, married to an incongruously dramatic guitar-setting from Page, and a spirited solo, too. I find the muddled production and the tedious outro kills it, though.
Uproxx (32 of 50 songs):Ā Itās been a minute since we discussed the problematic aspects of Zeppelin, so letās talk for a moment about their misogyny. The stories about Zeppelinās mistreatment of women abound in every book written about them, though āSick Againā is one of the few Zeppelin songs thatās actuallyĀ aboutĀ their shameless pursuit (and often cruel disposal) of every woman, young and slightly less young, in their orbit. But itās also true that many of the biggest Zeppelin fans (and the ones most insightful about what made them great) happen to be women, whether theyāre journalists like Jaan Uhelszki or lovers like Bebe Buell or hybrids like Pamela Des Barres. Based on accounts of people who were there, Zeppelin treated women like sex objects, but they also allowed women to treatĀ themĀ as sex objects, a dynamic that ultimately comes across vividly in āSick Again.ā
WMGKĀ (92 of 92 songs):Ā Much of Led Zeppelinās catalog hasnāt aged at all... but this song about underage groupies has. The ick-factor on this track goes to 11.
SPIN (64 of 87 songs):Ā The growling closer toĀ Graffitiās final LP side is an eye-openingly straightforward tale of prowling for underage groupies (āOne day soon youāre gonna reach sixteenā¦ You know Iām the one you want / I must be the one you needā), hitting a little close to home ā Page had actually recently taken up an affair with a 14-year-old Lori Maddox ā to be written off as satire. Hell of a riff, though.
Low and behold, I believe I see that Presence is about set to make an appearance.
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AAABatteries
Footballguy
Wow - top 5 for Sick Again. Ā Itās a good song and definitely representative of LZ but thatās lofty praise.
ETA - thatās our first top 5 song from someone, right?
ETA - thatās our first top 5 song from someone, right?
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Anarchy99
Footballguy
The first song to receive a Top 5 vote was Black Country Woman, but I may not have indicated that at the time because it was on the ballot I had forgotten to enter. Both of the BCW and Sick Again Top 5 rankings are from the same list.Ā
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FairWarning
Footballguy
Surprised Sick Again didnāt get more love. Ā Itās on a lot of live YouTube videos. Ā I may be the first one to have all of the picks run out.
FairWarning
Footballguy
A great LZ tribute band is Get the Led Out. Ā They are from the east coast. Ā They change the set every show, also play something from every album. Ā
Anarchy99
Footballguy
ConstruxBoy
Kate's Daddy
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Anarchy99
Footballguy
No. He rhetorically suggested that with so many of his selections already having shown up, that he might be the first person to have all their songs come off the board. I checked, and WAYYYYYYY down the road, he is not the first person to have his final selection appear in the collected rankings. Most people would not be eligible anyway, as only people that did not vote for the #1 song could stand a chance. Most everyone listed one of the top songs, so there are only a couple of people that would even come close to "being the first" to have no songs remaining.
ConstruxBoy
Kate's Daddy
OK, whew.Ā
PIK95
Footballguy
in lieu of reaction emoji.
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
Great riffage here. Pageās work is so masterful that I never paid much attention to the lyrics, which are ick but not a dealbreaker for me. There are groupie songs from other bands that are much more vile.Ā
Anarchy99
Footballguy
#59 - For Your Life from Presence (1976)
Appeared On:Ā 4 ballots (out of 62) . . . 6.5%.
Total Points: Ā 43 points (out of 1,550 possible points . . .Ā 2.77%%)
Rankers:Ā @drunken slob@Pip's Invitation@Zeppelin@
DEADHEAD
Highest Ranking: 8
Live Performances: LZ - 1
Ultimate Classic Rock RankingĀ (out of 92 songs): 62
Vulture RankingĀ (out of 74 songs): 67
Rolling Stone RankingĀ (out of 40 songs): Not Ranked
Louder RankingĀ (out of 50 songs): Not Ranked
Uproxx RankingĀ (out of 50 songs): Not Ranked
WMGK RankingĀ (out of 92 songs): 77
SPIN RankingĀ (out of 87 songs): 77
Ranker RankingĀ (out of 87 songs): 66
Anachronarchy RankingĀ (out of 80 songs): 61
Our second entry from the album sandwiched between Physical Graffiti and In Through The Out Door. Page and Plant are listed as co-writers on six of the seven songs. The album garnered mixed reviews from critics and fans alike, although it still topped the album charts in the U.S. and U.K. and sold over 3 million copies. It was the first album in history to go platinum as soon as it was released (which to me either means through pre-orders or first day sales).Ā
For Your Life was composed spontaneously at Musicland Studio in Munich, Germany (although some feel the initial lyrics may have been written in Malibu. Because of the short booking time allottedĀ forĀ the session, the lyrics and music were essentially completed within minutes. Plant penned his personal feelings about a female acquaintance addicted to illicit substances, namely cocaine, and that she needed to get out of that scene.
Like most things Zeppelin, work on the album and the release date was delayed. Page had seriously injured his left hand disembarking a train. Plant was still healing up from his car accident and recorded his vocals from a wheelchair. Page played aĀ Fender StratocasterĀ on the track, the first time he had used that guitar model for recording with the band. That would become his guitar of choice post-Zeppelin when he founded The Firm.
The downtime also gave the band a chance to finish work on their concert film The Song Remains The Same, which they had been working on, off and on, since 1973.
Chris Welch of Melody Maker commented that āLed Zeppelin have come among us again, this time with a whole album of dynamic compositions delivered with a fervor that shows how anxious they were to get down their new ideas. An album that has pace, direction, and tremendous style.ā Charles Shaar Murray of NME was less convinced: āNo mellotrons, no acoustic guitars, no Hats Off to Roy Harper, no funk or reggae piss takes. Now the bad news . . . there ain't one single candidate for the Led Zeppelin All-Time Killer Hall of Fame in the whole caboodle.ā
The song had been rehearsed a few times for the 1977 and 1980 tours but was never played. It was in the running as an option during the rehearsal in London - 2007-12-07Ā for their reunion show.Ā It ended up making the set list for the Tribute To Ahmet Ertegun benefit concert in London - 2007-12-10.
Jason Bonham, son of John Bonham, sat in on drums with Page, Plant and John Paul Jones. Among the celebrities who attended the show were Mick Jagger, Paul McCartney, Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, David Gilmour, Dave Grohl, Marilyn Manson, Priscilla Presley, Lisa Marie Presley, Michael J. Fox, Pink, Juliette Lewis, Liam Gallagher, Noel Gallagher, and Steve Winwood.
The show set a record with 20 million people putting in for the on-line lottery system to receive tickets. One million people registered the first day.Ā The average ticket price that people paid to get in the door to the concert was $14,700 for tickets with a face value of $250. One adoring fan paidĀ $168,000 (but that was part of a charity auction fundraiser).
That performance saw the first and only performance of For Your Life, either as LZ, Page & Plant, or as solo performers.
Ultimate Classic Rock (62 of 92 songs):Ā There's not a whole lotta memorable songs on the band's seventh album. This one just barely makes it, thanks to its slinky, slippery riff.
VultureĀ (67 of 74 songs):Ā A big slide sound, some cooing from Percy, an extended solo, some drums bashing. For six and a half minutes. And then it flies right out of oneās mind.
WMGKĀ (77 of 92 songs):Ā Perhaps it suffered from having to follow āAchilles Last Stand,ā but āFor Your Lifeā just seems to drag. Plantās vocals sound strained, but thatās likely due to him still recovering from a nasty car accident. It makes you wonder what could have been if he was at full health.Ā
SPIN RankingĀ (77 of 87 songs):Ā Another solid intro in search of a song to follow: Like most of the somewhat ironically titledĀ Presence, it loses itself somewhere in the second or third minute of momentum-less grooving.
Coming up, a song that got only two votes . . . but they were both Top 5 selections.
Appeared On:Ā 4 ballots (out of 62) . . . 6.5%.
Total Points: Ā 43 points (out of 1,550 possible points . . .Ā 2.77%%)
Rankers:Ā @drunken slob@Pip's Invitation@Zeppelin@
DEADHEADHighest Ranking: 8
Live Performances: LZ - 1
Ultimate Classic Rock RankingĀ (out of 92 songs): 62
Vulture RankingĀ (out of 74 songs): 67
Rolling Stone RankingĀ (out of 40 songs): Not Ranked
Louder RankingĀ (out of 50 songs): Not Ranked
Uproxx RankingĀ (out of 50 songs): Not Ranked
WMGK RankingĀ (out of 92 songs): 77
SPIN RankingĀ (out of 87 songs): 77
Ranker RankingĀ (out of 87 songs): 66
Anachronarchy RankingĀ (out of 80 songs): 61
Our second entry from the album sandwiched between Physical Graffiti and In Through The Out Door. Page and Plant are listed as co-writers on six of the seven songs. The album garnered mixed reviews from critics and fans alike, although it still topped the album charts in the U.S. and U.K. and sold over 3 million copies. It was the first album in history to go platinum as soon as it was released (which to me either means through pre-orders or first day sales).Ā
For Your Life was composed spontaneously at Musicland Studio in Munich, Germany (although some feel the initial lyrics may have been written in Malibu. Because of the short booking time allottedĀ forĀ the session, the lyrics and music were essentially completed within minutes. Plant penned his personal feelings about a female acquaintance addicted to illicit substances, namely cocaine, and that she needed to get out of that scene.
Like most things Zeppelin, work on the album and the release date was delayed. Page had seriously injured his left hand disembarking a train. Plant was still healing up from his car accident and recorded his vocals from a wheelchair. Page played aĀ Fender StratocasterĀ on the track, the first time he had used that guitar model for recording with the band. That would become his guitar of choice post-Zeppelin when he founded The Firm.
The downtime also gave the band a chance to finish work on their concert film The Song Remains The Same, which they had been working on, off and on, since 1973.
Chris Welch of Melody Maker commented that āLed Zeppelin have come among us again, this time with a whole album of dynamic compositions delivered with a fervor that shows how anxious they were to get down their new ideas. An album that has pace, direction, and tremendous style.ā Charles Shaar Murray of NME was less convinced: āNo mellotrons, no acoustic guitars, no Hats Off to Roy Harper, no funk or reggae piss takes. Now the bad news . . . there ain't one single candidate for the Led Zeppelin All-Time Killer Hall of Fame in the whole caboodle.ā
The song had been rehearsed a few times for the 1977 and 1980 tours but was never played. It was in the running as an option during the rehearsal in London - 2007-12-07Ā for their reunion show.Ā It ended up making the set list for the Tribute To Ahmet Ertegun benefit concert in London - 2007-12-10.
Jason Bonham, son of John Bonham, sat in on drums with Page, Plant and John Paul Jones. Among the celebrities who attended the show were Mick Jagger, Paul McCartney, Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, David Gilmour, Dave Grohl, Marilyn Manson, Priscilla Presley, Lisa Marie Presley, Michael J. Fox, Pink, Juliette Lewis, Liam Gallagher, Noel Gallagher, and Steve Winwood.
The show set a record with 20 million people putting in for the on-line lottery system to receive tickets. One million people registered the first day.Ā The average ticket price that people paid to get in the door to the concert was $14,700 for tickets with a face value of $250. One adoring fan paidĀ $168,000 (but that was part of a charity auction fundraiser).
That performance saw the first and only performance of For Your Life, either as LZ, Page & Plant, or as solo performers.
Ultimate Classic Rock (62 of 92 songs):Ā There's not a whole lotta memorable songs on the band's seventh album. This one just barely makes it, thanks to its slinky, slippery riff.
VultureĀ (67 of 74 songs):Ā A big slide sound, some cooing from Percy, an extended solo, some drums bashing. For six and a half minutes. And then it flies right out of oneās mind.
WMGKĀ (77 of 92 songs):Ā Perhaps it suffered from having to follow āAchilles Last Stand,ā but āFor Your Lifeā just seems to drag. Plantās vocals sound strained, but thatās likely due to him still recovering from a nasty car accident. It makes you wonder what could have been if he was at full health.Ā
SPIN RankingĀ (77 of 87 songs):Ā Another solid intro in search of a song to follow: Like most of the somewhat ironically titledĀ Presence, it loses itself somewhere in the second or third minute of momentum-less grooving.
Coming up, a song that got only two votes . . . but they were both Top 5 selections.
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Dwayne Hoover
Footballguy
Second Presence, revising my prediction to 5 will make it from this record#59 - For Your Life from Presence (1976)
Appeared On:Ā 4 ballots (out of 62) . . . 3.2%
Total Points: Ā 43 points (out of 1,550 possible points . . .Ā 2.77%%)
Rankers:Ā @drunken slob@Pip's Invitation@Zeppelin@
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Anarchy99
Footballguy
We already had Candy Store Rock at #79. We wonāt revisit Presence for quite a while.Ā
Anarchy99
Footballguy
#58 - Baby Come On Home - Boxed Set 2 (1968 by way of 1993)
Appeared On:Ā 2 ballots (out of 62) . . . 3.2%
Total Points: Ā 45 points (out of 1,550 possible points . . .Ā 2.9%)
Top 5 Rankers: @[scooter]@In The Zone
Highest Ranking: 3
Live Performances: None
Ultimate Classic Rock RankingĀ (out of 92 songs): 84
Vulture RankingĀ (out of 74 songs): Not Ranked
Rolling Stone RankingĀ (out of 40 songs): Not Ranked
Louder RankingĀ (out of 50 songs): Not Ranked
Uproxx RankingĀ (out of 50 songs): Not Ranked
WMGK RankingĀ (out of 92 songs): 46
SPIN RankingĀ (out of 87 songs): 66
Ranker RankingĀ (out of 87 songs): Not Ranked
Anachronarchy RankingĀ (out of 80 songs): Not Ranked
Another of the songs that found its way on to an official release after the band had long been disbanded.Ā The song is a soulful blues rock track with a strong Hammond organ backing and lilting guitar riff, initially intended recorded in 1968 for inclusion onĀ the debut album.Ā In Progress Version - 1968
The working title for the song was 'A Tribute to Bert Berns," who had written a similar song for Hoagy Lands (and thus earned a co-writing credit). The song was an homage to Berns, who had recently passed away. Berns had written or co-written a number of popular songs including Twist & Shout, Hang On Sloopy, Piece Of My Heart, and Everybody Needs Somebody To Love.
Both Page and JonesĀ had earlier worked with Berns as session musicians. Page used a Leslie speaker with his Fender Telecaster guitar, while Jones added soulful Hammond organ and overdubbed piano. The style of the song didnāt seem to fit the rest of the first album. It may have been considered for a single at the time, but the song was abandoned in 1968.
āI donāt think we finished it. The backing vocals werenāt very clever,ā Page recalled. āAnd at the time we thought everything else was better. Simple as that, really. Donāt get me wrong: The track is good, and Plantās singing is excellent. Itās just that we set such high standards for ourselves.ā
As the story goes, the audio reel of the song was later found in a garbage can outside of Olympic Studio in 1991 when the building was getting renovated. The song was restored by producer Mike Fraser with Page in 1993 during the Coverdale / Page sessions. It was designated as a promotional single for the launch of the Led ZeppelinĀ Boxed Set 2. It was later added to the expanded edition of Coda in 2015. The song hit #4 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart.
In our panel, 60 of the 62 rankers passed on Baby Come On Home, but the two people that voted for it ranked the song 3rd and 4th respectively.
Ultimate Classic RockĀ (84 of 92 songs):Ā One too many soundalike blues songs were recorded for the band's first album, so something had to go. This uninteresting original eventually showed up on the second box set.
WMGKĀ (46 of 92 songs): Baby Come On Home was recorded during the āLed Zeppelin Iā recording sessions, but it wasnāt released until 1993 as the focal point of āLed Zeppelin Boxed Set 2.ā It makes sense why it was left off Zeppelinās debut, but this Hammond organ-fuelled beauty of a tune still managed to net success on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart peaking at number four over a decade after Zepās demise.
SPIN RankingĀ (66 of 87 songs):Ā A sort of lost gem of Zeppelinās an Otis Redding-style, organ-drenched soul ballad from the bandās pre-LP days as the āNew Yardbirds.ā It sounds convincing enough that itās hard to believe that itās not a cover, and even though it doesnāt particularly play to the bandās strengths (except for Plant, anyway, whoās having an absolute blast), itās a bummer we didnāt get to hear more of this side of the band on their albums.
Waiting in the wings, a song that was first recorded as an acoustic song for the fourth album in 1971 but got reworked with electric guitar andĀ found its way onto Physical Graffiti in 1975.
Appeared On:Ā 2 ballots (out of 62) . . . 3.2%
Total Points: Ā 45 points (out of 1,550 possible points . . .Ā 2.9%)
Top 5 Rankers: @[scooter]@In The Zone
Highest Ranking: 3
Live Performances: None
Ultimate Classic Rock RankingĀ (out of 92 songs): 84
Vulture RankingĀ (out of 74 songs): Not Ranked
Rolling Stone RankingĀ (out of 40 songs): Not Ranked
Louder RankingĀ (out of 50 songs): Not Ranked
Uproxx RankingĀ (out of 50 songs): Not Ranked
WMGK RankingĀ (out of 92 songs): 46
SPIN RankingĀ (out of 87 songs): 66
Ranker RankingĀ (out of 87 songs): Not Ranked
Anachronarchy RankingĀ (out of 80 songs): Not Ranked
Another of the songs that found its way on to an official release after the band had long been disbanded.Ā The song is a soulful blues rock track with a strong Hammond organ backing and lilting guitar riff, initially intended recorded in 1968 for inclusion onĀ the debut album.Ā In Progress Version - 1968
The working title for the song was 'A Tribute to Bert Berns," who had written a similar song for Hoagy Lands (and thus earned a co-writing credit). The song was an homage to Berns, who had recently passed away. Berns had written or co-written a number of popular songs including Twist & Shout, Hang On Sloopy, Piece Of My Heart, and Everybody Needs Somebody To Love.
Both Page and JonesĀ had earlier worked with Berns as session musicians. Page used a Leslie speaker with his Fender Telecaster guitar, while Jones added soulful Hammond organ and overdubbed piano. The style of the song didnāt seem to fit the rest of the first album. It may have been considered for a single at the time, but the song was abandoned in 1968.
āI donāt think we finished it. The backing vocals werenāt very clever,ā Page recalled. āAnd at the time we thought everything else was better. Simple as that, really. Donāt get me wrong: The track is good, and Plantās singing is excellent. Itās just that we set such high standards for ourselves.ā
As the story goes, the audio reel of the song was later found in a garbage can outside of Olympic Studio in 1991 when the building was getting renovated. The song was restored by producer Mike Fraser with Page in 1993 during the Coverdale / Page sessions. It was designated as a promotional single for the launch of the Led ZeppelinĀ Boxed Set 2. It was later added to the expanded edition of Coda in 2015. The song hit #4 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart.
In our panel, 60 of the 62 rankers passed on Baby Come On Home, but the two people that voted for it ranked the song 3rd and 4th respectively.
Ultimate Classic RockĀ (84 of 92 songs):Ā One too many soundalike blues songs were recorded for the band's first album, so something had to go. This uninteresting original eventually showed up on the second box set.
WMGKĀ (46 of 92 songs): Baby Come On Home was recorded during the āLed Zeppelin Iā recording sessions, but it wasnāt released until 1993 as the focal point of āLed Zeppelin Boxed Set 2.ā It makes sense why it was left off Zeppelinās debut, but this Hammond organ-fuelled beauty of a tune still managed to net success on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart peaking at number four over a decade after Zepās demise.
SPIN RankingĀ (66 of 87 songs):Ā A sort of lost gem of Zeppelinās an Otis Redding-style, organ-drenched soul ballad from the bandās pre-LP days as the āNew Yardbirds.ā It sounds convincing enough that itās hard to believe that itās not a cover, and even though it doesnāt particularly play to the bandās strengths (except for Plant, anyway, whoās having an absolute blast), itās a bummer we didnāt get to hear more of this side of the band on their albums.
Waiting in the wings, a song that was first recorded as an acoustic song for the fourth album in 1971 but got reworked with electric guitar andĀ found its way onto Physical Graffiti in 1975.
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In The Zone
Footballguy
@[scooter]
I love this song and figured that it would be at worst inside the top 50. I had it way up in my rankings. I love the story that the lyrics portray and Plant definitely nailed them. The soulful bluesy feel to this song is incredible. I see in the writeup that this song was recorded during the Zeppelin I recording sessions and that makes sense for me as my favorite album is Zeppelin I and my rankings definitely reflect that.Ā
Great writeup @Anarchy99
Anarchy99
Footballguy
#57 ā Down By The Seaside from Physical Graffiti (1975)
Appeared On: 4 ballots (out of 62) . . . 6.5%
Total Points: 54 points (out of 1,550 possible points . . .Ā 3.48%%)
Top 5 Ranker:Ā @Mookie Gizzy
Other Rankers: @simey@Cowboysfan8@Dr. Octopus
Highest Ranking: 5
Live Performances:Ā
LZ - None
Page & Plant: 1 (Red Rocks - 1998-09-16)
Plant: 1 (Egremont - 2015-10-24)
Ultimate Classic Rock RankingĀ (out of 92Ā songs): 66
Vulture RankingĀ (out of 74 songs): 54
Rolling Stone RankingĀ (out of 40 songs): Not Ranked
Louder RankingĀ (out of 50 songs): Not Ranked
Uproxx RankingĀ (out of 50 songs): Not Ranked
WMGK RankingĀ (out of 92 songs): 70
SPIN RankingĀ (out of 87 songs): 53
Ranker RankingĀ (out of 87 songs): 41
Anachronarchy RankingĀ (out of 80 songs): 48
Our sixth song from Physical Graffiti so far,Ā DownĀ byĀ theĀ Seaside was initially developed at Bron-Yr-AurĀ as a slow tempo acoustic piece in 1970 and was recorded on a tape recorder. It is believed that this was a tribute to the Neil Young song Down By The River from 1969. The early recording was called Untitled.Ā Rehearsal Track
During a studio recording session in 1971,Ā theĀ acoustic guitars were replaced with electric ones. Page also added a watery tremolo effect on his Gibson Les Paul to imitateĀ theĀ seaside. Plant's lyrics are relaxed and reflective throughout. JonesĀ added lively Hohner Electra-Piano electric piano playing, especially inĀ theĀ harder rocking sections.Ā
Page commented on why the song didn't make the fourth album.Ā āIf you think about it, you couldnāt have substituted anything off the fourth album for any of the unused tracks (that ended up on other albums). Each of them had their own individual charm and character.ā
TheĀ track was held over fromĀ theĀ Led Zeppelin IV album but was selected for inclusion on Physical Graffiti. This song is a personal favorite of Plant. It was his idea to include this song on the album, though not everyone agreed with him. Plant explained: "Everybody laughed when I suggested including Down By The Seaside. John Paul Jones, in particular, hated this track.ā
Plant recorded the song as a duet with American singer-songwriter Tori Amos to close out theĀ albumĀ Encomium: A Tribute To Led Zeppelin that was released in 1995 (which took the song in a completely different direction). Both were big into each otherās music and itās rumored the two had a relationship.
The song was never performed live by Led Zeppelin. I linked the one Page & Plant performance listed as a full performance above. On occasion, they would play segments off the song or the beginning section as part of a medley of songs.Ā
Tokyo - 1996-02-08.Ā I also linked the one performance listed as performed by Robert Plant as a solo artist (finding some of these on YouTube have been a royal PITA).
Ultimate Classic RockĀ (66 of 92Ā songs):Ā Physical GraffitiĀ basically consisted of half new songs, half leftovers from earlier albums. The country-ish "Down by the Seaside" was intended for the fourth album but didn't make the final cut.
VultureĀ (54 of 74 songs): Zeppelin isnāt the band you really want to go on a bucolic getaway with, but this is what they gave you. Aside from the driven middle section, pretty non-notable and definitely filler, but onĀ GraffitiĀ it passes for a breather.
WMGKĀ (70 of 92 songs):Ā An outtake from āLed Zeppelin IV,ā its dreamy, Neil Young-influenced twang wouldāve been a bit out of place on that album but fits in nicely on the mellow side three of āPhysical Graffiti.āĀ
SPIN (53 of 87 songs):Ā Led Zeppelin doesnāt have a ton of songs that would best be described as ānice,ā butĀ this Neil Young homageĀ would certainly be one: A gently swaying, wistful number with sweetly tremoloād guitar and soothing electric piano. (Donāt worry, Page still rips a normal guitar solo in the darker-but-mercifully-short mid-section.) Amidst the epic brutality of much ofĀ Graffiti, itās a highly welcome respite.
The third album is knocking on the door to deliver our next two tracks. So far, he have covered only 415 points out of 20,150 total points that were awarded, a mere 2%. Lots of ground to cover still.
Appeared On: 4 ballots (out of 62) . . . 6.5%
Total Points: 54 points (out of 1,550 possible points . . .Ā 3.48%%)
Top 5 Ranker:Ā @Mookie Gizzy
Other Rankers: @simey@Cowboysfan8@Dr. Octopus
Highest Ranking: 5
Live Performances:Ā
LZ - None
Page & Plant: 1 (Red Rocks - 1998-09-16)
Plant: 1 (Egremont - 2015-10-24)
Ultimate Classic Rock RankingĀ (out of 92Ā songs): 66
Vulture RankingĀ (out of 74 songs): 54
Rolling Stone RankingĀ (out of 40 songs): Not Ranked
Louder RankingĀ (out of 50 songs): Not Ranked
Uproxx RankingĀ (out of 50 songs): Not Ranked
WMGK RankingĀ (out of 92 songs): 70
SPIN RankingĀ (out of 87 songs): 53
Ranker RankingĀ (out of 87 songs): 41
Anachronarchy RankingĀ (out of 80 songs): 48
Our sixth song from Physical Graffiti so far,Ā DownĀ byĀ theĀ Seaside was initially developed at Bron-Yr-AurĀ as a slow tempo acoustic piece in 1970 and was recorded on a tape recorder. It is believed that this was a tribute to the Neil Young song Down By The River from 1969. The early recording was called Untitled.Ā Rehearsal Track
During a studio recording session in 1971,Ā theĀ acoustic guitars were replaced with electric ones. Page also added a watery tremolo effect on his Gibson Les Paul to imitateĀ theĀ seaside. Plant's lyrics are relaxed and reflective throughout. JonesĀ added lively Hohner Electra-Piano electric piano playing, especially inĀ theĀ harder rocking sections.Ā
Page commented on why the song didn't make the fourth album.Ā āIf you think about it, you couldnāt have substituted anything off the fourth album for any of the unused tracks (that ended up on other albums). Each of them had their own individual charm and character.ā
TheĀ track was held over fromĀ theĀ Led Zeppelin IV album but was selected for inclusion on Physical Graffiti. This song is a personal favorite of Plant. It was his idea to include this song on the album, though not everyone agreed with him. Plant explained: "Everybody laughed when I suggested including Down By The Seaside. John Paul Jones, in particular, hated this track.ā
Plant recorded the song as a duet with American singer-songwriter Tori Amos to close out theĀ albumĀ Encomium: A Tribute To Led Zeppelin that was released in 1995 (which took the song in a completely different direction). Both were big into each otherās music and itās rumored the two had a relationship.
The song was never performed live by Led Zeppelin. I linked the one Page & Plant performance listed as a full performance above. On occasion, they would play segments off the song or the beginning section as part of a medley of songs.Ā
Tokyo - 1996-02-08.Ā I also linked the one performance listed as performed by Robert Plant as a solo artist (finding some of these on YouTube have been a royal PITA).
Ultimate Classic RockĀ (66 of 92Ā songs):Ā Physical GraffitiĀ basically consisted of half new songs, half leftovers from earlier albums. The country-ish "Down by the Seaside" was intended for the fourth album but didn't make the final cut.
VultureĀ (54 of 74 songs): Zeppelin isnāt the band you really want to go on a bucolic getaway with, but this is what they gave you. Aside from the driven middle section, pretty non-notable and definitely filler, but onĀ GraffitiĀ it passes for a breather.
WMGKĀ (70 of 92 songs):Ā An outtake from āLed Zeppelin IV,ā its dreamy, Neil Young-influenced twang wouldāve been a bit out of place on that album but fits in nicely on the mellow side three of āPhysical Graffiti.āĀ
SPIN (53 of 87 songs):Ā Led Zeppelin doesnāt have a ton of songs that would best be described as ānice,ā butĀ this Neil Young homageĀ would certainly be one: A gently swaying, wistful number with sweetly tremoloād guitar and soothing electric piano. (Donāt worry, Page still rips a normal guitar solo in the darker-but-mercifully-short mid-section.) Amidst the epic brutality of much ofĀ Graffiti, itās a highly welcome respite.
The third album is knocking on the door to deliver our next two tracks. So far, he have covered only 415 points out of 20,150 total points that were awarded, a mere 2%. Lots of ground to cover still.
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simey
Footballguy
Anarchy99
Footballguy
Anarchy99
Footballguy
Cowboysfan8
Footballguy
Not a big deal at all , but I had Carouselambra ranked alsoĀ
Enjoying the thread very much, thanks for all the work youāve put into itĀ
So I decide to fire up some In through the Outdoor on a car ride today. Ā Never really fell in love with this album as I felt it was basically a Robert Plant solo album with help from JPJ. Ā No signs of Page here and it shows. Ā Iām sorry but Carouselambra is awful. Ā Iām embarrassed for Zeppelin having this stain on their recording history.
I actually like Iām gonna crawl. Ā This would be a sweet song if they recorded it back in 68 when Plantās vocals were top notch. Ā
I actually like Iām gonna crawl. Ā This would be a sweet song if they recorded it back in 68 when Plantās vocals were top notch. Ā
Tau837
Footballguy
I think you are being a bit harsh. For 90%+ of all artists, it would be a strong album. It just doesn't measure up to the previous LZ albums.
simey
Footballguy
jamny
Footballguy
The night before In Through the Out Door was released, a radio station in NY, probably WNEW, was going to play it in it's entirety. It was a huge event for me and my friends, the first studio release that we would be there for since we were all around 15 or 16 at the time. We all gathered around a friends boombox and waited to hear it. It was definitely not well received. I was cautiously optimistic that sitting down with it the next day once it was released, in the comfort of my own bedroom, would give me a different impression. While I did like it more, it never really did grab me. It was probably too mature for a 15 year old kid like I was whose musical preference was getting heavier and heavier.
In The Zone
Footballguy
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
I guess I should make a case for this since, as I figured might happen, I was one of the few to put it on their ballot.Anarchy99 said:#59 - For Your Life from Presence (1976)
Appeared On:Ā 4 ballots (out of 62) . . . 6.5%.
Total Points: Ā 43 points (out of 1,550 possible points . . .Ā 2.77%%)
Rankers:Ā @drunken slob@Pip's Invitation@Zeppelin@
Live Performances: LZ - 1
Ultimate Classic Rock RankingĀ (out of 92 songs): 62
Vulture RankingĀ (out of 74 songs): 67
Rolling Stone RankingĀ (out of 40 songs): Not Ranked
Louder RankingĀ (out of 50 songs): Not Ranked
Uproxx RankingĀ (out of 50 songs): Not Ranked
WMGK RankingĀ (out of 92 songs): 77
SPIN RankingĀ (out of 87 songs): 77
Ranker RankingĀ (out of 87 songs): 66
Anachronarchy RankingĀ (out of 80 songs): 61
Our second entry from the album sandwiched between Physical Graffiti and In Through The Out Door. Page and Plant are listed as co-writers on six of the seven songs. The album garnered mixed reviews from critics and fans alike, although it still topped the album charts in the U.S. and U.K. and sold over 3 million copies. It was the first album in history to go platinum as soon as it was released (which to me either means through pre-orders or first day sales).Ā
For Your Life was composed spontaneously at Musicland Studio in Munich, Germany (although some feel the initial lyrics may have been written in Malibu. Because of the short booking time allottedĀ forĀ the session, the lyrics and music were essentially completed within minutes. Plant penned his personal feelings about a female acquaintance addicted to illicit substances, namely cocaine, and that she needed to get out of that scene.
Like most things Zeppelin, work on the album and the release date was delayed. Page had seriously injured his left hand disembarking a train. Plant was still healing up from his car accident and recorded his vocals from a wheelchair. Page played aĀ Fender StratocasterĀ on the track, the first time he had used that guitar model for recording with the band. That would become his guitar of choice post-Zeppelin when he founded The Firm.
The downtime also gave the band a chance to finish work on their concert film The Song Remains The Same, which they had been working on, off and on, since 1973.
Chris Welch of Melody Maker commented that āLed Zeppelin have come among us again, this time with a whole album of dynamic compositions delivered with a fervor that shows how anxious they were to get down their new ideas. An album that has pace, direction, and tremendous style.ā Charles Shaar Murray of NME was less convinced: āNo mellotrons, no acoustic guitars, no Hats Off to Roy Harper, no funk or reggae piss takes. Now the bad news . . . there ain't one single candidate for the Led Zeppelin All-Time Killer Hall of Fame in the whole caboodle.ā
The song had been rehearsed a few times for the 1977 and 1980 tours but was never played. It was in the running as an option during the rehearsal in London - 2007-12-07Ā for their reunion show.Ā It ended up making the set list for the Tribute To Ahmet Ertegun benefit concert in London - 2007-12-10.
Jason Bonham, son of John Bonham, sat in on drums with Page, Plant and John Paul Jones. Among the celebrities who attended the show were Mick Jagger, Paul McCartney, Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, David Gilmour, Dave Grohl, Marilyn Manson, Priscilla Presley, Lisa Marie Presley, Michael J. Fox, Pink, Juliette Lewis, Liam Gallagher, Noel Gallagher, and Steve Winwood.
The show set a record with 20 million people putting in for the on-line lottery system to receive tickets. One million people registered the first day.Ā The average ticket price that people paid to get in the door to the concert was $14,700 for tickets with a face value of $250. One adoring fan paidĀ $168,000 (but that was part of a charity auction fundraiser).
That performance saw the first and only performance of For Your Life, either as LZ, Page & Plant, or as solo performers.
Ultimate Classic Rock (62 of 92 songs):Ā There's not a whole lotta memorable songs on the band's seventh album. This one just barely makes it, thanks to its slinky, slippery riff.
VultureĀ (67 of 74 songs):Ā A big slide sound, some cooing from Percy, an extended solo, some drums bashing. For six and a half minutes. And then it flies right out of oneās mind.
WMGKĀ (77 of 92 songs):Ā Perhaps it suffered from having to follow āAchilles Last Stand,ā but āFor Your Lifeā just seems to drag. Plantās vocals sound strained, but thatās likely due to him still recovering from a nasty car accident. It makes you wonder what could have been if he was at full health.Ā
SPIN RankingĀ (77 of 87 songs):Ā Another solid intro in search of a song to follow: Like most of the somewhat ironically titledĀ Presence, it loses itself somewhere in the second or third minute of momentum-less grooving.
Coming up, a song that got only two votes . . . but they were both Top 5 selections.
My rank: 15
My friend's rank: None (his list had nothing after Physical)
I'll start by saying I disagree with pretty much everything said by the blurb writers of the other countdowns. I don't find it unmemorable or dragging or lacking momentum at all. There is some turgidity to it, but the way that certain things burst out of that is what makes the song so great.Ā
The first 20 seconds lay down a solid groove with everyone locked in. During the verses, Jones' bass offers a great counterpoint to Plant's vocal -- it especially comes through great on the remaster --Ā taking it up a notch when we get to the "and she said, don't you want a cook it, cook it, cook it" part.Ā
The second verse mostly repeats the dynamics of the first, but when it ends at 2:07, things start to take off, as Plant's vocal soars and Page comes in with a new riff that rises up and slaps you in the face.Ā
The bridge starting at 2:30 may be where the blurb writers start to lose interest. It could have been tightened up a bit but I don't see it as detrimental to the overall piece, and it leads to some cool Plant vamping. Whatever note Page bends at 3:21 is a cool little touch as well.Ā
By about 3:35, Plant is full-on into soul-singer testifying. I actually think the strain in his voice lends this portion a lot of charm -- if he'd done this kind of thing with the full power of his 1968-71 voice, it might have come off as too showy.Ā
A sustain from Page around 3:55 introduces yet another memorable riff and I love the way Page and Jones play off each other in this segment. Plant contributes moreĀ soul-singer testifying.Ā
Page's solo begins at 4:17, and it's one of my favorites of his. The burst of the first notes coming out of the groove that had been locked in is a pretty thrilling moment. As with Plant's vocal, this is not flashy, but it's soulful and impassioned and doesn't overwhelm what Jones and Bonham are doing -- the flourishes those two make during the solo such as at 5:00 are among my favorite parts of the song.Ā
The third verse doesn't do much different from the first two, but the way it resolves into Plant's impassioned singing of the title phrase is great.
Notice I didn't say much about Bonham here. The raw power that characterized his playing on the first six records isn't really on display on this track. Instead, he's as steady and in the pocket as the best funk drummers -- and Ringo Starr. Very few drummers are good at both.Ā
The lyrics tell a compelling story about cocaine addiction without beating you over the head with it.Ā
If you expect Zep to be in your face like Whole Lotta Love and Immigrant Song all the time, then you're not going to appreciate this track, but I think you're missing out.Ā
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
This song is a fascinating peek into a road not taken. Plant could have been a pop-soul singer if he'd really wanted to. It's somewhat similar to Your Time Is Gonna Come, but its soul/gospel influences are much more obvious and undiluted.Ā
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
With all the talk about how this song was inspired by Neil, I guess I should weigh in here. I did not have it on my ballot, but I would have ranked it higher than 57. Probably in my top 40.Ā
There are definitely country-rock elements here that build on what Neil and his Laurel Canyon friends were doing in the late '60s and early '70s, but Page's playing style is so different from anyone from that scene that it sounds like a bizarro-universe take on the genre. It has much more in common with the Stones' occasional takes on country (Faraway Eyes, etc.) Hence seeing Doc Oc has it in his top 25 does not surprise me. Ditto Simey, who is big into Americana type stuff.Ā
The middle section starting at 2:09 is where things get interesting. It's Page letting his own thing fly, unconstrained by trying to fit into someone else's style, and then shifting back seamlessly into the country thing. It would have been a disaster in lesser hands, but Zep pulls it off masterfully.Ā
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