The band was formed in London back in 1968 but has links to the West Midlands, where I am from. The lead singer, Robert Plant was born in West Bromwich which is about four or five miles from where I used to live in Walsall; that’s probably closer to me than where Ozzy Osbourne was born.
Everybody knows Led Zeppelin but I didn’t really get into them until I heard their final album called “In Through the Out Door” released in 1978. That’s the point when I started to listen to them a lot. They are cited as another of the founders of heavy metal and hard rock but I think they were more a heavy blues band, which is certainly true if you listen to the eponymous debut album but slightly less so as the albums evolved.
Without further ado, I present to you my top ten songs by Led Zeppelin. Again, purists might disagree with my choices but, honestly, I don’t care. In my opinion, their music appeals to a wide range of people who love rock music and your favourites may depend on the style of rock music you prefer. This is mine:
10. I’m Gonna Crawl (from In Through the Out Door – 1978)
I’m not sure how popular Led Zeppelin’s last album is compared to the others but when you see people gushing over their music, it doesn’t really include this last offering. As I said above, it was the first album by the band that I bought and therefore it has a special place in my heart. The final song on the album is “I’m Gonna Crawl” and it is a wonderful blues rock song, reminiscent of the earliest work. It is very moving and poignant song, singing the praises of a girlfriend who the singer loves so much he would crawl to her. It’s a real slow burner.
9. Communication Breakdown (from Led Zeppelin - 1969)
My final exam ever at university was really difficult and at the end I was slightly depressed. I had done all I could and I left the examination hall feeling worried that it may affect my grade. I am the kind of person who needs a decent rock song to snap me out of such negativity and when I returned to my digs, I played this song, which seemed to fit perfectly with lyrics like:
Communication breakdown, it's always the same
Havin' a nervous breakdown, a-drive me insane, yeah
Remarkably, I passed the exam and acquired an honours degree, so this song is special to me.
8. Black Dog (from Led Zeppelin IV – 1971)
A lot of people think that “Led Zeppelin IV” is the band’s magnum opus and I can understand that opinion. It was in fact the second album by the band that I added to my collection. Is it my favourite? I’m not sure – I love the first and last albums and I think deep down the debut album is my favourite (certainly looking at this list). “Black Dog” is the opening song to the fourth album and whenever I hear it I prepare myself for what is to follow. It is a brilliant opening song worthy of a wonderful album.
7. How Many More Times (from Led Zeppelin - 1969)
This is another song from the band’s debut album and has a wonderful pounding rhythm that drives the first and last portions of the song. It’s a long song but really appears to be two songs mixed into one, with the tone of the song changing a little in the middle. I’ve recently discovered that Jimmy Page’s guitarwork in the middle portion of the song was enhanced using a bow to play. In fact this song is a great example of Jimmy Page at his best and it is understandable why he is so highly rated.
6. Kashmir ((from Physical Graffiti – 1975)
“Kashmir” as the name suggests has a bit of a middle eastern feel to it and is by far the best song on the album “Physical Graffiti”. It has an air of menace to it but I’m not sure whether that was intentional or not. It’s a terrific song.
5. Whole Lotta Love (from Led Zeppelin II – 1969)
Back in the 1970’s, we had a must-watch TV show for youngsters called “Top of the Pops”, which featured songs from the UK Top 20 and influenced young people like me (at the time), guiding us on which music to listen to and buy. During that time, the theme tune to the programme was a cover of “Whole Lotta Love” by a band called C.C.S. and the opening riff became engrained on my mind as well as the minds of most other kids from my generation. The original Led Zeppelin version is of course much better, but the cover version holds a special place too. Here is the original (and best) version from Led Zeppelin.
And here is the theme from “Top of the Pops”:
4. In the Evening (from In Through the Out Door – 1978)
“In the Evening” is the opening song on Led Zeppelin’s final album, the first album by the band that I bought. It is also my favourite song from that album. One of the main differences for the last album is that it was more keyboard driven and my own opinion is that rock music is enhanced when keyboards and synthesisers are included. I’m sure not many purists would agree with that. It’s one of the reasons I like this song and the album in general.
3. Immigrant Song (from Led Zeppelin III – 1970)
“Immigrant Song” is one of the greatest opening songs to an album full stop in my opinion. It is a magnificent rock song, the pounding guitar from Jimmy Page, ably supported by the bass from John Paul Jones and John Bonham’s unique drumming. And Robert Plant’s vocals are incredible. In fact, this was my ring tone for a couple of years back when I acquired my first smartphone. The icing on the cake is that it all about Vikings and Norse mythology.
2. Stairway to Heaven (from Led Zeppelin IV – 1971)
How can anyone list the top ten Led Zeppelin songs without including this masterpiece? The only thing that may surprise people is that I placed it at number 2. It has everything that I love from a rock song; a slow build up, heartfelt vocals, and beautiful instrumentation. The song evolves from an exquisite opening, gradually increasing in power and strength and reaching a magnificent crescendo of pure rock guitar and howling vocals. It is absolutely wonderful and one of my favourite songs of all time. It is usually a choice for people at funerals but I won’t be choosing it because it is too predictable. This is a song that should just be admired for what it is rather than associating it with a sad event like a funeral.
1. Dazed and Confused (from Led Zeppelin - 1969)
I listened to Led Zeppelin’s debut album a lot during my three years at university and I have fond memories of all of the songs. At the time I was constantly on the lookout for a new lady in my life and this song kind of sums the frustration that I had at the time when I failed - repeatedly. I simply didn’t understand women and that naïve idiot I used to be sought solace in this fantastic heavy blues masterpiece. The lyrics and the music summed up everything for me, even though the lyrics are a little over the top – like this one:
Lots of people talkin', few of them know
Soul of a woman was created below
I really was “dazed and confused” a lot – but also in retrospect, I was a useless idiot.
Musically, the song is a magnificent blues opus with a great hard rock interlude in the middle. It is that nostalgia of being a naïve fool during a time when my life was changing that endears this song to me. And now I am an old bugger I can look back with laughter at my younger self.
I just love this song so much.
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