Poll - Best Zeppelin album ever

[SamuelKhan]

The Rain Song was one of my favorite songs to play on the piano. I have a very fond memory of being 17 years old, and playing The Rain Song on the piano at a party. Everybody gathered around to listen. This incredibly beautiful blonde named Beth sat on the piano stool next to me and put an arm around me. Yeah, no pressure. It was such a thrill that it literally took all my powers of concentration to maintain the song, but I pulled it off without a mistake.

Props. I think of the Arthurian legend when it came to No Quarter. I'm searching for the video now that I made last year, and I'll post it here soon.

 

[isabeau]

yikes...nothing worse that someone trying to remake a classic...Ann Wilson, formerly of Heart is coming out with a cd...and she is attempting to do Valhalla...hmmm i heard a preview...sounds like someone scratching fingernails down a chalk board....*shudders

 

[Dave2112]

The Rain Song was one of my favorite songs to play on the piano. I have a very fond memory of being 17 years old, and playing The Rain Song on the piano at a party. Everybody gathered around to listen. This incredibly beautiful blonde named Beth sat on the piano stool next to me and put an arm around me. Yeah, no pressure. It was such a thrill that it literally took all my powers of concentration to maintain the song, but I pulled it off without a mistake.

One of my faves to play on piano as well. Try "Going to California" sometime. It translates well to piano, if you can get those little acoustic guitar fills right.

An old band of mine used to do "Misty Mountian Hop", and while I was the singer/keyboardist of that band, I also played what we called "second guitar" on songs that really couldn't take a keyboard part. We did the opening section with me on electric piano, but I fell back into guitar for the rest of the song. We did the guitar solo in tandem, harmonizing tha parts so it sounded like the album. Much like your story of "Over the Hills and Far Away", I was impressed that we were able to pull that off, especially when one guitar takes of on the rest of the solo and the other switches between the solo part and the "lick line".

Playing Zeppelin is FUN, kids.

 

[TklDuo-Drew]

I saw Robert Plant on his 1988 solo tour, when he started performing Zeppelin songs again. When he did "Misty Mountain Hop", it was like a U2 audience. Every single person in the Hartford Civic Center standing on their feet shouting out the "oh-ooohs" at the end of the tune. So many Zeppelin-starved fans out there.


Drew

 

[dskodj]

In Through The Out Door...the LP as a whole is just perfection. Im not a huge Zep fan to be honest (Bob Plant solo fan though), but their techinical final LP to me was the best they ever recorded. Seems just as they were gettin better and better, it all ends...like many great rock bands ending before their time.

 

[mrfrench58]

I still listen to III all the time and had to choose it.

While many people think of it as their acoustic album (with some justification), stuff like Immigrant Song and Out on the Tiles are as heavy as anything they ever did, in my opinion.

Also, Page is in fine blues form on Since I've Been Loving You.

And the three songs that start off side two, Gallows Pole, Tangerine and That's the Way never fail to thrill me.

Perhaps the one thing III fans would change on this album would be dropping the last song, Hats Off to Roy Harper and replace it with Hey, Hey What Can I Do?

 

[drew70]

I still listen to III all the time and had to choose it.

While many people think of it as their acoustic album (with some justification), stuff like Immigrant Song and Out on the Tiles are as heavy as anything they ever did, in my opinion.

Also, Page is in fine blues form on Since I've Been Loving You.

And the three songs that start off side two, Gallows Pole, Tangerine and That's the Way never fail to thrill me.

Perhaps the one thing III fans would change on this album would be dropping the last song, Hats Off to Roy Harper and replace it with Hey, Hey What Can I Do?

I agree fully with everything you say here, mrfrench. III is a fantastic album with an awesome blend of hard edge rock, slow blues, and acoustic folk rock. "Hey Hey What Can I do" definitely should have been on that album.

 

[mrfrench58]

I agree fully with everything you say here, mrfrench. III is a fantastic album with an awesome blend of hard edge rock, slow blues, and acoustic folk rock. "Hey Hey What Can I do" definitely should have been on that album.

And III had a great album cover in its original vinyl form with the sliding image wheel.

I also recall that in the inner grooves, near the record label that several phrases were imprinted on the vinyl. The phrase on one side was "Do what thou wilt," which I believe was attributed to Alister Crowley, the supposed Satanist that Page was fascinated with at the time.

Sorry, I'm babbling here. LOL

 

[socksoff]

Physical Graffitti = Their most Progressive Album.(Their Beatles White Album!)

 

[Soda Bobinski]

Decided To Bump This Thread 'Cause I Love Reading What People Hafta Say 'Bout Zep!

Also ...

Has anyone realized how little respect Coda gets? ... even among Zep-fans? I'm not saying it belongs in the discussion of 'Best Zeppelin album ever' , but it boasts some really great songs :

I Can't Quit You Baby - Zeppelin at their bluesy-best ... & arguably a superior version than the one that appeared on the first Zep album.

Wearing & Tearing - a song that rocks & thunders just as hard as any of Zeppelin's best rocking-&-thundering stuff.

Ozone Baby - groovy ... & maybe even a bit 'poppy' ... but a seriously super bass guitar line makes this song a lot of fun to listen to.

Darlene - w/John Paul Jones adding some up beat piano-work to Zeppelin's repertoire , this tune is a completely different animal by song's end than from when it starts.

Bonzo's Montreaux - okay ... it's not Moby Dick , but it's still a stellar drumming-opus that'll get your feet tapping & head nodding just the same.

Poor Tom - I dare anyone who listens to this song to not get caught up in the catchy rhythm & Page's always-mesmirizing acoustic guitar.

We're Gonna Groove - another 'groovy' piece where Robert Plant actually sounds kinda angry as he sings over another masterful Page riff.

Walter's Walk - just another damn good song!

 

[drew70]

TKLMAN, in my case, I never really listened to Coda enough for it to have a chance to grab me. Also, none of my die hard Zep friends ever prompted me, "Drew you gotta hear this album!" The only reason I even have it is that I copied it from a friend. I played it about a week or so ago and thought, this isn't half bad.

Another album I recommend is BBC Recordings. This is chock full of live versions of their most classic tunes performed prior to The Song Remains The Same. I particularly dig that album's live version of The Immigrant Song, which unlike the studio version, actually has a guitar solo.

Speaking of The Immigrant Song, does anybody besides me see a similarity in melody to the show tune "Bali Hai" from the Broadway musical South Pacific? Ah AH AHHHHHH AHH! = Bali Haaiii!"

 

[TklDuo-Drew]

I hear strong similarities to "Bali Hai" and "The Immigrant Song", Drew.

I have a version of "Bali Hai" from Les Baxter or Martin Denny with some female singer, the patterns aren't too far off from each other.


Drew

 

[drew70]

I hear you, Drew. And by the way, thanks for the correct spelling of the song. 😀 At the risk of hijacking, I love the song Bali Hai. South Pacific is my favorite of the classic musicals. Evidently Page and Plant dug it as well.

 

[Coda]

Also ...

Has anyone realized how little respect Coda gets?

Seriously.

 

[Soda Bobinski]

Seriously.

I respect you , Coda.

 

[ChosenofMystra]

Houses of the Holy, hands down.

A close second would be Physical Graffitti.