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The greatest in rock came together in 1968 in the form of Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones, and the late John Bonham, otherwise known as Led Zeppelin. From 1969 to 1982, the band released nine studio albums: Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin II, Led Zeppelin III, Untitled/Led Zeppelin IV (Robert Plant calls it The Fourth Album), Houses Of The Holy, Physical Graffiti, Presence, In Through The Out Door, and Coda. Their most groundbreaking tracks include:
Dazed And Confused - this track, completely written by Jimmy Page, showcased the wonders of a violin bow when used on an electric guitar. It became legendary as a live track, several times exceeding 30 minutes in length. However, "D&C" was no longer a tour staple after Page suffered a hand injury(his hand was slammed in a train door) around the start of the '75 tour.
Black Mountain Side - a short instrumental piece (two minutes, seven seconds) on the debut album, this track featuring Page's acoustic tuned like a sitar as well as tabla drums(played by Viram Jasani) was also coupled with "White Summer," another instrumental classic. Oftentimes on the '80 tour there would be a great long selection: White Summer/Black Mountain Side/Kashmir.
Whole Lotta Love - Led Zeppelin's only U.S. Top 5 in the single format, "Whole Lotta Love" jacked everyone up a few notches and quickly became timeless, especially for the large amount of wailing and some lyrics that were rather risque for the day.
Heartbreaker - Hey fellas, have ya heard the news? You know that Annie's back in town?!? I need say no more.
Moby Dick - an instrumental primarily fueled by the drums of John Bonham, this selection also became a live performance legend. For a boxed set, Jimmy Page mixed "Moby Dick" with "Bonzo's Montreux," a 1976 drum instrumental released on Coda.
Immigrant Song - fast and furious, and about Vikings, though a lot of people never really understood what Plant was singing. Like the men sung about in the song, the band were legendary conquerors of their arena.
Since I've Been Loving You - pure heavy blues, this was the most enduring in popularity, along with "Immigrant Song," of the selections of Led Zeppelin III.
That's The Way - full of heart, this song was included in the soundtrack of the motion picture Almost Famous - the first time a Led Zeppelin song has been included in a motion picture soundtrack, besides, of course, The Song Remains The Same.
Black Dog - Robert Plant called this a "do it in the bath" kind of song. The guitar sound on the track ("throaty" and extremely echoey) was never quite done the same way again.
Stairway To Heaven - the greatest song ever recorded. It, rather than "Good Vibrations," was "the rock and roll symphony." An epic in four parts, the masterful performance by all band members made sure that nothing would ever top those eight minutes of glory.
When The Levee Breaks - this was another of the great blues selections and a powerful end to a powerful album (Untitled, 1971.).
The Song Remains The Same - the work on the Stratocaster here is excellent, and the vocals were as well.
The Rain Song - this work should have been The Second Coming of Stairway. Although popular and heavily played on tour, especially during 1973 and 1980, it is underappreciated as a masterpiece.
D'yer Mak'er (Jamaica for the non-translation inclined) - the drum sound on this track is exquisite. The somewhat tropical beat made some wonder if Led Zeppelin was going to "go reggae," as Led Zeppelin III left those not understanding of the master plan wondering if Led Zeppelin would "go acoustic." This song has often been mistakenly pronounced "DIE-er Maker."
No Quarter - another heady lengthy selection, "No Quarter" was driven by the vulnerable mellotrone as well as good guitar and vocal work.
In My Time Of Dying - hard blues rock, the title says it all. The track was the longest Led Zeppelin recorded, as far as studio versions go.
Kashmir - groundbreaking in the concept of symphonic rock, it also had heavy Eastern influences, prevalent in a masterful vocal performance and grand guitar and keyboard work.
In The Light - when you feel that you can't go on, listen to "In The Light." You'll find you're not alone on your feelings and you'll also find the song is exceptional.
Down By The Seaside - though released in the middle of the decade, this track was recorded in 1971 (it could have been released on Untitled) and features quintessential '70s sounds in every manner.
Achilles Last Stand - the powerful lead track from the 1976 album Presence, in the opinions of many this was another of the harbingers of metal.
Carouselambra - this effort of over 10 minutes was probably the most reliant on synth,. Like most of Led Zeppelin's longer works, this is mythologically influenced, and is a real treat to listen to.
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