This is the album that I have listened to more than any other in my life, so much so that the stereo is fed up and trying to destroy it. The record that introduced me to and made me love this group, which already attracted me with those voices that denigrated it for certain mysteries, darkness, but also the greatness and majesty of each member's abilities. From hard rock to folk, from blues to rock and roll, ZOSO is a fundamental work for those who want to delve into the magical world of these four Englishmen who drove the world crazy with the various legends about destroyed hotel rooms or sexual performances desired by multiple groupies.
In short, ZOSO is the album of maturity for Jimmy, Robert, John, and Bonzo, where in eight tracks our heroes offer the essence of what they had already given to fans with the first three also excellent albums.
It starts with BLACK DOG, pure hard rock with Robert's shouted intro, but it continues, and here comes ROCK AND ROLL, my favorite in the realm of wild rock, which begins with Bonzo's famous intro that at the end delights us a bit more, giving us a few seconds of solo… his drums have a sound that never tires, almost like that of a guitar.
After the frenzy, the calm, so to speak, medieval with the folkloric THE BATTLE OF EVERYMORE, a masterpiece in which the voices of ROBERT PLANT and RAMY SHANDY intertwine in perfect harmony. Next is the absolute masterpiece of the album, and probably of all contemporary music, vying for the spot with the magical ECHOES of PINK FLOYD, introduced by fantastic flutes that evoke a fairy-tale world (suitable for the LORD OF THE RINGS) soon accompanied by an acoustic guitar and PLANT's whispered voice.
It is a slow crescendo that takes LED to emotional peaks never reached before (we're in '71) with the help of a phenomenal solo by PAGE and BONZO's strong beats in contrast with the delicacy of the entire song. However, ZOSO is not yet over, as MISTY MOUNTAIN HOP (inspired by the beloved R.R. TOLKIEN) with JONES' keyboards and FOUR STICKS (played with four sticks) two examples of powerful, charged rock restart at full speed. With GOING TO CALIFORNIA, we return to the magic, the bucolic landscapes that inspired III, another pinnacle of the album, a sign of the group's deep agrarian and dreamy attachment. Unfortunately, we have reached the end and fortunately with yet another classic, this time blues, inspired by Memphis Minnie (from '28) and enriched by the reverb of BONZO's drums. It will be the band's best-selling album and the one with a legend thanks to the cover that at the time was released without titles because the fan had to recognize the work by the music.
Inside (in the booklet) only signs and symbols, one of which (zoso) gave the album its name and various other references to magic (the alleged satanic nature of some verses played backward of STAIRWAY… which even took them to trial) to add to the mystery surrounding one of the greatest bands of all time.
Tracklist and Lyrics
01 Black Dog (04:54)
Hey, hey, mama, said the way you move
Gonna make you sweat
Gonna make you groove
Ah, ah, child, way you shake that thing
Gonna make you burn
Gonna make you sting
Hey, hey, baby, when you walk that way
Watch your honey drip
Can't keep away
Oh yeah, oh yeah, ah, ah, ah
Oh yeah, oh yeah, ah, ah, ah
I gotta roll, can't stand still
Got a flamin' heart, can't get my fill
Eyes that shine, burnin' red
Dreams of you all through my head
Ah ah, ah ah, ah ah, ah ah, ah ah, ah ah, ahhh
Hey baby, whoa baby, pretty baby
Darlin' makes 'em do me now
Hey baby, oh baby, pretty baby
Move me like you're doin' now
Didn't take too long 'fore I found out
What people mean by down and out
Spent my money, took my car
Started tellin' her friends she gonna be a star
I don't know, but I been told
A big-legged woman ain't got no soul
Oh yeah, oh yeah, ah, ah, ah
Oh yeah, oh yeah, ah, ah, ah
All I ask for, all I pray
A steady rollin' woman gonna come my way
Need a woman gonna hold my hand
Won't tell me no lies, make me a happy man
Ah ah, ah ah, ah ah, ah ah, ah ah, ah ah, ahhh
02 Rock And Roll (03:40)
It's been a long time since I rock and rolled
It's been a long time since I did the stroll
Ooh, let me get it back, let me get it back, let me get it back
Baby, where I come from
It's been a long time, been a long time
Been a long lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely time, yes it has
It's been a long time since the book of love
I can't count the tears of a life with no love
Carry me back, carry me back, carry me back
Baby, where I come from, whoa whoa whoa-oh-oh
It's been a long time, been a long time
Been a long lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely time
Oh, seems so long since we walked in the moonlight
Makin' vows that just can't work right
Ah yeah, open your arms, opens your arms, open your arms
Baby, let my love come running in, let it
It's been a long time, been a long time
Been a long lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely time
It's been a long time, been a long time
Been a long lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely time
03 The Battle Of Evermore (05:51)
The queen of light took her bow
And then she turned to go
The prince of peace embraced the gloom
And walked the night alone
Ooh, dance in the dark of night
Sing to the morning light
The dark lord rides in force tonight
And time will tell us all
Oh, throw down your plow and hoe
Rest not to lock your homes
Side by side we wait the might
Of the darkest of them all
I hear the horses' thunder
Down in the valley below
I'm waiting for the angels of Avalon
Waiting for the eastern glow
The apples of the valley hold
The seeds of happiness
The ground is rich from tender care
Repay, do not forget, no, no
Oh, dance in the dark of night
Sing to the morning light
The apples turn to brown and black
The tyrant's face is red
Oh the war is common cry
Pick up your swords and fly
The sky is filled with good and bad
That mortals never know, oh, now
Oh well, the night is long
The beads of time pass slow
Tired eyes on the sunrise
Waiting for the eastern glow
The pain of war cannot exceed
The woe of aftermath
The drums will shake the castle wall
The ringwraiths ride in black, ride on
Sing as you raise your bow
Shoot straighter than before
No comfort has the fire at night
That lights the face so cold
Oh, dance in the dark of night
Sing to the morning light
The magic runes are writ in gold
To bring the balance back, bring it back
At last the sun is shining
The clouds of blue roll by
With flames from the dragon of darkness
The sunlight blinds his eyes
Bring it back, bring it back
Bring it back, bring it back
Bring it back, bring it back
Bring it back, bring it back
Oh now, oh now, oh now, ahh
Oh now, oh now, oh now
Bring it back, bring it back
Bring it back, bring it back
Whoa now, oh now, oh now, qhoa
Whoa now, oh now, oh now
Bring it, bring it, bring it, bring it
Bring it, bring it, bring it
Bring it, bring it, bring it
Bring it, bring ahhh
04 Stairway To Heaven (08:00)
There's a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold
And she's buying a stairway to heaven
When she gets there she knows, if the stores are all closed
With a word she can get what she came for
Ooh ooh, and she's buying a stairway to heaven
There's a sign on the wall, but she wants to be sure
'Cause you know sometimes words have two meanings
In a tree by the brook, there's a songbird who sings
Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiven
Ooh, it makes me wonder
Ooh, it makes me wonder
There's a feeling I get when I look to the west
And my spirit is crying for leaving
In my thoughts I have seen rings of smoke through the trees
And the voices of those who stand looking
Ooh, it makes me wonder
Ooh, it really makes me wonder
And it's whispered that soon if we all call the tune
Then the piper will lead us to reason
And a new day will dawn for those who stand long
And the forests will echo with laughter
If there's a bustle in your hedgerow, don't be alarmed now
It's just a spring clean for the May queen
Yes, there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run
There's still time to change the road you're on
And it makes me wonder
Your head is humming and it won't go, in case you don't know
The piper's calling you to join him
Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow, and did you know
Your stairway lies on the whispering wind
And as we wind on down the road
Our shadows taller than our soul
There walks a lady we all know
Who shines white light and wants to show
How everything still turns to gold
And if you listen very hard
The tune will come to you at last
When all are one and one is all
To be a rock and not to roll
And she's buying a stairway to heaven
05 Misty Mountain Hop (04:38)
Walking in the park just the other day, baby
What do you, what do you think I saw?
Crowds of people sittin' on the grass with flowers in their hair said
"Hey, boy, do you wanna score?"
And you know how it is
I really don't know what time it was, whoa-oh-oh
So I asked them if I could stay awhile
I didn't notice but it had got very dark and I was really
Really out of my mind
Just then a policeman stepped up to me asked us if "please, hey, would we care
To all get in line, get in line"
Well you know
They asked us to stay for tea and have some fun, whoa-oh-oh
He said that his friends would all drop by, ooh
Why don't you take a good look at yourself and describe what you see
And baby, baby, baby, do you like it?
There you sit, sittin' spare like a book on a shelf rustin'
Ah, not tryin' to fight it
You really don't care if they're comin', whoa-oh-oh
I know that it's all a state of mind, ooh
If you go down in the streets today, baby, you better
You better open your eyes, whoa-oh yeah
Folk down there really don't care, really don't care, don't care, really don't
Which, which way the pressure lies
So I've decided what I'm gonna do now
So I'm packin' my bags for the misty mountains, where the spirits go now
Over the hills where the spirits fly, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh
I really don't know
I really don't know
06 Four Sticks (04:44)
Oh, baby, it's cryin' time
Oh, baby, I've got to fly
Got to try to find a way
Got to try to get away
'Cause you know I gotta get away from you, babe
Oh, baby, the river's red
Ah, baby, in my head
There's a funny feelin' goin' on
I don't think I can hold out long
And when the owls cry in the night
Oh, baby, baby, when the pines begin to cry
Baby, baby, baby, how do you feel?
If the river runs dry, baby, how do you feel?
Crazy baby, the rainbow's end
Mmm baby, it's just a den for those who hide
Who hide their love to depths of life
And ruin dreams that we all knew so, babe
And when the owls cry in the night
Oh, baby, when the pines begin to cry
Oh, baby, baby, how do you feel?
If the river runs dry, baby, how do you feel?
Ooh ooh yeah, brave I endure
Woo yeah, strong shields and lore
They can't hold the wrath of those who walk
An' the boots of those who march
Baby, through the roads of time so long ago
07 Going To California (03:31)
Spent my days with a woman unkind
Smoked my stuff and drank all my wine
Made up my mind to make a new start
Goin' to California with an achin' in my heart
Someone told me there's a girl out there
With love in her eyes and flowers in her hair
Took my chances on a big jet plane
Never let them tell you that they're all the same
Oh, the sea was red and the sky was grey
Wondered how tomorrow could ever follow today
The mountains and the canyons started to tremble and shake
As the children of the sun began to awake
Watch out
Seems that the wrath of the Gods got a punch on the nose
And it started to flow, I think I might be sinkin'
Throw me a line, if I reach it in time
I'll meet you up there where the path runs straight and high
To find a queen without a king
They say she plays guitar and cries and sings, la la la la la
Ride a white mare in the footsteps of dawn
Tryin' to find a woman who's never, never, never been born
Standin' on a hill in my mountain of dreams
Telling myself it's not as hard, hard, hard as it seems
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Other reviews
By Antonino91
"As if by magic, before I put the record on, I heard 'hey, hey, mama, said the way you move, gonna make you sweat, gonna make you groove.'"
"A few days ago, I went to the beautiful cemetery where he is buried, and I placed his 'IV' on the grave. That record is his. In fact, that masterpiece is his."
By claudio carpentieri
"A surreal sonic adventure... for one of those albums that should strictly present a fluorescent sticker on the cover with the following inscription: 'Parental Advisory': Explicit Original Rock!!!"
"Stairway to Heaven is the song that once listened to, every rock musician would have wanted to compose."