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It's 1969 and the rock scene is populated by rock bands with strong jazz and blues influences. Fusion is born, progressive rock is born, but most importantly, hard rock is born. And those who have definitively introduced it are known to all: Led Zeppelin. In early 1969, Led Zeppelin released their first album, Led Zeppelin I, an album rich in blues-styled songs, where the screeching voice of Plant and the guitar of Page reign supreme. The album also includes covers of blues artists like Willie Dixon, such as I can't quit you. Let's not forget purely rock tracks like the song that opens the album, Good times bad times, and Communication breakdown. The group is already making a name for itself in the European music scene.
In October of the same year, that distant 1969 in which progressive and psychedelic rock still prevail, Led Zeppelin II, the band's second work, hits stores. The album might seem trivial because of its simple title, but it is anything but. The album opens with a heavy hitter, a song that will mark the history of rock, still sung today, Whole lotta love, famous for its catchy and insistent guitar riff. The lyrics have a sexual undertone, like many in Led Zeppelin's discography. In the middle of the track, Robert Plant, the band's singer and leader, succumbs to sexual moans and cries, leading into John "Bonzo" Bonham's drums and Page's electric guitar riff. This song is followed by What is and what should never be, a sweeter song at first, but which explodes with a frantic rhythm in the chorus. The third song on side a is a very rock piece, dominated by John Paul Jones's bass. The lyrics contain clear sexual allusions: not surprisingly, it's called The "lemon" song. Side a closes with a famous piece with a calmer atmosphere and very sweet lyrics, written by Plant and dedicated to his wife. The guitar introduces the track but will then be replaced by John Paul Jones's organ as the main instrument.
Side b opens with Heartbreaker, a hard rock song featuring Page's famous catchy guitar solo. The following song, Living loving maid (she's just a woman), is the most carefree track on the album. As the song starts, you hear Plant's voice shouting "With a purple umbrella and a fifty-cent hat, livin', lovin', she's just a woman ...". Ramble on is a piece of Tolkien inspiration (J.R.R. Tolkien - author of The Lord of the Rings). In the chorus, Robert Plant's voice explodes in a raspy song, while the verses are calmer. The penultimate track on the album is an instrumental that became famous in rock history for Bonzo's drum solo and Page's riff. A milestone of rock, a piece with a strong epic vein. The song closing the album is titled Bring it on home, a blues piece by Willie Dixon, a famous bluesman.
A purely rock album, an album that marks the history of rock, an album that introduces us to the magical world of hard rock, an album with no holds barred, an album where it is impossible to find a flaw. The listening experience is very pleasant, an album I recommend to everyone. Led Zeppelin II is an anthem for those who live for rock.
Tracklist Lyrics and Samples
04 Thank You (04:24)
If the sun refused to shine
I would still be loving you
When mountains crumble to the sea
There will still be you and me
Kind woman, I give you my all
Kind woman, nothing more
Little drops of rain
Whisper of the pain
Tears of loves lost in the days gone by
My love is strong
With you there is no wrong
Together we shall go until we die, oh my my
An inspiration is what you are to me
Inspiration, look, see
And so today, my world it smiles
Your hand in mine, we walk the miles
Thanks to you it will be done
For you to me are the only one
Happiness, no more be sad
Happiness, I'm glad
If the sun refused to shine
I would still be loving you
Mountains crumble to the sea
There will still be you and me
07 Ramble On (04:15)
Leaves are fallin' all around
It's time I was on my way
Thanks to you, I'm much obliged
For such a pleasant stay
But now it's time for me to go
The autumn moon lights my way
For now I smell the rain
And with it pain
And it's headed my way
Ah, sometimes I grow so tired
But I know I've got one thing I got to do
Ramble on
And now's the time, the time is now
To sing my song
I'm goin' 'round the world
I got to find my girl
On my way
I've been this way ten years to the day
Ramble on
Gotta find the queen of all my dreams
Got no time for spreadin' roots
The time has come to be gone
And though our health we drank a thousand times
It's time to ramble on
Ramble on
And now's the time, the time is now
To sing my song
I'm goin' 'round the world
I got to find my girl
On my way
I've been this way ten years to the day
I gotta ramble on
I gotta find the queen of all my dreams
I ain't tellin' no lie
Mine's a tale that can't be told
My freedom I hold dear
How years ago in days of old
When magic filled the air
T'was in the darkest depths of Mordor
I met a girl so fair
But Gollum and the evil one crept up
And slipped away with her, her, her, yeah
Ain't nothing I can do, no
I guess I'll keep on
Ramblin'
I'm gonna... sheyeah (Sing my song)
I gotta find my baby
I'm gonna ramble on, sing my song, gonna work my way, go around the world (Ramble on)
Baby, baby (Yeah)
Do do do (Baby) do do do, my baby (Ramble on, babe)
Do do do do do do do de do de do de do de do de, yeah, yeah (I can't stop that feeling anymore, everytime I think about my babe I think I got someone)
I gotta keep-a-searchin' for my baby
Baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby babe
Ooh, ma ma ma ma ma ma ma babe
Sheyeah, yeyeah, yeyeah, yeyeah, yeyeah, yeyeah, yeyeah, yeyeah
Ma ma ma ma ma ma baby
Ooh, I can't find my bluebird
I listen to my bluebird sing, but I can't find my bluebird
09 Bring It On Home (04:20)
Baby, baby
I'm gonna bring it on home to you
I've got my ticket, I've got that load
Got up, gone higher, all aboard
Take my seat, right way back, ooh yeah
Watch this train roll down the track
I'm gonna bring it on home
Bring it on home to you
Watch out, watch out, make room
Try to tell you baby
What you tryin' to do?
Tryin' to love me baby
Love some other man too
Bring it on home
Bring it on home
Went a little walk downtown
Messed and got back late
Found a note there waitin', it said
"Daddy, I just can't wait"
Bring it on home
Bring it on home
Bring it back home
Bring it back home to me baby
Tell you, pretty baby
You love to mess me 'round
I'm gonna give you lovin', baby
Gonna move you out o' town
Bring it on home
Bring it on home
Sweetest little baby
Daddy ever saw
I'm gonna give you lovin' baby
I'm gonna give you more
Bring it on home
Bring it on home
Bring it on home
Bring it on home
Bring it on home to you
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Other reviews
By Antonino91
This record marks the beginning of hard rock and will surely be the hardest rock record of Led Zeppelin’s career.
"Whole Lotta Love" features one of the best drumming performances ever and a psychedelic shift that mesmerizes the listener.
By Alchimista
The music world stood still: the 'Brown Zeppelin' was about to storm the record market.
'Whole Lotta Love' would drag into an orgasmic vortex, rich in adulterous passions and adolescent disturbances.
By Filippo Guzzardi
"Led Zeppelin II is the unique and true manifesto of hard rock."
"Bonham’s power mixed with creativity would influence the next generation of heavy drummers."
By Torre Ste
The definition of the genre called Hard-Rock is encapsulated in just 41 minutes engraved in an album that has become a legend.
From here on, music would never be the same again. You have to listen to understand what will happen next.
By Dexter
The album opens in a shocking way, with tracks never taken to such a granitic power.
Whole Lotta Love… has entered the list of the most beautiful riffs in rock history.
