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Rating:
Begin where one should end. The Led Zeppelin had created a masterpiece, whose central piece turned out better than captain Page himself had predicted. When he and Peter Grant, the manager and fifth member of the band, committed to honoring the engagements under the name of New Yardbirds, they never would have thought of such success. The Led Zeppelin, in 1969, with their first strike, with Led Zeppelin I, had already become a "classic". It was hard to wait for a second album: the material was already there, and they could always draw something from the blues repertoire, full of inspiration, or leverage some anecdotes. The impression was that something had already changed compared to the first album. The sound was becoming less wild, more studied, more tame and alluring. And Led Zeppelin II would contain the anthem symbolizing the hippie generation, which deserved the first spot in the tracklist: "Whole Lotta Love". Atlantic didn't want to release this song as a single: too long, not market-standard. So Page rebelled and decided not to print the single, releasing the album immediately. And the album sold as if it were a single, even managing to knock the Beatles, who seemed untouchable, from the top. The music world stood still: the "Brown Zeppelin" (as the album was called in America) was about to storm the record market. "Whole Lotta Love", the album's first track, would drag into an orgasmic vortex, rich in adulterous passions and adolescent disturbances, the libido of young people who screamed excitedly at the onstage climax amidst Plant's verbal fireworks and Page's fervent guitar melody.
Bonzo's drum bursts, raiding the virgin hearts of adolescents, coupled with Jones' sweet organ preludes, would drag entire crowds of young people into a fervor. Next was "What Is And What Should Never Be," a song as delicate as it was aggressive, a caress to an imaginary young woman, between castles in the air and broken promises, a song Led Zeppelin especially often performed during their early musical life. "The Lemon Song" came next, a more or less explicit cover of a famous blues repertoire song, with Plant urging his woman "to squeeze my lemon till the juice runs down my legs," suggestive and excited. "Thank You" is the first song entirely written by Robert Plant, and it shows. A very simple, romantic lyric, exalting love at any cost, peace with nature, as Plant truly believed. Page wrote the music, letting Robert be, although he was not yet blindly convinced of Plant's compositional skills. He would reconsider when Plant wrote the lyrics of a "whatever" song like "Stairway To Heaven". After the small autonomy left to Plant, Page was back at the Zeppelin helm with "Heartbreaker," whose lyrics are unquestionably a product of the burning misogynistic vein that inflamed Pagey at the time. Alluring lyrics, nonetheless, with an interesting rhythm. Next up is "Living Loving Maid (She's Just A Woman)." This song is written in honor of an American groupie, particularly "agée," particularly interested in bedding the youngest, Plant. Percy obviously never considered it and Page was deeply annoyed. It is said, but it is a legend, that Bonzo and other "roadies" intended to share her as a group, but Grant stopped them. There was no shortage of derision, however, with this song, the B-side of the "Heartbreaker" vinyl. "Ramble On" is a song that doesn't particularly fascinate me, it moves quickly because right after there's the masterful drum solo of Bonzo in "Moby Dick," which when performed live, took even 30 minutes of just Bonzo skinning his hands on the percussion while playing other drums. Incredible. It concludes with the brilliant "Bring It On Home," a total invention by Jimmy Page, closing the album with this orientally flavored madrigal.
Why a 5, you might ask. This CD, as a discographic product, deserves a 5. Because it was prepared in such a short time, it managed to reconfirm the astronomical success of the first CD and because it's a CD not only catchy but capable of being deep. It’s not my favorite of the Zeppelin, but if someone is looking for a CD with a decidedly rock-blues vein, you can't miss it. Bliss!
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 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.
By paolofreddie
Whole lotta love, famous for its catchy and insistent guitar riff, will mark the history of rock.
Led Zeppelin II is an anthem for those who live for rock.
