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Rating:
I am literally flattered to review this rock masterpiece. Without a doubt, it is one of the best albums ever released.
With this work (released in October 1969), the dirigible confirms its magical inspiration, offering us a beautiful, hard, and quite significant album for this reason: this record marks the beginning of hard rock, and it will surely be the hardest rock record of Led Zeppelin's career, starting with the famous riff that opens one of the best songs of their career, "Whole Lotta Love" (remember that it was chosen as the theme song for the program Top of the Pops). After the attack of Page, Jones and Plant, Bonzo steps in with the drums giving us one of the best drumming performances ever. At a certain point, the song changes and becomes a percussive, psychedelic piece, with Page intent on inserting strange sounds and Plant screaming with moans. Then comes the famous interplay between Bonzo's pyrotechnic drums and Jimmy's super guitar, the track returns to its initial energy. The next track, "What Is And What Should Never Be," is a perfect example of how Bonham is capable of giving the drums refined and calm strokes, but also of breaking in and giving power to the song. So far, everything is a spectacle and the four show they know how to enchant the listener. But the wonders are not over yet (it's not a 45 rpm, after all!), then here is "The Lemon Song", a reworking of a blues track by Howlin' Wolf. Plant writes the text taking verses from "Travelling Riverside Blues", by Willie Dixon. Subsequently, the style changes and softens: "Thank You" is destined to remain among the best ballads of the group and of rock in general, characterized by Jones' splendid organ and Page's 12-string acoustic guitar. Simply magnificent. The B-side bursts in with "Heartbreaker," a showcase of Page performing fast and extraordinary solos with his guitar. "Living Loving Maid (She's Just A Woman)," while being a beautiful and aggressive song, is poorly regarded, so much so that it will never be played live. "Ramble On" is an acoustic piece inspired by Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, a cult book of the time. But strangely, this track is also not performed live. If "Heartbreaker" was a showcase for Page, "Moby Dick" is one for Bonzo, who does everything: he hits the drums with sticks and without, a spectacle indeed. But, anyway, this track is not absolutely significant, it is not the highest achieved by the four. However, it will be a very famous track, so much so that it becomes the most performed song live by the dirigible.
The final piece, "Bring It On Home," is also memorable: after the first part composed of guitar, voice, and harmonica, the track changes clothes and becomes a frenzied rock blues. An extraordinary closure of an equally magnificent album. Certainly one of the high points of Led's career, it will be the wall to break down.
This album is also a demonstration of the magical talent of Page, Plant, Jones, and Bonham. A classic. And sorry if it's not much.
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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