Does Anybody Remember Laughter? – A LedZep Six-Pack

Written by Jim S.

“A great riff is something you know instinctively. It has energy and attitude and sex.” – Jimmy Page.

Within the past few months and days, I’ve had conversations with Christian and CB, (Zep albums) and Aphoristic (“Kashmir”) so I felt inspired to put together a six-pack of the mighty, mighty Zep. I’ve done stuff on them now and again and I’m going to do a long-planned, long overdue series on them, probably over the winter holidays.

Note that a Six-Pack doesn’t mean “these are the artists’ best songs of all time.” Just six I dig and it could be a different set next week. I will go with these versions until Page, bored one assumes, re-re-re-masters everything and adds one song he found under his bed so we all have to go out and buy the fucking thing.*

Anyway, enough bullshit. To quote Peter Wolf it is time to Blow. Your. Face. Out. (Full Spotify at post end.)

The first tune on our adventure down Hammer of the Gods Way is from the band’s fourth (1971) album, Led Zeppelin IV or ZOSO or whatever the hell it’s called. I won’t say this album put them on the map because by then they WERE the map. But with tunes like “Misty Mountain Hop” and “Stairway to Heaven,” they became permanent citizens of that endless Twilight Zone known as Classic Rock Radio.

In speaking about the song “Black Dog,” Wikipedia says this: “John Paul Jones, who is credited with writing the main riff, wanted to write a song with a winding riff and complex rhythm changes that people could not “groove” or dance to.” (Maybe he just wanted them to sit there and be bludgeoned – ME.)

“In an interview, he explained the difficulties experienced by the band in writing the song: ‘I wanted to try an electric blues with a rolling bass part. But it couldn’t be too simple. I wanted it to turn back on itself. I showed it to the guys, and we fell into it. We struggled with the turn-around, until [John] Bonham figured out that you just four-time as if there’s no turn-around. That was the secret.”” (I seem to remember reading somewhere that that sound in the beginning is Page’s amp turning on.) 

The song is named for a particularly randy labrador the guys saw wandering around while recording:

Spotify link

The band recorded Robert Johnson’s “Travelling Riverside Blues” way back in 1969 during a visit to the BBC. But it wasn’t released until 1990, long after the band had broken up. It was part of a box CD set (when those were all the rage) called, what else, Led Zeppelin Boxed Set.** I think the long holdup was a rights issue in wrenching it back from the world’s worst rock station.

Love Page’s slide on this:

Spotify link

In 1975, our lads released the monumental double album Physical Graffiti. I used to drive around and listen to this back when you could cruise the highways without some asshole tailgating you and gas was cheap. Lotsa good stuff here but I love the insistent riff in “Ten Years Gone.” Page also gets off a nice, lyrical solo here. Something in his playing reminded me of Steely Dan and I thought, nah, they’d never listen to the Dan.

But then I remembered that Page said his favorite solo was in “Reelin’ in the Years.” So, maybe? The title refers to a Robert Plant girlfriend from a decade prior who made him choose between her and his fans. Rumor has it you can find her to this day at a fish and chip shop in Brixton-upon-Smithdale St. Castlegate:

Spotify link

While we’re doing that Physical Graffiti thing, let’s listen to another tune from it which is “mainly about sex, specifically, sex with a “wanton woman.” Yes, yes, I know pretty much all their songs are about that but let’s just go with it. But this one actually has the title “The Wanton Song.” Killer riff here which I’ve been playing lately. He’s playing octaves here in G if you’re playing along at home:

Spotify link

My first introduction to Led Zeppelin was their first album. A friend of mine loaned it to me and – on first listen – I did not care for it. I tried one more time – and fell in love. That album, Led Zeppelin, is hands down my favorite Zep album. It has all the urgency, mystery and passion and, to me, is the blueprint for their sound. It was closer to blues, every song is terrific and Plant’s voice never veered off to the whininess he sometimes gets to.

Can you fucking beat “Dazed and Confused?” You cannot. Yeah, I know they somewhat “borrowed” it. But it’s a hell of a song – weird, mysterious. I prefer the studio version because I don’t really dig hearing Page bow his guitar for 25 minutes on live cuts. It’s just long enough here.***

And the part (3:28 or so), where the band comes back in and they all get crazed is about as exciting as it gets. I’ve been studying and learning Page a lot lately and when he plays fast and excitedly it’s this insane, frenzied (but beautiful) mess. He plays like it’s his last day on earth and he has to get every fucking note out:

Spotify link

In 2006, Atlantic Records honcho Ahmet Ertegun was attending a Rolling Stones concert at the Beacon Theater when he fell. He died a few weeks later. (The band’s performance itself was filmed by Martin Scorsese for the Stones documentary Shine a Light.)

The following year, Zep reunited for the first time since 1988 at an Atlantic Records 40th Anniversary Concert. Disappointed in that performance, they rehearsed intensely to revert themselves back into the fearsome four-headed monster that had once walked the earth. (Jason Bonham does his meaty-handed father proud here.)

I have a loaner car lately with a crappy radio and just yesterday on the way out the door, grabbed a pile of CD’s, one of which just so happened to be the album (and DVD) of this performance. It’s called Celebration Day even though that tune is not on the album.

The final song on the album is the great “Rock and Roll” and I can’t think of a better way to end this post. It came out of a spontaneous jam that Bonham started when he was frustrated playing another tune. Page picked up on it and Plant wrote lyrics proving that – after their largely acoustic Led Zeppelin III – and its being a lonely, lonely, lonely time, they could still rock out.

Spotify link

Spotify link

*I kid you not when I say they will soon be re-releasing the remastered Song Remains the Same album. 

**Also on the 1997 BBC Sessions Zep compilation.

***Of the bow, Page said this: “It was proposed to me when I was doing studio work. One of the session violinists was the father of David McCallum, the actor in the TV show The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (And NCIS.) String players would keep to themselves, but this guy was quite friendly. He said to me one day – we’d just finished a session – “Have you ever tried bowing the guitar?” I said it wouldn’t work. The strings aren’t arched over the guitar, the way they are on a violin. He said, “Have a go.” He gave me a bow. I tried it and realized there was something in it.”

38 thoughts on “Does Anybody Remember Laughter? – A LedZep Six-Pack”

  1. If you can’t find a Led Zeppelin song you like then you need to see a doctor.
    How you whittled it down to six I’ll never know.

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    1. Don’t forget, when a band like Zep played live they had to make the same tough decision. Whenever I do a six-pack, I usually start with at least a dozen or more. Then I just go through the list and say yea, no, etc. I try to find a variety that play well together as a set. I also kinda wanted this one to kick ass in the car so I avoided the sentimental shit. The “leftover” ones as likely as not will go into the Zep series.

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      1. It would take more effort to find a bad selection. Throw a dart on a list of Led Zep songs you’re gonna be hitting gold. Well, unless that dart lands on The Crunge

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        8. I love the Crunge. Super cool & funky. Everything on Houses of the Holy is great (d’yer maker maybe not as great IMO.)

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        9. Yea, that’s a good album. I’m with you on D’Yer Maker. They play it more on classic rock than so many better songs. It doesn’t wear well.

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        10. I’d forgotten about D’yer Maker… mainly because I’ve tried so hard to do so. It’s like the “Jamaica?” punchline

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        11. Sure. I don’t hate it, it’s an ok song. But in the times when my only option to listen to radio in the car is classic rock, boy it sure gets an inordinate amount of play. I don’t know if it’s being requested or if DJ’s like it.

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  2. Great six-pack, Jim. I like the combination of crowd pleasers and deeper cuts.

    As for “All My Love,” I actually love that tune – not even quite sure exactly why. One of the things that turn me on on this one is the keyboard sound – there’s just something to it!

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    1. Yeah, I know it’s popular and I am not anti Zep’s soft side, not in the least. That one’;s ok for me. But if I go for their softer stuff, I’d probably lean towards “Going to California,” “Thank You,” or “That’s the Way.” Anyway, crank this one on your subway ride home and BLOW YOUR FACE OUT!

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  4. Right now I’m reaching for Graffitti the most. The BBC album is very good because it is at the time of your fave Zep album. If CB was under torture he would probably admit to the same thing.

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    1. I dig the BBC album with the exception that the guys couldn’t crank it up. Their live stuff is a mixed bag but that ‘Celebration Day’ is pretty fast and furious.

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  5. Another tough list to grapple with. I would definitely include Rain Song and No Quarter on my list. But choosing the other 4 would be arbitrary…Communication Breakdown, When the Levy Breaks, The Rover, Ramble On…?
    Something like that

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    1. Several of those were on my short list. It killed me to take Communication Breakdown off. Trampled Under Foot was also on there for a while.

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  6. A great six pack here, Jim. I always reach for IV, as that was the first Led Zeppelin album that really won me over. I actually think the first album is my least favourite of those bunch… not that it’s a bad album, I just don’t listen to it as much.

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    1. This got me to thinking. What is the most popular Zep album ever? So I scoured the Internet and found 10 best-to-worst lists. So these were lists from places like Consequence of Sound, Rolling Stone, NME, etc.

      I tallied these as “scientifically” as I could, looking for ones that had the most number one votes, number two votes, etc. So to the extent I got this right, here’s the overall consensus:

      Led Zeppelin IV (ZOSO)
      Led Zeppelin II
      Physical Graffiti
      Houses of the Holy
      Led Zeppelin I

      The only two albums that made all ten lists were ZOSO and my fave, the first album. Led Zep III got a bunch of votes but not enough to rank higher. There you go. Now it’s official. 🙂

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      1. Really surprised by that, actually… always thought Led Zeppelin III was fairly well thought of (though I guess we’re talking awesome to awesomer).

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        1. I think Zep III was always the bastard stepchild, neither fish nor fowl. Not as overall crunchy as the others. But consider how strong Zep’s overall catalog is. For anybody else it’d be rated higher. Personally I don’t think there’s much distance between those albums There seems to be a general consensus that “Coda” and especially “In Through the Out Door” are the worst despite some good songs on each. Even Zep basically dismissed the latter.

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  7. Sorry, guys, I can’t go with you on this one. I’ll take Stairway to Heaven but, apart from that, I don’t remember a Led Zeppelin song that I like. (Ten Years Gone was promising but it was too long.)

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  8. Hi Jim, a little late to this party so apologies. I think the quote goes something like “we may be older, but we got to see the best bands “ ✌🏻As far as Zeppelin are concerned, I definitely qualify.
    Caught them 4 times in Manchester (a fantastic city in North West England, you should come visit!!)
    First in March 71, last December 72.
    The Early 71 was a ‘thanks’ for the support kinda tour. playing University’s across the UK.
    So quite small halls, not stadium size arenas. That as you know came a little while later.
    So, only a few feet from the stage, (all standing) no matter how loud you had played Zep 1,2 and 3 (Zep ‘4’ wasn’t released yet.) at home, nothing prepared you for the opening attack of Immigrant Song. No support act, no opening chat from Plant, just ‘that’ intro!!!
    Finishing over two and a hours later with “a track from our new album” it’s called ‘Black Dog’
    To say that the bar was set pretty damn high that night for the rest of my ‘gigging life.
    No understatement 😎

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    1. Boy that’s fantastic. Coincidentally, I went to a comedy show in New Hampshire over the weekend and one of the guys said he’d seen Zep at the 1969 Newport Jazz Festival, maybe six months after the first album release. I checked and that festival made a dramatic shift from all-jazz to jazz and rock in the space of one year.

      For the life of me, i cannot figure out why I never went to see Zep. Plenty of opportunity, and would have cost me maybe 8 bucks plus two other bands. Sigh. I’ll just have to console myself by pretending to be Jimmy Page. 🙂

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        3. No it does take a certain amount of proficiency. But what I’ve learned after some time playing is that the blues/rock players (Beck, SRV, Allman, Clapton, Page, Hendrix, Skynyrd) draw pretty much from the same well of blues scales and licks. I will not say if you know one you know them all. But the more I learn their different styles the more I realize it’s guys using more or less the same blues scales and chords but expressing it in their own way. I only recently realized this. Probably the hardest part is trying to play these things up to speed.

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