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This is my favorites page for Led Zeppelin music. For background on the group, see the Wikipedia entry or www.ledzeppelin.com. I like pretty much all of their music, though a good many songs I don't listen to very often.
Group 1
- Stairway to Heaven
(Led Zeppelin IV, 1971, 8:01, Wikpedia entry)
If I had to pick an all-time favorite song, from any and all artists (not just LZ), it might be Stairway to Heaven. Not a unique choice by any means, but it is a great song.
- Kashmir
(Physical Graffiti, 1975, 8:33, Wikpedia entry)
The orchestral brass and strings make this an incredible piece. My understanding is that it was Robert Plant's favorite.
Group 2 -- the next nine, as I couldn't seem to limit myself to a top-ten only. These are in order by date, not by preference.
- Moby Dick
(Led Zeppelin II, 1969, 4:20, Wikpedia entry)
One of my favorite rock instrumentals, though not quite as good as Edgar Winter Group's Frankenstein.
- Immigrant Song
(Led Zeppelin III, 1970, 2:24, Wikpedia entry)
- Tangerine
(Led Zeppelin III, 1970, 3:09, Wikpedia entry)
- The Battle of Evermore
(Led Zeppelin IV, 1971, 5:51, Wikpedia entry)
The use of the mandolin (along with the lyrics) makes this one so memorable.
- No Quarter
(Houses of the Holy, 1973, 7:03, Wikpedia entry)
Jones' keyboard work is incredible, and the lyrics are powerful: they describe Norse warriors braving the winds of Thor to deliver important news, and not being able to pause for rest before doing so. A very inspiring piece.
- Over the Hills and Far Away
(Houses of the Holy, 1973, 4:50, Wikpedia entry)
- The Rover
(Physical Graffiti, 1975, 5:38, Wikpedia entry)
I don't remember this song getting much radio airplay, and I don't know how much of a "hit" it ever was. But I've always thought it was one of their best.
- Achilles Last Stand
(Presence, 1976, 10:27, Wikpedia entry)
- All My Love
(In Through the Out Door, 1979, 5:55, Wikpedia entry)
Lyrics. You can find a complete listing of Led Zeppelin lyrics here.
Tolkien references. There are several Led Zeppelin songs with Tolkien references. Some are clear, some a bit less so (see this website for more information and some analysis). These include at least the following:
- Ramble On - Lyrics include "...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."
- The Battle of Evermore - see the extensive discussion at the Wikipedia entry
- Misty Mountain Hop - the "Misty Mountains" could be a reference to Tolkien's The Hobbit.
Album Ranking. Here is how I would rank the Led Zeppelin albums (Wikipedia links are the Wikipedia pages, and the Amazon.com links usually provide a lot of info on each album plus links to audioclips):
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