Jimmy Page: Did He Turn Down Ozzy’s Offer To Play On His Album?
Ozzy Osbourne nearly got the holy trinity of of British guitarists on his upcoming album. We know that Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton are guests on Oz’s upcoming record, but in a recent interview, Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers (who played drums on Ozzy’s last album, and who plays on the new one) told Chris Jerico that Jimmy Page turned down an invitation to contribute to the LP. On the Talk Is Jerico podcast, Smith said, “We tried to get Jimmy Page ā we tried to get the holy trinity ā but I don’t think Page plays anymore too much, unfortunately.ā (Clapton, Beck and Page are all former members of the Yardbirds).
Ozzy’s album,Ā which is now finished featuresĀ a number of big name artists including Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo and Guns N’ Roses bassist Duff McKagan, Tony Iommi, Zakk Wylde, Josh Homme of Queens Of The Stone Age and Mike McCready of Pearl Jam.
ButĀ Ultimate Classic RockĀ postulates that the reason why Page turned down the inviteĀ mayĀ be that he’s working on an album of his own. As he toldĀ Classic Rock,Ā Ā āThereās various things Iām working towards… Itās not just one thing, itās multiple things, and I donāt want to even give a hint, because if you do ā¦ you give a one-sentence sound bite, and then if it doesnāt materialize, itās like: āWhy didnāt you do a solo album?ā So I donāt want to say what it is that Iāve got planned, because I donāt want to give people the chance to misinterpret it.ā
Page has not released much new music at all in the past few decades: his last full album was his 1998 collaboration with Robert Plant,Ā Walking Into Clarksdale (by contrast, Plant has released five solo albums and two duo albums with Alison Krauss in that time).
On the other hand, it may be that Page doesn’t want to work with the metal icon. Being lumped in with heavy metal has always rankled Page, who apparently refused to appear on VH1 Classic’sĀ That Metal ShowĀ and the show’s host said on record that “Jimmy Page would not appear on That Metal Show because it was called āThat Metal Show.ā He refuses to do anything with the word āmetalā in it.” It’s worth mentioning that Robert Plant also doesn’t like being classified as metal.
Led Zeppelin: All 92 Songs Ranked
92. āSick Againā – ‘Physical Graffiti’ (1975)
ShareMuch of Led Zeppelinās catalog hasnāt aged at all... but this song about underage groupies has. The ick-factor on this track goes to 11. (EB)
91. ā10 Ribs & All/Carrot Pod Podā – ‘Presence’ (2015 reissue)
ShareThis was a previously unreleased track from the recent Zeppelin catalog reissue campaign orchestrated by Jimmy Page. Sometimes, bonus tracks on reissues deliver hidden gems, and sometimes, theyāre tracks that shouldāve just been hidden. This instrumental is a case of the latter. (EB)
90. āSt. Tristanās Swordā – ‘Coda’ (2015 reissue)
ShareSimilar to ā10 Ribs & All/Carrot Pod Pod,ā this is just another unreleased track used to justify a reissue campaign. (EB)
89. āLa Laā – outtake from ‘Led Zeppelin II’ (1969)
ShareAn instrumental jam that didnāt make it to the bandās second LP, it was poppier sounding than the rest of the album, opening with a bright, R&B-tinged organ riff. Itās interesting to imagine what this could have turned into, but as it stands, itās a curiosity, not a classic. (BI)
88. āCarouselambraā – ‘In Through The Out Door’ (1979)
ShareThere are plenty of āepicsā in the Zeppelin catalog, but this is the only one youāll likely find yourself thinking, āIs it over yet?ā Much like an actual carousel, this song goes around and around without really going anywhere. (EB)
87. āTea For Oneā – Presence (1976)
ShareFor a band whose catalog is so steeped in blues, this blues track is just one big āmeh.ā (EB)
86. āSunshine Womanā – ‘The Complete BBC Sessions’ (2016)
ShareLong bootlegged and finally getting an official release on the reissue of āThe BBC Sessions,ā the less-than-sterling audio quality doesnāt do this track any favors. The song as a whole didnāt bring anything alarmingly great to the BBC reissue other than just simply being something we hadnāt heard before. (EB)
85. āSugar Mamaā – ‘Coda’ (2015 reissue)
ShareA previously unreleased outtake from the 2015 āCodaā reissue, it oddly sounds more like something Greta Van Fleet would release now than Zeppelin. (EB)
84. āThe Girl I Love She Got Long Black Wavy Hairā – ‘BBC Sessions’ (1997)
ShareThe band performed this song just once, on June 6, 1969, on the BBC show āChris Grant's Tasty Pop Sundae.ā Unreleased until 1997ās āBBC Sessionsā collection, the band shared the songwriting credit with bluesmen Sleepy John Estes, Willie Dixon and Robert Johnson, whom they borrowed from here (and elsewhere in their catalog). (BI)
83. āRoyal Orleansā – ‘Presence’ (1976)
ShareThis track starts off with a bang thanks to a dueling Page and Bonham, but it doesnāt go anywhere further than that. (EB)
82. āWalterās Walkā – ‘Coda’ (1982)
ShareThere were a handful of standouts on āCoda,ā but unfortunately, this āHouses of the Holyā outtake wasnāt one of them. (EB)
81. āDarleneā – Coda (1982)
ShareāDarleneā was perceived as likely being a hooky track, but it comes off more repetitive (almost boring) than anything. (EB)
80. āHots On for Nowhereā – ‘Presence’ (1976)
ShareThis would be a throwaway track on any other Zeppelin album, but it holds its own on āPresence.ā But if it werenāt for the beyond catchy āla-laāsā this song would be a tough listen. (EB)
79. āCandy Store Rockā – ‘Presence’ (1976)
ShareThe only single released from āPresence,ā āCandy Store Rockā is an attempt at a rockabilly romp, but it just lacks the Bo Diddley energy Zeppelin were clearly trying to channel. (EB)
78. āBlack Country Womanā – ‘Physical Graffiti’ (1975)
ShareAn undoubtedly pleasant acoustic tune from the āHouses of the Holyā recording sessions, but it just doesnāt stand out among the other stellar tracks on āPhysical Graffiti.ā (EB)
77. āFor Your Lifeā – ‘Presence’ (1976)
SharePerhaps it suffered from having to follow āAchilles Last Stand,ā but āFor Your Lifeā just seems to drag. Plantās vocals sound strained, but thatās likely due to him still recovering from a nasty car accident. It makes you wonder what could have been if he was at full health. (EB)
76. āNight Flightā – ‘Physical Graffiti’ (1975)
ShareThe elements of a great song are here, but āNight Flightā just doesnāt take off. (EB)
75. āPoor Tomā – ‘Coda’ (1982)
ShareāPoor Tomā would be an album track for an average band, but Zeppelin cut it from the āLed Zeppelin IIIā sessions. The harmonica at the end of the song is absolutely killer. (EB)
74. āBoogie With Stuā – ‘Physical Graffiti’ (1975)
ShareThe āStuā in the songās title is Ian Stewart, a founding member of the Rolling Stones, who was relegated to non-membership status by their original manager Andrew Loog Oldham; he deemed the pianistās cleancut image inappropriate for the band. A fan of early rock and roll and āboogie-woogie,ā Ian Stewart was the perfect guy to tickle the ivories on this song. The songwriting credit was split between all four Zep members, Stewart and āMrs. Valens,ā the widow of Ritchie Valens, as they built the song around Valensā ā50s-era hit āOoh My Head.ā (BI)
73. āWeāre Gonna Grooveā – ‘Coda’ (1982)
ShareBased on the Ben E. King song āGroovinā,ā āWeāre Gonna Grooveā was originally intended for āLed Zeppelin II.ā While that record has no fat on it at all, this would have fit in well if Zeppelin decided to make their sophomore album ten tracks long instead of just nine. (BI)
72. “Hats Off to (Roy) Harper” – ‘Led Zeppelin III’ (1970)
ShareAnother blues arrangement. This time the inspiration was based on Bukka Whiteās Delta blues song āShake āEm On Downā as an ode to Zeppelin friend and folk singer Roy Harper. (Fun fact: Harper provides lead vocals on Pink Floydās āHave a Cigar.ā) Itās a weird closing song for āLed Zeppelin IIIā but nonetheless enjoyable. (EB)
71. “You Shook Me” – ‘Led Zeppelin I’ (1969)
ShareThis cover of Willie Dixonās āYou Shook Meā isnāt bad, but compared to other Zeppelin blues arrangements and interpretations, it just doesnāt measure up. (EB)
70. āDown By the Seasideā – ‘Physical Graffiti’ (1975)
ShareAn outtake from āLed Zeppelin IV,ā its dreamy, Neil Young-influenced twang wouldāve been a bit out of place on that album but fits in nicely on the mellow side three of āPhysical Graffiti.ā (EB)
69. āWearing And Tearingā – ‘Coda’ (1982)
ShareAn outtake from āIn Through The Out Door,ā this showed that the band could be as aggressive as the punk rock and new wave bands that were all the rage by the end of the ā70s. Why it wasnāt included on the album is a mystery. (BI)
68. “Black Mountain Side” – ‘Led Zeppelin I’ (1969)
ShareA subtly brilliant instrumental track that serves as a great transition between the mellow āYour Time Is Gonna Comeā and the intense āCommunication Breakdown.ā (EB)
67. āOut On the Tilesā – ‘Led Zeppelin III’ (1970)
ShareThe closer of side one on āLed Zeppelin III,ā āOut On the Tilesā starts off well enough with a strong riff, but it comes off as repetitive by the songās end. Itās not bad by any stretch, but it just always feels like the song as a whole couldāve been more. (EB)
66. āBring It On Homeā – ‘Led Zeppelin II’ (1969)
ShareZeppelin would sample from the well of Willie Dixon multiple times, but sometimes they got a bit too close to that well, and didnāt give credit, resulting in legal battles. And like many times in their history, they would settle out of court and rectify the song credit omission. Regardless, āBring It On Homeā still brings āLed Zeppelin IIā to a solid close. (EB)
65. āBron-Yr-Aurā – ‘Physical Graffiti’ (1975)
ShareA lovely instrumental from Jimmy Page, this was an outtake from āLed Zeppelin III,ā but it made a nice home for itself as a palate cleanser of sorts on āPhysical Graffitiā after āIn the Light.ā (EB)
64. āSouth Bound Saurezā – In Through The Out Door (1979)
ShareA fun honky-tonk jam, Jones on the piano is the obvious highlight to this track. (EB)
63. āBonzo’s Montreuxā – ‘Coda’ (1982)
ShareEssentially a John Bonham solo song. āBonzoās Montreuxā features his powerful and innovative drumming; Jimmy Page added some electronic effects to the percussion-fest. Most drum pieces are only interesting to drummers; thatās not the case here. If this had been released during his lifetime (it was recorded in 1976), it may have become as iconic as his āMoby Dickā drum solo. (BI)
62. āCāmon Everybodyā – āLed Zeppelin DVDā (2003)
ShareA live cover of a 1959 rockabilly classic by Eddie Cochran, this is Zeppelin at their most raw, and their most fun. (BI)
61. āIām Gonna Crawlā – ‘In Through The Out Door’ (1979)
SharePlant really wails on this album closer accompanied by Jonesā synth, but itās hard not to get wistful when listening to it now, knowing that what it really was was the end of Zeppelin. (EB)
60. āSomethinā Elseā – ‘BBC Sessions’ (1997)
ShareAnother cover of yet another 1959 rockabilly classic by Eddie Cochran, it was recorded by the band in ā69 for the BBC show āChris Grantās Tasty Pop Sundae.ā John Paul Jones seems to be having a blast on the piano; indeed, itās one of Zeppelinās most joyful performances. (BI)
59. āHot Dogā – ‘In Through The Out Door’ (1979)
ShareWhile Zeppelin always wore their blues influences on their sleeves, on āHot Dogā they put their love for rockabilly and ā50s rock and roll on full display. Is it their greatest song? No, but itās fun hearing Robert Plantās Elvis Presley impression. It may have worked better as a B-side, though. (BI)
58. āNobodyās Fault But Mineā – ‘Presence’ (1976)
ShareThe other standout track from āPresenceā (along with āAchilles Last Standā) āNobodyās Fault But Mineā is Zeppelinās take on Blind Willie Johnsonās āItās Nobodyās Fault But Mineā and features a mean harmonica solo from Plant. The start-stop nature of the song can be jarring, but like many other effects and techniques, Zeppelin finds a way to make it work. (EB)
57. āOzone Babyā – ‘Coda’ (1982)
ShareOne of the highlights from āCodaā that was leftover during the recording of āIn Through The Out Door.ā If the then-current state of Zeppelin was different, it wouldāve been fascinating to see what more they couldāve done with this track in studio. (EB)
56. āIn the Lightā – ‘Physical Graffiti’ (1975)
ShareJohn Paul Jones and his synthesizer are front and center on this track, the second longest on āPhysical Graffiti,ā with ebbs and flows that are utterly hypnotic. (EB)
55. āKey To The Highway/Trouble In Mindā – outtake from Led Zeppelin III
ShareYou almost feel like youāre intruding on Jimmy Page and Robert Plant when you listen to this acoustic jam from the āLed Zeppelin IIIā sessions. āKey To The Highwayā was popularized by Big Bill Broonzy, and was also covered by Eric Clapton with Derek and the Dominoes, John Lee Hooker, the Band and the Steve Miller Band. āTrouble In Mind,ā meanwhile, is a blues song from the 1920s that has appeared in the repertoires of Nina Simone, Jerry Lee Lewis and the Spencer Davis Group. (BI)
54. “I Can’t Quit You Baby” – ‘Led Zeppelin I’ (1969)
ShareOf the two Willie Dixon covers on Zeppelinās debut, āI Canāt Quit You Babyā is the superior by leaps and bounds, even though it doesnāt stray too far from the source material. Plantās acrobatic vocals donāt hurt either. (EB)
53. āThe Crungeā – ‘Houses Of The Holy’ (1973)
ShareZeppelinās tribute to James Brown wasnāt quite as successful as their many tributes to their blues heroes, but āThe Crungeā is one of their funniest songs, particularly when Robert Plant puts his spin on Brownās ātake it to the bridge!ā cry: āHas anybody seen the bridge? Have you seen the bridge? I ain't seen the bridge! Where's that confounded bridge?ā (BI)
52. āHey, Hey What Can I Doā – āLed Zeppelin Boxed Setā (1990)
ShareIt makes sense why many of Zeppelinās āunreleasedā cuts didnāt make it onto whatever album their respective recording session was attached, but āHey, Hey What Can I Doā not making it on āLed Zeppelin IIIā is still baffling. It was notably the b-side to āImmigrant Songā on the trackās U.K. release but wouldnāt get an official release stateside until 1990. (EB)
51. āThe Wanton Songā – ‘Physical Graffiti’ (1975)
ShareA standout on side four of āPhysical Graffiti,ā āThe Wanton Songā is certainly one of the more straightforward hard rock tracks on the entire album thanks to the energetic riff from Page. (EB)
50. āFour Sticksā – ‘Led Zeppelin IV’ (1971)
ShareKnown for its unusual time signatures and John Bonhamās use of two sets of drum sticks (hence its title), āFour Sticksā is truly a showcase for Bonzo and yet another example of his brilliance. (EB)
49. āCustard Pieā – ‘Physical Graffiti’ (1975)
ShareJohn Paul Jones and his clavinet makes its first appearance on the opening track of āPhysical Graffiti,ā but it wouldnāt be the last, and the best was yet to come. As for the lyrics, it doesnāt take a cunning linguist to figure out what this oneās about. (EB)
48. āThe Lemon Songā – ‘Led Zeppelin II’ (1969)
ShareāSqueeze me baby, 'till the juice runs down my leg.ā Even the less-than-astute could figure out whatās going on here. Howlinā Wolf, of course, would soon after receive a writing credit on the track, which was more than a little inspired by his own āKilling Floor.ā (EB)
47. āThe Roverā – ‘Physical Graffiti’ (1975)
ShareA somewhat underrated song in the Zeppelin canon, the band never performed it in its entirety. The āif we could just join handsā chorus may have seemed trite, especially as punk rockās influence was making everything remotely hippie-ish seem out of touch. āThe Roverā had a long gestation period: Jimmy Page and Robert Plant allegedly started work on the song during the writing sessions for 1970ās āLed Zeppelin III,ā and they started recording it during the āHouses Of The Holyā sessions. It was definitely worth the wait. (BI)
46. āBaby Come On Homeā – ‘Led Zeppelin Boxed Set 2’ (1993)
ShareāBaby Come On Homeā was recorded during the āLed Zeppelin Iā recording sessions, but it wasnāt released until 1993 as the focal point of āLed Zeppelin Boxed Set 2.ā It makes sense why it was left off Zeppelinās debut, but this Hammond organ-fuelled beauty of a tune still managed to net success on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart peaking at number four over a decade after Zepās demise. (EB)
45. “How Many More Times” – ‘Led Zeppelin I’ (1969)
ShareThe second appearance of Jimmy Pageās bowed guitar on Zeppelinās debut, āHow Many More Timesā brings āLed Zeppelin Iā to a close in epic fashion and sets the table for what was to come a mere nine months later on āLed Zeppelin II.ā (EB)
44. āFriendsā – ‘Led Zeppelin III’ (1970)
ShareAn undeniable, incredible groove, āFriendsā served as the first acoustic taste on the mostly unplugged āLed Zeppelin IIIā (āImmigrant Songā opens the album, āFriendsā is track two). The John Paul Jones-arranged string section on the track takes things to a whole new level of sublime. (EB)
43. “Your Time Is Gonna Come” – ‘Led Zeppelin I’ (1969)
ShareSide two of āLed Zeppelin Iā kicks off with this track, and it brings a complete mood change to the album thanks to John Paul Jonesā organ playing. (EB)
42. āGallows Poleā – ‘Led Zeppelin III’ (1970)
ShareAnother arrangement triumph, the source material for āGallows Poleā comes via the traditional folk song "The Maid Freed from the Gallows," which was covered by Lead Belly in 1939, but Zeppelin more than made it their own. (EB)
41. āTravelling Riverside Bluesā – ‘Led Zeppelin Boxed Set’ (1990)
ShareOne of the few true gems released after their breakup, Zeppelinās take on this Robert Johnson song was originally recorded in 1969, but upon its official 1990 release, it made its way up the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart peaking at number seven. (EB)
40. āTangerineā – ‘Led Zeppelin III’ (1970)
ShareIt wasnāt Zeppelinās first song about heartbreak and it certainly was not the last, but thanks to the steel guitar, it might be the bandās loveliest song about love lost. (EB)
39. āBron-Y-Aur Stompā – ‘Led Zeppelin III’ (1970)
ShareEasily one of the coolest songs ever to feature spoons and castanets, which were somehow made badass thanks to John Bonham, this jam sees Zeppelin go āhamā on folk music without losing their edge. The song title, of course, is a shout out to the infamous Wales cabin where they wrote a majority of āLed Zeppelin III.ā (EB)
38. āNo Quarterā – ‘Houses of the Holy’ (1973)
ShareAn about-face on side two of āHouses of the Holyā following upbeat jams āDancing Daysā and āDāyer Makāer,ā itās one of the most haunting tracks in the entire Zeppelin catalog and shows just how much John Paul Jones can change the mood of the room with his piano playing. (EB)
37. āIn The Eveningā – ‘In Through The Out Door’ (1979)
ShareThree years on from their last album, āPresence,ā rock fans may have wondered if Zeppelin still āhad it.ā āIn The Evening,ā which opened āIn Through The Out Door,ā established that the band was still powerful (if not quite as great as theyād been a few years earlier). Jimmy Page unleashes one of his best riffs here, and also melts faces with his amazing guitar solo. (BI)
36. āCelebration Dayā – Led Zeppelin III (1970)
ShareNot just a classic song, but the title of the bandās one and only full-length reunion concert from November 19, 2012 (and the subsequent live album). Although oddly enough, they didnāt actually perform āCelebration Dayā at the show. āMy, my, my, I'm so happyā¦ I'm gonna join the bandā was how thousands of budding musicians reacted to hearing Zeppelinās music in 1969 and 1970ā¦ and in the decades since. (BI)
35. āThatās The Wayā – ‘Led Zeppelin III’ (1970)
ShareIs it a love song about two lovers from different worlds or is it a song about two friends from different worlds? Perhaps, itās both. One thing for certain is that itās one of Zeppelinās best acoustic songs in their entire catalog. (EB)
34. āThank Youā – ‘Led Zeppelin II’ (1969)
ShareLed Zeppelin wasnāt all about lust, and they proved that with āThank You,ā which is an unbelievably sweet love song. With lyrics like, āWhen mountains crumble to the sea/There will still be you and me,ā itās hard not to swoon, regardless of your genderā¦ or your dating status. (EB)
33. āThe Battle of Evermoreā – ‘Led Zeppelin IV’ (1971)
SharePlantās vocals dance beautifully with the late Sandy Dennyās on this mandolin ballad, which is also one of the more subtle nods to Lord of the Rings from the Zeppelin catalog. Fun fact: Denny was the only guest vocalist to ever record with Zeppelin. (EB)
32. āMisty Mountain Hopā – ‘Led Zeppelin IV’ (1971)
ShareOne of Zeppelinās funkiest numbers, the song is powered by John Paul Jonesā electric piano and John Bonhamās heavy drums. The āmisty mountainsā are a clear Tolkien reference, but the songās lyrics deal more with hippies and cops than Hobbits and dragons: after āsitting on the grassā with people who had āflowers in their hairā asking, āHey, boy, do you want to score?ā a police officer showed up. ā[He] Said please, hey, would we care/To all get in lineā¦ Well, you know, they asked us to stay for tea And have some fun.ā If only all busts were that friendly! (BI)
31. āAll My Loveā – ‘In Through The Out Door’ (1979)
ShareIn the realm of songs about loss, this one doesnāt get enough of its due. A tribute to Plantās 5-year-old son, Karac, who died from a stomach virus, āAll My Loveā is as beautiful as it is devastating. (EB)
30. āLiving Loving Maid (She’s Just A Woman)ā – ‘Led Zeppelin II’ (1969)
ShareThis track was the b-side to āWhole Lotta Love,ā which is strange considering how itās literally inseparable from āHeartbreaker,ā and radio still plays both tracks together as if they are one song. But the riffs on āLiving Loving Maid (Sheās Just A Woman)ā are oddly complementary to those in āWhole Lotta Love.ā (EB)
29. āIn My Time Of Dyingā – ‘Physical Graffiti’ (1975)
ShareItās difficult to choose the best example of how great Zeppelin was at song arrangements, but āIn My Time Of Dyingā certainly has to be in the running. Zeppelin transformed a traditional gospel tune into a blues-rock opus; the song clocks in at 11-minutes, but it feels like much less. (EB)
28. āThe Rain Songā – ‘Houses Of The Holy’ (1973)
ShareRobert Plant himself has cited this as his finest vocal performance with Zeppelin, and who are we to argue? It also has one of his best lyrics: āUpon us all a little rain must fall,ā indeed. (BI)
27. āThe Song Remains The Sameā – ‘Houses Of The Holy’ (1973)
ShareAn uninitiated listener might mistake this for a Who song for the first minute and a half: Jimmy Pageās clean and rhythmic guitar sounded like something Pete Townshend might play, John Paul Jonesā bass is reminiscent of John Entwistleās āleadā bass playing and John Bonhamās heavy drumming is a bit Keith Moon-y. Also, the song has the epic feel of Tommyās opening āOverture.ā Of course, when the song slows down and Robert Plant comes in with āI had a dreamā¦ā you know that youāre listening to Zep. Itās a perfect opening to the sprawling and ambitious āHouses Of The Holyā album. (BI)
26. āGoing To Californiaā – Led Zeppelin IV (1971)
ShareOne reason why Zeppelin defies categorization is that they were so good at so many things. Sure, they influenced every hard rock and metal band who followed them, but they were also amazing at creating beautiful acoustic songs. āGoing To Californiaā is a prime example. (BI)
25. āMoby Dickā – ‘Led Zeppelin II’ (1969)
ShareOstensibly an instrumental Page/Jones/Bonham jam, Page and Jones split after about a minute (and return at the end), giving John Bonham a showcase for his powerful yet tuneful playing. Most drum solos get old after youāve heard them a few times: thatās not the case with āMoby Dick,ā which stands proudly alongside the rest of āLed Zeppelin II,ā and alongside the rest of the bandās catalog. (BI)
24. āD’yer Mak’erā – ‘Houses Of The Holy’ (1973)
ShareOn āDāYer Makāerā (pronounced more like ādid you make herā than ādire makerā), Led Zeppelin looked to Jamaica for inspiration. Like the Beatlesā āOb-La-Di, Ob-La-Daā a few years earlier, it may not have been legit reggae, but it became a rock radio classic in the States. And the āOh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh!ā chorus makes the song an irresistible earworm. (BI)
23. āTen Years Goneā – ‘Physical Graffiti’ (1975)
ShareāDid you ever really need somebody/And really need 'em bad/Did you ever really want somebody/The best love you ever had.ā Plantās lyrics add significant heft to the track, which Page had planned to be an instrumental. While the instrumental could have stood alone, the lyrics take āTen Years Goneā to another level. (EB)
22. āThe Oceanā – ‘Houses Of The Holy’ (1973)
ShareThereās a lot of competition for the title of āJimmy Pageās Greatest Riff,ā but āThe Oceanā may own it; at the very least, itās in the top five. It also has pretty cute lyrics, a rarity in the Zeppelin canon. āI'm singin' all my songs to the girl who won my heart,ā Robert Plant wails. āNow, she's only four years old, and it's a real fine way to start!ā He was, of course, singing about his daughter. (BI)
21. āFool in the Rainā – ‘In Through The Out Door’ (1979)
ShareConsidering the state of the band at this point, with Plant mourning the loss of his son, Karac, and Page and Bonham battling addiction, itās amazing they were able to produce such an upbeat song. Then again, once you commit to a samba rhythm, youāre probably going to end up with an upbeat song. Sadly, however, this would be Zeppelinās final single released before the untimely death of Bonham. (EB)
20. āDancing Daysā – ‘Houses Of The Holy’ (1973)
ShareWhen thinking of Led Zeppelin, the old āAmerican Bandstandā phrase āIt's got a good beat and you can dance to itā isnāt probably the first thing that comes to mind, but it definitely applies to āDancing Days.ā Itās one of the poppiest tunes in the bandās catalog. Sure, there are those who donāt care for it, but those people hate fun and should be ignored. (EB)
19. āAchilles Last Standā – ‘Presence’ (1976)
ShareAt ten and a half minutes long, itās one of the bandās lengthiest tracks, and showed that they could be as proggy as their peers in Yes, King Crimson and Emerson Lake & Palmer. Its length may not have helped its popularity, but the song definitely has its fans: Chris Cornell and Temple of the Dog covered this song on their too-brief 2016 reunion tour. (BI)
18. āSince Iāve Been Loving Youā – ‘Led Zeppelin III’ (1970)
ShareLed Zeppelin werenāt blues purists, but they could have gone down that path, judging by this song. Propelled by John Paul Jonesā Hammond organ playing, the song features one of Jimmy Pageās best guitar solos. (BI)
17. āHouses Of The Holyā – ‘Physical Graffiti’ (1975)
ShareMore cowbell! Years before Blue Oyster Cultās āDonāt Fear The Reaper,ā John Bonham was hitting the cowbell on this song, originally recorded for the bandās 1973 album. Plantās lyrics arenāt too subtle: āLet me take you to the movies/Can I take you to the show?/Let me be yours ever truly/Can I make your garden grow?ā (BI)
16. “Communication Breakdown” – ‘Led Zeppelin I’ (1969)
ShareMost punk rock bands either hated Led Zeppelin, or denied being influenced by them. And, of course, all punk bands love the Ramones. So, thereās a bit of irony in the fact that Johnny Ramone developed his guitar style by playing along to āCommunication Breakdown,ā as he revealed in the documentary āRamones: The True Story.ā Itās one of Zepās shortest songs, and one of their most powerful. (BI)
15. āTrampled Under Footā – Physical Graffiti (1975)
ShareThe clavinet is more closely associated with the funk music of the ā70s (notably Stevie Wonder) than Led Zeppelin, but John Paul Jonesā playing of that electric keyboard is what makes this track so damn catchy and memorable. Itās perhaps the most toe-tapping hook in Zeppelinās entire catalog. (EB)
14. āWhat Is And What Should Never Beā – ‘Led Zeppelin II’ (1969)
ShareA Plant/Page composition, it showed Zeppelinās range, veering back and forth between crushing heavy rock and laid back jazz. Towards the end of the song, Plant starts scatting (āOh the wind won't blow and we really shouldn't goā¦ā) in what sounds like a precursor to rap and hip-hop. (BI)
13. āRamble Onā – ‘Led Zeppelin II’ (1969)
ShareāThe Lord of the Ringsā film franchise may have grossed an obscene amount of money, but never did director Peter Jackson make Tolkienās trilogy this cool! Gollum would probably consider this song precious. Zeppelin fans sure do. (EB)
12 . “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You” – ‘Led Zeppelin I’ (1969)
ShareWhile Plantās voice can move mountains, even a sustained vocal performance could still deliver the chills. This might be the best example of that in the entire Zeppelin catalog. (EB)
11. āOver The Hills And Far Awayā – ‘Houses Of The Holy’ (1973)
ShareA song about moving on after heartbreak,āOver The Hills And Far Awayā is a lyrical departure for Zep. Surely countless souls recovering from a breakup have taken solace in āMany have I loved, and many times been bitten/Many times I've gazed along the open road.ā Translation: sure, youāve been dumped, but this, too, shall pass. (BI)
10. āHeartbreakerā – ‘Led Zeppelin II’ (1969)
ShareSide one of āLed Zeppelin IIā closed with the beautiful love song āThank You,ā but when you flipped over to side two, listeners were greeted by this tale of lust coupled with another monster riff and solo from Jimmy Page. (EB)
9. āStairway to Heavenā – ‘Led Zeppelin IV’ (1971)
ShareThereās probably a lady (or man) whoās sure this song is ranked too low, but thereās good reason for it. Part of what made āStairwayā legendary was the legend behind it involving the band writing the song at Bron-Yr-Aur, an isolated cottage in Wales. However, Jimmy Page testified during the recent āStairwayā copyright lawsuit that the song wasnāt written at Bron-Yr-Aur after all. Is the song still an influential, incredible piece? Yes, but thereās no doubt that in recent years, āStairwayā just doesnāt glitter like it once did. (EB)
8. āWhen The Levee Breaksā – ‘Led Zeppelin IV’ (1971)
ShareZeppelinās update of the Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie blues song released in 1929 was one of their finest moments. John Bonham in particular shines with one of his most iconic drum performances, but Robert Plant also adds some of his best harmonica playing and vocals. Many of Zeppelinās peers covered early blues songs, but few of them captured the sense of dread that Zep did here. (BI)
7. “Dazed and Confused” – ‘Led Zeppelin I’ (1969)
ShareDespite this track lifting and arranging Jake Holmesā 1967 track of the same title -- initially without credit -- āDazed and Confusedā remains one of Zeppelinās best songs thanks in large part to the soulful, angst-ridden lyrics and Robert Plantās vocal performance. Oh, and Jimmy Page breaking out the bow doesnāt hurt things either. (EB)
6. “Good Times Bad Times” – ‘Led Zeppelin I’ (1969)
ShareA crushing Jimmy Page riff. John Bonhamās funky but powerful drumming. A 20-year old Robert Plant wailing, āIn the days of my youth/I was told what it was to be a man.ā And John Paul Jonesā understated but vital bass playing. Those elements kicked off the first song on side one of Led Zeppelinās debut. It was also the bandās first single, so āGood Times Bad Timesā provided a powerful introduction to the band for rock fans in 1969. At the end of the song, Plant sings, āRealize, sweet babe, we ain't ever gonna part,ā and it was sort of prophetic: although the band would last only a little over a decade, millions of fans have never stopped loving Zeppelin, and they keep picking up new followers with each new generation. (BI)
5. āBlack Dogā – Led Zeppelin IV (1971)
ShareZeppelin had a knack for picking out the perfect opening album track and with āBlack Dog,ā it was a bold signal of what was to come on āLed Zeppelin IV.ā It's hard rock perfection, from Plantās opening acapella intro to Pageās rolling solo bringing the track to a fading close. Itās also one of Zeppelinās most successful singles peaking at number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100. (The only other Zeppelin single to perform better was āWhole Lotta Love,ā which peaked on the Hot 100 at number four.) For any other band, a track like this would be the highlight of an album, but Zeppelin werenāt any other band, and āLed Zeppelin IVā is certainly not any other album. (EB)
4. āKashmirā – ‘Physical Graffiti’ (1975)
ShareāKashmirā was the closest thing a hard rock band came to Phil Spectorās āWall of Sound.ā Itās the best example of Zeppelin at their most ambitious. Itās so good, weāll even forgive the band for allowing Puff Daddy to rap over it for the 1998 track āCome With Meā (which actually featured Jimmy Page!) from the Godzilla soundtrack. (EB)
3. āImmigrant Songā – Led Zeppelin III (1970)
ShareWhile Zeppelin never liked being associated with heavy metal, this song did quite a bit to create the template for that genre: Pageās percussive riffing, Bonhamās heavy drumming, and of course, Robert Plantās banshee vocals telling tales of vikings that come from āthe land of the ice and snow.ā Plant and Page may wince when asked about metal, but the feeling definitely isnāt mutual. (BI)
2. āWhole Lotta Loveā – ‘Led Zeppelin II’ (1969)
ShareFrom Jimmy Pageās iconic riff and solo to the dizzying overdubs to Robert Plantās wailing roar, āWhole Lotta Loveā is perhaps the perfect example of Zeppelinās overall bravado. Dripping with hard rock lust, āWhole Lotta Loveā is the sound of a band that is confident and quite aware of the sheer force they are and arenāt afraid to share that with the world. (EB)
1. āRock And Rollā – ‘Led Zeppelin IV’ (1971)
ShareThere have been a lot of rock and roll songs about rock and roll, and this one is surely one of the very best. Borrowing elements from the early days of rock and roll - a Chuck Berry-esque riff, rolling Jerry Lee Lewis piano and a drum intro reminiscent of Little Richardās āKeep A-Knockināā - Zepās āRock And Rollā is a love letter to the founders of the genre. Led Zeppelinās members have always been passionate music fans so itās fitting that on this, their greatest song, they pay tribute to the music that inspired them. Fun fact: Years later, Jerry Lee Lewis actually covered the song -- with Jimmy Page on guitar -- on his 2006 album, āLast Man Standing.ā (Brian Ives)
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