Getting the Led out: 'Led Zeppelin'

Bobblehead recently inherited a bunch of Led Zeppelin CDs from his mom. I have no clue why she gave them away (it sounds like blasphemy to me), but it is Bobblehead’s gain.

He has been listening through the collection over the last few weeks and posting his thoughts on Twitter. Reading and responding to his tweets has not only been fun but has also inspired me to start doing something I resolved to do at the beginning of the year: get the Led out.

I was a big fan of the mighty Zep when I was in high school and college, but I essentially stopped listening to their music when I moved to California. It was not a conscious decision; there was no reason why I stopped listening, and I continued to covet the albums by keeping them on my computer and iPod. I simply drifted away from the band. For a long time, my love for Led Zeppelin was part of my past.

However, something rekindled my interest at the end of 2017. I don’t remember what it was—perhaps a realization I needed to return to my personal roots—but I resolved to listen to more Led Zeppelin in 2018. I did, technically, but an effort to listen to every Zeppelin album stalled after Led Zeppelin III. So I have decided to start over and revisit every studio album in the band’s discography.

With a notebook and pencil in hand, I got comfortable last night and listened to Led Zeppelin’s self-titled debut album from 1969.

Welcome to Superlative City.

Led Zeppelin opens with “Good Times Bad Times,” a powerful and attention-grabbing tune that sets the tone for the album’s sound and story: each song is either a good time or bad time. The Led Zeppelin experience is much like a yin yang—equal parts dark and light, positive and negative—which is one of the things I love about the band. According to Wikipedia, “Good Times Bad Times” was the only song on the album released as a single.

The next track, “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You,” is the band’s first ballad and provides hints of the future. It gives me a “Stairway to Heaven”–like vibe. It is hypnotic and has it all, seamlessly transitioning from heavy to soft. It also features something mind blowing, which may only be appreciated with headphones or ear buds. During a soft point in the song, Robert Plant can be heard singing in the foreground and background. According to Wikipedia, the background singing is Plant’s voice being picked up on other audio equipment in the studio. That is how powerful his voice was.

“You Shook Me” showcases the band’s blues influences—another reason I love Led Zeppelin. Mellow, pensive, and easy to listen to, this tune is right up my alley as a fan of the blues. It’s sit-back-and-enjoy-an-adult-beverage-on-the-porch-late-at-night music. “Dazed and Confused” is mournful but so amazing, and I cannot resist the urge to lip synch at the beginning (“Soul of a woman was created below”). It is driving and propulsive, building to a crescendo, and showcases the mastery of John Bonham and Jimmy Page. “Your Time is Gonna Come” is one of my favorite Zeppelin tunes. It is an underappreciated gem that conveys strength and resolve following a dazed, confused, and heartbroken state (literally and figuratively). “Black Mountain Side” is a pleasant interlude that, to me, shows the album’s segues are very well executed.

“Communication Breakdown” is a short but sweet and energetic change of pace with loving and tender lyrics. “I Can’t Quit You Baby” is another slow, bluesy tune that makes me think of playing pool at The Que Bar (RIP) on a slow, humid summer night. (The Que Bar always played the best music.) The album’s last track, “How Many More Times,” is another bluesy epic that is entrancing and invigorating, soaring high and gliding low. John Paul Jones’s spirited work on the bass shines.

My last note on the album is “Wow!” It gave me goosebumps and provided a therapeutic, meditative, and revitalizing relief that renewed my confidence in humanity. It is music that speaks to me, that I can feel in my marrow. Every song is an incredible journey, serving as a taste of what is to come and featuring elements I love about the band.

Led Zeppelin is an amazing album. I wondered recently what would be on my list of all-time favorite albums, and I am confident Led Zeppelin is one of them.