A Book Of Led Zeppelin

FAVOURITE SONGS

Here's a list of my personal favourite Led Zeppelin songs, with reasons. I couldn't just pick ten...

TOP 11 LED ZEPPELIN SONGS

11. The Battle Of Evermore
It's simple but beautiful. The mandolin and guitar create a complex and beautiful melody, and the joint lyrics harmonise perfectly. The singing about dragons and ring wraiths may put some people off, but I like it.

10. Kashmir
It's too powerful and too complex to not be here. With a menacing riff, string section and eastern influences, some say it's perhaps Zeppelin's true masterpiece, as opposed to Stairway To Heaven. Although I prefer Stairway, Kashmir really something incredible.

9. Immigrant Song
Again, it's powerful, but in a more brutal and crude way than Kashmir. With Robert Plant's wailing cries at the beginning, and the galloping riff, it's catchy, loud and generally an amazing song.

8. Trampled Under Foot
I smile every time I hear this song, because it's just so catchy and upbeat that I can't help it. The keyboard is incredible; forget the giant innuendo that is the lyrics, this song is great. Simple but effective.

7. Dazed And Confused
One of my earliest memories is hearing this song playing from my grandad's old record player. The instruments weave together perfectly to create the howling notes of the song, making a dark and haunting piece that can extend live into 30 minute long guitar solos that don't even send you to sleep.

6. The Rover
I'm not quite sure why I like this song so much. I think it's because it isn't all that well known, but it pretty much sums up the band and their sound. The lyrics, the music, the solo, all seem to define Led Zeppelin perfectly in one song; powerful, intricate, dark, gritty, slightly menacing, but at the same time slightly hopeful. But that could just be me.

5. Achilles Last Stand
It's one of a few songs that I would easily call 'epic'. The riffs, the lyrics, create images in your mind and send a chill up your spine. The live performances in particular are incredible (look at a version of this from their concert at Knebworth 1979, the chemistry there is unbelievable)

4. Stairway To Heaven
I know it's cliche to like this song but that doesn't stop me from putting it here. It is a masterpiece, no matter what people say, and I always feel something whenever I  listen to it. I don't listen to a lot, because I feel like I can never do it justice if I don't sit and pay attention. It isn't necessarily a sad song, but it somehow always makes me cry whenever I properly listen.

3. In My Time Of Dying
Largely improvised, it shows off the chemistry between the band members to an incredible level. It's a dark song, and the slide guitar only emphasises this. Like Achilles Last Stand, live performances of this are absolutely amazing, and I always enjoy the little conversation at the end of the studio recording on the album.

2. No Quarter
I wasn't quite sure what to make of this song at first. The keyboard introduction is beautiful, but then the guitar riff comes in, one of my favourite riffs of all time. The message behind the lyrics is a powerful one, and there are several moments where the voice and guitar come together literally so perfectly I get chills.

1. When The Levee Breaks
I've said before, this is the darkest Zeppelin ever got. The sheer power of this song grabs you right from the drums at the start, as well as the harmonica and lyrics; this song is another one I'd call haunting. It's a very bluesy song, but Led Zeppelin added something else entirely. This song truly shows off Jimmy Page's skill as a producer too - the backwards echo techniques used here are incredible.

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Well there we go, my top eleven Led Zeppelin songs. If you think differently then please comment what ones you like the most above.

Picture: Led Zeppelin, giving professional models a run for their money since 1968.