“As I Scan This Wasted Land”: An Apocalyptic Album and Led Zeppelin’s Best Studio Work

A band formed of multiple members (as most are) must necessarily have some form of synergy in order to create something larger than the sum of their parts. Paul McCartney’s song-writing talents couldn’t have been able to attain such levels of super-stardom without Lennon, Harrison and Starr. Brian Wilson’s genius for musical arrangement could’ve fallen by the wayside without Mike Love and his family to help temper it. Mick Jagger could have become just another prancing stage presence without Keith Richards and the other Stones to keep him rockin’ for decades upon decades (the Rolling Stones are each about 214 years old by now, I’m pretty sure).

In few bands is this synergy between members more powerful and primal than in the combination of Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, and John Bonham. Led Zeppelin (formerly known as The New Yardbirds before a cease and desist ordered them to come up with a new name) has for the last 40 years been seen as one of the most influential, and successful, groups in the history of rock and roll. It’s hard to imagine what the shape of rock music would have been like without the wailing and beautiful banshee-screech of Robert Plant’s voice in Black Dog, without Jimmy Page’s delirious and masterful guitar work in the ever-present Stairway to Heaven, without the moody and proto-psychedelic arrangements of John Paul Jones in No Quarter, or without John Bonham and his manic and driven yet precise drumming in Immigrant Song.

Influencing popular music in everything from today’s heavy metal and hard rock to the arena-rock anthems of the 70s and 80s, and being influenced themselves by blues and classical music and even English folk music, it’s next to impossible to pin Led Zeppelin down into one particular genre. But, at least for this listener, that musical flexibility is a huge part of their appeal. I listen to Led Zeppelin not just because I enjoy the rocking and hard jams of songs like Whole Lotta Love, but also because I love the lighter “pop” sound of songs like D’yer Mak’er. The Tolkien-referencing lyrics of The Battle of Evermore are just as entertaining to listen to as the instrumentals in Bron-Yr-Aur.

Released as a double album in 1975 under their own “Swan Song” record label, Physical Graffiti saw incredible commercial and critical success and showcased an already world-famous band at the absolute peak of their abilities. With eight new tracks, and seven unreleased songs from the recording sessions for three of their earlier albums, Physical Graffiti clocks in at over 80 minutes in length. It’s an impressive and almost apocalyptic chunk of music with undeniable power, strength and lyricality.

Custard Pie — The album opens by showing off Zeppelin’s blues-y, guitar riff-y sound with a song distinctly influenced by artists with awesome names like Sleepy John Estes or Blind Boy Fuller. Bonham’s heavy drum beats and Plant’s immediately-recognizable growl round out this first track.

The Rover — A simple drum beat starts, with Jimmy Page’s guitar soon making its heavy presence felt. While the song continues in its pounding fashion, the lyrics reference such things as seeing “seven wonders”, “a new plague upon the land”, and “the new world rising from the shambles of the old”. Amongst this doomsday poetry Plant also asks important existential questions: “I’ve all this wonder of earthly plunder; Will it leave us anything to show?”

In My Time of Dying — At over 11 minutes, this is the longest studio recording Led Zeppelin ever released. It’s also the most recognized version of this song, despite there being previous versions from various blues artists and even the incomparable Bob Dylan. Telling the story of a man at the end of his days as he searches for meaning, redemption and repentance, it’s also unique in that it doesn’t have any protracted instrumental breaks, and even includes a humorous reaction from the recording booth at the end.

Houses of the Holy — This song is musically straightforward but lyrically all over the place. A simple and repetitive riff with a basic drumbeat and an elementary melody, this is far from Zeppelin’s most musically creative work. The lyrics, though, describe someone’s efforts at seduction while also highlighting temptation’s sometimes unlikely sources, even within ourselves.

Trampled Under Foot — A “car song” the Beach Boys would never have gotten away with. A pounding and catchy rhythm is the highway centerline of this track, with Plant’s gravelly voice pushing everything forward like an engine. If the meaning of the song were ever in doubt, the phrase “talkin’ bout love” repeats throughout to tell the listener we’re listening to 5 minutes of double entendres and innuendos and not just a man’s love for his vehicle.

Kashmir — An unbelievably powerful 8 minutes of music. Even if Led Zeppelin is far, far removed from your musical radar, the intensity and strength behind this track cannot be denied. More orchestral and musically layered than one would typically expect, Kashmir shows Zeppelin at the absolute pinnacle of their respective abilities. Bonham’s drums are simple from a superficial standpoint, but drive the song forward with unerring accuracy and power. Jones’s musical arrangements shine through, while Page’s guitar finds that distinctive melody and hooks it into the listener’s ear. But it is the otherworldly howl emanating from Robert Plant’s mouth as he sings of spiritual discovery and traveling the highways of the soul which bring those moments of pure awe to the listener.

In the Light — The unique sound of a violin bow being dragged across the strings of an electric guitar create the ghostly opening strains of the song Jimmy Page has stated is one of his personal favorites from the band’s whole catalog. This track also does a phenomenal job of highlighting the dichotomy often present in Zeppelin’s music, as the lyrics are positive and uplifting while the music behind it is often clouded with dark tones and emotion.

Bron-Yr-Aur — Guitars overlaid atop one another create a short but beautiful instrumental track, inspired by a tiny cottage in the mountains of Wales where the band went to relax and get away from the craziness inherent in being a world-famous band.

Down By the Seaside — A tremolo effect on the guitar and a nasally inflection to Plant’s voice give this track a distinctively different, almost Neil Young-ish feel. This track often feels as though it can’t make up its mind between soft and hard rock, let alone a basic tempo. Despite its confusing feel, though, it makes for a wonderful example of Zeppelin’s flexibility of style.

Ten Years Gone — Supposedly inspired by Jimmy Page’s reflections on an old girlfriend who asked him to choose between her or his music (*psst, he chose the music*), this piece includes 14 separate guitar tracks overlaid into a single masterful song. Producer Rick Rubin has described Ten Years Gone as “nature coming through the speakers”, and this listener can’t think of a more accurate and fitting description.

Night Flight — The poetry of this song is sort of ambiguous, though Robert Plant has described it as a song about a young man avoiding the draft in time of war. The music is less ambiguous, bringing to mind both blues and rockabilly.

The Wanton Song — A driving guitar riff incredibly reminiscent of Zeppelin’s Immigrant Song starts off the track before Plant jumps in to compare a “wanton” woman with the succubi of ancient mythology.

Boogie with Stu — This track showcases a band just jamming and having fun, and also a guest appearance from Ian Stewart, the pianist and road manager for The Rolling Stones. Zeppelin tried to give some of the credit to the mother of Ritchie Valens after using some of his old lyrics from another song, and who the band had heard never received any royalties from her late son’s recordings. As a result they were sued — and settled out of court.

Black Country Woman — Recorded in the garden of an English manor house, this blues-y acoustic track also features an airplane droning overhead at the beginning. The sound engineer offers to do another take, to which Plant responds with, “Nah, leave it.” I guess those extra noises just add a little bit more personality, right?

Sick Again — Known to live a life of excess while out on tour, Zeppelin has become almost mythologized for the tales of their debauchery, wrecking hotel rooms and sleeping with countless teenage “groupies”. I use the term “mythologized” because the band and their producers deny (of course) it was anywhere near as bad as the stories made it out to be. In this song, Plant sounds almost pitying toward those groupies, and shows how the life of a rock star isn’t always what it’s cracked out to be.

In 1980, the landscape of Led Zeppelin changed forever when John Bonham passed away from asphyxiation due to the over-consumption of alcohol. (His son, Jason Bonham, has played with the group for their occasional and sporadic “reunion” tours, and is pictured above with the three surviving members.) The synergy and musical magic created by Zeppelin when they formed in the late 60s may not have lasted for very long, but at their pinnacle they were able to create moments of sheer aural genius that many bands strive to imitate to this day.

“They talk of days for which they sit and wait / when all will be revealed …”