Wednesday, April 13, 2016

April 13 - When The Levee Breaks

Those drums. Those thundering drums. That's all you hear as this song starts, and they keep on driving the song throughout.

When I purchased Led Zeppelin's fourth album from a used record store located behind EPA, one of the bigger department stores in Trondheim - and my favorite, because they had an ice cream counter there that sold strawberry soft serve ice cream (or even a twist with strawberry and vanilla). Anyway, I saw this album cover that had a picture of an old man carrying a bunch of sticks hanging on a wall with disintegrating wallpaper around it. I had no idea what it was, but the guy running the store was Geir Otnes, an older kid from my neighborhood who sang in the band Team, which gave him instant rock-star status in my early teenage eyes, and he pointed out that it had Stairway To Heaven on it. Now I have to confess that I actually didn't know the song yet - but I had heard of it, and that was enough for me at that time in my life (ah - who am I kidding - I am pretentious enough to still let reputation be enough for me to pursue music. What can I say? It's an approach that has worked for me). The album didn't appear to have a name - but there were four symbols that showed up - one for each of the band members. It was their fourth album, and since the previous ones had been named Led Zeppelin I-III, it is most commonly known as Led Zeppelin IV

The album had a gatefold sleeve, which was a trait usually reserved for double albums, and when I opened it up, most of the inside was black, but along the top edge was something that looked like a wizard on the edge of a cliff overlooking a village with a lantern that held a star. Turning it from landscape to portrait orientation, it was magical and mystical in a way that can't be captured in a booklet that is 5" by 5" - or online. That awe-inspiring approach to artwork is what I miss the most about vinyl records. Pulling out the record sleeve, it was paper that to me appeared as parchment - and it had the lyrics of Stairway To Heaven on it, filling one side completely. The other side of it listed the songs and credits, and it featured the four symbols.

I bought the record, took it home, and put it on the turntable. As the needle dropped, the static gave way to a barely perceptible guitar sound before Robert Plant wailed "Hey, hey mama, said the way you move's gonna make me sweat, it's gonna make me groove..." Black Dog was an instant hit with me, and followed by Rock And Roll it is a great one-two punch that leaves you reeling. Another rocking song there would knock anyone to the floor, so they put in The Battle of Evermore, showcasing their folk influences and using Sandy Denny from Fairport Convention to duet with Robert Plant. And that's where they lost me when I first listened to the album. In my eyes, they barely recovered with Stairway to Heaven, which, even though I love the song, is one of the most overrated songs in rock history (and the subject of a current plagiarism law suit). Side B followed a similar pattern, although Misty Mountain Hop and Four Sticks were far from as powerful as Black Dog and Rock and Roll - but Going To California was as much of a buzzkill for my 13-14 year old self as The Battle of Evermore had been on Side A.

But then there were drums. John Bonham's thunderous approach to the rhythm of Memphis Minnie's When The Levee Breaks was amplified by the echo in a staircase of Headley Grange, a run down former poorhouse that was converted to a studio by the use of the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio, which has been used for both studio and live recordings by a multitude of bands, including it's owners, The Rolling Stones. Jimmy Page's guitar riff follows, and Robert Plant plays a mean harmonica on top of it. John Paul Jones' bass is almost not heard in the beginning, but it is there, following the guitar riff - and becomes more obvious on the break between verses. This is a great example of the power of Led Zeppelin, and is to me one of the highlights of their recording career.

Today when I listen to their fourth album, I can honestly say that I love all 8 songs, but the song that always makes me come back for more is the album closer - and just remember that "if it keeps on raining, the levee's gonna break"




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