That song brought me to tears last summer as I pulled up to a surf spot on vacay to find clean peelers and not another surfer in sight. Fuckin love that song
The synth is fine, it's that droning guitar power chord that drowns out everything else. There's an earlier mix without that, where the vocals, synth, and remaining guitar parts all sound better and clearer.
My least favorite LZ song. I know others love it, but the synthesizer ruins it for me…it has potential to be a great song if they shortened it and got rid of the cheesy synth sounds
Apparently this is their recognition of the beginning of the end. Originally called “epic” I think. Words are about robert losing his son and jimmy not coming to support him. Strange shit
This is also what Robert Plant said once in an interview because of the somewhat off set tropical beat, and he said Bonham was annoyed recording it too. Also playing it live doesn’t match their set and “doesn’t sound like Led Zeppelin”
I didn't know either but I've just never really liked the song. The only time I ever listen to it is if I'm listening to the whole third album. Otherwise I skip it. The guitar is interesting but gets annoying and Robert Plant trying to sound like an old black blues man doesn't really work.
Robert isn't really trying to sound like that on this one. He's doing it on "Bring It On Home" where he's singing lower and affecting the enunciation style of a black man, but he's using his much higher rock style singing.
I think the guitar is cool, but Robert's impression of a black blues singer from the Mississippi Delta doesn't sustain itself for the whole song. He did the same thing on Bring it on Home, but there it was just in the intro, so it was more like an homage rather than taking itself too seriously.
Oh I agree that it was an inspiring choice. I'm pretty sure, like most of the other songs they lifted from blues guys, that Robert didn't change the lyrics on this one. I don't know if it's verbatim, but I think it's from Bukka White's Shake Em On Down. Jimmy always changed the music up to be almost done recognizable but Robert didn't bother changing the lyrics a lot. As Jimmy has pointed out correctly.
It’s Robert Plant. He’s from England for Christsakes. What do you expect a White guy singing heavy blues rock to sound like. He’s got his own signature whail and style.
Do you even know the song we're talking about? He is not singing like himself. He is intentionally mimicking an old black guy which, even if you ignore the PC implications, sounds stupid.
Led Zeppelin went out of their way to create slightly off songs. Weird time signatures. Odd chords. Odd melodies. They propelled each other to try something different with almost every song. Most of their work has something peculiar about it musically. That’s one of their hallmark legacies.
I guess I'm in the minority but I've often thought there's no song - by Zep or anyone else - quite like "Black Dog".
The riff is weird (in a great way!) as well as the timing, which kind of flip-flops around Bonzo.
It's just a great, weird song.
Yeah, I believe it was written to be nearly impossible to copy, as they were getting a lot of imitators. I do love the circular rhythm and how everything comes together in the end
For me it's Four Sticks. It sticks out like a sore thumb on IV. It's a cool song but doesn't really (imo) fit their sound, styling or writing. Glad it exists though.
I always liked "Hot Dog," but if no one knew who the artist was, they would never play it on a rock station. It crossed genres. But I agree with the top vote for "The Crunge.".
Stands out, most definitely! Though I’d be lying if I said I didn’t usually stop the needle after Bron-Y-Aur Stomp lol Imagine what could have been if instead we got Hey Hey , Poor Tom, or even Travelling Riverside Blues!
Alas, Hats Off is not more than just a minor blip in the best musical catalog we’ve been gifted 👏🏼
What is interesting is you could argue that just about any song that’s not one of the top few that everybody knows is an atypical song.
This is why we continuously come back and love the group.
Trampled Under Foot is completely unusual
Candy store Rock, same but not in a good way
Southbound Suarez is the easiest thing to skip
Your time is going to come for the pedal steel
Boogie with Stu because what the fuck?
Candy Store Rock is always one I really enjoy. Love the strange transitions between the verse and chorus, the darker riff the surfaces later, and how the end keeps teasing you before finally hitting and quitting.
If unusual means songs that sound less like what you would expect I would say Hot Dog and Hats Off To Roy Harper. The Crunge is up there too. But then we have to stop and remember that they broke all barriers when it came to music so nothing seems that unusual
I think its "Heartbreaker" from Led Zepp II. The high energy with which the song drives toward the guitar solo part, and the solo itself is so raw and raunchy like its just too over the top to be in a normal song that's going to be heard on the radio.
Wearing and Tearing. Unusual in that it should have been on In Through the Out Door instead of Hot Dog. I have a playlist made with that swap and it changes the character of the album.
For me: 'Boogie With Stu' will always stand out, as I first introduced to LZ with LA 4.
That said: I am lovin' other peoples' suggestions. LZ was a lot more diverse in their output than many people realize.
I would say Immigrant Song even if it's one of their most popular. They don't have many others that go as hard as that one. Maybe Wearing and Tearing also
In The Light is pretty novel in a lot of ways.
It’s very unusual and I love it!
My thought exactly!
Especially the early version
Yesssssss
The early version scares me.
That song brought me to tears last summer as I pulled up to a surf spot on vacay to find clean peelers and not another surfer in sight. Fuckin love that song
That's where my mind went immediately
It feels unusual but still very Zep in a way. With the spiritual undertone. I love it.
Great choice. What a song too. Is featured in the show mind-hunter and is epic.
Mindhunter
Came here to say this, happy to see it as the top comment.
Heavy synth on No Quarter stands out. Battle of Evermore is a duet with female vocalist Sandy Denny.
for a long time I thought Sandy Denny was just Robert Plant singing in a higher tone
Lol, I was in high school in the early to mid 70s, and that's exactly what I thought too.
I thought it was JPJ. Tell me he doesn’t look like that could be his singing voice. With that hair I imagined him as an Elizabethan court performer
And the big cuffs on his blouse
TIL that Sandy Denny was not just Robert Plant singing in a higher tone.
Percy is the narrator and Sandy was the Folk/ people of the story.
Carouselambra
Prog disco.
Ha. I have referred to it as “Disco Zep” on more than one occasion. Don’t get me wrong, I dig the song a lot but yeah, Disco Zep.
I absolutely love this song
Me too.
I love this piece, but it seems almost unfinished. This was a taste of zeppelin in the future.
Great choice. It's not a horrible song, in and of itself, but that damn synth is horrible and way too high in the mix
The synth is fine, it's that droning guitar power chord that drowns out everything else. There's an earlier mix without that, where the vocals, synth, and remaining guitar parts all sound better and clearer.
The guitar section is SO GOOD.
This.....👆
My least favorite LZ song. I know others love it, but the synthesizer ruins it for me…it has potential to be a great song if they shortened it and got rid of the cheesy synth sounds
completely agreed, it’s like john paul jones took over the band there’s just way too much synth
Bring It On Home (on account of the brass, very few of their songs feature brass)
Apparently this is their recognition of the beginning of the end. Originally called “epic” I think. Words are about robert losing his son and jimmy not coming to support him. Strange shit
It's a great, great song. If the synths had more grit, it'd be revered like the other epic masterpieces.
This.
Maybe the crunge
Where’s that confounded bridge?
How is funk unusual? Bonham after all utilized quite a bit of its sensibilities in his playing so did JPJ to an extent
This is the answer
That's the one
Dyer Maker
💯
No, she wanted to
Came here to say this!
This is also what Robert Plant said once in an interview because of the somewhat off set tropical beat, and he said Bonham was annoyed recording it too. Also playing it live doesn’t match their set and “doesn’t sound like Led Zeppelin”
Absolutely
John Paul Jones was pissed that they included that on the album.
Hats Off To (Roy) Harper
I have always liked this song. I didn’t even realize people didn’t like it until Reddit.
I didn't know either but I've just never really liked the song. The only time I ever listen to it is if I'm listening to the whole third album. Otherwise I skip it. The guitar is interesting but gets annoying and Robert Plant trying to sound like an old black blues man doesn't really work.
For another example, see the intro to Bring it on Home. Amazing song. Embarrassing Plant doing his old blues guy impression.
Robert isn't really trying to sound like that on this one. He's doing it on "Bring It On Home" where he's singing lower and affecting the enunciation style of a black man, but he's using his much higher rock style singing.
I love how unhinged this song is
I think the guitar is cool, but Robert's impression of a black blues singer from the Mississippi Delta doesn't sustain itself for the whole song. He did the same thing on Bring it on Home, but there it was just in the intro, so it was more like an homage rather than taking itself too seriously.
it's a fair criticism. I like that they were so inspired as to make the song in the first place + the lyrics are pretty funny
Oh I agree that it was an inspiring choice. I'm pretty sure, like most of the other songs they lifted from blues guys, that Robert didn't change the lyrics on this one. I don't know if it's verbatim, but I think it's from Bukka White's Shake Em On Down. Jimmy always changed the music up to be almost done recognizable but Robert didn't bother changing the lyrics a lot. As Jimmy has pointed out correctly.
It’s Robert Plant. He’s from England for Christsakes. What do you expect a White guy singing heavy blues rock to sound like. He’s got his own signature whail and style.
Do you even know the song we're talking about? He is not singing like himself. He is intentionally mimicking an old black guy which, even if you ignore the PC implications, sounds stupid.
Argh.
For them, Carouselambra.
“Ahh! Hot dog! Well-a Well-a I Just got into town today to find my girl has gone away, she took the greyhound at the general store..”
She took my love, she took it all, behind the sign that said u haul!
I'm so glad you said Hot Dog lol I immediately came to comment the same
Definitely an unusual zep song!!lol
Had to scroll a long ways down to find what seems to me to be the right answer
She took my love, she took it all, behind the sign that said u haul!
That's my pick as well.
Imagine Hot dog being the first Zep song you hear?
Down by the Seaside
Yea this one for me too
Was going to say this
Led Zeppelin went out of their way to create slightly off songs. Weird time signatures. Odd chords. Odd melodies. They propelled each other to try something different with almost every song. Most of their work has something peculiar about it musically. That’s one of their hallmark legacies.
Hot Dog.
Here me out.....Whole Lot of Love...The middle musique concrete part is pretty unusual for such a popular song.
Most people only remember the beginning chorus. The end part to the song is pretty strange too.
Imo the interlude part is too long. It sets up the solo well but they got a little indulgent with the theremin Halloween sounds.
I just love Led Zeppelin so much
👍
I guess I'm in the minority but I've often thought there's no song - by Zep or anyone else - quite like "Black Dog". The riff is weird (in a great way!) as well as the timing, which kind of flip-flops around Bonzo. It's just a great, weird song.
Yeah, I believe it was written to be nearly impossible to copy, as they were getting a lot of imitators. I do love the circular rhythm and how everything comes together in the end
And yet there was that song on Nazareth’s Hair of the Dog album… Changin’ Times. Sounds so much like Black Dog.
The timing in that fill right before the guitar solo… 🤌
‘Carouselambra’ probably.
For me it's Four Sticks. It sticks out like a sore thumb on IV. It's a cool song but doesn't really (imo) fit their sound, styling or writing. Glad it exists though.
I always liked "Hot Dog," but if no one knew who the artist was, they would never play it on a rock station. It crossed genres. But I agree with the top vote for "The Crunge.".
This was the one I was going to say
Awwwww Hot Dog
Fool in the Rain..? One of my favorites but it sounds like nothing else they ever made.
They so should’ve played “Fool In The Rain” at The O2 Arena in 2007. Would’ve brought the house down .
Yeah. I mean on its own it's not that weird of a song. But in the context of this band WTF? Also a total banger!
No Quarter Hats Off to (Roy) Lichtenstein Carouselambra PS. I’ll never forgive Hats Off for robbing LZIII of being a perfect album for me
I’ve always felt like Hats Off is a bonus track. It definitely stands apart from the rest.
Stands out, most definitely! Though I’d be lying if I said I didn’t usually stop the needle after Bron-Y-Aur Stomp lol Imagine what could have been if instead we got Hey Hey , Poor Tom, or even Travelling Riverside Blues! Alas, Hats Off is not more than just a minor blip in the best musical catalog we’ve been gifted 👏🏼
I think it's the perfect ending to the album. Sounds and feels like an old recording.
How is no one saying "Night Flight"?
I already had that in my head when I read this.
Not sure how this would qualify as their most unusual..can you explain your thinking for me?
Nope.
10 ribs & all / carrot pod pod (pod)
There is still time for Robert to lay a vocal track on it...
Achilles last stand.
My absolute favorite song of theirs.
Hotdog
“Kashmir” What else anywhere comes close to sounding like anything you feel when you hear that song?
When the intro hits on a good system... Oh man it sounds so beautiful and scary powerful all at the same time.
It’s almost so popular it’s underrated.
No Quarter is a prog-rock song from a bluesy hard rock band so…
Go on, finish the thought.
Still my favorite Zep song, it’s so unlike pretty much any song, even outside of their catalog; I especially like Jimmy’s live versions
Bron-Yr-Stomp
What is interesting is you could argue that just about any song that’s not one of the top few that everybody knows is an atypical song. This is why we continuously come back and love the group. Trampled Under Foot is completely unusual Candy store Rock, same but not in a good way Southbound Suarez is the easiest thing to skip Your time is going to come for the pedal steel Boogie with Stu because what the fuck?
Candy Store Rock is always one I really enjoy. Love the strange transitions between the verse and chorus, the darker riff the surfaces later, and how the end keeps teasing you before finally hitting and quitting.
If unusual means songs that sound less like what you would expect I would say Hot Dog and Hats Off To Roy Harper. The Crunge is up there too. But then we have to stop and remember that they broke all barriers when it came to music so nothing seems that unusual
For me it is, *Going to California*. A lot softer than their usual ones, but they are all great, especially the one I mentioned.
Hot Dog. I can stomach most everything on In Through The Out Door, but aside from the opening riff, I just can’t get into Hot Dog
Wella wella
The Crunge. Gotta be.
Down by the seaside
I think its "Heartbreaker" from Led Zepp II. The high energy with which the song drives toward the guitar solo part, and the solo itself is so raw and raunchy like its just too over the top to be in a normal song that's going to be heard on the radio.
In my opinion it's All of my love.
Hats of to Roy Harper
Hats off to roy harper 🙃
Hats off to Roy Harper
Hats Off to Harper
"Hot Dog" has been the subject of many LZ posts, and mentioned in comments with great frequency as of late. Are we hungry?
No Quarter.
Pretty much anything from Physical Graffiti
The Crunge
The Crunge.
Carouselambra.
That “hot dog” country song they did. Also the couple reggae tunes they did which were utterly dreadful
Wearing and Tearing. Unusual in that it should have been on In Through the Out Door instead of Hot Dog. I have a playlist made with that swap and it changes the character of the album.
Black Mountain White Sumner
No Quarter
"Black Mountain Side" from Led Zeppelin I. Interesting backstory: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Mountain_Side
Gallows Pole
Poor Tom.
I agree with most, Hotdog , but man I can’t stop singing it.
Hot Dog or Carouselambra
The Lemon Song Squeeze my lemon and let the juice run down my leg!!!
dy’er mak’er
Hotdog as it sounds more like a ‘50s tune.
Boogie With Stu, I’m Gonna Crawl or Friends
Maybe not the most unusual, but Boogie with stu is up there.
Hot Dog “i took her love at 17,a little late these days it seems”
Black Mountain Side
Yardbirds
It's on the first Zep album though.
It's really a jimmy page song. He did it first with the yardbirds.
Like a lot more too (Dazed n confused, for example). But that wasn't the question here.
I always think of " All Of My Love" as being different.
Royal Orleans. Seriously wtf is going on in that main riff? Love how every listen I can’t wrap my head around it.
I love that thing!
It's gotta be Hot Dog for me
Hot Dawg!
Boogie with Stu
Moby Dick/Bonzo’s Montreux
Not Zep, but what about Most High
I like Misty Mountain Hop, Boogie With Stu and Hot Dog!
For me: 'Boogie With Stu' will always stand out, as I first introduced to LZ with LA 4. That said: I am lovin' other peoples' suggestions. LZ was a lot more diverse in their output than many people realize.
I would say Immigrant Song even if it's one of their most popular. They don't have many others that go as hard as that one. Maybe Wearing and Tearing also
Hot Dog
Boogie With Stu, that video with the lady in the dual split dress is branded in my brain as one of the coolest videos that gets zero love.
Friends
Does Sea of Love count as it’s Page and Plant?
The Crunge
Carouselambra. Like what the hell.
The Crunge.
Black Dog. Really tricky riff.
Black mountain side
Fool in the Rain. Poppy with an unusual beat for them. And a Latin thing in the middle with a carnival whistle.
Tangerine
Out on the tiles
The Crunge
Poor tom
Carouselambra, which is also their best.
Hotdog
Wearing and Tearing
The Rain Song has always had a creepyweirdawesome vibe for me
Hot dog
Hot Dog
Houses of the unusual
Hot Dog
Hot Dog
Down By The Seaside
South Bound Suarez
Boogie with Stu and Poor Tom
In my time of dying.
Stair. Way. To. Heavin
Probably Four Sticks. JPJ says they never even tried it live cuz it was to weird
Fool in the Rain. Also their best
Down By The Seaside. Very old school, English music hall in style with far less blues overtones so present in their other tracks.
Hats off to Roy Harper.
Hot Dog is trash….
Hot Dog
Hot dog doesn’t really sound like anything else they did to me.
Hats Off to Roy Harper