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From the first acoustic notes of the finger-picked A-minor chord, “Stairway to Heaven” is arguably the most well-known classic rock song out there. But the album it appears on is just as iconic.
Commonly called “Led Zeppelin IV,”, this technically never-named fourth album helped solidify Led Zeppelin a much-deserved place on the throne of rock greats.
The British group was well-seasoned by the time this record was released in 1971.
Robert Plant embodied the ultimate rock frontman, with his long blonde curls, exposed chest, bell-bottom jeans, and colorful scarves and necklaces, not to mention his soulful and powerful vocals.
Jimmy Page continued to experiment with riffs, creating new sounds on a variety of guitars. He also was the mastermind behind the production of the album.
John “Bonzo” Bonham added more drums to his kit (an early rock n’ roll kit like Ringo’s was a four-piece; Bonham added some floor toms and extra cymbals to his Ludwig Sparkle Green kit).
And John Paul Jones helped sing on some tracks, in addition to his bass, keyboards, and various other instruments.
Led Zeppelin also altered their public image, opting to put symbols on the record sleeve instead of names or album titles. Jimmy Page’s famous “ZoSo” symbol, Robert Plant’s feather in a circle, John Paul Jones’ circle with three football shapes, and Jason Bonham’s three interlocking circles have puzzled fans for decades.
The album art for “Led Zeppelin IV” consists of a hand-colored photograph of a man carrying sticks on his back tacked to a wall with peeling paint. Plant has explained that the cover is a reminder for people to “look after the Earth.”
The eight-track album contains a song for everyone, from fast paced rock tunes to a slow and heartfelt ballad. Page and Plant’s lyrics also contribute to the uniqueness of the tracks.
The second track, “Rock and Roll,” embodies exactly what classic rock and roll was harsh drums, a recognizable riff, and powerful vocals. It is very groovy and easy to groove to the beat. In this song, the band shows their blues roots while still pushing ahead into the hard rock scene.
“The Battle of Evermore” contains the only female vocals on a Led Zeppelin song, with fellow British blues musician Sandy Denny making an appearance. She was credited with a symbol on the album as well – a shape with three triangles. The song features a mandolin and lyrics alluding to J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, with Plant’s and Denny’s voices blending into wailing harmonies.
“Going to California,” the penultimate track on the album, has my favorite Led Zeppelin lyrics ever, “Someone told me there’s a girl out there / with love in her eyes and flowers in her hair.” The track embodies the freedom and change of the hippie movement era. Although this song is a quieter ballad than some of the other songs, it is still touching.
The haunting seven-minute-long last track, “When the Levee Breaks,” is the only cover song on the album. Led Zeppelin hard-rock-ified the Memphis Millie blues song and made it their own. Originally about the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927, the song also saw a resurgence after Hurricane Katrina made landfall in New Orleans and many of the levees protecting the city breached.
“Stairway to Heaven” is comparable to Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird”, Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” and Guns N’ Roses’ “November Rain” in the fact that the track is unnecessarily long but most people have the entire song memorized.
“Stairway to Heaven” is the perfect way to end Side 1 of the album. The song features each band member’s strengths into one epic eight-minute-long masterpiece. Bonham’s drums don’t arrive until around the four-minute mark, but the recorder and acoustic guitar are given their moments in the added layers as the song continues. On tour, Page played a two-necked Gibson guitar to account for the different sounds heard on the track. Surprisingly, the influential track was never issued as a single for the album.
Rating: 9/10
Main attractors: “Stairway to Heaven” has definitely stood the test of time and remains one of the most covered songs. There is an even mix of calm ballads and rocking drums on the album, with a track for every listener. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995, deservedly early in the induction classes. For new fans looking to get into classic rock, Led Zeppelin is the perfect band to familiarize themselves with, as they have been an influence for many bands.
Main detractors: The band is more experimental on this album than the previous records in their discography, especially with the album being technically untitled. There is not a lot of cohesion between tracks, and the rock songs start rather abruptly. Overall, this album shows off Led Zeppelin’s iconic established sound seen on many of their albums.
