Led Zeppelin -Led Zeppelin IV

This album is untitled but most commonly called Led Zeppelin IV. There is no information on the outside or inside of the gatefold cover. The label just says Led Zeppelin with the four symbols,song titles and writers. There is a single sheet with the lyrics to “Stairway To Heaven” on one side and the song titles and recording information on the other. This came out in November 1971 and I remember listening to my parents new Electrophonic AM/FM stereo and hearing the premier of the new Led Zeppelin song “Stairway To Heaven”. This was around 8 PM. I really loved it and wanted to tape it. The DJ said he would play it again later that night. I stayed up till nearly 12(past my bedtime,I had to get up at six to deliver my morning paper route) when it was finally played. In the middle of the song the DJ said “WMMR world premier” ruining my recording but I kept it anyway. Considered by many to be one of the greatest Rock albums of all time. Starting of with the 1 2 punch of “Black Dog” and “Rock And Roll” showing us they weren’t turning into an acoustic band. “The Battle Of Evermore” with its mandolin accompaniment references Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings as did “Ramble On” and the title “Misty Mountain Hop”. Sandy Denny sings vocals with Plant,the only female vocals on a Zeppelin record. The side ends with “Stairway To Heaven”. Nuff said. Side two starts with two more Rockers “Misty Mountain Hop” and “Four Sticks”. The acoustic “Going To California” follows and ends with a blistering interpretation of the old Blues song “When The Levee Breaks” with its relentless beat and Plant’s harmonica. The estate of Randy “California” Wolfe of Spirit sued for copyright claiming the band took the opening notes of “Stairway To Heaven” from a short instrumental by Spirit called “Taurus”. They are strikingly similar but the U.S. court ruled in Zeppelins favor. I never bought this album since every song was played in heavy rotation in the 70’s. This is another 2014 re-issue I bought about four years ago.

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