The one musician to make Jimmy Page emotional: “She brings tears to my eyes”
For Jimmy Page, music is his first language, and he feels more comfortable expressing himself within the confines of art rather than through more conventional mediums in everyday life. It also acts as a way for Page to unlock emotions within himself as a listener, with one artist having a particular ability to tug on his heartstrings.
While Page asserted a name for himself within the realm of heavy rock as the driving creative force behind Led Zeppelin, the guitarist took influence from across the musical spectrum. Both Page and Robert Plant shared folk leanings, especially traditional English music, which they offered a modernised version of with Led Zeppelin, helping them craft their unique sound.
Before the formation of Led Zeppelin, Page made his name on the session circuit in London, lending his hand to work by the likes of The Who, Donovan, Joe Cocker, and The Kinks. Due to the experience he’d amassed, Page was ready to conquer the world with Led Zeppelin, which changed his life forever. While it brought him the riches he’d worked so hard to earn, fame had downsides, too. Although Led Zeppelin altered the face of rock music, sold millions of records across the globe, and played arenas, Page wasn’t wholly prepared for life in the spotlight.
Admittedly, it was a first-world problem that Page had to deal with, but nevertheless, it was difficult to manage. Thankfully, music, courtesy of Joni Mitchell, contextualised the situation.
For Page, no other artist has dealt with this challenging and nuanced topic as eloquently as the singer-songwriter. During an interview with Rolling Stone in 1975, Page praised the Canadian artist, claiming she was the only living musician who could replicate the magnificence of ‘Stairway To Heaven’.
“I don’t think there are too many people who are capable of it,” Page explained. “Maybe one. Joni Mitchell. That’s the music that I play at home all the time, Joni Mitchell. Court and Spark I love because I’d always hoped that she’d work with a band. But the main thing with Joni is that she’s able to look at something that’s happened to her, draw back and crystallise the whole situation, then write about it. She brings tears to my eyes, what more can I say? It’s bloody eerie.”
Page then spoke specifically about his love of her song, ‘Both Sides Now‘, which connected with him profoundly. The reflective track deals with the constantly evolving nature of life, which struck a deep chord with Page. He felt it related immensely to his existence despite Mitchell writing from personal experience.
“I can relate so much to what she says,” Page added. He highlighted the lyrics, “Now old friends are acting strange, They shake their heads, They say I’ve changed,'” which he found particularly relevant to his dalliance with celebrity.
Although he’d prepared for change, The astronomical success of Led Zeppelin impacted Page more than he thought, making him somewhat unable to relate to those that he grew up alongside. He elaborated, “I’d like to know how many of her original friends she’s got. I’d like to know how many of the original friends any well-known musician has got. You’d be surprised. They think — particularly that thing of change — they all assume that you’ve changed. For the worse.”
The preconceptions of fame paint a glamorous picture; however, not every consequence of success is positive. The lyrics in ‘Both Sides Now’ spoke to Page’s soul, unlocking subconscious feelings at the back of his mind. Without developing an admiration for Mitchell’s work, Page may have continued to ignore those emotions, but ‘Both Sides Now’ forced him to accept the uncomfortable truth of fame.
