Led Zeppelin - Jimmy Page - Robert Plant - John Paul Jones - John Bonham

Credit: Far Out / julio zeppelin

The two legendary Led Zeppelin songs that used “exactly the same” approach

Sat 26 October 2024 16:00, UK

Originality isn’t necessarily always a key qualifier when making it as a great rock band. Led Zeppelin had their share of it, of course, but theirs is a legacy best quantified by the adage “standing on the shoulders of giants”. Many world-class rock originators laid the necessary groundwork that would ensure that explosive stadium rock groups could thrive, but Zeppelin expanded on that foundation without claiming to be anything other than what they were.

With two successful albums already under their belt, continuing their trajectory as a rock outfit that bridged traditional rock with a contemporary stadium sound meant approaching Led Zeppelin III from the ground floor. Dismissing any help from musicians who weren’t core members of the group, Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Bonham, and John Paul Jones took it upon themselves to push their own boundaries and incorporate more instruments than before, mainly to enhance their sound but also to explore territories outside of their usual terrain.

Led Zeppelin III was already anticipated to be one of the band’s most significant milestones before it was even released. This was because the previous two albums had already proven them to be a band that consistently raised the bar, even if its more folk and acoustic leanings took some by surprise. But the album wouldn’t have faltered anyway, especially not since each member took it upon themselves to push themselves harder to show that versatility was something hard-wired into their countless capabilities.

Despite the pivot, many techniques implemented by the members for III ended up guiding the sound and approach taken in the following albums, especially when it came to Page’s immense development as a guitarist and how he challenged himself to create the kind of solo that would solidify Zeppelin as the greatest rock group out there. Therefore, in an effort to match up to the same level of excellence his bandmates had accrued, he turned up the heat for ‘Since I’ve Been Loving You’ so that no one would ever question the quality of his contributions.

Recalling the sudden desire to better his abilities, he told Light & Shade: Conversations With Jimmy Page author Brad Tolinski that he felt he “had to deliver a solo” that would match up to the talents of Bonham, Jones, and Plant. “After hearing this wonderful construction where everyone is playing so beautifully together and making their own statements,” he said. “Big statements, massive statements, accents and phrases, locking into it and swooning: I had to deliver a solo that would live up to this incredible buildup.”

Not only did he achieve his desired goal, but his approach to ‘Since I’ve Been Loving You’ directed the sound of Zeppelin in more ways than he anticipated in the first instance, despite holding a distinctive sound compared to the songs that came after. Still, he once revealed his solo on this particular III standout ended up unintentionally influencing his work on the later hit ‘Stairway to Heaven’, mainly because of the circumstances surrounding both sessions and the fact Page had to work smarter to deliver the quality needed in a short space of time.

“It was like getting ready for a hundred-yard dash or something,” he recalled, saying, “Just vibing up for it, psyching myself up, and coming up with some idea of how to get the solo off, and then — go! It’s exactly how I felt before I played my third pass at the ‘Stairway To Heaven’ solo. I approached it in exactly the same way.”

Again, Page had to match up to the efforts of his bandmates to deliver a solo for ‘Stairway’, with just two attempts to perform exactly what they needed and uphold the song’s emotional intensity. Clearly, Page works well under pressure because it’s tough to pick out any imperfections on the track. It’s nearly impossible, in fact, as every note he executed seems meticulous and intricate in a way that elevates the song’s popular climactic section.