The Shadow-gloom and Weight of the Sacred

Led Zeppelin was my favorite band in high school and college. You'd have caught me on an off day if I wasn't listening to one of their nine studio albums. When I was freshmen in college, the Led Zeppelin BBC Sessions were released; it was really cool to hear different live variations of the the studio recordings that were the soundtrack to my life. I don't know that Led Zeppelin is still my favorite band but they are most certainly one of my favorite bands. I acknowledge that Robert Plant was pretty limited in what he could do vocally during his Zeppelin days--I think Joe Cocker would have been a marvelous lead singer for the band--but even at that, I don't mind. Here are my top 5 Zeppelin songs.

5. Over the Hills and Far Away--this was the first Zeppelin song I ever heard and thought, 'I want to listen to this band.' The first Zeppelin album I ever owned was a vinyl LP of Houses of the Holy because it had this song on it.

4. Tea For One--this long blues song at the end of the oft-overlooked Presence album has a really cool groove and a dark tone. Presence is probably the least accessible Zeppelin recording, but Tea For One will pull you into its rolling guitar licks and you'll be lost in the music--all 10 minutes of it.

3. How Many More Times?--the last song on their debut album, I love the rollicking bass line, the thundering drums and the vocals...er, wails. Of course, the guitar is alway impressive, but I think this is the song where the whole band really came together and displayed a little of the greatness that was to come.

2. Night Flight--this little song near the end of the double album Physical Graffiti is a really cool ditty. I had the cassette and used to rewind this song and listen to it over and over.

1. Hey, Hey What Can I Do?--a B side that was hard to find until the 1990 box set, this is my favorite Zeppelin song. This song is fun; you can sing along with it. A group of people can sing along with it. The lyrics are fun. It's loud and boisterous and a little naughty. Everything you'd want in a rock song.