Led Zeppelin – Wearing and Tearing

This was on the album Coda it was released two years after John Bonham’s death and features outtakes from sessions throughout their career.

the song was supposed to be released as a single to coincide with their 1979 tour, but it was delayed because of production problems. This was Zeppelin’s answer to the Punk Rock groups at the time. It was recorded during the making of the In Through The Out Door album.

I don’t think it would have fit well on In Through The Out Door but it is too bad they didn’t release it as a single at the time.

From Songfacts

John Bonham died before this could be released. It was included on Coda, an album of unreleased tracks.

They planned to release this under the name of a fake band so it would not be judged as a Zeppelin song and could compete against the popular Punk bands.

Led Zeppelin never performed this live, but in 1990, Page and Plant played it at the Knebworth Festival in England.

 

Wearing and Tearing

It starts out like a murmur 
Then it grows like thunder 
Until it bursts inside of you 
Try to hold it steady 
Wait until you’re ready 
Any second now will do 
Throw the door wide open 
Not a word is spoken 
Anything that you want to do 

Ya know, ya know, ya know
Ya know, ya know, ya know

Don’t you feel the same way? 
Don’t you feel the same way? 
But you don’t know what to do 
No time for hesitatin’ 
Ain’t no time for hesitatin’ 
All you got to do is move 
They say you’re feeling blue, well 
I just found a cure 
It’s a thing you gotta do, yeah 

(Ya know, ya know, ya know)

Now listen, when you say your body’s aching? 
I know that it’s aching 
Chill bumps come up on you 
Yeah, the funny fool 
I love the funny fool 
Just like foolin’ after school? 
And then you ask for medication 
Who cares for medication 
When you’ve worn away the cure 

(Ya know, ya know, ya know)

(Hey, hey)
Go back to the country yeah, go back to the country 
Feel a change is good for you 
When you keep convincin’ 
Ah, don’t keep convincin’ 
What’s that creeping up behind a you? 
It’s just an old friend, it’s just an old friend 
And what’s that he’s got for you? 

(Ya know, ya know, ya know)

Yeah, yeah, yeah I can feel it, I can feel it ?
Oh, medication, medication, medication