Led Zeppelin – Houses of the Holy

As with a lot of Zeppelin songs…it’s the riff…that riff is a beautiful thing. It’s not a complex one like Black Dog but it works.

Houses Of The Holy is the name of Led Zeppelin’s fifth album, released in 1973. This song was going to be on it, but they decided to hold it back and use it on their next album, Physical Graffiti. I never understood that…Page has said that the song didn’t fit with the Houses of the Holy album’s other songs.

The song supposedly refers to the spiritual feel of their concerts.

In order to create the layered guitar introduction and fade-out, Page used a Delta T digital delay unit.

Delta-T 102 - Lexicon Delta-T 102 - Audiofanzine

Despite being a fan favorite and about their shows, this was never performed live. For all you audiophiles out there…The squeak of John Bonham’s drum pedal can be heard about 3 minutes in.

The song was not released as a single… the album Physical Graffiti peaked at #1 in the Billboard Album Charts, Canada, and the UK in 1975. The song was written by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant. 

Houses of the Holy

Let me take you to the movies
Can I take you to the show
Let me be yours ever truly
Can I make your garden grow

From the houses of the holy, we can watch the white doves go
From the door comes satan’s daughter, and it only goes to show, you know

There’s an angel on my shoulder, in my hand a sword of gold
Let me wander in your garden and the seeds of love I’ll sow you know

So the world is spinning faster are you dizzy when you’re stoned
Let the music be your master will you heed the master’s call
Oh Satan and man

Said there ain’t no use in crying ’cause it will only, only drive you mad
Does it hurt to hear them lying?
Was this the only world you had? oh oh

So let me take you, take you to the movie
Can I take you, baby, to the show
Why don’t you let me be yours ever truly
Can I make your garden grow, you know

Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player.

38 thoughts on “Led Zeppelin – Houses of the Holy”

  7. Great tune, Max, love it! And, BTW, I totally agree, oftentimes it’s the riffs that stand out to me in Zep songs. I feel coming up with great riffs was one of Jimmy Page’s key strengths. Sure, he also played cool solos, it’s mostly the riffs where he truly stood out.

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      4. Oh geez. That would have been something to remember.
        I talk to this lady in the UK…she saw them early and Pink Floyd at the UFO club over there…and at the Round House…and the Who with Moon. She gets a kick out of me asking her questions about all of them.

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      6. I like the Doors…Morrison would have been tough to have as a bandmate. Without him they are a great band with no frontman…but man their limits were tested by the guy.

        I would have loved to seen the Who…with the man of course. I did get to see Entwistle which I am thankful. My bass guy.

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      10. My dad was an Elvis type guy…he had 70 kidney stones in his life…in the seventies, they started him on all kinds of goodies…he was functional…but it’s a wonder.

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      12. Off topic question CB…what is your favorite Noir movie? If that is the way you phrase it.
        I’m off for the next few days so I’ll be coming by to visit you soon.

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      13. So many good ones Max. ‘Maltese’ is good for so many reasons. Double Indemnity, Edward G is just the best. There are a bunch of B Noir that I think Ive done a couple takes on. I love the stuff. ‘Night In The City’ is really good English with Richard Widmark.
        Come over I’ll put on the popcorn

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      14. I’ve never seen the Maltese Falcon…ever. The one I’m most familiar with is Sunset Blvd but I need to check some of those out. Bailey is a huge fan and I’m starting to like them more.

        Will do!

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      16. Seems like the 50s have a big share of noir… Night of the Hunter…Mitchum is chilling in that. The Killing…I’ve listed it.

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