Tag: over the hills and far away

Led Zeppelin – Dancing Days

I like the strange riff that opens this one up. It sounds tonally off in some ways and that makes it appealing. While in Bombay, Page and Plant heard an Indian song that inspired this. The creative process for “Dancing Days” began with Jimmy Page’s guitar riff.  Robert Plant then added the lyrics, which they were inspired by a girl he met in Bombay.

The term “dancing days” is thought to refes to high school. On a bootleg recording of the song from a concert on Jan. 14th, 1973 Robert Plant sings “Let’s go back to high school” in the song.

The song was on the Houses of the Holy album released in 1973. The funny thing is that the song Houses of the Holy would be on the Physical Graffiti album, not its namesake. This song was the B side to Over The Hills And Far Away rare single released in 1973. The single peaked at #51 on the Billboard 100 and #63 in Canada.

The band was determined not to repeat themselves after the success of Led Zeppelin IV. This album is diverse with songs Over The Hills and Far Away, The Ocean, The Rain Song, and the funk of The Crunge. This album was a perfect gateway into their next album Physical Graffiti.

The album peaked at #1 in the Billboard Charts, #1 in the UK, and #1 in Canada.

Dancing Days

Dancing days are here again
As the summer evenings grow
I got my flower, I got my power
I got a woman who knows

I said it’s alright, You know it’s alright
I guess it’s all in my heart
You’ll be my only, my one and only
Is that the way it should start?
Crazy ways are evident
In the way that you’re wearing your clothes
Sippin’ booze is precedent
As the evening starts to glow

You know it’s alright, I said it’s alright
You know it’s all in my heart
You’ll be my only, my one and only
Is that the way it should start?

You told your mamma I’d get you home
But you didn’t say I had no car
I saw a lion he was standing alone
With a tadpole in a jar

You know it’s alright, I said it’s alright
I guess it’s all in my heart, my heart
You’ll be my only, my one and only
Is that the way it should start?

So dancing days are here again
As the summer evenings grow
You are my flower, you are my power
You are my woman who knows

I said it’s alright, You know it’s alright
You know it’s all in my heart
You’ll be my only, my one and only
Is that the way it should start?

Led Zeppelin – Over the Hills and Far Away

When I learned this riff on guitar I felt like I won the lottery. It’s easy but sounds impressive. This is a great song from Led Zeppelin with their light-heavy approach. It starts off with an acoustic and works itself up to hard electric guitar.

The song peaked at #51 in the Billboard 100 in 1973. It was on the Houses of the Holy album.

From Songfacts.

This evolved from the Yardbirds song “White Summer,” an acoustic solo by Jimmy Page. Many of the same riffs and chords are in it. After The Yardbirds broke up, Led Zeppelin continued to play “White Summer” live. >>

This was one of the few Led Zeppelin songs released as a single in the US. It made it only to #51.

The music was inspired by Jimmy Page’s Celtic ancestry.

This began as an instrumental. Robert Plant came up with backing tracks and then lyrics.

Plant’s lyrics were inspired by the J.R.R. Tolkien book The Hobbit, and to Tolkein’s 1915 poem of the same name. “Over The Hills And Far Away” describes the adventure the Hobbits embark on.

Over the Hills and Far Away

Hey lady, you got the love I need
Maybe more than enough
Oh darling, darling, darling 
Walk a while with me
Ohh, you’ve got so much, so much, so much

Many have I loved, and many times been bitten
Many times I’ve gazed along the open road

Many times I’ve lied, and many times I’ve listened
Many times I’ve wondered how much there is to know

Many dreams come true, and some have silver linings
I live for my dream, and a pocket full of gold

Mellow is the man who knows what he’s been missing
Many, many men can’t see the open road

Many is a word that only leaves you guessing
Guessing ’bout a thing you really ought to know, oh, oh, oh, oh
Really ought to know
I really ought to know
Oh
You know I should, you know I should, you know I should, you know I should