All My Love - story behind the song?

[morningson]

5 hours ago, blindwillie127 said:

^ Man, the lyrics to Carouselambra are so ambiguous that the vocals could have been pushed up much higher in the mix and it wouldn't have made a difference in deciphering what these lyrics are about, or not about. I seriously can't imagine Page purposely burying the vocals in order to prevent the listener from hearing what is probably Plant's most vague and ambiguous lyrics ever.

Yes, Plant says "the whole story of LZ in its latter years is in that song", and if thats the case, he certainly disguised it to the point that only he himself could really know what these lyrics were about. The reason I think Plants vocals were placed directly in the mix as opposed to above it is because it is undoubtably the weakest vocal track on the album in relation to the other songs. They're very mysterious, but not really put together that well (much like the song itself) IMHO. I've always viewed Carouselambra as a bold experiment musically. The lyrics for me are always an afterthought when it comes to Zeppelin. 

The delivery, attitude and vibe are the only things that 'really' matter. Too much thinking can be a bad thing 

 

 

Fair points. I think the entire album is not very well produced due to Jimmy's chemical state and that is also the cause of his lack of contribution to the record. I would respectfully disagree about at least some of the lyrics of Carouselambra. 

"And powerless the fabled sat, too smug to lift a hand 
Toward the foe that threatened from the deep
Who cares to dry the cheeks of those who saddened stand 
Adrift upon a sea of futile speech? 
And to fall to fate and make the 'status plan' 
But no one there had heaven within their reach."

and 

"Where was your word, where did you go?
Where was your helping, where was your bow? Bow
Bow."

and

"I heard the word, I couldn't stay, oh
I couldn't stand it another day, another day
Another day, another day.

Touched by the timely coming
Roused from the keeper's sleep
Release the grip, throw down the key

Held now within the knowing
Rest now within the peace
Take of the fruit, but guard the seed

They had to stay
Held now within the knowing
Rest now within the peace
Take off the fruit, but guard the seed."

Those are some pretty unambiguous lyrics. Well, in my eyes anyway. But that's just what I think. It's all subjective depending on how you see them. But I respect your opinion and your point of view on it. 

[blindwillie127]

19 hours ago, morningson said:

Fair points. I think the entire album is not very well produced due to Jimmy's chemical state and that is also the cause of his lack of contribution to the record. 

Personally, I love Page's contribution to the record. Every solo on the record fits the mood of each song perfectly and are very well thought out. From the searing  ITE, to the reckless SBS, the fun Hot Dog, to the frolicking FITR, and it ends with Page's most sublime solo ever on IGC. I love his minimalistic playing on AML because it enhances the song and is just so damn tasteful it sticks in your head forever. Never been crazy about his 'guitars' in Carousel though to tell you the truth, and they were also fairly well buried in the mix for probably the same reason Plants vocals were. Yes, the production got a little murky with Carousel & ITE but other than that the production is pretty damn solid IMHO. Oh yeah, the only thing I've ever really liked about ITE is the intro and the solo, the rest to me qualifies as LZ's most uninteresting song along with the most uninspired and plodding playing by Bonham ever. I blame it on JPJ though because that repetitive riff during the verses just doesn't leave a drummer much to work with,

and 'no'...Jimmy's wang bar dives doesn't make it any less monotonous.  

 

Edited August 14, 2018 by blindwillie127

[nirvana]

On 7/20/2018 at 6:05 PM, SteveAJones said:

It's a deeply personal song about Robert coming to terms with his child's untimely death. The concept is that divine beings weave the reality of human life like a tapestry of threads, and that even when a thread seems to go nowhere there may yet be a deeper meaning to the story of human life. One can see how any life, even one made cruelly short by fate, is still significant and present because it is part of the tapestry and has as such has some meaning in it. 

Ariane is the French form of the Greek name Ariadne, who saves Theseus by giving him a ball of thread so he could go into the labyrinth, slay the Minotaur and find his way back out. Ariane's thread leads through the maze and out of it. Plant sees himself lost in the maze (or tapestry) because he can't see where the thread of his sons life has lead, cut off as it seems to be before its time, but if only he could have a word from the proud Ariane that his son's thread is really part of the tapestry, he would have the faith to accept that while he has no answer to his grief, that an answer is there somewhere, and that his son's life was more than a feather in the wind. Ariane's thread is also a term in logic that refers to a certain way of figuring out puzzles by thinking through every possibility.

If you review the lyrics carefully you will see that weaving and threads are an integral part of the imagery. 
 

Well done Steve.

[BobCat766]

"The tides have caused the flame to dim," to me means that the tides (representing the passing of time) have caused the bright memory of Karac to dim.

[z1inspector]

Well so far no one's mentioned  this so I might as well = In my humble opinion the song is a positive song ! yes it's about the death of his son , HOWEVER also I think it's about the band his leaving and coming back "as the cup is raised the toast is made again " states that Zeppelin rises again! And ..... he's also describs  the members of the band for example who is:" the force that lies within" ? Jimmy of course and on and on describes everyone! The song is absolutely amazing!

[SteveAJones]

On 8/15/2019 at 5:45 AM, BobCat766 said:

"The tides have caused the flame to dim," to me means that the tides (representing the passing of time) have caused the bright memory of Karac to dim.

That's a thoughtful interpretation. I interpret that line as this painful life experience has shaken his beliefs, thus he seeks "one word my will to sustain" from proud Ariane. 

2 hours ago, z1inspector said:

Well so far no one's mentioned  this so I might as well = In my humble opinion the song is a positive song ! yes it's about the death of his son , HOWEVER also I think it's about the band his leaving and coming back "as the cup is raised the toast is made again " states that Zeppelin rises again! And ..... he's also describs  the members of the band for example who is:" the force that lies within" ? Jimmy of course and on and on describes everyone! The song is absolutely amazing!

IMHO, Robert's best lyrics are those that are open to interpretation. I can see why it's generally considered a positive song, and why you would interpret it in that way. 

[johnhenrybonham]

On 8/13/2018 at 6:50 AM, morningson said:

For my money, Plant's lyrics on Presence and ITTOD are the best he has written. He is really saying a lot on these two albums. Especially ITTOD. All My Love, I'm Gonna Crawl, In The Evening and in particular Carouselambra, which Plant himself said ".....I rue it so much now, because the lyrics on ‘Carouselambra’ were actually about that environment and that situation. The whole story of Led Zeppelin in its latter years is in that song…and I can't hear the words."

Yes!! I always thought both Presence & ITTOD were both some of Plants strongest albums lyrically.  Carouselambra, All My Love, Achilles Last Stand, Tea For One come right to mind and each have such vivid imagery and imagination in the midst of the bands toughest times.  I love that Robert's songwriting never once dipped in its quality throughout the bands time together, if anything, it became more poignant.

[CrystalsnWater]

I think the song sounds like a spell. 

[Laspri LZ]

On 7/21/2018 at 1:05 AM, SteveAJones said:

It's a deeply personal song about Robert coming to terms with his child's untimely death. The concept is that divine beings weave the reality of human life like a tapestry of threads, and that even when a thread seems to go nowhere there may yet be a deeper meaning to the story of human life. One can see how any life, even one made cruelly short by fate, is still significant and present because it is part of the tapestry and has as such has some meaning in it. 

Ariane is the French form of the Greek name Ariadne, who saves Theseus by giving him a ball of thread so he could go into the labyrinth, slay the Minotaur and find his way back out. Ariane's thread leads through the maze and out of it. Plant sees himself lost in the maze (or tapestry) because he can't see where the thread of his sons life has lead, cut off as it seems to be before its time, but if only he could have a word from the proud Ariane that his son's thread is really part of the tapestry, he would have the faith to accept that while he has no answer to his grief, that an answer is there somewhere, and that his son's life was more than a feather in the wind. Ariane's thread is also a term in logic that refers to a certain way of figuring out puzzles by thinking through every possibility.

If you review the lyrics carefully you will see that weaving and threads are an integral part of the imagery. 
 

Anyone has any idea what is written on the letter given to Robert in ALL MY LOVE song video.  
Deeply appreciate any thought!