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Best underrated Zep song? My pick: The Rover


dpat

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I'm a little biased considering I like 99% of Zep's music (with the only one I really don't care for much being "Baby Please Come Home," and sometimes "D'yer Mak'er," which is just extreme nit-picking!). Anyhoo...

I've always thought the song "The Rover" was given the short shrift by the band ... never played live except as an intro to "Sick Again" on the '77 tour.

It was not included on the first official Zep box set (the one with the orange-tinged cover of crop circles shadowed overhead by Der Blimpness Zepenheader). Nor did it make the "Early/Latter Daze" and "Mothership" releases.

Any thoughts on why the band didn't think the tune belonged with the upper echelon Zep tuneage? It has great, multi-level lyrics to go along with the exceptional music playing.

Just wonderin' what ch'all thawt...

B)

Edited by dpat
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I'm a little biased considering I like 99% of Zep's music (with the only one I really don't care for much being "Baby Please Come Home," and sometimes "D'yer Mak'er," which is just extreme nit-picking!). Anyhoo...

I've always thought the song "The Rover" was given the short shrift by the band ... never played live except as an intro to "Sick Again" on the '77 tour.

It was not included on the first official Zep box set (the one with the orange-tinged cover of crop circles shadowed overhead by Der Blimpness Zepenheader). Nor did it make the "Early/Latter Daze" and "Mothership" releases.

Any thoughts on why the band didn't think the tune belonged with the upper echelon Zep tuneage? It has great, multi-level lyrics to go along with the exceptional music playing.

Just wonderin' what ch'all thawt...

B)

I agree with you there, this song should be seen in a higher light.

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I've stated elsewhere on this forum and I'll gladly state again.

The opening drum sequence by JHB on the Rover,sucked me in like the pied piper induced his followers.As a kid I would probably replay the opening drum bit 5-10 times(on vinal no less) before letting the song play through.

The Rover...a top notch song beginning to end.One of the absolute highlights of Physical Grafitti.

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Postscript:I still believe the second verse to The Rover is"since ever wondered." Not "seen seven wonders."

I wish Plant would publish the definitive guide to his masterful lyrics.

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I'm a little biased considering I like 99% of Zep's music (with the only one I really don't care for much being "Baby Please Come Home," and sometimes "D'yer Mak'er," which is just extreme nit-picking!). Anyhoo...

I've always thought the song "The Rover" was given the short shrift by the band ... never played live except as an intro to "Sick Again" on the '77 tour.

It was not included on the first official Zep box set (the one with the orange-tinged cover of crop circles shadowed overhead by Der Blimpness Zepenheader). Nor did it make the "Early/Latter Daze" and "Mothership" releases.

Any thoughts on why the band didn't think the tune belonged with the upper echelon Zep tuneage? It has great, multi-level lyrics to go along with the exceptional music playing.

Just wonderin' what ch'all thawt...

B)

I agree-- I LOVE The Rover!! But then, I love PG--tied for first place for my fave Zep albums. :)

Sharon

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The Rover is amazingly underrated - and I like it like that. Imagine if it had gotten played to death like STH? I shudder to think. I love it - I wouldn't wanna switch it off every time I hear it.

I like to think that for every staple 'best of' Zeppelin song, there is an equally fantastic one that remains 'undiscovered'. You won't find How Many More Times on a 'best of', or The Lemon Song. You won't find Friends or Going To California, or The Ocean. Sick Again won't be there and neither will Candy Store Rock. South Bound Saurez won't feature (yes, I do like that one). And neither will The Rover.

And that suits me just fine. It makes it all the more special.

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I remember well finally getting the double album, PHYSICAL GRAFFITI home from the record store in my sophomore year of college, that winter of 1975.

I listened to the double album.

My favorites right off the bat were The Rover and Trampled Underfoot, for the Harder rocking songs.

Then, Down By The Seaside, Bron-Yr-Aur, and Ten Years Gone, for the softer side of my favorites.

I love great and wonderful Hard Rock, so, it was Natural for me to favor The Rover above the rest.

That was what blew me away in the first place, with Led Zeppelin, was the Hard Rock. WLL and Heartbreaker were instant favorites from the first LZ album that I ever owned, LZ II.

It has never made any impact to me what the radio chose to play, and play again, and feature.

I'm immune to that.

The fact that Zeppelin never played The Rover in full ? ? ? I really don't know what to make of that.. I would have preferred for them to have played it live, of course.

Kashmir gets all the hoopla from the radio and media.....

But really, after experiencing Kashmir live in '75 and again in '77..... That balleyhooed studio version of that song simply does not even come close to the magnificent live experience....I rare;y listen to the studio version of Kashmir....I'm still getting highs from the Ft. Worth '77 performance of it ! :D

However, The Rover.... is almost like a "live" song, in the way the track is laid down.

For me personally..... The Rover is the essence of the Hard Rock LZ from their studio releases.

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The Rover is a crackin' song !!! I was actually quite disappointed in 77 when Jimmy kicked into that riff and out came Sick Again. Not that I don't like that tune too :D

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The Rover got more airplay in the late 70's (at least on my local stations) but i am glad it wasn't overplayed. It's one of top ten favorite Zeppelin songs... and others that are in my top 10 list, that are also "underrated" are In The Light, Ten Years Gone, Thank You, Tangerine, Your Time Is Gonna Come and I'm Gonna Crawl. Babe I'm Gonna Leave You doesn't get played much either any more... my favorite. I did hear, just today, on the radio: Thank You and Tangerine!

Edited by ~tangerine~
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The Rover got more airplay in the late 70's (at least on my local stations) but i am glad it wasn't overplayed. It's one of top ten favorite Zeppelin songs... and others that are in my top 10 list, that are also "underrated" are In The Light, Ten Years Gone, Thank You, Tangerine, Your Time Is Gonna Come and I'm Gonna Crawl. Babe I'm Gonna Leave You doesn't get played much either any more... my favorite. I did hear, just today, on the radio: Thank You and Tangerine!

Must depend on the station - mine never played the Rover but I heard BIGLY fairly regularly. Don't know nowadays as I don't listen to it anymore.

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I love Battle of Evermore. I'm not sure if it qualifies as underrated, since most people I know like the song, but I can't say I've seen it on a best of album. I even sing the girl parts, the little riffs by Sandy Denny.

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The Rover is a great song and fairly easy to play on the guitar. I love the blues feel of the opening songs of PG - Custard Pie, The Rover and IMTOD. I think they will be my first choice to play at work tomorrow morning...

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In the vain this thread is heading ,"The Rover,"on its 45rpm flip side includes,"Candy Store Rock."

I'd like "The Rover" with "For Your Life" on the flip side :D

BTY, "Candy Store Rock" was already released as a single in 1976, with "Royal Orleans" on the B-side.

66266.jpg

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Yes Yes Yes! The Rover! Some 20 years ago, I actually bought a 1959 Rover, mainly because of the Zeppelin reference and plus it is so cool with a viking head on the bonnet(hood) and suicide doors.I still have it and yet to fully restore it ,possibly as an English street rod,just like Bonham might have!

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