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Over the Hills & Far Away - June 13, 1977 NYC


georgio

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I read about Luis Rey's review of the MSG 13 Jun 1977 concert where Robert attempted to hit the high notes for Over the Hills & Far Away. In his review, Rey said that Robert "failed miserably" but honestly, what crap!! (BTW I've disagreed with Rey's opinions on many reviews.)

In my humble opinion - Robert actually succeeded in hitting the notes. Granted, his voice and his singing style had changed and he wasn't hitting it like he was in 1972, but what a fine attempt and a blistering guitar solo from Page.

Goes to show that Plant could hit the notes if he wanted to - as he did in 1980 with Stairway to Heaven.

Doubtless, many collectors on this thread have that recording, but I just found it on youtube. For those who are interested to hear it, go

and enjoy!!!
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  • 3 weeks later...

I read about Luis Rey's review of the MSG 13 Jun 1977 concert where Robert attempted to hit the high notes for Over the Hills & Far Away. In his review, Rey said that Robert "failed miserably" but honestly, what crap!! (BTW I've disagreed with Rey's opinions on many reviews.)

In my humble opinion - Robert actually succeeded in hitting the notes. Granted, his voice and his singing style had changed and he wasn't hitting it like he was in 1972, but what a fine attempt and a blistering guitar solo from Page.

Goes to show that Plant could hit the notes if he wanted to - as he did in 1980 with Stairway to Heaven.

Doubtless, many collectors on this thread have that recording, but I just found it on youtube. For those who are interested to hear it, go

and enjoy!!!

I totally agree with you, I love Plant's voice in '77 and this entire bootleg is great. By the way, is there any way you can post a link to the Luis Rey review you mentioned?

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Personally i think Plant did fine. My favorite live Over the Hills and Far Away is fromm '73. Not sure on the date but the title on youtube is "Led Zeppelin Over The Hills and Far Away 1973 LIVE". Its submitted by "NDOrehowsky" in case you can't find it.

Definately search it, its one of their best smile.gif

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i don't know if luis rey's review is online - but i have the book! fun to read, but ultimately subjective and sometimes inaccurate in terms of judgement calls....i'll dig up the review.

Hey thanks dude, i appreciate it.

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Personally i think Plant did fine. My favorite live Over the Hills and Far Away is fromm '73. Not sure on the date but the title on youtube is "Led Zeppelin Over The Hills and Far Away 1973 LIVE". Its submitted by "NDOrehowsky" in case you can't find it.

Definately search it, its one of their best smile.gif

I really like that version a lot too, and I think it's the same one that's on the newer (2007?) official release of The Song Remains the Same CD set. Sounds exactly the same anyway. Excellent :D

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  • 4 weeks later...

From Luis Rey's June 13 1977 review:

Good-fair audience recording. The atmosphere is well-captured.

Here we are again, immersed in audience hysteria and witnessing the next to last concert in New York. This night, the playing is very much improved, if we compare it with the previous night. Less indulgence and right to the point.

After a sharp, dry "welcome," Plant is missing a Ritchie Blackmore lookalike from the second row ("He must have gone to the bathroom") But jokes aside, one of the highlights of this show is "Over the Hills and Far Away" which has Plant bordering on the ridiculous, trying to sing the original high notes throughout the whole piece!

---

I can't really agree with Luis...it was a good attempt!!

This is the rest of the review:

---

A fake return by the group ("What a bunch of loonies! Goodnight!" shouts Plant in the confusion) and finally a powerful double encore including a rare and super-powerful version of "Black Dog" closes out an almost immaculate night.

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Personally, I'd give the edge to the 10th and 11th as the best of the '77 MSG shows, but the 13th is still very, very good as well (especially by '77 standards!) Mind ya, I'm probably in the minority of those who actually prefer the 1977 New York shows to L.A. IMO MSG just had more varied performances (in every sense of the term) and the atmosphere on some of the audience tapes is fantastic. Very underrated shows are the '77 New York run.

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Personally, I'd give the edge to the 10th and 11th as the best of the '77 MSG shows, but the 13th is still very, very good as well (especially by '77 standards!) Mind ya, I'm probably in the minority of those who actually prefer the 1977 New York shows to L.A. IMO MSG just had more varied performances (in every sense of the term) and the atmosphere on some of the audience tapes is fantastic. Very underrated shows are the '77 New York run.

I wish Mike Millard had made a trip to the Garden in '77. Are there any soundboards of these shows in circulation?

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I agree with your opinion of Luis's reviews. He's way off a lot more than not (esp. his review of that horrible Berlin show in 1980).

If Luis Rey is to be believed, then the Earl's Court version of Stairway to Heaven - May 24? 1975 - is the greatest version of the song! Still I enjoyed his book. Only one of its kind at the time.

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If Luis Rey is to be believed, then the Earl's Court version of Stairway to Heaven - May 24? 1975 - is the greatest version of the song! Still I enjoyed his book. Only one of its kind at the time.

That is one of the best versions of the song in my books, the solo is awesome.

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  • 2 months later...

From http://www.theyearofledzeppelin.com/2008/10/day-236-6131977-new-york-ny.html:

The band's fifth night at Madison Square Garden begins with a barrage of firecracker blasts before The Song Remains the Same explodes out of the gate. Bonzo's thunderous pounding sounds like a violent earthquake as the band hammers through a brutally heavy Sick Again. Nobody's Fault But Mine is interrupted by a series of minor tape disturbances throughout. Over the Hills and Far Away is introduced as "one that we're attempting for the second time for the benefit of a man who usually sits in the second row... a Ritchie Blackmore look-alike, wherever he's gone." Plant attempts to sing the chorus in its original melody, but doesn't quite make it. Page shreds through a wildly dissonant guitar solo.

Plant introduces Since I've Been Loving You as "a central London blues." Page's fingers tear across the fretboard in a furious cascade of notes during the guitar solo. Jones's somber piano solo gives way to an excellent upbeat boogie as Page and Bonzo join in during No Quarter. The instrumental section reaches its peak with an outstanding guitar solo from Page, his masterful fingerwork leading the way as the band embarks on an epic musical journey. Jones hints at Chim Chim Cher-ee as the piece comes to a close. A fantastic performance. Ten Years Gone is simply amazing. Page blazes through the guitar solos with amazing fluency and precision. An incredibly powerful performance, one of the best thus far. Bonzo is introduced as "a rhinestone cowgirl" as he comes to the front of the stage before an excellent The Battle of Evermore. The crowd erupts in a thunderous stampede as a beautiful Going to California comes to a close.

Plant hints at The Lemon Song before dedicating Black Country Woman to The Jive Five. There is a slight cut in the tape near the beginning of Bron-Y-Aur Stomp. White Summer/Black Mountain Side is preceded by a long pause due to Page dropping his guitar and knocking it out of tune. Plant pushes his voice to the limit during a riotous Heartbreaker. Unfortunately, there is a cut in the middle of Page's blistering guitar solos. Achilles Last Stand is a thunderous explosion. Bonzo thrashes frantically at anything within reach as Page shreds erratically. An utterly devastating performance. Bonzo enters early during Stairway to Heaven, forcing Plant to skip a verse to catch up. The band closes the show with a crushing rendition of Black Dog, its first appearance since 5/25/1975. An unbelievably brutal performance, definitely the heaviest of the New York run. Must hear.

The tape is fairly clear and atmospheric, if a bit distant and boomy.

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can't argue with that! :-)

Listening to a recording lineage something like, lz1977-06-13aud.cas1.cdrx,

Plant, to my ears, is straining, but not failing... only one memorable crack.

John Bonham on lead drums during the guitar solo.

It's as if Page is laying down an ambient texture for Bonzo to solo over.

Thank you for recalling this performance to my attention. :-)

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I like Plant better when he goes for it. That was his trademark...the big problem I have with some Zep songs post 1973 is the fact that Plant's voice changed. Sometimes for the better, but it didn't serve the old material. The fans got used to it. I always believed that he did pretty well in 1977.

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I like Plant better when he goes for it. That was his trademark...the big problem I have with some Zep songs post 1973 is the fact that Plant's voice changed. Sometimes for the better, but it didn't serve the old material. The fans got used to it. I always believed that he did pretty well in 1977.

I've always felt '77 was a kind of 'come back' year for Plant's voice.

The fact that he's really going for the old melody in this show

had completely gone over my head when I'd heard it before.

I'm glad it was brought to my attention.

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