BlackDog71 Posted August 22, 2009 Posted August 22, 2009 I've been a Zephead for only about 6 years, and i have always loved "The Rain Song" but over the past month, i can't stop listening to it. I find it to be a masterpiece. The lyrics are perfect poetry, and Page flowing with Jonesy melodically is just magical. Bonham's rhythmic but yet understated drums add to the drama and love the song builds up. The final 40 seconds are just amazing and i go almost go into a trance upon hearing it (thanks Page). I don't know if i can go so far as to call it my favorite Zep tune (I find that an impossible task) but it's definitely my favorite off of HOTH. I want some feedback about the song from you guys. Like or hate.......let me know why. Quote
kakdaddy Posted August 23, 2009 Posted August 23, 2009 One of my favorites. Just a beautiful song. The lush chords, the soothing mellotron, Robert Plant's best lyrics with Zeppelin(in my opinion)... it's just very moving. Also you cannot find a bad version of this song live. No matter if the band wasn't firing on all cylinders during any given show, if the played this in the set they always pulled it off wonderfully. Quote
BonzoLikeDrumer Posted August 23, 2009 Posted August 23, 2009 I've been a Zephead for only about 6 years, and i have always loved "The Rain Song" but over the past month, i can't stop listening to it. I find it to be a masterpiece. The lyrics are perfect poetry, and Page flowing with Jonesy melodically is just magical. Bonham's rhythmic but yet understated drums add to the drama and love the song builds up. The final 40 seconds are just amazing and i go almost go into a trance upon hearing it (thanks Page). I don't know if i can go so far as to call it my favorite Zep tune (I find that an impossible task) but it's definitely my favorite off of HOTH. I want some feedback about the song from you guys. Like or hate.......let me know why. I can clearly remember back in the 1980's when I was a singer/drummer in band's and always having a hard time making it through this song as it is very close to the heart and will even make the tough, macho guy's feel like a freshly picked daisy. Quote
Deborah J Posted August 24, 2009 Posted August 24, 2009 I've been a Zephead for only about 6 years, and i have always loved "The Rain Song" but over the past month, i can't stop listening to it. I find it to be a masterpiece. The lyrics are perfect poetry, and Page flowing with Jonesy melodically is just magical. Bonham's rhythmic but yet understated drums add to the drama and love the song builds up. The final 40 seconds are just amazing and i go almost go into a trance upon hearing it (thanks Page). I don't know if i can go so far as to call it my favorite Zep tune (I find that an impossible task) but it's definitely my favorite off of HOTH. I want some feedback about the song from you guys. Like or hate.......let me know why. Hello BlackDog! I two think this song is beyond amazing, but wait until you have beeen listening for 4 decades. Every song will come to mean something to you, and a lot of times, they will mean something different at a different time of your life or when you hear a different version (live versions verses Studio albums). There will never be another band like the one these four created. To answer your question, this reminds me,( most of the time) , that we all have things that happen to us from time to time in relatioships, but loving someone can keep away the keepers of the gloom and that love will conquer all even though upon us all a little rain will fall:-) Quote
Reggie29 Posted August 24, 2009 Posted August 24, 2009 (edited) The Rain Song is "modern classical" music with Jimmy and Jonesy at their absolute best. I have seen P & P play it live and it was sensational and just goes to show how great JPJ's contribution to the band was in just that song never mind the others. Jimmy's melodic open tuning is 100% original and IMO his best and it took an orchestra to almost recreate JPJ's mellotron parts. I think some of the lyrics actually sum up the song, see my sig. Edited August 24, 2009 by Reggie29 Quote
BlackDog71 Posted August 24, 2009 Author Posted August 24, 2009 Hello BlackDog! I two think this song is beyond amazing, but wait until you have beeen listening for 4 decades. Every song will come to mean something to you, and a lot of times, they will mean something different at a different time of your life or when you hear a different version (live versions verses Studio albums). There will never be another band like the one these four created. To answer your question, this reminds me,( most of the time) , that we all have things that happen to us from time to time in relatioships, but loving someone can keep away the keepers of the gloom and that love will conquer all even though upon us all a little rain will fall:-) Hey there Deborah! I couldn't agree more and i wish i had been around to see them in their heyday. Thanks for the input. I hope to grow in their music as my life goes on. Six years has already had a major effect on me. The Rain Song means something to me right now and it fits perfectly into my life. A new Zep tune seems to do that every month or so. How great is Zep? Wait...we all know! Quote
ms_zeppelin94 Posted August 24, 2009 Posted August 24, 2009 Hello BlackDog! I two think this song is beyond amazing, but wait until you have beeen listening for 4 decades. Every song will come to mean something to you, and a lot of times, they will mean something different at a different time of your life or when you hear a different version (live versions verses Studio albums). There will never be another band like the one these four created. To answer your question, this reminds me,( most of the time) , that we all have things that happen to us from time to time in relatioships, but loving someone can keep away the keepers of the gloom and that love will conquer all even though upon us all a little rain will fall:-) Whoa, that's perfect Deborah! Gonna make me cry... It's kinda funny with this song..I had only seen TSRTS like twice, and that was the only times I had ever heard that song. I never really got the full impact, being distracted by the fantsay sequence & all. But the first time I heard it on HOTH, I fell in love!! Quote
Janet Posted August 25, 2009 Posted August 25, 2009 (edited) Whoa, that's perfect Deborah! Gonna make me cry... It's kinda funny with this song..I had only seen TSRTS like twice, and that was the only times I had ever heard that song. I never really got the full impact, being distracted by the fantsay sequence & all. But the first time I heard it on HOTH, I fell in love!! The version on "Unledded" is minimalist and I almost like it better that the HOTH version. I think JPJ went a bit overboard on the original - shades of Carouselambra. That being said, the transition from TSRTS to Rain Song to Over the hills and far away is imspired. Edited August 25, 2009 by Janet Quote
ZPN Posted August 25, 2009 Posted August 25, 2009 I love it too. I like the version on Page & Plant: No Quarter/Unledded even better than the original. And I like Jimmy Page's acoustic guitar playing even more than his electric playing. Of course Robert's vocals are stunning, and the strings add lushness (is that a word?). Whenever I hear Robert's gorgeous voice sing "so little warmth I've felt before...it isn't hard to feel me glowing" I glow myself (insert spacey face here:). Quote
ledhead73 Posted August 26, 2009 Posted August 26, 2009 The Rain Song is definitely a favorite. I think Plant has been quoted as saying it was his best performance in all of Zep's catalog. For me it is also one of those rare instances when dated technology sounds just marvelous; the mellotron on this track is just so lush and is in my opinion the best use of the instrument on record. Bonzo using brushes? What's so great about it is that he plays with such ease in that style, a real testament to how good of a drummer and musician John Bonham really was. And then of course Jimmy's guitar tuning on this song, so out of the mainstream, very progressive without being Progressive Rock, hahaha. Simply stunning. We are very lucky to have the TSRTS version captured on record and video, because for my money its the best live version the band ever played. Quote
Reggie29 Posted August 26, 2009 Posted August 26, 2009 The version on "Unledded" is minimalist and I almost like it better that the HOTH version. I think JPJ went a bit overboard on the original - shades of Carouselambra. That being said, the transition from TSRTS to Rain Song to Over the hills and far away is imspired. Unledded was hardly minimalist, they had a freakin' orchestra! JPJ's contribution was never overplayed and always epic!! That's how I was the first time I heard HOTH in 1973, inspired. Quote
Deborah J Posted August 26, 2009 Posted August 26, 2009 Whoa, that's perfect Deborah! Gonna make me cry... It's kinda funny with this song..I had only seen TSRTS like twice, and that was the only times I had ever heard that song. I never really got the full impact, being distracted by the fantsay sequence & all. But the first time I heard it on HOTH, I fell in love!! This is truly a ballad and it is amazingly beautiful.JPJ's talent is great in this one. Jimmy is gentle acoustically and Robert's voice in this is wonderful. Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.