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Favorite version(s) of The Ocean?


Bonzo_fan

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The 1972 versions are also pretty cool, especially the HTWWW version. But I think that the best one is in TSRTS.

Ok, I'll check out some other '72 versions. I like the HTWWW version, I just find the one in TSRTS is more powerful/they're going for it more/more confident, even if Plant's voice isn't what it was in June '72. Although he sounds pretty good on "The Ocean" in TSRTS...

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This isn't as difficult or interesting question to ponder as your other questions, for several reasons. Unlike "Dazed and Confused", "Over the Hills and Far Away", "Since I've Been Loving You", and "No Quarter", which could vary night to night, year to year, "The Ocean" was pretty much performed as it was on the album, with the only variation being whether Robert Plant would remember the lyrics. That's why all the live versions are around 4 minutes long.

Then, there is the fact that there are only 20 known recorded performances to choose from...and of those 20, only about half in decent sound quality. The Hamburg '73 is atrocious...why couldn't the soundboard tape have kept running through the encore?

I like the June 25, 1972 Forum one on the official HTWWW release...it has the Bonzo count-in, the lyrics in the right place, and good sound. But really, you can't go wrong with any of them. The 1973 MSG on TSRTS is also a great one, even though Plant switches verses 2 and 3. LA, San Francisco, Seattle...all good.

But it is strange that there is no "Ocean" between the one in Tampa on May 5 and San Diego May 28! No "Ocean" in Chicago either...and they played TWO NIGHTS there!!! This is another case, much like "The Rover", where the band didn't seem to know what a great song they had in hand. It should have been played much more often.

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This isn't as difficult or interesting question to ponder as your other questions, for several reasons. Unlike "Dazed and Confused", "Over the Hills and Far Away", "Since I've Been Loving You", and "No Quarter", which could vary night to night, year to year, "The Ocean" was pretty much performed as it was on the album, with the only variation being whether Robert Plant would remember the lyrics. That's why all the live versions are around 4 minutes long.

Then, there is the fact that there are only 20 known recorded performances to choose from...and of those 20, only about half in decent sound quality. The Hamburg '73 is atrocious...why couldn't the soundboard tape have kept running through the encore?

I like the June 25, 1972 Forum one on the official HTWWW release...it has the Bonzo count-in, the lyrics in the right place, and good sound. But really, you can't go wrong with any of them. The 1973 MSG on TSRTS is also a great one, even though Plant switches verses 2 and 3. LA, San Francisco, Seattle...all good.

But it is strange that there is no "Ocean" between the one in Tampa on May 5 and San Diego May 28! No "Ocean" in Chicago either...and they played TWO NIGHTS there!!! This is another case, much like "The Rover", where the band didn't seem to know what a great song they had in hand. It should have been played much more often.

Fair enough, and I agree it should've been played more. Sort of like how I think When The Levee Breaks should've stayed in the set list in '75...

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Fair enough, and I agree it should've been played more. Sort of like how I think When The Levee Breaks should've stayed in the set list in '75...

Absolutely Bonzo_fan! I much prefer the January 1975 setlist to the February-March one. It is fascinating to hear "How Many More Times" again after being absent for so long. It would have been incredible to hear "Wanton Song" and "Levee" in March as the band got healthier and more comfortable with the songs. And with "How Many More Times", Jimmy could still do his wizard with the bow act with all the sturm und drang.

A golden opportunity missed.

Oh, and perhaps I should clarify...there are no RECORDED "Oceans" between May 5 and May 28, 1973. It's probable and even likely that they played "The Ocean" sometime between Tampa and San Diego...New Orleans? Texas? Mobile?...we just don't have any evidence on tape.

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Absolutely Bonzo_fan! I much prefer the January 1975 setlist to the February-March one. It is fascinating to hear "How Many More Times" again after being absent for so long. It would have been incredible to hear "Wanton Song" and "Levee" in March as the band got healthier and more comfortable with the songs. And with "How Many More Times", Jimmy could still do his wizard with the bow act with all the sturm und drang.

A golden opportunity missed.

Oh, and perhaps I should clarify...there are no RECORDED "Oceans" between May 5 and May 28, 1973. It's probable and even likely that they played "The Ocean" sometime between Tampa and San Diego...New Orleans? Texas? Mobile?...we just don't have any evidence on tape.

I understand that HMMT was dropped in order to put D&C back in once Jimmy could play it again, but what's interesting is why "Levee" was taken out after the first (is that right?) Chicago show...

Also Strider, I read your recollections of getting your tickets and going to the shows in '77, fantastic stuff man! You should write a book about all your experiences seeing them, I would buy it in hard cover, as well as one for all the Zeppheads I know for Christmas! I noticed that you left off at "Ten Years Gone" from the 21st though, did you finish it and the other four '77 shows you saw in a different thread?

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This should have been their permanent last encore for every show, just perfect. Imagine, 75' with Communication Breakdown segue into The Ocean; 77' with Hots on for Nowhere segue into The Ocean; finally, 79' & 80' with Hot Dog or Wearing & Tearing Segue into The Ocean.

No matter how you slice it, the crowd goes home amped up with a smile on their faces!!!

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This should have been their permanent last encore for every show, just perfect. Imagine, 75' with Communication Breakdown segue into The Ocean; 77' with Hots on for Nowhere segue into The Ocean; finally, 79' & 80' with Hot Dog or Wearing & Tearing Segue into The Ocean.

No matter how you slice it, the crowd goes home amped up with a smile on their faces!!!

You make a good point, the only one I might like better as the show-closer is Thank You. I've always liked Hots On For Nowhere, that would've been cool to see.

As far as '77 encores go though, I would've been happy to see more of Communication Breakdown and Black Dog, as well as a longer WLL, preferably one like the O2 where they play the full song but stick pretty close to the length of the studio version. If that meant only doing Rock And Roll every other night or every third night so be it. WLL is way too good of a song to be bastardized into a 90 second segue to Rock And Roll.

On the other hand, I understand why the encores were so short in '77, especially near the end of the second leg as well as Seattle: the regular set was already over three hours, in the case of 6/27 probably just over 3 1/2. If they came back on and did seven encores like 6/19/72 or 6/25/72 we really would have a 4 hour show, which I wouldn't complain about, but Bonzo might be yelling "More comedy, less work!"

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  • 3 weeks later...

As previously stated The Ocean never was improvised much or has anything additional so I never cared to find other than TSRTS and HTWWW, which TSRTS was pretty amazing and full of energy! But I might like the studio best with the 'Oooooh' at the end of every line.

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

I'm a Seattle 7-17-73 man myself, had the audience tape since '76, but five years ago got the soundboard. The differences are vast. Jones sounds huge on the audience tape but less so on the board recording. Pagey and Bonzo played well that night in Seattle. Plant was in much better voice than he was in NYC. Percy lost some octaves after June 1972; till then he could sing a line such as "got no time to back my bags, my foot's outside the door" and hit the notes he hit on the album. But never after June 1972. I always thought he had a throat operation to remove nodes from his vocal cords between then and the October '72 Japanese tour, where he sounds hoarse, and different. Same thing with the December '72 through January '73 UK tour. By March '73 in Germany he sounded like he did during the US '73 shows, and sang in a lower register till 1980.

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  • 5 months later...
  • 3 years later...

I am enjoying the Kezar 2 June 1973 soundboard version right now.  I love the Bonham spoken intro.  He seems so playful "a-one, a -two, a -three, a- four!"  I don't recall that exact spin on his intro anywhere else.  But what is really cool is his tone.   So fun and into it.

Then we get to the end.  All time classic Plant   "I gotta tell you, this is the best vibes since we played the Fillmore 5 years ago.  So vibes are real !  See ya."   

 

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Kezar 73' is my favorite as well. 

The Ocean is another great live song dropped from the setlist prematurely, joining other great songs dropped such as Four Sticks, Wanton Song, and Levee.

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4 hours ago, IpMan said:

Kezar 73' is my favorite as well. 

The Ocean is another great live song dropped from the setlist prematurely, joining other great songs dropped such as Four Sticks, Wanton Song, and Levee.

I'm not sure how it would've faired with Plant's post-'73 voice, although I do always wish they would've given it a shot at The Forum on 3/27/75 for a second encore after that guy yells it before "Whole Lotta Love"!

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8 hours ago, Bonzo_fan said:

I'm not sure how it would've faired with Plant's post-'73 voice, although I do always wish they would've given it a shot at The Forum on 3/27/75 for a second encore after that guy yells it before "Whole Lotta Love"!

Plant could have kinds pulled it of in 77' and it would have been a great tune as an encore. BTW, after listening to several versions, I really like TSRTS version, IMO better than Kezar after comparing the two. I then decided to compare HTWWW version to TSRTS version and I give the nod to TSRTS. Robert is of course in full range in 72' however Jimmy is awesome as is the rest of the lads in TSRTS, plus Plant's voice is still pretty damn strong. HTWWW is just played way to straight by the band, too spot on to the album whereas by TSRTS Jimmy is throwing in little extra touches and flourishes he did not do in 72' and Robert is again, still very good and in strong voice.

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