Sick Again, why?

[Jukkin]

I may be in a minority of one here but I have to say that I don't understand why Sick Again was part of the 1-2 opening songs for so long. No matter how many times I hear it I just can't avoid the fact that it is probably their weakest song. It is just...nothing. Custard Pie (was it ever played live?) would have been a much better choice, or The Rover. I think both are stronger songs and both would have fit right in with the 75 tour set and perhaps in the 77 set. Am I the only one that feels this way?

PS: I'd have loved to have seen When The Levee Breaks instead of In My Time of Dying in the 75 sets. Both have that swamp blues vibe but Levee is the more enjoyable and powerful of the two. Just my opinion of course. Maybe it was because it was from PG rather than IV.

[pluribus]

Remember, they tried Levee and it just didn’t work as a live number. Apart from the opportunity for harmonica noodling, there was no opportunity for a lengthy solo for any band member. It just went on and on, and they already had Kashmir in the set. 

As for Sick Again, I think it works great. That song has a high level of dynamics in it, with the pacing of the verses and the swagger in the rhythm section. Like a raunchier replacement for the spot that Celebration Day had in the 1973 setlist.

[Moby_Dick_Ale]

4 hours ago, Jukkin said:

I may be in a minority of one here but I have to say that I don't understand why Sick Again was part of the 1-2 opening songs for so long. No matter how many times I hear it I just can't avoid the fact that it is probably their weakest song. It is just...nothing. Custard Pie (was it ever played live?) would have been a much better choice, or The Rover. I think both are stronger songs and both would have fit right in with the 75 tour set and perhaps in the 77 set. Am I the only one that feels this way?

PS: I'd have loved to have seen When The Levee Breaks instead of In My Time of Dying in the 75 sets. Both have that swamp blues vibe but Levee is the more enjoyable and powerful of the two. Just my opinion of course. Maybe it was because it was from PG rather than IV.

On http://www.ledzeppelin-reference.com/geekbaseweb/songlistpage.aspx?toggle=0&sort=0# there's no hit on "Custard Pie", so I guess they never played it live.

Sick Again: 76 times.

The Rover: 37 times.

But "Dazed and Confused" tops with 211 times (WLL: 199)

BTW: "When The Levee Breaks" only played 3 times live.

[Moby_Dick_Ale]

And a small addition, songs NEVER played live: http://www.ledzeppelin-reference.com/geekbaseweb/songlistpage.aspx?toggle=3&sort=0

[Strider]

1 hour ago, Moby_Dick_Ale said:

On http://www.ledzeppelin-reference.com/geekbaseweb/songlistpage.aspx?toggle=0&sort=0# there's no hit on "Custard Pie", so I guess they never played it live.

Sick Again: 76 times.

The Rover: 37 times.

But "Dazed and Confused" tops with 211 times (WLL: 199)

BTW: "When The Levee Breaks" only played 3 times live.

"The Rover" was not played 37 times. What was played was the short intro riff to "The Rover" as a link to "Sick Again" on the 1977 tour. But to say the song "The Rover" was played 37 times is very misleading.

There was that one time in Australia in 1972, though.

[Zep Hed]

Sick Again in 75 was favored as a track to feature off the new album. The theme also fit touring America. Agree with Pluribus re: Levee; it was dropped b/c they couldn't quite work it out live to their satisfaction. I think 75 was the only tour where they dropped tracks from the planned setlist mid-tour b/c they weren't working or didn't fit (Levee + Wanton).

[kirchzep27]

I totally agree with op, if "anything" it should have been a revolving song spot, just for physical grafitti songs!!!!!!!!!!

[1998giventofly]

I love Sick Again! I think it fits very well with the overall vibe of the '75 shows, not necessarily as much in '77. However I do think Custard Pie also would've worked in that slot, it's another awesome song that I wish they had played live.

As for The Rover, it's a great song, but by '75 I don't think Robert would've been able to sing it satisfactorily. So really the best choice for the second song is Sick Again or Custard Pie.

[kirchzep27]

If it was, sick again, custard pie, or the rover....that would have been awesome 

[rm2551]

I Love the strength of the one-two punch in 1975 of Rock and Roll and Sick Again. In fact, all the way through the concert was a great set list, there were no weak spots for mine.

 

[JohnOsbourne]

Gotta go w/majority opinion here.  Love the song, studio and live, and I think it went well merged w/RR in '75.  My complaint in '75 is that they pretty much played it by the numbers (3-21 and esp. 3-27 being exceptions), not much ad libbing (unlike its '73 analog, Celebration Day, which almost always had some nice outro jams by Page).

[Rodrigo]

'Sick Again' is just perfect. I think it's an iconic song of what Zep stands for, both the music and the lyrics. I think it's always fit perfectly into any concert.

I'd also have liked them to change the set list a bit more. 'The Rover' is one of my favourite songs and I think it's very underrated... for me, it's one of the best songs on 'PG'. It was also one of the first songs I learned to play on the electric guitar.

[bluecongo]

Sick Again kicks butt and Zep usually nailed it.  Its a great high energy number that also summed up life on the road for them.  Perfect fit.

Although its a great version, Sick Again at Knebworth seemed kinda shoehorned in the setlist.   Seemed out of place where it was. 

[SteveZ98]

1 hour ago, bluecongo said:

Sick Again kicks butt and Zep usually nailed it.  Its a great high energy number that also summed up life on the road for them.  Perfect fit.

This.

[John M]

On 5/3/2020 at 8:53 PM, JohnOsbourne said:

not much ad libbing (unlike its '73 analog, Celebration Day, which almost always had some nice outro jams by Page).

Yes,  but I always like the crazed atmospheric haze he builds up in the outro.  As one reviewer of Page's playing once said , "as unique as a thumbprint".

 

[pujols05]

I was never a big fan of the studio track, but came to love the '77 versions (more than '75), especially on Destroyer. Now, even the studio version has grown on me. 

I listened to PG yesterday and was thinking about what may have influenced decisions on '75 setlists. We know Ten Years Gone had difficulties for live performance that were resolved for '77. But why not "In the Light," or "Custard Pie" or "The Rover"? We'll never know, but wild guess that we would have heard more of PG on the fall '75 tour that never happened. What might have been.

[Zep Hed]

Stated this before but I think the band - and Robert in particular - likely felt the groupie theme fit well in the American tour set lists.

[PeaceFrogYum]

5 hours ago, pujols05 said:

I was never a big fan of the studio track, but came to love the '77 versions (more than '75), especially on Destroyer. Now, even the studio version has grown on me. 

I listened to PG yesterday and was thinking about what may have influenced decisions on '75 setlists. We know Ten Years Gone had difficulties for live performance that were resolved for '77. But why not "In the Light," or "Custard Pie" or "The Rover"? We'll never know, but wild guess that we would have heard more of PG on the fall '75 tour that never happened. What might have been.

ITL was impossible due (in the 70's) to trying to reproduce the different keyboard parts live. CP or The Rover could easily have been done but Rover would have been tough on Robert. Either CP or Wanton Song should have been played at least at some of the shows. The Wanton Song they played at the beginning of the 75' tour were great, they should not have dropped it.

[Autumn Moon]

Sick Again- This is where a 75 show really takes off for my taste. 

[The Only Way To Fly]

On 5/4/2020 at 8:24 AM, bluecongo said:

Its a great high energy number that also summed up life on the road for them.  Perfect fit.

SteveZ98 already quoted this piece, but agree - The opening line says it all.... "From the window of your rented limousine"...

[Badgeholder Still]

On 5/6/2020 at 4:17 PM, PeaceFrogYum said:

ITL was impossible due (in the 70's) to trying to ...

Please, enough already with the weak attempt at definitive statements. Nothing was impossible if LZ was so inclined. For the most part, all of their live renditions were interpretations of their studio work. They could have produced a great live interpreted version of  ITL if they wanted to. They chose not to. 

 

What is and what should never be. Everything that happened was perfect in it's own way. While the set list remained static, every show, every song, every moment was unique, and that is why the shows are still collected and scrutinized. If we had 76 versions of "The Rover" or "Custard Pie", we would be here wondering why we don't have any live versions of "Sick Again". 

Led Zeppelin delivered and truly, you've got everything you need to be satisfied. And new recordings/remasters keep coming. Just enjoy.

[PeaceFrogYum]

8 minutes ago, Badgeholder Still said:

Please, enough already with the weak attempt at definitive statements. Nothing was impossible if LZ was so inclined. For the most part, all of their live renditions were interpretations of their studio work. They could have produced a great live interpreted version of  ITL if they wanted to. They chose not to. 

 

What is and what should never be. Everything that happened was perfect in it's own way. While the set list remained static, every show, every song, every moment was unique, and that is why the shows are still collected and scrutinized. If we had 76 versions of "The Rover" or "Custard Pie", we would be here wondering why we don't have any live versions of "Sick Again". 

Led Zeppelin delivered and truly, you've got everything you need to be satisfied. And new recordings/remasters keep coming. Just enjoy.

I read this in a couple of Zeppelin books as the reason why the song was never performed live. According to Page, they wanted to do a live version but could not work it out to their satisfaction due to several keyboard parts which could not be duplicated live.

I cannot remember the name or which books it was in but I did read this. So, if anyone remembers which books Page mentions this please let us know as Senor' Grumpy-Ass needs absolute confirmation.

[Badgeholder Still]

1 minute ago, PeaceFrogYum said:

I read this in a couple of Zeppelin books as the reason why the song was never performed live. According to Page, they wanted to do a live version but could not work it out to their satisfaction due to several keyboard parts which could not be duplicated live.

I cannot remember the name or which books it was in but I did read this. So, if anyone remembers which books Page mentions this please let us know as Senor' Grumpy-Ass needs absolute confirmation.

You did?  You read it somewhere? When you can provide the documentation that absolves your continued bullshit, let me know.

[PeaceFrogYum]

1 minute ago, Badgeholder Still said:

You did?  You read it somewhere? When you can provide the documentation that absolves your continued bullshit, let me know.

What is your problem bud? Just about every post of yours is negative and you consistently attack people for no reason. If you read the last sentence I am asking for the reference. 

Jesus Christ you are such a miserable git, maybe you need to get a puppy or something.

[Badgeholder Still]

Don't twist it. Just provide accurate information. Or fuckin' don't.