Best year for "STH"?

[kashmiran]

My favorite is '75.

[docron]

1971 is king.

Even though Robert was sort of "subtle".., he alway screamed like a god-damn banshee (he still had all of his ultra wide range in '71) on the final verses of the 1971 performances... Really worked for the whole climax thing.., which is pretty much everything thats good about that song.

BBC Sessions, for example.

I would have voted for '72, but thats the year Rob's voice started to break up once in a while on high notes... and it happened on Stairway alot. I think he was in denial about his voice starting to give out.., like he thought it was just a phase or something. He sure did try though.

The years after 1972 I think he realized his voice couldn't do that anymore and he adjusted accordingly, thank god.

[kashmiran]

1971 is king.

Even though Robert was sort of "subtle".., he alway screamed like a god-damn banshee (he still had all of his ultra wide range in '71) on the final verses of the 1971 performances... Really worked for the whole climax thing.., which is pretty much everything thats good about that song.

BBC Sessions, for example.

I would have voted for '72, but thats the year Rob's voice started to break up once in a while on high notes... and it happened on Stairway alot. I think he was in denial about his voice starting to give out.., like he thought it was just a phase or something. He sure did try though.

The years after 1972 I think he realized his voice couldn't do that anymore and he adjusted accordingly, thank god.

Yes, docron, from what I've read of your posts on this forum, you do seem to be a '71 monger. That's cool, '71 would be my second choice. BBC Sessions comes to mind. That version of STH had the strongest closing stanzas I've ever heard. Definitely my #2. From a mainstream POV, '71 was probably the best year overall. IMO, though, '75 was awesome. There's just always been something to that year for me.

[ally]

Another 71 monger here It really seems to be the only year that the song get's the full energy. I don't get the impression from any other year that they actually enjoyed playing it. The solo on Going To California ( although the recording is tiny ) is as good as I've heard live.

[Roxie]

Another vote for '71 here. It was still fresh and new for them, so technically and vocally it just seemed like they put more into it. By 1977, and then the Knebworth shows - it seemed like they speeded it up like they were almost rushing through it (at least vocally speaking).

[docron]

I get that feeling too from like 1973 and on.

I really think the only reason they played it was so that the crowd didn't riot. I never got the feeling they actually enjoyed playing it.

Lets face it - they really had no choice but to play it. I wish they would've cut that one out after a while in put in Tea For One or something. That song couldve been just as good - probably on the same level as SIBLY.

[kashmiran]

Well, the main reason I prefer '75 is because the rest of the band (besides Robert) are in seemingly top form, IMO. Bonzo, Jones, Page (although I know people will dispute that last one). Yeah maybe the solos weren't quite as good, but the performances sound really fresh to me. Not quite as "raw" as '71, but still enthusiastic enough to make the grade. Listen to this version:

March 19th, 1975 - Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

I hope you'll get my point. BEST VERSION EVER!!!! (IMO, of course)

[jimmy page66]

March 19th, 1975 - Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Shit I NEEED that bootleg now.

[ally]

Shit I NEEED that bootleg now.

So do I

[MadScreamingGallery]

1971 is king.

Even though Robert was sort of "subtle".., he alway screamed like a god-damn banshee (he still had all of his ultra wide range in '71) on the final verses of the 1971 performances... Really worked for the whole climax thing.., which is pretty much everything thats good about that song.

BBC Sessions, for example.

I would have voted for '72, but thats the year Rob's voice started to break up once in a while on high notes... and it happened on Stairway alot. I think he was in denial about his voice starting to give out.., like he thought it was just a phase or something. He sure did try though.

The years after 1972 I think he realized his voice couldn't do that anymore and he adjusted accordingly, thank god.

Another 71 monger here It really seems to be the only year that the song get's the full energy. I don't get the impression from any other year that they actually enjoyed playing it. The solo on Going To California ( although the recording is tiny ) is as good as I've heard live.

Another vote for '71 here. It was still fresh and new for them, so technically and vocally it just seemed like they put more into it. By 1977, and then the Knebworth shows - it seemed like they speeded it up like they were almost rushing through it (at least vocally speaking).

I admit to being a '71 monger as well - and especially for Stairway - my first Zep concert, the first time I heard STH. I can't remember all of the details (or even if I am remembering things correctly) but, in the recesses of my mind, I can still hear Robert telling us to be quiet and maybe something about how we needed to listen carefully. As the song unfolded, you could hear a hush descend on "the ocean" and then the briefest split second of silence as the song ended right before an eruption - cheers and applause - arose from "the ocean." STH, live in '71, was so beautiful and so powerful and so emotional, that it eclipsed anything else I had ever heard. If I ever harbored any doubts that Zep were the best and that I would remain a devoted fan for the rest of my life, they were erased that night.

[aen27]

'73

I think of "Does anybody remember laughter" and "I hope so" as part of the lyrics!

[mos6507]

"Does anyone remember laughter" became kind of a schtick after a while. I also think when the solo entered into the slower vamp with the pauses in it, with Jimmy taking it down a notch, that the song kind of lost its forward momentum.

[LedZep1969]

'73 definentally especially from TSRTS

[Devil's Haircut]

I admit to being a '71 monger as well - and especially for Stairway - my first Zep concert, the first time I heard STH. I can't remember all of the details (or even if I am remembering things correctly) but, in the recesses of my mind, I can still hear Robert telling us to be quiet and maybe something about how we needed to listen carefully. As the song unfolded, you could hear a hush descend on "the ocean" and then the briefest split second of silence as the song ended right before an eruption - cheers and applause - arose from "the ocean." STH, live in '71, was so beautiful and so powerful and so emotional, that it eclipsed anything else I had ever heard. If I ever harbored any doubts that Zep were the best and that I would remain a devoted fan for the rest of my life, they were erased that night.

Nice that you put the ocean in parenthesis so others wouldn't think you meant them playing that song in '71.

I believe '71 was absolutely the best year for Stairway as well, and it's especially cool to listen as Robert would introduce the song to mild applause or even near silence because of the unknown song. The crowd was like this even without his request for quietness.

I think the Toronto, September 4th 1971 show is a perfect example and about their best rendition that I've heard. Wasn't that the day after the MadScreamingGallery show that year?

I mean the MadisonSquareGarden show. Ooops, my bad.

[Melanie_72]

'73 definentally especially from TSRTS

Ditto!!

[tophat]

72 or 73

[greatkamikaze]

Earls Court 5/24/1975, definitely