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In the Evening lyrics


4urlife

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I tried doing a search, but the search function on this board isn't really all that great. I was wondering about the lyrics for "In the Evening"... Was this song possibly written about Page? or maybe even Bonham?

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In the evening, When the day is done

I'm looking for a woman, but the girl don't come

So don't let her, Play you for a fool

She don't show no pity baby, she don't make no rules

Chorus: Oh, oh, I need your love, I need your love

Oh, I need your love, I just got to have

So don't you let her, Oh, get under your skin

It's only bad luck and trouble, From the day that you begin

I hear you crying in the darkness, Don't ask nobody's help

Ain't no pockets full of mercy baby, Cause you can only blame yourself

Chorus

Oh it's simple, All the pain that you go through

You can turn away from fortune, fortune, Cause that's all that's left to you

It's lonely at the bottom, Man, it's dizzy at the top

But if you're standing in the middle, Ain't no way you're gonna stop

Chorus

Oh whatever that your days may bring

No use hiding in a corner, Cause that won't change a thing

If you're dancing in the doldrums, One day soon, it's got to stop, it's got to stop

When you're the master of the off-chance, When you don't expect a lot

Chorus

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Aside from the first verse, it just seems to be about a person who is going through a very difficult, yet self induced, problem. I figured I was probably off base with that, but figured I would ask anyway.

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Aside from the first verse, it just seems to be about a person who is going through a very difficult, yet self induced, problem. I figured I was probably off base with that, but figured I would ask anyway.

Relationships can be difficult due to our own making :) Robert's lyrics are often quite thought provoking to say the least :D

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Aside from the first verse, it just seems to be about a person who is going through a very difficult, yet self induced, problem. I figured I was probably off base with that, but figured I would ask anyway.

I see your point here, I've made thoughts about some lyrics on "In through the out door" as well. And Robert himself has said this song is about "how the rich and famous are still exposed to pain and suffering, just in different ways."

Ah well that's really difficult to tell, fans can always speculate about the "real meaning" until Robert himself would reveal it.

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I tried doing a search, but the search function on this board isn't really all that great. I was wondering about the lyrics for "In the Evening"... Was this song possibly written about Page? or maybe even Bonham?

---

In the evening, When the day is done

I'm looking for a woman, but the girl don't come

So don't let her, Play you for a fool

She don't show no pity baby, she don't make no rules

Chorus: Oh, oh, I need your love, I need your love

Oh, I need your love, I just got to have

So don't you let her, Oh, get under your skin

It's only bad luck and trouble, From the day that you begin

I hear you crying in the darkness, Don't ask nobody's help

Ain't no pockets full of mercy baby, Cause you can only blame yourself

Chorus

Oh it's simple, All the pain that you go through

You can turn away from fortune, fortune, Cause that's all that's left to you

It's lonely at the bottom, Man, it's dizzy at the top

But if you're standing in the middle, Ain't no way you're gonna stop

Chorus

Oh whatever that your days may bring

No use hiding in a corner, Cause that won't change a thing

If you're dancing in the doldrums, One day soon, it's got to stop, it's got to stop

When you're the master of the off-chance, When you don't expect a lot

Chorus

Welcome.

intheeveningmg5.jpg

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Thanks Reggie. I actually signed on here a year ago today (just realized that a few minutes ago when I happened to glance at my join date on this post). Cool pic with the lyrics, by the way.

I see your point here, I've made thoughts about some lyrics on "In through the out door" as well. And Robert himself has said this song is about "how the rich and famous are still exposed to pain and suffering, just in different ways."

Ah well that's really difficult to tell, fans can always speculate about the "real meaning" until Robert himself would reveal it.

That is an interesting quote from Robert. Thanks. I've always been amazed by his lyrics, and how they seem to say one thing but mean another. Maybe one of these days he'll write a book explaining what his songs are really about. :D

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We can only guess, but that possibility is what finally let me go of my feminist doubts concerning the Zeps (whom I've loved since the 1990's). :lol: I'm ever so glad these people are not on the front pages of gossip rags all the time. A little mystery is such a lovely thing...

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Thanks Reggie. I actually signed on here a year ago today (just realized that a few minutes ago when I happened to glance at my join date on this post). Cool pic with the lyrics, by the way.

Your welcome.

Song lyrics mean different things to everyone, in how they interpret them on a personal level or how they relate to circumstances within their daily lives.

I often wonder what Robert's thinking about with some of his lyrics.

Most are obvious and literal with their content like WLL, GTC, Kashmir etc.

Then there's Stairway!!!!!?

He certainly knows how to turn a phrase!

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Song lyrics mean different things to everyone, in how they interpret them on a personal level or how they relate to circumstances within their daily lives.

I often wonder what Robert's thinking about with some of his lyrics.

Most are obvious and literal with their content like WLL, GTC, Kashmir etc.

Then there's Stairway!!!!!?

He certainly knows how to turn a phrase!

Song lyrics are certainly a question of interpretation (though I wouldn't call Kashmir obvious and literal at all, personally)--

however I just posted to say how much I love In the Evening! :)B)

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...i find the lyrics to this song, like a few off the last couple of albums, very dark and foreboding. whatever the song is about, it's almost like an ominous warning.

an excellent song that stands up against any of their best. great middle section, then the band return for another verse and chorus. great bass drum work by bonzon before the page's guitar lick at the end, and a hint of plant's love of eastern singing during a great fade out chase.

i remeber the first time i heard this song, still one of my top zep tunes.

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  • 9 years later...

The lyrics to this song got a bad rap when it was released because of all the "oh, oh I need your love" and the opening lines.  Critics and casual fans said it was weak watered down retreads.  All they focused on was the many "Oh oh I need your love" refrains and the opening about "when the day is done, I'm looking for a woman" cliches.  But when you look at all the lyrics it is really, really strong.  Plant was  master at making meaningful points about life.  As described above, the lyrics could be about relationships, success and fame, the band, how challenging life is, etc.  To me the best lines are:

I hear you crying in the darkness, Don't ask nobody's help

Ain't no pockets full of mercy baby, Cause you can only blame yourself

Oh it's simple (I always thought the word here was "sinful") , All the pain that you go through

You can turn away from fortune, fortune, Cause that's all that's left to you

It's lonely at the bottom, Man, it's dizzy at the top

But if you're standing in the middle, Ain't no way you're  gonna stop

Oh whatever that your days may bring

No use hiding in a corner, Cause that won't change a thing

If you're dancing in the doldrums, One day soon, it's got to stop, it's got to stop

When you're the master of the off-chance, When ( think it is "then" here?) you don't expect a lot

 

One non lyric related note about this song - the slow burn Page does beneath the last chorus starting around 5:34 and the little outro solo licks after that are some of the coolest guitar on the album.  They fit perfectly.   I recall an old review that said Page rarely overplayed on record.  This section of this song is a perfect example.  Everything in its place, everything with a purpose. 

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For the most part, I think (as with most songs) there is a meaning for the author and a meaning for the listener. Like poetry, open to interpretation. That's what makes good music so interesting. I love In the Evening; one of my all time favorites. 

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I’ve always seen this song as a reference to the drugs in the band, and in particular with Page. The most poignant line is:

So don’t you let her, oh, get under your skin (ie: heroine via a needle)

I could well be wrong, but the song has those undertones in my mind. 

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11 hours ago, The Dark Lord said:

I’ve always seen this song as a reference to the drugs in the band, and in particular with Page. The most poignant line is:

So don’t you let her, oh, get under your skin (ie: heroine via a needle)

I could well be wrong, but the song has those undertones in my mind. 

Plant always liked to place multiple meanings into his lyrics and this sounds about right. Supposedly, Jimmy did not shoot H, he snorted it in which case the lyric makes sense yet is also a scathing indictment, ie. just because you don't shoot it does not mean you are not an addict.

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13 hours ago, The Dark Lord said:

I’ve always seen this song as a reference to the drugs in the band, and in particular with Page. The most poignant line is:

So don’t you let her, oh, get under your skin (ie: heroine via a needle)

I could well be wrong, but the song has those undertones in my mind. 

Could be although I would tend to lean towards references to lust and the conflict of that and his being married at the time. 

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I think it could be a lot of things; the rigors, strains and craziness of fame, the pain of seeing someone close to you, or realizing you, yourself are in a bad relationship, insecurity in your talents and worrying that the muse will leave you because someday it's "got to stop", and, of course, addiction. I lean more towards addiction because you're always looking for the next great high "but the girl don't come" plus the comment about hiding and not asking for help. In the end, you can only blame yourself for your own life choices. 

What does "dancing in the doldrums" mean? Putting on a brave face while suffering inside? Enjoying wallowing in your own misery, as some people seem to do? Also what is a "master of the off chance"? Someone who's lucky to have survived?

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17 hours ago, IpMan said:

Plant always liked to place multiple meanings into his lyrics and this sounds about right. Supposedly, Jimmy did not shoot H, he snorted it in which case the lyric makes sense yet is also a scathing indictment, ie. just because you don't shoot it does not mean you are not an addict.

How do you know how he took it?

I've never seen that documented ANYWHERE

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4 hours ago, TheStairwayRemainsTheSame said:

How do you know how he took it?

I've never seen that documented ANYWHERE

Although Page usually dances around answering the question directly, there's a mountain of circumstantial evidence. 

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