“Misty Mountain Hop” was an instant earworm for me. I was hooked on the melody and Robert Plant’s raw, powerful vocals telling the story about a bunch of hippies being busted by the police while enjoying a sunny afternoon in a park.
Led Zeppelin was one of the first bands to captivate me when I was a teenager. Because I grew up years after they stopped touring and making albums, I spent a lot of time watching live performance clips on YouTube and purchasing movies like The Song Remains the Same. I was inspired by how Robert Plant’s passion and stage command came through so naturally, and began to dream about how cool it would be to play in a band.
The intro to “Misty Mountain Hop” is also fascinating to me, with John Paul Jones on electric piano, followed by Jimmy Page’s riff and John Bonham’s enormous drums. I can never get the part of the song where Plant sings “over the hill where the spirits fly” out of my head. There’s just something so tasty about the layered harmonies, and that drum rolling that gets me every single time.
Page’s guitar playing is thrilling, I always find myself entranced in the mood he creates through his instrument. Bonham lays down such a powerful foundation for each song, I never find myself bored of his drumming. I personally think the drums on “Fool in the Rain” are the best ever recorded. Jones’ bass lines have also had a great influence on me as a musician; I’m continuously inspired by his technique and interesting hooks. Thank you to Led Zeppelin for providing timeless rock and roll, and keeping me inspired to learn and push myself as a musician. Happy 50th anniversary to the great and technically untitled album, Led Zeppelin IV.