Originally named the New Yardbirds, Led Zeppelin signed a deal with Atlantic Records that gave them considerable artistic freedom. Initially unpopular with critics, they achieved significant commercial success with eight studio albums over ten years. Their 1969 debut, Led Zeppelin, was a top-ten album in several countries and featured such tracks as "Good Times Bad Times", "Dazed and Confused" and "Communication Breakdown". Led Zeppelin II (1969) was their first number-one album, and yielded "Ramble On" and "Whole Lotta Love". In 1970, they released Led Zeppelin III which featured "Immigrant Song". Their untitled fourth album, commonly known as Led Zeppelin IV (1971), is one of the best-selling albums in history with 37 million copies sold. The album includes "Black Dog", "Rock and Roll" and "Stairway to Heaven", with the latter being among the most popular and influential works in rock history. Houses of the Holy (1973) yielded "The Ocean", "Over the Hills and Far Away" and "The Rain Song". Physical Graffiti (1975), a double album, featured "Trampled Under Foot" and "Kashmir".
Page wrote most of Led Zeppelin's music, particularly early in their career, while Plant wrote most of the lyrics. Jones's keyboard-based compositions later became central to their music, which featured increasing experimentation. The latter half of their career saw a series of record-breaking tours that earned the group a reputation for excess and debauchery. Although they remained commercially and critically successful, their touring and output, which included Presence (1976) and In Through the Out Door (1979), grew limited, and the group disbanded following Bonham's death in 1980. Since then, the surviving former members have sporadically collaborated and participated in one-off reunions. The most successful of these was the 2007 Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert in London, with Bonham's son Jason Bonham on drums.
Led Zeppelin are one of the best-selling music artists of all time; their total record sales are estimated to be between 200 and 300 million units worldwide. They achieved eight consecutive UK number-one albums and six number-one albums on the US Billboard 200, with five of their albums certified Diamond in the US. Rolling Stone magazine described them as "the heaviest band of all time", "the biggest band of the Seventies", and "unquestionably one of the most enduring bands in rock history". They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995; the museum's biography of the band states that they were "as influential" during the 1970s as the Beatles were during the 1960s.
Albums
Led Zeppelin (1969)
Led Zeppelin II (1969)
Led Zeppelin III (1970)
Led Zeppelin IV (1971)
Houses of the Holy (1973)
Physical Graffiti (1975)
Presence (1976)
In Through the Out Door (1979)
Coda (1982)
Driving Through Kashmir
Led Zeppelin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With stars to fill my dream
I am a traveler of both time and space
To be where I have been
Sit with elders of the gentle race
This world has seldom seen
With talk of days for which they sit and wait
All will be revealed
Talk in song from tongues of lilting grace
Sounds caress my ear
And not a word I heard could I relate
The story was quite clear
Oh, oh
Oh, oh
Ooh, oh, baby, I been flying
No yeah, mama, there ain't no denying
Oh, ooh, yes, I've been flying
Mama, mama
Ain't no denying, no denying
Oh, all I see turns to brown
As the sun burns the ground
And my eyes fill with sand
As I scan this wasted land
Trying to find, trying to find, where I've been
Oh, pilot of the storm who leaves no trace
Like thoughts inside a dream
Heed the path that led me to that place
Yellow desert stream
Like Shangri-la beneath the summer moon
I will return again
Sure as the dust that floats high in June
When moving through Kashmir
Oh, father of the four winds fill my sails
Across the sea of years
With no provision but an open face
Along the straits of fear
Oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh
Oh, when I'm on, when I'm on my way, yeah
When I see, when I see the way, you stay, yeah
Oh, yeah-yeah, oh, yeah-yeah, when I'm down
Oh, yeah-yeah, oh, yeah-yeah, but I'm down, so down
Oh, my baby, oh, my baby, let me take you there
Oh, oh
Come on, come on, oh
Let me take you there, let me take you there
Oh, yeah-yeah, oh, yeah-yeah, let me take you there
The lyrics to Led Zeppelin's song "Kashmir" are open to interpretation, but they seem to describe a spiritual journey and a longing for transcendence. The song opens with the singer yearning for the sun's warmth on their face and the stars to inspire their dreams. They see themselves as a traveler of both time and space, seeking to revisit places they have already been. The singer mentions sitting with elders of a "gentle race," possibly referring to wise and peaceful beings or perhaps a metaphor for ancient civilizations. The elders talk about eagerly awaiting certain days, hinting at a sense of anticipation or a future revelation.
The second verse delves into a more mystical experience, with the singer hearing a melodious language that they cannot fully understand, yet the story conveyed is clear to them. It suggests that the beauty and grace of the sounds are enough to captivate their senses, even without comprehending their meaning.
The chorus, comprised of the repeated "ohs," expresses a sense of freedom and exhilaration. The lines "I've been flying, no denying" suggest a feeling of liberation and a willingness to embrace new experiences.
The third verse speaks of a desolate landscape where everything turns to brown and the singer's eyes fill with sand. It conveys a sense of searching and trying to find where they have been, perhaps reflecting on a past journey or seeking a sense of purpose and direction.
The following verse introduces the idea of a mysterious figure, the "pilot of the storm," who leaves no trace. This pilot is akin to a dream, guiding the singer to a place akin to Shangri-la, a mythical and idyllic paradise. The mention of a yellow desert stream adds to the mystical and otherworldly atmosphere, and the singer states their intention to return to this place.
The final verse mentions the "father of the four winds" and a journey across the "sea of years." It speaks of a fearless pursuit, relying only on an open face and venturing along the daunting paths of fear.
Overall, the song "Kashmir" seems to explore themes of yearning for transcendence, spiritual exploration, and the quest for a higher purpose.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, let the sun beat down upon my face
Allow the warmth and brightness of the sun to envelop my being
With stars to fill my dream
Surrounded by dreams fulfilled and aspirations realized
I am a traveler of both time and space
I possess the ability to traverse through different eras and dimensions
To be where I have been
To exist in familiar realms and experiences
Sit with elders of the gentle race
Engage in conversations with wise individuals of peaceful origins
This world has seldom seen
This Earth rarely witnesses such beings
With talk of days for which they sit and wait
Discussions about forthcoming moments eagerly anticipated
All will be revealed
Eventually, everything shall be unveiled and understood
Talk in song from tongues of lilting grace
Expressing thoughts and emotions through melodic and elegant language
Sounds caress my ear
Melodies tenderly embrace my sense of hearing
And not a word I heard could I relate
Despite listening closely, I couldn't connect or relate to any of the spoken words
The story was quite clear
Nevertheless, the narrative conveyed its intended message clearly
Oh, oh
Exclamation of strong emotions or realization
Oh, oh
Exclamation of strong emotions or realization
Ooh, oh, baby, I been flying
Oh, I have been soaring or experiencing great freedom and euphoria
No yeah, mama, there ain't no denying
Definitely, my dear, there is no way to deny or dispute it
Oh, ooh, yes, I've been flying
Oh, yes, I have indeed been soaring or experiencing great freedom and euphoria
Mama, mama
Term of endearment directed towards a maternal figure
Ain't no denying, no denying
There is absolutely no room for denial or doubt
Oh, all I see turns to brown
Everything within my view transforms into shades of brown
As the sun burns the ground
Due to the scorching heat of the sun, the ground undergoes burning
And my eyes fill with sand
Particles of sand invade and occupy my eyes
As I scan this wasted land
While surveying this barren and desolate terrain
Trying to find, trying to find, where I've been
Attempting to locate or rediscover the places I have previously visited
Oh, pilot of the storm who leaves no trace
Master of chaotic situations who effortlessly vanishes without a trace
Like thoughts inside a dream
Similar to the fleeting nature of thoughts within a dream
Heed the path that led me to that place
Pay attention and follow the route that guided me to that specific location
Yellow desert stream
Flowing body of water through a desert region, possessing a yellow hue
Like Shangri-la beneath the summer moon
Resembling a paradise or utopia illuminated by the summer moonlight
I will return again
I will undoubtedly come back once more
Sure as the dust that floats high in June
As certain as the fine particles of dust gracefully drifting during the month of June
When moving through Kashmir
While traversing through the picturesque region of Kashmir
Oh, father of the four winds fill my sails
Supreme entity governing the four winds, direct and enhance my journey
Across the sea of years
Across the vast expanse of countless years and memories
With no provision but an open face
Without any specific provisions or supplies, solely relying on sincerity and openness
Along the straits of fear
Navigating through treacherous passages characterized by intense fear
Oh, oh
Exclamation of strong emotions or realization
Oh, oh, oh
Exclamation of strong emotions or realization
Oh
Exclamation denoting surprise or realization
Oh, when I'm on, when I'm on my way, yeah
Oh, when I am progressing and following my chosen path
When I see, when I see the way, you stay, yeah
Upon witnessing or understanding how you continue to remain steadfast
Oh, yeah-yeah, oh, yeah-yeah, when I'm down
Oh, yes, when I am feeling melancholic or experiencing a low point
Oh, yeah-yeah, oh, yeah-yeah, but I'm down, so down
However, I am undeniably in a state of sadness or despair
Oh, my baby, oh, my baby, let me take you there
Oh, my beloved, allow me to guide and bring you to that place
Oh, oh
Exclamation of strong emotions or realization
Come on, come on, oh
Encouragement to follow or accompany me
Let me take you there, let me take you there
Allow me the privilege of escorting and introducing you to that location
Oh, yeah-yeah, oh, yeah-yeah, let me take you there
Oh, yes, permit me to lead you to that destination
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: John Bonham, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, James Patrick Page, Robert Anthony Plant
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Debmeow
on No Quarter
Brilliant, a masterpiece.
robin
on Immigrant Song
i love this
Marie Fenouilliére
on Stairway to Heaven
j'adoreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee