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)
Houses Of The Holy
Led Zeppelin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can I take you to the show
Let me be yours ever truly
Can I make your garden grow
From the houses of the holy, we can watch the white doves go
From the door comes satan's daughter, and it only goes to show, you know
Let me wander in your garden and the seeds of love I'll sow you know
So the world is spinning faster are you dizzy when you're stoned
Let the music be your master will you heed the master's call
Oh Satan and man
Said there ain't no use in crying 'cause it will only, only drive you mad
Does it hurt to hear them lying?
Was this the only world you had? oh oh
So let me take you, take you to the movie
Can I take you, baby, to the show
Why don't you let me be yours ever truly
Can I make your garden grow, you know
The lyrics of Led Zeppelin's “Houses of the Holy” are rife with sexual references and metaphors about growth and creation. The singer offers to take someone to the movies and shows, but ultimately asks to "be yours ever truly" and "make your garden grow." The "Houses of the Holy" referred to in the chorus are likely a reference to the biblical phrase "house of the Lord" or "house of God," but it's unclear what exactly the band means by it. Some interpret it as a metaphor for a sexual awakening or divine sexual union. The line "From the door comes Satan's daughter" adds to the song's mystical and otherworldly atmosphere.
The second verse continues with the sexual and spiritual motifs, with the singer describing an angel on their shoulder and a sword of gold in their hand. The imagery of wandering in someone's garden and sowing the seeds of love is a thinly veiled reference to sex and reproduction. The bridge of the song references drug use ("are you dizzy when you're stoned") and suggests using music as a way to escape reality or be controlled by a higher power. The final line of the song – "Can I make your garden grow, you know" – circles back to the sexual themes of the song, concluding with a final invitation to sexual union.
Line by Line Meaning
Let me take you to the movies
I want to spend time with you, and movies seem like a good way to do that
Can I take you to the show
Can I take you out to an event such as a concert or a play
Let me be yours ever truly
I want to commit to being with you forever
Can I make your garden grow
Can I help you build and improve your life (using the metaphor of a garden)
From the houses of the holy, we can watch the white doves go
From a place of worship, we can observe beauty and peacefulness (represented by doves)
From the door comes satan's daughter, and it only goes to show, you know
Even in places of worship, evil can still exist and tempt us
There's an angel on my shoulder, in my hand a sword of gold
I feel protected by a higher power, but I also possess the strength and courage to face challenges
Let me wander in your garden and the seeds of love I'll sow you know
Let me explore your life and help you cultivate love and positivity
So the world is spinning faster are you dizzy when you're stoned
The world can be overwhelming, especially when under the influence of drugs
Let the music be your master will you heed the master's call
Allow the power and influence of music to guide you in life
Oh Satan and man
The contrast between good and evil, and our ability to choose between them
Said there ain't no use in crying 'cause it will only, only drive you mad
Crying will not solve problems and may worsen one's mental state
Does it hurt to hear them lying?
Does it pain you to hear others telling falsehoods?
Was this the only world you had? oh oh
Is this life all there is, and if so, how can we make the most of it?
So let me take you, take you to the movie
Again expressing a desire to spend time and share experiences with someone
Why don't you let me be yours ever truly
Asking for commitment and devotion in a romantic partnership
Can I make your garden grow, you know
Repeating the earlier metaphor of wanting to help improve someone's life
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JIMMY PAGE, ROBERT 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