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)
Over The Hills And Far Away
Led Zeppelin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Maybe more than enough
Oh darling, darling, darling
Walk a while with me
Ohh, you've got so much, so much, so much
Many have I loved, and many times been bitten
Many times I've gazed along the open road
Many times I've lied, and many times I've listened
Many times I've wondered how much there is to know
Many dreams come true, and some have silver linings
I live for my dream, and a pocket full of gold
Mellow is the man who knows what he's been missing
Many, many men can't see the open road
Many is a word that only leaves you guessing
Guessing 'bout a thing you really ought to know, oh, oh, oh, oh
Really ought to know (oh, oh, oh)
I really ought to know
Oh
You know I should, you know I should, you know I should, you know I should
Over the Hills and Far Away by Led Zeppelin is a song that celebrates love and adventure as two key aspects of life; the singer is searching for a partner to share his journeys with. At the beginning of the song, he says that the lady he’s addressing has the love he needs, and that he needs her to walk with him. He then praises her for how much she’s got, implying that she’s got all the physical and emotional qualities it takes to be his partner in adventures. The intrigue and excitement of the open road seem to be calling him, as he declares that he’s looked down many of them, and that he’s lied and listened many times. He’s also expressed how he’s wondered how much there is to know on his travels. The song has an upbeat tempo that makes you feel like the journey is the destination and that having someone you love by your side is all you need to take on whatever adventures the world has to offer.
The second half of the song speaks about how the man singing is unlike many other men, who can’t see the open road. He describes himself as ‘mellow’ and satisfied with his life, since he lives for his dreams and has a pocketful of gold. He implies that his perspective is different from many others since he’s been able to actualize his dreams and make his ideas work, even when others doubted him. But he’s also aware that there are many things to learn about the world and the people in it, and many aspects of life that people don’t understand; which the word ‘many’ only teases us with. He concludes by stating that he really ought to know some of those things, indicating that he won’t stop exploring and growing until he’s found some answers.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey lady, you got the love I need
The singer is addressing a woman, saying that she possesses the type of love he requires.
Maybe more than enough
The woman's love may surpass what the singer requires.
Oh darling, darling, darling
The singer is expressing affection towards the woman.
Walk a while with me
The artist is requesting the woman to accompany him for a period.
Ohh, you've got so much, so much, so much
The artist is praising the woman for the abundance of the qualities she possesses.
Many have I loved, and many times been bitten
The singer has loved many times before and has been hurt by it on many occasions.
Many times I've gazed along the open road
The singer has often looked at the empty, continuous road that lies ahead of him.
Many times I've lied, and many times I've listened
The artist has lied and listened on numerous occasions.
Many times I've wondered how much there is to know
The artist has frequently thought about how much knowledge there is to gain.
Many dreams come true, and some have silver linings
Some dream realizations have positive outcomes while others have negative aspects.
I live for my dream, and a pocket full of gold
The singer lives for his dreams and values personal satisfaction over riches.
Mellow is the man who knows what he's been missing
A person who is aware of what they have been lacking is content and serene.
Many, many men can't see the open road
Numerous individuals are unable to perceive the opportunities that lie ahead.
Many is a word that only leaves you guessing
The word 'many' is vague and does not provide a reliable quantity or indication.
Guessing 'bout a thing you really ought to know, oh, oh, oh, oh
Speculating about something that one needs to understand completely.
Really ought to know (oh, oh, oh)
It is crucial to acquire accurate information or knowledge.
I really ought to know
The artist realizes that he needs to have precise and thorough comprehension of a subject.
Oh
An exclamation used to emphasize a point or express emotion.
You know I should, you know I should, you know I should, you know I should
The singer repeatedly acknowledges the importance of learning and understanding.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, O/B/O DistroKid, 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