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)
Poor Tom
Led Zeppelin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who worked the railroads long
His wife would cook his meal
As he would change the wheel
Poor Tom, seventh son,
Always knew what's goin' on
Ain't a thing that you can hide from Tom
Worked for thirty years
Sharing hopes and fears
Dreamin' of the day
He could turn and say
Poor Tom, work's done,
Been lazin' out in the noonday sun
Ain't a thing that you can hide from Tom
Ain't a thing that you can hide from Tom
His wife was Annie Mae
With any man a game she'd play
When Tom was out of town
She couldn't keep her dress down
Poor Tom, seventh son,
Always knew what's goin' on
Ain't a thing that you can hide from Tom
Ain't a thing that you can hide from Tom
And so it was one day
People got to Annie Mae
Tom stood, a gun in his hand
And stopped her runnin' around
Poor Tom, seventh son,
Gotta die for what you've done
All those years of work are thrown away
To ease your mind is that all you can say?
But what about that grandson on your knee?
Them railroad songs, Tom would sing to me
(Ain't nothing that you can hide from Tom)
Hey
(Keep-a truckin')
The song Poor Tom by Led Zeppelin tells the story of a hard-working railroad worker named Tom and his unfaithful wife, Annie Mae. The lyrics describe how Tom spent thirty years working on the railroads while his wife cooked his meals and engaged in extramarital affairs with other men. Despite Annie Mae's attempts to hide her infidelity, Tom - who is described as the seventh son - always knew what was going on. The song suggests that Annie Mae's cheating finally drove Tom to violent action, resulting in her death.
The lyrics of Poor Tom are written in a narrative style that paints a vivid picture of the central characters and their struggles. The use of colloquial language - such as "ain't" and "lazin'" - gives the song an authentic, down-to-earth vibe that reflects the working-class themes of the lyrics. The repetition of the phrase "Ain't a thing that you can hide from Tom" underscores the idea that Tom is all-knowing and powerful, while the final lines of the song suggest that despite his violent actions, Tom had a softer side that he shared with his grandson.
Line by Line Meaning
Here's a tale of Tom
This song tells the story of Tom.
Who worked the railroads long
Tom worked long hours for the railroad.
His wife would cook his meal
Tom's wife would prepare his meals for him.
As he would change the wheel
While Tom worked on changing the wheel, his wife would cook.
Poor Tom, seventh son,
Tom is pitied and referred to as the seventh son.
Always knew what's goin' on
Tom was always aware of what was happening around him.
Ain't a thing that you can hide from Tom
Tom was observant and could see through deception.
There ain't nothing that you can hide from Tom
This line simply reinforces the previous.
Worked for thirty years
Tom worked for the railroad for thirty years.
Sharing hopes and fears
This line suggests that Tom shared a close, personal relationship with his coworkers.
Dreamin' of the day
Tom had long-held aspirations.
He could turn and say
Tom envisioned a moment where he could express himself.
Poor Tom, work's done,
Tom is now referred to as poor, and his work is finished.
Been lazin' out in the noonday sun
Tom was taking it easy in his retirement.
His wife was Annie Mae
The song introduces Tom's wife as Annie Mae.
With any man a game she'd play
Annie Mae was unfaithful to Tom, willing to cheat with other men.
When Tom was out of town
Annie Mae would engage in her infidelities while Tom was away.
She couldn't keep her dress down
Annie Mae was promiscuous, unable to resist temptation.
And so it was one day
Eventually, a situation developed.
People got to Annie Mae
Annie Mae's reputation became known to other people.
Tom stood, a gun in his hand
Tom, feeling betrayed, was armed with a gun.
And stopped her runnin' around
Tom put an end to Annie Mae's infidelities.
Gotta die for what you've done
Tom kills Annie Mae as punishment for her unfaithfulness.
All those years of work are thrown away
Tom's years of working for the railroad are nullified due to the situation with his wife.
To ease your mind is that all you can say?
This line is a rhetorical question, questioning Tom's response to his own actions.
But what about that grandson on your knee?
This line raises the point that Tom has a grandson who is impacted by his actions.
Them railroad songs, Tom would sing to me
The song ends with a memory of Tom singing railroad songs to his grandson.
(Ain't nothing that you can hide from Tom)
Repeats a previous line from the song.
Hey
A vocalization to end the song.
(Keep-a truckin')
An additional, nonsensical vocalization.
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