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)
Schooldays
Led Zeppelin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The teacher is teachin' the Golden Rule
American history and practical math
You studyin' hard and hopin' to pass
Workin' your fingers right down to the bone
And the guy behind you won't leave you alone
Ring, ring goes the bell
You're lucky if you can find a seat
You're fortunate if you have time to eat
Back in the classroom, open your books
Keep up the teacher don't know how mean she looks
Soon as three o'clock rolls around
You finally lay your burden down
Close up your books, get outta your seat
Down the halls and into the street
Up to the corner and 'round the bend
Right to the juke joint, you go in
Drop the coin right into the slot
You're gotta hear somethin' that's really hot
With the one you love, you're makin' romance
All day long you been wantin' to dance,
Feeling the music from head to toe
Round and round and round we go
Drop the coin right into the slot
You're gotta hear somethin' that's really hot
With the one you love, you're makin' romance
All day long you been wantin' to dance,
Feeling the music from head to toe
Round and round and round we go
Hail, hail rock and roll
Deliver me from the days of old
Long live rock and roll
The beat of the drums, loud and bold
Rock, rock, rock and roll
The feelin' is there, body and soul
The song "Schooldays" by Led Zeppelin features lyrics that are a reflection on the realities of American high school education. The lyrics describe the daily routine of a high school student, from waking up early in the morning to attend school, to struggling to keep up with the rigorous academic demands of their classes, dealing with difficult teachers and bullies, and running to the juke joint after school to find solace in music and dance.
Through these lyrics, the song is able to encapsulate the frustrations, hopes, and dreams of high school students in a way that is both universal and timeless. The chorus serves as a release from the stress and drudgery of high school as the singer finally finds release in the freedom of rock and roll - a theme that would later become emblematic of the entire era the song was released in.
Overall, "Schooldays" is a poignant and insightful reflection on the highs and lows of high school life, and how music served as a form of escape for many young people during this period of their lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Up in the mornin' and out to school
Starting your day early to attend school
The teacher is teachin' the Golden Rule
Learning about ethics and morality from the teacher
American history and practical math
Studying important subjects like history and math
You studyin' hard and hopin' to pass
Working hard to pass exams and pass the grade
Workin' your fingers right down to the bone
Putting in a lot of effort and working hard in school
And the guy behind you won't leave you alone
Being bothered by someone behind you in class
Ring, ring goes the bell
The sound of the bell signifying a break or end of class
The cook in the lunch room's ready to sell
The cafeteria worker is ready to serve food
You're lucky if you can find a seat
Feeling fortunate to find a place to sit in the lunchroom
You're fortunate if you have time to eat
Being grateful for having enough time to eat food during break
Back in the classroom, open your books
Resuming studying after the lunch break
Keep up the teacher don't know how mean she looks
The teacher might seem strict, but it's important to keep up with the lecture
Soon as three o'clock rolls around
Anticipating the end of school
You finally lay your burden down
Feeling relieved of the academic burden after school ends
Close up your books, get outta your seat
Putting away study materials and standing up to leave the classroom
Down the halls and into the street
Moving through the halls and leaving the school building
Up to the corner and 'round the bend
Walking up to a nearby street corner
Right to the juke joint, you go in
Going to a nearby establishment, likely a music venue or bar
Drop the coin right into the slot
Inserting a coin into a vending machine or jukebox
You're gotta hear somethin' that's really hot
Excited to hear some great music
With the one you love, you're makin' romance
Spending time with a significant other and enjoying their company
All day long you been wantin' to dance
Looking forward to dancing all day long
Feeling the music from head to toe
Feeling the music's effects throughout the body
Round and round and round we go
Dancing and enjoying the moment
Hail, hail rock and roll
Celebrating rock and roll music
Deliver me from the days of old
Being grateful for the current time period
Long live rock and roll
Hoping that rock and roll continues to exist and thrive
The beat of the drums, loud and bold
Feeling excited by the music's percussion instruments
Rock, rock, rock and roll
Reinforcing the song's focus on rock and roll music
The feelin' is there, body and soul
Experiencing the music's emotional and physical effects
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, SHAPIRO BERNSTEIN & CO. INC.
Written by: WILL COBB, WILL D. COBB, GUS EDWARDS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Led Zeppelin Rarities
RIP Chuck Berry!
Hotticket
Great find. Love hearing the guys doing a strict interpretation of a 3 minute Berry tune with the massive Zeppelin arsenal at hand. Like keeping a wild animal in an insufficient cage.
Jim Noriega
Thank you for the work that you're doing. These are some of the best Led Zeppelin rarities I've ever heard.
Michael Bruns
Like wow and once again the awesome Led Zeppelin blows my friggin mind away.
PaRaDoX
Almighty Zeppelin ripping it up!Hail,Hail Rock and Roll-R I P Chuck
Whiteys Workshop
Excellent! R.I.P. Chuck Berry well done cover, nice find!!!!
chris hutt
Happy Birthday to Chuck Berry! Led Zep paying tribute to one of there core heroes!
Cal
This was during a rehearsal on July 6, 1973 at the Chicago auditorium for the bootleg LP Led Zepplin a tribute to Johnny Kidd and the Pirates.
Mike Duquesne
Best band ever
Jerry Petros
Jimmy's playing was spot on, if I had to wager it would've been `73