Rock And Roll
Lez Zeppelin Lyrics


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It's been a long time since I rock and rolled
It's been a long time since I did the stroll
Ooh, let me get it back, let me get it back, let me get it back
Mmm baby, where I come from

It's been a long time, been a long time
Been a long, lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely time
Yes, it has

It's been a long time since the book of love
I can't count the tears of a life with no love
Carry me back, carry me back, carry me back
Mmm baby, where I come from, whoa whoa

It's been a long time, been a long time
Been a long, lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely time
Ah, ah, ah

Oh, it seems so long since we walked in the moonlight
Makin' vows that just couldn't work right
Haw yeah, open your arms, open your arms, open your arms
Baby, let my love come running in, yeah

It's been a long time, been a long time
Been a long, lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely time

Yeah hey, yeah hey, yeah hey, yeah hey
Ooh yeah, ooh ooh yeah, ooh yeah, ooh ooh yeah




It's been a long time, been a long time
Been a long, lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely time

Overall Meaning

Lez Zeppelin's song "Rock and Roll" is a classic rock anthem that celebrates the power of music and its enduring ability to connect people across generations. The lyrics describe a longing to recapture the energy and excitement of youth, harkening back to the days of the early rock and roll era when the genre was in its infancy. The first stanza speaks to this nostalgia, with the singer lamenting the passage of time since they last "rocked and rolled" or "did the stroll," two popular dance styles from the 1950s and 60s. The repetition of the phrase "let me get it back" underscores this desire to recapture something that has been lost, while the reference to the singer's hometown evokes a sense of longing for a simpler, more innocent time.


The second stanza shifts the focus to the concept of love and its absence. The singer speaks of the "book of love," a metaphor for the trials and tribulations of romantic relationships. The phrase "can't count the tears of a life with no love" speaks to the pain and loneliness that can result from a failed relationship or the inability to find love. The repetition of "carry me back" accentuates this sense of desperation, as if the singer is crying out for someone to rescue them from this emotional abyss. Again, the hometown reference reinforces the idea that the singer is longing for a return to a time when things were simpler and love was easier to find.


The final stanza returns to the theme of youthful romance, with the singer reminiscing about past love affairs that were doomed to fail. The vow-making of the lovers in the moonlight is a classic romantic trope that is often associated with the innocence and idealism of young love. The repetition of "open your arms" suggests a desire for connection and closeness, while the request to "let my love come running in" is a plea for acceptance and forgiveness. The repetition of the refrain throughout the song serves to reinforce the idea that time has passed, but the desire for human connection and the power of music to bring people together remains as strong as ever.


Line by Line Meaning

It's been a long time since I rock and rolled
The singer hasn't engaged in any exhilarating activities or had fun in a long time.


It's been a long time since I did the stroll
The singer hasn't indulged in any kind of leisurely activity or walked around aimlessly for a long time.


Ooh, let me get it back, let me get it back, let me get it back Mmm baby, where I come from
The singer wants to experience the same kind of fun and excitement that they used to have when they were younger, wherever they used to live before.


It's been a long time, been a long time Been a long, lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely time Yes, it has
The artist reaffirms their statement about having spent a long time without feeling fulfilled, happy, and engaged in any kind of satisfying activity.


It's been a long time since the book of love I can't count the tears of a life with no love
The artist hasn't experienced the joy and fulfillment of being in love for a long time and has instead experienced a lot of emotional pain and distress.


Carry me back, carry me back, carry me back Mmm baby, where I come from, whoa whoa
The singer wants to travel back in time to the place where they used to belong and where they were happy.


Oh, it seems so long since we walked in the moonlight Makin' vows that just couldn't work right Haw yeah, open your arms, open your arms, open your arms Baby, let my love come running in, yeah
The singer remembers a failed relationship they had in the past and longs for love and affection from someone new.


Yeah hey, yeah hey, yeah hey, yeah hey Ooh yeah, ooh ooh yeah, ooh yeah, ooh ooh yeah It's been a long time, been a long time Been a long, lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely time
The song repeats the same sentiments expressed earlier, highlighting the deep-seated longing for happiness, love, and fulfillment that the artist feels.




Writer(s): Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, John Bonham, Robert Plant

Contributed by Jason T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@rap2xtrooper878

They were by far the greatest live band in the world for a 3-year stretch from 1970 to 1972 (See: Royal Albert Hall 1970, MSG 1970, Belfast 1971, Osaka 1971, L.A. Forum 1972). After that it was all downhill. Robert lost his voice in 1973 from smoking and singing too much without resting, but the rest of the band were still playing great. The concert(s) in this video (MSG 1973) have the band in their absolute peak as an instrumental trio.

Didn't stay that way for long - In 1975, Jimmy broke his ring finger and never fully regained his touch while Robert caught the flu. It didn't help that the band still continued on with these injuries and sicknesses without rescheduling their 1975 U.S. Tour, just listen to their Indianapolis concert that year and it SHOWS that the band was in no state to be performing.

The 1977 concerts featured a Plant who had almost fully recovered his singing voice. He couldn't do his siren wails from 1970 anymore, but he didn't have to worry about voice cracks and sore throats anymore. It also had Bonham at his absolute peak as a drummer. Unfortunately, it also featured a Page in the depths of a severe heroin addiction (one of the band's concerts that year had to be paused temporarily because Jimmy had literally lost so much weight that his clothes were starting to slip off onstage). It's a wonder that Jimmy could even wear a guitar at that point, especially for 3 whole hours at each concert.

1979 only had 4 concerts, and miraculously 3 of them were good. Both of the band's 1979 Copenhagen shows were great and the band's first performance at Knebworth that year was excellent, but the band's last performance in Knebworth was horrible. Legend has it that the band spent the entire day prior partying with the Rolling Stones and came onstage the next day drunk and high without any sleep.

The band's 1980 concerts could barely be even considered as Led Zeppelin concerts - they changed the setlist and cut out a lot of the band's iconic songs. On top of that, Bonham regressed massively from 1977 due to his alcohol abuse and they actually had to cancel one show because Bonham legit passed out from drinking too much. Couple that with Page's addiction and you have a band that sounded more like a bunch of middle-aged men doing a bad Zeppelin tribute band than actual Zeppelin.



@auswitch

Ha pasado un largo tiempo desde mi último rock and roll
Ha pasado mucho tiempo desde que hice el pasito de baile
Déjame volver, déjame volver
Déjame volver, baby, de donde vengo
Ha sido un largo tiempo, ha pasado mucho tiempo

Ha sido un largo solitario
Solo, solo, solo
Tiempo de soledad

Sí, lo ha sido

Ha sido tanto tiempo desde que escribí en el libro del amor
No puedo contar las lágrimas de una vida sin amor
Llévame de vuelta, llévame de vuelta
Llévame de vuelta, baby, a de donde vengo
Ha sido un largo tiempo, ha pasado mucho tiempo
Ha sido un largo y solitario
Solo, solo, solo
Tiempo de soledad

Parece mucho tiempo desde que caminamos en la luz de la luna
Haciendo votos que nunca pueden salir al derecho
Abre tus brazos, abre los brazos
Abre tus brazos, baby, deja que mi amor entre corriendo
Ha sido un largo tiempo, ha pasado mucho tiempo
Ha sido un tiempo largo y solitario
Solo, solo, solo
Tiempo de soledad.



All comments from YouTube:

@drlove259

Led Zeppelin is the best band ever. John Bonham is an absolute animal on the drums. He literally hits the high hat about 400 times alone in this song. The guy was literally the sound of Led Zeppelin. No disrespect to the incredible jimmy page and Jon Paul Jones because they are some of the best musicians to ever live. Let’s not forget the voice, the legendary Robert plant. They had it all.

@isainc2146

Led Zeppelin>>>>The Beatles

@utmostzen9602

@Isai NC nah

@hellcatcharger3736

Led Zeppelin all the way

@xgambleyt5572

Van halen ?

@drlove259

@Xgamble Yt top ten for sure.

141 More Replies...

@rap2xtrooper878

Happy 50th anniversary... Crazy to think these concerts happened half a century ago. They still feel so modern

@Rich6Brew

Form is temporary; class is permanent.

@jayclarke6671

Led Zeppelin is the only band of that era or before that actually 'still sounds modern' because they were so far ahead of their time. Listen to any other band or act of that era or even the decade after (80s) and it all sounds dated in 2023. That's why they would sell out massive stadiums (100k) long before anyone else!

@capri2673

I think they're timeless.

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