In 1984, Plant formed a short-lived all-star retro rock group with musicians Jimmy Page (also of Led Zeppelin), Jeff Beck, and Phil Collins called The Honeydrippers. The band had a Top Ten hit with their song "Sea of Love", a remake of the Phil Phillips' chestnut. Plant's also notably performed with Page in the outfit Page & Plant.
Plant's love of the music of Morocco led him to a new collaboration called Robert Plant and the Strange Sensation. The band's releases met with critical acclaim and numerous Grammy nominations. They completed a notable 2006 tour of Europe in September.
In 2007, Plant began recording and performing with American bluegrass star Alison Krauss. A duet album, Raising Sand, was released on 23 October 2007 on Rounder Records. The album, recorded in Nashville and Los Angeles and produced by T-Bone Burnett, met with enormous critical and commercial success. Tours have reached devoted audiences in multiple cities.
The year of 2010 proves to be yet another successful year for the lemon squeezer. During the summer, Plant will be reuniting with his old, Pre-Zep group, The Band Of Joy, for a tour of the southern and mid continental tour of the US.
In 2012 Robert Plant starts another band project going by the name Sensational Space Shifters releasing the live album Robert Plant Presents: Sensational Space Shifters. Along with Plant himself the band consists of Liam "Skin" Tyson, Justin Adams, Billy Fuller and John Baggot along with Dave Smith, Juldeh Camara and Patty Griffin.
I Was There
Robert Plant Lyrics
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Slowly floating in the blue
When I was a boy
I dreamed a dream of you
I danced upon the tree top
I drifted with the stream
When I was a child
Oh-oh-oh oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh oh
Oh
Once I was a soldier
In my castle strong
Oh I stood so tall then
I could do no wrong
Innocence and slumber
When I was a boy
I was walking with a stranger
He left without a trace
When I was a boy
I slept at Heaven's gate
Once I was a soldier
In my castle strong
Oh I stood so tall then
I could do no wrong
Innocence and slumber
When I was a boy
Once I was a soldier
In my castle strong
Oh I stood so tall then
I could do no wrong
Innocence and slumber
Oh, when I was, when I was, when I was
When I was, when I was, when I was, oh oh oh oh, ooh yeah
Once I was a soldier
In my castle strong
Oh I stood so tall then
I could do no wrong
Innocence and slumber
When I was a boy
Yes, you know and so I wonder
through it grows and grows
when i was a boy
I was a boy
I was a boy
The song "I Was There" by Robert Plant is a nostalgic and reflective track that takes the listener on a journey through the singer's memories of his childhood, adolescence, and beyond. The opening verse speaks of reaching for the future and dreaming of someone special in his boyhood, possibly a first love or a deep crush. The imagery of floating in the blue and dancing on treetops evokes a sense of freedom and innocence that often characterizes childhood. The chorus reinforces this theme of dreaming and longing for something beyond one's reach, as the singer repeats the phrase "When I was a boy" with a sense of wistfulness.
The second verse introduces the motif of the soldier and his castle, a classic trope of masculinity and power. The lyrics suggest a loss of innocence and a descent into the harsh realities of adulthood. The line "I could do no wrong" is an ironic commentary on the hubris and arrogance that often accompany youthful vigor. The third verse is more enigmatic and surreal, with the image of a mysterious stranger and an imagined encounter with heaven's gate. The repetition of the line "I was a boy" reinforces the theme of nostalgia and longing for a simpler time.
Overall, the song seems to be a meditation on the passage of time and the loss of youthful innocence and wonder. The chorus, which repeats several times throughout the song, serves as a kind of refrain or mantra, emphasizing the dreamlike quality of the memories being recounted. Plant's signature voice adds a haunting and ethereal quality to the song, perfectly complementing the introspective lyrics and introspective mood.
Line by Line Meaning
I was reaching for the future
As a young person, I was full of hope for what lay ahead in life.
Slowly floating in the blue
I felt free and weightless like I was floating in water.
When I was a boy
Referring to a time in my youth when my imagination was most active.
I dreamed a dream of you
You were the subject of my most cherished dreams.
I danced upon the tree top
I felt carefree and uninhibited like a child when climbing a tree.
I drifted with the stream
I felt like I was going along with the flow of life, without any clear direction.
I held you in my dreams
You were a constant presence in my mind and thoughts.
Oh-oh-oh oh-oh
A repetitive vocalization that doesn't have a specific meaning.
Once I was a soldier
In another phase of my life, I served as a soldier.
In my castle strong
I had a sense of security and invincibility during this time.
Oh I stood so tall then
I had a lot of confidence in myself and my abilities.
I could do no wrong
I felt like I was always right and infallible.
Innocence and slumber
During this period, I enjoyed the peacefulness of sleep and the simplicity of life.
I was walking with a stranger
I befriended someone who I didn't know well.
He left without a trace
This person disappeared suddenly and without explanation.
I slept at Heaven's gate
I felt like I was close to reaching a desired outcome, whether it was a goal or an afterlife.
Yes, you know and so I wonder
I have questions about life and I hope you can help me find answers.
through it grows and grows
Even as I get older and more experienced, my curiosity and desire for understanding continue to expand.
when i was a boy
Reflecting on an important time in my life, when I felt unburdened and full of possibility.
I was a boy
Reiterating the feeling of youth and innocence that I experienced during this time.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JAMES PATRICK PAGE, MICHAEL PEARSON, ROBERT PLANT, STEPHEN CHARLES JONES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind