Released 5 October 1970 (US)
23 October 1970 (UK)
Recorded January–August 1970 at various locations
Genre Hard rock, heavy metal, folk rock
Length 43:04
Label Atlantic
Producer Jimmy Page
Led Zeppelin III is the third album by the English rock band Led Zeppelin. It was recorded between January and July 1970 and was released on 5 October 1970 by Atlantic Records.
Composed largely at a remote cottage in Wales known as Bron-Yr-Aur, this work represented a maturing of the band's music towards a greater emphasis on folk and acoustic sounds. This surprised many fans and critics, and upon its release the album received rather indifferent reviews. Although it is not one of the highest sellers in Led Zeppelin's catalogue, Led Zeppelin III is now generally praised, and acknowledged as representing an important milestone in the band's history.
Side one
1. "Immigrant Song" Page, Plant 2:26
2. "Friends" Page, Plant 3:55
3. "Celebration Day" Jones, Page, Plant 3:29
4. "Since I've Been Loving You" Jones, Page, Plant 7:25
5. "Out on the Tiles" Bonham, Page, Plant 4:04
Side two
1. "Gallows Pole" trad., arr. Page, Plant 4:58
2. "Tangerine" Page 3:12
3. "That's the Way" Page, Plant 5:38
4. "Bron-Y-Aur Stomp" Jones, Page, Plant 4:20
5. "Hats Off to (Roy) Harper" trad., arr. Charles Obscure
Led Zeppelin
Jimmy Page – acoustic, electric, and pedal steel guitar, backing vocals, banjo
Robert Plant – vocals, harmonica
John Bonham – drums, percussion, backing vocals
John Paul Jones – bass guitar, organ, synthesiser, mandolin, backing vocals
Production
Barry Diament – mastering engineering (original Compact Disc, 1986)
Peter Grant – executive producer
Andy Johns – recording engineer, mixing engineer
Eddie Kramer – mixing engineer
Terry Manning – mixing engineer, mastering engineer
George Marino – mastering engineer (remastered CD, 1990)
Jimmy Page – production
Paul Richmond – mastering
Lyrics:
"Immigrant Song"
Ah, ah,
We come from the land of the ice and snow,
From the midnight sun where the hot springs flow.
The hammer of the gods will drive our ships to new lands,
To fight the horde, singing and crying: Valhalla, I am coming!
On we sweep with threshing oar, Our only goal will be the western shore.
Ah, ah,
We come from the land of the ice and snow,
From the midnight sun where the hot springs blow.
How soft your fields so green, can whisper tales of gore,
Of how we calmed the tides of war. We are your overlords.
On we sweep with threshing oar, Our only goal will be the western shore.
So now you'd better stop and rebuild all your ruins,
For peace and trust can win the day despite of all your losing.
"Friends"
Bright light almost blinding, black night still there shining,
I can't stop, keep on climbing, looking for what I knew.
Had a friend, she once told me, "You got love, you ain't lonely,"
Now she's gone and left me only looking for what I knew.
Mmm, I'm telling you now, The greatest thing you ever can do now,
Is trade a smile with someone who's blue now, It's very easy just...
Met a man on the roadside crying, without a friend, there's no denying,
You're incomplete, they'll be no finding looking for what you knew.
So anytime somebody needs you, don't let them down, although it grieves you,
Some day you'll need someone like they do, looking for what you knew.
Mmm, I'm telling you now, The greatest thing you ever can do now,
Is trade a smile with someone who's blue now, It's very easy just...
"Celebration Day"
Her face is cracked from smiling, all the fears that she's been hiding,
And it seems pretty soon everybody's gonna know.
And her voice is sore from shouting, cheering winners who are losing,
And she worries if their days are few and soon they'll have to go.
[Chorus]
My, my, my, I'm so happy, I'm gonna join the band,
We are gonna dance and sing in celebration, We are in the promised land.
She hears them talk of new ways to protect the home she lives in,
Then she wonders what it's all about when they break down the door.
Her name is Brown or White or Black, you know her very well,
You hear her cries of mercy as the winners toll the bell.
[Chorus]
There is a train that leaves the station heading for your destination,
But the price you pay to nowhere has increased a dollar more.
Yes, it has!
And if you walk you're gonna get there though it takes a little longer,
And when you see it in the distance you will wring your hands and moan.
Since I've Been Loving You"
Working from seven to eleven every night,
It really makes life a drag, I don't think that's right.
I've really, really been the best of fools, I did what I could.
'Cause I love you, baby, How I love you, darling, How I love you, baby,
How I love you, girl, little girl.
But baby, Since I've Been Loving You. I'm about to lose my worried mind, oh, yeah.
Everybody trying to tell me that you didn't mean me no good.
I've been trying, Lord, let me tell you, Let me tell you I really did the best I could.
I've been working from seven to eleven every night, I said It kinda makes my life a drag.
Lord, that ain't right...
Since I've Been Loving You, I'm about to lose my worried mind.
Said I've been crying, my tears they fell like rain,
Don't you hear, Don't you hear them falling,
Don't you hear, Don't you hear them falling.
Do you remember mama, when I knocked upon your door?
I said you had the nerve to tell me you didn't want me no more, yeah
I open my front door, hear my back door slam,
You must have one of them new fangled back door man.
I've been working from seven, seven, seven, to eleven every night, It kinda makes my life a drag...
Baby, Since I've Been Loving You, I'm about to lose, I'm about lose to my worried mind.
"Out On The Tiles"
As I walk down the highway all I do is sing this song,
And a train that's passin' my way helps the rhythm move along.
There is no doubt about the words are clear,
The voice is strong, is oh so strong.
I'm just a simple guy, I live from day to day.
A ray of sunshine melts my frown and blows my blues away,
There's nothing more that I can say but on a day like today
I pass the time away and walk a quiet mile with you.
[Chorus]
All I need from you is all your love,
All you got to give to me is all your love,
All I need from you is all your love,
All you got to give to me is all your love.
Oooh yeah, ooh yeah, ooh yeah, oh yeah.
I'm so glad I'm living and gonna tell the world I am,
I got me a fine woman and she says that I'm her man,
One thing that I know for sure gonna give her all the loving
Like nobody, nobody, nobody, nobody can.
Standing in the noonday sun trying to flag a ride,
People go and people come, see my rider right by my side,
It's a total disgrace, they set the pace, it must be a race
And the best thing I can do is run.
[Chorus]
"Gallows Pole"
Hangman, hangman, hold it a little while,
Think I see my friends coming, Riding a many mile.
Friends, did you get some silver?
Did you get a little gold?
What did you bring me, my dear friends, To keep me from the Gallows Pole?
What did you bring me to keep me from the Gallows Pole?
I couldn't get no silver, I couldn't get no gold,
You know that we're too damn poor to keep you from the Gallows Pole.
Hangman, hangman, hold it a little while,
I think I see my brother coming, riding a many mile.
Brother, did you get me some silver?
Did you get a little gold?
What did you bring me, my brother, to keep me from the Gallows Pole?
Brother, I brought you some silver,
I brought a little gold, I brought a little of everything
To keep you from the Gallows Pole.
Yes, I brought you to keep you from the Gallows Pole.
Hangman, hangman, turn your head awhile,
I think I see my sister coming, riding a many mile, mile, mile.
Sister, I implore you, take him by the hand,
Take him to some shady bower, save me from the wrath of this man,
Please take him, save me from the wrath of this man, man.
Hangman, hangman, upon your face a smile,
Pray tell me that I'm free to ride,
Ride for many mile, mile, mile.
Oh, yes, you got a fine sister, She warmed my blood from cold,
Brought my blood to boiling hot To keep you from the Gallows Pole,
Your brother brought me silver, Your sister warmed my soul,
But now I laugh and pull so hard And see you swinging on the Gallows Pole
Swingin' on the gallows pole!
"Tangerine"
Measuring a summer's day, I only finds it slips away to grey,
The hours, they bring me pain.
[Chorus]
Tangerine, Tangerine, Living reflection from a dream;
I was her love, she was my queen, And now a thousand years between.
Thinking how it used to be, Does she still remember times like these?
To think of us again? And I do.
[Chorus]
"That's The Way"
I don't know how I'm gonna tell you,
I can't play with you no more,
I don't know how I'm gonna do what mama told me,
My friend, the girl next door.
I can't believe what people saying,
You're gonna let your hair hang down,
I'm satisfied to sit here working all day long,
You're in the darker side of town.
And when I'm out I see you walking,
Why don't your eyes see me,
Could it be you've found another game to play,
What did mama say to me.
That's the way, oh,
That's the way it ought to be,
Yeah, yeah, mama say
That's the way it ought to stay.
And yesterday I saw you standing by the river,
And weren't those tears that filled your eyes,
And all the fish that lay in dirty water dying,
Had they got you hypnotized?
And yesterday I saw you kissing tiny flowers,
But all that lives is born to die.
And so I say to you that nothing really matters,
And all you do is stand and cry.
I don't know what to say about it,
When all you ears have turned away,
But now's the time to look and look again at what you see,
Is that the way it ought to stay?
That's the way...
That's the way it oughtta be
Oh don't you know now, mama said..
That's the way it's gonna stay, yeah.
"Bron-Y-Aur Stomp"
Ah caught you smiling at me, That's the way it should be,
Like a leaf is to a tree, so fine.
Ah all the good times we had, I sang love songs so glad
Always smiling, never sad, so fine.
[Chorus]
As we walk down the country lanes, I'll be singing a song,
Hear me calling your name.
Hear the wind within the trees, Telling Mother Nature 'bout you and me.
Well if the sun shines so bright, Or on our way it's darkest night
The road we choose is always right, so fine.
Ah can your love be so strong When so many loves go wrong
Will our love go on and on...
[Chorus]
My, my la de la come on now it ain't too far,
Tell your friends all around the world,
Ain't no companion like a blue eyed merle.
Come on now well let me tell you,
What you're missing, missing, 'round them brick walls.
So of one thing I am sure, It's a friendship so pure,
Angels singing all around my door, so fine.
Yeah, ain't but one thing to do Spend my natural life with you,
You're the finest dog I knew, so fine.
When you're old and your eyes are dim, There ain't no old Shep gonna happen again,
We'll still go walking down country lanes, I'll sing the same old songs,
Hear me call your name.
"Hats Off To (Roy) Harper"
When I done quit hollerin' baby, I believe I'll shake 'em on down
Get my babe, won't be late, You know by that I mean seconds late
Ah, must I holler, Must I shake 'em on down,
Well I've been mistreated, babe, I believe I'll shake 'em on down.
Well I ain't no monkey. I can't climb no tree,
No brown skin woman gonna make no monkey out of me,
I ain't no monkey, Sure can't climb no tree,
I been mistreated babe I believe I'll shake 'em on down,
Well I've been mistreated babe I believe I'll shake 'em on down.
Listen mama, Put on your mornin' gown'
Put in your nightshirt Mama we gonna shake 'em down
Must I holler? Must I shake 'em on down?
Gave my baby a twenty dollar bill,
If that don't get her, Sure my shot, shot, shot-gun will,
Yeah, I gave my baby a twenty dollar bill,
If that don't get that woman, I'm sure my shot-gun will.
