The five most underrated Led Zeppelin songs
When you think of Led Zeppelin, what comes to mind? There are likely plenty of different ideas that pop into your head. You might think of the fact that they are some of the best musicians ever to grace a stage. You might think of the legacy they have left behind. You might think of the controversy as people claim they are responsible for stealing music. But no matter where your mind goes, shortly behind is a barrage of classic rock tunes that changed the world.
Led Zeppelin didn’t just write rock music. Many bands were making rock music at the time, and as such, many musical outfits were carbon copies of one another; however, Led Zeppelin looked further than just rock when working out what their sound would be. This means that throughout their discography, there are several different influences from various cultures at play.
The amount of inspiration that impacted the band means that they have a lot of songs that do different things. It means many of their songs have gone under the radar and haven’t gotten the flowers they deserve.
The fact is that there are a vast amount of Led Zeppelin songs that need to be brought into the spotlight more. Here, we will talk about some of those songs as we dive into the most underrated tracks Led Zeppelin ever put out.
Led Zeppelin’s most underrated songs:
‘Black Mountain Side’
When Led Zeppelin burst onto the scene with ‘Good Times, Bad Times’, it was clear they were already a fully formed rock band. It seemed that people couldn’t believe what they were hearing as the band sounded like they had been making music together for decades. The song dominated on their debut album, and as a result, many other good tracks fell through the cracks.
On Led Zeppelin II, a similar thing happened as people continued looking for that complex rock sound and dismissed music that didn’t fit the criteria. One of the songs left behind was ‘Black Mountain Side’. Here, Jimmy Page dug into an old folk tune and twisted it to fit the band’s style more. It creates an eery backdrop and an unusual arrangement, showing the band’s versatility.
‘Custard Pie’
It starts with a funky rock riff and Robert Plant’s scratchy vocals piercing the listener’s ears. There is no better way to kick off a Led Zeppelin track, and the song only gets better from there; it is a blend of funk and rock music that entices you, convincing you to keep listening and stick around for the entire Physical Graffiti album.
‘Custard Pie’ isn’t considered bad, but it manages to do a lot with very little and doesn’t get the credit it deserves. One of the stars of the show is Jimmy Page’s drained-out wah-wah-infused guitar solo in the middle. That is some of the guitarist’s best work, as he plays around with technique and tone.
‘That’s The Way’
From Led Zeppelin III, ‘That’s The Way’ represents a moment of reflection for both Page and Plant as we hear in real-time them engage with other musical components and begin to understand how they can make them work. This song, which is incredibly stripped back, also shows the band’s persistent willingness to engage with various sounds and keep trying new things.
It followed a trip to Wales, where Jimmy Page learnt what he could achieve using acoustic instruments. He could create something almost spiritual in its conception by utilising a 12-string guitar, steel guitar, mandolin and dulcimer. Equally, Plant’s lyrics become borderline meditative.
‘Four Sticks’
When Led Zeppelin made Led Zeppelin IV, they let their creative energy run loose. You will struggle to find any iteration of classic rock as stacked as this album, as the band is playing around with various styles and sounds, trying to make the most complex and enticing LP they can.
One song that should stand out but doesn’t is ‘Four Sticks’, which is so complex that they hardly played it live. It’s rife with tricky time signatures and acts as a musical flex of Led Zeppelin’s muscles in the best possible way.
‘The Ocean’
Finally, there is ‘The Ocean’ from the band’s 1973 album Houses of the Holy. There is a common debate surrounding this album and where it sits as one of Zeppelin’s best records, but the truth is, on a good day, the complexity and execution of this LP can rival any of the band’s previous.
On ‘The Ocean’, the time change present and stylistic U-turn on this track sets it apart from any other song on the album; however, it is still frequently overlooked by Led Zeppelin fans. This song undoubtedly remains one of the band’s most underrated.