#22 Thank You

For those of you currently watching (or watched and still reeling from the finale) “Sharp Objects” on HBO, this song will be familiar to you. “Thank You” off of the band’s second album, Led Zeppelin II, is one of the few, true love songs in the Zeppelin catalog. Dedicated to singer Robert Plant’s then wife, Maureen, it was the first time the lyrics of a Led Zeppelin song were written exclusively by Plant, without the help of Jimmy Page.

The vocals are so delicate (Hi T. Swift) during the verse it’s hard to imagine that it’s the same singer wailing the lyrics to “Whole Lotta Love” three tracks earlier on the album. Plant’s melodic words of mountains crumbling to the seas work hand in hand with the organ of bassist John Paul Jones to provide the type of “close your eyes and shut your mouth” listening moment. Jones’ use of the organ in lieu of his bass contrast well with Page’s 12-string guitar to create a rare, relaxing Zeppelin track. It also employs a false ending, where at roughly 4 minutes and 30 seconds into the song, the track seems to fade to silence. 5 seconds later when the listener catches their breath, the song's organ returns for a climactic ending.

Amy Adams’ character in “Sharp Objects” uses this song as an “escape” from reality after her young friend Alice plays it for her and says "with this, I can get the hell out of here whenever I want". There’s no denying that the calmness of the song makes it stand out on its own as it appears on (arguably) the band’s heaviest studio album.