#4 Ramble On

“Got no time for spreadin' roots

The time has come to be gone

And though our health we drank a thousand times

It's time to ramble on”

Robert Plant’s mystical, Lord of the Rings-inspired lyrics were never so prevalent than in “Ramble On” off of Led Zeppelin II. Written by Robert Plant and Jimmy Page and recorded in New York City while on their second tour of North America in 1969, it was strangely never played live, not even once, during the bands active years, despite its popularity. “Ramble On” was ranked #440 on Rolling Stone Magazine’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs Of All Time.

The song features one of the great bass lines in rock history, played by John Paul Jones over Jimmy Page’s classic acoustic riff. John Bonham does something he never did prior, but wound up becoming famous for - playing with his hands. Differing stories exist, but the percussion sounds heard throughout the verse in the first 2 minutes of the song are of Bonham tapping either a guitar case or a plastic garbage can with his bare hands. The result is a pleasantry you would expect to come from bongos, but the “island-vibe” is replaced by the sounds of Hobbiton and The Shire.

For the Ahmet Ertegun memorial concert in 2007, the surviving members of Led Zeppelin agreed to do a full concert set for the first time since John Bonham died in 1980. They had a short (and sloppy) reunion in 1985 at Philadelphia’s Live Aid as well as in 1988 for Atlantic Records 40th Anniversary, but this reunion would be special. Not only would it be their first full concert in 27 years, but it was in memory of the man who signed them to their first record label, Ahmet Ertegun. Furthermore, John Bonham’s son, Jason, would fill in for his late father on drums. The Bonham bloodline being on the throne made the concert seem as authentic as any fan could ask for.

As per the Guinness World Records of 2009, the concert holds the record for “Highest Demand for Tickets for One Music Concert” as over 20 million requests for the reunion show were rendered online all at once. This, of course, crashed every website selling the tickets and all sales were halted as they designed a special lottery system for ticket sales moving forward.

Critics seemed to feel the same way as fans did about the show. They praised the aging band for a spirited performance that received rave reviews and a Grammy Award for “Best Rock Album” when the live recording was released for purchase in 2014. They had won Grammys in the past for Lifetime Achievement and Hall Of Fame categories, but this was the first time they won for new material being released.

Not surprisingly, the concert featured several “firsts” for the lucky spectators in attendance, including the first ever live performance of “Ramble On”. It was the second song on their riveting set list and one of my personal favorites from the show. Plant’s voice, despite his range being limited by his 59-year old frame, was right where it needed to be. Jimmy Page’s 2007 electric interpretation of the classic 1969 acoustic riff was equally as delicate as it was crunching. Jason Bonham pounds the drums so much like a young John, it could make you weep. John Paul Jones sounds great playing his legendary smooth bass line, but if I could have it my way I would have suggested moving JPJ up in the track...the bass isn’t loud enough!

I guess nothing is perfect, including Led Zeppelin, but there are moments in this life where perfection can be achieved. “Ramble On” was a moment for Page and Plant. Listening to it is such a moment for me.