“That bloody wedding song”: The Led Zeppelin songs that Robert Plant will always regret
It’s so interesting to look at the contrasting opinions of artists and those who consume their art. While some people hear songs that change their lives and are happy playing them and singing along every day for the rest of their lives, the person responsible for making that song resents it and winces every time its name is mentioned. This is the case with Robert Plant, who has two Led Zeppelin tracks that he can’t stand.
The reason there is often such a contrast in opinion is that the relationship a listener has with a song is different from the one a songwriter has with their work. While we often find that music is a form of validation and helps us better process emotions and connect with something, the person who made the music hears the song and is either taken back to when the track was made or becomes overcritical of it.
This is the case with Robert Plant, as there are two songs that he now regrets making, one because he is simply tired of hearing it and another because it reminds him of a particularly damaging period in his life. Regardless of the actual message behind the track or the way it makes a broader consumer audience feel, it’s hard for a songwriter to shake off that negativity once it has eventually crept in.
The first track, despite being shocking, may not come as that much of an actual shock, as although ‘Stairway To Heaven’ is one of Led Zeppelin’s most popular songs and widely considered one of the greatest pieces of music ever written, it didn’t take long for the band to retire it from their live set. Though he is fond of the way the song is put together, Plant is incapable of listening to the lyrics and not wincing.
“Lyrically, now, I can’t relate to it,” he said, “Because it was so long ago. I would have no intention ever to write along those abstract lines any more.” Plant later described ‘Stairway to Heaven’ as “that bloody wedding song” and said that he would break out in hives if he had to perform it live again.
His hatred for another track stems less from the fact that it is no longer an accurate reflection of him and instead comes from the memories Plant associates with the song. ‘Carouselambra’ was initially released in 1979, only a year before the band broke up. There was a lot of friction within Led Zeppelin at the time, and the collaboration and unison that were such massive factors that contributed to their success were dwindling.
Whether he meant to or not, with the epic track ‘Carouselambra,’ Plant voiced the frustration that he felt within the band. “I rue it so much now because the lyrics on ‘Carouselambra’ were actually about that environment and that situation,” he said in an interview. “The whole story of Led Zeppelin in its latter years is in that song… and I can’t hear the words!”
When Led Zeppelin got together, the band’s ability to merge their musical talent and deliver a twisted and heavier version of the blues changed the landscape of rock. People now see them as a pivotal moment in music, meaning their songs aren’t just pleasing to listeners but a massive part of that listener’s life.
However, the relationship that Led Zeppelin has with their music is different from what we, as consumers, have. It’s hard to believe that someone can grow tired of ‘Stairway to Heaven’ or hear malice in ‘Carouselambra’, but Robert Plant does. The perplexing nature of those twisted feelings is a testament towards the complicated relationship that an artist has with their art, and rather than try to understand it any further, we should just enjoy what was produced.