This seems to tell the story about a woman who is fighting for the wrong/losing side. It reminds me a lot of America, and the freedom vs. protection fight.
"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."
I'm thinking it might have something to do with the race movement, because of the reference to the Promised Land (King's speech) and "Her name is Brown or White or Black" and then the reference to a train (underground railroad). The price may have increased because it's harder to escape to freedom. If you walk, a lot of slaves broke free without the aid of the underground railroad.
Going back up to the top, "Her face is cracked from smiling, all the fears that she's been hiding" slaves had to hide their fears from their slaveholders else they'd get whipped until their skin cracked/bled.
"Her voice is sore from shouting...dance and sing in celebration" the way slaves sang about freedom.
Joining the band may mean joining the railroad.
"it seems pretty soon everybody's gonna know" eventually all the slaves will know about the railroad, and so will the slaveholders who will promptly up security.
I'm not sure why winning is considered with so much sarcasm. Perhaps a pessimistic view from a [ex-]slave?
I'm probably wrong, it's probably about something else, but hey, it fits pretty well.
I'm surprised there's not more comments on this song.
I love the dark undertone and the sarcasm, it just adds so much to the song. The pessimism really makes it interesting, added with the cryptic lyrics, it really makes you wonder (heh).
@roadrunner99: I'd like to see some justification for how it even vaguely relates to a pact with satan. I don't care if it might be a common and pessimistic view of zeppelin, it would still be interesting to see your interpretation of the song.
@IsmAvatar Plant was very influenced by the Black Delta Blues. To this day, he speaks about it live, as it obviously weighs heavily on him that they made a lot of money playing songs that poor blacks born from slavery in the South wrote and created. I don't know Robert, but I've read enough and heard him speak enough to say with some certainty that he feels he owes quite a bit of his fame and fortune and refuses to play those particular songs the way that Led Zeppelin produced them.
@IsmAvatar Plant was very influenced by the Black Delta Blues. To this day, he speaks about it live, as it obviously weighs heavily on him that they made a lot of money playing songs that poor blacks born from slavery in the South wrote and created. I don't know Robert, but I've read enough and heard him speak enough to say with some certainty that he feels he owes quite a bit of his fame and fortune and refuses to play those particular songs the way that Led Zeppelin produced them.
He mainly has toured with a band based on Massive Attack and Portishead and a couple of his old band mates. Every time I've seen him since they 80's he's changed the way the Zep songs were played radically to suit his current taste and themes. It's why he's one of my favorite artists of all time. He does recognize and regret playing his part in larceny. He can't quite pay it back outside of the legal suits against the band, but he tries to educate his fans and pay proper respect to the roots. And, he always puts on a damn good show.
This seems to tell the story about a woman who is fighting for the wrong/losing side. It reminds me a lot of America, and the freedom vs. protection fight. "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."
I'm thinking it might have something to do with the race movement, because of the reference to the Promised Land (King's speech) and "Her name is Brown or White or Black" and then the reference to a train (underground railroad). The price may have increased because it's harder to escape to freedom. If you walk, a lot of slaves broke free without the aid of the underground railroad. Going back up to the top, "Her face is cracked from smiling, all the fears that she's been hiding" slaves had to hide their fears from their slaveholders else they'd get whipped until their skin cracked/bled. "Her voice is sore from shouting...dance and sing in celebration" the way slaves sang about freedom. Joining the band may mean joining the railroad. "it seems pretty soon everybody's gonna know" eventually all the slaves will know about the railroad, and so will the slaveholders who will promptly up security.
I'm not sure why winning is considered with so much sarcasm. Perhaps a pessimistic view from a [ex-]slave?
I'm probably wrong, it's probably about something else, but hey, it fits pretty well. I'm surprised there's not more comments on this song. I love the dark undertone and the sarcasm, it just adds so much to the song. The pessimism really makes it interesting, added with the cryptic lyrics, it really makes you wonder (heh).
@roadrunner99: I'd like to see some justification for how it even vaguely relates to a pact with satan. I don't care if it might be a common and pessimistic view of zeppelin, it would still be interesting to see your interpretation of the song.
-Ism
@IsmAvatar Plant was very influenced by the Black Delta Blues. To this day, he speaks about it live, as it obviously weighs heavily on him that they made a lot of money playing songs that poor blacks born from slavery in the South wrote and created. I don't know Robert, but I've read enough and heard him speak enough to say with some certainty that he feels he owes quite a bit of his fame and fortune and refuses to play those particular songs the way that Led Zeppelin produced them.
@IsmAvatar Plant was very influenced by the Black Delta Blues. To this day, he speaks about it live, as it obviously weighs heavily on him that they made a lot of money playing songs that poor blacks born from slavery in the South wrote and created. I don't know Robert, but I've read enough and heard him speak enough to say with some certainty that he feels he owes quite a bit of his fame and fortune and refuses to play those particular songs the way that Led Zeppelin produced them.
He mainly has toured with a band based on Massive Attack and Portishead and a couple of his old band mates. Every time I've seen him since they 80's he's changed the way the Zep songs were played radically to suit his current taste and themes. It's why he's one of my favorite artists of all time. He does recognize and regret playing his part in larceny. He can't quite pay it back outside of the legal suits against the band, but he tries to educate his fans and pay proper respect to the roots. And, he always puts on a damn good show.