Celebration Day

The reason he did that was because the beginning of Celebration Day was screwed up on the master tape when they recorded, so he just cut out the beginning of the song and used the synthesizer to cover it up so it sounded like it was supposed to be like that.

Awesome song. The first verse always reminds me of an insane person. But in a nice, funny way. =)

Notice how busy Page is on guitar in this song. It's like he's playing three guitar parts at once. Live performances like this song are what prompted Keith Richards to tell Page he was the "most overworked guitarist in rock". Page responded that he would love to have another guitarist in the band but that it "just wouldn't look right to the audience". At first that statement struck me as a bit self-centered and vain but the more I thought about it it just showed how very perceptive Page was about the band's image.

It's most certainly not about heroin. It's about an old hag groupie, the Livin Lovin Maid. I love the simple guitar break in this song and Page pulled it off brilliantly in The Song Remains the Same concert.

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

There was actually supposed to be a drum intro to this song but on of the roadies accidently deleted over while trying to sneak a listen in the studio. After that he ran out of that place scared shitless. It's one of Zeppelin's greatest mysteries.

This song always reminded me of the Odyssey and how Penelope is left behind to a palace full of unruly suitors how take over her house. They of course sing the chorus being overjoyed at being in the "promised land", previously sacred to her marriage to Oddysseus. The final verse seems to refer to Odysseus whose journey was misguided and now has cost him dearly "But the price you pay to nowhere has increased a dollar more". The final line seems to reference the point in the book where Odysseus gets within miles of home then is thrown back across the sea, helpless to defend his home and wife "And when you see it in the distance you will wring your hands and moan."

Just a theory...

i think the line is supposed to be "my my my im so crappy, im gonna join a band. i really hate this song, repeatative guitar riffs and plant writes about the stupidest things. zeppelin can do way better and zeppelin never does a great job. every song is just a screechy rant about "babe". the only reason they were successful was because they were the first to slam the guitar strings harder and sing louder. page is pretty good though, not on this song

There is a train that leaves the station heading for your destination, But the price you pay to nowhere has increased a dollar more. Yes, it has! And if you walk you're gonna get there though it takes a little longer, And when you see it in the distance you will wring your hands and moan.

certainly could be about a # of things. Drugs Satan not sure about the Slavery angle.

peace

This song was greatly inspired by Plant's early impressions of the city of New York

I think IsmAvatar's got the right idea. It definitely sounds political, but I think in an even broader sense than the racial Civil Rights Movement. That's clearly part of it, but since "her name is Brown OR White OR Black" it's more about everyone, and the way racial tension can become a tool of oppression of all people.

And let's not get so angry about other people's musical tastes. I don't really know why someone would bother to leave a comment about a song they don't like, but we don't have to bash their choice of band (or tell them to brun [sic] in hell) because of it. I like Pink Floyd too. A little more floaty, but still good.