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Four Sticks Lyrics
Oh, Baby, it's cryin' time, Oh, Baby, I got to fly.
Got to try to find a way, Got to try to get away,
'Cause you know I gotta get away from you, Babe.
Oh, Baby, the river's red, Oh, Baby, in my head.
There's a funny feelin' goin' on, I don't think I can hold out long.
*And when the owls cry in the night, Oh, Baby, Baby, when the pines begin to cry,
Baby, Baby, Baby, how do you feel? If the river runs dry, Baby,
How do you feel?
Craze, Baby, the rainbow's end, Baby, it's just a den
For those who hide, Who hide their love to depths of life
And ruin dreams that we all knew so, Babe.
* Chorus
Got to try to find a way, Got to try to get away,
'Cause you know I gotta get away from you, Babe.
There's a funny feelin' goin' on, I don't think I can hold out long.
Baby, Baby, Baby, how do you feel? If the river runs dry, Baby,
How do you feel?
For those who hide, Who hide their love to depths of life
And ruin dreams that we all knew so, Babe.
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i think i read that in the book that comes with the Led Zeppelin Box set, and he did it because he could. Zeppelin also sort of had a thing for giving their songs titles that have nothing to do with the lyrics of the song. "Four Sticks" and "Black Dog" are two such songs (black dog was named after a stray dog that was hanging around the studio that they were recording that album at).
this may not be the best zeppelin song but its lightyears ahead of half of the shit that people call music these days
I agree with that.
I agree with that.
Ironic, isn't it, that two common names for that untitled album are "Four" and "Sticks"?
John Bonham's decision to play the song with four sticks was a result of him being very frustrated with not being able to get the track down right. After he grabbed the second pair of sticks and beat the drums as hard as he could, he recorded the perfect take and that was the one they kept.
When I hear the chorus
'Mmmm, baby, the river's red. Oh, baby, in my head.
There's a funny feeling going on. I don't think I can hold out long.'
I can't help but think of cocaine, and the way it actually works to get you high.
Very awesome song though. I always found the 'Four Sticks' path to be all crazy and symbolic. I imagine four sticks lined up in mud, with their shadows all pointing to each other.
Who knows.
I believe that as a euphemism for needing to have sex.. (but drugs might work, it's hard to say, just like with a lot of blues songs.. if you really think about it the She, Her, etc could all be drugs personified)
I believe that as a euphemism for needing to have sex.. (but drugs might work, it's hard to say, just like with a lot of blues songs.. if you really think about it the She, Her, etc could all be drugs personified)
Bonham plays this song with two sticks in each hand - pretty damn impressive drumming.
he did it because you can do more with 4 sticks than you can with 2, the drums on the song were so complex that they required 4 sticks, ramthar is right, the song required 4 sticks just because he was one of the few drummers on the planet that could use 4 sticks
wtf? it didn't 'require' four sticks. it's just there to add random stick clicks throughout.
wtf? it didn't 'require' four sticks. it's just there to add random stick clicks throughout.
Hi all. I had just the other day posted about "When The Levee Breaks" and, to sum it up, after declaring my respect and love for it, rated it as number 2 favoured track on lV, behind only "Four Sticks".
So I felt it fair to scribble a few lines about this one.
One contrast between the two worth noting would be the excess of H2O and then the complete lack of it, "if the river runs dry baby how would you feel?" included on the same album.
True that musicians ahead of their time are misunderstood by critics and the industry as a whole but, although they do refer to these type of obstacles in many of their works, I do not believe that most preoccupy themselves at that low a level.
It is merely a link in a long chain of interconnected subterfuge encountered by the truly gifted through their lifetime, with each link all the more diabolical then the former. Davinci, Michaelangelo, Galileo, most all polymaths were extremely hesitant, wary and tried to avoid appearing before royal and papal "invitations" to "explain" and "share" their discoveries. And with good reason (spending the last 10 years of your life under house arrest growing sicker?).
"They can't hold the wrath of those who walk/boots that march.. baby through the roads of time so long ago"
The lyrics can apply to undesirable situations on both a personal relationship level, and to a collective larger social scale.
The verse that sums it up for me would be.. "Craze baby, hmm rainbows end. Hmm baby, its just a den for THOSE who hide. who hide their love in DEPTHS of life (who hide within the depths of love), and ruin dreams that WE all knew (dreams of me on you) so babe".
Just as, say, those religious philosophers serving the papacy of way back then who would collectively convene and scheme rebuttals to thwart perfect logic, all the while pretending it was in the name of God and for the good of the people (hiding within the depths of love), when in fact they merely wished ruin upon anything endangering their positions.. despicable (but they got their's too, most of them had even shorter lifespans).
As stated in the Levee post, the drumming on "Sticks" is incomparable but the cherry topping it off is Plant's vocal delivery in closing. Sans words, as Plant pioneered and Floyed used through Torry a couple of years later on "Gig In The Sky" (but she had to sue for cowriting credit and royalty).
The deeper album cuts of this quality are signature in that, as great a guitarist as is Page, they usually lack a guitar lead or at most have one very short and simple like "Levee".. and Page knew that if the rhythm is worked to the state of perfection as it was on Levee and Four Sticks (and a few others) then the content from beginning to end draws more desire for tireless repeat.. the lead here is not required and may in fact detract from the set atmosphere. As with other faves sans lead guitar such as "No Quarter", "In the Light" (barely, sounds more of a different rhythm). "In The Evening" (yes, has a lead that starts great but gets winded, and is no comparison to the opening keys or even the rhythm).
In all honesty, could one listen to songs such as "Black Dog" or "The Ocean" as frequently, where the rhythm guitar after every verse is identical throughout the whole song with perhaps a slight change in tone once or twice? In truth? I could not if it were not for Page's extended leads saving those type of songs.
(hope I didn't ruffle any feathers, but my ears define my personal opinion of the type of songs in the above paragraph, and it's merely just that, my own view)
So that is just about it. Thanks again for the space. Be well.
@george1012 What you're saying is interesting, but some of the lyrics listed above, and some of the lyrics you are quoting, are not actually correct and that detracts from your overall interpretation.
@george1012 What you're saying is interesting, but some of the lyrics listed above, and some of the lyrics you are quoting, are not actually correct and that detracts from your overall interpretation.
Yes dukesavant2014I quoted both, I think, let me check.. Yes, pretty much typed the actual song's line's, condensing one with a slash.. and also a couple of variable lines that I thought rhyme close enough.. The meaning stay's much the same.. The slightly different wording is merely that heard by my ears when as youngsters we would play who guessed best before reading the sleeve print.. As I posted previously, taking the meaning up higher and expanding it wider out and onto a historical trip through the socialsphere.. "baby through the roads of time so long ago".. I'll still maintain...
Yes dukesavant2014I quoted both, I think, let me check.. Yes, pretty much typed the actual song's line's, condensing one with a slash.. and also a couple of variable lines that I thought rhyme close enough.. The meaning stay's much the same.. The slightly different wording is merely that heard by my ears when as youngsters we would play who guessed best before reading the sleeve print.. As I posted previously, taking the meaning up higher and expanding it wider out and onto a historical trip through the socialsphere.. "baby through the roads of time so long ago".. I'll still maintain that the gifted have always been targeted by the status quo out of fear of repurcussions for their own transgressions.. and if giving you a prime contemporary example I would point you to the very devisive '17 DC EU's "Batman v Superman: DoJ" film.. where society is easily manipulated into seriously questioning and gravely mistrusting, with even Batman fearing, one the best of beings, and of course wrongfully and this playing a number on even a Supermind, "Oh baby, I've got to fly.. Got to try to get away.. I've got to get away from you babe".. here, protecting loved ones, particularly Lois and Martha in this case, but at the same time our whole race, with which he had already sided and in doing so proved it by being forced to kill the last of his own kind in "Man Of Steel". But we can keep it down to earth too if we wish, between a couple of lovers.. "crying.. her, him, both?.. he must leave.. red river most alsways just that, a name of many rivers, perhaps a destination or if metaphorically also pertaining to the later refrain, hot blooded..no other way, and soon.. owls hoot hunting.. wind through trees.. do it now while young, before the river dries".. pretty basic till we come to the latter parts which I've already metaphrased but will add that here's an atmosphere of more strife .. again, as in my initial more tangential proposal, there exist's quite a bit of ambiguity, as with all good works, leaving space for various possible scenarios to the imagination.. which is good.. everyone can be right, more or less. So, that's it and I hope it's now cooler.. and Happy New Year and may health find you and your's always
@george1012 - I think you're over thinking it. However, having said that, if you wrote a book with a consistent level of detail for each song - I'd buy it.
@george1012 - I think you're over thinking it. However, having said that, if you wrote a book with a consistent level of detail for each song - I'd buy it.
On every level and with every instrument, Led Zeppelin are the pinnacle of perfection - I think they deserve to be critiqued with the same standard they've consistently delivered to the world.
On every level and with every instrument, Led Zeppelin are the pinnacle of perfection - I think they deserve to be critiqued with the same standard they've consistently delivered to the world.
you be well too, George
you be well too, George
i think this is one of the sadly under-rated songs on the album, IMO its great!
i think it is the worst song on the album. but i do not mean that in a negative way at all. it is just my least favorite song on IV, however it is one of my all time favorite zeppelin songs. i just love the album so much, one of my top three, and i'm never quite sure what order those are in...