In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Sisters of the way-side bide their time in quiet peace
Await their place within the ring of calm
Still stand to turn in seconds of release
Await the call they know may never come
In times of lightness, no intruder dared upon
To jeopardize the course, upset the run
And all was joy and hands were raised toward the sun
As love in the halls of plenty overrun
Uh-uh, uh-uh, uh-uh, uh-uh
Still in their bliss unchallenged mighty feast
Unending dances shadowed on the day
Within their walls, their daunting formless keep
Preserved their joy and kept their doubts at bay
Faceless legions stood in readiness to weep
Just turn a coin, bring order to the fray
And everything is soon no sooner thought than deed
But no one seemed to question in anyway
Uh-uh, uh-uh, uh-uh, uh-uh
How keen the storied hunter's eye prevails upon the land
To seek the unsuspecting and the weak
And powerless the fabled sat, too smug to lift a hand
Toward the foe that threatened from the deep
Who cares to dry the cheeks of those who saddened stand
Adrift upon a sea of futile speech?
And to fall to fate and make the 'status plan'
But no one there had heaven within their reach
Singing uh-uh, uh-uh, uh-uh, uh-uh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh
Oh
Where was your word, where did you go?
Where was your helping, where was your bow? Bow
Bow
Dull is the armour, cold is the day
Hard was the journey, dark was the way, way
I heard the word, I couldn't stay, oh
I couldn't stand it another day, another day
Another day, another day
Touched by the timely coming
Roused from the keeper's sleep
Release the grip, throw down the key
Held now within the knowing
Rest now within the peace
Take of the fruit, but guard the seed
They had to stay
Held now within the knowing
Rest now within the peace
Take off the fruit, but guard the seed
Take off the fruit, but guard the seed
Await their place within the ring of calm
Still stand to turn in seconds of release
Await the call they know may never come
In times of lightness, no intruder dared upon
To jeopardize the course, upset the run
And all was joy and hands were raised toward the sun
As love in the halls of plenty overrun
Uh-uh, uh-uh, uh-uh, uh-uh
Still in their bliss unchallenged mighty feast
Unending dances shadowed on the day
Within their walls, their daunting formless keep
Preserved their joy and kept their doubts at bay
Faceless legions stood in readiness to weep
Just turn a coin, bring order to the fray
And everything is soon no sooner thought than deed
But no one seemed to question in anyway
Uh-uh, uh-uh, uh-uh, uh-uh
How keen the storied hunter's eye prevails upon the land
To seek the unsuspecting and the weak
And powerless the fabled sat, too smug to lift a hand
Toward the foe that threatened from the deep
Who cares to dry the cheeks of those who saddened stand
Adrift upon a sea of futile speech?
And to fall to fate and make the 'status plan'
But no one there had heaven within their reach
Singing uh-uh, uh-uh, uh-uh, uh-uh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh
Oh
Where was your word, where did you go?
Where was your helping, where was your bow? Bow
Bow
Dull is the armour, cold is the day
Hard was the journey, dark was the way, way
I heard the word, I couldn't stay, oh
I couldn't stand it another day, another day
Another day, another day
Touched by the timely coming
Roused from the keeper's sleep
Release the grip, throw down the key
Held now within the knowing
Rest now within the peace
Take of the fruit, but guard the seed
They had to stay
Held now within the knowing
Rest now within the peace
Take off the fruit, but guard the seed
Take off the fruit, but guard the seed
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I don't do this often (or ever) but I did some vocal isolation work and really think I've finally figured out the lyrics - once and for all. Here goes:
By the way I finally isolated the vocal track to the point that these are the definitive lyrics:
Sisters by the wayside bide their time in quiet peace, await their place within the ring of calm Still stand adjurned in seconds of release, Await the call they know may never come. In times of light, this knight truly no more To unite the forces into one And all was joy as hands would raise to the sun As loving hordes aplenty overrun
To live in bliss and cherish my defeat - an ending that's a shadow of the day Within the hall their daunting form must keep a certain type of gift that found their way A place is laid and soon embedded next to me - just turning, wandering all into the fray And everything is soon no sooner thought than deed, that no one seemed to question anyway
I hear the story about the giant hands upon the land, that sweep the unsuspecting and the weak And powerless the fabled sat, too smug to lift a hand Toward the foe that threatened from beneath
Who cares to dry the cheeks of those who sat or stand Adrift upon a sea of futile speech? And befall the fate that make him state his plan No more nearer where they would ever reach.
Where was your word - where did you go? Where was your helping - why did you go? Dull is the armor, cold is the day Hard was the journey, dark was the way I heard the word I couldn't stay I couldn't stand it another day Another day Touched by the timely coming, Roused from the keeper's sleep, Release the grip, throw down the key.
Held now within the knowing, Rest now within the peace. Take of the fruit, but guard the seed.
They had to stay!
Held now within the knowing, Rest now within the beat. Take of the fruit, but guard the seed...
Kudos to mikeydhh. After years of hearing the verses in the status quo version, your version of lyrics is truly an astounding revelation. Even though it did not alter my initial understanding of this Zep classic in any major way; your version is more accurate which then I interpreted the meaning of Plant’s writing more precisely: It is also amazing how the same words can be so different heard when prompted to hear it in another way. To me, that just illustrates the hidden genius of Zeppelin in a mystical way. Brilliant.<br /> <br /> I interpret this song, as I have the first time I understood it to be when it was first released; a lament, a blues tune (from Zep, no surprise ; ) ) done in carousel musical fashion with a Mid East/North African or Mogul imaged romantic lyrical theme: The story is of concubines in a harem who were left behind by an aging declining king who had to flee from forces within (or from a younger king (or the eager young hunter,) *depending on which version you think you hear) It is the King Arthur round table legend told in an Moroccan harem setting essentially. It's an analogy that can be used for any declining society in time past present or future. It is an universal archetype which many artists as a device in their work.<br /> References have been made to Zep’s touring experiences that the song may refer to. In a simplistic way yes, and surely not beyond imagination that was the inspiration. For such could be the Kings' and Knights' of that rock era could easily transfer banal touring experiences; or perhaps the alternative diametric view of touring view; which is that the harem women analogy refers not to groupies but to their own harem at home: They had to Stay! (at home and not go touring) I find it quite common that great works of art can often work on multiple levels of meaning: Encompassing all views from macro to micro or vice versa.<br /> This song, like many Led Zeppelin’s and those of their significant contemporary rock bands of the same genre’s contribution to our understanding of cultures and histories cannot be overstated. The meaning is clear; the message is universal: A male-centric dominated attitude of power: Hence, “Take of the fruit But guard the seed.”<br /> <br /> (Prelude) A king unites a nation<br /> His women sit in a safe place and awaits readily for his call<br /> His kingdom is safe and secured<br /> <br /> He is growing older, content and wiser, but not the man he used to be<br /> The maidens are readied, packaged like a gift<br /> They soon sit next to him at the table, they dance then all troubles fade away<br /> And when he wants it, he gets it... just like that! No questions asked, anything he wants<br /> <br /> Tales of an invaders from another land, killing and pillaging across the land<br /> But the king and advisors were so confident of themselves, they did nothing<br /> <br /> (At the end, when the King has to flee)<br /> Who had to comfort his women when he had to leave them behind <br /> Some sat, some stood, as they cried and pleaded? The King<br /> Who had to tell them the grand plan?<br /> <br /> To protect the king and be loyal: Give up the fruit, but Guard the Seed<br /> <br /> But little did they know, they have already been sacrificed so that the seed can survive: It had been decided: “No more nearer where they would ever reach” = When he tells them this, this is as near as they would ever get to him, after all that waiting...<br /> <br /> You promised to come back, what happened?<br /> You were supposed to protect me, and rescue me?<br /> But his strength was weak, survival was hard<br /> <br /> The king heard the pleas, it was unbearable<br /> He wishes he could go back and rescue them immediately<br /> But there was nothing he could do<br /> <br /> The liberators are now here, giving harem new prospective<br /> Give it up girls: “Throw down the key.”<br /> <br /> “They had to stay!” Which kind of summed up the situation when Ghengis was knockin on the door.<br /> <br /> Now I am not making statements of politics, which was neither Zep’s intent nor mine, So don’t bother. As for my personal preferences; if you seek politics listen to The RS or The Who; for spiritual meaning check out YES; to understand what motivates a person, try PF.<br />
@mikeydhh <br /> It's a lot quicker to just Google lyrics than painstakingly listen on the recording