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Carouselambra Lyrics
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.
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.
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.
Singin'...
Where was your word, where did you go?
Where was your helping, where was your bow? Bow.
Dull is the armor, 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 beat.
Take of 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.
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.
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.
Singin'...
Where was your helping, where was your bow? Bow.
Dull is the armor, 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.
Roused from the keeper's sleep,
Release the grip, throw down the key.
Rest now within the peace.
Take of the fruit, but guard the seed.
Rest now within the beat.
Take of 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.
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.
I interpret this song, as I have...
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. 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. 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.”
(Prelude) A king unites a nation His women sit in a safe place and awaits readily for his call His kingdom is safe and secured
He is growing older, content and wiser, but not the man he used to be The maidens are readied, packaged like a gift They soon sit next to him at the table, they dance then all troubles fade away And when he wants it, he gets it... just like that! No questions asked, anything he wants
Tales of an invaders from another land, killing and pillaging across the land But the king and advisors were so confident of themselves, they did nothing
(At the end, when the King has to flee) Who had to comfort his women when he had to leave them behind Some sat, some stood, as they cried and pleaded? The King Who had to tell them the grand plan?
To protect the king and be loyal: Give up the fruit, but Guard the Seed
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...
You promised to come back, what happened? You were supposed to protect me, and rescue me? But his strength was weak, survival was hard
The king heard the pleas, it was unbearable He wishes he could go back and rescue them immediately But there was nothing he could do
The liberators are now here, giving harem new prospective Give it up girls: “Throw down the key.”
“They had to stay!” Which kind of summed up the situation when Ghengis was knockin on the door.
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.
@mikeydhh It's a lot quicker to just Google lyrics than painstakingly listen on the recording
@mikeydhh It's a lot quicker to just Google lyrics than painstakingly listen on the recording
Blending mythology, literature, religion, and deliberately ambiguous "rock" lyrics,, this song is AMAZINGLY complex. I suspect LZ realized the mysterious lyrics would hold people's interests much longer than the usual "fluff" that passed for rock lyrics at the time. I read these lyrics and they are so rich and deep, I feel like I am looking at a painting by one of the great masters and my mind is being overwhelmed with imagery after imagery. Zeppelin wasn't concerned with writing "pop" songs for the radio. These lyrics are testimony that they were on to something bigger and better than FM airplay. Zeppelin was creating master pieces of sonic / audio art works. "YES" and even "RUSH" dabble with imaginative lyrics but nothing with the sophistication of Led Zeppelin's lyrics. Genius. Just reading the lyrics they don't really look like a song, more like some ancient poetry written by Leonardo DaVinci while tripping on acid. And how Plant looked at them, gave them melody, and sang them,,, is absolutely stunning. These lyrics should be required reading in high schools and colleges. Then young kids "might" appreciate true creative genius, and hopefully turn their backs on the garbage that corporate record labels are now promoting as music.
After years of trying to figure this out, I've finally decided that it must have something to do with either a bandmate or Richard Cole's excesses with groupies and the like during the 1977 tour. "Sisters of the wayside" in line 1, i.e. the groupies waiting in hotel lobbies, halls, etc; some being picked and exploited in rock and roll fashion, at the whim of this person to whom Plant addresses. Further allusions to the "hunter's eye", faceless legions, etc, are again signs of perusing the girls at hotels. I further believe this has to do with the 1977 tour, as with the line "I heard the word; I couldn't stay...I couldn't stand it another day." The '77 tour was abruptly ended when Robert Plant received the phone call from his wife, notifying him of his son Karac's sudden death.
@mikeydhh \r\n\r\n\r\nI think you’re onto something here. As with great lyrics like this there are multiple meanings
@mikeydhh \r\n\r\n\r\nI think you’re onto something here. As with great lyrics like this there are multiple meanings
@mikeydhh \r\n\r\n\r\nI think you’re onto something here. As with great lyrics like this there are multiple meanings
@mikeydhh \r\n\r\n\r\nI think you’re onto something here. As with great lyrics like this there are multiple meanings
@mikeydhh It's about Page's attitude/behaviour and Plant's response at the time of the album
@mikeydhh It's about Page's attitude/behaviour and Plant's response at the time of the album
their last great epic, a truely awsome song.
This is in fact a Viking funeral dirge. It's lyrical start is in beautiful alternating iambic septameter. The song tells the story of a warrior who dwells in (the ever popular) Valhalla at a time when he was needed by his people.
Musically, the first part of Coarouselambra tells the story of these people that are too busy with their own lore and its telling to heed any sort of danger.
The guitar-rich downtempo second part begins with their lament ("Where was your word, where did you go?"). He answers back with "I heard the word..." and has decided to return...
The third uptempo synth-heavy part makes oblique reference to his resurrection.
This is the best song Led Zepplin's ever done. The musical composition, the lyrics, ...the whole is truly greater than the sum of it's parts. I bought this album in 1982. I listend to Carouselambra every day without fail, at least three times, well into 1984. More on Saturdays.
what about Tuesdays?..
what about Tuesdays?..
One of my faves. It shows the depth of the band and their evolution; it's too bad it was cut short.
i want to know how someone actually figured out what the lyrics were to this song they are seriously impossible to comprehend unless u are reading the lyrics while listening to it
this song is hard to understand even with the lyrics
An intense and awesome song with some seriously sophisticated lyrics. I believe that Plant was quite interested in ‘Lord Of The Rings’ type fantasy and mythology although some previous remarks suggesting symbolic references to various misfortunes having plagued the band’s career (e.g. the death of plant’s son etc) are very thought provoking. The song is otherwise a prime example of synthesizers used effectively in a heavy rock song but it should also be mentioned that if you strip away the keyboards there are some pretty badass guitar chords and riffs in there!.