The abrupt instrumental rests, & start/stop syncronisms add a lot of sudden energy and punctuation to this song. As far as lyrical interpretation is concerned, there are a couple of opinions out there. For those subscribing to the theory that Led Zeppelin's strings were pulled by supernatural forces, and as suggested in "Hammer of the Gods," this song represents the point where the band stopped it's flirtations with the supernatural. Personally, I think that's BS. Considering that this was Zep's 7th album, and that Robert Plant was involved in a serious car accident before/during recording, I think it more likely suggests a conscious decision to take another path, grow-up and move away from the decadent rockstar lifestyle. Wonder if that ever happened?
The abrupt instrumental rests, & start/stop syncronisms add a lot of sudden energy and punctuation to this song. As far as lyrical interpretation is concerned, there are a couple of opinions out there. For those subscribing to the theory that Led Zeppelin's strings were pulled by supernatural forces, and as suggested in "Hammer of the Gods," this song represents the point where the band stopped it's flirtations with the supernatural. Personally, I think that's BS. Considering that this was Zep's 7th album, and that Robert Plant was involved in a serious car accident before/during recording, I think it more likely suggests a conscious decision to take another path, grow-up and move away from the decadent rockstar lifestyle. Wonder if that ever happened?