Retro Chicken

The “Rain Song” is one of my favorite, if least likely, Led Zeppelin songs. Originally released on the A side of “Houses of the Holy,” it has a long (long) middle section – about six minutes of never ending lush – featuring John Paul Jones on Mellotron*. The first time I heard it I couldn’t figure out how it ended up on a Zeppelin album – until the drum entrance. Once the drums enter you realize you have just experienced one of the greatest moments on vinyl.

I don’t know anything about the performance in the video clip – just that they are older and a live string section has replaced John Paul Jones. The song is still magic, you’ll probably cry when the drums enter.

*I am not an expert, but the Mellotron is an analog keyboard that predates modern day synthesizers. It had tape loops of different instruments, each one activated by a corresponding key on a keyboard. The Beatles used it for “Strawberry Fields,” it is the “flute” on “Stairway to Heaven” and was used throughout the seventies by bands like Zeppelin, Yes, and others.

This entry was posted on Saturday, October 20th, 2007 at 9:30 pm and is filed under Led Zeppelin, Greasy Chicken.