Led Zeppelin III

3.8 + Look, I just find Led Zeppelin exhausting. Whenever I hear them I think of my douchey college roommate expounding on how they were “revolutionary.” So, fine, yes this album is terrific - it’s 10 solid tracks with killer drums, piercing vocals and searing guitar. Braun-Yaur Stomp rocks my nuts off. My problem though is that it’s a dialed up sound. It’s like owning a Lamborghini. If all you need is to run out for milk and eggs, driving a supercar can feel like a chore. Same with Led Zeppelin. Sometimes I don’t want music to sound so maxed out. So my college roommate can suck it.

Sets the bar high with Immigrant Song and then never comes close again to matching that energy. I needed a nap halfway through.

Very good, who is this band

“Led Zeppelin III” by Led Zeppelin (1970) Clearly the most underrated album by Led Zeppelin, this work deserves a serious listen by every music lover. Venturing into an eclectic mix of rock, blues, and even Celtic folk, Page, Plant, Jones and Bonham produced music of the highest caliber. “Since I’ve Been Loving You” is arguably the best blues rock song of all time—listen to the buildup to the most soulful scream ever recorded (at 5:30-6:20). Jones on bass & keyboards and Bonham on drums give exquisite, inventive performances, and Page’s guitar playing (rhythm AND lead) is stellar. But Plant’s unique vocal quality and range pull the passion right out of you. Dark & dank comic relief on “Gallows Pole” followed by the wistful “Tangerine” and the soul-wrenching “That’s the Way”—music to turn you inside out and back again. This is not top 40. This is actual music. 5/5

My fav Zeppelin album and another listen didn’t budge that truth. It has it all!

This is one of my all time favorites. Zeppelin at their most varied, including crushing blues, heavy metal, acoustic and folk. Since I've Been Loving You is among my all time favore

I've been a fan of this album for, I shit you not, 20 years. East 5 stars for me. Celebration Day is the weakest song on the album, and that's saying something. Don't tell Stairway, but Tangerine is the best thing that Led Zeppelin ever did. DONT @ ME

A fun folksy romp, with one of the most criminally underrated Zep songs (Friends). It has a few duds, however, and doesn't hit quite as high of highs as some of their other works.

While hard rock influences were still present, such as on "Immigrant Song", acoustic-based songs such as "Gallows Pole" and "That's the Way" showed Led Zeppelin were capable of playing different styles successfully.

of its time, of our time, of all time.

I, II, III, and Physical Graffiti all make appearances on the 1001 albums list. I love me some Led Zeppelin, but that seems like overkill. Especially because LZIII was critically panned when it came out, damned both for being less aggressive than its predecessors (Melody Maker) and for not being substantially different (Lester Bangs). Perhaps this album was included because it foreshadows Led Zeppelin's later work--Arabic modes and English folk songs both make their first appearance on LZIII. But I'm going to ignore LZIII's place in music history. Is it any good? The leadoff track, Immigrant Song, is relentless and menacing, driven by a staccato pedal point and Robert Plant's double-tracked vocals. A prominent tri-tone and a bridge that leads to nowhere, ending on a flatted 6th, contribute to the track's edge. Friends is a spooky modal tune, feature a flatted 5th and a minor 2nd. The arrangement is both sparse and ingenious, with strings handling a countermelody while Jimmy Page pounds out a rhythmic drone on the bottom. The song ends on a gorgeous synth drone from John Paul Jones, which leads into the next tune, Celebration Day. Here, Jimmy Page repurposes a riff from Robert Johnson's Terraplane Blues, but completely makes it his own. The chorus is pure pop. John Bonham's pounding drums seal the deal. Since I've Been Loving You is one of Led Zep's patented supercharged blues workouts--they wring out every last drop of emotion and intensity from the tune. Out On The Tiles is anchored by an extended Jimmy Page riff, woven together with Plant's vocal. The band is killer throughout the first half of LZIII. What guitarist Jimmy Page lacks in precision, he makes up for in taste, tone, and arranging prowess. John Bonham was the most powerful rock drummer of the era; sorry, Keith Moon. And the band's secret weapon is John Paul Jones, who plays keyboards with consummate taste, as well as bass. The second half of LZIII is less bombastic, which presents a problem for some fans, but is it really the weak link that critics claim it to be? Gallows Pole is a powerful rendering of an old English folk tune, driven along by mandolin, banjo, and John Bonham's kickass drums. Bron-Y-Aur Stomp has a more basic arrangement, but it's effective nonetheless. The softer tunes, Tangerine and That's The Way, are cunningly arranged and cast a melancholy spell. The weakest tune in the bunch is Hats Off To (Roy) Harper, which is 4 minutes of raunchy blues slide guitar paired with Robert Plant's processed vocals, in which he seemingly randomly spouts snippets of various blues lyrics. But even there, I appreciate how Jimmy Page recasts a traditional blues into something contemporary, utilizing the simplest of means. So, what's the verdict? I personally prefer Led Zep's harder side, but they pull off their more acoustically oriented stuff with skill, too. I prefer I, II, IV, and Physical Graffiti, but LZIII is pretty damned good.

Saved Prior: Immigrant Song Not Saved: 10. Hats off To (Roy) Harper Saved: 9. Tangerine 8. Bron-Y-Aur Stomp 7. Celebration Day 6. Since I've Been Loving You 5. Friends 4. Out on the Tiles 3. That's the Way 2. Gallows Pole 1. Immigrant Song Overall Notes: Led Zeppelin clicked for me during this album. I genuinely enjoyed every song on this album except the last one, and all for different reasons. Immigrant Song is what I imagine people who like heavy metal think heavy metal sounds like all the time. If it all sounded like that, I'd be a fan. Apparently this album is a transitionary album for Zep, can't wait to hear more.

OMG. 16 year old me is sooo excited. Probably my favorite zep albums. LOVE the acoustics. Best opening ever. I've listened to this a thousand times. LOVE

J'ai énormement apprécié le clin d'oeil de Led Zeppelin à son public français, avec la présence d'un Nikos Aliagas absolument déchaîné sur la totalité de l'album. Ce dernier commence par nous donner les dernières actus sur Lolo Ferrari, avant de nous parler du Festival de Cannes à venir. Ensuite, il repétera à intervalles réguliers ses phrases telles que "Salut c'est Nikos" ou encore "ça buzze ça tweete". Enfin, il nous proposera un tour d'horizon de l'actu people en moins de 60 secondes.

This album would be nothing without Immigrant Song.

One of the first albums I bought on CD, essentially because I got "Hammer of the Gods" out of the library one summer and was obsessed with the band despite having never really heard them (!). Luckily, this was an excellent choice. Goddam, what a record - the sound, the songs, the atmosphere all incredible. "Friends", "Since I've Been Loving You", "Gallows Pole", "Tangerine" - can play all of this in my head from memory despite having not heard it for 30 years. Is it my favorite? Probably. Is it their best? Probably, although there are a few contenders. Just fucking great, so happy to spend time with it in full again. Could only be better if it included "Hey, Hey, What Can I Do?" but that's what playlists are for

Zeppelin. No better rock band. Best song on III: since I’ve been loving you

You know Led Zeppelin, they play bluesy rock really hard but I would say if you're into weird shit, this may be your favorite one. In other words, I think this some of their best, has a lot of depth to its sound.

Saw the album cover then heard the opening riff of Immigrant Song in my head. Satisfying.

Solid album but a few too many slow tracks for me. Led zep 4 is way better

Listened to this one before, thought it was great and then never came back to it. So I'm very glad the generator got me to relisten, since this really is a masterpiece. Like most people, my favorite is the Immigrant dong (i'm leaving the typo there).

Also known as the "Zep goes to the countryside to holiday together in a rural cottage and (mostly) gets in touch with their softer side" album! I have a memory of first discovering this record when I borrowed the CD from my local library in my early teens...and thinking, "Huh--this isn't like the first two albums at all." It grew on me from there. LZ III is a super satisfying listen, with some of the group's most memorable uptempo stuff (the heavy Immigrant Song and jaunty Gallows Pole) and quietest (the twangy Tangerine and That's the Way) that they put out over the years. As is pointed out in the 1,001 Albums book note about LZ III, it's clear when Jimmy Page came up with the 12-string melody for "Tangerine" that he/they were building the core intro for the mega-epic Stairway to Heaven (whether they knew it or not at the time). Throw this record on while you're driving to your own rural getaway for some fellowship with nature. You'll be glad you did. Wikipedia factoids: *The album was one of the most anticipated of 1970, and its shipping date was held up by the intricate inner sleeve design based around a volvelle, with numerous images visible through holes in the outer cover. (this allowed for rotating the inside image to display different images through the cut-outs in the album's outer sleeve.) *Following an exhausting concert tour of North America that spring (1969), lead singer Robert Plant recommended to guitarist and producer Jimmy Page that they should retreat to Bron-Yr-Aur, an 18th-century cottage in Snowdonia, Wales, on a hilltop overlooking the Dyfi Valley, three miles (4.8 km) north of the market town Machynlleth. Plant had spent holidays there with his family. This remote setting had no running water or electric power, which encouraged a slight change of musical direction for the band towards an emphasis on acoustic arrangements. Page later explained that the tranquillity of Bron-Yr-Aur stood in sharp contrast to the continual touring of 1969, affecting the overall tone of the songwriting and dominance of acoustic guitars. *With Led Zeppelin III, the group's songwriting dynamic also changed: from Page's domination of the first two albums towards a more democratic situation in which all four group members contributed their own compositions and ideas. *Plant wrote all of the lyrics, with the exception of "Tangerine." Standouts: Immigrant Song, Friends, Celebration Day, Since I've Been Loving You, Gallows Pole, Tangerine, That's the Way, Bron-Y-Aur Stomp

The Led Zep record thats ok to like if you’re an indie rocker.

Led Zeppelin at their most subdued, but each song still incredibly well written and interesting. This record focuses on traditional folk once the chaos of Immigrant Song is over, which is enjoyable but leaves little room for Bonham to shine. Best Tracks: - Immigrant Song - Out On The Tiles - Tangerine Worst Tracks: - Hats Off To (Roy) Harper Rating: 7/10

Immigrant song - what a start to an album! Friends - Now we've gone a bit prog. Not the most melodic song I've ever heard End review - Aside from the couple of good songs "Immigrant Song" and "black dog", the rest was unmemorable.

Really poor zeppelin album. Weak instrumentals throughout and nothing super memorable. The acoustic guitar is not it. Thankfully followed by a banger Zeppelin IV

AaaaaaAAAAAAAaaaahhhhhhAAAAHHH

I really really dig it. Not bad for a Sabbath cover band

I like Zeppelin but I’m not sure I’ve ever listened to a full album of theirs before. Great album!

Good gravy this is good shit. Not the *best* LZ, but so good.

gets a 5 for immigrant song alone.. brilliant and not even in my top 2 LZ albums

Nice set of classics.

The 'acoustic' album with plenty of electric guitar! Not as many famous tracks, but still packed with invention and ideas.

Great mix of rock and acoustic tunes, showcasing the bands versatility. Combined with pages vocals and I really enjoyed this album. Immigrant song and Tangerine two all timer songs

Initially disappointed grew to enjoy it throughout the day … it doesn’t have the spike hard non stop energy of I but it’s beautiful in its progressions , the guitar is forever amazing … the folky mellow tracks are a weaker spot imo but it is distinctly and in all the good ways , led zeppelin

No. 293/1001 Immigrant Song 5 Friends 4 Celebration Day 4 Since I've Been Loving You 5 Out On the Tiles 5 Gallows Pole 4 Tangerine 5 That's the Way 4/5 Bron-Y-Aur Stomp 3/5 Hats Off to (Roy) Harper 3/5 Average: 4,2 For me the last 2 songs couldn’t keep up in quality with the other songs. Otherwise an excellent record. I'm excited for the day I get IV.

Didn't like the first half, second was tremendous!

Second half of album better than first half

I wish I liked them more but they’re just ok to me.

i know it’s like objectively good (i assume) but it’s just so not my style i’m sorry

Not my fave Zep

I feel bad for not liking this as much as I feel like I should.

Seemed really nice to me. I am not Led Zeppelin fan, but the music is definitely nice. It is not my cup of a tea, so I probably wont come back to it, but it was definitely worth it.

Zeppelin is not a thing for me.

This Zeppelin did not achieve lift off.

A great record from a legendary band in top form. “Born Y-Aur Stomp,” “Immigramt Song,” - heck, I love “Friends!”

10/10 no notes.

The best of LedZep

Just pure, classic Rock!!!!

What a perfect Friday album. As soon as "Immigrant song" hit, I was ready to gas up the car, pack the cooler, and hit the road. This is the perfect road trip album. Well done.

Clearly the most underrated album by Led Zeppelin, this work deserves a serious listen by every music lover.

Awesome! Led Zep were a huge influence through my teens and early 20s. They're still one of my favourites. For me, Led Zep don't have any bad albums.

A stone-cold classic. The combination of proper rock songs with more folky tracks makes for a great listen.

Iconic. Live the rock with the touch of acoustic and folk vibes

What new can be said, a seminal album from a band synonymous with rock and roll.

Great album that I think gets lost in the shuffle of other LZ albums at times. The band continues to expand their sound, and lots of “deep tracks” with only one single off this one.

Enkelt, alltid 5.

Finally Zeppelin! Listened to this quite recently but always worth a revisit. III is the odd one out amongst the first 4 with the more acoustic driven sound and doesn’t have as many big hits but it’s got more atmosphere than any of their other records. Immigrant Song is such an unusual way to start the album because it doesn’t reflect the rest of it at all. But it’s a banger. Then it really picks up at since I’ve been loving you. Gallows Pole is one of my favourite Zeppelin songs, manic and tragic at the same time. Tangerine and That’s the way also star. Maybe not all Zeppelin albums will get 5 stars, but this will

Love this album.

132/1089 - Woah! What are the odds of getting two albums by the same artist back to back? I know it gets more likely as you go on with the project so it's pretty cool it happened early on for me! On to the review, it started strong. Honestly, Immigrant Song, Friends, and Since I've Been Loving You are worth the 5 on their own. The folksier B side was nice overall and a little strange on the last song (but it makes sense with historical context).

There's a reason

Right up there with any of thier best work

I was already familiar with this album. It's great. It showcases Led Zeppelin's softer acoustic side very well. Of course it also has bangers too in Immigrant Song and Since I've Been Loving You. It is probably Zeppelin's most underrated album, but that's really only because they have so many great albums and this one is easy to overlook. I would listen to this album any time.

One of my favorite albums. Such good instrumentals, tons of feeling throughout.

I ATE THIS ONE UP SORRY

This is the best Zeppelin. It's all good, but this lives at the very top of the top shelf.

It’s a crusher front-to-back. Now some non-sequiturs. 1. I remember watching them play “Since I’ve Been Loving You” on a DVD from a performance in the late 70s and my brain exploding with the speed and sheer coolness of JP’s playing. 2. It sounds like Heart took the opening riff from “Gallows Pole” and repurposed it for “Crazy on You” and honestly killer move if so. 3. Way more acoustic jams than I remember. Honestly, fantastic album. It’s incredible that by number 3 (and those that came after) they were staying true, tweaking the formula, and taking some risks that had big payoffs.

The weirdest Led Zep album but also still great. From the singles like Immigrant Song to the Lite Rock fare like Tangerine or That's The Way, to the bluesy hidden gem at the end, it's a great listen through and through.

First time I have listened to this in it's entirety in a long time. Surprised me how messy the mix was but that only adds to the nostalgia. I can't undervalue how much influence some of these tracks had on me as a kid. If I had to be critical it's probably a 4.25 but bonus points for letting me get the led out on my drive to work this morning.

I’ve had this chord progression I’ve been messing around with for a while now and it’s been so familiar, but I just couldn’t place it. Turns out it was Tangerine. I wish I could have actually written it instead of ripping it off by accident. Great song and a great album! While this isn’t my favourite Zeppelin album, I’m pretty sure they’ll all get a 5/5 from me as they were one of my first musical obsessions.

Remarkably haven't listened to this one in full before. One listen in, I feel like I've missed out on this. For all of IV being my favourite, there is a heck of a lot of value in this one too. Gotta probably be a near 5, let's round up!

Amazing album from one of the most consistent bands in terms of quality of albums. The acoustic numbers are just as good as the electric heavier rock you would expect from them, just awesome throughout

Every time I run into an LZ album in here it feels like a resting point. They're always fresh yet familiar at the same time, and always a great listen

This album often gets a bad rap, but to be fair, it comes bookended by arguably two of the greatest rock albums ever recorded. While it may not have the star potential of either of those albums, it still contains some of Zep's best songs. "Immigrant Song" is one of their best-known songs, and it also includes one of my favorites, "Since I've Been Loving You." Easily 5 stars.

5 stars for the first 20 seconds of the first song - this is a belter. Not sure where this stands in the panoply of ‘the Zepp’ but for someone that hasn’t really listened to them that much it feels like a great introduction. Surprised and pleased by the thoughtful, melodic moments scattered throughout the second half of the record. Making me more excited to be back.

I was gonna do the old give it a 4* because it’s not quite as banging as II and IV, but actually it’s packed with top tunes(in the unique Zep style) I can forgive the couple of weaker ones. They deserved to be relatively more chill for an album.

Really enjoyed

One of my favorite rock albums of all time.

"Finally, Some Good Fucking Food" Sure, I'm a drummer who was greatly influenced by Bonham, meaning I'm incredibly biased. But whatever, fuck the haters, this album is a masterpiece. Many fans were let down by the feeling that the complete album didn't match the sheer force/energy of the legendary opening track "Immigrant Song" - but I'd argue that's not what they were going for. III was LZ's attempt to push themselves as musicians and defy the press's belief that they were nothing but loud blues rockers. That resulted in the band experimenting with blues, metal, acoustic, and folk elements to create a truly unique euphony of sound. And if nothing else, the pushback the band got from this album ultimately pushed them to go balls-to-the-wall on IV, one of the greatest albums ever created. So there's that lol.

Great

My first Led Zep album so biased. Does it have the best songs? No? But it holds together brilliantly and is possibly the best produced LZ album. Range, interesting songs. Highlight being the mandolin on Gallows Pole.

Immigrant Song is a 10/10 classic. One of their best songs. Friends 7/10 Celebration Day is a bit odd lyrically, but the music is fire 9/10 Since I've Been Loving you is one of my favorite Led Zep songs 10/10 Out On The Tiles 7/10 Gallows Pole I like the story 9/10 Tangerine is also a classic, love the vocals 9/10 That's The Way a surprisingly sad tune. Let the kids play 8/10 Bron-Y-Aur Stomp weakest song on the album so far 6/10 Hats Off To (Roy) Harper guess we're ending on a weak spot 6/10

Awesome

The definition of arena rock. An amazing album. Bombastic. I have never been a huge Zeppelin fan but this record may have swayed my opinion.

just brilliant

Great album

One of those albums that has been in my collection for more than 40 years. I've owned this on vinyl, cassette, CD, and hi-res download. It has drifted in and out of favour with me. It isn't really my favourite of the early Zep albums, I'm not sure I particularly liked it as a teenager. My musical tastes have changed a bit and I can now appreciate this more. Still, 5/5.

Banger, obvs and the first CD I ever bought, back in the mists of time. Some underrated classics on this one, like Tangerine and Since I've Been Loving You.

4.5/5

For a long time, it's been a toss-up between this and Led Zeppelin IV for their best album. I feel like III is sort of an underdog, as it really didn't get as much love from classic rock radio as II & IV. Other than "Immigrant Song" and "Gallow's Pole", you were unlikely to hear much from this. While those are great tunes ("Immigrant Song" is very high on my list of greatest hard rock songs ever), every song on this is incredible. "Celebration Day", "Out on the TIles", "Tangerine", and "That's the Way" are some of my other favorites here. Strong 5 stars.

Hats off, ladies and gentlemen, another genius Led Zeppelin album. With a couple of tip-toppiest all-time classic Zep tracks in Immigrant Song and almighty blues extravaganza Since I’ve Been Loving You plus a bundle of folksy fun with bouncing and bounding Bron-Y-Aur Stomp and sprightly traditional hangman tale Gallows Pole. Hats can firm stay on for last track Hats Off To Roy Harper though, that one really sucks. Even with the brown stained final hurdle, 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

Immigrant Song is a raucous intro but Friends is very different - mysterious and mystical with acoustic instruments and strings. Unmatched atmosphere. Clean transition into Celebration Day and some great guitar and bass riffing. Then it's Since I've Been Loving You, with slow deep bass and emotional guitar. The vocals and drums are top notch and so is the lengthy solo. It's both delicate and very heavy. Out on the Tiles continues with some of the hardest rocking stuff yet. The intro riff is maybe the best on the record. It's an incredible first side. The other half is a bit more gentle, Gallows Pole leading out with folk guitar before the pounding drums come in. Tangerine is simply beautiful and That's the Way and Bron-Y-Aur Stomp are pure folk; the first one quiet and pretty, the second fit for a square dance session. Hats Off To (Roy) Harper is a dissonant closer with Plant's vocals run through a filter. This is a band signaling their intent. Hard to imagine changing anything.

Amazing. Bluesy, folksy, yet modern and timeless at the same time. Really enjoyed the start to the finish

O, Cepeliny, moje ulubiene! Świetna płyta. Są takie zespoły, które eksperymentują z różnymi brzmieniami, gatunkami i stylami i wychodzi im to wyśmienicie, bo po prostu są świetnym muzykami. "That's the Way", uwielbiam.

Really good!

The best Zeppelin if you ask me

their pastoral folk record lol. a lot of zep hate out there. people despise them. i get why i guess. i don’t listen to them like i'm in high school anymore, but when their records come up in my routine, i always get a bump of excitement. scratches a certain itch. primal stuff. i’ve got room for a slice of overblown self indulgent cock rock. immigrant song like standing on the prow of a viking longship yadda blah yadda. when i put this record on in the house, i always wish they built to this track instead of kicking off with it. but it also kinda reads like getting the last of II out of their systems. worth listening to on headphones to really hear the bass run in the chorus. sick tremolo chords too. give me the transition from friends into celebration day. 🤌 great phaser sound bridging the two, then it snaps into focus and BOOM full tilt boogie. band of gorillas fronted by a horny chimp. i see how “since i been” can be characterized as a boring slog or a texturally complex blues meditation. i tend toward the latter and think it’s the right kind of moody. spooky mansion blues. i think at least the drums were recorded in the giant foyer of an old manor house, and it sounds that way. the organ is haunted; the creaky cricket playing the kick drum is right on time. page will never be on my mount rushmore of guitarists, but his playing is great here, particularly when he hits those arpeggiated chords just after 5:30. plant is a weird shrieking ghoul. it must have been funny to have his screechy ass wailing all the time. out on the tiles. pubfight song. great boneheaded single note riff. guitar and bass playing the same thing. rides roughshod over those big dumb bashy bonham drums. i don’t give a fuck by now. i’m in it and it kicks hard and it feels good. someone break a pint of bitter over my head. gallows pole starts as a funeral dirge and morphs into something dynamic and fun. rolling banjo. tangerine is the last zep song that prompted a 39 year old man to tell me, “i fucking hate led zeppelin. they suck so much ass.” lol ok. it’s also the song in the final scene of almost famous. your choice i guess. pedal steel. nothin wrong w bron y aur stomp. i came here to stomp. good weird blown out finish w the rework of shake em on down (for roy harper (for some reason)). the guitar playing is caustic and stuttering, and the slide sounds like a straight razor. probably influenced by nostalgia and familiarity, but i’m going 5 again. twenty years i’ve been putting this on and feeling better with every track. it ain’t for the poetry—it’s for getting me head bashed in. three records in a row that feel like old friends.

I don’t think I’ve ever actually listened to this album and it’s pretty great. I love the crunchy blown out distorted times paired with the dreamy whimsical soft moments. I’m asking myself now have I ever really let the LED out? Damn, Since I’ve been loving, you is a killer song. Gallows Pole gets me going, surprise, mandolin, and banjo demonic Bluegrass what the hell is going on? Seems to get faster and faster. Amazing song Tangerine is lovely The next couple songs are an adventure through the dark mystical forest. Deep roots, Smokey, sunlight through the branches. We know we will make it out but we aren’t in a rush. The air is thick and we are high. This is our vacation… but then the levee breaks When the levee breaks is one of my favorite Zeppelin songs. I’m a sucker for harmonica and it’s so essential in this song. What a masterpiece. Great album, already started it over.

This is a great record. It's a bit hard to reconcile vs. all the other great Zeppelin albums, but I think it's more creative than the previous albums, and a bit more "pure" than most of the later albums. It has several classic tracks, and the "filler" is actually quite good, unlike some of their other records.

Classic !!!