1001 Albums Summary

Led Zeppelin for me used to be the pinnacle of rock; songs about sleeping with women, doing drugs , and playing shows. The almost trashiness of listening to the full version of Stairway to Heaven at my grandads funeral made his son, my dad, and me burst into solemn giggles. Led Zeppelin meant a lot to me for something I didn’t really know, and I think listening to this album has giving me the greatest gift of deeper appreciation. I never understood when people talked about Led Zeppelin in connection to the Hobbit but I think I understand more now. Talking about the songs, you can see a fall and rise in the electricity of the music. The more acoustic brought out unfamiliar instruments such as the fiddle in the folky Gallows Pole, which was one of the more familiar songs to me. Gallows Pole directly pulls from the folk song Hangman , which I have fond memories of Tia Blake playing. Something that sorta caught me off guard was the beauty in Robert Plant’s singing. Calmingly mystical is the best way I could describe it. There’s a lot of beauty in this album and I’m so happy that I found this website. Favs ( mostly second side ) Since I’ve been loving you Gallows Pole Tangerine That’s the way Bron-Yr-Aur Stomp

The grittiness of this album makes it so striking. You can clearly see its influence on later bands such as The Descendants, The Dead Kennedys, and Bikini Kill. When listening to this album , you’ll hear a raw choppiness that comes from the shortness of some of the songs. Wire is able to capture ideals in under sixty seconds that could be dissected for ages. Reuter starts the album off with an honest look into the problems of pre-Margret Thatcher PM term, and the echoing of rape at the end of the song gives it a really poignant ending. Ex-Lion Tamer critiquing almost mindless zombies watching TV is really interesting ; this idea that machines that we enjoy becoming a part of us is such an interesting discussion and it reminds me of one of my favorite movies “ Videodrome”. Brazil such a short song but I think it really captures war, and I love how much is Said in such limited amount of time. Surgeons Girl habit of going into shouting at each other which turns into gibberish for the audience is honestly just really cool to listen to , and you can see so many bands afterwards who adopted the same practice. Pink Flag I’m going to be honest I didn’t understand what it was specifically critiquing until I made an effort to look it up. Apparently it’s about the Soviet Reign which I think with that context it make the echoing questioning of “ How many dead or alive” so interesting. Mr. Suit takes a direct revolt to an oppressive force and address the limitations that the upper class intends to take on the band. I think why a lot of people tend to admire this song is the honesty it reveals ; there is this oppressive magnifying class extended on each of us. Strange details a problem that people refuse to see, which I’m willing to guess relates politics but I think how I imagine the song might not be the intended meaning. I imagine it more along the vein of a middle class kid being institutionalized for a mental issue yet I understand if it has more political implications of maybe a society not examining their social issues; either way it’s a great song and it reminded me a lot of the Talking Heads. The ending of Strange is really wonderful, though, regardless of intended meaning. Fragile and Mannequin both have elements that I would consider more poppy ( I have limited experience in discerning different albums) and are an interesting detour form the usual sound of the album. Champs I also felt was a criticism of war or maybe just macho masculinity; however, it’s possible I imposed that because my understanding that this is a punk album. I think it’s interesting though to see the “taste of champions…. The need to die “ is a cool concept of the emptiness of success in the eyes of the general public. 1 2 X U is a censored version of “ 1 2 Fuck U “ and the whole song is about gay sex in a bathroom; needless to say, it’s great. Today I learned that cottage ? Can be used as slang for gay sex in a toilet, which aren’t we alll gay sex in a bathroom. Overall, this albums influence on music is easy to see and it was wonderful to listen to it. My favs Ex-Lion Tamer Mr. Suit Strange Fragile 1 2 X U

Starts silence that gradually eases into an almost mystical technology start is so interesting. Thinkin About You is a summer song in the way that humidity acts on you. Summer allows for you to think longer about things such as relationships, but it leaves a sticky feeling on your skin. Thinkin about you is a reflection on how we'll never know how the ex people in our life felt. Fertilizer is a nice comic relief and has a really happy instrumental, and interestingly it echoes the start of the album. Sierra Leone echoing conversation creates a storytelling effect that’s hard to replicate ; how Sierra Leone shifts into a representation of love for his hometown is a unique comparison. When you hear about hometowns you usually hear about wanting to run away , while Sierra Leone skies serve as a representation of home he feels who Ike having sex with his girlfriend. In the album you also hear about the metamorphosis he undergoes as he acts as an irresponsible teenager to a mature older man. Sweet Life is a surprising call to action and a call out of the wealthy. He describes a sheltered life that the wealthy live in , one that hones in on the fruits of their vine. One of the most poignant lines of the song is “ So why see the world, when you can see the beach?” Showing that the direct people of the song are sheltered away. Not Just Money switches the perspective of money , showing the heartache that money can cause while also simultaneously the stability it can lead to. Super rich kids talk about the carelessness of kids when they have economic resources to be careless. Though he highlights how the kids will never be fulfilled because there are some things that money can just not buy. Pilot Jones talks about the youthfulness of love and first love while comparing it to drugs. Crack Rock also discusses drugs but it shifts it to an empathetic understanding of a crack addict ; while also describing the effects of the crack addicts addiction on other people. Pyramids immediately shift into a whole different universe and have a more disconnected feeling. The song feels so hypnotizing as Ocean details the fall from grace of two doomed lovers , Marc Antony and Cleopatra into a modern couple. With pyramids the common motif is throughout it. Lost details a drug dealer always needing his girlfriend , his drug mule, to complete one last deal. And it’s a really beautiful song. White is a little instrumental track that is another song called the same things. Monks has such vivid imagery that really captivates you the whole song and I just really love this song. Bad religion talks about the almost worship that comes from loving another person unrequited. Pink Matter is a great song that laments his love for another person that turns blue as the song goes on. Frank Ocean talks about having sex with her by fully immersing himself in her, and by doing so he commits a worship towards her . Forest Gump pays reference to the film and crosses film to the feeling of first love. It creates a really beautiful portrait of devotion from a distance. End closes the album by cross referencing and creating a beautiful tapestry of different styles of art. The lyrics “ Our daughters and our sons are staples of the sun” is really magnetic. This album was a really great listen and definitely a staple of modern music. Favs Monks Pink Matter Bad Religon Forest Gump

Favs - Luck of Lucien - Footprints Such a cool use of Stevie wonder - Can I Kick It This album has such a cool sampling style - Youthful Expression Really love the lyrics - Description of a Fool you gotta love a song by a man critiquing male violence Apparently this album was ranked as one of the least danceable albums by Rolling Stone, and I honestly can’t disagree more. Really great album and such an impressive testament to Q-Tips lyricism and his abilities as a producer.