by chance: "The Rain Song"...

[Preston]

So the other night, Sunday to be precise, I was out at the place we have in the country, where we get far more channels then we do in the city, because of satellite television. Anyway, we were skimming through the channels, and we saw that one of the VH1 channels was playing a live Led Zeppelin concert, so we turned it to that.

I used to listen to Led Zeppelin quite a lot when I was younger, unfortunately I hadn't heard them in about 7 years, until we watched the live concert on VH1. While the concert was no Beethoven, as you all know, by no means was Led Zeppelin as precise with their feelings through music as Beethoven, the musicality does not compare, of course their music is nothing of the spirituality of the masterful classical, spiritual, composers, far from as profound, etc., etc... but yet I got to hear "The Rain Song" from their album, Houses of the Holy. I thought that it was quite beautiful, the guitar parts and scales blend so well and beautifully. It is a shame that I overlooked this song when I was younger, I would always listen to their more catchy tunes, unfortunately. Not that this song is not catchy, it is just different. This is my favorite song by them, I think.

So, I went out and bought the Houses of the Holy album, fortunately WalMart had it, I actually couldn't believe that they did!

While I couldn't find the song as played on the album on You Tube, I did find some good interpretations of it, one by a man playing by himself, and the other played by Led Zeppelin live. So here are the two links, that I just mentioned on You Tube:
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qU9HiwmcLWQ - The talented guitarist playing acoustic solo, with no singing.
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmc-eg78gTs - Led Zeppelin playing The Rain Song live, not the best sound, but still quite enjoyable, at least to me.

I do hope that at least someone will respond to this post. If you like the song, please let me know? Thanks.

[PDG]

Hi Preston.

Hey, did someone mention Led Zeppelin?! The Rain Song is an all-time classic and big favourite of mine with it's string arrangement and 'weeping' chord structure. Suggesting a favourite, most people latch onto Stairway To Heaven (Led Zep IV), but there is so much other melodic, Rock-Riffing magic to be found (especially after their first two albums, which are still both classics anyway).

Glad the song touched you. You could do worse than invest in their complete albums set. Heavy, hedonistic, bare-knuckle rock and roll, but never obscene, vulgar or nasty. Led Zep rule!

Yeah, man...

[Preston]

Thanks for the reply PDG. Yeah, it does seem that most people go for Stairway to Heaven, but The Rain Song is definitely a gem, I do like it more than Stairway to Heaven. Learned how to play Stairway on guitar, when I was young, now I'd like to learn how to play The Rain Song, although I think it might be out of my league, .

I agree that their later material was more, um, musical. You are right that their first albums are classics, at least it seems to me, don't know to much on them.

I didn't know that they had a complete works set out, I will definitely have to get it, although it probably has a high price on it? I used to have a set, don't know if it was the complete works, with a big Zeppelin over a wheat field, is that it?

[PDG]

Hi Preston.
No, sorry I didn't mean the Re-Mastered box set you allude to. I meant the actual individual, original album collection. Maybe you have them already, there are of course just 8 to collect...

[Joy]

Robert Plant won 5 awards last night at the grammy music award ceremony for his new CD with Alison Krauss 'Raising Sand'. He said, 'I'm bewildered, but it's a good way to spend a Sunday.'

[Preston]

Robert Plant won 5 awards last night at the grammy music award ceremony for his new CD with Alison Krauss 'Raising Sand'. He said, 'I'm bewildered, but it's a good way to spend a Sunday.'

Watched that and am glad that they won, every one they did, !

Hi Preston.
No, sorry I didn't mean the Re-Mastered box set you allude to. I meant the actual individual, original album collection. Maybe you have them already, there are of course just 8 to collect...

Oh I see what you are saying. I used to have a pretty fair amount of Led Zeppelin albums, don't really know where there went though, .

Yes, I would really like to get some of their late albums.

PDG, do you like Pink Floyd's album, "The Wall"? Have you seen the movie? They are both phenomenal, I think.

[Megan]

How gentle is the rian, aka Minuet in G, J.S.Bach

My music teacher recently gave the music to J.S.Bach's lovely Minuet in G. I also remember it sung by the Supremes as pop song in the 60's.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqCprFlP5Jo

[Joy]

That's a very nice melody and fun to play too! "A Lover's Concerto" was a pop song written by American songwriters, Sandy Linzer and Denny Randell, and recorded in 1965 by The Toys. Their version of the song was a major hit in both the United States and the UK during 1965. It peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 chart at number two.

Linzer and Randell based the melody on the familiar "Minuet in G major" from J.S. Bach's Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach. One key difference is that the "Minuet in G major" is written in 3/4 time, whereas "A Lover's Concerto" is arranged in 4/4 time. Although often attributed to Bach himself, the "Minuet in G major" is now believed to have been written by Christian Petzold perhaps.

[Megan]

That is interesting Joy, thank you.

[Preston]

PDG, do you like Pink Floyd's album, "The Wall"? Have you seen the movie? They are both phenomenal, I think.

PDG, no comment?

[PDG]

Sorry, Preston. The Wall seemed a bit pretentious to me. To show you how far away I am from that particular 1979 concept, I'd say that the first Floyd album - Piper at the Gates of Dawn - is one of the 20 greatest rock albums ever. Do you know this album?

[Preston]

I have heard a few songs from Piper at the Gates of Dawn, through Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd. I can see how it could be influential.

I do like The Wall, though. Do you know what it is about? I mean they did such a good job on it. With things like the orchestral instruments, good effects, the guitars, and the story, etc., it was really put together well, I think. I mean sure, Roger went on an ego trip, but came out with some sublime music. He had always been the primary song writer after Syd. I think that he knew he had to get some serious music down, and that he definitely needed Pink Floyd to do it. If you haven't seen the movie I really suggest that you buy it and watch it on a TV instead of on Youtube or something. One of my favorite parts of the album, is the violin slide in Vera, towards the end. It is so deep and moving.