Questo è il bootleg più conosciuto dei Led Zeppelin, uno dei primissimi bootleg, pubblicato già poche settimane dopo il relativo concerto e registrato al Forum di Los Angeles il 4 settembre 1970. La qualità sonora è davvero buona considerando che si tratta di una registrazione ripresa tra il pubblico.
I Led Zeppelin del 1970 erano in forma smagliante, erano delle macchine da concerto e non fallivano un colpo, il terzo album non era ancora uscito, ma già loro si permettevano un tour nelle grandi arene statunitensi. La sequenza dei brani lascia senza fiato: "Immigrant Song " e "Heartbreaker" aprono il concerto veloci e potenti, "Dazed And Confused" viaggia sul quarto d'ora e include l'assolo con l'archetto, "Bring It On Home" ci presenta un intermezzo tutto nuovo con dei fenomenali botta e risposta fra Bonham e Page. Si rifiata col set acustico con le tranquille "That's The Way" e "Bron-Yr-Aur", suonata in questo tour ma pubblicata poi solo su "Physychal Graffiti".
Con John Paul Jones all'organo si passa a "Since I've Been Loving You" e "Thank You", dove Jimmy Page sfodera uno splendido assolo. Ma che dico? E' inutile stare ad elogiare un brano o un altro, perchè qui il livello esecutivo si mantiene altissimo per tutta la durata del disco. E' il momento del lungo assolo di Bonzo con "Moby Dick", quindi "Whole Lotta Love" che ci offre il consueto medley di classici del rock'n'roll e che chiude il concerto nell'ovazione del Forum.
Tre i bis della serata: "Communication Breakdown" che include l'esecuzione integrale di "For What It's Worth" dei Buffalo Springfield (ma in una strofa Plant canta "I Saw Her Standing There"!), quindi due brani eseguiti solo in questo tour: "Out On The Tiles", e la cover di Fats Domino "Blueberry Hill", e che pongono un elettrizzante fine ad un concerto imperdibile.
Per chi ama i primi Led Zeppelin, questo e' un disco da sentire assolutamente. Esistono varie versioni di questo bootleg, di cui diverse con ordine dei brani sparso. Io vi ho recensito l'album seguendo la sequenza originale del concerto.
Elenco tracce e testi
01 Immigrant Song (03:23)
Ah, ah,
We come from the land of the ice and snow,
From the midnight sun where the hot springs flow.
The hammer of the gods will drive our ships to new lands,
To fight the horde, singing and crying: Valhalla, I am coming!
On we sweep with threshing oar, Our only goal will be the western shore.
Ah, ah,
We come from the land of the ice and snow,
From the midnight sun where the hot springs blow.
How soft your fields so green, can whisper tales of gore,
Of how we calmed the tides of war. We are your overlords.
On we sweep with threshing oar, Our only goal will be the western shore.
So now you'd better stop and rebuild all your ruins,
For peace and trust can win the day despite of all your losing.
02 Heartbreaker (06:31)
Hey fellas, have you heard the news?
You know that Annie's back in town?
It won't take long, just watch and see
All the fellas lay their money down
Her style is new, but the face the same
As it was so long ago
But from her eyes, a different smile
Like that of one who knows
Well, it's been ten years and maybe more
Since I first set eyes on you
The best years of my life gone by
Here I am alone and blue
Some people cry and some people die
By the wicked ways of love
But I'll just keep on rollin' along
With the grace of the Lord above
People talkin' all around
'Bout the way you left me flat
I don't care what the people say
I know where their jive is at
One thing I do have on my mind
If you can clarify, please do
It's the way you call me another guy's name
When I try to make love to you
I try to make love, but it ain't no use
Give it to me, give it
Work so hard, I can't unwind
Get some money saved
Abuse my love a thousand times
However hard I tried
Heartbreaker, your time has come
Can't take your evil ways
Go away, heartbreaker
Heartbreaker, heartbreaker, heart!
03 Dazed and Confused (16:48)
Been dazed and confused for so long it's not true
Wanted a woman, never bargained for you
Lots of people talk and few of them know
Soul of a woman was created below, yeah
You hurt and abuse tellin' all of your lies
Run 'round sweet baby, Lord how they hypnotize
Sweet little baby, I don't know where you've been
Gonna love you baby, here I come again
Every day I work so hard, bringin' home my hard earned pay
Try to love you baby, but you push me away
Don't know where you're goin', only know just where you've been
Sweet little baby, I want you again
Ah ahh...
Oh yeah, alright
I don't want your lovin' this time yeah
Oh don't leave me so confused, ah
Ohh baby
Been dazed and confused for so long it's not true
Wanted a woman, never bargained for you
Take it easy baby, let them say what they will
Tongue wag so much when I send you the bill?
Oh yeah, alright
Oh oh...
06 Communication Breakdown (10:16)
Hey, girl, stop what you're doin'
Hey, girl, you'll drive me to ruin
I don't know what it is that I like about you, but I like it a lot
Oh, won't you let me hold you, let me feel your lovin' touch
Communication breakdown
It's always the same
Havin' a nervous breakdown
Drive me insane
Hey, babe, I got something I think you ought to know
Hey, babe, I wanna tell you that I love you so
I wanna hold you in my arms, yeah
I'm never gonna let you go, 'cause I like your charms
Communication breakdown
It's always the same
Havin' a nervous breakdown
Drive me insane
Oh suck it!
Communication breakdown
It's always the same
Havin' a nervous breakdown
A-drive me insane, yeah
Communication breakdown (Yeah, I want you to love me all night, I want you to know that)
Communication breakdown (I want, hey, I want, oh)
Communication breakdown (I want you to love me, I want you to love me babe)
Communication breakdown (I want you to love, yeah, I want you to love)
Communication breakdown (Hey, I want you to love yeah)
07 That's the Way (07:06)
I don't know how I'm gonna tell you
I can't play with you no more
I don't know how I'm gonna do what mama told me
My friend, the boy next door
I can't believe what people saying
You're gonna let your hair hang down
I'm satisfied to sit here working all day long
You're in the darker side of town
And when I'm out I see you walking
Why don't your eyes see me?
Could it be you've found another game to play?
What did mama say to me?
That's the way, oh, that's the way it oughta be, yeah yeah
Mama say that's the way it oughta stay, yeah yeah
And yesterday I saw you standing by the river
And weren't those tears that filled your eyes?
And all the fish that lay in dirty water dying
Had they got you hypnotized?
And yesterday I saw you kissing tiny flowers
But all that lives is born to die
And so I say to you that nothing really matters
And all you do is stand and cry
I don't know what to say about it
When all your ears have turned away
But now's the time to look and look again at what you see
Is that the way it oughta stay?
That's the way, that's the way it oughta be, oh don't you know now
Mama said, mama said that's the way it's gonna stay, yeah
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