Down by the Seaside

Last updated
"Down by the Seaside"
Song by Led Zeppelin
from the album Physical Graffiti
Released24 February 1975 (1975-02-24)
RecordedFebruary 1971 [1]
Studio Island Studios, London (Studio One) [1]
Genre Country rock [2]
Length5:16
Label Swan Song
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Jimmy Page

"Down by the Seaside" is a ballad by English rock band Led Zeppelin from their 1975 album Physical Graffiti .

Contents

Overview

The song was written as an acoustic piece by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant at Bron-Yr-Aur, the cottage in Wales where they went after their 1970 concert tours of North America. [3] [4] It was recorded in 1971 as an electric arrangement, intended for release on Led Zeppelin IV , but was held over and eventually placed on Physical Graffiti to complete the double album.

It has been speculated by fanzine writer Dave Lewis that the song was influenced by Neil Young. [4] The song alternates between soft and hard-rocking sections and changes in tempo, with the lighter sections employing a tremolo effect on the guitar, or possibly by running it through a Leslie speaker, to give an 'underwater talking' feel. John Paul Jones plays a Hohner "Electra-Piano" electric piano on the track. "Down by the Seaside" was never performed live at Led Zeppelin concerts. [4]

Plant later recorded "Down by the Seaside" as a duet with Tori Amos for the 1995 Led Zeppelin tribute album Encomium .

Reception

Ultimate Classic Rock writer Michael Gallucci ranked "Down by the Seaside" at number 66 (out of 92) on their list of every Led Zeppelin song ranked. [5] Another UCR writer, Eduardo Rivadavia, ranked the song the ninth best on the album, calling it a "wistful fantasy awash in trembling guitars and bluesy electric piano breakdowns." [6]

Spin ranked the song at number 53 on their list of every Led Zeppelin song ranked, writing that "amidst the epic brutality of much of Graffiti, it's a highly welcome respite." [7]

Personnel

According to Jean-Michel Guesdon and Philippe Margotin: [1]

Cover versions

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Misty Mountain Hop</span> 1971 song by Led Zeppelin

"Misty Mountain Hop" is a song by English rock band Led Zeppelin that was released in 1971 by Atlantic Records. The song appears on the band's untitled fourth album, and was released as the B-side to the single "Black Dog" and performed in most of the band's 1972 and 1973 concert tours. In 2019, Rolling Stone ranked the song number 10 on its list of the 40 greatest Led Zeppelin songs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trampled Under Foot</span> 1975 single by Led Zeppelin

"Trampled Under Foot" is a song by English rock group Led Zeppelin. A funk-influenced piece with John Paul Jones on clavinet, it was included on their 1975 album Physical Graffiti. The song was released as a single in several countries and was frequently performed in concert.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Living Loving Maid (She's Just a Woman)</span> 1969 single by Led Zeppelin

"Living Loving Maid (She's Just a Woman)" is a song by English rock band Led Zeppelin from their album Led Zeppelin II, released in 1969. It was also released as a single in Japan and as the B-side of the single "Whole Lotta Love" in the United States.

"Your Time Is Gonna Come" is a song by English rock band Led Zeppelin, released on their 1969 debut album Led Zeppelin. The lyrics concern an unfaithful woman whom the singer claims will pay the price for her deceitful ways.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Four Sticks</span> 1972 single by Led Zeppelin

"Four Sticks" is a song by the English rock band Led Zeppelin from their untitled fourth album. The title reflects drummer John Bonham's performance with two sets of two drumsticks, totaling four.

"No Quarter" is a song by English rock band Led Zeppelin that appears on their 1973 album Houses of the Holy. It was written by John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page, and Robert Plant. The song became a centerpiece at all Led Zeppelin concerts thereafter, until their final tour. It appears in both the film versions and both live album versions of The Song Remains the Same, released in 1976 and expanded in 2007. It appeared once more in 1994 on Page and Plant's reunion album as the title track. It also appears on Led Zeppelin's 2012 live album Celebration Day, which documented their 2007 reunion performance at the O2 Arena in London. It was re-released on the deluxe edition of Houses of the Holy.

"Black Mountain Side" is an instrumental by the English rock band Led Zeppelin, adapted, without credit, from Bert Jansch's original arrangement of the traditional Irish folk song "Down by Blackwaterside". It was recorded in October 1968 at Olympic Studios in London, and is included on the group's 1969 debut album Led Zeppelin.

"The Rover" is a song by English rock band Led Zeppelin written by guitarist Jimmy Page and singer Robert Plant. Although mostly recorded years earlier, it was released on the group's 1975 double album, Physical Graffiti.

"What Is and What Should Never Be" is a song by English rock band Led Zeppelin. It was written by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant and was included as the second track on Led Zeppelin II (1969).

"In the Light" is a song by English rock band Led Zeppelin from their 1975 album Physical Graffiti. The song was composed primarily by bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones on synthesizer, though singer Robert Plant and guitarist Jimmy Page also received songwriting credits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dancing Days</span> 1973 single by Led Zeppelin

"Dancing Days" is a song by English rock band Led Zeppelin. It appears on their 1973 album, Houses of the Holy, and was released as a single in the US. It was recorded at Stargroves, England in 1972. It was inspired by an Indian tune that Jimmy Page and Robert Plant heard while traveling in Bombay. This was the first track from the album to be offered for radio play by Atlantic Records. It was premiered on 24 March 1973 on the BBC Radio One Rosko lunch time show.

"All My Love" is the sixth song on Led Zeppelin's 1979 album In Through the Out Door. Credited to Robert Plant and John Paul Jones, it is a rock ballad that features a synthesizer solo by Jones. It was written in honour of Plant's son Karac, who died while Led Zeppelin were on their 1977 North American tour.

"That's the Way" is a folk rock ballad by English rock band Led Zeppelin from their third album, Led Zeppelin III, released in 1970. As with several of the tracks on the album, it is an acoustic song.

"Sick Again" is a song by English rock band Led Zeppelin from their 1975 album Physical Graffiti. It was written by singer Robert Plant. The song is about a group of teen groupies, which Plant referred to as "L.A. Queens", with whom the band were acquainted on their 1973 US Tour.

"Houses of the Holy" is a song by English rock band Led Zeppelin from their 1975 sixth album Physical Graffiti. The name of the song was used as the title of the band's fifth album, although it was not included on that album; they decided the song did not fit well with the other album material, so it was moved to the subsequent release.

"The Wanton Song" is a song by English rock band Led Zeppelin from their sixth studio album, 1975's Physical Graffiti. It was developed from a jam session during rehearsals.

"Custard Pie" is the opening track on the English rock band Led Zeppelin's sixth album, Physical Graffiti, released in 1975.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Candy Store Rock</span> 1976 single by Led Zeppelin

"Candy Store Rock" is a song by English rock band Led Zeppelin, released in 1976 on their album Presence. It was also released as a single in the United States, but it did not chart.

"In the Evening" is the first song on Led Zeppelin's 1979 album In Through the Out Door. Guitarist Jimmy Page uses a Gizmotron to create the droning effects and sliding solo at the beginning of the song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baby Come On Home</span> 1993 single by Led Zeppelin

"Baby Come On Home" is a soul song by English rock band Led Zeppelin. It was recorded during sessions for the band's debut album but remained unreleased until 1993, when it was included on the compilation Boxed Set 2. The song was also included as a bonus track on some CD editions of the band's ninth studio album Coda as included in The Complete Studio Recordings (1993) and Definitive Collection Mini LP Replica CD Boxset (2008). In 2015, the song was included on disc one of the two companion discs of the reissue of Coda.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Jean-Michel Guesdon; Philippe Margotin (2018). Led Zeppelin All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track. Running Press. p. 406. ISBN   978-0-316-448-67-3.
  2. Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Physical Graffiti – Album Review". AllMusic . Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  3. Phil Sutcliffe (2003). "Back to Nature". Q Magazine Special Led Zeppelin edition: 34.
  4. 1 2 3 Dave Lewis (1994). The Complete Guide to the Music of Led Zeppelin. Omnibus Press. ISBN   0-7119-3528-9.
  5. Michael Gallucci. "All 92 Led Zeppelin Songs Ranked Worst to Best". ultimateclassicrock.com. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
  6. Eduardo Rivadavia. "Led Zeppelin's 'Physical Graffiti' Songs, Ranked Worst to Best". ultimateclassicrock.com. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
  7. Andrew Unterberger (29 September 2014). "All 87 Led Zeppelin Songs, Ranked". Spin . Retrieved 8 March 2024.
Sources