# Led Zep: Zoso? Zofo? Zep IV? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 19, 2003, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/led-zep-zoso-zofo-zep-iv/196108 "2003-08-19T02:20:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2003, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/led-zep-zoso-zofo-zep-iv/196108/1 "2003-08-19T02:20:50Z")
Zeppelin fans… What do you call this Led Zeppelin album, and does Zoso (or Zofo?) have any meaning? Did they ever disclose what this means, such as a running joke within the band, perhaps? - Jinx ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2003, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/led-zep-zoso-zofo-zep-iv/196108/2 "2003-08-19T02:53:57Z")
Ask and ye shall receive (kinda, the answer is far from definitive). A staff report on **Zoso** (though I just call it “4”) can be found [here](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mledzeppelin.html) > [@](#): > > Page designed his own symbol (Zoso). Though it resembles the alchemical symbol for mercury, its meaning remains a mystery. The most recent fandom theory is that it symbolizes a near-death or Tantric sex experience to unify the worlds of the living and the dead, and thus to reveal the secrets of the universe. > > In the words of the immortal Keanu Reeves: Whoa. > > Page’s only public comment on his symbol came during a November 1994 appearance on “Denton” with Plant. At the end of their interview a member of the studio audience yelled “What’s your symbol mean, Jimmy?” After some confusion as to what was being yelled, understanding dawned on Page’s face and he replied simply “Frying tonight.” > > Which makes sense if the secrets of the universe have to do with burnt crunchy bits. I especially like how Plant calls Jimmy Page “Pagey.” How cute is that? ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2003, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/led-zep-zoso-zofo-zep-iv/196108/3 "2003-08-19T03:11:39Z")
The album has no name. ---
**Author:** ![Anniee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@Anniee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anniee)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2003, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/led-zep-zoso-zofo-zep-iv/196108/4 "2003-08-19T03:35:01Z")
I have read Hammer of the Gods (fascinating; read it sometime); and in fact I used to in the early 80s put all the members’ symbols (there is Zoso for Page, Plant has one that is a double ring with a stalk of wheat bent at the top inside it, Bonzo’s and Jones’ symbols are sort of like spirograph designs) on my letters and such. LOL; yes I was a fan in the true meaning of the word - fanatic. Anyway, the album has no title (it’s all in the book! lol). The symbols have led it to be called “Runes” at times. But in general I just call it Zeppelin 4. Because you have to say something lol. BTW has anyone seen the new DVD called Led Zeppelin? Came out the same time as How the West Was Won and DAM the second disk is AWESOME. So is the extra stuff. LOVE IT!!! ---
**Author:** ![Necromancer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ac91a4/32.png) [@Necromancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Necromancer)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2003, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/led-zep-zoso-zofo-zep-iv/196108/5 "2003-08-19T08:15:58Z")
**Anniee** , I read that book quite a while ago and I found it very interesting too. As for the album, I’ve always called it Led Zep 4. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2003, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/led-zep-zoso-zofo-zep-iv/196108/6 "2003-08-19T13:26:24Z")
As other posters have said, officially the album has no title - I believe I read in _Hammer of the Gods_ that the band saw this as a statement of just how big they were - “we don’t even have to name the album!”. Also, to my knowledge, Page hasn’t told anyone what his “rune” means. Plant has said (where did I read this?) that at one point, Page told him, but Plant simply can’t remember what Page said, and now Page won’t answer the question… ---
**Author:** ![Brad\_Pittiful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b3f665/32.png) [@Brad\_Pittiful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brad_Pittiful)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2003, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/led-zep-zoso-zofo-zep-iv/196108/7 "2003-08-19T17:19:44Z")
[demone]When it comes down to making out, whenever possible, put on side one of Led Zeppelin IV[/demone] ---
**Author:** ![BCE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2acd7d/32.png) [@BCE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BCE)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2003, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/led-zep-zoso-zofo-zep-iv/196108/8 "2003-08-19T19:11:58Z")
[Kashmir] Da-da-dum, da-da-dummm, da-da-dum, da-da-dummm, naah-naah-naah, nah nah-nah-nah[/kashmir] ---
**Author:** ![David\_Plankton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dfb087/32.png) [@David\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2003, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/led-zep-zoso-zofo-zep-iv/196108/9 "2003-08-19T20:58:58Z")
its either 4 or 4 symbols ---
**Author:** ![Kivick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/65b543/32.png) [@Kivick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kivick)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2003, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/led-zep-zoso-zofo-zep-iv/196108/10 "2003-08-19T22:57:30Z")
From Cat Fight’s cite:[here](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mledzeppelin.html) > [@](#): > > Jimmy Page says it means “Frying tonight” > [@](#): > > “You may not believe this,” says Plant, “but Pagey once took me aside and said ‘Look, I’m going to tell you the meaning of this once, and then I shan’t ever mention it again–or at least, not for a long, long time anyway.’ And would you believe that I have since forgotten what it was, and now Pagey won’t tell me.” Seems all too simple, it was an early version of 420 code and since Robert “partakes” he has succumbed to the effects of it as well. ---
**Author:** ![minty\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@minty\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minty_green)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2003, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/led-zep-zoso-zofo-zep-iv/196108/11 "2003-08-20T00:37:01Z")
It’s a pictogram of a guy with glasses smoking a pipe. Seriously. ---
**Author:** ![if6was9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2003, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/led-zep-zoso-zofo-zep-iv/196108/12 "2003-08-20T00:48:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Necromancer \* > \*\ ***Anniee** , I read that book quite a while ago and I found it very interesting too. > As for the album, I’ve always called it Led Zep 4. \*\* Exactly! Me too, on both points. Thought the book was a fascinating insight! (“No One Here Gets Out Alive” too!) ---
**Author:** ![verbenabeast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c4cdca/32.png) [@verbenabeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/verbenabeast)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2003, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/led-zep-zoso-zofo-zep-iv/196108/13 "2003-08-20T01:09:48Z")
DJ’s usually call it “4”… mainly 'cause the preceding 3 are Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin II, and Led Zeppelin III… so four would be logical… but on to the Demone thing… didja ever notice that he told him to put on Zeppelin 4… and what he actually put on was “Physical Graffiti”? ---
**Author:** ![soulmurk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@soulmurk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/soulmurk)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2003, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/led-zep-zoso-zofo-zep-iv/196108/14 "2003-08-20T08:27:06Z")
I always called it “Zeppelin 4.” The symbols (based on what I remember from “Hammer of the Gods” and other sources I’m probably entangling together) were chosen by each band member based on nothing more than personal preference (I seem to recall them being Celtic in origin, but that may be way off). Page in particular had a fascination with the occult and Aleister Crowley and it was at his behest that they did it. I’m not sure what the meanings are, just that each symbol represents a different member of the band. IIRC, they didn’t name the 4th album as a sort of experiment. They were so big at the time that they likely could have recorded someone vomiting for 45 minutes and it would’ve gone platinum if it had the Zeppelin name stamped on it. They wanted to see if they could sell records without relying on the name brand. They used the symbols to avoid a blank cover I guess. ---
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2017, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/led-zep-zoso-zofo-zep-iv/196108/15 "2017-01-15T18:58:40Z")
Whew - old thread, I guess. But now there’s an additional answer to the question. Zofo does, indeed, mean something. It’s the name of a (fabulous) piano duet. I recommend that if you’re interested, and that’s not terribly likely considering this thread was originally about Led Zeppelin, you give a listen. It’s essentially classical music, but for those who like that music, it’s remarkable stuff.