Okay, first time listener. Tell me what's good RE: Led Zeppelin albums.

Cafe Society
1

Welcome to the first in what I hope will be a regular series in which I finally expand my musical knowhow and knowledge and experience.
Some background for those who care (for those who don’t, just answer the unspoiled part):

[spoiler]I was born in 1979. Growing up, my mom listened to nothing but oldies, so I know a huge amount of songs from the 50s and 60s. The kind they’d play on oldies stations, pretty much.

Age 10, my parents divorced and I lived with my dad until age 21. He listened to classic rock, however 1. The only times he listened to music was while driving, in the car…so since I didn’t travel with him often places, I rarely was exposed to this genre. And so 2. I grew up not really ever learning about or hearing classic rock much.

Now during my high school years, it was the opposite. I was going to Jr High and High School most of the 90s, and I’d listen to A LOT of music then. So around 1990 on,…I became well versed in music again.

But a lot of bands from that “missing” era…late 60s to early 80s…I never really listened to all that much. AC/DC, Pink Floyd,
Jethro Tull, Steely Dan, REO Speedwagon, Supertramp, Rush, Led Zeppelin, Van Halen, Chicago, Fleetwood Mac, The Who, hundreds of others…I wasn’t ever really exposed to them. I was surprised to learn I actually knew two Led Zeppelin songs in this topic, for I had never known the names of those songs nor the band who sung them. And that’s just with Led Zeppelin. There are bands out there that–as far as I know–I have never heard one song by. Or, if I have, I don’t know it’s them or know the name of the song.

So help me out here. I’m willing to expand my horizons and learn. I’m willing to explore bands that–to you, are well known and you know all the songs to–but to me, they will be brand new for, as hard as it might be to believe. Rush? I see that band named all the time on this board. It’s got like CULT STATUS on this board. Yet, as far as I know, I have never heard one Rush song.
I don’t know any. It’s time to change all this.

Over the course of the next few months, I will make a topic asking for recommendations and suggestions of songs–nay,
even ENTIRE ALBUMS–to start with and listen to.[/spoiler]

This first time, I’m going to start with Led Zeppelin.

Stuff I already know:
I know Stairway To Heaven, and (as I learned earlier), Kashmir and Black Dog. Beyond that, I don’t think I know one LZ song.
What are some good ones? What are, like, some songs by them that you’d think is MANDATORY for everyone to listen to at least once? What are the best of the best regarding them? What would you strongly suggest I–a first time listener of LZ–start with and listen to fully?
I’m about to play an hour or two of poker, much like I do every day around this time. As I do, I’m going to put on the tunes suggested and listen to them. Give me full, entire albums to listen to…and I will. List, IN YOUR OPINION, Led Zeppelin’s two or three BEST, MUST LISTEN TO, MUST EXPERIENCE albums and I will listen to them all as I play Texas Hold 'Em (starting in about an hour).
So, TL;DR version: I’ve never heard anything but two-three Led Zeppelin songs. Recommend me three albums a first time listener MUST listen to, in your opinion. Give me the albums that you think are the best of the best that LZ has.

2

*Mike Damone: First of all Rat, you never let on how much you like a girl. “Oh, Debbie. Hi.” Two, you always call the shots. “Kiss me. You won’t regret it.” Now three, act like wherever you are, that’s the place to be. “Isn’t this great?” Four, when ordering food, you find out what she wants, then order for the both of you. It’s a classy move. “Now, the lady will have the linguini and white clam sauce, and a Coke with no ice.” And five, now this is the most important, Rat. When it comes down to making out, whenever possible, put on side one of Led Zeppelin IV. *

-Cameron Crowe, Fast Times At Ridgemont High

3

Led Zep, Led Zep II, Led Zep III, Led Zep IV

OK, that’s four, not the three you asked for, but this isn’t a smartarse answer. Their back catalogue isn’t all that deep really. I’d drop Led Zep III if you really only want three.

The next two albums are good too.

4

2 and 4, but especially 4.

5

Yeah. I’d say IV, I, and III, if I had to pick only three.

6

Easy answer…listen to these:
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin II
Led Zeppelin III

That’s about 2 hours and 10 minutes worth. You’ll know after that whether you like them or not.

7

[QUOTE=spin.com]
Why “Over the Hills”? It’s not the band’s best-known song or biggest hit. It’s not the band’s most rocking or prettiest song. It’s probably not the first song that anyone thinks of when they think of Led Zeppelin. But it is the song that best demonstrates just about everything the band does well: the unforgettable and impossible-to-pin-down opening riff, the life-affirming transition from acoustic to electric, the constant switches in tone and dynamic, the piercing solo with double-tracked climax, the impeccable interplay of guitar, bass, and drum, the inimitable Plant shrieking, the gorgeous coda, even the super-oblique title… it’s Zep through and through, checking all of the boxes and kicking your ass while doing so.
[/QUOTE]

houses of the holy!

mc

8

Actually, I might have to swap II for I there. It’s tough to pick.

9

I’ll just listen to albums I through IV.

Looks like that’s already, pretty much, the majority.

10

but then rat puts on kashmir off physical graffiti!

mc

11

If you are listening to Led Zeppelin, you should stop now. Put some Mozart in your ears instead. Sonny Rollins is another good alternative.

12

i have all three in my collection! no need for one or the other!

mc

13

II, IV and Houses of the Holy.

14

Oh, how’s the from-the-start Doctor Who watch going?

And all the films that people went out of their way to recommend to you?

15

Yeah, I could go with that answer, too. I like leaving III on the list, because it’s a bit different than the work that came before, but it’s a shame to leave Houses of the Holy off. Basically, you can’t go wrong with any of the first six albums. As cliche as it is, IV is the Zep album that must appear on any Zep top three list, but the other two will vary as to my mood.

16

Ah, but this works, too. :slight_smile:

17

Slowly, but I’m still doing it.

Slowly, but I’m still doing it.

18

“Hey, hey, hey. I’m the kind of person who denigrates someone else’s taste. Right out of the blue, unasked, because I’m actually kind of a prick!”, said the former moderator, out loud.

19

Post updates then! :smiley:

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I will when I get enough behind my belt so it’s not just an update of one or two. : p Heh.