# thoughts on the 4 symbols used by members of Led-Zeppelin? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 17, 2000, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-on-the-4-symbols-used-by-members-of-led-zeppelin/45963 "2000-12-17T01:28:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Arcain\_Norcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Arcain\_Norcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arcain_Norcon)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2000, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-on-the-4-symbols-used-by-members-of-led-zeppelin/45963/1 "2000-12-17T01:28:40Z")
I thought it would be fun to hear what you my friends think these symbols mean if anything at all. Thanx for your time. “There is no spoon…” ---
**Author:** ![Kilgore\_Trout\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6de8d8/32.png) [@Kilgore\_Trout\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilgore_Trout_1)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2000, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-on-the-4-symbols-used-by-members-of-led-zeppelin/45963/2 "2000-12-17T02:01:34Z")
wrong forum if you want opinions. as for the answer… robert plant’s feather - peace john bonham’s three rings - unity john paul jones’ thing - self-confidence jimmy page’s thing - only he knows, apparently\ ---
**Author:** ![Arcain\_Norcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Arcain\_Norcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arcain_Norcon)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2000, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-on-the-4-symbols-used-by-members-of-led-zeppelin/45963/3 "2000-12-17T02:47:26Z")
you got the jist of it. you replied. those were my intentions. your time is appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![Oblong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/c0e974/32.png) [@Oblong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oblong)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2000, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-on-the-4-symbols-used-by-members-of-led-zeppelin/45963/4 "2000-12-17T03:35:54Z")
Robert Plant said that Jimmy Page told him what his symbol meant but he forgot. I honestly am afraid to find out. ---
**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:** [December 17, 2000, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-on-the-4-symbols-used-by-members-of-led-zeppelin/45963/5 "2000-12-17T04:23:40Z")
Pagey’s “Zoso” thing is regarded by a fair number of fans as a visual joke. Once you notice that it looks a lot like a face smoking a pipe, it’s hard to see it as anything else. [The Z is smoke, coming off the end of the underline/pipe.] ---
**Author:** ![Arcain\_Norcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Arcain\_Norcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arcain_Norcon)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2000, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-on-the-4-symbols-used-by-members-of-led-zeppelin/45963/6 "2000-12-17T05:11:47Z")
Kool minty green thats the first time Ive heard that. Your right. Its clear as a bell.(By the way what does that saying mean?) thanx alot ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2000, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-on-the-4-symbols-used-by-members-of-led-zeppelin/45963/7 "2000-12-17T06:00:18Z")
I always assumed the feather represented a quill pen… which in turn, represented Robert Plant’s poetic aspirations. Not that a guy who howled “squeeze my lemon til the juice runs down my leg” deserves much respect as a writer or poet! ---
**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:** [December 17, 2000, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-on-the-4-symbols-used-by-members-of-led-zeppelin/45963/8 "2000-12-17T21:04:37Z")
Never heard that “Zoso” meant anything in particular, although I’m sure people have all kinds of Alister Crowley/black magic explanations. Personally, I think the pictogram is all there is to it. As for “Squeeze my lemon”: Plant didn’t even write it. It’s a Robert Johnson lyric, from “Traveling Riverside Blues” if I remember correctly. ---
**Author:** ![Oblong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/c0e974/32.png) [@Oblong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oblong)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2000, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-on-the-4-symbols-used-by-members-of-led-zeppelin/45963/9 "2000-12-17T21:42:20Z")
Just as poetic and brilliant as “Why don’t we do it in the road” What does John Paul Jones’ symbol mean? I’ve seen it in churches before. ---
**Author:** ![Homer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/df788c/32.png) [@Homer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homer)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-on-the-4-symbols-used-by-members-of-led-zeppelin/45963/10 "2000-12-18T00:23:49Z")
Can we get a link to pictures of these symbols? –Tim ---
**Author:** ![DAVEW0071](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e19b73/32.png) [@DAVEW0071](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DAVEW0071)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-on-the-4-symbols-used-by-members-of-led-zeppelin/45963/11 "2000-12-18T02:05:56Z")
I’m gonna email this to my brother. He was a rabid Led Zep fan in the 70s and 80s. He probably has knows this arcana for years, unless he’s managed to kill off the brain cells which stored that particular info. I’ll get back to ya. ---
**Author:** ![absoul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@absoul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/absoul)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-on-the-4-symbols-used-by-members-of-led-zeppelin/45963/12 "2000-12-18T09:01:16Z")
Here are some links for ya. [basic fan site](http://www.inthelight.co.nz/ledzep/zososymbol.htm) In [this](http://www.zepfans.com/articles/p-crchat.html) chat forum he is asked about his symbol: "Question: Hello Jimmy… I think everyone’s always wanted to know this one: Are you ever going to shed some light on your “zoso” symbol for the public? Thanks! Jimmy: NO, I can’t even pronounce it " [another basic site](http://members.tripod.com/~LZTorak/lz/symbols.html) [another basic site](http://www.runet.edu/~jdeturri/zep3.html) [final fan site](http://www.iem.ac.ru/zeppelin/docs/FAQ.html#13) …basically all these sites say Page told Plant at one time and he has since forgotten. Most theories revolve around “Zoso” stem from Page’s involvemnet with Aleister Crowly and black magic. How else did he get all of those Led Zeppelin 4 cassettes to disintegrate after 50 plays? ---
**Author:** ![Stratman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@Stratman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratman)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-on-the-4-symbols-used-by-members-of-led-zeppelin/45963/13 "2000-12-18T18:34:42Z")
Hi, I’m DaveW0071’s brother. I’ll admit to having been a bit of a Zepplo-phile in the 70’s and 80’s. The only symbol that had any meaning at all was John Bonham’s (three rings interlocked). The design was from the label of Ballentine beer, one of Bonzo’s preferred brands. The other three symbols are just artwork. The consternation of the fans trying to decipher them has long been a source of amusement for the band members who managed to not kill themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Gregor\_Samsa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a6a055/32.png) [@Gregor\_Samsa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gregor_Samsa)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoughts-on-the-4-symbols-used-by-members-of-led-zeppelin/45963/14 "2000-12-18T19:20:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Stratman \* > \*\*…The only symbol that had any meaning at all was John Bonham’s (three rings interlocked)…The other three symbols are just artwork… \*\* It may have not had any meaning to whoever it stood for in the band, but the [triquetra](http://www.museumoftalkingboards.com/tri.html) is an ancient symbol that even predates Led Zep.