A crucial factor playing a part in Led Zeppelin’s success was their continual quest for new musical areas. While they took inspiration from the blues legends of the past and rock ‘n’ roll leaders from their own backgrounds, creative energy and desire to push musical boundaries opened up promising prospects. This creativity, combined with their outstanding combined expertise, not only set them alone but also established a standard for future musical acts.
In their 12-year career, Led Zeppelin took rock music to new heights, exploring unknown areas. They played a nurturing role in the growth of heavy metal. It introduced an enthralling turn to folk rock. And continuously provided technically remarkable performances that reinforced their status as a greatly impactful band.
The band’s motivation knew no bounds; it ranged from mythological traditions to individual events. In one example, they even took inspiration from the FIFA World Cup. As fans of the band are aware, their bond to football runs immense. Lead singer Robert Plant is a loyal fan of Wolverhampton Wanderers FC. He held the position of club vice president in 2009.
Given their strong connection to football, it’s no surprise that this enthusiasm found its way into their music. A phenomenon not distinct to Led Zeppelin but also noticed in their counterparts like Pink Floyd. This influence emerged especially in the song ‘Fool in the Rain,’ which appeared on their eighth and final album, “In Through the Out Door” (1979). The song tells the story of a man who expects to meet a woman on a street corner. However, when she fails to appear, he believes he’s been ditched. In the end, the plot is that he had been waiting on the wrong corner, making him the “fool in the rain.”
The idea for this song evolved from the samba beats played during the 1978 FIFA World Cup, held in Argentina. According to biographer Dave Lewis in the book “Led Zeppelin: From a Whisper to a Scream,” the band decided to embrace their own samba-inspired segment in the middle of the tune. Alongside John Paul Jones’s street whistles and John Bonham’s innovatively arranged timpani crashes. The result, despite sounding somewhat uniquely enhanced the song
Despite the song’s upbeat nature, it was never performed live by Led Zeppelin. The band felt they hadn’t fully realized their original vision for the track. Additionally, ‘Fool in the Rain‘ marked their final single release in the United States before disbanding in 1980 following the tragic death of drummer John Bonham.
