Observing the divergent viewpoints of artists and art enthusiasts is fascinating. The person who wrote the song hates it and flinches every time someone mentions its name. Yet other people hear tunes that transform their lives and are content to play and sing along to them for the rest of their lives. This is the situation with Robert Plant. He is infatuated with two Led Zeppelin songs.
The bond a songwriter has with their work is not the same as the one a listener has with a song. It is why there is frequently such a difference in opinion. We frequently discover that music validates us, aids in our emotional processing, and allows us to connect with something. But when the music maker hears the song, the song either takes them back to when the track was made or makes them overcritical of it.
This is the case with Robert Plant, who now regrets writing two songs. One’s because he is tired of hearing it and the other because it reminds him of a particularly difficult time in his life. Regardless of the actual message behind the track or how it affects a larger consumer audience, it is difficult for a songwriter to shake off negativity once it has crept in.
The first track, while shocking, may not come as much of a surprise. It’s because ‘Stairway To Heaven‘ is one of Led Zeppelin’s most popular songs and widely regarded as one of the greatest pieces of music ever written, the band quickly retired it from their live set.
“Lyrically, now, I can’t relate to it,” he said, “because it was so long ago. I have no intention of ever writing along those abstract lines again.” Plant later referred to ‘Stairway to Heaven’ as “that bloody wedding song“. He claimed that he would break out in hives if he had to perform it live again.
His hatred for another song stems less from the fact that it no longer accurately reflects him and more from the memories Plant associates with it. ‘Carouselambra‘ was first released in 1979, just a year before the band broke up. There was a lot of friction within Led Zeppelin at the time, and collaboration and unison. They were huge factors in their success and were dwindling.
Plant, whether he intended to or not, expressed his frustration with the band on the epic track “Carouselambra.” “I rue it so much now because the lyrics on ‘Carouselambra’ were actually about that environment and that situation.” He said in an interview. “The whole story of Led Zeppelin in its latter years is in that song… and I can’t hear the words!”
When Led Zeppelin first formed, the band’s ability to combine their musical talents and deliver a twisted and heavier version of the blues altered the landscape of rock. People now regard them as a watershed moment in music. It means that their songs are not only enjoyable to listeners. But is also an important part of that listener’s life.
However, the relationship that Led Zeppelin has with their music is different from what we, as consumers, have. It’s hard to believe that someone can grow tired of ‘Stairway to Heaven’ or hear malice in ‘Carouselambra’. But Robert Plant does. The perplexing nature of those twisted feelings is a testament to an artist’s complicated relationship with their art. Rather than trying to understand it any further, we should just enjoy what we produce.
