The Song Remains The Same: Soundtrack From The Led Zeppelin Film [Import, Soundtrack, Live]

Led Zeppelin | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Original Release Date: October 20, 1976
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Import, Soundtrack, Live
• Label: Atlantic UK
• ASIN: B000002I3D
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (131 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #52,505 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Rock And Roll

2. Celebration Day

3. The Song Remains The Same

4. Rain Song

5. Dazed And Confused

Disc: 2

1. No Quarter

2. Stairway To Heaven

3. Moby Dick

4. Whole Lotta Love

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Long acknowledged as one of the most formidable concert acts on the rock & roll arena circuit, Led Zeppelin finally bit the grenade and in 1976 released this, the only live album of their career. The companion to a same-named full-length feature film combing concert footage and oblique "personal" visual statements by each member, this collection still stands up as a souvenir of Zeppelin's winning stage combination of fire and fury. A sort of live greatest-hits disc, the album features good versions of "Rock and Roll," "Dazed and Confused" (complete with violin-bowed guitar, of course), "Whole Lotta Love," and the inevitably climactic "Stairway to Heaven." --Billy Altman

Product Description

UK remastered reissue of 1976 album, packaged in a limited edition miniature LP gatefold sleeve. 9 tracks. Warner. 2003. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome live album, October 3, 2002

By 

peter nelson (Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Song Remains The Same: Soundtrack From The Led Zeppelin Film (Audio CD)

I cannot for the life of me figure out why so many Zep-heads (and Page and Plant too) dismiss this 1973 concert album as sub-standard. Granted, it is heavily edited, with the best moments of three consecutive nights spliced together for the final mix. But then, in reality aren't all official live recordings put together this way? And there is no doubt that what we are left with is definitive concert versions of these nine songs. Page delivers two of his finest ever solos in 'No Quarter' and 'Stairway to Heaven,' while his chord/lead work on the title track is simply astounding. Similarly, the violin bow solo in 'Dazed and Confused' and the rockabilly solos in 'Whole Lotta Love' are masterful. Also, Plant is in fine voice throughout, and the rhythm section of Jones and Bonham is frighteningly intense. In my view, 1973 was Zep's greatest year as a live band - it marked the peak of their early instrumental development (check out bootlegs of the Mobile and Seattle shows from this same US tour for comparable performances). And this album captures that peak-1973 period for official posterity. So forget what the 'politically correct' Zep critics say - this is one of rock's great live albums!

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Moment In Time, January 16, 2000

By 

Stuntweasel "stuntweasel" (Pittsburgh, PA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Song Remains The Same: Soundtrack From The Led Zeppelin Film (Audio CD)

This film/album had actually been shelved in 1973, never intended to be released because of what was perceived by the band to be a mediocre performance. It only saw the light of day because of a decision that the band needed to fill a void of 18 months due to Robert Plant's personal problems (he suffered a badly fractured leg in an auto accident and it was feared that he would never walk again without a cane).

First of all, The Song Remains the Same was out of date - the film was shot well before the release of the band's monumental Physical Graffiti album and, obviously, contained none of that album's material. Secondly, the band members themselves lament to this very day that this was their only live performance officially captured for posterity. They were at the end of an extensive American tour at the time and were understandably exhausted.

Circumstances prevented Zeppelin from ever producing the definitive live recording that they so desperately desired. Such a project was slated for the band's '80-'81 tour, but was obviously scrapped by the death of John Bonham.

It's best to think of The Song Remains the Same more as a historical peice than as the definitive live Led Zeppelin, which it is not. It captures a moment in time. An inside-glimpse at the larger-than-life Led Zeppelin, complete with their flaws (even Zep was not perfect). And in that way, The Song Remains the Same is actually more intriguing and has more of an enduring charm than some pristine, studio-exact live excercise.

But don't be deceived into thinking that this album is slop. There are certainly moments of grandeur here that other bands would kill for on their best day. Page's guitar blitz on "Celebration Day" obliterates the studio version. That breathtaking final solo provides fresh open-mouthed astonishment every time. Of course, any time Zeppelin straps it on for "Dazed and Confused", it's an adventure - although the running time here of nearly 27 minutes is shockingly self-indulgent for a live album, especially considering the wealth of material they had to draw from (believe it or not, they were known to go even LONGER in their early days). And who could fail to mention the most famous improvised line ever in a live recording, Robert Plant's, "Does anybody remember laughter?" during "Stairway..." - so well known in fact, that many people think it's part of the studio version.

Taking the good with the bad, The Song Remains the Same soundtrack is an essential momento for any Zep fan, while it should perhaps be left until later for Zep novices (at the very least, get 2 or 3 of the first 6 studio albums before you jump into this).

24 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Note To Consider, September 4, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Song Remains the Same (Audio CD)

First of all the 5 stars is for Zep
& the great music but collectors of
mini lp replicas take note:

All the Zep albums(Bar BBC) have been
released on mini lp paper sleeve versions
BOTH from Japan AND Europe.

The europe & Jap versions are sonically identical,
all are taken from the Jimmy Page George Marino
remasters,a fact also printed on the stickers(Europe
releases)& insert sheet (Japan releases).

The packaging is also identical,the europe releases
actually use the Jap outer cardboard sleeves(the catalog
numbers on the europe spines are identical to their
Japanese counterparts but the numbers are different
on the actual discs (europe) themselves.

The Japan versions DO have an extra foldout lyric
insert in Japanese,the discs are housed in see through thin plastic sleeves
(the europe versions are enclosed in glossy
card inner sleeves,much nicer).

Most importantly the EAU versions are MUCH cheaper,
if you must have the paper insert
and the obi strip,be prepared to pay heavily.

All in its great to have these available but in a nutshell
the European versions are almost identical
bar the paper insert at a much lower price(amazon.co.uk)