Ah, Ah,
We come from the land of the ice and snow,
From the midnight sun where the hot springs flow,
The hammer of the gods will drive our ships to new lands,
To fight the horde, singing and crying: Valhalla I am coming!
On we sweep with thrashing oar, our only goal will be the western shore.
© 1970 Led Zeppelin
The above is the lyrics to Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song" from their third album, 1970's Led Zeppelin III.
It was written by Robert Plant after being inspired by a concert the band played at a college in Reykjavik, Iceland and touring the country, which reminded him of Viking hordes and big ships.
It's perspective, as that of the Vikings leaving Scandinavia in search of new lands and new adventures, always left me with the impression that it easily could have been a song about the members of Led Zeppelin themselves.
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| The gods swooped down to conquer in their own private jet |
Always mythologically larger than life, Led Zeppelin swooped down and conquered everything, as if they themselves were the Viking horde, or even better yet, supernatural Asgardians on a fantastical mission.
Led Zeppelin, through their complete run of 1968 to 1980 and nine albums, involved four musicians that locked together and grooved on a musical wavelength that transcended what had been done before, and doubtlessly will ever be achieved again.
They perfected the art of a rock band.
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