Shane’s Rock Challenge: LED ZEPPELIN – 1982 – Coda

Shane | 14 June 2014 | Reply

Shane’s Rock Challenge: LED ZEPPELIN – 1982 – Coda
By Shane Pinnegar
7/10

A Coda is a little bit of music tacked onto the end of a larger piece – a musical epilogue, if you like – a section that “brings a piece of music to an end.”

Led Zeppelin’s Coda is a collection of odds and sods that never made their albums, which – you know – is why it’s called that!

There’s not much here – Zep didn’t love being in the studio, so didn’t leave a lot behind that was usable, but what’s here is all surprisingly great for outtakes.

We’re Gonna Groove and I Can’t Quit You Baby are earlier blues hefts, while Walter’s Walk, Ozone Baby and Wearing & Tearing date from later in their career.

Bonzo’s Montreaux is another Bonham solo workout in a similar vein to Moby Dick – which is perhaps why it wasn’t used, even though a steel drum section makes it quite different indeed. Jimmy Page would release this again as part of his Remasters box sets in 1990, in medley with Moby Dick.

Personal favourites though are Poor Tom and Darlene, probably because it’s just great to hear them kicking out the jams and some fun on the good time old style rock n’ roll so beloved of Robert Plant especially.

Being a hashed together collection, of course it lacks coherency – but as a clutch of songs that at that time weren’t available elsewhere, it’s a damn fine, errrr… coda to a stunning career.