LP>Play #053 feat. Led Zeppelin, Talking Heads, Strawbs and more
An hour’s worth of top tracks also including Robert Plant, Roger Waters, The Blue Nile, David Byrne, The Ghost Train Orchestra, Renaissance, Elton John, and Fairport’s Cropredy 20.
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Listening Guide #053
Led Zeppelin, ‘Trampled Under Foot’ (live at Earl’s Court, 1975) (from Live EP released 12/09/25)
Led Zep’s double album Physical Graffiti celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. As well as this EP (also featuring ‘In My Time Of Dying’, again from Earl’s Court, alongside ‘Sick Again’ and ‘Kashmir’ from Knebworth, 1979), there’s a new edition of the album itself. ‘Trampled’ is played at a hectic pace here. Too fast?
Robert Plant, ‘Everybody’s Song’ (from Saving Grace released 26/09/25)
Fifty years on from ‘Trampled’, here’s Plant in as fine a voice as ever. This is the first track to be released from his new album, Saving Grace, due in September. It’s an album of reimaginings, recorded with fellow vocalist Suzi Dian. This song was originally recorded by the band Low and blends the classic Plant vocal tones with a folk rock (emphasis on the rock) arrangement.
Roger Waters, ‘Have a Cigar’ (from This Is Not a Drill – Live from Prague released 01/08/25)
Roy Harper sang this on the Pink Floyd Wish You Were Here album, in return for life membership of cricket’s MCC. He’s said recently the ‘fee’ has never been paid. This is ironic (or performance art?), as the lyric concerns the machinations of the music industry. Roger Waters brings a different feel to the song while keeping the energy high. Next week we find out how good this new live album is – high hopes.
The Blue Nile, ‘Headlights on the Parade’ (from Hats)
I mentioned in my review of Phil Collins’ Both Sides album that the key to my enjoyment of the record was the realisation that it was influenced (whether consciously or not) by The Blue Nile. I included their track ‘The Downtown Lights’ in the post. That doesn’t seem like sufficient Blue Nile, who make soulful music with depth; it draws you in slowly and won’t let you go.
Talking Heads, ‘Take Me to the River’ (Live at Entermedia Theatre, New York 08/10/78) (from More Songs About Buildings and Food Super Deluxe Edition)
‘Take Me to the River’ is one of those songs that sounds as if it could have been written at any time in the past fifty years and is one of the highlights on the classic album. There’s always a discussion to be had about the merits of diving back into the archives and inviting fans to buy music they’ve probably already paid for several times over, but the upside is the music in the vaults that gets dusted off and blinks into the light.
David Byrne & The Ghost Train Orchestra, ‘She Explains Things To Me’ (from Who Is the Sky? Released 05/09/25)
Alongside the Talking Heads reissue, David Byrne has a new album, and this track has taken me down a playlist rabbit hole. First of all, this is a great song which seems to me like a Byrne attempt to write in the style of Ray Davies or Andy Partridge. Who, though, are the Ghost Train Orchestra?
Ghost Train Orchestra & Kronos Quartet, ‘I’m This, I’m That’ feat. Jarvis Cocker (from Songs and Symthoniques: The Music of Moondog)
From the Ghost Train Orchestra website: “Ghost Train Orchestra is a large ensemble based in Brooklyn and founded by Brian Carpenter in 2006. The group are known for their unique reimaginings of underappreciated and often obscure composers.” This is a track from their album celebrating the music of Moondog. You might well be ahead of me, but my next question was, “Who is Moondog?” I urge you to read this wiki about Moondog. It is an extraordinary story. When I worked in education, it was the done thing to steer students away from using Wikipedia, but sometimes it is necessary. When I’ve finished this playlist I’ll listen to Moondog, but in any case this track brings a characterful performance from Jarvis Cocker and deep strings from the remarkable Kronos Quartet (that’s another rabbit hole I’ll resist for just now).
Renaissance, ‘A Song For All Seasons’ (from Opening Out: The Albums 1977-79)
My journey into prog began with Genesis, strongly supported by the likes of Yes and Pink Floyd. At the time when I began to wonder, “What else is there?” My local record shop began to offer second-hand vinyl. I guess I’d heard Renaissance on the radio (the hit with ‘Northern Lights’,) and the A Song For All Seasons album featured some longer tracks, so I risked my Saturday job money. It went on to be one of my favourite albums. The Opening Out set also includes the albums Novella and Azure D’Or.
Elton John, ‘Tonight’ (Live from the Rainbow Theatre with Ray Cooper)
The album was originally a Record Store Day special earlier this year and now gets a full release. ‘Tonight’ was possibly the best song on his patchy double album Blue Moves, where it was recorded with a full orchestra. Elton John’s performances alone at a piano (or, as here, with the charismatic percussionist Ray Cooper) are among his strongest. For all the showmanship which sometimes makes the piano look like a prop, he can play.
Strawbs, ‘Shine on Silver Sun’ (from Live in Gettysberg: Rites of Spring Festival 2016)
Dave Cousins, with Strawbs, recorded some beautiful songs. The range of his work was remarkable and could be the very definition of folk rock as here. Imagine a gig that closes with ‘Shine on Silver Sun’, flowing into …
Fairport’s Cropredy 20, ‘Meet on the Ledge’ (from Kindred Spirit: Think Loud 4 Parkinson’s)
… ‘Meet on the Ledge’. Wow. Fairport Convention’s Cropredy Festival is rapidly approaching and always ends with this – how could it not? The 2020 festival couldn’t take place (Covid), so this was recorded remotely. And it works brilliantly. Follow the Fairport Cropredy 20 link to buy the album, featuring so many great artists for the benefit of Cure Parkinson's.
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… I still have my Strawbs album featuring Rick Wakefield.
The funniest man in Rock n’ Roll!!!!
Excellent list!! Fascinating that a good portion of the artists you chose were performing 50 years ago.