Led Zeppelin Houses of the Holy released

Houses of the Holy Led Zeppelin

Released: March 28, 1973 Peak: 12 US, 12 UK, 14 CN, 13 AU, 14 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): 11.0 US, 0.3 UK, 19.1 world (includes US and UK), 23.07 EAS Genre: classic rock/metal

Tracks: Click on a song titled for more details. The Song Remains the Same [5:30] The Rain Song [7:39] Over the Hills and Far Away [4:50] The Crunge [3:17] Dancing Days [3:43] D’Yer Mak’er [4:22] No Quarter [7:00] The Ocean [4:31] Total Running Time: 40:57 The Players: Robert Plant (vocals) Jimmy Page (guitar) John Paul Jones (bass, keyboards) John Bonham (drums)

Rating: 4.375 out of 5.00 (average of 25 ratings) Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Album Led Zeppelin IV “announced Led Zeppelin as the premiere rock band in the world.” RV “Houses of the Holy follows the same basic pattern…the approach is looser and more relaxed.” AM “Not as heavy as some of their others but still packs a punch!” KN “Jimmy Page’s riffs rely on ringing, folky hooks as much as they do on thundering blues-rock, giving the album a lighter, more open atmosphere.” AM Such songs “suggest that the band was searching for material, they actually contribute to the musical diversity of the album.” AM “Throughout the record, the band’s playing is excellent, making the eclecticism of Page and Robert Plant’s songwriting sound coherent and natural.” AM It makes for the group’s “most accessible album.” RV On Houses of the Holy, “bassist-keyboardist Jonh Paul Jones finally received his due. Usually overshadowed by the antics of Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and John Bonham, Jones proved his worth with subtle work on ‘The Ocean’ and ‘No Quarter’ that reminded fans there was a fifth member.” RV Reissue A 2014 reissue added a second disc with alternate mixes of the album’s songs. The Songs Here’s a breakdown of each of the individual songs.

The Song Remains the Same Led Zeppelin

Writer(s): Jimmy Page, Robert Plant Released: Houses of the Holy (1973), Remasters (compilation, 1992), Latter Days (compilation, 2000), Mothership (compilation, 2007) Peak: 6 CL, 19 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 43.60 streaming

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Song: “The thundering blues-rock of past albums blares on” RV “the rampaging opening number, ‘The Song Remains the Same.’” AM “Jimmy Page’s guitars are on fire” KN as he “thrashes through the guitar solos.” RV The “blistering piece…seems indebted to The Who.” RV It was initially an instrumental written by Page known as “The Overture.” Once Plant added lyrics, it became “The Campaign.” WK

The Rain Song Led Zeppelin

Writer(s): Jimmy Page, Robert Plant Released: Houses of the Holy (1973), Remasters (compilation, 1992) Peak: 6 CL, 13 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 78.49 streaming About the Song: “The Rain Song is one of Zep’s finest moments, featuring a soaring string arrangement and a gentle, aching melody” AM and “exhibiting a gentler side with elegant strings and Plant’s most pensive vocals.” RV Page composed the entire arrangement and vocal melody which Page composed at his home studio. He was inspired by George Harrison’s complaint that Led Zeppelin never did any ballads. WK

Over the Hills and Far Away Led Zeppelin

Writer(s): Jimmy Page, Robert Plant Released: single (5/24/1973), Houses of the Holy (1973), Mothership (compilation, 2007) B-side: “Dancing Days” Peak: 51 BB, 28 CB, 32 GR, 31 HR, 1 CL, 63 CN, 1 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 25.80 video, 161.53 streaming

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Song: “The epic folk/metal fusion Over the Hills and Far Away” AM was written in two different parts. The first was a quiet, acoustic piece and was followed by a more energetic, electric piece. WK

The Crunge Led Zeppelin

Writer(s): Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones, John Bonham Released: B-side of “D’yer Mak’er” (9/17/1973), Houses of the Holy (1973) Peak: 18 CL, 25 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 16.02 streaming About the Song: “The affectionate James Brown send-up The Crunge” AM “has an almost funky beat to it thanks to John Paul Jones’ synthesizer.” KN It was written by Bonham when he decided to create a funk beat. Plant then improvised lyrics in James Brown’s style. Plant specifically parodied Brown’s “Take It to the Bridge” vocal style toward the end of the song. WK

Dancing Days Led Zeppelin

Writer(s): Jimmy Page, Robert Plant Released: B-side of “Over the Hills and Far Away” (5/24/1973), Houses of the Holy (1973) Peak: 9 CL, 12 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 28.99 streaming About the Song: “The strutting hard rock of Dancing Days” AM shows a general optimistic attitude toward life. WK

D’Yer Mak’er Led Zeppelin

Writer(s): Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones, John Bonham Released: single (9/17/1973), Houses of the Holy (1973), Remasters (compilation, 1992), Mothership (compilation, 2007) B-side: “The Crunge” Peak: 20 BB, 16 CB, 17 GR, 15 HR, 15 R, 1 CL, 24 CN, 11 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 201.55 streaming

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Song: “The pseudo-reggae of D’Yer Mak’er” AM grew out of Bonham’s efforts to combine reggae with doo-wop of the 1950s. WK albeit “a reggae beat..not like you ever heard…before .” KN Jones didn’t think the song was well thought out, but Plant thought it should be a single. Plant’s wishes were vetoed in the UK, but the song became a top-20 hit in the U.S. WK

No Quarter Led Zeppelin

Writer(s): Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones Released: Houses of the Holy (1973), Remasters (compilation, 1992), Latter Days (compilation, 2000), Mothership (compilation, 2007) Peak: 12 CL, 18 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 81.32 streaming About the Song: Most of Houses of the Holy “is fairly straightforward” AM such as “the foreboding No Quarter” AM

The Ocean Led Zeppelin

Writer(s): Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones, John Bonham Released: Houses of the Holy (1973) Peak: 2 CL, 18 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 70.11 streaming About the Song: “The Ocean is just as good, starting with a heavy, funky guitar groove before slamming into an a cappella section and ending with a swinging, doo wop-flavored rave-up.” AM The song was attempted for the band’s fourth album but abandoned. It became a band favorite, played at every show from 1973 to 1979. WK Lyrically, it is about Led Zeppelin’s fans and their devotion. WK

Resources/References: AM AllMusic.com review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine KN Keno’s Classic Rock n Roll Website RV The Review (Oct./Nov. 2001). “The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time” by Clarke Speicher WK Wikipedia Related DMDB Pages: First posted 3/21/2008; last updated 9/10/2025.

Pink Floyd's “Brain Damage/Eclipse” released on Dark Side of the Moon

Brain Damage/Eclipse Pink Floyd

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