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Happy Birthday, Robert Plant!

By The MusicRadar team
published 20 August 2010

Best Led Zep songs ever nominated on Facebook to celebrate singer's 62nd birthday

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Happy Birthday Robert Plant
The legendary Led Zeppelin frontman is 62 today
(Image credit: Eleanor Bentall/Corbis)

Happy Birthday Robert Plant

Today's a big day if your name happens to be Robert Anthony Plant.

Why? Because you are a rock legend of the highest persuasion, you are still winning Grammies 42 years (!) after meeting a certain Mr Page and, getting to the point, it’s your birthday!

To celebrate the frontman’s 62nd birthday, we asked MusicRadar's Facebook followers to nominate their favourite Led Zep tune. Answers came in their digital droves and the resulting Top Ten tunes (accompanied by some killer YouTube clips) follow this intro.

So happy birthday, Percy (sorry, we know you hate it) - you’re a bloody legend and we hope Wolves get a result against Everton on Saturday.

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Page 1 of 11
10. The Rain Song
Plant pictured onstage with bandmates Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones at the height of Led Zeppelin's career
(Image credit: Jay Dickman/CORBIS)

10. The Rain Song

Coming in at number ten is the seven minute love ballad from Zep's fifth album Houses Of The Holy.

The album's title was a reference to the name that Zeppelin fans would give to venues the band would performed in. During the band's live sets, Rain Song would traditionally follow The Song Remains The Same, and it's the final notes of that song you can hear dying away at the beginning of the live recording below.

Listen: Led Zeppelin - The Rain Song (live at Earl's Court 1975)

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Page 2 of 11
9. The Lemon Song
Vinyl sleeve artwork for Led Zeppelin II

9. The Lemon Song

And at number nine... It's The Lemon Song, from Led Zeppelin II.

We're assuming the reason so many of our Facebook fans mentioned this song is not because it features some of Jimmy Page's bluesiest guitar work but because of Percy's rather filthy, innuendo filled lyrics. Because you lot aren't like that, right?

Yup, us too.

Listen: Led Zeppelin - The Lemon Song

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Page 3 of 11
8. No Quarter
Houses Of The Holy's cover art was inspired by a novel by Arthur C. Clarke, and features a photo taken at The Giant's Causeway, Ireland

8. No Quarter

Another one from House Of The Holy in at eight.

During the recording of No Quarter a pitch control adjustment was applied to the track to bring take everything down a semi-tone. Apparently this was done to make the song sound thicker and moodier.

Listen: Led Zeppelin - No Quarter (live in New York 1973)

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Page 4 of 11
7. Whole Lotta Love
Robert Plant with, err... some sort of plant
(Image credit: Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS)

7. Whole Lotta Love

We're surprised this didn't make it to a little higher up the list...

...but in at number seven, it's Led Zeppelin's classic Whole Lotta Love. There's not a lot we need to say about this one - just listen to that HUGE guitar riff!

Listen: Led Zeppelin - Whole Lotta Love

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Page 5 of 11
6. Achilles Last Stand
Plant onstage as part of his recent, critically aclaimed collaboration with bluegrass singer Alison Krauss
(Image credit: Tim Mosenfelder/Corbis)

6. Achilles Last Stand

At around the ten minute mark, Achilles Last Stand is Led Zeppelin's second longest studio track.

And yes, there should be an apostrophe in the song's title somewhere but we'll let Mr Plant off here because it's his birthday (and a brilliant track).

Listen: Led Zeppelin - Achilles Last Stand (live in LA 1977)

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Page 6 of 11
5. Black Dog
Is Led Zeppelin IV their best album? Now that's a whole other Facebook debate right there

5. Black Dog

With a call-and-response hook borrowed from Fleetwood Mac's Oh Well, our number five tune is Plant at his strident, stratospheric best.

If anyone out there can wail this one even half as brilliantly as Plant does on Led Zeppelin IV then congratulations - you're the singer of MusicRadar's new favourite band.

Listen: Led Zeppelin - Black Dog

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Page 7 of 11
4. Dazed And Confused
Dazed, confused (and in need of a comb)
(Image credit: Adrian Popescu/epa/Corbis)

4. Dazed And Confused

Whether they stole it matters not; this brooding epic is one of the standout moments on Zeppelin's 1969 debut.

While all three of his bandmates amaze throughout in different ways, Plant's desolate howl is spellbinding. Stone cold genius.

Listen: Led Zeppelin - Dazed And Confused (1969 TV appearance)

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Page 8 of 11
3. Immigrant Song
Original sleeve artwork for the Immigrant Song single

3. Immigrant Song

A proper classic Zeppelin track in at number three and probably MusicRadar's personal favourite, it's Immigrant Song.

Easily one of Robert Plant's best - and most memorable - vocal performances. Just listen to the man wail…

Listen: Led Zeppelin - Immigrant Song

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Page 9 of 11
2. Stairway To Heaven
Sorry Robert, you can do your sexy pout and wave that tambourine all you want, but even you can't upstage a double-neck guitar…
(Image credit: Jay Dickman/CORBIS)

2. Stairway To Heaven

Bet you thought Stairway To Heaven was going to be number one on the list, didn't you?

Well, to be honest, so did we; it is probably Led Zeppelin's most famous, most iconic song. But if Stairway didn't top our Facebook list, what did…?

Listen: Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven

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Page 10 of 11
1. Kashmir
Robert Plant recieves a Melody Maker award in 1970 flanked by his bandmates Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones. This is often referred to as Zeppelin's 'beardy' period.
(Image credit: Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS)

1. Kashmir

...it's Kashmir at number one! A stone cold Led Zeppelin classic and quite rightly one of their best-loved songs.

Almost everyone on Facebook who suggested Zeppelin songs to us mentioned this beast and, as one click on the below Play button will attest, you can understand why.

A worthy number one in our Led Zeppelin playlist. Thanks to everyone who voted - and if you didn't agree, sign up to our Facebook page now and let us know what should have won!

And most importantly - happy birthday, Percy!

Listen: Led Zeppelin - Kashmir

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Page 11 of 11
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The MusicRadar team
The MusicRadar team
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