Bron-Yr-Aur Stomp

If you listen to Led Zeppelin II, released in 1969, one thing you can say about it is: "They weren't being shy about turning up the amps."  Listening at home, it rattles the walls.  Listening in my car, the bass lines in the songs juggle my pancreas and spleen. 

In contrast to that level of electricity, Led Zeppelin III, released a little less than a year later, has more of an acoustic focus.  Most of the songs on the album were written a seaside cottage in Wales called Bron-Yr-Aur, and from the name of that cottage comes our Zeptember 5th song, "Bron-Yr-Aur Stomp."

"Bron-Yr-Aur Stomp" is one of Zeppelin's songs that always brings a smile to my face.  From the opening finger-picking lines all the way through, the tune is up-beat, and I'm hard pressed to not be tapping my feet or clapping or tapping something with my fingers, especially as John Bonham starts kicking that bass drum at about the 40 second mark.

Ah caught you smiling at me, That's the way it should be, 

Like a leaf is to a tree, so fine. 

Ah all the good times we had, I sang love songs so glad 

Always smiling, never sad, so fine. 

To what are we so happy about? Which is the object of our affection?  The most loyal of friends: A dog, specifically vocalist Robert Plant's dog.  (In the end of live versions of this song, Robert would call out "Strider!," which was the name of his dog, and another Lord Of The Rings reference.)

So of one thing I am sure, It's a friendship so pure, 

Angels singing all around my door, so fine. 

Yeah, ain't but one thing to do Spend my natural life with you, 

You're the finest dog I knew, so fine. 

It's plain, true honest love that he feels and it's clearly carried through this tune.  You can't help but catch that wave and enjoy the walk that they are on.