LED ZEPPELIN The Song Remains The Same (expanded version)

[Kim Olesen]

Bought the expanded version of LED ZEPPELINs The Song Remains The Same. An album i've never had but have always heard mixed things about. A couple of surprises. Except for an overlong Moby Dick i loved all of it. Including very long versions of Dazed And Confused and Whole Lotta Love. Why the surprise? Because lately i've been allergic to very long jams like the Made In Japan version of Child In Time but LZ manages to keep it interesting. The other surprise was that i could hear none of the supposed tiredness that some reviewers of this album has stated plagued it. To me it sounds like a band absolutely on fire. But perhaps those sentiments were regarding the old version/mix of the album?

[Jerjo]

Some songs seem to be a little off but others just blister. The version of "The Ocean" is a textbook example of everything hard rock should be. I noticed on this mix that "No Quarter" wasn't as long as the original but it comes off as a tighter performance.

[gregory]

The version of "The Ocean" is a textbook example of everything hard rock should be. I noticed on this mix that "No Quarter" wasn't as long as the original but it comes off as a tighter performance.

Really? I think The Ocean is the weakest track on Houses Of The Holy, not bad by itself, though, but the live version didn't make it much better. Compare this to Heartbreaker, which is indeed take-no-prisoners hard rock song.

[Reid]

The expanded CD substitutes a less exciting performance of Whole Lotta Love, which I found quite disappointing.

[JJ88]

The only version I know really. I think the then-new material comes off really well, maybe even better than the studio versions in a couple of examples, but some of this is just tedious. Not to say their longer workouts were always boring- they definitely weren't- just the intensity isn't really there on things like 'Dazed And Confused' in this particular version IMHO. Also I felt some of the playing was a little sloppy, I was surprised that intro to 'Since I've Been Loving You' was left in- the rest of that performance is fine though.

The film is concrete proof of the hubris of big rock bands at the time, I think, but does have an entertainment value. I know I've watched it a few times over the years.

[Reid]

The film is concrete proof of the hubris of big rock bands at the time, I think, but does have an entertainment value. I know I've watched it a few times over the years.

Yeah, it can be embarrassing! But a guilty pleasure on occasion.

[Blah_Blah_Woof_Woof]

Does not capture Zep at their best. A big disappointment when it came out.

[gregory]

I think How West Was Won performances were better, than MSG show. Pity there's no footage of that exciting concerts. But HWWW doesn't have No Quarter, that's bad.

[Trane]

The expanded CD substitutes a less exciting performance of Whole Lotta Love, which I found quite disappointing.

I'll have to check tghat out... hadn't noticed a difference

The only version I know really. I think the then-new material comes off really well, maybe even better than the studio versions in a couple of examples, but some of this is just tedious. Not to say their longer workouts were always boring- they definitely weren't- just the intensity isn't really there on things like 'Dazed And Confused' in this particular version IMHO. Also I felt some of the playing was a little sloppy, I was surprised that intro to 'Since I've Been Loving You' was left in- the rest of that performance is fine though.

The film is concrete proof of the hubris of big rock bands at the time, I think, but does have an entertainment value. I know I've watched it a few times over the years.

I find that movie being the better film of Zep.... Personally, I'm quite disappointed by their DVD of a decade ago.... it kind of destroys the myth built by the TSRTS movie???
saw that movie around 10 times in the late-70's in second-run movie houses around Toronto

[happytheman]

I have always enjoyed the vinyl release of this album. So cannot comment on the "reissue" on CD.

[Kim Olesen]

That's the thing. I'm coming to this album without any prior experience of live LZ except Celebration Day which i loved. I wasn't expecting anything from TSRTS since it has a bit of a bad reputation. But i think it's really good. I might not have liked it in it's old form. Six songs less and a seventies live album mix instead of the new mix which to my ears is very good.

Btw i also bought How The West Was won. I like that too but it's a very different album. I'm kinda attracted more to TSRTS because it has a darker atmosphere. Love HTWWW too though. Specially the acustic tracks. Plant is better on HTWWW. Much better.

[Reid]

That's the thing. I'm coming to this album without any prior experience of live LZ except Celebration Day which i loved. I wasn't expecting anything from TSRTS since it has a bit of a bad reputation. But i think it's really good. I might not have liked it in it's old form. Six songs less and a seventies live album mix instead of the new mix which to my ears is very good.

I like it overall, and I never agreed with the bad assessment by critics or whoever. I think they chose some different performances for the CD in order conserve space for the extra tracks. How The West Was Won is a bit over the top for my taste. A little too much testosterone.

[Koreabruce]

http://www.thegardentapes.co.uk/tgt.html

Here is some analysis of the live album & film of TSRTS that deals with all the different versions, sundry edits, etc. Very interesting reading if you're into this sort of thing!

[IMWeasel]

I've always liked Song Remains the Same but I am a die-hard Zep head. If you want a better taste of Zep in their prime, check out the Royal Albert Hall footage on the "Led Zeppelin" DVD.

One big change with the new version, in addition to the extra songs, they put in all the movie soundtrack versions of the songs on the album. The cuts on the original album were slightly different edits.

[Koreabruce]

http://www.thegardentapes.co.uk/htwww.html

This one goes through each live track on HTWWW, compares each to available bootlegs of the two shows used, and illuminates where & when all of the edits occur.

[notallwhowander]

If you want a better taste of Zep in their prime, check out the Royal Albert Hall footage on the "Led Zeppelin" DVD.

That's some amazing video.

[Vic2012]

Not sure if I've ever heard the album but I've seen the film a few times. I suppose I'll get the film/DVD some day. With the Zep DVD I've never been in a hurry to get the movie/DVD of TSRTS. I'll never forget seeing the film in theaters when it was released. I think it was 1976. I knew I'd never see them live so seeing a film of them performing was about as close to awesome as it was gonna get. The only part of the film I really hate is seeing Peter Grant yelling, berating those MSG employees. What a fat, disgusting, jerk (and ugly as fuck). Anyway, if I ever see the film/DVD cheap I'll probably get it.

[Big Ears]

Along with Houses of the Holy, one of their best albums in my view - particularly after it was remastered. It shows that Pro-tools can improve an album.

[BravadoNJ]

How The West Was Won... is much better!

[JIF]

Along with Houses of the Holy, one of their best albums in my view - particularly after it was remastered. It shows that Pro-tools can improve an album.

I didn't know that Pro-tool existed in '94?

[JJ88]

1994? I bought the 'new' versions in 2007, when they were released.

[JIF]

1994? I bought the 'new' versions in 2007, when they were released.

Oh, you're talking about the expanded version of The Song Remains The Same that Rhino released that year? I thought you were talking about Houses Of The Holy. My bad.

[Big Ears]

I didn't know that Pro-tool existed in '94?

The Song Remains the Same was remastered and reissued here in 2007.

[Kim Olesen]

The Song Remains the Same was remastered and reissued here in 2007.

Actually it was remixed. It says remastered on the cover but it is a remix.

[Big Ears]

Actually it was remixed. It says remastered on the cover but it is a remix.

The point I was trying to make was that the 2007 CD issue of The Song Remains the Same sounds better than the original vinyl. I understand 'they' used Pro-tools, the application of which is often criticised, but in this case it improved the sound of the album.