Thank God Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant ‘Learned How to Sing’ by the Time of ‘Led Zeppelin III’
Led Zeppelin always operated with the belief no member was more or less important than the other three. Equal footing was what everyone desired and one of the keys from the first album onward. Though another rocker downplayed Robert Plant’s frontman skills, he was critical of his singing on the first two Led Zeppelin albums. Thank goodness Plant figured it out by the time of Led Zeppelin III because the album required measured vocal work on several songs.
Robert Plant said he didn’t learn how to sing until the third Led Zeppelin album
Plant’s call and response segment with Page’s guitar on Led Zeppelin I cut “Dazed and Confused” memorably paves the path for Page’s stellar solo. The pair do something similar on the signature track “Whole Lotta Love” from Led Zeppelin II. Plant shows restraint with his vocals on “Your Time Is Gonna Come” from the debut, and his descending notes on the “Drive me insane” lines in “Communication Breakdown” are hardly just shouted.
Those were standout moments on the first two records (which came out less than 10 months apart in 1969), but they weren’t exactly the epitome of textbook singing.
Plant once said he didn’t learn how to sing properly until 1970s’ Led Zeppelin III. He claimed he was more of a screamer than a singer Thankfully for fans, he figured it out because that album required more from Plant than the first two records.
Luckily for fans, Plant learned how to sing for ‘Led Zeppelin III’
Plant wasn’t totally out of his element vocally on the first two Led Zeppelin albums. He said he shouted too much on the first album, but songs like “Dazed and Confused” and “Your Time Is Gonna Come” hint at his talents. The second album followed a similar track.
Thank God Plant learned how to sing for Led Zeppelin III because the album needed a more delicate and nuanced vocal range. Shouting wouldn’t have worked.
Acoustic songs such as “Friends,” “That’s the Way,” and “Bron-Y-Aur Stomp” needed a softer vocal approach. Though an uptempo folk-tinged tune, “Gallows Pole” necessitated a vocal approach that didn’t outgun the music. Plant’s full-throated howl, as good as any classic rock frontman, would have overpowered those songs. The delicate, country-tinged “Tangerine” also required a deft approach.
Imagine those tunes sung with Plant’s earlier approach. Shouting or oversinging would have thrown them all out of whack.
“Since I’ve Been Loving You,” which includes parts where Plant lets loose, required a delicate touch in the quieter moments, and Plant delivered. “Immigrant Song” begins with Plant’s banshee howl, but even that song requires some finesse, such as the quavering note he sings as the line “We are your overlord” fades away.
Plant once said he didn’t learn to sing until Led Zeppelin III. He figured it out just in the nick of time to showcase his talents on the acoustic-driven album.
Zep’s later years showed the best of both worlds for the singer
Plant put his throaty howl and delicate touch on display later in Zep’s career.
Plant lets loose on Led Zeppelin IV starters “Black Dog” and “Rock and Roll.” His lone Zep vocal duet on “Battle of Evermore” sees him channel the delicate touch he displayed throughout Led Zeppelin III.
One of Zeppelin’s only true ballads, “The Rain Song,” showcased Plant’s more thoughtful approach to his vocals. Presence included both ends of the spectrum. More muscular tracks such as “Nobody’s Fault but Mine” and “For Your Life” sit next to more delicate vocal turns on “Achilles Last Stand” and the harrowing “Tea for One.”
As Led Zeppelin’s musical ambitions grew during their career, Robert Plant’s singing followed suit, and Led Zeppelin III was the first showcase for his vocal abilities.
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