Houses of the Holy

Track Listings
1. Song Remains The Same    
2. Rain Song    
3. Over The Hills And Far Away    
4. Crunge    
5. Dancing Days    
6. D'yer Mak'er    
7. No Quarter    
8. Ocean    

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com essential recording
Buoyed by the runaway commercial success of Led Zeppelin IV, Jimmy Page used this 1973 follow-up to hone his already impressive production skills, and the result was a collection sporting an impressively expansive sound. Benefiting--especially on tracks such as "Dancing Days Are Here Again," "The Crunge," and "Over the Hills and Far Away"--was Zeppelin's always underrated rhythm section: thunder-fisted drummer John Bonham and rock-solid bassist John Paul Jones. Jones also emerged here as a secret weapon on keyboards with his subtle work on more pensive fare such as "No Quarter" and "The Ocean." And the goofy "D'yer Ma'ker" showed that Zeppelin had more of a sense of humor than most people ever gave them credit for. --Billy Altman --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Amazon.com
Robert Plant once said that a chunk of the Zep catalog was "music for hippie bookstores." While much of Houses of the Holy thumps hard enough to knock the incense holders off the speakers, the generally upbeat vibe makes this a great choice for playing on the first (dancing) day of spring, windows flung wide open as Jimmy Page's lead lines soar out over the neighbors' rosebushes. Plant is at his most lovey-dovey here, whether updating Chuck Berry on "The Ocean," extolling the... read more --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Houses of the Holy

Houses of the Holy, Music, Led Zeppelin, Rock
Houses Of The Holy
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Hopeful...
  • Diverse, a Tour de Force
  • You Know Every Song!
  • The height of Zeppelin's career
  • Awesome
Houses Of The Holy
Led Zeppelin
Manufacturer: Atlantic / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. Led Zeppelin IV (aka ZOSO)
  2. Led Zeppelin II
  3. Physical Graffiti
  4. Led Zeppelin 1
  5. Led Zeppelin III

ASIN: B000002J0B
Release Date: 1994-07-19

Tracks:

  1. The Song Remains The Same
  2. The Rain Song
  3. Over The Hills And Far Away
  4. The Crunge
  5. Dancing Days
  6. D'yer Mak'er
  7. No Quarter
  8. The Ocean

Amazon.com essential recording

Buoyed by the runaway commercial success of Led Zeppelin IV, Jimmy Page used this 1973 follow-up to hone his already impressive production skills, and the result was a collection sporting an impressively expansive sound. Benefiting--especially on tracks such as "Dancing Days Are Here Again," "The Crunge," and "Over the Hills and Far Away"--was Zeppelin's always underrated rhythm section: thunder-fisted drummer John Bonham and rock-solid bassist John Paul Jones. Jones also emerged here as a secret weapon on keyboards with his subtle work on more pensive fare such as "No Quarter" and "The Ocean." And the goofy "D'yer Ma'ker" showed that Zeppelin had more of a sense of humor than most people ever gave them credit for. --Billy Altman

Amazon.com

Robert Plant once said that a chunk of the Zep catalog was "music for hippie bookstores." While much of Houses of the Holy thumps hard enough to knock the incense holders off the speakers, the generally upbeat vibe makes this a great choice for playing on the first (dancing) day of spring, windows flung wide open as Jimmy Page's lead lines soar out over the neighbors' rosebushes. Plant is at his most lovey-dovey here, whether updating Chuck Berry on "The Ocean," extolling the virtues of his Page 3 girl on "The Crunge," or writing greeting cards for that patchouli-scented side-street shop on "The Rain Song." In a word: grand. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Hopeful..........2007-05-30

It always seemed to me this was the hope and fulfillment of the vegetative growth that would follow "When the Levee Breaks" (last song on the previous album). This album itself, esp. the Rain Song, is about change, destruction, and renewal, and this whole album feels like Spring after a long winter.

A must for Zep fans (as if they needed to be told), but definitely one of the most accessible for new fans to get into (but watch every single newbie skip over "The Crunge"...takes awhile to appreciate that song I guess.)

5 out of 5 stars Diverse, a Tour de Force.......2007-05-28

Led Zeppelin really showcase their versatility on this fantastic album/CD. Look/listen no further than the back to back tracks of D'yer Mak'er & No Quarter to realize how mush this super group had to offer. Still great after repeated listenings.

5 out of 5 stars You Know Every Song!.......2007-05-17

For some reason it took me 30-years to buy this c-d. iv'e been a huge zep fan since there first album, released in 1969! what a joy this c-d is. like i said in the title you know every song! every song on this c-d is played on classic radio every day! in fact i would recommend this c-d to someone who wasn;t that familiar with there music. hard rock, blues ,acoustic, really covers all the styles they do best! not a bad song on the whole c-d! highly recommended!!!

5 out of 5 stars The height of Zeppelin's career.......2007-05-16

1973 saw a release of many five-star classics, but this album surely takes the cake. After a string of classic self-titled albums (released 1969-71, respectively), I'm sure it was a shock to no one when they heard the magic that is Houses of the Holy. Led Zeppelin released this brilliant album at the very height of their career, and ever since it's flown off the shelves into the stereos (CD Players, MP3 Players, iPods, whatever) of avid hard rock/Zeppelin fans. The album's first track, the legendary "The Song Remains the Same," is a great song, especially when it comes to Robert Plant's amazing vocals. Not only that, but it features AWESOME guitar work by Jimmy Page, who is constantly shredding throughout almost the entire song. "The Rain Song" is a very powerful acoustic ballad, in which Plant's vocals are nearly at their finest. Listening to that song will give you an idea of what the peaceful, soft side of Zeppelin sounds like. Another awesome acoustic smash hit would be the third track "Over the Hills and Far Away," which is an acoustic and electric song combined. "The Crunge" isn't even bad--it has a nice drum beat and a James Brown-style tempo. "Dancing Days" is also one of Led Zeppelin's greatest songs, with creative, fine guitar play and lyrics. "D'yer Mak'er" is a nice blues tune that is easy to listen to any time of day, and opens up with a slow drum roll by John Bonham and very bluesy guitar playing by Jimmy Page. The eerie ballad "No Quarter" is also an easy listen, and is popular not only with fans, but at concerts. I imagine this would be a rather hard song to perform, as Jimmy Page uses a difficult technique to make the riffs sound the way they do. The eighth and final track, "The Ocean," could pass as one of the greatest guitar songs of all time, and is a definate listen. All in all, Zeppelin's fifth album is great to listen to all the way through, and could possibly make it as one of the top 100 greatest albums of all time. Houses of the Holy is a great classic 70s album and is still being listened to today, 34 years after its release--and that's pretty good for 8 tracks.

3 out of 5 stars Awesome.......2007-05-12

I bought this CD for one song: Dancing Days. I had been hearing this song on the Howard Stern show and thought is was an original of some new wave or grunge band. Well wasn't I surprised when I started searching for it and found out it was an Original from LED ZEPPELIN. I'd never heard this from Zeppelin, and the only other song I recognized from the CD was D'yer Mak'er. D'yer Mak'er is the song that was played when I was growing up and listening to FM radio in 1973. Dancing Days has a wonderful beat and Robert Plant's beautiful voice makes it spell-binding. The song gets 5 stars; the CD gets 3.
Houses of the Holy
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Led Zeppelin's finest hour
  • Hear my song
  • No name on the cover but the songs remain the same
Houses of the Holy
Led Zeppelin
Manufacturer: Atlantic / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Blues RockBlues Rock | Rock | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
British MetalBritish Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
Hard RockHard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
Album-Oriented Rock (AOR)Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
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  1. Led Zeppelin II
  2. Led Zeppelin III
  3. Led Zeppelin
  4. Led Zeppelin IV (Zoso)
  5. In Through the Out Door

ASIN: B00000DOZ6
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

  1. Song Remains the Same
  2. Rain Song
  3. Over the Hills and Far Away
  4. Crunge
  5. Dancing Days
  6. D'Yer Mak'er
  7. No Quarter
  8. Ocean

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Led Zeppelin's finest hour.......2005-11-08

Houses Of The Holy (1973.), Led Zeppelin's fifth studio album

In the early 1970's, Led Zeppelin were at their peak. Led Zeppelin were one of the top established bands in the world by the time of the release of 'Houses Of The Holy' in Spring 1973. This was due to the release of four magnificent albums, displaying music from groundbreaking blues hard rock songs to acoustic masterpieces. However, it was mostly in the release of their fourth album, Led Zeppelin IV, that the band really sored to superstardom. Songs like 'Stairway To Heaven', which quickly became a generational rock anthem and other great songs made Led Zeppelin IV the band's best sounding album to date. As a result, the band faced the dilemma of making the follow up to a hard rock masterpiece. Scaling to the heights of Led Zeppelin IV seemed impossible; so were the band able to pull it off with 'Houses Of The Holy'?

Many will disagree with me but in my opinion, Led Zeppelin's finest hour came with this album. Furthermore, I would go as far to say this is rock music's finest hour of the 70's. So why do you ask? How is HOTH better than albums like Led Zeppelin II or IV? Where are the tracks that better 'Stairway', 'When The Levee Breaks' or 'Whole Lotta Love' for that matter? The answer, for me, lies in how much ground the band covers in this album. This album is the mix of the original rocking Zeppelin, with the new, experimental and more developed band. This album, albeit having only 8 tracks, covers the sounds of funk, reggae, riff rock, synthesizers, acoustics to name but a few. Plus this is all in 40 minutes. I've never heard an album quite like this one. True, it is not as all round consistent as LZ IV but it is in diversity that makes HOTH (the first album the band gave a true name to) a winner of an album. 'Houses Of The Holy' is ingenuity and creativity but at the same time is the band truly enjoying the music their playing and you can sense this in all the albums songs. Plant's vocal range and different styles of delivery are evident through the album, Page's guitar play cleverly changes gears through the album, JP Jones' contribution is invaluable (especially on the keyboard) and Bonham's drumming is first rate. The band opened loads of new avenues in rock music with this album; its impact has been subtle but downright effective. Ironically, the album was released in exactly the same week as Pink Floyd's 'Dark Side Of The Moon'. Two classics like these in one week is staggering and seldom ever seen. The faxt that the band recorded a title track for this album which didn't make it to the final song list shows howe good the work. 'Houses Of The Holy', the song which appears on 'Physical Graffiti', is awesome and the fact that it was deemed too inferior for this album shows the musical quality within. The album will probabaly not strike you as being that great during the first few listens - I personally was disappointed with it at first; but this album gets better and better with repeated listens and the experimetal songs really grow on you.

A Led Zeppelin fan favourite, 'The Song Remains The Same' opens the album. This is a 5 minute, upbeat rock song with some amazingly adept guitar work from Page. Plant's high register singing to a fast rhythm works very well. Following this is a true masterpiece and sadly one that often gets underappreciated. 'The Rain Song' is the band's search for a song in the vein of 'Stairway To Heaven'. The slow, mellotron-based melody in this song is awesome. The acoustic sections are moody and the end climax is thrilling, with Plant crying out for 'Just a little rain!' A relaxing song; and it cheers you up on a rainy day too! An acoustic opening follows in 'Over The Hills And Far Away'. The build up into the rocking part of the song is legendary. The song fades out with a dreamy guitar/keyboard section which really cool. Finishing the first half of the album is 'The Crunge'. This is perhaps the most experimental song on the album an I personally think it works really well; although some may disagree, finding this track annoying. Plant half sings/half talks on the vocals to a song with a funky beat. Theres a lot going on in this song, so give it plenty of listens; at the least its a funny listen.

'Dancing Days' opens the second half of the album. More great riffs from Page supplement some almost chanted Plant vocals. The instrumentals at the end build a great climax and overall the song is a really catchy listen. 'D'yer Mak'er' is next; this is Led Zeppelin successfully experimenting with reggae. The beat is cool and Plant's vocals capture the song style very well. Then we have the next epic of the album; 'No Quarter' is another masterpiece. This is Led Zeppelin's eeriest and most captivating song. Plant's vocals are chilling and give the song a suspicious aura. The song is on of John Paul Jones' finest hours. His keyboard/synth part is awesome and captures the nature of the song and his bass solo mid-way through the epic is timeless. After this song fades out, we come to the classic finish with 'The Ocean'. The hard rocking riff to this song is vintage Zeppelin, supplemented by pronounced drumming. This is a very strong finish. The racing guitar section at the end is a great way to end a unique album.

There was never an album quite like 'Houses of the Holy' before it and there has never been on like it made since. This is Led Zeppelin at their most creative and able, showing really how genius their music could be. Led Zeppelin IV might be the band's most consistent and popular album, Physical Graffiti might be their epic and Led Zep I and II might be the hard rock gems, but it is in 'Houses Of The Holy' that you have the great band demonstrating their utmost ability and at the same time giving it their greatest passion and energy. It is a sin not to own this album!!!

MY RATING: 10/10; a classic that rises above the rest

5 out of 5 stars Hear my song.......2004-06-04

Another awesome album by Led Zeppelin. "The Crunge" is a bit weak (by their standards), but the other songs are all great. This is hard rock the way God intended it.

5 out of 5 stars No name on the cover but the songs remain the same.......2003-04-09

With this 1973 album Led Zeppelin continues to cause trouble by offering an album cover by Hipgnosis with naked blonde children climbing a bunch of rocks without any reference to the title or even the name of the band. The group figured everybody would know about "Houses of the Holy" and insisted on finding new ways of tweaking their noses at the music business beyond producing songs that were way too long for AM Top 40 airplay. There were those of us who were just happy that there was an official name to Led Zep's fifth album after the previous one was known variously as "Led Zeppelin IV," "Runes" and "ZOSO." "House of the Holy" is very similar to that album in that once again there are no length blues tracks as you would find on their first three albums, although we do have John Paul Jones playing with his synthesizer on "No Quarter," which became his signature song. What we do have are more examples of Led Zep's version of rock 'n' roll where the bass lines and Bonzo's drumming come up big with "The Ocean" and "Dancing Days," as well as the folk influence on the acoustic beginning to "Over the Hills and Far Away." We even have one of the better examples of Led Zep being cute with "D'yer Mak'er" ("Me wife is going on vacation" "Jamica?" "No, she's going of her own free will...") and the group's first attempt to try to duplicate the success of "Stairway to Heaven" with the lush synthetic strings of "The Rain Song." Actually, I think the opening track, "The Song Remains the Same" is a better effort along those lines, covering much more ground both musically and vocally. You always get the feeling that Jimmy Page is always looking for the perfect song to not only start off an album but to open a concert, which probably makes it ironic that the song they apparently used most often was "Rock and Roll," the second track from their fourth album. Overall, "Houses of the Holy" is probably the best of the second level Led Zeppelin albums
Houses of the Holy
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Led Zeppelin's Best Album Artistically Albeit Not Commercially!
  • No name on the cover but the songs remain the same
Houses of the Holy
Led Zeppelin
Manufacturer: Japanese Import
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. Presence
  2. In Through the Out Door
  3. Physical Graffiti
  4. Coda
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ASIN: B000094PYH
Release Date: 2003-05-13

Tracks:

  1. Song Remains the Same
  2. Rain Song
  3. Over the Hills and Far Away
  4. Crunge
  5. Dancing Days
  6. D'Yer Mak'er
  7. No Quarter
  8. Ocean

Album Description

Japanese remastered reissue of 1973 album, packaged in a limited edition miniature LP gatefold sleeve. 8 tracks. Warner. 2003.

Album Details

35th Anniversary Re-issue Japanese Limited Edition in an LP-STYLE Slipcase.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Led Zeppelin's Best Album Artistically Albeit Not Commercially!.......2005-12-23

Everyone raves about IV because of "Stairway..." and rightly so but as an overall great album with cohesive, musically interesting ideas and just great tracks, "Houses of the Holy" has to be Led Zeppelin's best album. From the great opening track, "The Song Remains the Same" to the brilliant "The Ocean" that ends the album, welcome to a wonderland of music whose greatness transcends genre and is clearly one of the best albums of all time.

At the height of their popularity and musical powers, Jimmy Page shows how big-headed the band had become when he explained the meaning of the album title: a description of what Jimmy felt at the time that rock music concerts had become the new churches with audiences worshipping what was going on on the stage i.e. the new houses of the holy.

Still, Jimmy remained faithful to his mission from the first album and that was to fuse his musical influences, folk, blues and rock into a unique sonic offering and he succeeds to great effect here. My favourite Led Zeppelin song of all-time is on this disc "Over the Hills and Far Away" which is a study in folk guitar integration with rock and blues elements. Then comes "The Crunge", a very humourous spoof on James Brown and funk music and then my other favourite "D'yer Maker" an attempt at reggae/ska comes up.

Yes, Led Zeppelin could rock with the best and could create rock anthems like "Stairway..." and "Rock and Roll" but what really impressed me about them was Jimmy Page's creative, experimental genius which is amply showcased here on this album. Even the late great classical composer, Igor Stravinsky was a fan and that's the brilliance of Jimmy Page: the ability to create very interesting musical ideas from diverse musical styles.

This version is very, very well remastered and comes in a very cool mini-lp gatefold replica sleeve with the lyrics included in both English and Japanese. The sound quality is brilliant and so is the packaging making this the best version of the album that's out there. Very highly recommended.

5 out of 5 stars No name on the cover but the songs remain the same.......2003-11-11

With this 1973 album Led Zeppelin continues to cause trouble by offering an album cover by Hipgnosis with naked blonde children climbing a bunch of rocks without any reference to the title or even the name of the band. The group figured everybody would know about "Houses of the Holy" and insisted on finding new ways of tweaking their noses at the music business beyond producing songs that were way too long for AM Top 40 airplay. There were those of us who were just happy that there was an official name to Led Zep's fifth album after the previous one was known variously as "Led Zeppelin IV," "Runes" and "ZOSO." "House of the Holy" is very similar to that album in that once again there are no length blues tracks as you would find on their first three albums, although we do have John Paul Jones playing with his synthesizer on "No Quarter," which became his signature song. What we do have are more examples of Led Zep's version of rock 'n' roll where the bass lines and Bonzo's drumming come up big with "The Ocean" and "Dancing Days," as well as the folk influence on the acoustic beginning to "Over the Hills and Far Away." We even have one of the better examples of Led Zep being cute with "D'yer Mak'er" ("Me wife is going on vacation." "Jamica?" "No, she's going of her own free will...") and the group's first attempt to try to duplicate the success of "Stairway to Heaven" with the lush synthetic strings of "The Rain Song." Actually, I think the opening track, "The Song Remains the Same" is a better effort along those lines, covering much more ground both musically and vocally. You always get the feeling that Jimmy Page is always looking for the perfect song to not only start off an album but to open a concert, which probably makes it ironic that the song they apparently used most often was "Rock and Roll," the second track from their fourth album. Overall, "Houses of the Holy" is probably the best of the second level Led Zeppelin albums
Houses of the Holy
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Mini Lp Sleeve Collection
  • Led Zeppelin's finest hour
  • A true , great sounding...LED ZEP...remaster : 2003!
  • No name on the cover but the names remain the same
Houses of the Holy
Led Zeppelin
Manufacturer: Wea International
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
Blues RockBlues Rock | Rock | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
Guitar GodsGuitar Gods | Rock Guitarists | Rock | Styles | Music
British MetalBritish Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
Hard RockHard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Album-Oriented Rock (AOR)Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
SupergroupsSupergroups | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
Arena RockArena Rock | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
Hard Rock & MetalHard Rock & Metal | Imports | Stores | Music
Classic RockClassic Rock | Imports | Stores | Music
RockRock | Imports | Stores | Music
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  2. Led Zeppelin IV
  3. Led Zeppelin II
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ASIN: B00005JAVO
Release Date: 2003-06-09

Tracks:

  1. Song Remains the Same
  2. Rain Song
  3. Over the Hills and Far Away
  4. Crunge
  5. Dancing Days
  6. D'Yer Mak'er
  7. No Quarter
  8. Ocean

Album Description

UK reissue of 1973 album, packaged in a limited editionminiature LP sleeve. Warner. 2003.

Album Details

Limited Edition Issue of the Album Classic in a Deluxe, Miniaturized LP Sleeve Replica of the Original Vinyl Album Artwork.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Mini Lp Sleeve Collection.......2006-07-15

The package of this Mini_Lp is MADE IN JAPAN for UK and Germany market. The Own CD in Made in Germany, the excelent remastered sound is the same than JAPANESE version, only fault in UK version a booket with lyrics, and the Japanese versions came lyrics both japanese & English version.
But in all, the UK Remasters are excelents, the serie includes all albums by Led Zeppelin, and the Uk version have a low price too. If you want Cds with OBI & lyrics inserts, look for the japanese versions, the quality of the sound is the same.

5 out of 5 stars Led Zeppelin's finest hour.......2005-11-08

Houses Of The Holy (1973.), Led Zeppelin's fifth studio album

In the early 1970's, Led Zeppelin were at their peak. Led Zeppelin were one of the top established bands in the world by the time of the release of 'Houses Of The Holy' in Spring 1973. This was due to the release of four magnificent albums, displaying music from groundbreaking blues hard rock songs to acoustic masterpieces. However, it was mostly in the release of their fourth album, Led Zeppelin IV, that the band really sored to superstardom. Songs like 'Stairway To Heaven', which quickly became a generational rock anthem and other great songs made Led Zeppelin IV the band's best sounding album to date. As a result, the band faced the dilemma of making the follow up to a hard rock masterpiece. Scaling to the heights of Led Zeppelin IV seemed impossible; so were the band able to pull it off with 'Houses Of The Holy'?

Many will disagree with me but in my opinion, Led Zeppelin's finest hour came with this album. Furthermore, I would go as far to say this is rock music's finest hour of the 70's. So why do you ask? How is HOTH better than albums like Led Zeppelin II or IV? Where are the tracks that better 'Stairway', 'When The Levee Breaks' or 'Whole Lotta Love' for that matter? The answer, for me, lies in how much ground the band covers in this album. This album is the mix of the original rocking Zeppelin, with the new, experimental and more developed band. This album, albeit having only 8 tracks, covers the sounds of funk, reggae, riff rock, synthesizers, acoustics to name but a few. Plus this is all in 40 minutes. I've never heard an album quite like this one. True, it is not as all round consistent as LZ IV but it is in diversity that makes HOTH (the first album the band gave a true name to) a winner of an album. 'Houses Of The Holy' is ingenuity and creativity but at the same time is the band truly enjoying the music their playing and you can sense this in all the albums songs. Plant's vocal range and different styles of delivery are evident through the album, Page's guitar play cleverly changes gears through the album, JP Jones' contribution is invaluable (especially on the keyboard) and Bonham's drumming is first rate. The band opened loads of new avenues in rock music with this album; its impact has been subtle but downright effective. Ironically, the album was released in exactly the same week as Pink Floyd's 'Dark Side Of The Moon'. Two classics like these in one week is staggering and seldom ever seen. The faxt that the band recorded a title track for this album which didn't make it to the final song list shows howe good the work. 'Houses Of The Holy', the song which appears on 'Physical Graffiti', is awesome and the fact that it was deemed too inferior for this album shows the musical quality within. The album will probabaly not strike you as being that great during the first few listens - I personally was disappointed with it at first; but this album gets better and better with repeated listens and the experimetal songs really grow on you.

A Led Zeppelin fan favourite, 'The Song Remains The Same' opens the album. This is a 5 minute, upbeat rock song with some amazingly adept guitar work from Page. Plant's high register singing to a fast rhythm works very well. Following this is a true masterpiece and sadly one that often gets underappreciated. 'The Rain Song' is the band's search for a song in the vein of 'Stairway To Heaven'. The slow, mellotron-based melody in this song is awesome. The acoustic sections are moody and the end climax is thrilling, with Plant crying out for 'Just a little rain!' A relaxing song; and it cheers you up on a rainy day too! An acoustic opening follows in 'Over The Hills And Far Away'. The build up into the rocking part of the song is legendary. The song fades out with a dreamy guitar/keyboard section which really cool. Finishing the first half of the album is 'The Crunge'. This is perhaps the most experimental song on the album an I personally think it works really well; although some may disagree, finding this track annoying. Plant half sings/half talks on the vocals to a song with a funky beat. Theres a lot going on in this song, so give it plenty of listens; at the least its a funny listen.

'Dancing Days' opens the second half of the album. More great riffs from Page supplement some almost chanted Plant vocals. The instrumentals at the end build a great climax and overall the song is a really catchy listen. 'D'yer Mak'er' is next; this is Led Zeppelin successfully experimenting with reggae. The beat is cool and Plant's vocals capture the song style very well. Then we have the next epic of the album; 'No Quarter' is another masterpiece. This is Led Zeppelin's eeriest and most captivating song. Plant's vocals are chilling and give the song a suspicious aura. The song is on of John Paul Jones' finest hours. His keyboard/synth part is awesome and captures the nature of the song and his bass solo mid-way through the epic is timeless. After this song fades out, we come to the classic finish with 'The Ocean'. The hard rocking riff to this song is vintage Zeppelin, supplemented by pronounced drumming. This is a very strong finish. The racing guitar section at the end is a great way to end a unique album.

There was never an album quite like 'Houses of the Holy' before it and there has never been on like it made since. This is Led Zeppelin at their most creative and able, showing really how genius their music could be. Led Zeppelin IV might be the band's most consistent and popular album, Physical Graffiti might be their epic and Led Zep I and II might be the hard rock gems, but it is in 'Houses Of The Holy' that you have the great band demonstrating their utmost ability and at the same time giving it their greatest passion and energy. It is a sin not to own this album!!!

MY RATING: 10/10; a classic that rises above the rest

5 out of 5 stars A true , great sounding...LED ZEP...remaster : 2003!.......2005-07-12


For...LED ZEP...fans you already know the songs on this CD very well and this is just another TRUE , great sounding...LED ZEP...remaster from the U.K. via JAPAN , with the songs...NO QUARTER...THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME...THE RAIN SONG...D'YER MAK'ER...ect!

The problem with these CDs before was that they would release studio CDs and greatest hit packages that were either poorly remastered and/or not remastered at all. That was a RIP OFF and that was not...LED ZEP's...fault!

FINALLY...We have these GREAT sounding 2003 remasters that are full bodied...PLANT's...voice does not get lost in the mix so you can turn it up loud and still hear him clearly...JIMMY's guitars...are all very clear and not tinny sounding [like the solo/rythem guitars had just been compressed together]. The BASS has been turned up and is clean/clear as are the KEYBOARDS and DRUMS!

CD mastering technology has improved greatly since 1994!

They are better than the 1994/1997 CD so called , remasters / re-issues , because they are mastered louder than the earlier versions of these CDs and now they are in perfect instrumental/vocal balance!

These remasters from the U.K. VIA JAPAN are much cheaper than the oridinal Japanese remastered versions of these CDs , which sound identical to the U.K. , CDs.

LED ZEP 3 : 2003...is the most obviously better sounding than all of these remastered CDs...However , they are all excellent.

Enjoy...Hear all of their classic CDs...Again for the first time!

I would also highly recommend , as I have written before :

LED ZEP 4 : [2003]

IN THROUGH THE OUT DOOR : [2003]

PHYSICAL GRAFFITI : [2003] WOW , it is just awesome sounding!

LED ZEP 3 : [2003]...[Besides the great sound the wheel on the mini album actually turns!]

5 out of 5 stars No name on the cover but the names remain the same.......2004-09-19

With this 1973 album Led Zeppelin continues to cause trouble by offering an album cover by Hipgnosis with naked blonde children climbing a bunch of rocks without any reference to the title or even the name of the band. The group figured everybody would know about "Houses of the Holy" and insisted on finding new ways of tweaking their noses at the music business beyond producing songs that were way too long for AM Top 40 airplay. There were those of us who were just happy that there was an official name to Led Zep's fifth album after the previous one was known variously as "Led Zeppelin IV," "Runes" and "ZOSO." "House of the Holy" is very similar to that album in that once again there are no length blues tracks as you would find on their first three albums, although we do have John Paul Jones playing with his synthesizer on "No Quarter," which became his signature song.

What we do have are more examples of Led Zep's version of rock 'n' roll where the bass lines and Bonzo's drumming come up big with "The Ocean" (I like the odd little a cappella section) and "Dancing Days," as well as the folk influence on the acoustic beginning to "Over the Hills and Far Away." We even have one of the better examples of Led Zep being cute with "D'yer Mak'er" ("Me wife is going on vacation." "Jamica?" "No, she's going of her own free will...") and the group's first attempt to try to duplicate the success of "Stairway to Heaven" with the lush synthetic strings of "The Rain Song." Actually, I think the opening track, "The Song Remains the Same" is a better effort along those lines, covering much more ground both musically and vocally. You always get the feeling that Jimmy Page is always looking for the perfect song to not only start off an album but to open a concert, which probably makes it ironic that the song they apparently used most often was "Rock and Roll," the second track from their fourth album. Overall, "Houses of the Holy" is probably the best of the second level Led Zeppelin albums
Houses of the Holy Moly
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Houses of the Holy Moly
    Wally Pleasant
    Manufacturer: Miranda
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD
    ASIN: B000PT1YPG

    Product Description

    1. Out On The Road 2. Post Graduate Overeducated Out Of Work Blues 3. Stupid Day Job 4. Sons Of Bob Dylan 5. Dysfunctionally Yours 6. Alternateen 7. Denny's at 4:00 A.M. 8. Cat Came Back 9. I'm Nice 10. Toxic Waste Block Party 11. Wonderful Sex 12. Raindrops
    Houses of the Holy
    Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
    • Hopeful...
    • Diverse, a Tour de Force
    • You Know Every Song!
    • The height of Zeppelin's career
    • Awesome
    Houses of the Holy
    Led Zeppelin
    Manufacturer: Pid
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    1. Led Zeppelin IV (aka ZOSO)
    2. Led Zeppelin II
    3. Physical Graffiti
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    5. Led Zeppelin III

    ASIN: B000005K68
    Release Date: 1997-09-23

    Amazon.com essential recording

    Buoyed by the runaway commercial success of Led Zeppelin IV, Jimmy Page used this 1973 follow-up to hone his already impressive production skills, and the result was a collection sporting an impressively expansive sound. Benefiting--especially on tracks such as "Dancing Days Are Here Again," "The Crunge," and "Over the Hills and Far Away"--was Zeppelin's always underrated rhythm section: thunder-fisted drummer John Bonham and rock-solid bassist John Paul Jones. Jones also emerged here as a secret weapon on keyboards with his subtle work on more pensive fare such as "No Quarter" and "The Ocean." And the goofy "D'yer Ma'ker" showed that Zeppelin had more of a sense of humor than most people ever gave them credit for. --Billy Altman

    Amazon.com

    Robert Plant once said that a chunk of the Zep catalog was "music for hippie bookstores." While much of Houses of the Holy thumps hard enough to knock the incense holders off the speakers, the generally upbeat vibe makes this a great choice for playing on the first (dancing) day of spring, windows flung wide open as Jimmy Page's lead lines soar out over the neighbors' rosebushes. Plant is at his most lovey-dovey here, whether updating Chuck Berry on "The Ocean," extolling the virtues of his Page 3 girl on "The Crunge," or writing greeting cards for that patchouli-scented side-street shop on "The Rain Song." In a word: grand. --Rickey Wright

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars Hopeful..........2007-05-30

    It always seemed to me this was the hope and fulfillment of the vegetative growth that would follow "When the Levee Breaks" (last song on the previous album). This album itself, esp. the Rain Song, is about change, destruction, and renewal, and this whole album feels like Spring after a long winter.

    A must for Zep fans (as if they needed to be told), but definitely one of the most accessible for new fans to get into (but watch every single newbie skip over "The Crunge"...takes awhile to appreciate that song I guess.)

    5 out of 5 stars Diverse, a Tour de Force.......2007-05-28

    Led Zeppelin really showcase their versatility on this fantastic album/CD. Look/listen no further than the back to back tracks of D'yer Mak'er & No Quarter to realize how mush this super group had to offer. Still great after repeated listenings.

    5 out of 5 stars You Know Every Song!.......2007-05-17

    For some reason it took me 30-years to buy this c-d. iv'e been a huge zep fan since there first album, released in 1969! what a joy this c-d is. like i said in the title you know every song! every song on this c-d is played on classic radio every day! in fact i would recommend this c-d to someone who wasn;t that familiar with there music. hard rock, blues ,acoustic, really covers all the styles they do best! not a bad song on the whole c-d! highly recommended!!!

    5 out of 5 stars The height of Zeppelin's career.......2007-05-16

    1973 saw a release of many five-star classics, but this album surely takes the cake. After a string of classic self-titled albums (released 1969-71, respectively), I'm sure it was a shock to no one when they heard the magic that is Houses of the Holy. Led Zeppelin released this brilliant album at the very height of their career, and ever since it's flown off the shelves into the stereos (CD Players, MP3 Players, iPods, whatever) of avid hard rock/Zeppelin fans. The album's first track, the legendary "The Song Remains the Same," is a great song, especially when it comes to Robert Plant's amazing vocals. Not only that, but it features AWESOME guitar work by Jimmy Page, who is constantly shredding throughout almost the entire song. "The Rain Song" is a very powerful acoustic ballad, in which Plant's vocals are nearly at their finest. Listening to that song will give you an idea of what the peaceful, soft side of Zeppelin sounds like. Another awesome acoustic smash hit would be the third track "Over the Hills and Far Away," which is an acoustic and electric song combined. "The Crunge" isn't even bad--it has a nice drum beat and a James Brown-style tempo. "Dancing Days" is also one of Led Zeppelin's greatest songs, with creative, fine guitar play and lyrics. "D'yer Mak'er" is a nice blues tune that is easy to listen to any time of day, and opens up with a slow drum roll by John Bonham and very bluesy guitar playing by Jimmy Page. The eerie ballad "No Quarter" is also an easy listen, and is popular not only with fans, but at concerts. I imagine this would be a rather hard song to perform, as Jimmy Page uses a difficult technique to make the riffs sound the way they do. The eighth and final track, "The Ocean," could pass as one of the greatest guitar songs of all time, and is a definate listen. All in all, Zeppelin's fifth album is great to listen to all the way through, and could possibly make it as one of the top 100 greatest albums of all time. Houses of the Holy is a great classic 70s album and is still being listened to today, 34 years after its release--and that's pretty good for 8 tracks.

    3 out of 5 stars Awesome.......2007-05-12

    I bought this CD for one song: Dancing Days. I had been hearing this song on the Howard Stern show and thought is was an original of some new wave or grunge band. Well wasn't I surprised when I started searching for it and found out it was an Original from LED ZEPPELIN. I'd never heard this from Zeppelin, and the only other song I recognized from the CD was D'yer Mak'er. D'yer Mak'er is the song that was played when I was growing up and listening to FM radio in 1973. Dancing Days has a wonderful beat and Robert Plant's beautiful voice makes it spell-binding. The song gets 5 stars; the CD gets 3.
    Houses of the Holy
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      Houses of the Holy
      Led Zeppelin
      Manufacturer: Msi Music Corp
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD

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      ASIN: B0000DEPST
      Release Date: 2002-08-19
      A Songwriting Legacy
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        A Songwriting Legacy
        Jimmy Page , and Robert Plant
        Manufacturer: Atlantic
        ProductGroup: Music
        Binding: Audio CD
        ASIN: B000JWTOPG

        Product Description

        1. Kashmir (LP Version)[12:00] 2. Good Times Bad Times (Remastered LP version)[2:46] 3. Whole Lotta Love (remastered LP version)[5:34] 4. That's The Way (remastered LP version)[5:37] 5. When the Levee Breaks (remastered LP version)[7:07] 6. No Quarter (remastered LP version)[6:59] 7. Custard Pie (remastered LP version)[4:13] 8. Tea For One (remastered LP version)[9:27] 9. South Bound Saurez (remastered LP version)[4:12] 10. Poor Tom (remastered LP version)[3:02] 11. Wonderful One (LP version)[5:10] 12. Gallows Pole (LP Version)[4:33]
        [3 CD PACK] the Beatles in their own words A ROCKUMENTARY "Paul McCartney - Beyond The Myth / Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band [DELUXE EDITION] / Yellow Submarine (Songtrack) [Original recording reissued] [Original recording remastered] {{{see details below}}}
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          [3 CD PACK] the Beatles in their own words A ROCKUMENTARY "Paul McCartney - Beyond The Myth / Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band [DELUXE EDITION] / Yellow Submarine (Songtrack) [Original recording reissued] [Original recording remastered] {{{see details below}}}
          The Beatles
          ProductGroup: Music
          Binding: Audio CD

          Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
          ASIN: B000JVD32M

          Product Description

          TRACK LISTINGS: A Rockumentary - Beyond the Myth... 1. Introduction By The Author 2. Paul's Younger Brother, Mike McCartney 3. Mike McCartney 4. Paul McCartney 5. Cavern Club compere, Bob Wooler 6. Beatles personal assistant, Alistair Taylor 7. Early Beatles Compere, 'Father' Tom McKenzie 8. Mike McCartney 9. Cavern Club Doorman, Paddy Delaney 10. Paul McCartney 11. Paul McCartney 12. Apple Executive Peter Brown 13. Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band Member, Roger Ruskin Spear 14. Bonzo Dog Man Neil Innes 15. Roger Ruskin Spear 16. Neil Innes 17. Bonzo Dog Drummer, 'Legs' Larry Smith 18. Paul McCartney 19. Mike McCartney 20. Denny Laine 21. Denny Laine 22. Steve Holly 23. Mike McCartney 24. Denny Laine 25. Paul McCartney 26. George Harrison 27. Paul McCartney 28. Paul McCartney 29. BONUS TRACK: MORE EXCLUSIVE REMINISCENCES FROM PAUL MCCARTNEY AND JULIA BAIRD / Yellow Submarine ... 1. Yellow Submarine 2. Hey Bulldog 3. Eleanor Rigby 4. Love You To 5. All Together Now 6. Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds 7. Think for Yourself 8. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band 9. With a Little Help from My Friends 10. Baby You're a Rich Man 11. Only a Northern Song 12. All You Need Is Love 13. When I'm Sixty-Four 14. Nowhere Man 15. It's All Too Much / Sgt. Pepper's ... 1. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band 2. With A Little Help From My Friends 3. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds 4. Getting Better 5. Fixing A Hole 6. She's Leaving Home 7. Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite! 8. Within You Without You 9. When I'm Sixty-Four 10. Lovely Rita 11. Good Morning Good Morning 12. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise) 13. A Day In The Life
          Limited Edition Collector's Package [CD & SILK 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 foot ZOSO BANNER] Physical Graffiti [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED] {see product details below}
          Average customer rating: Not rated
            Limited Edition Collector's Package [CD & SILK 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 foot ZOSO BANNER] Physical Graffiti [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED] {see product details below}
            Led Zeppelin
            ProductGroup: Music
            Binding: Audio CD

            GeneralGeneral | Blues | Styles | Music
            GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
            Guitar GodsGuitar Gods | Rock Guitarists | Rock | Styles | Music
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            ASIN: B000JI9BBM

            Product Description

            "SILK BANNER" is 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 foot, High durable, imported from Italy. "TRACK LISTINGS" Disc: 1 1. Custard Pie 2. The Rover 3. In My Time Of Dying 4. Houses Of The Holy 5. Trampled Underfoot 6. Kashmir Disc: 2 1. In The Light 2. Bron-Yr-Aur 3. Down By The Seaside 4. Ten Years Gone 5. Night Flight 6. Wanton Song 7. Boogie With Stu 8. Black Country Woman 9. Sick Again

            Music Review:

            1. In London: 1966-67 [Enhanced] [Import] [Live]
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            4. Just Push Play [Import]
            5. Last Concert in Japan [Import] [Live]
            6. Les Indispensables [Import]
            7. Live Together [Live]
            8. Love Is Hot, Truth Is Molten
            9. Lucky Town [Import]
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            Music Review