Have you heard Led Zeppelin's "Rain Song" or "Ten Years Gone?" These are both classically-constructed pieces that I believe would be of interest. As was true in Kashmir, you will find that most Led Zeppelin songs take a different musical direction - they are a very diverse band.
I appreciate your astute analysis very much, thank you. I'd like to add a bit of an ethnomusicologist's perspective to it as well, b/c I've loved this song since my early teens (early 80s :) ), and I'm an ethnomusicologist--in part b/c of this song. While Page and Plant were fans of and influenced much by Moroccan music, there's aspects to the music of Kashmir that to my ears sound like Page especially may have been listening to traditional music from Rajasthan and Baluchistan, Afghanistan and especially the western part of Tajikistan--Badakhshan and the Pamir Mts--that borders on Kashmir and Afghanistan. Oddly, I hear less of actual Kashmiri music in it hahaha. The use of modes made up of chromatic clusters + what we call a harmonic or melodic minor scale, are essentially Badakhshani, especially the way they're played in that intensely repetitive, trance-inducing rhythmic figure, with string instruments playing a strongly percussive role, that keeps going through all other changes or additions to the music. There's also the 3 over 2 kind of cross-rhythms that you describe--the Islamic sect the Isma'ilis that practice in Badakhshan/Pamirs consider 5 as a sacred number, and in their music it's often expressed as 3 over 2 kinds of rhythms--so I was really interested to hear you talk about that b/c i'd never realized that before! Then there's "Bridge 2", which to me turns the music into a vast swirling haze of smoke where if you look closely you can see/hear (it's almost like synaesthesia) the individual whisps of smoke curling in around and through each other, but they are performing variations on some not-quite perceptible but still recognizable larger pattern. I feel like this similar to what goes on in Rajasthani and Baluchi music of bowed instruments like the sarangi and sarinda--they play a melodic figure, against a steady hypnotic rhythm and will go on and on on that figure except it starts to morph and take on new shapes with each repetition--one motif might get elaborated on for a while, then the player will explore another sub-section, all the while coming back to the 'parent' figure to remind us where we started from. "Kashmir" is also impressive to me b/c it does truly take a lot also from what we would hear in performances of traditional epic songs, like from the Balkans or Central Asia--the use of a 'simple' melodic figure (on strings!) that repeats over and over and over and both creates and releases tension without ever fully resolving it; the strophic-ness of the lyrics and vocal line, and (often) the change into musically related but very distinct other musical figures to signify something like episodic breaks and moods of the story. I feel like the band really did some homework while they were creating this song. I just wanted to add this commentary to yours as a compliment to it, b/c you've added so much to my appreciation of this amazing piece! I hope you found it interesting. Thank you so much. :)
Hi Amy, new sub here. I love people that love music as much as I do, especially when they know more about the technical aspects of it! As far as Led Zeppelin goes that have been one of my favorites since I was 12, and I'm 59 now! Imo, Robert Plant is the iconic singer/frontman for rock-n-roll. Jimmy Page is a top 5 guitarist and John Bonham was a top 3 percussionist. John Paul Jones was a fabulous bass player and keyboardist. They meshed so well! I'd love to see you do more Zeppelin. Especially anything off "In Through The Out Door", but it just doesn't matter, you can't go wrong! Keep up the great job!
For a slightly different Led Zeppelin track, check out 'The Battle of Evermore'. You mentioned how 'Stairway to Heaven' reminded you of a folk song in parts. 'Evermore' is more folk song like with Robert Plant and Sandy Denny sing as a duet. The song is one the same album as ‘Stairway to Heaven’. The song's instrumentation features acoustic guitar and mandolin only, while the lyrics refer to Tolkien's “The Lord of the Rings” book.
Definitely recommend the Battle of Evermore. I'm one of the few Led Zeppelin fans who always hated Kashmir, I find it to be a horrible ear worm infection worthy of piercing my eardrums with a pencil.
Your description painted a very nice desert scene for me, with the drums being the rocky desert, the instruments being the sand blowing over, and the vocals being the wind blowing, and the sand pushing over the stability of the rocks impelled by the wind.
I loved the polymeter 6/8 vs 4/4 structure when I first heard this piece. It makes the drum pattern and guitar chromatic scale separate and interweave around each other and join together again every few bars. Love it. Also the lyrics make no sense except that they invoke imagery. "I am a traveler of both time and space". He could be describing the Moroccan desert, but he could be also describing the planet Arrakis, and perhaps both at the same time. The lyrics are cosmic in scale.
Plant also draws on his love of adventure fiction. A lot of the ideas come from the novel, "Lost Horizon," written by James Hilton, in 1933. A film version was released in 1937, and it may be that Plant was familiar with it. Of course, it was also partially inspired by a trip he took through Morocco.
I'm so glad you mentioned the Page/Plant live version from 94! It is one of my favorite performances of any song. They added soon much color with that arrangement!
Led Zeppelin is my bestie band. I was a child when they were in their prime. That music has really stuck with me since. I really enjoyed your analysis of this piece and Stairway. I have marveled and wondered how they have seemed to survive the test of time. Hearing your analysis helps understand why. There is real depth to it. I love that no two songs sound the same as well, yet the pieces are well constructed and musically dynamic on several levels. These were two of their greatest, but there are others to explore!
I was in high school when Led Zeppelin was a band still making records and touring. It was great TV when they received the Kennedy Honors years back and made an appearance on David Letterman as well. I have enjoyed Robert Plant's solo projects and his collaborations with people like Alison Krauss.
The gratitude i feel for having found you on youtube is just simply immense! What a blessing you are to social media! Every single time i listen to one of your comments and in depth analyses' i can't help to think that we share a very similar way of experiencing music and listening to it. It truly gives me shivers to have you put in words in the most precise way what i'm going through listening to the same pieces of music. It's such a great joy, it makes me cry. Thank you from the very deepest of my heart! What you're doing through your videos is sublime, to say the least.
I've had the supreme pleasure of orchestrating this song for a 17 piece ensemble which was borrowed from the Naples Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2003 my three piece rock band began preparing for an epic backyard party which included my band playing 10 songs with these amazing musicians. Writing out the parts for 10 songs with the 17 piece orchestra took about a year, totaling 170 sheets of music. I Am The Walrus, Eminence Front, Something, Knights In White Satin, Comfortably Numb and No Leaf Clover were featured. It was a massive undertaking for a rock musician who had never prepared a classical score. There was a lot to learn. How do you notate when you want the strings to slide down the notes? It's a descending squiggly line. Who knew? Since you don't get to rehearse with the orchestra AT ALL, it's up to the person writing the scores to get it absolutely right. You count to four to start the piece and hope to avoid a disaster. Imagine the feeling when the strings play that first iconic line in the second verse of Kashmir. Goose bumps. I wish I could relive that moment. My favorite highlights include the one measure of 9/8 going into the middle section. We had an extra guitar on stage set up with the alternate tuning to play this song correctly. I'm no Robert Plant, but I did manage to sing the appropriate pitches. Plant would deliver many of his notes intentionally flat for added thickness. And I'll never forget the violinist asking me after the performance why couldn't I switch the main orchestral riff to the cellos some time so the violinists' arms don't fall off. I had never thought to alter it so live musicians don't get worn out over those long repetitive sections. If we had more time I would have set up the flanging for the drums to match the swooshing on the record. I had to get with the conductor so he could warn me when I wrote notes outside of an instrument's range. What a unique, rare and unworldly experience.
Amy I believe your honesty attracts us and elevates you with your expert and skilled reactions and analysis. Please consider "The rain song" or "The song remains the same/the rain song" companion pieces. Live from 1973 or Studio version.
Kashmir at its best takes you to a spatial place that lets your thoughts fly. It is both primal and angelic. I have witnessed this song hypnotize tens of thousands as one.
I really love your musical analysis... Your reaction adds an intellectual, artistically expressive, and musically technical element that I don't see in other reaction videos.
I have not 1 single musical bone in my body. The only thing I can play is Spotify (and I'm bloody good at it, too), but I love this stuff, I cannot get over how good it is to have a classically trained musician illuminating to me the wonders of my favourite band of all time, Led Zeppelin.
Amy, the guitarist here, Jimmy, is using DADGAD guitar tuning which gives a slightly exotic sound to the guitar overall as well as making the little chromatic runs easier to play on guitar.
I feel Plant's voice is like a brush, painting strokes of color over the solid instrumental chant that is the canvas. It is a gorgeous, free splash of tonal color. An amazing piece of music.
right????? reflect on how steadfast we all can be on our most cherished thoughts and beliefs. now remember how emotional we all can be about our music preferences. this stranger jumps into a very unfamiliar realm (this genre most of us have been enjoying for decades) and gives us a new perspective - and we love it! she tells us how it sounds to an outsider. tells us what is odd or disparate or unique or peculiar or “interesting” or relevant or evocative or what it is connotative of. and we are unanimous in welcoming these judgements of our lifetime choices. i can’t think of better proof that we are instantly good friends with the virgin rocker. how else could someone say “you know what i think of this?” and me & a thousand others reply: “i never thought of that, wow; you made me see hear that a new way. thank you.” i keep thinking of wanting to hear my favorite album or songs again for the first time, so i may rediscover the feeling of having a new favorite way to beautify my world on demand. well this is the closest, bar amnesia, that i can get to that. thank you again!
When this album first came out I had just started reading science fiction novels, this album transports me to the outer space of those novels and especially Kashmir. Kashmir has this out of world feel to it and as you stipulated we are transport. Thank you for making me appreciate even more this song.
Great Analysis as always, you found much to take note of, relate to, and enlighten us on. I loved your explanation of the 6/8 rhythm guitar/strings parts and how the 4/4 drum part only aligned on the 1st beat. Also loved your observation on the power of music to convey imagery. I played my bass guitar to it using a pretty good score as a guide, and the 'D' pedal note you mentioned was a big portion of the bass lines (all the verses). It alternated between the octaves in 3 note grouping (not quite triplets), but stayed on 'D' for these entire sections. And as you said things changed up in the bridge, interlude and outro sections. Some versions of the song don't even have the bass guitar, with other instruments covering the bass end, so I was glad my score included it.
Once again great analysis Amy! I am glad I voted and suggested this one, and that other people did that too. I discovered Led Zeppelin in my teens, but after all this years, I am still surprised how they stand the test of time and how I discover them over and over again. Keep the good work Amy! P. S. I hope you listen "Unleaded Unplugged MTV" version from 90's too, that is for me personally great arrangement and performance of this song live.
This is the deep-dive intelligent, articulate, and even passionate reaction and analysis that I didn't know I needed. My appreciation for this song has grown exponentially, as has my appreciation for you.
I'm sure you realized this, but the Asian/Middle-Eastern feel of the strings in the bridge and the outro comes from the use of Phrygian mode -- particularly the ♭2 just above the tonic.
Love this breakdown. Makes me excited about composing again. This was the song that absolutely sold me on Led Zeppelin. Heard it on the radio And the universe stopped. This is the band that inspired me to become a musician. I don't have a favorite song, it's impossible..but 10 years gone is one you might enjoy analyzing. I'm actually amazed you didn't listen to any more of their songs after this. But you've probably heard some and just don't know it.
I have been listening to this song for most of my life, and I feel like I just listened to it for the first time, through you. Your analysis is just delightful, and you have picked up on and pointed out so many of the things that have kept me coming back to this song for decades! The combination of the images of vast landscapes but also small scale details... it's somehow such a *visual* song. It's lovely to see all the respect and love for these legendary musicians, too!
And here it is. You sat down and just listened to the piece a few times. And it fell into place. This insight is one of the best you provided in this channel. "A bit removed". I felt it so many times and never thought of expressing it in words. Absolutely brilliant!
I was surprised the middle eastern influences wasn't picked up by Amy. Maybe it is just my imagination but I'm sure they are there in the rhythm and string arrangements.
@@jonasw3945 It's actually Indian, if I understand it correctly. Page and Jones spent some time in India, and learned to some of the music, there. Now, Indian music is also strongly influenced by Middle Eastern/Arabic culture, so it would make sense to hear that, too.
Thank yiu for the excellent analysis Amy! This is what this music deserves. It's like watching a great movie and then the "behind the scenes" video afterwards.
Hi Amy -- might I suggest that your next Led Zeppelin adventure should be their very first song on their first album. It is MUCH different than the refined 'orchestral' pieces like Kashmir and Stairway to Heaven. The song is: Good Times Bad Times You would get to hear how we were introduced to the band. It's rock and roll -- yet, we had never heard rock and roll like that -- we knew there was something very special about this band right from the start ....
As you move along your journey of discovering Led Zeppelin, you will find that their "sound" varies greatly between albums. Listening to "Communication Breakdown" is an entirely different experience than listening to "Stairway to Heaven" or "Fool in the Rain" as just three examples. You will always find their dedication to creating a masterpiece as a common thread though. Each individual member of Led Zeppelin is considered among the greatest at their respective instrument (and with Robert Plant, his voice is indeed another instrument in this band) and when you put the four of them together it is nothing short of magic. BTW, I *love* these In-Depth Analysis and look forward to many more. Would love to hear you break down their song "No Quarter."
When you speak of the desert colors I immediately thought of the chromatic climb in the music. Because the colors of the desert are mainly different shades of the same color in most cases. It gives me the feeling of vastness in a progression. What I mean is the eye at first sees one shade of tan then as the eye fixates on the details it reveals all of the the slight changes of color. This leads to the realization of the vastness of the space.
This song stood out from many Led Zeppelin songs and today I understood why - the intricate levels caught my attention. Thanks for the in-depth review.
Excellent analysis of Kashmir. I can hardly wait to see your reaction when you eventually find yourself listening to Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love." After listening you might need to consider changing the name of your channel. ;)
In an interview with Robert Plant he told the story of how John Bonham had an idea for a beat and played it for the group. That is how it started and why the drums are a major part.
I enjoy your deconstruction of songs both for your academic insight, but mostly because I can vicariously encounter them for the first time all over again, so thanks for that. My observations on this latest track are: Led zeppelin’s music is often a blend of ethnic music themes and straight up 4/4 rock music. With Stairway, it is English folk tradition combined with rock interludes. In the case of Kashmir, the ethnic influence is the Arab tone system with its unusual (for westerners) intervals 24 equal per octave. Also Arabic music uses playing in unison as opposed to harmony and glissando rises and falls especially with massed strings. That unison sound is sometimes referred to as Egyptian strings. The guitar can’t play some of the sounds of an arabic Oud (without frets), but achieves the flavour of close intervals by using chromatic progressions. The use of repetition of cyclical themes also gives an overall hypnotic feel, movement and emotion. Your observation of the mixed time signatures also gives the music an exotic feel, though in Arabic music it's often in 5/4 or 9/8. Think belly-dance, this is erotic music.
What a thorough and wonderful analysis, Amy!! I, too, find myself returning to "Kashmir," still being fascinated and transported by it. That is saying something, since it was released forty-eight years ago. Chuck in Northern New England
When I listen to Kashmir I always look at the music as the landscapes of the desert, the sun, the sand, the oasis, the village etc... and the voice as the feeling of the man who is passing through it... Another great Led Zeppelin composition is "The rain song", I'm pretty sure you'll find it interesting too!
The song is a sort of hypnotic drone. The first bridge is almost a shock tactic and leads into a huge mid-point crescendo delivered in the vocal - the long modulated wail with eastern inflections. I think that crescendo was overlooked when first listening to the piece because of the fragmented way you were analysing it. There's a later vocal crescendo near the end, piercing a shimmering drum roll, that echoes the earlier one. They use the same mid point/high point wail in Trampled Underfoot, the song before this on the same album.
Loved this! I appreciate what you’ve already picked up on these two iconic songs being so different. This theme plays out on their entire catalog, even their live performances are never exactly the same. Compositionally, I think you would enjoy The Rain Song which is a smooth melodic string ballad. The chord progression is my favorite from Page.
Thank you for this interesting analysis! I felt the same way when I first heard Kashmir (in 1975) - the imagery, the motion, the journey, the sense of the singer within the landscape - separate of it but fully a engaged with it, the grueling accent, the mirage drawing us onward. It’s like its own movie it’s so sensual.
The song was originally going to be called "Driving to Kashmir" and what Plant wishes the band was best remembered for over Stairway. IMO a rock song equivalent to a Mozart or Beethoven. 100+ years from now it will still be played and listened to..
I was just thinking to myself, "She should really listen to Kashmir next," when I came across this video. Wonderful! Thank you. There are, of course, so many excellent Led Zeppelin songs to choose from, but as a life-long Led Zeppelin fan, I would recommend No Quarter as a perfect next addition. It has many similarities and differences to Stairway and Kashmir as to make for a great analysis. It also has some very interesting live versions and then a completely different approach to the song by Plant and Page in 1994.
Plant’s vocal always reminded me of a guy lost and wandering through a desert. Definitely different from everything around it, but totally lost within it.
I think the way the drums are the central, grounding element of this song is also pretty symbolic of the makeup of the band itself. John Bonham's playing is almost always a core/centralising element of their songs, and ultimately i think he also very much was the glue that held the band itself together.
I loved your analysis! If someone ever told me that a classical harpsichordist would provide an interesting breakdown of this song, complete with examples played on the harp, I would have suggested they cut back on their medication. But you pulled it off in an entertaining and informative way. Thank you!
Kashmir was named after someone's sweater. I got to see Led Zeppelin play both these songs live at the Los Angeles Fourm in 1975 during the Physical Graffiti tour.
I'm listening to William Mathias' Santa Fe Suite for solo harp right now, quite beautiful. It is good music to listen to in the morning to help clear your thoughts.
"Stargazer" was the answer to Kashmir from Ritchie Blackmore (from Deep Purple) and his band "Rainbow". Worth a listen. Another immortal classic, especially sung by Ronnie James Dio with Rwinbow..
Thanks for introducing me to the recording by a youth orchestra in the city where I live, Johannesburg South Africa. South African musicians keep appearing in unexpected places!
This is their best piece. It really has them all at their best and as a southern california boy all I've ever thought of when I hear it is the harsh austere beauty of the desert
This was a fabulous breakdown of a record that I have loved for many years. I actually watched your other commentary on Kashmir and while I did enjoy that one, I had an unresolved itch in my mind relating to the 3/3 4/4 rhythm in the structure of the song which you so wholeheartedly resolved (and then some) to a degree that exceeded my expectations. This irregular rhythmic timing was something I was always unconsciously aware of but you spelled it out and made it all crystal clear so I thank you for that. Finally, one of my favourite tracks of Led Zeppelin is Babe I’m Gonna Leave You on their first album. It’s a song that’s I’ve always believed to be underrated but it’s melodic composition is simply divine.
I love Kashmir. To me the music is very very visual. I think of riding camels through a really hostile desert. To me the steadiness of the heat, the camel imagery are following the drums, the steady bobbing of the animal as they lumber along. Yes beating sun, intense heat, maybe looking for water but the character in the song doesn't seem to be in danger, but is weary. Robert's vocal is the rider and is observing the landscape and noticing the different things. Those images follow the guitar and strings. I love how you discussed how the meters are stacked. This is like a fractions lesson. The meters will come together every 12 beats and that part feels good too. I didn't realize it was in 6\8 time just counted differently. But it is. So smart. I also listened to a bit of the Santa Fe suite. It was nice! Thanks so much.
I am in awe that you reconsidered and did this In-Depth Analysis for us. How very rare for one at your professorial level. There is such humility in your language that I am able to learn and retain what you say at a noticeable rate. Lol....I checked out Sante Fe Suite the moment you first mentioned it. I feel so cultured.
In the 90s Plant (vocals) & Page (guitar) toured with a rock band, an Egyption orchestra & string section. With all three bands playing in time together, they elevated songs like Kashmir to the next level.
Thank you for giving me insight into a piece of music I’ve known for years. Personally I always felt the first break always resonated with an oriental feel reflecting the title and is exhibited in the version with the Moroccan musicians, you identified.
Great analylsis! The band worked out the music ahead of singer Robert Plant hearing it. When he heard it, the usually confident vocalist and lyric writer felt very intimidated. "How am I going to come up with something that's worthy of that?" He wondered.
Great analysis Amy. Interesting that you mentioned Gershwin, I always thought of the songs chromatic progressions as being a slowed down simpler type of BeBop Jazz. Thanks Amy.
Reminds me of a Shepherd Tone, which is that audio illusion where a sound can appear to be continuously ascending, without actually rising. This gives Kashmir a tremendous sense of growing power. I've always loved this song even as a kid
Such a wonderful song. I highly recommend the Plant and Page version with the Egyptians orchestra. (1994). Besides being musically amazing, it is very obvious in the performance how much Robeet Plant loves this song. (In contrast to howuch he ended up loathing Stairway)
If you want to hear some more of Led Zeppelin's musical range, try: The Rain Song (done in response to a comment by Beatles guitarist George Harrison that they never did ballads) When the Levee Breaks (a cover -- with additions, of course -- of a 1928 Blues tune about a terrible flood in 1927) Four Sticks -- The meter shifts from 5/8 to 6/8, and they thought it would be too difficult -- and then John Bonham came in and put two drum-sticks in each hand. Also, consider Going to California -- a bit folksy and country. Immigrant Song -- This is the one that earned the band its nickname -- *The Hammer of the Gods*
I think one of the biggest reasons that the Kashmir is so facinating and yet somehow hostile initially to the listener is that opening riff that is just wonky in all the right ways. it doesnt sync with the drums and it doesn't finish in a satisfying way. Just as the pattern finishes it lurches back down half way through its final itteration and doesnt leave enough space for the start of the next. if Kashmir is inspired by the desert I can see it. it's like climbing endless sand dunes reaching the top only to find you haven't gone anywhere and its just rolling over in unsettling emptyness. And weirdly when you look at orchestral compositions which i checked out on your recommendation the first thing I noticed is that they get the riff wrong. They don't have the strange high/low loop ending/beginning. They just reach the end of the 4th note and start again.
As usual, please write here your questions only.
I appreciate your open mindedness listening to these various bands and songs.
Have you ever tried to listen something you couldn't finish?
👂 INXS "Don't change"
Have you heard Led Zeppelin's "Rain Song" or "Ten Years Gone?" These are both classically-constructed pieces that I believe would be of interest. As was true in Kashmir, you will find that most Led Zeppelin songs take a different musical direction - they are a very diverse band.
Would you describe the drum pattern as a March? Also, the string section invoked a sense of middle eastern melody patterns. Would you agree with this?
Hey vlad Jane's Addiction, Three Days?
Think of Robert Plant as just another instrument, not the focus, just part of the ensemble. Love this dissection of this wonderful piece of music.
Mr. Plant would agree with that. He is just not a vocalist but also a composer.
That’s exactly what I told my parents all those years ago!
Think of the title of her Vlog / Podcast
I appreciate your astute analysis very much, thank you. I'd like to add a bit of an ethnomusicologist's perspective to it as well, b/c I've loved this song since my early teens (early 80s :) ), and I'm an ethnomusicologist--in part b/c of this song. While Page and Plant were fans of and influenced much by Moroccan music, there's aspects to the music of Kashmir that to my ears sound like Page especially may have been listening to traditional music from Rajasthan and Baluchistan, Afghanistan and especially the western part of Tajikistan--Badakhshan and the Pamir Mts--that borders on Kashmir and Afghanistan. Oddly, I hear less of actual Kashmiri music in it hahaha. The use of modes made up of chromatic clusters + what we call a harmonic or melodic minor scale, are essentially Badakhshani, especially the way they're played in that intensely repetitive, trance-inducing rhythmic figure, with string instruments playing a strongly percussive role, that keeps going through all other changes or additions to the music.
There's also the 3 over 2 kind of cross-rhythms that you describe--the Islamic sect the Isma'ilis that practice in Badakhshan/Pamirs consider 5 as a sacred number, and in their music it's often expressed as 3 over 2 kinds of rhythms--so I was really interested to hear you talk about that b/c i'd never realized that before!
Then there's "Bridge 2", which to me turns the music into a vast swirling haze of smoke where if you look closely you can see/hear (it's almost like synaesthesia) the individual whisps of smoke curling in around and through each other, but they are performing variations on some not-quite perceptible but still recognizable larger pattern. I feel like this similar to what goes on in Rajasthani and Baluchi music of bowed instruments like the sarangi and sarinda--they play a melodic figure, against a steady hypnotic rhythm and will go on and on on that figure except it starts to morph and take on new shapes with each repetition--one motif might get elaborated on for a while, then the player will explore another sub-section, all the while coming back to the 'parent' figure to remind us where we started from.
"Kashmir" is also impressive to me b/c it does truly take a lot also from what we would hear in performances of traditional epic songs, like from the Balkans or Central Asia--the use of a 'simple' melodic figure (on strings!) that repeats over and over and over and both creates and releases tension without ever fully resolving it; the strophic-ness of the lyrics and vocal line, and (often) the change into musically related but very distinct other musical figures to signify something like episodic breaks and moods of the story. I feel like the band really did some homework while they were creating this song.
I just wanted to add this commentary to yours as a compliment to it, b/c you've added so much to my appreciation of this amazing piece! I hope you found it interesting. Thank you so much. :)
One of the best comments ever - thank you for sharing all of that - fascinating and lots to think about!
Thank you for this ☺️
Thank you for taking the time to write all this out! Fascinating stuff, and love the dive into a more nuanced look at the inspiration for this song
Thanks a lot for sharing your insights! 🎉😊❤
As a mere humble music consumer, I find this education fascinating. Thank you 🙂
Hi Amy, new sub here. I love people that love music as much as I do, especially when they know more about the technical aspects of it! As far as Led Zeppelin goes that have been one of my favorites since I was 12, and I'm 59 now! Imo, Robert Plant is the iconic singer/frontman for rock-n-roll. Jimmy Page is a top 5 guitarist and John Bonham was a top 3 percussionist. John Paul Jones was a fabulous bass player and keyboardist. They meshed so well! I'd love to see you do more Zeppelin. Especially anything off "In Through The Out Door", but it just doesn't matter, you can't go wrong! Keep up the great job!
You do ??? Its boring 😴
@@letsgomets002
Then why are you here? Many of us find this interesting. It's easy to move on.
Best explanation yet for us non-musicians on the technicals as to why so many of us just love this song on a gut level.
For a slightly different Led Zeppelin track, check out 'The Battle of Evermore'. You mentioned how 'Stairway to Heaven' reminded you of a folk song in parts. 'Evermore' is more folk song like with Robert Plant and Sandy Denny sing as a duet. The song is one the same album as ‘Stairway to Heaven’. The song's instrumentation features acoustic guitar and mandolin only, while the lyrics refer to Tolkien's “The Lord of the Rings” book.
Definitely recommend the Battle of Evermore. I'm one of the few Led Zeppelin fans who always hated Kashmir, I find it to be a horrible ear worm infection worthy of piercing my eardrums with a pencil.
Was thinking the same!
She’d love Battle of Evermore
@metaltildeth6783 -- Amen to that, _outstanding_ suggestion.
Sandy Denny… ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Your description painted a very nice desert scene for me, with the drums being the rocky desert, the instruments being the sand blowing over, and the vocals being the wind blowing, and the sand pushing over the stability of the rocks impelled by the wind.
I loved the polymeter 6/8 vs 4/4 structure when I first heard this piece. It makes the drum pattern and guitar chromatic scale separate and interweave around each other and join together again every few bars. Love it. Also the lyrics make no sense except that they invoke imagery. "I am a traveler of both time and space". He could be describing the Moroccan desert, but he could be also describing the planet Arrakis, and perhaps both at the same time. The lyrics are cosmic in scale.
Plant also draws on his love of adventure fiction.
A lot of the ideas come from the novel, "Lost Horizon," written by James Hilton, in 1933.
A film version was released in 1937, and it may be that Plant was familiar with it.
Of course, it was also partially inspired by a trip he took through Morocco.
Led Zeppelin made better use of polyrhythms than just about any other contemporary group of artists.
I'm so glad you mentioned the Page/Plant live version from 94! It is one of my favorite performances of any song. They added soon much color with that arrangement!
ruclips.net/video/9vbeilE0UrQ/видео.html
Led Zeppelin is my bestie band. I was a child when they were in their prime. That music has really stuck with me since. I really enjoyed your analysis of this piece and Stairway. I have marveled and wondered how they have seemed to survive the test of time. Hearing your analysis helps understand why. There is real depth to it. I love that no two songs sound the same as well, yet the pieces are well constructed and musically dynamic on several levels. These were two of their greatest, but there are others to explore!
I was in high school when Led Zeppelin was a band still making records and touring. It was great TV when they received the Kennedy Honors years back and made an appearance on David Letterman as well. I have enjoyed Robert Plant's solo projects and his collaborations with people like Alison Krauss.
The gratitude i feel for having found you on youtube is just simply immense! What a blessing you are to social media! Every single time i listen to one of your comments and in depth analyses' i can't help to think that we share a very similar way of experiencing music and listening to it. It truly gives me shivers to have you put in words in the most precise way what i'm going through listening to the same pieces of music. It's such a great joy, it makes me cry. Thank you from the very deepest of my heart! What you're doing through your videos is sublime, to say the least.
I've had the supreme pleasure of orchestrating this song for a 17 piece ensemble which was borrowed from the Naples Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2003 my three piece rock band began preparing for an epic backyard party which included my band playing 10 songs with these amazing musicians. Writing out the parts for 10 songs with the 17 piece orchestra took about a year, totaling 170 sheets of music. I Am The Walrus, Eminence Front, Something, Knights In White Satin, Comfortably Numb and No Leaf Clover were featured. It was a massive undertaking for a rock musician who had never prepared a classical score. There was a lot to learn. How do you notate when you want the strings to slide down the notes? It's a descending squiggly line. Who knew? Since you don't get to rehearse with the orchestra AT ALL, it's up to the person writing the scores to get it absolutely right. You count to four to start the piece and hope to avoid a disaster. Imagine the feeling when the strings play that first iconic line in the second verse of Kashmir. Goose bumps. I wish I could relive that moment.
My favorite highlights include the one measure of 9/8 going into the middle section. We had an extra guitar on stage set up with the alternate tuning to play this song correctly. I'm no Robert Plant, but I did manage to sing the appropriate pitches. Plant would deliver many of his notes intentionally flat for added thickness. And I'll never forget the violinist asking me after the performance why couldn't I switch the main orchestral riff to the cellos some time so the violinists' arms don't fall off. I had never thought to alter it so live musicians don't get worn out over those long repetitive sections. If we had more time I would have set up the flanging for the drums to match the swooshing on the record. I had to get with the conductor so he could warn me when I wrote notes outside of an instrument's range. What a unique, rare and unworldly experience.
Amy I believe your honesty attracts us and elevates you with your expert and skilled reactions and analysis. Please consider "The rain song" or "The song remains the same/the rain song" companion pieces. Live from 1973 or Studio version.
Kashmir at its best takes you to a spatial place that lets your thoughts fly. It is both primal and angelic. I have witnessed this song hypnotize tens of thousands as one.
The fact that they toured with that orchestra was incredible. A huge undertaking with spectacular results.
🤘🧙♂️🤘
Rich tAMB
I really love your musical analysis... Your reaction adds an intellectual, artistically expressive, and musically technical element that I don't see in other reaction videos.
I have not 1 single musical bone in my body. The only thing I can play is Spotify (and I'm bloody good at it, too), but I love this stuff, I cannot get over how good it is to have a classically trained musician illuminating to me the wonders of my favourite band of all time, Led Zeppelin.
Amy, the guitarist here, Jimmy, is using DADGAD guitar tuning which gives a slightly exotic sound to the guitar overall as well as making the little chromatic runs easier to play on guitar.
I feel Plant's voice is like a brush, painting strokes of color over the solid instrumental chant that is the canvas. It is a gorgeous, free splash of tonal color. An amazing piece of music.
Your analysis always gives me a new perspective on songs I have heard millions of times.
right????? reflect on how steadfast we all can be on our most cherished thoughts and beliefs. now remember how emotional we all can be about our music preferences. this stranger jumps into a very unfamiliar realm (this genre most of us have been enjoying for decades) and gives us a new perspective - and we love it! she tells us how it sounds to an outsider. tells us what is odd or disparate or unique or peculiar or “interesting” or relevant or evocative or what it is connotative of. and we are unanimous in welcoming these judgements of our lifetime choices. i can’t think of better proof that we are instantly good friends with the virgin rocker. how else could someone say “you know what i think of this?” and me & a thousand others reply: “i never thought of that, wow; you made me see hear that a new way. thank you.” i keep thinking of wanting to hear my favorite album or songs again for the first time, so i may rediscover the feeling of having a new favorite way to beautify my world on demand. well this is the closest, bar amnesia, that i can get to that. thank you again!
When this album first came out I had just started reading science fiction novels, this album transports me to the outer space of those novels and especially Kashmir. Kashmir has this out of world feel to it and as you stipulated we are transport. Thank you for making me appreciate even more this song.
Great Analysis as always, you found much to take note of, relate to, and enlighten us on. I loved your explanation of the 6/8 rhythm guitar/strings parts and how the 4/4 drum part only aligned on the 1st beat. Also loved your observation on the power of music to convey imagery. I played my bass guitar to it using a pretty good score as a guide, and the 'D' pedal note you mentioned was a big portion of the bass lines (all the verses). It alternated between the octaves in 3 note grouping (not quite triplets), but stayed on 'D' for these entire sections. And as you said things changed up in the bridge, interlude and outro sections. Some versions of the song don't even have the bass guitar, with other instruments covering the bass end, so I was glad my score included it.
Once again great analysis Amy!
I am glad I voted and suggested this one, and that other people did that too.
I discovered Led Zeppelin in my teens, but after all this years, I am still surprised how they stand the test of time and how I discover them over and over again.
Keep the good work Amy!
P. S. I hope you listen "Unleaded Unplugged MTV" version from 90's too, that is for me personally great arrangement and performance of this song live.
This is the deep-dive intelligent, articulate, and even passionate reaction and analysis that I didn't know I needed. My appreciation for this song has grown exponentially, as has my appreciation for you.
Thank you so much for doing this song. I appreciate your thoughtful review.
I'm sure you realized this, but the Asian/Middle-Eastern feel of the strings in the bridge and the outro comes from the use of Phrygian mode -- particularly the ♭2 just above the tonic.
Stop showing off....lol😢
Love this breakdown. Makes me excited about composing again. This was the song that absolutely sold me on Led Zeppelin. Heard it on the radio And the universe stopped. This is the band that inspired me to become a musician. I don't have a favorite song, it's impossible..but 10 years gone is one you might enjoy analyzing. I'm actually amazed you didn't listen to any more of their songs after this. But you've probably heard some and just don't know it.
I have been listening to this song for most of my life, and I feel like I just listened to it for the first time, through you. Your analysis is just delightful, and you have picked up on and pointed out so many of the things that have kept me coming back to this song for decades! The combination of the images of vast landscapes but also small scale details... it's somehow such a *visual* song. It's lovely to see all the respect and love for these legendary musicians, too!
And here it is. You sat down and just listened to the piece a few times. And it fell into place. This insight is one of the best you provided in this channel. "A bit removed". I felt it so many times and never thought of expressing it in words. Absolutely brilliant!
Moroccan/Arab influence. They went to Morocco several times, playing music with local musicians. It was always my favorite Zep song.
I was surprised the middle eastern influences wasn't picked up by Amy. Maybe it is just my imagination but I'm sure they are there in the rhythm and string arrangements.
@@paulhiggins6584 definitely in the string arrangements.
@@paulhiggins6584 It's not really middle eastern if it's Moroccan lol
@@jonasw3945 It's actually Indian, if I understand it correctly. Page and Jones spent some time in India, and learned to some of the music, there.
Now, Indian music is also strongly influenced by Middle Eastern/Arabic culture, so it would make sense to hear that, too.
@@thomashiggins9320 No, indeed, it's about trips to Morocco. To this day, Robert had a strong love for the area.
Thank yiu for the excellent analysis Amy! This is what this music deserves. It's like watching a great movie and then the "behind the scenes" video afterwards.
Hi Amy -- might I suggest that your next Led Zeppelin adventure should be their very first song on their first album. It is MUCH different than the refined 'orchestral' pieces like Kashmir and Stairway to Heaven.
The song is:
Good Times Bad Times
You would get to hear how we were introduced to the band. It's rock and roll -- yet, we had never heard rock and roll like that -- we knew there was something very special about this band right from the start ....
Dazed and Confused not bad
As you move along your journey of discovering Led Zeppelin, you will find that their "sound" varies greatly between albums. Listening to "Communication Breakdown" is an entirely different experience than listening to "Stairway to Heaven" or "Fool in the Rain" as just three examples. You will always find their dedication to creating a masterpiece as a common thread though. Each individual member of Led Zeppelin is considered among the greatest at their respective instrument (and with Robert Plant, his voice is indeed another instrument in this band) and when you put the four of them together it is nothing short of magic. BTW, I *love* these In-Depth Analysis and look forward to many more. Would love to hear you break down their song "No Quarter."
When you speak of the desert colors I immediately thought of the chromatic climb in the music. Because the colors of the desert are mainly different shades of the same color in most cases. It gives me the feeling of vastness in a progression. What I mean is the eye at first sees one shade of tan then as the eye fixates on the details it reveals all of the the slight changes of color. This leads to the realization of the vastness of the space.
That last ascending motif during the fade out; we call it a coda.
I must say, you are an absolute joy. Really appreciate your analysis and commentary.
Wonderful explanations! Thank you! I imagine it more as a journey TO Kashmir across deserts and going up to the foothills--dreaming of being there.
I’d really love to hear your reaction to The Rain Song. It’s such a delicate and beautiful song and really shows the depth of Jimmy Page’s playing.
This song stood out from many Led Zeppelin songs and today I understood why - the intricate levels caught my attention. Thanks for the in-depth review.
It makes complete sense to me what you explain here! Thank you!
Excellent analysis of Kashmir. I can hardly wait to see your reaction when you eventually find yourself listening to Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love." After listening you might need to consider changing the name of your channel. ;)
In an interview with Robert Plant he told the story of how John Bonham had an idea for a beat and played it for the group.
That is how it started and why the drums are a major part.
I enjoy your deconstruction of songs both for your academic insight, but mostly because I can vicariously encounter them for the first time all over again, so thanks for that.
My observations on this latest track are:
Led zeppelin’s music is often a blend of ethnic music themes and straight up 4/4 rock music. With Stairway, it is English folk tradition combined with rock interludes.
In the case of Kashmir, the ethnic influence is the Arab tone system with its unusual (for westerners) intervals 24 equal per octave. Also Arabic music uses playing in unison as opposed to harmony and glissando rises and falls especially with massed strings. That unison sound is sometimes referred to as Egyptian strings. The guitar can’t play some of the sounds of an arabic Oud (without frets), but achieves the flavour of close intervals by using chromatic progressions. The use of repetition of cyclical themes also gives an overall hypnotic feel, movement and emotion. Your observation of the mixed time signatures also gives the music an exotic feel, though in Arabic music it's often in 5/4 or 9/8. Think belly-dance, this is erotic music.
What a thorough and wonderful analysis, Amy!! I, too, find myself returning to "Kashmir," still being fascinated and transported by it. That is saying something, since it was released forty-eight years ago.
Chuck in Northern New England
You are so incredibly enjoyable to hear your musical prowess!!!!!
Been listening to that song for most of my life ... feel like I haven't heard it until today. Ive never met anyone that has your passion for music
Ten Years Gone, No Quarter, Since I've Been Loving You... choose any, you can't go wrong! Thanks for this!
When I listen to Kashmir I always look at the music as the landscapes of the desert, the sun, the sand, the oasis, the village etc... and the voice as the feeling of the man who is passing through it...
Another great Led Zeppelin composition is "The rain song", I'm pretty sure you'll find it interesting too!
The song is a sort of hypnotic drone. The first bridge is almost a shock tactic and leads into a huge mid-point crescendo delivered in the vocal - the long modulated wail with eastern inflections. I think that crescendo was overlooked when first listening to the piece because of the fragmented way you were analysing it. There's a later vocal crescendo near the end, piercing a shimmering drum roll, that echoes the earlier one. They use the same mid point/high point wail in Trampled Underfoot, the song before this on the same album.
Assertive and dominate.
I didn't think Bonzo could be summed up so succinctly.
🤘🧙♂️🤘
Rich the Ancient Metal Beast
Loved this!
I appreciate what you’ve already picked up on these two iconic songs being so different. This theme plays out on their entire catalog, even their live performances are never exactly the same.
Compositionally, I think you would enjoy The Rain Song which is a smooth melodic string ballad. The chord progression is my favorite from Page.
Ever since you did stairway to heaven was hoping you would do Kashmir. Love the song and knew you would have a great take on this song. Thanks
Thank you for this interesting analysis!
I felt the same way when I first heard Kashmir (in 1975) - the imagery, the motion, the journey, the sense of the singer within the landscape - separate of it but fully a engaged with it, the grueling accent, the mirage drawing us onward. It’s like its own movie it’s so sensual.
Rain Song by Zeppelin would be a perfect fit for your reaction and analysis.
The song was originally going to be called "Driving to Kashmir" and what Plant wishes the band was best remembered for over Stairway. IMO a rock song equivalent to a Mozart or Beethoven. 100+ years from now it will still be played and listened to..
I was just thinking to myself, "She should really listen to Kashmir next," when I came across this video. Wonderful! Thank you. There are, of course, so many excellent Led Zeppelin songs to choose from, but as a life-long Led Zeppelin fan, I would recommend No Quarter as a perfect next addition. It has many similarities and differences to Stairway and Kashmir as to make for a great analysis. It also has some very interesting live versions and then a completely different approach to the song by Plant and Page in 1994.
I am not a musician nor do I listen to music much now but you make the music I grew up with so very interesting. I appreciate your enthusiasm.
Yet again you have shone a new light on a song I have listened to for decades and made fall in love with it all over again.
That was truly fascinating. Thankyou.
Plant’s vocal always reminded me of a guy lost and wandering through a desert. Definitely different from everything around it, but totally lost within it.
All your knowledge and research has made for an enjoyable and interesting analysis.
I think the way the drums are the central, grounding element of this song is also pretty symbolic of the makeup of the band itself. John Bonham's playing is almost always a core/centralising element of their songs, and ultimately i think he also very much was the glue that held the band itself together.
I loved your analysis! If someone ever told me that a classical harpsichordist would provide an interesting breakdown of this song, complete with examples played on the harp, I would have suggested they cut back on their medication. But you pulled it off in an entertaining and informative way. Thank you!
I like your well thought out interpretations of these classic rock songs….not to mention you’re very beautiful too
Kashmir was named after someone's sweater. I got to see Led Zeppelin play both these songs live at the Los Angeles Fourm in 1975 during the Physical Graffiti tour.
This is my mum's favourite Led Zeppelin song!
I'm listening to William Mathias' Santa Fe Suite for solo harp right now, quite beautiful. It is good music to listen to in the morning to help clear your thoughts.
"Stargazer" was the answer to Kashmir from Ritchie Blackmore (from Deep Purple) and his band "Rainbow". Worth a listen. Another immortal classic, especially sung by Ronnie James Dio with Rwinbow..
Thanks for introducing me to the recording by a youth orchestra in the city where I live, Johannesburg South Africa. South African musicians keep appearing in unexpected places!
This is their best piece. It really has them all at their best and as a southern california boy all I've ever thought of when I hear it is the harsh austere beauty of the desert
They have dozens and dozens of classics
This was a fabulous breakdown of a record that I have loved for many years. I actually watched your other commentary on Kashmir and while I did enjoy that one, I had an unresolved itch in my mind relating to the 3/3 4/4 rhythm in the structure of the song which you so wholeheartedly resolved (and then some) to a degree that exceeded my expectations. This irregular rhythmic timing was something I was always unconsciously aware of but you spelled it out and made it all crystal clear so I thank you for that. Finally, one of my favourite tracks of Led Zeppelin is Babe I’m Gonna Leave You on their first album. It’s a song that’s I’ve always believed to be underrated but it’s melodic composition is simply divine.
I love Kashmir. To me the music is very very visual. I think of riding camels through a really hostile desert. To me the steadiness of the heat, the camel imagery are following the drums, the steady bobbing of the animal as they lumber along. Yes beating sun, intense heat, maybe looking for water but the character in the song doesn't seem to be in danger, but is weary. Robert's vocal is the rider and is observing the landscape and noticing the different things. Those images follow the guitar and strings.
I love how you discussed how the meters are stacked. This is like a fractions lesson. The meters will come together every 12 beats and that part feels good too.
I didn't realize it was in 6\8 time just counted differently. But it is. So smart. I also listened to a bit of the Santa Fe suite. It was nice! Thanks so much.
I am in awe that you reconsidered and did this In-Depth Analysis for us. How very rare for one at your professorial level. There is such humility in your language that I am able to learn and retain what you say at a noticeable rate. Lol....I checked out Sante Fe Suite the moment you first mentioned it. I feel so cultured.
Your appreciation of this rock classic made me happy : )🥰
In the 90s Plant (vocals) & Page (guitar) toured with a rock band, an Egyption orchestra & string section. With all three bands playing in time together, they elevated songs like Kashmir to the next level.
You have some disturb in the mind, Go to a doctor the original is untouchble
I've loved this song all my life, but now your explanation has opened up a whole new understanding and appreciation of it. Thank you!
Zeppelin Has broken through to excite her musical soul, and made her playlist again 2 for 2 Rain Song next Vlad
it feels like the voice is small, a traveler through the desert who's not from there and is in awe of it
What a great person, I truly enjoy Virgin Rock's breakdowns of music.
Amy, many professional musicians consider Led Zeppelin's best song to be Ten Years Gone, from the same album as Kashmir.
Ten Years Gone is a stunning composition
Great tune. Absolutely!
There are some other contenders too IMO. Achilles Last Stand, No Quarter, The Rain Song, In the Light just to name a few of my suggestions.
Trampled Under Foot also
@@muratomar6502 I don't think that one has aged very well. Just my opinion though!
I love your analysis of Kashmir! Thank you!
The song has always evoked a strong feeling of emptiness and ancient barren vast landscapes.
Thank you for giving me insight into a piece of music I’ve known for years. Personally I always felt the first break always resonated with an oriental feel reflecting the title and is exhibited in the version with the Moroccan musicians, you identified.
Morocco is nowhere near the Orient.
I love how you can picture sitting around a campfire with his tribe sharing his wisdom: the end is the beginning!
Great analylsis! The band worked out the music ahead of singer Robert Plant hearing it. When he heard it, the usually confident vocalist and lyric writer felt very intimidated. "How am I going to come up with something that's worthy of that?" He wondered.
Wonderful, wholesome and entertaining channel. 👌🏼
Love this analysis! Led Zeppelin is my favorite band, and I am happy that you find their music compelling!
ABSOLUTELY fantastic analysis..explains totally why i love this music..you are awesome Amy!
My question is, will you listen to The Rain Song, by Led Zeppelin?
The song is just a beautiful spiritual trip...🤘
I enjoyed both your Kashmir videos. I must say that you seem to be a throw back to a by gone era... You remind me of a movie from the 40's.
Great analysis Amy. Interesting that you mentioned Gershwin, I always thought of the songs chromatic progressions as being a slowed down simpler type of BeBop Jazz. Thanks Amy.
loved it amy
Just another brilliant video putting together a great analysis of an amazing song by Led Zeppelin...
Reminds me of a Shepherd Tone, which is that audio illusion where a sound can appear to be continuously ascending, without actually rising. This gives Kashmir a tremendous sense of growing power. I've always loved this song even as a kid
Interesting, I've never heard of a Shepherd Tone before. Any idea why it's called that?
Since you like blues you should check out “Since I’ve been living you” or “In my time of dying”
Such a wonderful song. I highly recommend the Plant and Page version with the Egyptians orchestra. (1994). Besides being musically amazing, it is very obvious in the performance how much Robeet Plant loves this song. (In contrast to howuch he ended up loathing Stairway)
If you want to hear some more of Led Zeppelin's musical range, try:
The Rain Song (done in response to a comment by Beatles guitarist George Harrison that they never did ballads)
When the Levee Breaks (a cover -- with additions, of course -- of a 1928 Blues tune about a terrible flood in 1927)
Four Sticks -- The meter shifts from 5/8 to 6/8, and they thought it would be too difficult -- and then John Bonham came in and put two drum-sticks in each hand.
Also, consider Going to California -- a bit folksy and country.
Immigrant Song -- This is the one that earned the band its nickname -- *The Hammer of the Gods*
I think one of the biggest reasons that the Kashmir is so facinating and yet somehow hostile initially to the listener is that opening riff that is just wonky in all the right ways. it doesnt sync with the drums and it doesn't finish in a satisfying way. Just as the pattern finishes it lurches back down half way through its final itteration and doesnt leave enough space for the start of the next. if Kashmir is inspired by the desert I can see it. it's like climbing endless sand dunes reaching the top only to find you haven't gone anywhere and its just rolling over in unsettling emptyness.
And weirdly when you look at orchestral compositions which i checked out on your recommendation the first thing I noticed is that they get the riff wrong. They don't have the strange high/low loop ending/beginning. They just reach the end of the 4th note and start again.