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Led Zeppelin — Immigrant Song
Album: Led Zeppelin III
Avg rating:
8.5

Your rating:
Total ratings: 4132









Released: 1970
Length: 2:21
Plays (last 30 days): 0
Ahhh-ah-ah! Ahhh-ah-ah!

We come from the land of the ice and snow
From the midnight sun where the hot springs blow
Hammer of the gods will drive our ships to new lands
To fight the horde and sing and cry
Valhalla, I am coming.

On we sweep with the threshing oar
Our only goal will be the western shore.

Ahhh-ah-ah! Ahhh-ah-ah!

We come from the land of the ice and snow
From the midnight sun where the hot springs blow
How soft your fields so green can whisper tales of gore
Of how we calmed the tides of war
We are your overlords.

On we sweep with the threshing oar
Our only goal will be the western shore.

So now you'd better stop and rebuild all your ruins
For peace and trust can win the day despite of all your losing.
Comments (336)add comment
This song used to creep me out as a little kid. Especially that moaning bit at the end.
 MassivRuss wrote:

All these years gone by and still my favorite album cover ever.



I remember playing around with my older sisters copy (when she wasn't around) spinning the disc tab thingy (volvelle, thanks Wiki) and seeing what new pictures popped into the cut-outs in the cover. They don't make cool album covers anymore.
This song is so "in your face," and only LZ could pull it off.  

My 5 year has been slowly brainwashed by me to like good music (he currently loves Duran Duran and The Cars, a prefect place for a little kid to start). He asked me for the "most rocking song ever" the other day.  I put this on, and it blew his mind. 
My favourite guitar song that doesn't have a guitar solo.
My life was changed by Rock and Roll, for sure, but also by Mariko, a sexy, sassy little gal from Okinawa who loved this song madly and was a waitstaff co-worker of mine at Emi's. In '78 I was 16, and my head was like, floating in the breeze, man... Mariko was 28 and rather bored, she said, till I came along. I would score weed and hash for her, and she would score me big bottles of Bacardi 151 and EverClear. Our frequent Staff Bowling Nights were a hoot. Emi would close a bit early and make sure we had all the beer, sake, Navy Grogs, Mai Tais, or Chi-Chis that we wanted, and we'd do clean-up with a real sense of urgency. The cooks would lay out a big spread for us and then start drinking beer in the kitchen, and me, Mariko, and my buddy Johnny M, the dishwasher, would be smoking joints out in the alley. Then we'd hit the lanes across the street. PARTY! Mariko would flirt and tease me with reckless abandon, and I reveled in the exotic Heaven that it all was for me. I thought the world of that gal, and she sprouted in me the seeds of all kinds of dreams. She made me hear this song in new ways, and fired me up with stories of tripping and seeing Jimi Hendrix, Deep Purple, the StonesLed Zeppelin as a teen in Japan before she came to the USA. Those were the days! Sugoku tanoshikatta! Totemo natsukashii, yo!
 vatt wrote:

I felt someone had to post it.
Thor Ragnarok

Bump. 

I'd forgotten that this track was from LZ III, a pretty mellow album overall. 
 talexb wrote:

It's kind of ground-breaking to think that this recording is 50 years  old. That's a strong tell that it's a classic recording. Very few people in the 70's listened to popular music from the 1920's -- that would have been .. eccentric.



Would be very surprised if people would still listen to today's popular music in 50 years, I hope they will have better taste...
All these years gone by and still my favorite album cover ever.
 talexb wrote:

It's kind of ground-breaking to think that this recording is 50 years  old. That's a strong tell that it's a classic recording. Very few people in the 70's listened to popular music from the 1920's -- that would have been .. eccentric.


Some folks listened.  Count Basie and all that incredible jazz?  The Hot Club?  Classic.  As was a lot of the music from the 60's and 70's.
 On_The_Beach wrote:

After hearing this song hundreds of times for fifty-some years, these are the lyrics that I was hearing correctly:
"We come from the land of the ice and snow"
And these are the lyrics I had no idea about:
Well, all the rest of the lyrics.  ; )


Funny, the only ones I know are on this one are "Hammer of the Gods!!" 
After hearing this song hundreds of times for fifty-some years, these are the lyrics that I was hearing correctly:
"We come from the land of the ice and snow"
And these are the lyrics I had no idea about:
Well, all the rest of the lyrics.  ; )
 talexb wrote:

It's kind of ground-breaking to think that this recording is 50 years  old. That's a strong tell that it's a classic recording. Very few people in the 70's listened to popular music from the 1920's -- that would have been .. eccentric.




Most of the "popular" music from the 1920s was consumed live thus it's hard to make this comparison in light of todays recording infrastructure.
 ottovonb wrote:

And a damn fine album cover to boot. Blow it up. Frame it. Put it on the wall. Viola!



Viola?  Sorry, not thinking of violas here. Damn fine tune btw

I felt someone had to post it.
Thor Ragnarok
Oh my goodness Bill, next level segue here. "Seeing Hands" by Dengue Fever, followed up by "Immigrant Song". 

For those unaware (as I was), "Seeing Hands" is quite literally an immigrant song. From the band's Wikipedia page

"The band then decided to add a vocalist who could sing the Khmer lyrics of the Cambodian songs they hoped to play, and auditioned singers in the Little Phnom Penh area of Long Beach. The band selected Chhom Nimol, who had previously been a well-known singer in Cambodia before emigrating to the United States."


Too damn short! 
 eileenomurphy wrote:

GODLIKE!!!


Agreed gave this a 10
GODLIKE!!!
 joejennings wrote:

Great tune!



i agree.  i think these guys might have a future.
Great tune!
 thewiseking wrote:

To the best of my knowledge Jimmy Page did not steal this




Riiiiight
 ozburns55 wrote:
Opener on the orig. tour, Vancouver Colliseum, at ear bleed levels....put the fear of Jimmy in me.
 
Saw this tour in Philly at the now gone Spectrum.  Page came out and promptly sat down in a chair to play for most of the show.  Very odd and unexpected.  Didn't hold the show back one bit though.  I have taken them a bit differently since then and the No Quarter album and especially the DVD just drew things further into focus about what was important to them in terms of playing the music.  They really didn't need much of a stage show to go with the music.  Sitting there with eyes closed and just listening was all that was needed.  More than likely tripping if it wasn't on a school night.
 meatmike wrote:

Wasn't a remix, Karen O, Trent Reznor, and Atticus Ross version.


Oh dang, I gotta find that!
 thewiseking wrote:

To the best of my knowledge Jimmy Page did not steal this


To the best of my knowledge Tenacious D made a career from this. 
Remember playing this LOUD out the dorm windows at college when it came out!
 opaceo wrote:


It applies to whichever mix you are listening. If you have the rock mix up it shows the number of plays on the rock mix in the last 30 days, if on the main mix ... well, you get the idea.


Actually, mine show both now. 
 icuski2 wrote:

Are you in the Main Mix or Rock Mix? Think the stat for how many plays in last 30 only applies to in the Main Mix. 


It applies to whichever mix you are listening. If you have the rock mix up it shows the number of plays on the rock mix in the last 30 days, if on the main mix ... well, you get the idea.
If only the Vikings could rock like LZ... (if you're a Viking.. uh... sir.. no.. I'm not referring to you specifically).
Great groove.  These guys can make it if they find a singer who doesn't sound so whiny.
The Norwegian Forest Cat theme song!
Not the best engineering but still the best rock. A definite 10!
To quote Tony The Tiger:  "It's Grrrrrrreat"!!!!
So now you'd better stop and rebuild all your ruins
For peace and trust can win the day despite of all your losing.

Amen.
I remember listening to this song over and over on a panasonic cassette player when it came out.  One of the classic rock tunes I never get tired of hearing even after this many years.  Great album too.  And very fitting lyrics to the time we are in.  You are truly an artist Bill in your playlists.  You play some stuff I really don't care for but when you hit my game it's awesome.  Thanks for the great tunes.
Was always disappointed they didn't sing this in Icelandic.  Eyjaaaaaaaaaaafjallajökull.... 
People who forget what a badass JPJ was, need to listen this bassline ... not just the main-line, but that insane climbing run in the pre-chorus.
Surprised to hear this on RP. But very, very happy. Much more rock please?!
It's kind of ground-breaking to think that this recording is 50 years  old. That's a strong tell that it's a classic recording. Very few people in the 70's listened to popular music from the 1920's -- that would have been .. eccentric.
I used to work in a two-person office; I started at 8:30am and my best friend arrived at 10am, often barely-caffeinated. I used to turn my speakers way up, turn them to face his desk, and have this song prepped. As soon as his butt touched the seat, I'd let the "Immigrant Song" rip, jolting him every time. We still laugh about it--that song has a lot of meaning!
 kingart wrote:
Surely a political epitaph of sorts for our noble present 2019 Commander in Chief

So now you'd better stop and rebuild all your ruins
For peace and trust can win the day despite of all your losing. 
 

What ruins?  The ones i see in the US weren't caused by the Prez.  You may want to take a closer look.  And please stop with the political posts, this is a music station.
Simply awesome 🎸
Plant continues to write great music!
 kingart wrote:
Surely a political epitaph of sorts for our noble present 2019 Commander in Chief

So now you'd better stop and rebuild all your ruins
For peace and trust can win the day despite of all your losing. 
 
What is he losing?
If he isn't elected for another term, which seems unlikely given his competition.
Maybe I'm mistaken, but I'm betting DJT is POTUS another term.
So THOSE are the words! 
 slikr wrote:
 Immigrant Song is my favorite!!!

Imkirok wrote:

No such thing.

  @Imkirok....
Beg pardon?  You apparently don't know much about Led Zeppelin.
 

 Beastie wrote:
Simply brilliant. Arguably the best voice and guitars of Rock and Roll history, together. This was a "super group" from the start.
 
Cannot exclude J.B. when praising the best group EVER!!! Best drummer EVER, to beat those skins!!
 WonderLizard wrote:
I'm trying to think of vocalists with Plant's vocal range. Freddy Mercury and Prince come to mind. So does Don Van Vliet (Captain Beefheart), reputed to have an eight octave range. Is that even possible? Comments?
 
pretty sure 5 is the max
 Soulipon wrote:
Opening credits in the "Girl with the Dragon Tatoo"
(a remix)
 
Wasn't a remix, Karen O, Trent Reznor, and Atticus Ross version.
Opening credits in the "Girl with the Dragon Tatoo"
(a remix)
This song is...gulp!...50 years old! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh indeed!
When the gates of Rock'n'roll Valhalla swing open to welcome the gods of rock, this is the tune that greets them.
Not a cover
No way R.P
i was wondering when you were going to break out the III
Big mahalo!
and...Very apropos , on this ICE raid day I might say ; < 
Opener on the orig. tour, Vancouver Colliseum, at ear bleed levels....put the fear of Jimmy in me.
Letting the Led out in Texas!  
 t0m5k1 wrote:
Plays (last 30 days): 1

I love the song but I know I heard it more than once in the last week alone on here.
 
Are you in the Main Mix or Rock Mix? Think the stat for how many plays in last 30 only applies to in the Main Mix. 
big shoot out from The Netherlands! YEAH AAAAAAAAAAH coffeetime!
Surely a political epitaph of sorts for our noble present 2019 Commander in Chief

So now you'd better stop and rebuild all your ruins
For peace and trust can win the day despite of all your losing. 
Plays (last 30 days): 1

I love the song but I know I heard it more than once in the last week alone on here.
The Jack Black / Tenaciious D spoof of this song ruined it for me.
 Immigrant Song is my favorite!!!

Imkirok wrote:

No such thing.

 

I know I'm in the minority when it comes to my dislike of Led Zeppelin, but I always though that if I were to be murdered in a horrific Manson-like attack, this song or Kashmir would be playing on the stereo as I was being killed. :) 

 WonderLizard wrote:
I'm trying to think of vocalists with Plant's vocal range. Freddy Mercury and Prince come to mind. So does Don Van Vliet (Captain Beefheart), reputed to have an eight octave range. Is that even possible? Comments?
 
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/kermit-banjo.jpg
No one holds a candle to Kermie.
I'm trying to think of vocalists with Plant's vocal range. Freddy Mercury and Prince come to mind. So does Don Van Vliet (Captain Beefheart), reputed to have an eight octave range. Is that even possible? Comments?
 KurtfromLaQuinta wrote:
Anybody heard of these guys?

Greta Van Fleet

Not too shabby.
When I first heard them I thought  "A Led song I've never heard before?"

 
Yeah, they rock.  And I also thought it was long lost LZ track when I heard their first few songs.  Apparently, the lead singer spent an entire year researching Robert Plant in order to emulate his voice.


 KurtfromLaQuinta wrote:
Anybody heard of these guys?

Greta Van Fleet

Not too shabby.
When I first heard them I thought  "A Led song I've never heard before?"

 
Well I submitted two of their songs...
One got the boot.
"Flower Power" is sitting with 5 positive votes!
 hayduke2 wrote:
CRANK IT!!!   {#Drummer}

 
DONE!
 GeorgeMWoods wrote:
Too much Robert Plant. Too much Led.Zeppelin 

 
No such thing.
Too much Robert Plant. Too much Led.Zeppelin 
CRANK IT!!!   {#Drummer}
 KurtfromLaQuinta wrote:
Anybody heard of these guys?

Greta Van Fleet

Not too shabby.
When I first heard them I thought  "A Led song I've never heard before?"

 
GVF is currently getting all the love over at Little Steven's Underground Garage.
Anybody heard of these guys?

Greta Van Fleet

Not too shabby.
When I first heard them I thought  "A Led song I've never heard before?"
 dwhayslett wrote:
Hey it's that song from the trailer for Thor: Ragnarok.

 
Or from the trailer for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Excellent, nevertheless. 
 dwhayslett wrote:
Hey it's that song from the trailer for Thor: Ragnarok.

 
I saw the movie last Thursday. It's now Tuesday and the whole time in between, I couldn't get this song out of my head.

Great use of the song in the movie. Both thumbs up.

Thanks for playing this Bill.
 maxvonevil wrote:
 kingart wrote:
Clearly, this is Donald Drumpf's theme song. 


As a Scandinavian comming from "the land of ice and snow" I resent that comment.

That asshat Drumphphp is apparently of german descent. That being what it is, his themesong should either be Leary's Asshole-song or when he hopefully looses the election, Napoleon XIV's "they're comming to take me away, hahaaa!"
 
Ahahaha! Right on, Max!

VIKING POWAH!!  {#War}
 thewiseking wrote:
To the best of my knowledge Jimmy Page did not steal this

 
Naw—-in keeping with the violent medieval theme, he plundered it.
It's surprising that there is not a dim-witted remark somewhere in the comments about this song being "repetitive".  It's actually refreshing.
Hey it's that song from the trailer for Thor: Ragnarok.
Unfortunately Tenacious D ruined my original memory of this song for by parodying it - damn you Jack Black!  Mind you their version is funny {#Smile}
To the best of my knowledge Jimmy Page did not steal this
Ahhh my youth
VIKING QUEST!
 KurtfromLaQuinta wrote:
I've still have my 45 single of this.

 
Same here with "Hey Hey What Can I Do" on the B side. I wore out the first copy and had to buy a Japanese import to replace it.  
{#Drummer}  {#Guitarist} {#Dancingbanana_2} {#Bananajam}
 kingart wrote:
Clearly, this is Donald Drumpf's theme song. 


As a Scandinavian comming from "the land of ice and snow" I resent that comment.

That asshat Drumphphp is apparently of german descent. That being what it is, his themesong should either be Leary's Asshole-song or when he hopefully looses the election, Napoleon XIV's "they're comming to take me away, hahaaa!"

I've still have my 45 single of this.
Clearly, this is Donald Drumpf's theme song. 
The rest of the album is better.
Viking Kittens coming to kick a**!!  https://www.public.asu.edu/~mesmith9/VikingKittens.htm
  Bomb & Boom town immigrant song cover versions.
 Happenstances the latter is for the first time in history.
      No one knows what theyl ll become.
  Maybe  end end up in country house and get fat.
          Or become techno white trash,
 NickDanger wrote:
Bill - excellent segue from Fever Ray's "If I had a Heart". Thanks!

 
and the previous two before those
who said white folks ain't got soul 
Bill - excellent segue from Fever Ray's "If I had a Heart". Thanks!
My very first 45 RPM record purchase, so 'natch it's a 10.{#Guitarist}
A Perfect Rock & Roll Song! {#Bananajam}{#Drummer}{#Bananajam}
 On_The_Beach wrote:

What about Creed?

 
HaHa, You funny Fucker {#Roflol}
 hempmandan wrote:
Is there a better Rock and Roll band? Ever?
 
What about Creed?
 hempmandan wrote:
Is there a better Rock and Roll band? Ever?
 
 
Let's see, the Beatles?  The Who, yeah maybe.  Rolling Stones, yeah possibly.  Nope, none better.
 Ahnyer_Keester wrote:
Madness — One Step Beyond
Led Zeppelin — Immigrant Song

A segue I never saw coming but one that fit PERFECTLY.

 
agreed... even if that Madness song REALLY rubbed me the wrong way. It's all been made right now.
 TJOpootertoot wrote:

Ditto. You can't argue with the groove but I've always found Plant's wailing severely off-putting on this one.

 
You guys are crazy. Put this song in to context man....It spawned so much...Robert Plant offputting? Wow....
Is there a better Rock and Roll band? Ever?
 
 sculpin99 wrote:
I like Zep a lot, but I am not a fan of this one. It sounds noisy and it bugs me. That said, I probably would rate most songs of theirs highly.
(and I'm actually a metal fan of sorts, so normally I'm OK with 'noisy') 
 
Ditto. You can't argue with the groove but I've always found Plant's wailing severely off-putting on this one.
This goes well with the Vikings season premiere last night.
I like Zep a lot, but I am not a fan of this one. It sounds noisy and it bugs me. That said, I probably would rate most songs of theirs highly.
(and I'm actually a metal fan of sorts, so normally I'm OK with 'noisy') 
 {#Guitarist}{#Yes}  1  9  7  0  TerryS wrote:
Ahhhh, now we're talking.

 

Ahhhh, now we're talking.
!!12
If there was ever a song to perfectly fire up my productivity level at work....this is fits the bill!
Madness — One Step Beyond
Led Zeppelin — Immigrant Song

A segue I never saw coming but one that fit PERFECTLY.
And a damn fine album cover to boot. Blow it up. Frame it. Put it on the wall. Viola!
here's the reissue info., to be release 6/2/14-

Led Zeppelin III
1. “Immigrant Song”
2. “Friends”
3. “Celebration Day”
4. “Since I’ve Been Loving You”
5. “Out On The Tiles”
6. “Gallows Pole”
7. “Tangerine”
8. “That’s The Way”
9. “Bron-Y-Aur Stomp”
10. “Hats Off To (Roy) Harper”

Companion Audio Disc
1. “The Immigrant Song”
2. “Friends”
3. “Celebration Day”
4. “Since I’ve Been Loving You”
5. “Bathroom Sound”
6. “Gallows Pole”
7. “That’s The Way”
8. “Jennings Farm Blues”
9. “Keys To The Highway/Trouble In Mind”


 Stephenater wrote:
Wow, DBT to LZ ... Awesome Bill!

Great way to get the blood pumping on a Friday afternoon...

Great playlist this afternoon.  {#Cheers}


Wow, DBT to LZ ... Awesome Bill!

Great way to get the blood pumping on a Friday afternoon...
{#Dancingbanana_2} Long live Zep!
{#Bananajam}{#Guitarist}{#War}{#Notworthy}{#Drummer}
 ottojschlosser wrote:
Too many listenings to this, I fear. Thought it was great when I was 17, but that was a long time ago.
 
This was great, when i was 17, and it is great now. Whats the problem?