In 1973, Led Zeppelin was undeniably one of the biggest bands in the world, which is no small feat when their peers included the likes of David Bowie, Black Sabbath and The Rolling Stones. But, with John Bonham behind the kit, when it came to gimmick-free, Earth-shattering, stadium-sized rock and roll, Zeppelin were kings.
Misty Mountain Hop, from their untitled fourth album – aka Led Zeppelin IV – was first released as the B-side to the thunderous hit, Black Dog. The keyboard-led romp was a mainstay on Zeppelin’s live setlists for most of 1972 and 1973, including when they performed a now-legendary three-night run at Maddison Square Garden in New York City. The band had gone from playing tight club rooms to headlining arenas in just a few years, setting a new standard in rock in the process.
With their sheer talent in full force, Zeppelin’s delivered a hard-hitting, and somewhat playful rendition of Misty Mountain Hop at Madison Square Garden, Bonham leading the band with his thunderous kick drum, while Plant playfully ad-libs responses to his own lyrics and Jones shows off his prowess on keyboards, all tied together with the prodigal guitar work of Jimmy Page.
Watch Led Zeppelin tear through Misty Mountain Hop live in 1973 below.
Led Zeppelin | ‘Misty Mountain Hop’ [Live at Madison Square Garden, 1973]
It’s a masterclass in rock – the likes of which we may never see again!
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