Recorded November–December 1978 Length 5:53 | Genre Rock Label Swan Song | |
Released 15 August 1979 (1979-08-15) Writer(s) John Paul Jones, Robert Plant | ||
"All My Love" is the sixth track on Led Zeppelin's 1979 album In Through the Out Door. Credited to Robert Plant and John Paul Jones, it is a rock ballad that features a synthesizer solo by Jones. It was written in honour of Plant's son Karac, who died while Led Zeppelin was on their 1977 North American tour.
Contents
Recording and releases
"All My Love" is a mid-tempo rock-style ballad, which biographer Nigel Williamson describes as "underpinned by a semi-classical arrangement of the kind popular at the time with the likes of Genesis and ELO". The original working title was "The Hook". The song was recorded between November and December 1978 at Polar Studios in Stockholm, Sweden. A studio outtake of an extended version of the song exists, timed around 7:55 (the song itself would be timed around 6:57). It has a complete ending, with Plant extending the last chorus with much ad-libbing and a twangy B-Bender guitar solo by Page. This version is found on several Led Zeppelin bootleg recordings.
Led Zeppelin performed the song during their concert tour of Europe in 1980. It was one of the most well received performances of the tour. "All My Love" is also included on the Led Zeppelin compilations Early Days and Latter Days, Remasters and Mothership.
Legacy
In an interview he later gave to rock journalist Cameron Crowe, Plant stated that this song was one of Led Zeppelin's "finest moments". However, guitarist Jimmy Page expressed less fondness for the song:
We [drummer John Bonham and I] both felt In Through the Out Door was a little soft. I wasn't really keen on "All My Love." I was a little worried about the chorus. I could just imagine people doing the wave and all of that. And I thought, 'That's not us.' In its place it was fine, but I wouldn't have wanted to pursue that direction in the future.
Formats and track listings
1979 7" single edition (Brazil: Swan Song SS 11105, Paraguay: Swan Song 11.105)
1979 7" single edition (Argentina: Swan Song SS 79435)
1980 7" single edition (Peru: Capricornio 030 [RI 16288])
Notes:
(*) B-side by Herb Alpert