Genre Hard rock Label Swan Song | Length 5:44 | |
Released 24 February 1975 (1975-02-24) Recorded Stargroves, East Woodhay, England, 1972
Olympic Studios, London, 1974 Writer(s) Jimmy Page
Robert Plant | ||
"The Rover" is a song by English rock band Led Zeppelin from their 1975 album Physical Graffiti.
Contents
I've been to London, seen seven wonders. I know to trip is just to fall ... In fields of plenty, when heaven sent me. I saw the kings who rule them all.
Production
The song was originally meant to be an acoustic piece, having been written at Bron-Yr-Aur in 1970 and then recorded at Stargroves during the Houses of the Holy sessions in 1972. However, the band decided to hold the track off the Houses of the Holy album, and the song was eventually included on Led Zeppelin's next studio album, Physical Graffiti. By this time it had obtained a distinctly heavier feel, with several studio overdubs having been laid down by Jimmy Page in 1974.
Musical structure
"The Rover" opens with a heavy drum beat from John Bonham, heard throughout the song, Page plays a distinctive riff using a Phase Shifter effect. The riff is in the key of E major and the solo uses an F# minor scale. "Rover" is a term for a wanderer, and the lyrics are fitting to this definition:
I've been to London, seen seven wonders. I know to trip is just to fall ... In fields of plenty, when heaven sent me. I saw the kings who rule them all.
Writing credits
The sleeve credit for this track includes the line "Guitar lost courtesy Nevison...Salvaged by the grace of Harwood", which would seem to be a reference to difficulties encountered during the mixing of the track, "Harwood" being Keith Harwood and "Nevison" referring to Ron Nevison, both audio engineers on Physical Graffiti.
Live performances
"The Rover" was never played live in its entirety at Led Zeppelin concerts, although the band played the opening bars as an introduction to "Sick Again" throughout their 1977 North American tour. However, the song was rehearsed in full, as can be heard on bootleg recordings of the band's soundcheck rehearsal at the Chicago Stadium on 6 July 1973. This rehearsal took place before the opening date of the second leg of the band's 1973 North American tour. Also in 1972, instrumental themes from the song were played in a "Whole Lotta Love" medley during a concert in Sydney during Led Zeppelin's Australasian Tour.