For those that think classic-rock revivalists, Greta Van Fleet, sound a lot like Led Zeppelin, this song makes your case. Exhibit A: “Hey Hey What Can I Do” comes in at number 12 on my list of the greatest songs of all Led Zeppelin time.
Everything from the lyrics to the groove is unique from what we have come to expect within the Zeppelin catalog. In a rare, pop-guitar moment, Jimmy Page refrains from being a shredder and strums away on his acoustic. In an era where he was reshaping the role of a guitar player as a rock band’s figurehead, Page does not perform a solo through the entirety of the song.
John Paul Jones layers bass over banjo to add a country twang on your listening pallet, further removing your ears from their typical hard rock sound. Robert Plant takes a break from the poetic Viking tales and blues angst, instead taking a more direct lyrical approach, singing of a man’s romantic relationship with a hooker.
Plant’s melody dances happily throughout the verse, his tone at a lower register, reminding you of his wide vocal range and his childhood obsession with Elvis Presley.
“Hey Hey What Can I Do” was the only song released during Led Zeppelin’s career that did not appear on an album. In fact, it was released as a “B-side” track on the U.K. single debut of “Immigrant Song” in 1970. Led Zeppelin’s members had a strong opinion in favor of album-oriented rock and because of this, “Hey Hey What Can I Do” was never played live in concert. Not surprisingly, the lore behind a song released by the band that went against their normal protocol actually drew more attention to the track, thus making it a classic rock radio staple for decades.
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