Lyrics: Led Zeppelin III

This page contains my transcription of the lyrics from Led Zeppelin's third album.
Immigrant Song / Friends / Celebration Day / Since I've Been Loving You
Out On The Tiles / Gallows Pole / Tangerine / That's the Way / Bron Yr Aur Stomp
Hats Off To (Roy) Harper

IconThis page is part of the Robert Plant Now and Zen site
Click on this icon wherever it appears to see the site index

Immigrant Song

We come from the land of the ice and snow
From the midnight sun where the hot springs blow
The hammer of the gods
Will drive our ships to new lands
To fight the horde - sing and cry
Valhalla, I am coming
On we sweep with threshing oar
Our only goal will be the western shore

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 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

IconFriends

Bright light - almost blinding
Black night - still there shining
I can't stop - keep on climbing
Looking for what I knew

Had a friend - she once told me
You got love - you ain't lonely
Now she's gone and left me only
Looking for what I knew

Mmm - I'm telling you now
The greatest thing you ever can do now
Is trade a smile with someone who's blue now
It's very easy, just

Met a man on the roadside crying
Without a friend, there's no denying
You're incomplete - there'll be no finding
Looking for what you knew

So anytime somebody needs you
Don't let them down, although it grieves you
Some day you'll need someone like they do
Looking for what you knew

Mmm - I'm telling you now [etc repeated]

IconCelebration Day

Her face is cracked from smiling
All the fears that she's been hiding
[or All the tears that she's been hiding on some live versions]
And it seems that pretty soon everybody's gonna know

And her voice is sore from shouting
Cheering winners who are losing
And she wonders if their days are few
And soon they'll have to go

My, my, my - I'm so happy
I'm gonna join the band
We're gonna dance and sing in celebration
We're in the promised land

She hears them talk of new ways
To protect the home she lives in
Then she wonders what it's all about
When they break down the door

Her name is Brown or White or Black
You know her very well
You hear her cries of mercy
As the winners toll the bell

My, my, my - I'm so happy [etc repeated]

There is a train that leaves the station
Heading for your destination
But the price you pay to nowhere
Has increased a dollar more - yes, it has

And if you walk you're gonna get there
And though it takes a little longer
And when you see it in the distance
You will wring your hands and moan

IconSince I've Been Loving You

Working from seven to eleven every night
It really makes life a drag
I don't think that's right
I've really been the best, the best of fools
I did what I could, yeah
'Cause I love you, baby
How I love you, darling
How I love you, baby
How I love you, girl, little girl
But baby, since I've been loving you
I'm about to lose my worried mind

Everybody tried to tell me
That you didn't mean me no good
I've been trying - Lord, let me tell you
Let me tell you I really did the best I could
I've been working from seven to eleven every night
I said it kinda makes my life a drag, drag, drag
Lord, that ain't right, no, no
Since I've been loving you
I'm about to lose my worried mind

Said I've been crying
My tears they fell like rain
Don't you hear, don't you hear them falling?
Don't you hear, don't you hear them falling?

Do you remember, mama, when I knocked upon your door?
I said you had the nerve to tell me
You didn't want me no more
I open my front door - hear my back door slam
You must have one of them new fangled, new fangled back door man

I've been working from seven, seven, seven
To eleven every night
It kinda makes my life a drag, a drag, drag
Yeah, it makes a drag
Baby, since I've been loving you
I'm about to lose, I'm about to lose, lose my worried mind

Since I've been loving you
I'm gonna lose my worried mind

IconOut On The Tiles

As I walk down the highway all I do is sing this song
And a train that's passin' my way helps the rhythm move along
There is no doubt about - the words are clear
The voice is strong - it's oh so strong

I'm just a simple guy - I live from day to day
A ray of sunshine melts my frown and blows my blues away
There's nothing more that I can say but on a day like today
I pass the time away and walk a quiet mile with you

All I need from you is all your love
All you got to give to me is all your love
All I need from you is all your love
All you got to give to me is all your love

I'm so glad I'm living - gonna tell the world I am
I got me a fine woman and she says that I'm her man
One thing that I know for sure - gonna give her all the loving
Like nobody, nobody, nobody, nobody can

Standing in the noonday sun trying to flag a ride
People go and people come - see my rider right by my side
It's a total disgrace - they set the pace - it must be a race
And the best thing I can do is run

All I need from you [etc repeated]

IconGallows Pole

Hangman, hangman, hold it a little while
I think I see my friends coming
Riding many a mile

Friends, did you get some silver?
Did you get a little gold?
What did you bring me, my dear friends
To keep me from the gallows pole?
What did you bring me to keep me from the gallows pole?

I couldn't get no silver - I couldn't get no gold
You know that we're too damn poor
To keep you from the gallows pole

Hangman, hangman, hold it a little while
I think I see my brother coming
Riding many a mile

Brother, did you get me some silver?
Did you get a little gold?
What did you bring me, my brother
To keep me from the gallows pole?

Brother, I brought you some silver
I brought a little gold
I brought a little of everything
To keep you from the gallows pole
Yes, I brought you to keep you from the gallows pole

Hangman, hangman, turn your head awhile
I think I see my sister coming
Riding many a mile, mile, mile

Sister, I implore you, take him by the hand
Take him to some shady bower
Save me from the wrath of this man
Please take him
Save me from the wrath of this man, man

Hangman, hangman, upon your face a smile
Tell me that I'm free to ride
Ride for many a mile, mile, mile

Oh, yes, you got a fine sister
She warmed my blood from cold
She brought my blood to boiling hot
To keep you from the gallows pole

Your brother brought me silver
Your sister warmed my soul
But now I laugh and pull so hard
And see you swinging on the gallows pole
But now I laugh and pull so hard
And see you swinging on the gallows pole
Swingin' on the gallows pole --

IconTangerine

Measuring a summer's day
I only find it slips away to grey
The hours, they bring me pain

Tangerine, Tangerine
Living reflection of a dream
I was her love - she was my queen
And now a thousand years between

Thinking how it used to be
Does she still remember times like these?
To think of us again?
And I do

Tangerine, Tangerine [etc repeated]

IconThat's The Way

I don't know how I'm gonna tell you
I can't play with you no more
I don't know how I'm gonna do what mama told me
My friend, the boy next door

I can't believe what people saying
You're gonna let your hair hang down
I'm satisfied to sit here working all day long
You're in the darker side of town

And when I'm out, I see you walking
Why don't your eyes see me?
Could it be you've found another game to play?
What did mama say to me?
That's the way - that's the way it ought to be
Mama say that's the way it ought to stay

And yesterday I saw you standing by the river
And weren't those tears that filled your eyes?
And all the fish that lay in dirty water dying
Had they got you hypnotised?

And yesterday I saw you kissing tiny flowers
But all that lives is born to die
And so I say to you that nothing really matters
And all you do is stand and cry

I don't know what to say about it
When all your ears have turned away
But now's the time to look and look again at what you see
Is that the way it ought to stay?
That's the way - that's the way it ought to be
Mama say, mama say that's the way it's gonna stay

IconBron Yr Aur Stomp

I caught you smiling at me
That's the way it should be
Like a leaf is to a tree - so fine

Ah, all the good times we had
I sang love songs so glad
Always smiling, never sad - so fine

As we walk down the country lanes
I'll be singing a song - hear me calling your name
Hear the wind whisper in the trees
Telling Mother Nature about you and me

Well, if the sun shines so bright
Or the way is dark as night
The road we choose is always right - so fine

Ah, could any love be so strong
When so many loves go wrong?
Will our love go on and on and on and on and on and on?

As we walk down the country lanes [etc repeated]

My, my - la de la - come on now it ain't too far
Tell your friends all around the world
Ain't no companion like a blue-eyed merle

Come on now - well, let me tell you
What you're missing, messing 'round them brick walls

So, of one thing I am sure
It's a friendship so pure
Angels singing all round my door - so fine

Yeah, ain't but one thing to do
Spend my natural life with you
You're the finest dog I knew - so fine

When you're old and your eyes are dim
There ain't no Old Shep gonna happen again
We'll still go walking down country lanes
I'll sing the same old song
Hear me call your name

IconHats Off To (Roy) Harper

When I done quit hollering baby
I believe I'll shake 'em on down
Get to me, baby - won't be late
You know by that I mean seconds late
Ah, must I holler?
Must I shake 'em on down?
When I done quit hollering baby
I believe I'll shake 'em on down
Shake 'em

Well I ain't no monkey
I can't climb no tree
No brown skinned woman gonna make
No monkey out of me
I ain't no monkey
Sure can't climb no tree
I've been mistreated, babe
I believe I'll shake 'em on down
Well, I've been mistreated, babe
I believe I'll shake 'em on down

Listen, mama
Put on your morning gown
Put on your nightshirt, mama
We're gonna shake 'em on down
Must I holler?
Must I, must I shake 'em on down?
Well, I done been mistreated, babe
I believe I'll shake 'em on down

Gave my baby a twenty dollar bill
If that don't get her
I'm sure my shot, shot, shotgun will
Yeah, I gave my baby a twenty dollar bill
If that don't get that woman
I'm sure my shotgun will
Gonna go shoot her now

IconClick on this icon to see the site index

Page design and lyric transcription by Chris Warren
You may take a copy for personal use only