"The Rover" is a song by English

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...

band

Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock music, rock band formed in London in 1968. The band comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist-keyboardist John Paul Jones (musician), John Paul Jones and drummer John Bonham. With a he ...

written by guitarist

Jimmy Page James Patrick Page (born 9 January 1944) is an English musician and producer who achieved international success as the guitarist and founder of the Rock music, rock band Led Zeppelin. Page began his career as a studio session musician in Lo ...

and singer

Robert Plant Robert Anthony Plant (born 20 August 1948) is an English singer and songwriter. He was the lead singer and lyricist of the rock band Led Zeppelin from its founding in 1968 until their breakup in 1980. Since then, he has had a successful solo ca ...

. Although mostly recorded years earlier, it was released on the group's 1975 double album, '' Physical Graffiti''.

Recording and release

Writing for the song began in 1970 at

Bron-Yr-Aur ; ) is a privately owned 18th-century cottage in Gwynedd, mid-Wales, on the outskirts of Machynlleth, best known for its association with the English rock band Led Zeppelin. In 1970, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant went there and wrote many of the ...

, a rustic retreat in South

Snowdonia Snowdonia, or Eryri (), is a mountainous region and National parks of the United Kingdom, national park in North Wales. It contains all 15 mountains in Wales Welsh 3000s, over 3000 feet high, including the country's highest, Snowdon (), which i ...

, Wales. Initially an acoustic piece, it took on a hard rock arrangement when recorded at

Stargroves Stargroves (also known as Stargrove House) is a manor house and associated estate at East Woodhay in the English county of Hampshire. The house belonged to Mick Jagger during the 1970s and was a recording venue for the Rolling Stones and vari ...

during the sessions for the '' Houses of the Holy'' album in 1972. The song was not included on the album, but after

added several guitar overdubs in 1974, it was added to Led Zeppelin's following album, '' Physical Graffiti''. As the liner notes state, for the song, the "Guitar aslost courtesy of ngineer RonNevison ndsalvaged by the grace of eithHarwood". Nevison has disputed this, claiming the band never brought tapes from previous sessions to him for playback and that "The Rover" wasn't one of the songs he recorded with them at Headley Grange.

Reception

In a contemporary review of ''Physical Graffiti'', Jim Miller of ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...

'' gave "The Rover" a mixed review, saying that while Page and Bonham "mount a bristling attack", the track "suffers from Plant's indefinite pitch." In a retrospective review of ''Physical Graffiti (

Deluxe Edition The terms special edition, limited edition, and variants such as deluxe edition, collector's edition or expanded edition are used as a marketing incentive for various kinds of products, originally published products related to the arts, such as b ...

)'', Jon Hadusek of ''

Consequence of Sound ''Consequence'' (previously ''Consequence of Sound'') is an independently owned New York-based online magazine featuring news, editorials, and reviews of music, movies, and television. History ''Consequence of Sound'' was founded in Septem ...

'' described Jimmy Page's guitar lines in "The Rover" as some of his most underrated guitar lines he's ever recorded.

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 A bootleg recording is an audio or video recording of a performance not officially released by the artist or under other legal authority. Making and distributing such recordings is known as ''bootlegging''. Recordings may be copied and traded ...

of the band's soundcheck rehearsal at the

Chicago Stadium Chicago Stadium was an indoor arena in Chicago from 1929 to 1995. When it was built, it was the largest indoor arena in the world with a maximum seating capacity of 26,000. It was the home of the National Hockey League's Chicago Blackhawks and ...

on 6 July 1973. This rehearsal took place before the opening date of the second leg of the band's 1973 North American tour.

Personnel

According to Jean-Michel Guesdon and Philippe Margotin: *

– vocals *

– electric guitars *

John Paul Jones John Paul Jones (born John Paul; July 6, 1747 – July 18, 1792) was a Scottish-born naval officer who served in the Continental Navy during the American Revolutionary War. Often referred to as the "Father of the American Navy", Jones is regard ...

– bass *

John Bonham John Henry Bonham (31 May 1948 – 25 September 1980) was an English musician who was the drummer of the rock band Led Zeppelin. Noted for his speed, power, fast single-footed kick drumming, distinctive sound, and feel for groove, John Bonh ...

– drums

Notes

Citations References * * *

Bibliography