Robert Plant Reflects on 'Carouselambra' and Regrets Its Vocal Mix

When you're a music icon with decades in the industry under your belt, opinions regarding your catalog are bound to change. That's what happened to Led Zeppelin lead singer and songwriter Robert Plant. Per Far Out Magazine, Plant was proud to have the track "Carouselambra" on the band's eighth studio album, In Through the Out Door, at the time of its release. The record itself was a success, skyrocketing to No. 1 on the US Billboard 200 chart, where it remained for seven weeks.

However, the 10-minute song, the second-longest the four-piece rock outfit has ever recorded, is now viewed from a new perspective. Far Out notes that the overall mix for "Carouselambra" drowned out Plant's vocals, and that "he sounds like he's singing from the bottom of a well underneath every other instrument in the mix." Here's what Plant had to say about why he "rues" it now:

"Parts of 'Carouselambra' were really good, especially the dark minor dirges that Pagey [Jimmy Page] developed. I rue it now because the lyrics were about that environment and that situation. The whole story of Led Zeppelin in its later years is in that song, and I can't even hear the words."

The song encapsulates the legendary rock group's downward spiral and its crumbling dynamics. There's this dizzying effect deftly conveyed by the music, as if one is on a carousel. The first section is fast-paced, thrusting bassist and keyboardist John Paul Jones' synthesizers into the spotlight, with Plant's vocals mixed underneath. The second section slows down the tempo to highlight guitarist Page. Lastly, the third section picks up the pace again, with more of Page's guitar-playing on display.

Interestingly, the tune was never played live. The band reportedly discussed its inclusion on the setlist for their 1980 North American tour, but drummer John Bonham's sudden death led to the cancellation of said tour. Plant and Page reunited as a rock band called Page and Plant in 1994, and during their 1995-1996 tour, Plant would sing the middle verse of "Carouselambra" when the group would perform "In the Evening," the first song from In Through the Out Door.

Far Out also observes that not putting Plant's voice front and center on the recording for "Carouselambra" is "a gigantic step backwards." After all, he's widely recognized as one of the greatest lead singers in rock history. Give this man his due.

source https://www.mensjournal.com/news/this-music-legend-admits-that-hes-grown-to-hate-his-1979-hard-rock-classic