- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
Houses of the Holy
Posted on 5/2/26 at 11:31 pm
Posted on 5/2/26 at 11:31 pm
I once declared Houses of the Holy the greatest album of all time. That was 30 years ago with my dad’s vinyl while at LSU with powerful speakers. In reality, it’s impossible to pick one best album out of all the great ones.
Listening to CDs again and remembering the brilliance of Houses of the Holy. Eight perfect songs so different than one another at the peak of their existence.
Does anyone remember listening to album when it first came out? I can’t begin to comprehend how it would’ve felt. Like how is it possible to surpass IV and the collective initial 4 albums? Yet somehow…
Listening to CDs again and remembering the brilliance of Houses of the Holy. Eight perfect songs so different than one another at the peak of their existence.
Does anyone remember listening to album when it first came out? I can’t begin to comprehend how it would’ve felt. Like how is it possible to surpass IV and the collective initial 4 albums? Yet somehow…
11
Posted on 5/3/26 at 5:47 am to litenin
I do not hold it in as high esteem as you do. I think the album consists of 7 great songs and 1 unforgivably bad one.
No album can be the greatest of all time AND contain The Crunge.
The Cringe is more like it.
And in no model of the universe is HotH better than Runes/Zoso/IV.
Now, if they had dumped The Crunge and kept, ironically, Houses of the Holy on the album that it was named after, you might have something.
No album can be the greatest of all time AND contain The Crunge.
The Cringe is more like it.
And in no model of the universe is HotH better than Runes/Zoso/IV.
Now, if they had dumped The Crunge and kept, ironically, Houses of the Holy on the album that it was named after, you might have something.
Posted on 5/3/26 at 10:35 am to Ace Midnight
ETA: Here’s a link to the original review, from June 7, 1973.
Rolling Stone archive
This post was edited on 5/3/26 at 10:40 am
Posted on 5/3/26 at 11:14 am to litenin
Houses or the Holy is truly great.
While to me IV is their best work collectively, I’m partial to II as my favorite. The symmetry of each track blows my mind, and it may be a hot take but it’s Paige at his best. Not to say he fell off afterward, but I hear something different from him in II compared to other records.
While to me IV is their best work collectively, I’m partial to II as my favorite. The symmetry of each track blows my mind, and it may be a hot take but it’s Paige at his best. Not to say he fell off afterward, but I hear something different from him in II compared to other records.
Posted on 5/3/26 at 12:33 pm to litenin
quote:
Houses of the Holy
2nd only to Physical Graffiti for me. Awesome record.
BTW I love The Crunge. What a cool, funky song.
Posted on 5/3/26 at 1:31 pm to tigermeat
I’ve always dug The Crunge and my few college friends did too, although recently read some online reviews mocking it with unusual fervor (Zeppelin always got their share of immense hate). The bass drums and Plant are perfect, I often sing in my truck to that one. As they say, music is subjective.
I would also support any argument for several of their other albums being greatest of all time.
I would also support any argument for several of their other albums being greatest of all time.
Posted on 5/3/26 at 1:40 pm to litenin
It's a good album. Decent, but not as good as IV or Physical Graffiti. It's better than 1, 2, 3, Presence and ITTO. ...the last two albums were awful.
Posted on 5/3/26 at 2:48 pm to litenin
Pervy album cover
Posted on 5/3/26 at 4:25 pm to Ace Midnight
quote:
Now, if they had dumped The Crunge and kept, ironically, Houses of the Holy on the album that it was named after, you might have something.
So do you not get the joke? I have no issue with The Crunge. I get it. it's a larf, as they might say.
Your point about adding the song HotH, however, would have been welcomed IMO.
Posted on 5/3/26 at 4:29 pm to litenin
quote:
I once declared Houses of the Holy the greatest album of all time.
For decades, and perhaps still, HotH was my favorite LZ record. But even I wouldn't have called it the greatest album of all time.
I know most debate which LZ album is their best, II or IV, but I always loved HotH. As mentioned, the songwriting is diverse and IMO, I think it is more mature than IV. The Rain Song has been my favorite LZ song since the 80s.
I will say, however, that the first 5 albums of their oeuvre is IMO one of the greatest runs of albums ever.
Posted on 5/3/26 at 6:51 pm to johnqpublic
quote:
So do you not get the joke?
To the extent they were making a joke, I get it. I hate The Crunge. Ergo, it's a skip track. Ergo, it cannot be even Zeppelin's greatest album.
(I do agree with your assessment about that first five album run of LZ. Incredible in hindsight.)
Posted on 5/5/26 at 9:49 pm to litenin
A lot of hate for "The Crunge"...
I like it, but I get it.
Now "Hats Off To Roy Harper" from III...yikes.
How does that beat out "Hey Hey What Can I Do" for a spot on the album?
I like it, but I get it.
Now "Hats Off To Roy Harper" from III...yikes.
How does that beat out "Hey Hey What Can I Do" for a spot on the album?
Posted on 5/5/26 at 11:11 pm to litenin
I heard it when it came out. It didn't hit like I wanted. I wanted Zep Five. Over time, it hit more, girls loving my acoustics. Physical Graffiti was Zep Five.
Posted on 5/6/26 at 7:50 am to litenin
i don’t consider my self much of an LZ fan, but fir some reason i’ve always loved HotH
it lived on my big brother’s turntable for about a year after it came out, right about the time i picked up the guitar - i spent endless hours trying to learn the intro to “Over the Hills and Far Away” (still can’t play it worth a damn, which might explain why i ended up switching to bass)
the album will forever be tied to that time in my life - gonna have to cue it up on Spotify today and reminisce
it lived on my big brother’s turntable for about a year after it came out, right about the time i picked up the guitar - i spent endless hours trying to learn the intro to “Over the Hills and Far Away” (still can’t play it worth a damn, which might explain why i ended up switching to bass)
the album will forever be tied to that time in my life - gonna have to cue it up on Spotify today and reminisce
Posted on 5/6/26 at 8:17 am to litenin
For me that album was probably ACDC's Back In Black, Prince's Purple Rain, U2's War, or Beastie Boy's Paul's Boutique. Can you imagine hearing LZ I for the first time right when it came out? You probably knew Jimmy Page was a good guitarist for the Yardbirds but damn, when that first drum and guitar part hits on Good Time Bad Times....
Posted on 5/6/26 at 9:10 am to Radio One
Only a casual fan, but I love D'yer Mak'er.
Posted on 5/6/26 at 3:44 pm to litenin
They all have their place and everyone's opinion is different, but I do love that album because it gave us "The Rain Song".
My personal list?
1. LZ
2. Physical Graffiti
3. LZ IV
4. LZ II
4. Presence (I think I like it more than most folks)
5. Houses of the Holy
6. LZ III
7. In Through the Out Door
I guess Coda is on the album list but I consider it more of a compilation album. I'd put The Song Remains the Same live album before it.
My personal list?
1. LZ
2. Physical Graffiti
3. LZ IV
4. LZ II
4. Presence (I think I like it more than most folks)
5. Houses of the Holy
6. LZ III
7. In Through the Out Door
I guess Coda is on the album list but I consider it more of a compilation album. I'd put The Song Remains the Same live album before it.
Posted on 5/6/26 at 6:52 pm to parrotdr
1. IV
2. I
3. III
4. HotH
5. PG (too many throw away songs; they had more than an album worth of material so they just added all the stuff from previous sessions that didn't make the cut to get to a double album; this one has several "Crunges")
6. Presence (Achilles Last Stand is badass)
7. III (Immigrant Song can't get it over Presence, which has its own banger)
8. In Through the Out Door
9. Coda
2. I
3. III
4. HotH
5. PG (too many throw away songs; they had more than an album worth of material so they just added all the stuff from previous sessions that didn't make the cut to get to a double album; this one has several "Crunges")
6. Presence (Achilles Last Stand is badass)
7. III (Immigrant Song can't get it over Presence, which has its own banger)
8. In Through the Out Door
9. Coda
Posted on 5/6/26 at 7:14 pm to rebelrouser
quote:
Presence (Achilles Last Stand is badass)
YYYEEEESSSS! I feel the same about "Nobody's Fault But Mine".
Why don't more folks see/hear this?
Page 1 of 1
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News