For Your Life

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For Your Life
Appears on Presence
Published by Flames of Albion Music
Registration ASCAP 360127980
Release date 31 March 1976
Recorded 9-27 November 1976 at
Musicland Studios, Munich.
Mixed at Musicland Studios, Munich.
Genre Hard rock
Language English
Length 6 minutes 21 seconds
Composer Jimmy Page, Robert Plant
Label Swan Song Records
Producer Jimmy Page
Engineer Keith Harwood

'For Your Life' is a song by English rock music|rock group Led Zeppelin, from their 1976 album Presence.

Overview

During the recording of 'For Your Life' at Musicland Studios, Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant was convalescing from a car accident which he had sustained in Greece the previous year, and he delivered his vocal performance from a wheelchair. The song's vocals are notable in part because of the nasal sound heard around 5:30, with the lyrics: 'With the fine lines of the crystal payin' through your nose'. Plant later explained the song's venom was due in part to his observations of the excessive amount of cocaine which had now pervaded and ruined the music scene in Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles, during his stay on the West Coast prior to recording.[1] The lyrics, written by Plant, indicated that one part of the song also had to do with an unnamed female acquaintance of his who got drawn into the Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles drug scene, to whom he wags a finger and says 'watch it.'

Jimmy Page used his 1962 Lake Placid blue Fender Stratocaster for the first time on this track, which was supplied to him by Gene Parsons.[2] Evidence of its usage is clearly present as Page executes numerous 'dive bombs' on the instrument's tremolo arm.[3] He would later use it with his band The Firm (band)|the Firm. In an interview he gave to rock journalist Cameron Crowe, Page commented on the spontaneous nature of the song's construction, saying that it 'was made up in the studio, right on the spot'.[4][5]

Live performances

This song was never performed live by the band at Led Zeppelin concerts[6] until their Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert|reunion show on 10 December 2007, at The O2 arena (London)|The O2 Arena in London. An arrangement was also worked out for the Coverdale-Page tour of Japan in 1993, but never executed live.[7]

Credits

Personnel
  • Musicians:
    • Jimmy Page – electric guitar, producer, remastering, digital remastering
    • Robert Plant – vocals
    • John Paul Jones – bass guitar
    • John Bonham - drums, percussion
  • Production:
    • Peter Grant – executive producer
    • Keith Harwood - engineer, mixing
    • Jeremy Gee – tape engineer
    • Joe Sidore - original CD mastering engineer (mid-1980s)
    • George Marino - remastered CD engineer (1990)

References

  1. Lewis, Dave (2003). “In the Presence of Pure Rock 'n' Roll”, Led Zeppelin: The 'Tight but Loose' Files: Celebration II. London: Omnibus Press, 40. ISBN 978-1844-49056-1. 
  2. Lewis, Dave (2012). Led Zeppelin: From a Whisper to a Scream. London: Omnibus Press, 80. ISBN 978-1-78038-547-1. 
  3. Case, George (2009). “The Rover”, Jimmy Page: Magus, Musician, Man - An Unauthorized Biography, Revised. Milwaukee: Backbeat Books, 145. ISBN 978-0-87930-947-3. 
  4. Lewis, Dave (2003). “In the Presence of Pure Rock 'n' Roll”, Led Zeppelin: The 'Tight but Loose' Files: Celebration II. London: Omnibus Press, 40. ISBN 978-1844-49056-1. 
  5. Liner notes by Cameron Crowe for The Complete Studio Recordings (Led Zeppelin box set)|The Complete Studio Recordings.
  6. Lewis, Dave (2012). Led Zeppelin: From a Whisper to a Scream. London: Omnibus Press, 80. ISBN 978-1-78038-547-1. 
  7. Lewis, Dave (2012). Led Zeppelin: From a Whisper to a Scream. London: Omnibus Press, 80. ISBN 978-1-78038-547-1.