GOOD TIMES BAD TIMES

'Good Times, Bad Times' - Led Zeppelin (Single)

What we have here are two good Led Zeppelin songs off of the first album. As if my opinion on alot of 'singles' releases that don't include original material however, unless the songs are mind-blowingly amazing, they can't be rated as more than two stars. Doesn't mean the songs are two star material, it just means that there are much better RELEASES to look out for, such as the LP 'Led Zeppelin I' which holds everything here.

Mind you, it's definately not a bad item to keep as a collector's item. Led Zeppelin is one of the most influential, popular band's of all time, and if you ever manage to get a hold of a copy of this, be assured that it's quite a valuable find.

Onto the music itself, 'Good Times, Bad Times' was a great opener to an album on the original debut, and it doesn't loose it's power here. The lyrics are not great, and the music would get better with later releases, but this is a nice rocker with a great solo from page.

The second song 'Communication Breakdown' although short in length, boosts a great high-tempo intensity about it that was pretty heavy for the time. The chorus really shows that Robert Plant can hit the high notes very well.

Overall though, as with most single material that doesn't have single-specific material on it, it's much more musically gratifying to buy the actual album, and experience the work as a whole. Cool collector's item though.

"Good Times Bad Times" opens with 2 massive power chords, punching right at you. The song is probably more for electric guitarists, but you can still definitely appreciate the power and drive behind it - like an early punk rock song, just breaking through the ethereal wispiness of the late 60s. The lyrics and chords from Jonesy and Page, along with Robert Plant's usual wailing, creates such an indescribable atmosphere. The track is short and sweet from start to premature end, and that guitar solo is just blazing and alive. So youthful and in-your-face. Overall an outstanding single.

"Communication Breakdown" is the B-side of this single, perhaps the better song, because it has all of the well thought-out songwriting techniques as "Good Times" but attacks you even more, with Page's abominable chugging riff leading into a classic twist on the blues as heard in the ever-building chorus, until Jimmy just lets rip in the solo. Completely insane, and the funnest thing ever to play along to. The chromatic ascents and 2-tone bends, along with the short-lived retreat to the major scale from the blues illustrates the ever-present sexuality and primal sound from Jimmy and the band. The whole band plays as one beautifully, unimprovable to my knowledge, and probably creates my all-time favourite Led Zep song, with "Good Times Bad Times" not far behind.

If I could own one single, or even any 5 minutes of musical history, this would be it. Just absolute perfection.