Walk-in-in-the-park-just-the-oth-er-day-ba-by

The problem with Led Zeppelin is that the bands they spawned were such poor copyists.
The followers appropriated all of the sonic blast, with so little of the subtlety.
As a result of all those second-rate Led Zeps, one of the most prevailing images of the *REAL* Led Zeppelin -- all loud guitars and wailing vocals -- does a profound disservice to one of the most adventuresome bands of all time.
I thought about this as I watched the Bears edge the Seahawks in the NFL playoffs, 27-24 in overtime.
I watched on TV with the sound MUTED and a 35-song, Led Zeppelin playlist BLASTING out of the iPod docking station.
The riffs were all present and accounted for, but so were the moments of beauty that Plant-Page-Jones-Bonham could so easily create.
Songs such as the exquisite "Tangerine:"
"Measuring a summer's day, I only find it slips away to grey."
The genius of Led Zep, I think, is that they so fearlessly used the musical forms they liked -- blues, folk, country, early rock, soul, funk and even jazz -- while making a music so resolutely their own.
Oh yeah... That opening to "Immigrant Song?"
Still the most exhilarating think I have ever heard.