Here’s a bold statement: one of the most beautiful songs by Led Zeppelin, a band synonymous with earth-shattering hard rock, was inspired by a Beatles member—and it’s not who you think. But here’s where it gets controversial: this track, The Rain Song, owes as much to George Harrison’s critique as it does to James Taylor’s songwriting. Intrigued? Let’s dive in.
Led Zeppelin is often celebrated for their groundbreaking contributions to heavy music, but Jimmy Page, the band’s visionary guitarist and songwriter, was far from one-note. Nowhere is this more evident than in The Rain Song, the second track on their 1973 album Houses of the Holy. This song is a masterclass in blending folk, blues, and jazz-inspired guitar work with a lush orchestral arrangement and Robert Plant’s poetic lyrics. It’s the kind of track that demands your full attention—you either skip it or surrender to its beauty. And this is the part most people miss: its creation was sparked by a casual yet pointed remark from George Harrison.
In a conversation with Led Zeppelin’s drummer, John Bonham, Harrison quipped, ‘The problem with you guys is that you never do ballads.’ Page, never one to back down from a challenge, responded, ‘I’ll give him a ballad.’ The result? The Rain Song, a piece so unlike anything else in Zeppelin’s catalog that it feels like an outlier—yet it’s undeniably brilliant. Page even nods to Harrison’s own Something in the song’s opening chords, using the same descending progression from major to major 7 to 7. But here’s the twist: Harrison himself borrowed the opening lyrics to Something from James Taylor’s Something in the Way She Moves, a song Taylor released on the Beatles’ Apple label in 1968. Talk about a musical full circle!
Page’s approach to The Rain Song was meticulous. He tuned his guitars to D G C G C D, a choice that added to the track’s unique texture. The orchestral elements, performed by John Paul Jones on a Mellotron, evoke the kind of easy-listening music once heard in department stores—a bold departure for a band known for their raw energy. Even the song’s working title, Slush, hints at Page’s self-awareness of its sentimental tone, a term Brits use to describe something overly emotional.
While The Rain Song has its critics—Rolling Stone dismissed it as a ‘drawn-out vehicle’ for Jones’s experimental use of the Mellotron—it has also inspired countless musicians. Producer Rick Rubin once said, ‘I don’t even know what kind of music this is. It defies classification. It’s sad, moody, and strong all at once. I could listen to it all day.’ But here’s the question: Did Harrison ever hear The Rain Song? If so, what did he think? We know he wasn’t a fan of the heavier guitar sounds popularized by Page and others in the wake of Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix. In fact, when asked about Led Zeppelin during a 1969 recording session for Let It Be, Harrison seemed dismissive, asking, ‘Is [Jimmy Page] the one that was in the Yardbirds?’ before changing the subject to lunch.
The Rain Song remains an oddity in Led Zeppelin’s catalog, but it’s also a testament to their willingness to defy conventions. It arguably laid the groundwork for the power ballad genre, proving that even the heaviest bands could explore vulnerability. So, here’s a thought-provoking question for you: Did Led Zeppelin’s The Rain Song truly pave the way for the power ballad, or was it just a one-off experiment? Let us know your thoughts in the comments—we’d love to hear your take!
