Down By The Seaside

Album: Physical Graffiti (1975)
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Songfacts®:

  • This is a nod to Neil Young, who had a song called "Down By The River." It's done in his style.
  • The band recorded this for Led Zeppelin 4, but they thought it wasn't good enough at the time. It was included on Physical Graffiti to fill the double album.
  • Jimmy Page and Robert Plant wrote this in 1970 as an acoustic piece at Bron-yr-Aur, the cottage in Wales where they went after a grueling US tour. The cottage had no electricity or running water.
  • Led Zeppelin never played this live.
  • Plant recorded a version with Tori Amos in 1995 for the Led Zeppelin tribute album Encomium. Plant is a huge fan of Amos and wanted to get a different take on the song by having her sing while he played guitar. Tori is also a huge Zeppelin fan.
  • It was Robert Plant's idea to include this song on the album, though not everyone agreed with him. Says Plant: "Everybody laughed when I suggested to include 'Down By The Seaside' on Physical Graffiti." John Paul Jones in particular hated this track. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Bertrand - Paris, France

Comments: 35

  • RichardSome go Twisted everyday...
  • Kim from Hear NowI love this song. I believe someone is speaking or speaking out about the horrific child trafficking (to put it nicely) that's been happening for centuries. "No one hears what the little fish are sayin", "people turned away, so far away", "in the city streets every one is racing with no time left at the end of the day, that I believe that refers to us being to busy (we the people have been enslaved )or kept so busy that we can't see. Do you still do the twist, do you find you remember things that well, things get twisted everyday though sometimes it's hard to tell, mind control, we can't tell what's really going on in regards to the truth. I love this song because there a beautiful message of hope at the end... sing loud for the sunshine, pray hard for the rain, show your love for lady nature, she will come back again.
    Just my opinion.
  • Deb Richie from Lexington ScLove this song, Love the lyrics, Love the music!!! Always loved Led for tha Head...the only thing wrong with it is, it isn't long enough!!
  • Sean from PhillyBeautiful music
  • Deadpool from Portland OregonTheir is an Apple ringtone of the same name.
  • Bruce from Beaverton, OregonThis song sure seems like it was written in Hamilton, Bermuda or inspired by it. Great view of the harbor where the sailboats are often racing
  • Mrkitsilano from Vancouver, Bcgreat song...oh the good ol daze !!
  • Tlm from Nowhere, NjCan anyone comment as to the meaning of the lyrics?
  • Tara from Petoskey, MiIt really does sound like something that Neil Young would do.
  • Jeff from Austin, TxSeaside is this month's favorite song for me...
    I think the guitar sound could be a Leslie but the modulation seems too fast...maybe tremolo? I am trying to get (guess!) the sound now and am going through all the effects I have to find it! And I love those high falsetto vocals. Agree with references that it has a Neil Young AND a Dead vibe...I think it has a Stones vibe too.
  • Lisa from Blountville , TnIs Pagey playing pedal steel on this one.It's sounds as though he may have run it through the Leslie speaker.? Lovely,Lovely song,Just makes u feel good listening to it.
  • Ociee117 from Rochester, Mnany one else notice that the line "See how they run"
    is from The Beatles I AM THE WALRUS
  • Paul from Croydon, PaWhen I hear those first two drum beats by Bonzo followed by the first guitar strum by Page, my mind goes "Oh yeah, we're in for a treat"! A long-time fave of mine, it's both relaxing and thought provoking (them little fish know more than we give 'em credit for!) in our busier than ever 21st century culture. A great overall "feel good" song. BTW, I thought falsetto was a part of one's vocal range. Plant may not be Halford but that's OK. I dont think there is one single human emotion that hasn't been addressed by Led Zeppelin in song. This one definately rings the bell in the "fun" department! Peace!
  • Melanie from Seattle, WaI loooove this song... so mellow and awesome. the "underwater" sound is great.
  • Tyler from Erie, PaThis song is so peaceful and mellow, which is why I absolutely love it.
  • Bill from Topeka, KsI fall asleep to this evry night I absoulutly admire it one of the best off Physical Graffiti!
  • Stephen from Claymont, Dethe best part is when the flow of the song changes
  • Jake from Naperville, Ilthis song was supposed to be on 4? Man, it woulda been nice to have on 4 but i think there were to many slower songs on that albums. It's still their best album that they put out but it was better left off. m/m/
  • Craig from Springfiel, OrHmmm, I'm not sure why you guys think that sounds like a female voice. To me it doesn't seem out of his range at all. Addressing that, his range isn't all THAT great. He couldn't hit very low and he couldn't hit the highest either. He did have a higher voice though and this isn't all the high. Listen to live takes of The Ocean, the end has him singin up with the clouds.

    I love how this song, as Kelly first said, cannot me classified (as with basically all Zep songs) It's.. countryish... and then.... you can't say Zep too much because 'technically' that means hard rock and stuff but it's not. But it's still very much what they were good at doing.
  • Darin from Dublin, TxThis is my all time favorite song to listen too while driving in the country with the windows down and my arm haning out the window. So relaxing... and the middle section is very nice for brief steering wheel tapping. LOVE IT!
  • Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScThe songfacts say that this song is a nod to Neil Young, and more specifically to his song "Down By The River." I don't see any similarities in the songs except for the titles. Both songs are great though.
  • Wil from Lake Point, Uti don't think plant ever sang in falsetto. he just had one helluva range.
  • Maya from Cal, United Statessuch a cool song, u can listen to it all day.. its like floating away.. led zep rock
  • Jeanette from Irvine, Cathat wasn't that quiet though...anyway now plant is what i consider the best male AND female voice. thats not even fair, come on!
  • Jeanette from Irvine, Caokay...maybe not...then that is the clearest and most feminine Plant voice i have ever heard. did anyone else think it was a girl at first?? anyone?? i mean just the physical graffiti version.
  • Stefanie Magura from Rock Hill, ScJeanette. I don't think it's a female voice. I just think it's Plant singing in his falseto voice. I know which part you're talking about though.
  • Jeanette from Irvine, Cawho is the female voice in this song? it CANNOT be plant. if it is he sounds remarkably like a girl. theres obviously two voices and the lower one is plant. but is there a female voice in it too? i thought that would be on the songfacts list! can someone please help me!
  • Stefanie Magura from Rock Hill, Scgreat point adrian. It's a great song!
  • Ac from Winnipeg, Canadaanother song to show the diversity of the gods that made up zep...like y'all have been saying, a great mix of fast and slow and Plant's poetry is great...a wonderful theme...let's all move to the country.
  • Two Crows from Chemehuevi Rez, CaWhat a breezy, bitchin'song!Led Zeppelin Ruled!!And it also follows Bron-Yr-Aur off the Phycical Graffiti album!!!
  • Regina from Beaumont, TxI love how Page's guitar sounds like it's being played underwater. Such a fun, bubbly song! :)
  • Adrian from Wilmington, DeLike many of Zeppelin's songs, it showcases the balance of soft and hard. It's a nice little dreamy sing along and then BAM! You get this rocking mid-section with a great guitar solo that slides out of the right speaker.
  • Terence from Mumbai, Indiai can hear this song all the day long .......its amazin how it gets upbeat and then bac !gives me the aqualung effect mate ....
  • Jim from Bethlehem, PaCall me crazy, but this is the closest Zep ever got to the Grateful Dead.
  • Kelly from Los Angeles, Cai *love* this song!!! it defies classification but it is perfect!
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