Walter's Walk by Led Zeppelin

Album: Coda (1982)

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Songfacts®:

The vocals to this song were added in 1982 and the song was remixed for Coda, an album of unreleased tracks. The song was originally an instrumental recorded in 1972 for the Houses Of The Holy sessions. >>
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Chad - Reading, PA
The song was based on a guitar lick Jimmy Page came up with during live versions of "Dazed And Confused." Bits and pieces of the instrumentals in this song came from "Dazed And Confused" and "The Crunge." Since Coda was part requiem for the late drummer John Bonham and part contractual obligation from Atlantic records, the song was thrown together from previously recorded tracks.
The late John Bonham's son, Jason Bonham, has grown up to fill in on drum duties during the occasional Zep revival.
Album cover art fans: Yes, that is the work of legendary album cover design studio Hipgnosis. Composed of artists Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey Powell, Hipgnosis distinguished themselves as master album cover artists, earning clients with the top bands of the '70s and '80s, including Pink Floyd, UFO, Genesis, Yes, The Scorpions, and five Led Zeppelin albums. Their iconic style, usually amazing photography that told a surreal story based on the lyrics, was abandoned here in favor of a stark font in plain colors, most likely by resident graphic designer George Hardie.

Comments: 17

Manney from Pluto, CaBy the time a band of any genre of music has a fair amount of albums under their belt, there's a 99% chance that there'll be outtakes, rehearsal tapes, demos, alternate takes, and a good amount of unfinished or unreleased songs. If a band is very popular, such as The Beatles, they can reissue their albums in box sets that contain all of these. In the case of Gene Simmons, you can accumulate 50 years worth of junk and package it in a vault so that you can charge at least $2000 for it. Gene was very successful at this, but when other people try to follow, such as George Harrison's 50th anniversary Uber box of "All Things Must Pass", it is a laughable failure. Back to Led Zep: "CODA" was a contractual obligation album, and it shows. Some of the tracks are a blend of unfinished pieces that somehow work. Sharp eared listeners will immediately denounce them. I can't say the songs are bad, because they aren't, in fact, they are OK, some Very Good, but to be fair, they are not up to the quality level of previous proper album releases. With drummer John Bonham gone, they had to dig into the pile of the types of songs already mentioned above, and assemble an album. This is the only way they could honestly and legally release a Led Zeppelin album with all 4 original members, but it simply doesn't fit the quality or standard of a proper studio project. Some people hate this album, other people love it, I am somewhere in between, as I really love 4 of the 8 tracks, and kind of dislike the other 4. Then again, very few albums ever contain songs that are loved from beginning to end, by fans and casual listeners. Even Beatles or KISS albums in my view, contain their fair share of filler crap.
Joe from Mount Pearl,nlSome of the riffing in this song sounds like it was recycled on For Your Life.
Andrew from Calgary, AbI know this song originates in the HOTH sessions but I always thought it sounded like a In Through The Out Door leftover. The fact that LZ worked on it for Coda may well explain what I thought.
David from Lakeland, FlYou can hear the riff of Hots on for Nowhere in this song. I did not know this was a HOTH song, I thought it was a left over track from Presence.
Collin from Rochester, MnLemon squeezer, your album is either fake or an extremely rare collector's item if on vinyl.
Lemon Squeezer from Reno, NvOn my copy of Coda this song is called "walking the floor" can someone tell me why????
Alexx from Noblesville, Inif you listen closely, you can hear that part of the riff of this song was slowed down and used for the opening riff of "Tea for One" on the Presence album. both excellent songs.
Joe from Oakdale, MnI was listening to some audio live Zep of Dazed and Confused (this one if over 25 mins long). After the box solo, when they start doing whatever they please, I can clearly hear Page play the riff from this song. This shows that they had this song for a long time and just never added lyrics.
Dhani from Casselberry, FlI think Bonzo's drumming in this song is overlooked so much, it's really incredible.
Fremont from Concord, NhChad is right, this song is about the death of John Bonham. Plant said it himself.
Chad from Reading, PaSince the vocals were added after Zeppeelin broke up I believe they are about Bonzo's death. The whole "I'm walking the floor over you" line seems to point to that. The lyrics reflect that perfectly. I believe that Page told Plant he wanted him to write lyrics to the instrumental that turned it into a song of mourning for Bonzo. Maybe I'll post my analysis of the lyrics later.
Nick from Solvang, CaI do like this song, but at times it can be a little slopy. It sounds sweet though
Bryan from Brunswick, GaThe fact that this Crunchfest didnt make HoH is not surprising. It's recording doesn't like like the rest of the LP. Of all Zep records--Hoh is my least fave due to its recording. It seems too experimental at times. No Quarter which is a great tune is so hollow as compared to when they do it live. So I think this may not have fit only due to the fact that its recording was supreme to some of the cuts that made it. I agree with an earlier post....if this had made HoH--the album would have even been better.
Rock On!
Mike from Santa Cruz, CaIt moves like a bullet, you can hear pieces of this song on "How the west was won". Its powerful in it's rawness.
Paulo from New York, NyThis sounds more like it belongs on Presence, not HotH.
Adrian from Wilmington, DeA rather weird and raw track, but it still works. It's still Zeppelin.
Jim from Bethlehem, PaFirst and foremost, I'm not saying I dislike D'yer Ma'ker or the Crunge, but could you imagine the album Houses of the Holy with this and the song Houses of the Holy in their place.

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