The Journey to “Kashmir”, Essay Example

As Told by Led Zeppelin and the London Philharmonic Orchestra

There is little argument on the idea that music is both a superlative and universal method of expression.  It is a medium that transcends cultures and languages, and has the ability to tell a story that almost any ear can hear.  One of the stronger examples of this storytelling comes in the art of the ballad. A ballad is a song that is a narrative, a piece where lyrics and music meet to tell a story with a vivid, aural background.  While ballads as we know them today tend to focus mostly on love and relationships, others can talk about historical incidents, people’s lives, or the struggles of life’s journey. Noted as one of the great musical achievements of its time, the Led Zeppelin masterpiece, “Kashmir,” is a song that speaks of such a journey.  As with many classics, this song has been covered by many acts as homage to Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, and John Paul Jones’ groundbreaking work.  However, the version performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra appears to build upon the original work.  While Led Zeppelin’s driving rock rhythm pulsates through the song, The Philharmonic fills the gaps in the storytelling, adding intricacies that further engage the listener. These two versions of “Kashmir” are strong examples of how a story reinterpreted in different “voices” can make a message clearer.

Kashmir Appears in the African Desert

In its time, the creation of “Kashmir” was a musical undertaking that pushed the limits of rock music, and the members of Led Zeppelin themselves.  Written over the course of three years, the song lyrics were originally written in 1973 by Robert Plant, under the title “Driving to Kashmir.”  Plant wrote the song after the band’s 1973 U.S. Tour, while he was driving through the Sahara Desert in southern Morocco – thousands of miles away from the actual Kashmir, which lies on the Indian subcontinent.  Plant’s inspiration came as he traveled on a long, single lane road framed by mountains on either side, a road that “basically looked like you were driving down a channel …and there was seemingly no end to it. ‘Oh, let the sun beat down upon my face, stars to fill my dreams.’”(1). Regardless of not being written about the region, “Kashmir” incorporates a pulsating, driving rhythm with sounds of Moroccan, Indian, and Arabic music, thanks to Jimmy Page’s growing interest in modal tuning and Arabic sound (2). Lyrics and music combine to create a story of someone on an arduous journey, which feels represented in a simple but heavy percussion line. It rarely changes, and feels like a march that won’t soon end. The timber of Plant’s vocal line is pleading through the prayer-like lyrics, piercing through the thick instrumentation with wails and moans as a character intent on reaching his destination regardless of the hardship and danger of travel. Page’s chord structure (DADGAD) is even more relentless than the drums and the vocals, as it creates the setting for the tale with sounds inspired by guitar, sitar, violins, violas, and cellos. All of these elements give “Kashmir” a unique, ancient flavor that is reinterpreted through the powerful simplicity of rock ‘n’ roll.

The London Philharmonic Continues the Journey

The success of Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir” led to the production of a host of covers. Among them, the London Philharmonic Orchestra’s version of the rock classic stands out as more intense retelling of the ballad.  Plant’s vocal lines are replaced by a set of soaring string instruments, and timpani and cymbals play homage to John Bonham’s original work that makes the entire piece even more dramatic.  The piece also incorporates more Eastern sounds, using the actual instruments that Page referenced through his guitar.  The Orchestra replaces the bridges from the original recording with stringed interludes that give more humanity to the instruments, helping to create a more vivid picture in the mind of the listener.  The most noticeable difference the original and the Philharmonic’s recording lies at the end.  Where Plant’s vocal lines continues through a fade out, this version has a distinct resolution that can be interpreted as the journey coming to an end.  Overall, this version of “Kashmir” can be appreciated by a wider audience, among those people who may not be familiar with Led Zeppelin or fans of hard rock at all. Through a reinterpretation that adds authentic sound and dramatic storytelling, “Kashmir” is able to be experienced by a more diverse audience.

“Kashmir” is a strong example of how a story can become transcendent.  At the core of both of these pieces the story remains the same: it is a snapshot of a person struggling to get where he is going. Despite difficulty, the character presses on, hoping for help but determined not to fail.  That conflict is one that resonates in almost everyone, and a story that shows us that we are not alone in that struggle is relieving and inspiring. Like the pulsating, relentless rhythm of the song, people can push through adversity, unwavering in their need to succeed, to survive.    “Kashmir” is a powerful song because it illustrates triumph through the decision to be strong in spite of life, and it is a message that needs to be interpreted so that lesson falls on as many ears as possible.

References

Cameron Crowe, Liner Notes, The Complete Recordings, Atlantic Records, 1993

Chris Welch (1994) Led Zeppelin, London: Orion Books. p. 76.