As i walk through This wicked world Searchin’ for light in the darkness of insanity.
I ask myself Is all hope lost? Is there only pain and hatred, and misery?
And each time i feel like this inside, There’s one thing i wanna know: What’s so funny ’bout peace love & understanding? ohhhh What’s so funny ’bout peace love & understanding?
And as i walked on Through troubled times My spirit gets so downhearted sometimes So where are the strong And who are the trusted? And where is the harmony? Sweet harmony.
’cause each time i feel it slippin’ away, just makes me wanna cry. What’s so funny ’bout peace love & understanding? ohhhh What’s so funny ’bout peace love & understanding?
So where are the strong? And who are the trusted? And where is the harmony? Sweet harmony.
’cause each time i feel it slippin’ away, just makes me wanna cry. What’s so funny ’bout peace love & understanding? ohhhh What’s so funny ’bout peace love & understanding? ohhhh What’s so funny ’bout peace love & understanding?
This is the only song Zeppelin ever recorded with a guest vocalist. Robert Plant felt he needed another voice to tell the story that plays out in the song, so Sandy Denny from Fairport Convention was brought in. Her vocals represent the people as the town crier, while Plant’s voice is the narrator. Fairport Convention was a British folk group Zeppelin shared a bill with in 1970. This one collaboration with Sandy Denny marked the first time Robert Plant did a duet with a woman. To thank her for her involvement, Denny was given the symbol on the album sleeve of three pyramids (the four members of Led Zeppelin each chose their own symbols for the album).
In later years, he had tremendous success singing with Alison Krauss; their 2007 album Raising Sand won a Grammy award for Album of the Year.
Sandra Denny died in 1978. This video is from 2008.
Robert Plant: The Queen of Light took her bow And then she turned to go The Prince of Peace embraced the gloom And walked the night alone
Sandy Denny: Oh, dance in the dark of night Sing to the morning light
Robert Plant: The dark Lord rides in force tonight And time will tell us all
Sandy Denny: Oh, throw down your plow and hoe Rest not to lock your homes
Robert Plant: Side by side we wait the might Of the darkest of them all
I hear the horses’ thunder Down in the valley below I’m waiting for the angels of Avalon Waiting for the eastern glow
The apples of the valley hold The seeds of happiness The ground is rich from tender care Repay, do not forget, no, no
Sandy Denny: Dance in the dark of night Sing to the morning light
Robert Plant: The apples turn to brown and black The tyrant’s face is red
Sandy Denny: Oh, war is the common cry Pick up you swords and fly
Robert Plant: The sky is filled with good and bad That mortals never know
Oh, well, the night is long The beads of time pass slow Tired eyes on the sunrise Waiting for the eastern glow
The pain of war cannot exceed The woe of aftermath The drums will shake the castle wall The ring wraiths ride in black Ride on
Sandy Denny: Sing as you raise your bow Shoot straighter than before
Robert Plant: No comfort has the fire at night That lights the face so cold
Sandy Denny: Oh dance in the dark of night Sing to the morning light
Robert Plant: The magic runes are writ in gold To bring the balance back Bring it back
At last the sun is shining The clouds of blue roll by With flames from the dragon of darkness The sunlight blinds his eyes
