”All My Love” by Led Zeppelin
Credit: Warner Brothers
When you hear the name “Led Zeppelin,” you probably think of John Bonham’s thundering drums, Jimmy Page’s dirty, crunchy guitar riffs and Robert Plant’s howling vocals. They’re best-known for singing about sex, drugs and hobbits. But this group has a softer side, which they showcase beautifully on “All My Love.”
The simple chorus resonates over the hum of a keyboard:
All of my love, all of my love,
All of my love to you.
The song might seem like a cheesy ode to romantic love, but it has a far deeper meaning for singer Robert Plant. He wrote it as a tribute to his son, who died at age five of complications from a stomach infection.
In the summer of 1977, Led Zeppelin was at their peak success, arriving in New Orleans for a packed show. Before they hit the stage, Plant received a call from his wife saying their son Karac had become extremely ill. Two hours later, he received another call announcing his son had died. He and guitarist Jimmy Page caught the soonest flight back to their hometown in England and cancelled the rest of their tour.
One year later, the band was set to record their latest album “In Through the Out Door,” featuring Plant’s heart-wrenching tune written for Karac. He would go on to write two other songs for his child, but “All My Love” is the only one that became a radio hit.
The verses are ethereal and surrealist, like most Led Zeppelin songs, combining literary allegory with obscure metaphors:
Yours is the cloth, mine is the hand that sews time
his is the force that lies within
Ours is the fire, all the warmth we can find
He is a feather in the wind
Read the lyrics here, or listen to the full song below:
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This song, both melody and lyrics, is an eerie reflection of love, life, and the mystery itself; if indeed a tribute to lost child from a bereaved father, it is all this even more so.
LZ, profoundly introspective – pure genius.
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Hi Adrian,
Music is so complex to even include mystery. We are happy to hear your thoughts on how you were musically moved.
Suzette
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All of my Love captures the essence of Man Crying for his precious one that has gone on, The first time I heard it, (All of My Love) I knew something was special about the song, every note, every harmony has a serious intent, I listen to the song the first time it drew tears from my eyes because this song has deep meaning, The first time I heard it. Check this, I did not know Robert Anthony Plant and his wife lost there son, but if you listen carefully the Artist is pouring there hearts out about life, and life uneven ways.
Thank you for letting me share.
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Great song. Love everything about it.
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Thanks Richard. Same here!!
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Love this song but it was John Bonham who flew back home with Robert and was there for him. Robert was ready to give up on singing and the band but it was John Bonham that made him go back to the band and singing. They were the best of friends and were there for each other.
The song is so moving and mysterious and you can feel his heart in this song. Robert and John Paul Jones wrote this song together. Every time I hear it I think of how heart breaking it is but it made him stronger.
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That’s correct. Robert has more than a little hinted at his disappointment with Page who he felt was rather cold in his response to Karac’s death and again he felt Page took Bonham’s passing too lightly in comparison to Plant’s own sense of such tragic loss
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Yes sadly Page did not have a good response. Death can be difficult for all.
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What an amazing, exquisite and unbelievable melody. Thanks for the information. The grief is so vivid.
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I always thought towards the end of the song he
Was saying ” Karet” his sons name. I know I misspelled it but I never knew it was ” sometimes ”
Great song and I’ve heard he never sung this song live in concert either , is this true? Amazing song.
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Hi David,
No not true, it was sung in concert. Yes an amazing song with such a sad story.
Suzette Sherman, Founder SevenPonds
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It’s such a beautiful song, always rang true to my heart but I never knew the story behind the song until the morning DJ on WXRT told the story of Robert Plants lost young son. My heart goes out to him. This song resounds with me even more deeply these past few months since the tragic loss of my 17 year old grandson last July.
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Who is Arriane?
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(this is from SteveAJones at the LZ Forum page, and I think he nails it)
“Ariane is the French form of the Greek name Ariadne, who saves Theseus by giving him a ball of thread so he could go into the labyrinth, slay the Minotaur and find his way back out. Ariane’s thread leads through the maze and out of it. Plant sees himself lost in the maze (or tapestry) because he can’t see where the thread of his sons life has lead, cut off as it seems to be before its time, but if only he could have a word from the proud Ariane that his son’s thread is really part of the tapestry, he would have the faith to accept that while he has no answer to his grief, that an answer is there somewhere, and that his son’s life was more than a feather in the wind. Ariane’s thread is also a term in logic that refers to a certain way of figuring out puzzles by thinking through every possibility.”
This seems very accurate to me because of the references to a loom, thread etc. in the lyrics.
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Beautifully stated! Thank you! ❤️
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Wow that is perfectly and beautifully written the essence of the song, and it makes so much sense how you have explained it.
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We agree!
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Excellent! Thank you!
This song is achingly exquisite.
Compare to Tears in Heaven, Clapton’s ode to his son who also died young tragically. Both are beautiful in their grief.
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I never understood the lyrics but I’m sure that this is correct. How did Mr. Plant know all this? I ask this question in awe of his genius in meshing together mythology, lyrics and utter sorrow.
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Such a tragedy, a beautiful moving song. Thank you for clarity on some of the words. Was all of the band such deep thinkers, or was Plant the force behind such words,poetic, mysterious and mythical as they are. Not many in the states write songs with thread,and tapestry in them. I can only recall Carlie Simon.
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Plant was struggling with a decision to stay here and continue living (the dimming fire vs chasing the feather in the wind (his son). One word to proud Arianne his will decides to continue weaving the cloth of his life and let his son go as he carries his son’s memory with him. Arianne in this case refers to the Welsh goddess of the silver wheel who carries the dead souls to the Aurora borealis (or whatever you consider heaven)
I believe it is a conscious decision to continue his life after the death of his son along with his declaration of love for him. I am also a bereaved parent having lost all three of my sons and also having made the same choice to continue my life.
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Nona,
We are so sad to hear of the loss of your sons. It is indeed a beautiful song with deep meaningful lyrics. We appreciate hearing how “all My Love” has touched your heart and helped you in your journey forward.
Suzette, Founder SevenPonds
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I had a friend who had saved a ticket to a canceled show in New Orleans for Led Zeppelin and I’m wondering if they canceled the show or whether they played that night? I always thought the ticket was from a show canceled because of John’s death. Anyone know the answer?
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