"Thank You", Led Zeppelin II
Sweetly transcendent. Led Zeppelin's first celestial ditty, full of optimistic love and glowing Hammond organ. I've definitely said it a million times and/or quoted Jimmy Page saying it a million times, but while Led Zeppelin could wondrously raunchy, they were fully capable of being lush and delicate. Hence, "Thank You". When they truly decide to cross that barrier, they basically tromp everything else. And I have so much respect for that. To be able to craft these damn near filthy blues jams, full of scorching guitars, thundering rhythm, and straight up MOANS -- yet contrast it so greatly with these intricate and wistful love songs, is utterly masterful. Here is Robert Plant, penning a song, purely on his own, for the first time. And its mesmerizingly beautiful. Complete with similarly exquisite musicianship, its... well, perfection. You've got two instruments with which I am totally infatuated: a twelve string guitar and a Hammond organ. And mmm, they both sound gracefully ravishing. The guitar solo is absolutely radiant. Beautiful, lilting, and inspiring. The organ throughout takes these elements to another world -- epitomizing the word 'dazzling'. Nothing less than mesmerizing... So much so that they let you take a breath! "Are you so captivated by our striking musicianship? ALRIGHT, here's a little break to temporarily calm you down." Still, by the track's end, I'm elated. A genuinely stunning piece of music.
