"Friends", Led Zeppelin III
"Friends" is another one of those songs that I'm not sure where it lies between rarity and classic. I think it leans more towards rarity, but I believe it to be one of the best Led Zeppelin songs of that era. It certainly ranks as one of my all time favorite off of III. It commences with atmospheric chatter, before the addition of one incredibly catchy riff. The entire song is absolutely magical, with the swell of the JPJ-arranged strings and the overall Eastern influence. "I'm tellin' you now, the greatest thing you ever can do now, is trade a smile with someone who's blue now. Its very easy, just-a." The whole track is very thick, though not necessarily dark. Closing with the Moog's drone, it ends a very compelling number. At just under four minutes, they crafted a track that is enduring and powerful.
