9 Fascinating Studio Accidents That Made It Into Famous Songs
5. Led Zeppelin - Black Country Woman
What's worse than a door slamming or someone coughing during the recording of a song? An aeroplane, that's what. For Led Zeppelin's sixth studio album, 1975's Physical Graffiti, the band decided to record some of the songs outside in the fresh air (presumably the studio was getting a bit stuffy). While obviously a risky strategy, it inadvertently paid off when it came to the song Black Country Woman.
The song was recorded in the back garden of Stargroves manor house, a house in the English county of Hampshire best known for being Mick Jagger's home in the seventies. At the beginning of the song, the recording engineer Eddie Kramer says Shall we roll it, Jimmy? followed by the sound of an aeroplane flying overhead. He can then be heard saying Don't want to get this aeroplane on. Robert Plant replies Nah, leave it, yeah. It's a humorous moment spawned by complete chance, but it sets the mood of the song perfectly.