10 Greatest Hard Rock Closing Tracks
1. When The Levee Breaks - Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin IV is held in incredibly high-esteem in the hard rock world for a good reason. Across just 8 tracks, the four English rockers showed every band how all rock should be played. From raveups on "Rock and Roll" to epics like "Stairway to Heaven," every single type of rock song is explored by Zeppelin on this record. With only one track after the mellow "Going to California," Zeppelin offers backwater blues from Hell on "When the Levee Breaks."
With John Bonham starting off with a heavy groove, Jimmy Page comes in with a guitar part that is absolutely dripping with dread as the harmonica perfectly compliments it with furious blasts. Once the groove is set, Robert Plant begins to tell the tale of a flood that is coming through town and leaving many people without their homes. His frightful screams about how he has no time to cry and must move up to Chicago is undercut by Page's slide guitar and more killer harmonica sections.
In an act of musical artistry, Led Zeppelin in essence becomes an audible version of the flood as the music travels at a steady pace, looking to demolish everything in its wake.