Day 144: 3/19/1973 Berlin, Germany

3/19/1973 Berlin, Germany Happy Times

Rock and Roll, Over the Hills and Far Away, Black Dog, Misty Mountain Hop, Since I've Been Loving You, Dancing Days, Bron-Y-Aur Stomp, The Song Remains the Same, The Rain Song, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Whole Lotta Love

Plant's voice continues to cause him trouble, forcing him to adopt a raspy tone as he tries to salvage the melody during Over the Hills and Far Away. Since I've Been Loving You is dramatic and powerful. Plant's injured moans add a mournful tone to the song. The Song Remains the Same features a flawless guitar solo from Page. Plant's vocals are drenched in echo during The Rain Song. Page plays a bit of Stuck in the Middle With You as Plant jokingly tells the crowd "sorry, but Whole Lotta Love was recorded by Jethro Tull" prior to Dazed and Confused. Page is absolutely on fire during the guitar solo/workout section. The return to the main riff is utterly devastating. A truly epic performance. There is a cut in the tape just as the song ends.

Plant introduces Stairway to Heaven as "a song that was written in the hope that one or two people would enjoy it... perhaps there's two people here tonight." He sings a line from Please Please Me before introducing Whole Lotta Love as "a song that really invokes the finest physical feelings in a person without violence, and it's usually called sex." The explosive Everybody Needs Somebody to Love section is preceded by an excellent funky jam. The medley includes Boogie Chillen', a raucous rendition of Elvis Presley's (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care, and Let's Have a Party, during which Plant's microphone cuts out briefly. The band repeats the final fanfare a number of times before finishing the medley with I Can't Quit You Baby, which features another amazing blues improvisation, and The Lemon Song. As the band leaves the stage, Plant announces "Elvis Presley has now left the building, goodnight!"

The tape is a bit distant and noisy in the high end until a source change early in Whole Lotta Love to an excellent soundboard recording.

Click here for audio samples courtesy of Black Beauty.