Kashmir

Led Zeppelin • 1974

Doc
February 11, 2024

Originally titled “Driving To Kashmir” the song begun as a lyric by Robert Plant that had nothing to do with India.

As explained to Cameron Crowe by Plant, Kashmir’s meaning was about the long, never-ending, journey rather than a specific geographical location. “It was a single-track road which neatly cut through the desert. Two miles to the ease and west were ridges of sand rock. It looked like you were driving down a channel, this dilapidated road, and there was seemingly no end to it.”

Oh, let the sun beat down upon my face
And stars fill my dream
I'm a traveler of both time and space
To be where I have been
To sit with elders of the gentle race
This world has seldom seen
They talk of days for which they sit and wait
All will be revealed

Talk in song from tongues of lilting grace
Sounds caress my ear
And not a word I heard could I relate
The story was quite clear

Oh, baby, I been blind
Oh, yeah, mama, there ain't no denyin'
Oh, ooh yes, I been blind
Mama, mama, ain't no denyin', no denyin'

All I see turns to brown
As the sun burns the ground
And my eyes fill with sand
As I scan this wasted land
Try to find, try to find the way I feel

Oh, pilot of the storm who leaves no trace
Like sorts inside a dream
Leave the path that led me to that place
Yellow desert stream
My shangri la beneath the summer moon
I will return again
As the dust that floats high in June
We're moving through Kashmir

Oh, father of the four winds fill my sails
Cross the sea of years
With no provision but an open face
Along the straits of fear
Oh, when I want, when I'm on my way, yeah
And my feet wear my fickle way to stay

Ooh, yeah yeah, oh, yeah yeah,
But I'm down oh, yeah yeah, oh, yeah
Yeah, but I'm down, so down
Ooh, my baby, oh, my baby
Let me take you there
Come on, oh let me take you there
Let me take you there

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