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From album
Led Zeppelin IV
Led Zeppelin · 1971
Details
TonalidadA
Compás4/4
Tempo108 BPM
Duración4:45
CompositorJimmy Page / Robert Plant
ÁlbumLed Zeppelin IV
Año1971
ISRCUSAT20000604
Credits
Music Jimmy Page, Robert Plant
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The story behind
When you find yourself exploring *Four Sticks*, you'll notice its rhythmic structure is quite particular. It doesn't follow a conventional meter; instead, the riffs move between combinations of 5/8 and 6/8, giving it a sense of imbalance and tension that makes it sound different. The recording of this piece was a challenge, requiring more takes than usual to capture the perfect take. It was during these sessions that John Paul Jones introduced the sound of the VCS3 synthesizer, adding a distinctive sonic layer.
The story behind the title is quite straightforward: John Bonham, the drummer, decided to play with two drumsticks in each hand, totaling four, to tackle the song's complexity. This version, with its rhythmic peculiarity and Bonham's intensity, was only heard live once, on May 3, 1971, in Copenhagen, Denmark. This performance, captured on unofficial recordings, occurred six months before the album containing it, Led Zeppelin's untitled fourth work, was released on November 8, 1971.
Later, in 1972, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant re-recorded *Four Sticks* during their trip to India, this time with the participation of the Bombay Symphony Orchestra. That version incorporated instruments like tablas and sitars, and was titled *Four Hands*. This musical experiment wasn't made public until much later, officially appearing on the 2015 reissue of the album *Coda*. The original recording, the one you'll find on the fourth album, was conceived in 1971 at Island Studios in London, under the production of Jimmy Page and with Andy Johns as recording and mixing engineer. The genre that defines it is hard rock, with hints of raga rock.
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