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From album
Led Zeppelin III
Led Zeppelin · 1970 · Track 6
Details
Duración4:58
ÁlbumLed Zeppelin III
Año1970
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The story behind
The song *Gallows Pole* by Led Zeppelin is based on an old folk ballad that has circulated under various names throughout the centuries, such as *The Maid Freed from the Gallows* or *The Hangman*. This story, cataloged as number 95 in Francis James Child's collection of ballads, narrates the moment when a person condemned to the gallows pleads with the hangman to wait, as someone might arrive with a ransom. In many of these versions, those who arrive first, often family members, bring nothing and only come to witness the execution. However, the last person to appear, usually the loved one, brings the gold or silver needed to save a life. Although traditional versions do not always close the condemned person's fate, it is presumed that the bribe is successful. In some interpretations, the mention of "gold" could symbolize the restoration of honor or proof of innocence, rather than a literal payment. The melody and lyrics of this ballad have been collected in different places, from McDowell County in West Virginia in 1902 to versions published in England in the early 20th century.
The version that Led Zeppelin included on their album *Led Zeppelin III* in 1970 takes elements from an earlier version popularized by Lead Belly, who in turn was inspired by a 15th-century ballad. What is distinctive about Led Zeppelin's interpretation is that, unlike many others, it ends with the hangman carrying out the sentence, despite the bribery attempts. For this recording, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant arranged the piece, with Page playing 6 and 12-string guitars, as well as a banjo he borrowed from John Paul Jones, an instrument Page had not played before. Jones contributed with the mandolin and bass. The song, which lasts just under five minutes, is characterized by an accelerating tempo as it progresses, a technique that Page also employed in *Stairway to Heaven*. This particular interpretation of *Gallows Pole* was recorded at Headley Grange, a country house, using the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio, with additional sessions at Island Studios and Olympic Studios in London. The recording engineer was Andy Johns and the mixing was handled by Eddie Kramer, under the production of Peter Grant and Jimmy Page.