What Is and What Should Never Be

Song infobox
Name = What Is and What Should Never Be


Artist = Led Zeppelin
Album = Led Zeppelin II
Released = 22 October 1969
track_no = 2
Recorded = 1969, Olympic Studios, London
Genre = Hard rock
Length = 4:43
Writer = Page/Plant
Label = Atlantic Records
Producer = Jimmy Page
Chart position =
Background =
prev = "Whole Lotta Love"
prev_no = 1
next = "The Lemon Song"
next_no = 3"What Is and What Should Never Be" is a song by English rock band Led Zeppelin on their 1969 album "Led Zeppelin II". It was written by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant.

This was one of the first songs on which Page used his soon-to-become trademark Gibson Les Paul for recording.Dave Lewis (1994), "The Complete Guide to the Music of Led Zeppelin", Omnibus Press, ISBN 0-7119-3528-9.] The production makes liberal use of stereo as the guitars pan back and forth between channels. The vocals were phased during Robert Plant's choruses.

This was also one of the first songs recorded by the band for which Robert Plant received writing credit. According to rock journalist Stephen Davis, the author of the Led Zeppelin biography "Hammer of the Gods: The Led Zeppelin Saga", the lyrics for this song reflect a romance Plant had with his wife's younger sister.Stephen Davis, "Hammer of the Gods: The Led Zeppelin Saga", New York: William Morrow & Co., 1985, ISBN 0-688-04507-3.]

"What Is and What Should Never Be" was performed live at Led Zeppelin concerts between 1969 and 1972. A live version taken from a performance at the Royal Albert Hall in 1970 can be seen on the "Led Zeppelin DVD".

Jimmy Page performed this song on his tour with The Black Crowes in 1999. A version of "What Is and What Should Never Be" performed by Page and The Black Crowes can be found on the album "Live at the Greek".

A cover version of "What Is and What Should Never Be" was recorded by Jason Bonham, son of Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, and released on his 1997 album "In the Name of My Father - The Zepset"

Led Zeppelin parody cover band Dread Zeppelin recorded a version of this song on their album "No Quarter Pounder".

The song inspired the name of an episode of the popular Teen Drama "One Tree Hill", and the name of an episode of the paranormal drama "Supernatural", as well as an episode of popular half-hour comedy " That 70s Show"

References