The music industry (or any artistic industry for that matter) is unfortunately plagued with evil, as corrupt people manage to climb their way to the top of it and find themselves in positions of power. For a while, a lot of people thought evil in the music industry manifested in the likes of Led Zeppelin, as there were a lot of concerned citizens who believed that the only reason they could rock so hard was because they’d sold their souls to the devil.
You can understand where some people were coming from, as it seems like a cruel twist of fate that the four best musicians all happen to be in the same band together, but that’s just the serendipity of Led Zeppelin. Each member brought out the best in their instrument and subsequently their fellow bandmates, which resulted in what can only be called some of the best rock music of all time.
One of the songs that the band wrote was called ‘In The Evening’. Released on their 1979 album In Through The Out Door, it’s not one of their most well-known hits, but it is certainly a great testament to the band’s skill. Robert Plant was a huge admirer of this track, as he called it “A great one,” adding that it was “A real stomper.”
While this was a good piece of music, there are some strange coincidences that surround it. For instance, the introduction to the song is quite iconic, with Jimmy Page utilising a droning effect sound that had been created by band members from 10cc. The introduction was previously unable to use, as it made up a soundtrack that Page was working on for a movie called Lucifer Rising.
The reason Page used the extract was because he never ended up doing the soundtrack for the movie, with the director opting instead to work with an artist called Bobby Beausoleil. This decision was viewed as a controversial one, as Beausoleil had formerly been a member of the infamous Manson family.
The ties to the Manson family continue as well, as Robert Plant’s lyrics throughout the song don’t directly reference Sharon Tate and the tragedy that befell her, but they certainly could be inferred that way. Plant writes about the fact that the rich and famous are still subject to pain and suffering in the same way that ordinary members of the public are; however, that pain might just manifest differently.
There are a few different things that Robert Plant could be referring to here. The first is the passing of his son, which happened in July 1977, two years before the song was released. Losing a family member transcends all wealth and legacy, regardless of how rich or famous you are. It could also be the case, however, that Plant was talking about the anxiety that came with being in a rock band, as famously, towards the end of Led Zeppelin, he was questioning whether he even wanted to make music anymore.
However, these lyrics could also apply to the Manson Family and Sharon Tate. Tate was subject to pain and suffering which came as a result of evil and twisted minds recognising her fame and notoriety, and therefore, the sentiment embedded within ‘In The Evening’ remains. This is a track that has a few different coincidences attached to it, whether they are direct or indirect.
