Led Zeppelin II

Led Zeppelin II was conceived during a busy period of Led Zeppelin's career from January through August 1969, when they completed four European and three American concert tours.{{sfn|Rosen|1996|p=118}} Each song was separately recorded, mixed and produced at various studios in the UK and North America. The album was written on tour, during periods of a couple of hours in between concerts, a studio was booked and the recording process begun, necessarily resulting in spontaneity and urgency, which is reflected in the sound.{{sfn|Rosen|1996|p=118}} Several songs resulted from improvisation while touring and were recorded mostly live in the studio.{{sfn|Lewis|1990|pp=15,46–47}}

Recording sessions for the album took place at a wide variety of studios in the UK and US, including Olympic and Morgan Studios in London, England; A&M, Quantum, Sunset, Mirror Sound and Mystic Studios in Los Angeles; Ardent Studios in Memphis, Tennessee; A&R, Juggy Sound, Groove and Mayfair Studios in New York City; and R&D Studios.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ledzeppelin.com/event/may-10-1969|title=R&D Studios (Vancouver), May 10, 1969 | [title]|website=Led Zeppelin | Official Website – Official Website|date=10 May 1969 |access-date=22 October 2019|archive-date=22 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191022183554/https://www.ledzeppelin.com/event/may-10-1969|url-status=live}} Some of these were ill-equipped, leading to one Vancouver studio, which had an 8-track set-up without even proper headphone facilities,{{sfn|Lewis|1990|p=15}} being credited as "a hut".{{cite magazine |author=Cleveland, Barry |url=http://www.guitarplayer.com/article/mixing-led-zeppelin/May-08/36033|title=Guitar Player: Mixing Led Zeppelin II |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080915051359/http://www.guitarplayer.com/article/mixing-led-zeppelin/may-08/36033 |archive-date=15 September 2008 |date=May 2008 |magazine=Guitar Player |access-date=11 February 2009}}{{cite AV media notes |title=Led Zeppelin II (Super Deluxe Edition Box) |publisher=Atlantic Records |id=R2-536181 |year=2014 |p=3}} A more favourable set-up was Mystic Studios in Hollywood, Los Angeles with Chris Huston engineering.{{sfn|Lewis|1990|p=15}}

Lead singer Robert Plant later complained that the writing, recording, and mixing sessions were done in many different locations, and criticised the writing and recording process.{{sfn|Lewis|Pallett|1997|p=32}} "Thank You", "The Lemon Song" and "Moby Dick" were overdubbed during the tour, while the mixing of "Whole Lotta Love" and "Heartbreaker" was also done on tour. Page later stated, "In other words, some of the material came out of rehearsing for the next tour and getting new material together."{{cite journal |last=Schulps |first=Dave |url=http://www.iem.ac.ru/zeppelin/docs/interviews/page_77.trp |title=Interview with Jimmy Page |journal=Trouser Press |date=October 1977 |access-date=9 September 2008 |archive-date=20 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110820054853/http://www.iem.ac.ru/zeppelin/docs/interviews/page_77.trp |url-status=dead }}

Page and Kramer spent two days mixing the album at A&R Studios, and the album's production was entirely credited to Jimmy Page, with Eddie Kramer engineering.{{sfn|Lewis|1990|p=15}} Kramer was quoted as saying, "The famous Whole Lotta Love mix, where everything is going bananas, is a combination of Jimmy and myself just flying around on a small console twiddling every knob known to man."{{sfn|Lewis|1990|p=15}} Kramer later gave great credit to Page for the sound that was achieved, despite the inconsistent conditions in which it was recorded: "We cut some of the tracks in some of the most bizarre studios you can imagine ... but in the end it sounded bloody marvellous ... there was one guy in charge and that was Mr. Page."{{cite journal |journal=Classic Rock |title=Classic Rock Presents Led Zeppelin: Their Time is Gonna Come |year=2008 |page=21}}

The finished tracks reflect the evolving sound of the band and their live performances.{{cite web |url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r11460|pure_url=yes}} |title=Led Zeppelin II |website=AllMusic |access-date=11 February 2009}}{{cite magazine |last=Gilmore |first=Mikal |title=The Long Shadow of Led Zeppelin |magazine=Rolling Stone |issue=1006 |date=10 August 2006 |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/11027261/the_long_shadow_of_led_zeppelin/print |access-date=9 December 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071205000838/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/11027261/the_long_shadow_of_led_zeppelin/print |archive-date=5 December 2007}} Plant had his first songwriting credits on Led Zeppelin II; he had been unable to have his contributions to the writing process credited for the first album because of a prior contract with CBS Records.{{sfn|Lewis|1990|p=47}}

"Whole Lotta Love" was built around a five-note Page riff. Parts of the lyrics were taken directly from Willie Dixon's "You Need Love", which led to the group being sued for plagiarism, eventually settling out of court. The arrangement also resembles the Small Faces track "You Need Loving".{{sfn|Lewis|1990|pp=47, 57}} With basic tracks recorded on Page's houseboat, the middle section of the song contained a variety of overdubbed instruments and vocals which were mixed live by Page and Kramer, making full use of stereo panning and other controls available on the desk. The song was edited down to a single in the US, where it became a top 5 hit. In the UK, a single release was cancelled; the group never issued any singles there during their active career together.{{sfn|Lewis|1990|pp=47–48}} It was finally issued as a single in 1997.{{sfn|Lewis|2012|p=59}} A mainly instrumental version of the song was recorded by CCS and was used as the theme tune to the BBC TV show Top of the Pops, ensuring it was well known by virtually everyone in Britain.{{sfn|Lewis|1990|p=48}}

Led Zeppelin performed "Whole Lotta Love" at every gig from June 1969 onwards. It was the closing number of their live shows between 1970 and 1973, often extended to incorporate a rock'n'roll medley towards the end of the set. A different arrangement of the song was played for the Knebworth Fayre concerts in 1979. It was the last song the group ever performed live with drummer John Bonham, on 7 July 1980. "Whole Lotta Love" has since been critically praised as one of the definitive heavy metal tracks, though the group have never considered themselves to fit that specific style.{{sfn|Lewis|1990|p=48}}

"What Is and What Should Never Be" was primarily written by Plant. It features a variety of dynamics during the track, along with flanged vocals and wide-panned stereo guitars.{{sfn|Lewis|1990|p=48}}

"The Lemon Song" was a re-arrangement of Howlin' Wolf's "Killing Floor", which had become a regular part of the group's live show during 1969. It was mostly recorded live and expanded to include new lyrics, including the sexually-charged phrase "squeeze my lemon" which was borrowed from Robert Johnson's "Travelling Riverside Blues", which the band had played for the BBC radio show Top Gear broadcast on 29 June 1969.{{sfn|Lewis|1990|p=48}}{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=z_dmDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA46 |pages=46–47 |title=Led Zeppelin: All the Albums, All the Songs |author=Martin Popoff |publisher=Voyageur Press |date=21 August 2018|isbn=9780760363775 }}{{sfn|Lewis|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=AQLtgOAQcqQC&pg=PT102 102]}}{{cite web |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/jimmy-page-on-led-zeppelins-totally-fearless-bbc-sessions-110658/ |work=rollingstone.com |title=Jimmy Page on Led Zeppelin's 'Totally Fearless' BBC Sessions |author=David Fricke |date=13 September 2016 |access-date=24 September 2018 |archive-date=25 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180925025322/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/jimmy-page-on-led-zeppelins-totally-fearless-bbc-sessions-110658/ |url-status=live }}

"Thank You" was written by Plant as a love song to his wife, Maureen. Page played twelve-string guitar and Jones played Hammond organ on the track.{{sfn|Lewis|1990|p=48}}

"Heartbreaker" was mostly written by Page as a showcase for his guitar skills, including an unaccompanied solo in the middle of the song. It quickly became a live favourite, being performed regularly from October 1969 onwards, and throughout the group's career.{{sfn|Lewis|1990|p=48}}

"Living Loving Maid (She's Just a Woman)" was purported to be written about a groupie the band encountered while touring the US. The group disliked the track, considering it to be little more than filler, and consequently it was never played live by the group. Plant performed the track live on his 1990 solo tour.{{sfn|Lewis|1990|p=48}}

"Ramble On" was written by Plant. The lyrics were inspired by J. R. R. Tolkien, and similar themes appeared on subsequent Led Zeppelin albums. The track made good use of dynamics, moving from a quiet acoustic guitar in the opening, to a variety of overdubbed electric guitars towards the end.{{sfn|Lewis|1990|p=49}} It was never performed live by Led Zeppelin during their main career, but Plant has performed the song regularly on solo tours, and it was part of Page and Plant's live set in the mid-1990s. It was finally performed live for the first time by Led Zeppelin at the Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert in 2007.{{sfn|Lewis|2012|p=67}}

"Moby Dick" was designed as a showcase for Bonham's drum solo. A previous drum showpiece featured a different arrangement called "Pat's Delight" (after his wife). Moby Dick is in drop D tuning and features a variety of drums and percussive instruments played with bare hands as well as drumsticks. It was a regular part of Led Zeppelin's live show, developing to include additional percussion and electronic drums.{{sfn|Lewis|1990|p=49}}

"Bring It On Home" was a cover of a Willie Dixon song originally performed by Sonny Boy Williamson II. Led Zeppelin's arrangement includes a faster middle section in addition to the straightforward blues structure of the original. It was played live regularly throughout late 1969 and 1970.{{sfn|Lewis|1990|p=49}}

File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-2004-0430-501, Jagdstaffel 11, Manfred v. Richthofen.jpg

The album sleeve design was from a poster by David Juniper, who was simply told by the band to come up with an interesting idea. Juniper was a fellow student of Page's at Sutton Art College in Surrey.{{cite web |url=http://www.led-zeppelin.org/biographies/64-reference/biographies/associates-bio/1437-david-juniper |title=David Juniper |date=25 September 2010 |publisher=led-zeppelin.org |access-date=6 October 2015 |archive-date=16 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016081258/http://www.led-zeppelin.org/biographies/64-reference/biographies/associates-bio/1437-david-juniper |url-status=dead }}

Juniper's design was based on a photograph of the Jagdstaffel 11 Division of the German Air Force during World War I, the Flying Circus led by the Red Baron. Juniper replaced four of the flyers' heads with photos of the band members, added facial hair and sunglasses to some of the flyers' faces or replaced some with the faces of other people. The blonde-haired woman is French actress Delphine Seyrig in her role as Marie-Madeleine in the film Mr. Freedom, a leftist anti-war satire by William Klein. The cover also pictured the outline of a Zeppelin on a brown background (similar to the cover of the band's first album), which gave the album its nickname "Brown Bomber".{{sfn|Lewis|2012|pp=55–56}}

The album was released on 22 October 1969 on Atlantic Records, with advance orders of 400,000 copies.Welch, Chris (1994) Led Zeppelin, London: Orion Books. {{ISBN|1-85797-930-3}}, p. 40. The advertising campaign was built around the slogans 'Led Zeppelin – The Only Way to Fly' and 'Led Zeppelin II Now Flying'.{{sfn|Lewis|1990|p=47}} In the United States, some commercially duplicated reel-to-reel copies of Led Zeppelin II made by Ampex bore the title Led Zeppelin II – The Only Way to Fly on their spine. Commercially, Led Zeppelin II was the band's first album to hit No. 1 in the US, knocking The Beatles' Abbey Road (1969) twice from the top spot, where it remained for seven weeks.{{sfn|Lewis|1990|p=47}} By April 1970 it had registered three million American sales, whilst in Britain it enjoyed a 138-week residence on the LP chart, climbing to the top spot in February 1970.{{sfn|Lewis|1990|p=47}} Meanwhile, the album reached the top spot in 5 other national albums charts (including the Canadian, Australian and Spanish albums charts). In November Ritchie Yorke reported in Billboard that while the album had achieved "staggering" sales, as a hard rock record it was considered unsuitable for North American Top 40 radio stations, who were "dreary and detached from the mainstream of contemporary rock music".{{cite magazine |first=Ritchie |last=Yorke |title=Maple Leaf Rock |magazine=Billboard |date=14 November 1970 |volume=82 |issue=46 |page=R-16 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sSkEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22Led+Zeppelin+II%22&pg=PP18 |issn=0006-2510}}

The album also yielded Led Zeppelin's biggest hit, "Whole Lotta Love". This song reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1970, after Atlantic went against the group's wishes by releasing a shorter version on 45. The single's B-side, "Living Loving Maid (She's Just a Woman)", also hit the Billboard chart, peaking at No. 65 in April 1970. The album helped establish Led Zeppelin as an international concert attraction, and for the next year, the group continued to tour relentlessly, initially performing in clubs and ballrooms, then in larger auditoriums and eventually stadiums as their popularity grew.{{Cite web

|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/led-zeppelin-mn0000139026/biography |last=Erlewine |first=Stephen Thomas |author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine|title=Led Zeppelin: Biography|website=AllMusic |access-date=11 June 2023}}

Led Zeppelin II was not well-received by contemporary music critics. John Mendelsohn wrote a negative review of the record for Rolling Stone, in which he mocked the group's heavy sound and white blues, while writing that "until you've listened to the album eight hundred times, as I have, it seems as if it's just one especially heavy song extended over the space of two whole sides".{{cite magazine |last=Mendelsohn |first=John |date=13 December 1969 |title=Records |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/led-zeppelin-ii-19691213 |magazine=Rolling Stone |issue=48 |pages=48 |location=San Francisco |publisher=Straight Arrow Publishers, Inc. |access-date=8 November 2016 |archive-date=3 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161103011557/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/led-zeppelin-ii-19691213 |url-status=live }} In The Village Voice, Robert Christgau jokingly referred to the band as "the best of the wah-wah mannerist groups, so dirty they drool on demand", while complaining that "all the songs sound alike", before assigning the album a "B" grade.{{cite news |last=Christgau |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Christgau |date=15 January 1970 |url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/cg6.php |title=Consumer Guide (6) |newspaper=The Village Voice |access-date=21 April 2017 |archive-date=6 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190506230511/https://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/cg6.php |url-status=live }} He nonetheless conceded in 1970 that "Led Zeppelin simply out-heavied everyone" the previous year, "pitting Jimmy Page's repeated low-register fuzz riffs against the untiring freak intensity of Robert Plant's vocal. This trademark has only emerged clearly on the second album, and more and more I am coming to understand it as an artistic triumph."{{cite news |last=Christgau |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Christgau |date=12 February 1970 |url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/rock/delaney-70.php |title=Delaney & Bonnie & Friends Featuring Eric Clapton |newspaper=The Village Voice |access-date=21 April 2017 |archive-date=14 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170614222133/http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/rock/delaney-70.php |url-status=live }}

On 10 November 1969, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America and in 1990 it was certified 5× platinum reflecting shipping of five million copies. By 14 November 1999, Led Zeppelin II had shipped twelve million copies and was certified 12× platinum by the RIAA. The 2014 reissue of the album helped itself get back into the Billboard Top 10 when it got to {{Numero|9}}.{{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200 |title=Billboard 200 |page=1 |magazine=Billboard |access-date=14 June 2014 |archive-date=31 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151231051424/http://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200 |url-status=live }}

{{Album reviews

| title = Retrospective professional ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|5|5}}{{Cite web

|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/led-zeppelin-ii-mw0000190649 |last=Erlewine |first=Stephen Thomas |author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine|title=Led Zeppelin II: Review|website=AllMusic |access-date=11 June 2023}}

| rev2 = Blender

| rev2score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite magazine|url=http://www.blender.com/guide/back-catalogue/52612/led-zeppelin-ii.html |title=Review |magazine=Blender |access-date=3 August 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090819225839/http://www.blender.com/guide/back-catalogue/52612/led-zeppelin-ii.html |archive-date=19 August 2009}}

| rev3 = Encyclopedia of Popular Music

| rev3score = {{Rating|5|5}}{{cite book|last=Larkin|first=Colin|author-link=Colin Larkin (writer)|year=2006|publisher=MUZE|title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music|page=141|isbn=0195313739|edition=4th|volume=5|title-link=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music}}

| rev4 = Entertainment Weekly

| rev4score = A+{{cite web |author=Tom Sinclair |url=http://www.ew.com/article/2003/06/20/recordsled-zeppelin |title=Entertainment Weekly Review |publisher=Ew.com |date=20 June 2003 |access-date=1 January 2012 |archive-date=5 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141205135710/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,458337,00.html |url-status=live }}

| rev5 = MusicHound Rock

| rev5score = 4.5/5{{cite book|editor-last1=Graff|editor-first1=Gary|editor-last2=Durchholz|editor-first2=Daniel|title=MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide|publisher=Visible Ink Press|location=Farmington Hills, MI|year=1999|isbn=1-57859-061-2|page=[https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781578590612/page/662 662]|url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781578590612/page/662}}

| rev6 = Q

| rev6score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web |url=http://www.q4music.com/nav?page=q4music.review.redirect&fixture_review=124582&resource=124582&fixture_artist=144739 |title=Q (magazine)|Q Review |publisher=Q4music.com |access-date=1 January 2012 |archive-date=27 September 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927223425/http://www.q4music.com/nav?page=q4music.review.redirect&fixture_review=124582&resource=124582&fixture_artist=144739 |url-status=dead }}

| rev7 = The Rolling Stone Album Guide

| rev7score = {{Rating|5|5}}{{sfn|Brackett|Hoard|2004|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=lRgtYCC6OUwC&pg=PA479 479]}}

| rev8 = Tom Hull – on the Web

| rev8score = B+{{cite web|last=Hull|first=Tom|date=n.d.|url=http://tomhull.com/ocston/nm/get_gl.php?n=Led+Zeppelin|title=Grade List: Led Zeppelin|website=Tom Hull – on the Web|access-date=18 July 2020|archive-date=18 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200718153558/http://tomhull.com/ocston/nm/get_gl.php?n=Led+Zeppelin|url-status=live}}

}}

Led Zeppelin II has since been regarded as the quintessential hard rock and heavy metal album.{{sfn|Rosen|1996|p=1967}} AllMusic editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine said it "provided the blueprint for all the heavy metal bands that followed it". While crediting the band for essentially inventing metal, Tom Hull said that, after the first album had declared their musical ambition, "the second honed it down to a singular entity, a sound", with subsequent albums expanding on it in "sophisticated, subtler, often quite intelligent" ways, but still indebted to "the basic dumbness" of II – "dumb not in the sense of stupid but of non-speaking. Lyrics are there of course, but as an integral part of the music, a music better appropriated tactilely, through incoherent sensation, than intellectually, literarily."{{cite magazine|last=Hull|first=Tom|date=April 1975|url=http://www.tomhull.com/ocston/arch/rekord4.php|title=The Rekord Report: L'Objet Rèpris|magazine=Overdose|access-date=June 26, 2020|via=tomhull.com|archive-date=19 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919121206/http://www.tomhull.com/ocston/arch/rekord4.php|url-status=live}}

The album was described as a "brilliant if heavy-handed blues-rock offensive", by popular music scholar Ronald Zalkind.{{cite book|last=Zalkind|first=Ronald|year=1980|title=Contemporary Music Almanac|url=https://archive.org/details/contemporarymusi00zalk|url-access=registration|page=[https://archive.org/details/contemporarymusi00zalk/page/255 255]}} According to Robert Santelli's The Big Book of Blues: A Biographical Encyclopedia (2001), Led Zeppelin "had already begun to move beyond its blues-rock influences, venturing into previously unexplored hard-rock territories".{{cite book|last=Santelli|first=Robert|year=2001|title=The Big Book of Blues: A Biographical Encyclopedia|publisher=Penguin Books|page=[https://archive.org/details/bigbookofbluesbi00sant/page/290 290]|isbn=0141001453|url=https://archive.org/details/bigbookofbluesbi00sant/page/290}} Blues-derived songs like "Whole Lotta Love", "Heartbreaker", "The Lemon Song", "Moby Dick", and "Bring It On Home" have been seen as representing standards of the metal genre, where the guitar-based riff (rather than vocal chorus or verses) defines the song and provides the key hook.{{sfn|Lewis|1990|pp=47–48}} Such arrangements and emphasis were at the time atypical in popular music. Page's guitar solo in "Heartbreaker" was an influence on later renowned guitarists Eddie Van Halen, as inspiration for his two-handed tapping technique, and Steve Vai.{{Cite web|url=https://societyofrock.com/led-zeppelin-1979-heartbreaker-performance-is-giving-us-a-dose-of-70s-nostalgia/|title = Led Zeppelin 1979 'Heartbreaker' Performance is Giving Us a Dose of 70s Nostalgia| date=25 March 2021 }}

Since its initial critical reception, Led Zeppelin II has earned several accolades from music publications, being ranked on critics' "best album" lists. In 1989, Spin magazine ranked the album No. 5 on its list of The 25 Greatest Albums of All Time.{{cite magazine|author= |title=The 25 Greatest Albums of All Time|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=h-bxxO5B-xsC&pg=PA46|magazine=Spin|location=New York|page=46|date=April 1989|volume=5|number=1|access-date=January 22, 2024}} In 1990, CD Review ranked it sixth on their list of top 50 CDs for starting a "pop/rock" library; an accompanying blurb described the album as "white boy blues with a hard rock edge".{{cite magazine|magazine=CD Review|page=42|title=Pop/Rock Library|year=1990|volume=6|issue=7–12}} In 2000, Q magazine placed Led Zeppelin II at number 37 in its list of the 100 Greatest British Albums Ever.[https://web.archive.org/web/20080927033247/http://www.tower.com/led-zeppelin-ii-cd/wapi/106059568 Tower: Led Zeppelin II]. Tower.com. Retrieved 11 February 2009. In 2003, the album was ranked number 75 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time,{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-19691231/led-zeppelin-ii-led-zeppelin-19691231|title=75) Led Zeppelin II|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=11 February 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101218173858/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-19691231/led-zeppelin-ii-led-zeppelin-19691231|archive-date=18 December 2010|url-status=dead}} 79 in a 2012 revised list,{{cite web| url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-156826/led-zeppelin-led-zeppelin-ii-159313/| year=2012| title=500 Greatest Albums of All Time Rolling Stone's definitive list of the 500 greatest albums of all time| publisher=Rolling Stone| access-date=September 23, 2019| archive-date=23 September 2019| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190923101237/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-156826/led-zeppelin-led-zeppelin-ii-159313/| url-status=live}} and 123 in a 2020 revised list.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-albums-of-all-time-1062063/led-zeppelin-led-zeppelin-ii-2-1063110/ |title=Led Zeppelin II ranked 123rd greatest album by Rolling Stone magazine|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=28 September 2020}} The album was also included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.{{cite book|author1=Robert Dimery|author2=Michael Lydon|title=1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition|date=7 February 2006|publisher=Universe|isbn=0-7893-1371-5}}

{{small|(*) designates unordered lists.}}

{{Album ratings

| title= 2014 reissue ratings

| MC = 95/100{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/led-zeppelin-ii-remastered/led-zeppelin|title=Reviews for Led Zeppelin II [Remastered] by Led Zeppelin|website=Metacritic|access-date=13 July 2015|archive-date=1 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150901015818/http://www.metacritic.com/music/led-zeppelin-ii-remastered/led-zeppelin|url-status=live}}

| rev1 = The Austin Chronicle

| rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite news|last=Hernandez|first=Raoul|date=18 July 2014|url=https://www.austinchronicle.com/music/2014-07-18/led-zeppelin-led-zeppelin-i-led-zeppelin-ii-led-zeppelin-iii/|title=Review: Led Zeppelin|newspaper=The Austin Chronicle|access-date=6 September 2018|archive-date=6 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180906195434/https://www.austinchronicle.com/music/2014-07-18/led-zeppelin-led-zeppelin-i-led-zeppelin-ii-led-zeppelin-iii/|url-status=live}}

| rev2 = Consequence of Sound

| rev2score = A−

| rev3 = Pitchfork

| rev3score = 10/10{{cite web |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/19418-led-zeppelin-led-zeppelin-ii-led-zeppelin-iii/ |title=Pitchfork Review |publisher=Pitchfork.com |date=6 September 2018 |access-date=6 September 2018 |archive-date=6 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180906195737/https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/19418-led-zeppelin-led-zeppelin-ii-led-zeppelin-iii/ |url-status=live }}

| rev4 = Q

| rev4score = {{Rating|5|5}}{{cite magazine|magazine=Q|title=Review|page=120|date=July 2014}}

| rev5 = Rolling Stone

| rev5score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}

}}

Along with the group's self-titled debut album and their third album, Led Zeppelin III, the album was remastered and reissued on 2 June 2014. The reissue comes in six formats: a standard CD edition, a deluxe two-CD edition, a standard LP version, a deluxe two-LP version, a super deluxe two-CD plus two-LP version with a hardback book, and as high-resolution, 24-bit/96k digital downloads. The deluxe and super deluxe editions feature bonus material containing alternative takes, backing tracks and the previously unreleased instrumental, "La La".{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/led-zeppelin-return-with-new-unheard-song-after-scouring-vaults-for-unreleased-recordings-9189925.html|title=Led Zeppelin return with new unheard song|work=The Independent|access-date=13 March 2014|archive-date=13 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140313145903/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/led-zeppelin-return-with-new-unheard-song-after-scouring-vaults-for-unreleased-recordings-9189925.html|url-status=live}} The reissue was released with an altered colour version of the original album's artwork as its bonus disc's cover.{{cite web|date=13 March 2014|url=http://www.mojo4music.com/12781/led-zeppelin-remasters-arrive-last/|title=Led Zeppelin Remasters Arrive At Last|work=Mojo|access-date=31 July 2014|archive-date=9 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140809220559/http://www.mojo4music.com/12781/led-zeppelin-remasters-arrive-last/|url-status=dead}}

The reissue was met with widespread critical acclaim. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 95, based on 10 reviews. Pitchfork journalist Mark Richardson said, "the reissue sounds as thrilling as ever", while Julian Marszalek of The Quietus noted the bonus disc's "intriguing insight" into the original record's creation.{{cite web|last=Marszalek|first=Julian|date=2 June 2014|url=http://thequietus.com/articles/15412-led-zeppelin-reissue-reviews|title=Led Zeppelin|website=The Quietus|access-date=6 September 2018}} In Rolling Stone, David Fricke wrote, "the alternate takes highlight Robert Plant's ripening vocal poise and, in a rough mix of 'Ramble On', the decisive, melodic force of John Paul Jones' bass and John Bonham's drumming."{{cite magazine|last=Fricke|first=David|author-link=David Fricke|date=3 June 2014|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/led-zeppelin-ii-reissue-88031/|title=Led Zeppelin II (Reissue)|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=6 September 2018|archive-date=6 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180906195614/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/led-zeppelin-ii-reissue-88031/|url-status=live}} "As a two-disc set", Consequence of Sound{{'}}s Michael Madden wrote, "this reissue is both a reminder of the original album's wallop and a closer look at the alchemy of a band increasingly attuned to ideas of progression."{{cite magazine|last=Madden|first=Michael|date=4 June 2014|url=https://consequenceofsound.net/2014/06/album-review-led-zeppelin-led-zeppelin-ii-reissue/|title=Led Zeppelin II Reissue|magazine=Consequence of Sound|access-date=6 September 2018|archive-date=6 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180906233713/https://consequenceofsound.net/2014/06/album-review-led-zeppelin-led-zeppelin-ii-reissue/|url-status=live}} Raoul Hernandez from The Austin Chronicle was more critical of the bonus disc, finding it to be "the thinnest of extras" offered by the reissue program.

{{clear}}

All tracks written by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, except where noted.

{{Track listing

| headline = Side one{{cite AV media notes|year=1969|title=Led Zeppelin II|type=Album notes|author=Led Zeppelin|location=New York City|publisher=Atlantic Records|id = SD 8236|at=Inside cover}}

| title1 = Whole Lotta Love

| writer1 = {{hlist|Jimmy Page|Robert Plant|John Paul Jones|John Bonham|Willie Dixon}}

| length1 = 5:33

| title2 = What Is and What Should Never Be

| length2 = 4:47

| title3 = The Lemon Song

| writer3 = {{hlist|Page|Plant|Jones|Bonham|Chester Burnett}}

| length3 = 6:20

| title4 = Thank You

| length4 = 3:50{{efn|name="Timing"|Original LP pressings of the album lists the running time of "Thank You" at 3:50, since the song's coda has a false fade at that point. The 2014 deluxe reissue lists it as 4:49.}}

| total_length = 20:30

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Side two

| title1 = Heartbreaker

| writer1 = {{hlist|Page|Plant|Jones|Bonham}}

| length1 = 4:15

| title2 = Living Loving Maid (She's Just a Woman)

| length2 = 2:40

| title3 = Ramble On

| length3 = 4:35

| title4 = Moby Dick

| writer4 = {{hlist|Page|Jones|Bonham}}

| length4 = 4:25

| title5 = Bring It On Home

| writer5 = {{hlist|Page|Plant|Jones|Bonham|Dixon}}

| length5 = 4:19

| total_length = 20:14

40:44

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = 2014 deluxe edition bonus disc

| extra_column = Recording Date

| title1 = Whole Lotta Love

| note1 = Rough mix with vocal

| length1 = 5:38

| writer1 = {{hlist|Page|Plant|Jones|Bonham|Dixon}}

| extra1 = 16 April 1969

| title2 = What Is and What Should Never Be

| note2 = Rough mix with vocal

| length2 = 4:33

| writer2 =

| extra2 = 19 April 1969

| title3 = Thank You

| note3 = Backing track

| length3 = 4:21

| writer3 =

| extra3 = 25 June 1969

| title4 = Heartbreaker

| note4 = Rough mix with vocal

| length4 = 4:24

| writer4 = {{hlist|Page|Plant|Jones|Bonham}}

| extra4 = 21 May 1969

| title5 = Living Loving Maid (She's Just a Woman)

| note5 = Backing track

| length5 = 3:08

| writer5 =

| extra5 = 25 June 1969

| title6 = Ramble On

| note6 = Rough mix with vocal

| length6 = 4:43

| writer6 =

| extra6 = 1 June 1969

| title7 = Moby Dick

| note7 = Intro/Outro Rough mix

| length7 = 1:37

| writer7 = {{hlist|Page|Jones|Bonham}}

| extra7 = 6 May 1969

| title8 = La La

| note8 = Backing track

| length8 = 4:07

| writer8 =

| extra8 = 14 April 1969

| total_length = 32:39

}}

Led Zeppelin

• Robert Plant{{snd}}lead vocals; harmonica on "Bring It On Home"
• Jimmy Page{{snd}}guitars, theremin, backing vocals
• John Paul Jones{{snd}}bass guitar, organ, backing vocals
• John Bonham{{snd}}drums, backing vocals

Production

• Producer{{snd}}Jimmy Page
• Recording engineers

: George Chkiantz at Olympic Studios, London: "Whole Lotta Love", "What Is and What Should Never Be"

: Chris Huston at Mystic Studios, Los Angeles: "The Lemon Song", "Moby Dick"

: Andy Johns at Morgan Studios, London: "Thank You", "Living Loving Maid (She's Just a Woman)"

: Eddie Kramer at A & R Studios, Juggy Sound Studio, and Atlantic Studios (resp.), New York: "Heartbreaker", "Ramble On", "Bring It On Home"

• Director of engineering and mixing at A & R Studios{{snd}}Eddie Kramer
• LP mastering{{snd}}Robert Ludwig
• Executive producer{{snd}}Peter Grant
• Artwork{{snd}}David Juniper

Digitally remastered editions

• First 1987 CD mastering [19127-2]{{snd}} Barry Diament at Atlantic Studios
• 1994 digital remastering (from the original master tapes){{snd}} Jimmy Page and George Marino at Sterling Sound
• 2014 24 bit/192 kHz digital transfers of the original analogue tapes{{snd}} Jimmy Page at Metropolis Mastering, London

: Additional engineering for prev. unreleased studio outtakes{{snd}} Drew Griffiths at Metropolis Mastering, London

: Mastering of prev. unreleased tracks{{snd}} John Davis at Metropolis Mastering, London

• All reissues produced by Jimmy Page

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

Original release

2014 reissue

{{col-2}}

{{col-end}}

{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for Led Zeppelin II}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Argentina|title=Led Zeppelin II|artist=Led Zeppelin|type=album|award=Gold|relyear=1970|certyear=1993|certref={{cite web |url=http://www.capif.org.ar/Default.asp?PerDesde_MM=0&PerDesde_AA=0&PerHasta_MM=0&PerHasta_AA=0&interprete=Led+Zeppelin&album=&LanDesde_MM=0&LanDesde_AA=0&LanHasta_MM=0&LanHasta_AA=0&Galardon=O&Tipo=1&ACCION2=+Buscar+&ACCION=Buscar&CO=5&CODOP=ESOP|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531193333/http://www.capif.org.ar/Default.asp?PerDesde_MM=0&PerDesde_AA=0&PerHasta_MM=0&PerHasta_AA=0&interprete=Led+Zeppelin&album=&LanDesde_MM=0&LanDesde_AA=0&LanHasta_MM=0&LanHasta_AA=0&Galardon=O&Tipo=1&ACCION2=+Buscar+&ACCION=Buscar&CO=5&CODOP=ESOP|archive-date=31 May 2011 |title=Led Zeppelin Discos de oro y platino |language=es |access-date=23 February 2023 |publisher=Cámara Argentina de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas |url-status=dead }}}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|title=Led Zeppelin II|artist=Led Zeppelin|type=album|award=Platinum|number=4|certyear=2007}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Austria|title=Led Zeppelin II|artist=Led Zeppelin|type=album|award=Gold|relyear=1969}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|title=Led Zeppelin II|artist=Led Zeppelin|type=album|award=Platinum|number=9|relyear=1969|certyear=2000}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=France|title=Volume 2|artist=Led Zeppelin|type=album|award=Gold|number=2|certyear=2001|relyear=1969}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Germany|title=II|artist=Led Zeppelin|type=album|award=Platinum|relyear=1969}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Italy|title=II|artist=Led Zeppelin|type=album|award=Platinum|relyear=1969|note=sales since 2009}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Spain|type=album|artist=Led Zeppelin|title=Led Zeppelin II|relyear=1969|certyear=2000|award=Gold|certref={{cite book|url=http://www.mediafire.com/view/x263f6daopkswo8|title=Sólo Éxitos 1959–2002 Año A Año: Certificados 1979–1990|year=2005|publisher=Iberautor Promociones Culturales|language=es|isbn=8480486392}}|access-date=12 September 2019}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|region=Sweden|award=Gold|certref={{cite web|url=https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/24241/lot/73/?category=list&length=10&page=8|access-date=20 December 2020|title=LED ZEPPELIN: A 'GOLD' SALES AWARD FOR THE ALBUM LED ZEPPELIN II, 1970}}|salesamount=25,000|salesref={{Cite web|url=https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/24241/lot/73/?category=list&length=10&page=8|title = LED ZEPPELIN: A 'GOLD' SALES AWARD FOR THE ALBUM LED ZEPPELIN II, 1970}}}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|title=Led Zeppelin II|artist=Led Zeppelin|type=album|award=Platinum|number=4|certyear=2008|id=3777-2162-2}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|title=Led Zeppelin II|artist=Led Zeppelin|type=album|award=Platinum|number=12|refname=uscert}}

{{Certification Table Bottom}}

{{Portal|1960s}}

• List of best-selling albums in the United States
• List of Billboard 200 number-one albums of 1970
• Train Does Led Zeppelin II

{{Notelist}}

Citations

{{reflist}}

Sources

{{refbegin}}

• {{cite book|last1=Brackett|first1=Nathan|last2=Hoard|first2=Christian|title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide|publisher=Simon and Schuster|year=2004|location=New York|isbn=0-7432-0169-8|edition=4th|url=https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac}}
• {{cite book|last=Buckley|first=Peter|title=The Rough Guide to Rock|publisher=Rough Guides|year=2003|location=London|isbn=1-85828-201-2|url=https://archive.org/details/rockroughguide00buck}}
• {{cite book | title = Australian Chart Book 1970 - 1992 | last = Kent |first = David | isbn = 0-646-11917-6 | year = 1993 | publisher = Australian Chart Book, St Ives, N.S.W. | author-link = David Kent (historian)}}
• {{cite book|last=Lewis|first=Dave|year=1990|title=Led Zeppelin: A Celebration|publisher=Omnibus Press|isbn=978-0-711-92416-1|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/ledzeppelinceleb0000lewi}}
• {{cite book|last=Lewis|first=Dave|year=2010|title=Led Zeppelin: The Complete Guide To Their Music|publisher=Omnibus Press|isbn=9780857121356}}
• {{cite book|last=Lewis|first=Dave|year=2012|title=From A Whisper to A Scream: The Complete Guide to the Music of Led Zeppelin|publisher=Omnibus Press|isbn=978-0-857-12788-4}}
• {{cite book|last1=Lewis|first1=Dave|last2=Pallett|first2=Simon|year=1997|title=Led Zeppelin: The Concert File|location=London|publisher=Omnibus Press|isbn=0-7119-5307-4}}
• {{cite book|last=Rosen|first=Craig|year=1996|title=The Billboard Book of Number One Albums: The Inside Story Behind Pop Music's Blockbuster Records|edition=1st|location=New York|publisher=Billboard Books|page=118|isbn=0-8230-7586-9}}

{{refend}}

• {{Discogs master|type=album|4170|name=Led Zeppelin II}}

{{Led Zeppelin songs}}

{{Led Zeppelin}}

{{Authority control}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2018}}

{{Use British English|date=January 2012}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Led Zeppelin 2}}

Category:1969 albums

Category:Albums involved in plagiarism controversies

Category:Albums produced by Jimmy Page

Category:Albums recorded at A&M Studios

Category:Albums recorded at Morgan Sound Studios

Category:Albums recorded at Olympic Sound Studios

Category:Albums recorded at Sunset Sound Recorders

Category:Atlantic Records albums

Category:Led Zeppelin albums