If you don’t have Raising Sand, you should get it. I know it makes you feel oh-so-un-rock-and-roll to buy a record by a 60-year old guy and a bluegrass singer, but it really is one of the best albums I’ve heard all year. I must admit to feeling a little “NPR” when I listen to it, but it is a truly moving listening experience.
“Please Read the Letter” is my favorite song on the record, which is quite a compliment to Mr. Robert Plant, who wrote it with Jimmy Page well after the glory days of Led Zep. Some of the best songwriters of the 20th century are featured on the album of mainly covers, from Tom Waits to John Prine.
My brother Andy owns all Zeppelin-related product (Yes, this inlcudes both the Coverdale/Page album and the Death Wish II soundtrack by Mr. Page.), so I already knew “Letter” from Page and Plant’s 1998 Steve Albini-produced album Walking into Clarksdale. The album was and is a pleasant surprise.
Both versions are completely valid for their own reasons, but, as always, decide for yourself. The live version comes from CMT’s Crossroads, not the Ralph Macchio film of the same name.
Tags: allison krauss, bonzo, david coverdale, jimmy page, led zeppelin, letter, raising sand, robert plant, t-bone burnett, union station
March 9, 2008 at 5:42 am
Hi,
Men profess to be lovers of music, but for the most part they give no evidence in their opinions and lives that they have heard it
March 9, 2008 at 1:48 pm
I’m not sure if that’s intended as a compliment or an insult to me, but thanks for your input all the same.
March 14, 2008 at 6:35 am
As a long time fan of both Led Zeppelin and T Bone, it’s amazing and surreal to see their world collide, something I never expected. The future is full of surprises, yet again!