39. Rock and Roll vs. Achilles Last Stand

[stip]

[stip]

The marquee match of this round, for sure.

I've listened to Achilles Last Stand 4-5 times this tournament. It was never a song I cared for but lots of people swear by it so I kept listening. It's grown on me each time to the point that I'm starting to like it. It wears its epicness on its sleeve, but I'm not sure it earns it. For a song that wants to be huge I want it to be huger, louder, bigger. It's like someone wrote a song at 11 and then dialed it down to 7. And I still feel like this doesn't need to be almost 11 minutes long since it lacks the magnificent slow and steady build of a song like Stairway to Heaven. But it's a pretty good song, and new elements open up to me with each listen. It's one I'll keep coming back to, since it hasn't peaked for me yet.

Having said that Rock and Roll is three minutes and forty seconds of absolutely perfect distillation of what rock and roll is. I don't know if I have a favorite LZ song, but if I do it may well be Rock and Roll. This song gets everything right. It is phenomenal, and is an easy vote.

[stip]

re-listening to both, and one of the things that strikes me about rock and roll is how remarkably effortless it is - this is just four people at the top of their game sitting down to do what they do best, and doing it better than everyone, without batting an eye

[Self]

Rock and Roll is good and fun. I like it enough. Achilles Last Stand deserves most of the hype the good folks of RM have been heaping on it. Easy vote.

Also, I love Jimmy's middle position tone on that '59. It's something I try to reproduce all the time.

[wease]

Rock ‘n’ Roll. Bonzo’s mini solo at the end is sheer bliss.

[evenslow]

Rock
and
Roll

[Kevin Davis]

"Rock and Roll" is fine but I don't know that it stands out to me as something a number of other bands couldn't have done. "Achilles" is one-of-a-kind uniquely Zeppelin, and the best they ever were at it.

[epilogue]

"Rock and Roll" is fine but I don't know that it stands out to me as something a number of other bands couldn't have done. "Achilles" is one-of-a-kind uniquely Zeppelin, and the best they ever were at it.

[LoathedVermin72]

"Rock and Roll" is a fantastic song, but it is nowhere near the spectacular juggernaut of rock majesty that is ALS.

[bada]

It always annoyed me that the Rock N Roll solo was buried in the mix.

[stip]

I love that scratchy yelp Plant has right before the final 'chorus'

[Jammer XCI]

Achilles Last Stand easy

[darth_vedder]

ALS, and I wish RNR would have had an easier opponent, it's a worthy song to make it to the next round.

[dpupenya]

IV was such a beast

[tragabigzanda]

It always annoyed me that the Rock N Roll solo was buried in the mix.

Let's just blame it on BOB.

[chewm]

As good as Rock and roll is, this shouldnt be this close

[Birds in Hell]

"Rock and Roll" is a fantastic song, but it is nowhere near the spectacular juggernaut of rock majesty that is ALS.

Yeah.

[koopee27]

Achilles Last Stand easy

[doone]

Rock
and
Roll

[LetMeSleep]

As good as Rock and roll is, this shouldnt be this close