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Led Zeppelin - Good Times Bad Times


Led Zeppelin - Good Times Bad Times - Meaning of the song


The first song on Led Zeppelin's debut album, John Bonham, John Paul Jones and Jimmy Page are the credited songwriters on this track. Page explained how it came together:

"John Paul Jones came up with the riff. I had the chorus. John Bonham applied the bass-drum pattern. That one really shaped our writing process. It was like, 'Wow, everybody's erupting at once.'"

The lyric is a little disjointed, but the song rocks so hard, most listeners don't notice. Robert Plant sings about coming of age, falling in love at 16 and losing his woman to a brown-eyed man (possibly inspired by Chuck Berry's "Brown Eyed Handsome Man." The end of the song finds him proclaiming his love for his woman back home, telling her they will never part.


Good Times Bad Times - Lyrics


In the days of my youth, I was told what it means to be a man And now I've reached that age, I've tried to do all those things the best I can No matter how I try, I find my way into the same old jam Good times, bad times, you know I've had my share When my woman left home with a brown eyed man But I still don't seem to care Sixteen, I fell in love with a girl as sweet as could be It only took a couple of days 'til she was rid of me She swore that she would be all mine and love me 'til the end But when I whispered in her ear, I lost another friend, oh Good times, bad times, you know I've had my share When my woman left home for a brown eyed man But I still don't seem to care Good times, bad times, you know I've had my share When my woman left home for a brown eyed man But I still don't seem to care I know what it means to be alone I sure do wish I was at home I don't care what the neighbours say I'm gonna love you each and every day You can feel the beat within my heart Realize, sweet babe, we ain't ever gonna part


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