It’s been bugging me for a while, so I’ll just say it… I think Led Zeppelin’s Immigrant Song is about Operation Overload, the 1944 allied invasion of Normandy — the beginning of the end of World War 2.
At first glance, this song seems like it’s just about Vikings discovering Canada, or about Iceland, or maybe Thor. But that’s just an obvious conclusion from the opening line, “We come from the land of the ice and snow.”
This song is about a mighty sea-bound army bringing “peace and trust” to a green land of fields, calming the war, and rebuilding. And the clincher is that they say “We are your overlords.” Come on! This is 1944 France, people!
How soft your fields so green
Can whisper tales of gore
Of how we calmed the tides of war
We are your overlords
On we sweep with threshing oar
Our only goal will be the western shore
So now you’d better stop and rebuild all your ruins
For peace and trust can win the day despite of all your losing
Well done on a historical rock epic that covers a lot of territory in just over two minutes, Zep. 👍
patmcg.com 