Led Zeppelin has scrapped the planned re-issue of “Immigrant Song” on 7-inch vinyl, announcing the decision just one day before the singles were due to be released.
According to a statement published on Twitter and Led Zeppelin’s official website, the planned vinyl reissue is no longer taking place.
“With great regret, Warner Music must inform Led Zeppelin fans that the ‘Immigrant Song / Hey, Hey, What Can I Do’ 7” single has been cancelled,” the statement read. “We sincerely apologise for any disappointment or inconvenience this may have caused. Refunds will be available at point of purchase.”
The re-issue was announced in a press release published by Led Zeppelin on October 5, fifty years after the release of Led Zeppelin III.
A limited edition vinyl single featuring “Immigrant Song” went on sale on October 8. The single, limited to 19,700 copies, was due to be released on January 15.
Read the full text of the band’s official press release announcing the re-issue below:
Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Bonham and John Paul Jones released Led Zeppelin III 50 years ago today in the U.S., on October 5, 1970, with the U.K. and other countries following a few weeks later. The band’s third album in less than two years, it would top the charts in several countries – including the U.S. and the U.K. – on its way to selling more than 13 million copies worldwide. Beyond its overwhelming commercial success, the album also represented a turning point musically for Led Zeppelin as the group expanded its hard-hitting sound to embrace a wider range of styles on acoustic-based songs like “That’s The Way,” “Tangerine,” and “Bron-Y-Aur-Stomp.”
In celebration of the record’s 50th anniversary, the band will reissue the Japanese version of the album’s only single – “Immigrant Song” b/w the non-album track “Hey, Hey, What Can I Do” – on 7” vinyl. Limited to 19,700 copies, it comes in a sleeve that replicates the original artwork. The single will be released on January 15, 2021 and can be pre-ordered at www.ledzeppelin.com starting this Thursday at 3PM BST/10AM EST.
“Immigrant Song” was a Top 20 hit in the U.S. and has gone on to become one of the band’s most popular and enduring songs, currently ranking as their second most-streamed track worldwide. It’s also had an enduring impact on pop culture thanks to several memorable appearances in blockbuster motion pictures such as School Of Rock and, most recently, in Marvel’s Thor: Ragnarok.
“Immigrant Song” and its lyrical references to Norse mythology were inspired by the band’s concert in Reykjavik, Iceland on June 22, 1970. Six days later, the song made its live debut in England at the Bath Festival of Blues and Progressive Music. That fall, it would appear as the lead-off track on Led Zeppelin III.
Following the whirlwind success of the band’s first two albums and near constant touring, there was an initial rehearsal with Plant and Bonham where Page presented “Immigrant Song,” “Friends,” and what became “Out On The Tiles.” Page and Plant then took to the now famous Bron-Yr-Aur cottage in Wales in 1970 to have a musical sabbatical. The remote 18th-century cottage – which lacked electricity and running water – became home to “That’s The Way.”
Page and Plant later convened with Bonham and Jones for rehearsals before recording began in earnest that May with engineer Andy Johns. The band recorded the album in several locations, including London’s Olympic Studios and Island Studios. Following the recording sessions, Page, who produced the album, took the mixed master tapes to Ardent Studios in Memphis, Tennessee, to make the cut for vinyl. Fueled by classic tracks such as “Since I’ve Been Loving You,, “Out On The Tiles,” and “Celebration Day,” Led Zeppelin III has been certified 6x platinum in the U.S. alone while also achieving multi-platinum status in many other countries.
Beyond the music, the album is noteworthy for another reason; it’s innovative artwork. When it was originally released on vinyl, Led Zeppelin III came packaged in a gatefold sleeve, conceived by Page and designed by multi-media artist Zacron (aka Richard Drew), whom Page had met in the early 1960s when Drew was attending Kingston College of Art. For his design, Zacron created a surreal collection of images (planes, birds and butterflies) surrounding several cutout holes. Behind the cover, he placed a rotating disc (volvelle or wheel chart) that featured more images, including photos of all four band members. When the disc was turned by hand, different images would appear in the openings to create an interactive visual experience.
Led Zeppelin III
Side 1
- Immigrant Song
- Friends
- Celebration Day
- Since I’ve Been Loving You
- Out On The Tiles
Side 2
- Gallows Pole
- Tangerine
- That’s The Way
- Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
- Hats Off To (Roy) Harper
Reading That Jimmy Page Wants To Do Some Kind Of Concert For COVID-19 Research UK, I Implore Anyone There With The Means To Communicate w/Him To Do A Concert, Disc, Film W/PJ HARVEY. This Is The Chance Of The Lifetime Of Two Legends, & With All Due Respect To Robert & Alison, Which They Deserve, JP & PJ Would Blow It Away. Scarlet Page Could Photograph & Film The Sessions. Let’s Do It To It! Sean Andrew Heaney
I can’t believe it! I was so psyched for this single! Boo!
I was also disappointed when I received the cancellation email. It would have been a cool thing to have. But if the same pressing house was going to press it as Plant’s Digging Deep 45 set last year we are better off. In that set some of the 45’s were noisy fresh out of the box. In The Mood/ Big Log for example is scratchy in the right channel both whole songs that even a cleaning wont help.
Not a big problem, but still waiting for the promised yearly releases of an unrelased live recording, according to Mr Page 3 years ago! And a new recording from Mr. Plant would even be great, with Ms. Krauss or with the Band of Joy 🙂
Yeah Pagey’s been promising tours, new music & live music for a while now. Obviously the tour is not doable right now, but with all the free time on his hands it would be nice for something other than a book.