Led Zeppelin will be celebrating the 50th anniversary release of their classic Led Zeppelin III with a special reissue of “Immigrant Song,” the album’s only single. This reissue will be a replication of the rare Japanese 7-inch release, which features the non-album song “Hey, Hey, What Can I Do,” as its B-Side. Pre-sale orders of this special release will be out this Thursday, October 8 at 10 a.m. ET.
Serving as the album’s opening “Immigrant Song” is one of the band’s most iconic tracks, known for its electrifying performances and Robert Plant’s memorably howling vocals. The single was also a modest commercial hit at the time of its release, reaching number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The band recently won a minor copyright infringement dispute over their iconic 1971 single “Stairway to Heaven.” This case was eventually petitioned up to the U.S. Supreme Court, but the court declined to hear the case, leaving the band’s victory in place. Accusations of plagiarism began in the 1990s, after members of the band Spirit mentioned their similarities in linear notes.
Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page recently appeared on an unearthed Rolling Stones demo, which also featured the late Rick Grech, best known for his role in Blind Faith. This demo was reportedly recorded back in 1975, as Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones reportedly encountered each other in a recording studio.
Robert Plant has also been busy, working on a solo album called Digging Deep: Subterranea, which featured a total of 30 tracks. This project was released on October 2 and also featured the single “Charlie Patton Highway (Turn It Up – Part 1).”