Four Sticks Explained

Four Sticks
Cover:Rock & Roll45.jpg
Caption:German single picture sleeve
Type:single
Artist:Led Zeppelin
Album:Led Zeppelin IV
A-Side:Rock and Roll
Released: (US)
Recorded:1971
Studio:Island, London
Genre:
Length:4:46
Label:Atlantic
Producer:Jimmy Page
Prev Title:Black Dog
Prev Year:1971
Next Title:Over the Hills and Far Away
Next Year:1973

"Four Sticks" is a song by the English rock band Led Zeppelin from their untitled fourth album. The title reflects drummer John Bonham's performance with two sets of two drumsticks, totaling four.[3]

The song was difficult to record, and required more takes than usual.[3] John Paul Jones played a VCS3 synthesizer on the track.[3] The song has an unusual time signature, featuring riffs in a mixture of and .

Personnel

According to Jean-Michel Guesdon and Philippe Margotin:

Four Hands

The song was re-recorded by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant with the Bombay Symphony Orchestra in 1972, during their trip to India, along with another song, "Friends" from Led Zeppelin III.[4] This version featured tabla drums and sitars. The recording, titled "Four Hands" was released officially on the 2015 remastering of Coda.

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. Led Zeppelin At 50: Every Zep Song, Ranked By Revenue Generated. Christman. Ed. January 9, 2019. Billboard. April 21, 2023.
  2. Web site: Led Zeppelin - "Four Sticks". RAMIREZ. AJ. 21 November 2011. PopMatters.
  3. Dave Lewis (1994), The Complete Guide to the Music of Led Zeppelin, Omnibus Press, .
  4. Liner notes to Led Zeppelin Boxed Set 2 by David Fricke