Lyrics for Achilles Last Stand as interpreted by kevin

Achilles Last Stand Lyrics
It was an April morning when they told us we should go
As I turn to you, you smiled at me
How could we say no?

With all the fun to have, to live the dreams we always had
Oh, the songs to sing, when we at last return again

Sending off a glancing kiss, to those who claim they know
Below the streets that steam and hiss,
The devil's in his hole

Oh to sail away, To sandy lands and other days
Oh to touch the dream, Hides inside and never seen.

Into the sun the south the north, at last the birds have flown
The shackles of commitment fell, In pieces on the ground

Oh to ride the wind, To tread the air above the din
Oh to laugh aloud, Dancing as we fought the crowd

To seek the man whose pointing hand, The giant step unfolds
With guidance from the curving path, That churns up into stone

If one bell should ring, in celebration for a king
So fast the heart should beat, As proud the head with heavy feet.

Days went by when you and I, bathed in eternal summers glow
As far away and distant, Our mutual child did grow

Oh the sweet refrain, Soothes the soul and calms the pain
Oh Albion remains, sleeping now to rise again

Wandering & wandering, What place to rest the search
The mighty arms of Atlas, Hold the heavens from the earth

The mighty arms of Atlas, Hold the heavens from the earth
From the earth...

I know the way, know the way, know the way, know the way (X2)

Oh the mighty arms of Atlas, Hold the heavens from the earth.

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napnip
04-13-2002

Rated 0 
This is just a damn good song. It has all the qualities of Zep that make me such a big fan. Epic lyrics and music, and a touch of mysticism.


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1 Reply
ramthar
04-16-2002

Rated 0 
i hear that the first time this song was played back to Plant (who was in a wheelchair following a car accident that crushed his heel) after he had done the vocals Plant fell out of his wheelchair he was so impressed with it. Given that he had a broken heel and his superb vocal performance on this song, the title may be more applicable than one might at first realize.

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Aneurysm1985
07-19-2002

Rated 0 
This is my favourite Led Zeppelin song!!!! (quietly - OK, equal fave with Dazed and Confused and Stairway to Heaven)

Bonzo's drumming is so great!

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Hip PLumber
03-04-2003

Rated 0 
I love the travelling forward motion in this song- it makes me want to go on an adventure. Definitely a staple song of summer road trips.

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Lailseax
03-05-2003

Rated 0 
The drums in this one are amazing, I love the cymbal smashes later on in the track.

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Tektronic
03-23-2003

Rated -1 
This is a great driving song, it puts you in the adventures shoes, and you're driving to the battle as achilles, a great greek god. I really like this song, a song I would choose to die to.

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2 Replies
derek1196
04-19-2003

Rated 0 
This is an Awsome song!! I think it has alot to do with LOTR. "To seek the man whose pointing hand, The giant step unfolds With guidance from the curving path, That churns up into stone" refers to the fellowship going down that river out of lothlorean. They pass Huge statues made of stone of kings with their hands pointing. Well, thats just my opinion....

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derek1196
04-19-2003

Rated 0 
This is an Awsome song!! I think it has alot to do with LOTR. "To seek the man whose pointing hand, The giant step unfolds With guidance from the curving path, That churns up into stone" refers to the fellowship going down that river out of lothlorean. They pass Huge statues made of stone of kings with their hands pointing. Well, thats just my opinion....

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IdiotequeDance
05-01-2003

Rated 0 
This song is an epic. It makes you think "wow, this is what rock is all about." Kinda. You know what I mean, heh.

Just amazing.

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jazzman1717
05-01-2003

Rated 0 
I think this song is like a war song. The beginning instrumental is like an old man telling some kids about a war he was in...then he breaks into the war part and the song explodes! But thats just a personal opinion

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Frosted
06-11-2003

Rated 0 
I can't tell if this is supposed to be a reference to Greek mythology or another analogy of the band as warriors, like Immigrant Song. There is more than one reference to Greek myth (Achilles, Atlas, the beginning lyrics that somewhat correspond to events in the Iliad, and the 'wondering and wandering' part that could be about the Odyssey) but maybe it just got its title from RObert's foot.

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Sukai
06-18-2003

Rated 0 
Trektonic.....Achilles wasn't a god, he was a warrior who was invincible everywhere except for his heel, hence achilles heel.

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johnpauljones86
06-20-2003

Rated +1 
This song is not about mythology or anything like that. At least not in a entirely. This song is about Robert Plant and his wife Mauren's trip to Morocco in , if memory serves me, 1975. It was spring, hence the mention of April at the beginning, there was no tour scheduled or rather ''no commitment'' so they decided to go on vacation. They had always wanted to go there and they finally had the chance, hence ''to live the dreams we always had". And Atlas is a the tall mountain in Morrocco, and just plain tall period, somewhere around 5,000 meters I believe. So came the lyric ''The mighty arms of Atlas, Hold the heavens from the earth''. I guess he did it make it a little mythological with his metaphors. And of course, the lyric ''I know the way, know the way, know the way, know the way'' refers to sight seeing and general touring the Moroccan landscape. It was orginally nicknamed The Wheelchair Song by the band. Well there is Achilles Last Stand explained.

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johnpauljones86
06-20-2003

Rated 0 
This song is not about mythology or anything like that. At least not in a entirely. This song is about Robert Plant and his wife Mauren's trip to Morocco in , if memory serves me, 1975. It was spring, hence the mention of April at the beginning, there was no tour scheduled or rather ''no commitment'' so they decided to go on vacation. They had always wanted to go there and they finally had the chance, hence ''to live the dreams we always had". And Atlas is a the tall mountain in Morrocco, and just plain tall period, somewhere around 5,000 meters I believe. So came the lyric ''The mighty arms of Atlas, Hold the heavens from the earth''. I guess he did it make it a little mythological with his metaphors. And of course, the lyric ''I know the way, know the way, know the way, know the way'' refers to sight seeing and general touring the Moroccan landscape. It was orginally nicknamed The Wheelchair Song by the band. Well there is Achilles Last Stand explained.

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jethrotull6352
04-09-2004

Rated 0 
Even if the song is not specifically about mythology there are many allusions to Greek myth. This ties in with many other Zeppelin songs relating myth to life.

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Ben2k9
04-26-2004

Rated 0 
im surprised there isnt many comments about this song, it fuckin kicks ass! definatly on of their best!

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motorcycledrivebyer
05-02-2004

Rated 0 
Oh the sweet refrain, Soothes the soul and calms the pain
Oh Albion remains, sleeping now to rise again

just thought id add that Albion is the old, poetic name for england. shakespeare uses it in King Lear.

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gringovision
05-09-2004

Rated 0 
all four of them are in their finest form on this song. all four of them consider this one of their best songs ever.

it's incredible.

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klansaft
06-14-2004

Rated 0 
Simply just a masterpiece. Some of -if no the- best lyrics I've ever heard. Amazing.

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man on tv
06-22-2004

Rated 0 
fucking awesome

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roadrunner99
09-22-2004

Rated 0 
The Pact with Satan.

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adam_777
09-26-2004

Rated 0 
Best Zeppelin song, really intense , Jimmy Page also says its his favourite, Dont have a clue what it means though, Im guessing references to Greek Mythology.

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Philadelphia Eagles
10-03-2004

Rated 0 
Amazing song. One of John Bonham's best.

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Artsy
10-06-2004

Rated 0 
i feel its a mix of mythologies, legends and most of all the experience of Page's and PLants travelling. About a year before this record they went on a trip to I think Africa to try and get inspired. Many claim it is about this inspiring and FREE journey: It was an april morning when they toldus we should go. I smiled to you how could we say no, the fun to have blabla the songs to sing, when we at last return again.

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insignificant2all_5
10-11-2004

Rated 0 
Personally, i believe that it's this song that will be looked back upon as what Led Zeppelin were all about.

It's truly the most epic of their songs, and i feel that it's one of the most definitive rock songs of the 70's.

As for Stairway to heaven being equal to it, i don't really get how you could even compare stairway to heaven to Achilles Last Stand. Stairway to Heaven is soft boring overdone rock, that lacks the genius and musical depth of Achilles Last Stand.

Along with No Quarter, this is my favourite Led Zeppelin song.

Eidolon

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