Robert Plant – 29 Palms

• 0
  General Comment:29 Palms is a wonderful place, my friends and I wander the desert, look at the old settlements, take pictures, I miss being there, I'll return one day... Queeg I miss ya. say hello to the red box and the trees we planted.

  Flag technopaganon November 25, 2010   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:I agree the song is about the town 29 Palms and perhaps a love affair he had with someone in that locale. Robert Plant has been known to frequent the area, along with quite a few other rock stars, who come to the area to perform, party, and sometimes settle.

  Flag cutteron January 24, 2010   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• -1
  My Opinion:I think it's about a blowjob.

  Flag HannahLoganon August 30, 2009   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  My Interpretation:I think that the song is about the place 29 Palms. I actually been living in 29 Palms for 10 years now. My mother, being a big fan of Led Zeppelin, told me about this song. She said that he would come out to Pioneertown (a town about 45 minutes away from 29 Palms) every couple years and preform for some of the locals. Another thing is, when he sings, "In God We Trust" he could be referring to the Marines and the base. The base might be significant due to the fact that it is the largest Marine base in the world, I believe. "Her velvet glove knocks me down and down, down, down
  Her kiss of fire - a loaded invitation" could also be referring to the training on the base. Finally, when he sings "Taking me back down the road that leads back to you" could lead back to a saying that goes along the lines of 'Once you visit, you always want to come back.' Which I found true in a lot of cases. Of course, all of this is just my opinion.

  Flag magnanion July 25, 2009   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:For me the song is exploring the vagaries of love, the desert is allegorical in its meaning I think, even if 29 Palms was featured in a real life romance either personally experienced or read about. Though on reflection upon listening to the track I think to be able to write a song like this, you must have had first hand experience of something in your life, because it is mightily emotionally charged. I think it's possibly based on his own life experience of love and loss and the resulting confusing thoughts and emotions which derive from these experiences. The sense of isolation in the desert, the reflection, feelings, the sense of longing to return to a past or current love. Those landscapes, those places allow your mind to open up, like a moment of realisation and everything makes sense. I may be wrong, but this is how I interpret it. An amazing tune....Love it.

  Flag eggeggeggon May 05, 2009   Link

  • 2 Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
    0

    This may be another interpretation. Knowing what I know of Robert Plant, which isn't much, in regard to his tenure with Led Zeppelin, with songs like "Achilles Last Stand", "Gallows Pole", "Immigrant Song", "Kashmir", "Misty Mountain Hop", "No Quarter", and "The Battle of Evermore," I think the meaning of“29 Palms” may be more metaphorical in its nature. By that, I mean, he is taking a physical reality, that is, a particular location and the contemporary circumstance of the location, to convey a multi-layered explanation of its reality: not only its reality but our reality. Basically, Mr. Plant is using a man-made instrument to convey a metaphor. For example, a long time ago, John Donne, in his poem, "A Valediction Forbidding Mourning", describes his love for his loved one, metaphorically as a thumb-screw compass, a drafting compass. In short, even though the loved ones are separated by physical time and space, their love is the axis, center, of both conjoining arms, therefore, they are not really apart. In short, it is my belief that “29 Palms” refers to the Marine base, by the same name, where our soldiers are trained to effectively fight in modern battle tanks. Bear with me while I give examples: "Her velvet glove", extreme power delivered gracefully, "Her kiss of fire - a loaded invitation," pretty self-evident, "It comes kinda hard when I hear you voice on the radio", one second lieutenant usually controls four tanks in his platoon, a lot of radio communication, and finally, "In God We Trust", why would he say this? Plant's metaphorical vehicle of the Abrams Tank has the same verisimilitude as Donne's "Compass". They are merely powerful tools employed in trying to better explain Man's Plight of Love and its complicated nature. Love can easily destroy, as well as, protect all that we hold dear. Please keep in mind that this is merely an additional interpretation. As all interpretations, it is not the whole, but it may be a part in trying to fully understand.

    Flag RanceKauperton June 17, 2009  

    0

    line break
    paragraph
    the layers must be seperated to be digested

    Flag Matt Holckon June 17, 2009  
• +1
  General Comment:AEenema.. no he did not walk right away.. before leaving he placed his hands on the man's chest and brought him back to life.. i can't believe you missed that part?? are you freakin crazy?

  Flag supersanon November 20, 2007   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:I also heard that this song is about Alannah Myles.

  Flag sogroovynowon June 16, 2007   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:AEenema(comment is on page 1) you must be high

  Flag stuck_in_paradiseon April 01, 2007   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:Written about Alannah Myles (When I hear your voice on the radio). She and Robert were together for a while.

  Flag magpi1on January 18, 2006   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:Fun fact everyone. Robert Plant is the messiah. Seriously. The other day he was walking down the street, and someone walked passed him. Robert could have let that slide, but we forget that he is a fucking hardass. He used his super strength to launch the man up into the sky. Before he hit the ground, Robert used his spidey powers to catch him in a web. He then asked the guy if he'd learned a valuable lesson. The man replied. "Oh yes Mr. Plant, you have taught me the value of money." A smirk came over Robert's face, as he softly said, "someone told me there's a girl out there, with love in her eyes and flowers.......in her hair." Robert started to walk away, but he decided to not take any prisoners. He pulled out duel sawed off shotguns from his coat, and shot two rounds into the man's chest. As the man lay dead in the web, Robert placed his weapons back into the darkness of his coat, and disappeared into the sunset.

  Flag AEnemaon July 14, 2005   Link

  • 1 Reply Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
    0

    How's that enema going?

    Flag xlr51on October 28, 2010  

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!