No. 10: ‘No Quarter’ – Top 50 Led Zeppelin Songs

To say that Led Zeppelin’s seven-minute opus ‘No Quarter’ -- No. 10 on our countdown of the Top 50 Led Zeppelin Songs -- is “a little psychedelic” is a vast understatement. Between Robert Plant’s processed, distorted vocals and John Paul Jones’ roiling electric piano to the slow-churning tempo and Jimmy Page’s dull guitar buzz, the song from 1973’s ‘Houses Of The Holy’ is sinister and woozy.

And while occasional patches of chilled piano add splashes of beauty to the grey atmosphere, ‘No Quarter’ exudes misery. Not giving in to evil — or comfort — is a theme, despite the fact that ‘walking side by side with death / The devil mocks their every step.’

‘No Quarter’ embodies the more complex, meticulous approach to sound Led Zeppelin took on ‘Houses Of The Holy,’ and is a moving example of how the band’s sound — and lyrics — evolved during their career.