Robert Plant stepped into the Tiny Desk space on a windy Halloween afternoon and immediately commented on the minimalist setup, telling the room that it reminded him of Live Aid, adding that he could not hear himself there either, because the format avoids amplified vocals and personal monitors. The limitation did nothing to unsettle him, because Plant has long embraced reinvention, moving from the power of Led Zeppelin to the refined folk, blues and roots recordings he has championed over recent decades.
Plant’s latest project, Saving Grace, underscores that shift through a curated set of covers that reflect his long history with American and British roots music, because he has been exploring that terrain since the early 1970s. The album includes the traditional spiritual Gospel Plough and It’s A Beautiful Day Today, a song originally recorded by the psychedelic rock group Moby Grape, which Plant admits can still move him deeply. His belief in the emotional weight of these songs shaped the selections for his Tiny Desk set.
For this session, Plant and his band performed Gospel Plough, the Martha Scanlan composition Higher Rock, the Low track Everybody’s Song, and the Moby Grape piece It’s A Beautiful Day Today. They closed with a new arrangement of Gallows Pole, a traditional work that Plant first recorded more than five decades ago for Led Zeppelin III.
The personnel for the performance reflected the acoustic and textural approach that has defined Plant’s recent work. Suzi Dian provided vocals and accordion, Matt Worley delivered guitar, banjo, cuatro and background vocals, Tony Kelsey played guitar, Barney Morse-Brown added cello, and Oli Jefferson completed the lineup on drums. The ensemble created an intimate, roots-driven sound that aligned neatly with the repertoire.
Gallows Pole remains one of the most historically significant tracks in the Led Zeppelin catalogue, because it marks a turning point in the band’s approach to acoustic material. The piece appeared on Led Zeppelin III, released on 5 October 1970, with a songwriting credit indicating its traditional roots, arranged by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant. The shift in sound across the album was influenced by Page and Plant’s time at the Bron-Yr-Aur cottage in Wales, where the pair explored folk textures and alternate instrumentation.
Page adapted Gallows Pole from a version recorded by American folk musician Fred Gerlach for his 1962 album Twelve-String Guitar. The Zeppelin recording begins with a simple acoustic guitar figure, then layers mandolin, electric bass, banjo and drums, building energy and pace as the song progresses. Page played banjo, six-string acoustic, twelve-string acoustic and electric guitar on the session, while John Paul Jones contributed bass and mandolin, creating a dynamic arrangement that became a highlight of the album.
Page has said that the song, like Battle Of Evermore, emerged spontaneously after he picked up Jones’ banjo and experimented with the instrument, even though he had not played it before that session. It later became one of his favourite tracks from the album. Led Zeppelin performed Gallows Pole during their 1971 concerts, and Page and Plant revived it again for their 1994 acoustic project No Quarter.
Plant’s decision to revisit Gallows Pole in a contemporary acoustic setting is a logical continuation of his artistic evolution. It reflects the curiosity that has driven him since the Zeppelin era, because he has consistently sought new ways to interpret traditional music and align it with his own creative voice. The Tiny Desk set confirms that he remains committed to exploring that heritage with precision and nuance.
Set List
“Gospel Plough”
“Higher Rock”
“Everybody’s Song”
“It’s A Beautiful Day Today”
“Gallows Pole”
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