Immigrant Song is a 1970 hard rock track by Led Zeppelin from the album Led Zeppelin III. Built around a stabbing riff by Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and John Bonham, it features Robert Plant’s high-pitched wailing and lyrics inspired by Norse mythology and Viking imagery, born from the band’s Icelandic tour and a Reykjavik show. The song was released as a US single on November 5, 1970 with Hey, Hey, What Can I Do on the B-side, and reached number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100. It is in the key of F sharp minor and runs at about 112 beats per minute, and is often described as hard rock with Viking metal and folk metal overtones. Immigrant Song helped popularize mythic, Viking-like imagery in heavy metal and remains one of Led Zeppelin’s most famous singles, later appearing on compilations such as Led Zeppelin Remasters and Early Days: The Best of Led Zeppelin, Vol. 1. Live versions from 1970 to 1972 feature extended guitar solos and were used to open concerts, while first US pressings even bore Aleister Crowley’s quote in the run-out groove. The track has appeared in films and trailers, including School of Rock and Thor: Ragnarok.
