Robert Plant reportedly described Led Zeppelin’s 1973 song ‘The Rain Song’ as “prog rock gone mad”, reflecting its elaborate structure and orchestral ambition. The track matters because it shows the band moving beyond straightforward hard rock into more expansive, atmospheric songwriting during a peak period of its career.

‘The Rain Song’ appeared on the album *Houses of the Holy*, released in 1973, and was written by Plant and Jimmy Page. Its unusual guitar tuning, shifting dynamics and lengthy arrangement helped make it one of Led Zeppelin’s most distinctive ballads, while also illustrating the progressive influences that the band occasionally embraced.