- The Iconic Song That Split Led Zeppelin: “I Honestly Hated It”
Led Zeppelin is known for their thunderous riffs, genre-defying sound, and a legacy that helped shape the very foundation of rock music. With timeless tracks like Stairway to Heaven, Kashmir, and Whole Lotta Love, the band often appeared as a united creative force. But behind the scenes, not every hit was universally loved — and one particular song became a surprising point of contention within the band.
The track in question? All My Love.
Released in 1979 on their final studio album, In Through the Out Door, All My Love was a sharp departure from Led Zeppelin’s typical hard rock edge. A melodic, synth-heavy ballad, the song was written by vocalist Robert Plant as a tribute to his late son, Karac, who tragically passed away in 1977 at just five years old.
The emotion in the lyrics was raw and heartfelt, with Plant pouring his grief and love into every word. For him, the song was personal, cathartic — a moment of vulnerability rarely seen in the band’s discography.
But not everyone in Led Zeppelin embraced it.
Guitarist Jimmy Page, the band’s principal producer and sonic architect, felt alienated by the track’s direction. Unlike the gritty, riff-driven style that had defined their earlier work, All My Love leaned heavily on John Paul Jones’s synthesizer and lacked Page’s signature guitar presence. For a song so close to Plant’s heart, Page had little input — and he didn’t hide his dissatisfaction.
“I truly loathed it,” Page later admitted in interviews. “It didn’t sound like us. It sounded like something else entirely. I felt left out of that one — musically and emotionally.”
John Bonham, the band’s powerhouse drummer, reportedly shared Page’s unease, often favoring their traditional heavier sound over softer, more introspective compositions.
Despite the internal rift, All My Love was released and became a hit — resonating with fans who embraced the emotional depth and evolution in the band’s sound. For many, it showcased a different side of Led Zeppelin: more tender, more human.
Yet, the song remains a symbol of a band at a crossroads.
In Through the Out Door was Led Zeppelin’s last studio album. Within a year, John Bonham would tragically die, and the band would dissolve. Some fans and critics now look back on All My Love not only as a touching tribute from a grieving father but also as a sign of creative divergence — a moment when Zeppelin’s musical paths began to drift apart.
In the end, All My Love stands as both a beautiful anomaly and a reminder that even the most legendary bands have their internal struggles. It wasn’t just a ballad — it was a heartfelt goodbye, a creative risk, and a rare glimpse into the fault lines behind rock’s most iconic curtain.
