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Song: Friends
Album: Led Zeppelin III [released Oct 5, 1970 (US) | Oct 23, 1970 (UK)]
Single: N/A
Credited to: Jimmy Page, Robert Plant
Related Songs:
Carry On - Crosby Stills Nash & Young (music?)
Mars - Gustav Holst's The Planets Suite (music?)

Lyrics:

Bright light, almost blindin', black night, still there shinin'
I can't stop, keep on climbin', lookin' for what I knew
Had a friend, she once told me, you got love, you ain't lonely
Now she's gone and left me only, lookin' for what I knew

Mmm, I'm tellin' you now, the greatest thing you ever can do now
Is trade a smile with someone who's blue now, it's very easy, just -

Met a man on the roadside cryin', without a friend, there's no denyin'
You're incomplete, they'll be no findin', lookin' for what you knew
So anytime somebody needs you, don't let 'em down, although it grieves you
Someday you'll need someone like they do, lookin' for what you knew

Mmm, I'm tellin' you now, the greatest thing you ever can do now
Is trade a smile with someone who's blue now, it's very easy, just -

I'm tellin' you now, the greatest thing you ever can do now
Is trade a smile with someone who's blue now, it's very easy
It's very easy, it's very easy, it's easy, easy, yeah, yeah

Personal notes: Very cool acoustic melody. Very uplifting lyrics. Even without the right tuning, it's fun to strum along the rhythm to this song. I like this song because it's about being friendly and optimistic even when you may be feeling down, because the world is a better place for everyone when people are smiling at each other, rather than frowning.

Influences: The acoustic rhythm in this song bears some resemblance to the Crosby Stills Nash & Young song Carry On, featured on their Deja Vu album that was released on March 10 of 1970 (Led Zeppelin III was released in the US on October 5 of 1970). I have also read accounts that this song bears some similarities to Mars from Gustav Holst's The Planets Suite, but I can't say that there is any definite connection.