Track 46: "Good Times Bad Times" by Led Zeppelin

In the days of my youth/I was told what it means to be a man/now I've reached that age/I've tried to do all those things the best I can

Continuing with the repeat artists theme, this is just another in a long, long line of killer Led Zeppelin tunes.

I espoused my love for the Zep back on track 11 with "Whole Lotta Love" which is just an evil, dirty, and sexy tune. But it's hard to beat track 1 of the band's first record, "Good Times Bad Times." It's just 2:47 of pure and potent rock, and easily one of my favorite Zeppelin songs ever (of which there are several).

But I actually owe Phish for giving me one of my best live music memories in the form of a cover of "Good Times Bad Times." Phish's millennium festival, Big Cypress, on an Indian reservation to help ring in the 2000s was quite simply the best time I've ever had. I had just graduated from college two weeks before, was with about 95% of my best friends, and there was just a cool sense of going to one of the farthest corners of the country in the midst of the Y2K hullabaloo...would there still be a home to go back to after the festival was over?

In the interest of saving space on the Interweb, I can't possibly explain at length what an amazing experience it was. The band did an afternoon set on 12/30, followed by a full show that night, another day set on 12/31 and rung in the New Millennium with a superb midnight to sunrise show. Hand's down this will always be the musical highlight of my life, and though my love of Phish has waned over the years, I will always fondly remember this event.

But Phish closed out the first set of their evening show on 12/30 with a cover of "Good Times Bad Times"and I just lost it. I'm a fairly even-keeled, calm dude, but I went nuts when they played this song. At the time it was my new favorite band covering one of my favorite songs by my all time favorite band--and it completely fucking ruled. They nailed it, and when Phish bassist Mike Gordon played all of John Paul Jones' bass-fills, I just broke out in laughter (my natural, instinctual gut reaction to anytime music blows me away).

And unless Led Zeppelin reunites and I am able to get front row tickets, live music for me, in that wonderful moment in the Florida Everglades, will be the best it's ever been.



--Music is good.