In a contemporary review of '' Led Zeppelin III '' , Lester Bangs of '' Rolling Stone '' described " Immigrant Song " as the closest to being as classic as " Whole Lotta Love " , praising the song 's " bulldozer rhythms and Plant 's double-tracked wordless vocal crossings echoing behind the main vocal like some cannibal chorus wailing in the infernal light of a savage fertility rite . " " Immigrant Song " was used to open Led Zeppelin concerts from 1970 to 1972 . On the second half of their 1972 concert tour of the United States , it was introduced by a short piece of music known as " LA Drone " , designed to heighten the sense of anticipation and expectation amongst the concert audience . By 1973 , " Immigrant Song " was occasionally being used as an encore , but was then removed from their live set . Live versions of the song can be heard on the Led Zeppelin albums '' How the West Was Won '' ( featuring a performance at Long Beach Arena in 1972 ) and the '' Led Zeppelin BBC Sessions '' ( a version from the Paris Theatre in London in 1971 ) . When the song was played live , Page included a lengthy guitar solo , which was absent on the recorded '' Led Zeppelin III '' version . " Immigrant Song " was played as part of the 2009 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony for Jeff Beck by both Page and Beck
1972 concert tour of the United States
Led Zeppelin North American Tour 1972
Immigrant Song