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Background graphics by Aubrey Beardsley, from 1893.

At this point, one might reasonably presume that everything would be known regarding an album with a colossal cultural impact, such as Led Zeppelin IV. I certainly held that perspective, until last week, when I unearthed the origin of something that the more zealous Zepp-devotees have been considering for years. If this piques your interest, then proceed with reading.

Led Zeppelin's fourth album has now been in existence for half a century, implying that an extensive amount is truly known regarding every facet of its creation. Mysteries that once perplexed my friends during our teenage years have long since been resolved. Questions such as the intended meaning of the four symbols assigned to each band member; not only do we comprehend the genesis and significance of those symbols, the enigmatic "Zoso" sigil selected by Jimmy Page has an entire dedicated website devoted to its diverse manifestations. We are aware of the location where the cover photograph was taken (Birmingham), and the rationale behind the sleeve's lack of identification (Page was displeased with the press's reaction to the previous album); we know that the hermit painting within the gatefold is derived from the Tarot card by Pamela Colman Smith, and we are also privy to considerable information concerning the composition and recording of Stairway To Heaven. Erik Davis documented much of this in his 33 1/3 study of the album, and while he examines the band symbols in some detail, he doesn't elaborate substantially on the remainder of the hand-written inner sleeve, beyond this remark:

Is there a significance to the elegant Arts and Crafts typeface that Page appropriated for the Stairway To Heaven lyrics on the other side of the sleeve? Or merely an aesthetic impression?

The source, if not the underlying meaning, of this script has fascinated Zeppelin enthusiasts for many years, but I was unaware of this until I happened to be perusing the Wikipedia entry about the album and found myself equally captivated. The investigation had begun, akin to the phrase, "the game was afoot."

It makes them ponder: the hand-lettered lyrics.

A recurring query you encounter within fan communities is, "Which font was utilized to craft X?" People will pose this question, even when the design is unique, akin to Syd Mead's logo for Tron, or something manifestly lettered by hand. Led Zeppelin IV is an album guaranteed to elicit the "What font?" inquiry, because the lyrics of the group's most celebrated song, Stairway To Heaven, occupy an entire side of the inner sleeve. On a particular fan forum I was reading, someone was eager to pinpoint "the font" because they wished to apply the words to a bedroom wall. Many additional individuals must have transcribed those lyrics since 1971; I once had to do this myself for a female friend who was so infatuated with Jimmy Page that she desired the lyrics to be framed on her own bedroom wall.

As stated in the Wikipedia entry, Page divulged the origin of the lettering to be an issue of The Studio, the British art and design magazine that played a pivotal role in launching Aubrey Beardsley's career and significantly contributed to the development and promotion of the Art Nouveau style in the 1890s. I am intimately acquainted with The Studio; many posts here reference it, and I happen to possess a complete collection of issues downloaded from the journal archive at Heidelberg University. Seeing the magazine mentioned in this context immediately impelled me to seek out the design that Page had embraced, but before I embarked on the task of flipping through thousands of pages, I looked around to ascertain whether any of the Zepp-enthusiasts had attempted to search for the magazine themselves. Evidently not; all the discussions I've encountered regarding the inner sleeve tend to reiterate the Wikipedia entry; it appears that no one has troubled themselves to procure copies of the magazine. Alright then...

Continue reading &8220;Led Zeppelin IV: Jimmy Page versus Little Bo-Peep&8221;