Tea For One is a large moon that orbits Presence, the Pluto of the Led Zeppelin solar system. Out there in space, barely visible, a dark piece of rock that is seldom visited. Well, I can't say I blame them. I wouldn't care to dine at the yacht club with the 70s family and their creepy object either.
This song deserves way more appreciation than it gets. People treat it like a bastard child of Since I've Been Loving You, from the third album. Although I like SIBLY, I occasionally tire of Robert's screechy hyper vocals. Tea For One is way more relaxed, just guitar bass and drums, no organ and no screech.
The opening groove is fantastic, this 3/4 guitar riff against 4/4 drums...then it is suddenly over just as we're starting to roll with it. It's like the band wanted to rock out, but then heavy and oppressive clouds rolled in. The remaining 9:00 is a slowwwww minor blues meditation on loneliness and boredom, the saddest song they ever did. Robert sings about time dragging on, wanting to be home instead of sitting there drinking tea by himself. His voice sounds haggard and lost, like 'lord, please get me the f home.' When he sings One minute seems like a lifetime, it's hard not to feel for him. It is the blues on a completely personal level. The music sticks with him in solidarity, those slow riffs muscling along like some poor wounded creature at the end of hope. I also love the reverb gloss on everything, it creates a very intimate setting. Some critics claim the musicians sound bored, but I think there's a lot more to it; regret, resignation, sacrifice, choices, things they gave up on the road to superstardom.
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