Hots On For Nowhere by Led Zeppelin

Album: Presence (1976)

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Songfacts®:

Robert Plant wrote the lyrics in Malibu while recovering from a car accident. The band wrote the rest of the song in a German studio in about an hour. They had to finish the album quickly because the Rolling Stones needed to use the studio.
In an audio documentary on the band, Plant said that the lyrics reflected not only his physically trapped situation at the time, but his general frustrations with Jimmy Page and their manager Peter Grant, whom Plant was convinced weren't sensitive to his point of view. Hence the line, "I've got friends who would give me f--k all." However, he slurred the pronunciation of the F-bomb, hoping to dodge it onto the radio. Didn't work.
This song was used in the Dogtown and Z-Boys skateboarding documentary during Tony Alva's segments in the first highlight reel. The film was directed by Stacy Peralta and funded by the shoe company Vans, who were a strong brand in the 1970s/1980s - especially in skater and surfer culture. Peralta also wrote the screenplay to the 2005 film Lords of Dogtown and directed the "Whopper virgin" commercials for Burger King.

Dogtown and Z-Boys is worth tracking down just for the soundtrack, which packs in songs by Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, Black Sabbath, David Bowie, Devo, Jan and Dean, Peter Frampton, Pink Floyd, Thin Lizzy, and ZZ Top.
Jimmy Page had a guitar riff which he also used for the then-unreleased "Walter's Walk," which he also layered on for this song.

Comments: 21

Ben from VirginiaIf this is LZ’s worst song (it isn’t, that distinction goes to “Hats off to Roy Harper” from LZ III), then their worst song is better than most bands’ best song.
John from VirginiaThis album and the Stones Black and Blue album are forty eight years old and sounding better than a lot of groups best sellers
Stephen from California At David in FL, Black Country Woman is one of my favorites, as is Hots. Different tastes abound.
Rocksolan from Kyiv, UkraineWIKI says nothing about any car accident. It proposes a different version
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hots_On_for_Nowhere
Wayne from Crockett, TxSometimes its what you hear between beats that makes a song. Such is the case with Hots. One of Zeppelin's classics, it mixes so many styles of music into a delicious, chunky recipe that is quite tasty to the ears.
Bill from Topeka, KsI like this one of the underated song off of one one of the underated albums presence
Peter Griffin from Quahog, RiI just listened to, sure enough, he says "Fluk". So the lyrics need to be changed.
Bill from Topeka, Ksi like this tune itis heavy
Donnie from Lambsburg, VaI think Plant used "Fluk" intentionally so he could get the point across without using the word.
Evan from Paramus, United Statesthis is zeppelins only song in which plant says the f word
Neil from Boston, MaWhat is wrong with this song, this song is great.
I love how it has a slight pause in the middle of the drums, it makes it sound so awesome. I also love the first line, "I was burned in the heat of the moment, Oh! it could've been the heat of the day."
this is also a wonderful song to sing along to.

Plus Led Zep has never made a bad song... EVER!
David from Orlando, FlOne can be a Zeppelin fan without being a "fanatic" and it's certainly ok to say that the band didn't always knock it out of the ballpark with all their tracks--and this song is a good example of that, though I wouldn't call it bad or even their worst (for me, that would be 'Black Country Woman').
Chris from Whitesboro, NyPage Played this with The Black Crowes on their 2000 tour and I strongly recommend getting any performance that features this and In the Light, most notable the June 30th one............
Jeanette from Irvine, Cathis month i've made sure to hear all zep's songs (not counting live versions except how the west was won) except coda and unreleased stuff by going straight through my iTunes avoiding none.
Stefanie Magura from Rock Hill, ScSong's good. not Zep's best, but it's pretty good. In fact, I don't think Zep has a bad song, but then again, I haven't heard all of them. I've heard most of them though.
Dale from Northamptonshire, EnglandNo way, this song is a great song to sing along too. One of my favourites of Presence, however everythings great. Take our band to pull all that out in a year.
Love the chorus.
Aaron from Cleveland, Ohwhy hate this song? i think its good, the la la la part, nice and the ends sweet too
Nelson from Durham, NcMatt, I would not say that this is Zeppelin's worst, i hate it when people say that they hate the song, Zeppelin doesnt have any bad ones... ever
Pants from Calgary, CanadaYou'll notice theres a guitar riff in the song that is also in "Walters Walk". Presumably, at the time "Hots..." was written, Page figured it was good enough to recycle, since he figured nobody would ever hear "Walters..." which was only dug up and released after the band called it quits. The riff had its genisis during live performances of "Dazed and Confused", and can be heard on the new "How the West Was Won" live CD.
Adrian from Wilmington, DeI think this song definitely reflects the rushed nature of Presence, but it's definitely a quality song and the only one in which Zeppelin drops the F-bomb in the lyrics ;-)
Matt from Russell Springs, KyIMO, Zeppelin's worst. Sorry.

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