Royal Orleans by Led Zeppelin

Album: Presence (1976)

License This Song

artistfacts

Songfacts®:

The Royal Orleans was a hotel in New Orleans where the band liked to stay.
The song is about a guy who picks up a drag queen and discovers the next morning that this person is a man. Led Zeppelin were known to go to gay bars in New Orleans because they were more fun and they didn't get hassled for autographs.
This was released as the B-side of "Candy Store Rock."
This was one of the few Zeppelin songs where all four members share the composer credit.

Comments: 19

Thomas Thump from MassachusettsI think that perhaps some of the lyrics printed here aren’t quite right. John Cameron? Really?
Your Moderator from Maga Country@Seirios from Berlin Don't worry, he's back.
Bubba from NolaI’m in the Royal Orleans right now listening to the song and havin a good laugh innit! The bar makes a nice sazerac!
Tangerine from Here Germaine Greer confirmed
Seirios from BerlinHammer of the Gods? Is that seriously referenced as a source?? That book is as fact-based as the now defunct Twitter account of that orange-faced Neanderthal.
Bobby from IllinoisThis reminds me of The Crunge.
Peter Griffin from Quahog, RiAlso, there's nothing wrong with going to gay bars. You don't have to be gay to go there.
Bill from Topeka, Ksgreat tune zep at their best even though their always at their best
Mark from Worcester, MiWhen introducing "No Quarter" at Knebworth, Plant says something like. "This song features John Paul Jones...some say a man's man...others remember Royal Orleans." LOL. These guys were merciless to each other. Check it out if you get a chance.
Chris from Whitesboro, NyI wish they'd played this on the No Quarter tour, it would've sounded great what with the bongos kicking in and the full orchestra.......
Justin from Albany, NyThis song was about JPJ and the "bad, bad fire" line is a reference to when the drag queen and JPJ were in the room and they got high and accidentally set the bed on fire.
Scott Moore from Boston, MaThe song is about JPJ, although they mention the man with "the bad, bad fire" who kissed whiskers as john bindon a notorious london gangster who was a security guard for them.But jpj is really the subject. I like the song but the bass line which is really cool is buried beneath the guitar.
Brian from Corpus Christi, TxYeah, it is mentioned in "Hammer of the Gods" that JPJ brought a drag queen home...
Jim from Toledo, OhJames, that might be the dumbest thing I've ever heard.
Caitlin from Philadelphia, PaAnother one of John Bonham's simply great songs.
James from San Francisco, CaJohn Paul Jones was always the odd man out. Plant didn't like him much. I think I remember JPJ saying that vocals were the least important part of the band, which is why Plant wrote this song about him.
Adrian from Wilmington, DeNot sure if this was specifically about John Paul Jones, but as described in Stephen Davis's Zeppelin biography "Hammer of the Gods," Jones did pick up a drag queen during on the American tours and take him back to his room where they got high together and passed out on his bed.
Adrian from Wilmington, DeI love the Barry White line
Julian from Philadelphia, Pa'Possibly about someone in the band' specifically John Paul Jones.