The 3 Led Zeppelin songs that Klaus Meine picked as favorites

When we think about Scorpions we tend to think about their famous 70s and 80s albums but the band actually started much before that, in 1965. Formed by the guitarist Rudolf Schenker, the band would only find their definitive vocalist, Klaus Meine, in 1969.

So they’ve been around for a long time and had the chance to see up-close the evolution of Rock and Roll music. They were influenced by many different bands and Led Zeppelin was one of those groups. The vocalist Klaus Meine is a huge fan of the band and praised them many times over the decades. To show more about his love for the British group, Rock and Roll Garage selected the 3 Zeppelin songs that Meine picked as some of his favorites.

The 3 Led Zeppelin songs that Klaus Meine picked as favorites

“What Is And What Should Never Be”

In an interview with Planet Rock in 2022 on the My Planet Rocks show (Transcribed by Rock and Roll Garage), Klaus Meine listed 7 songs that are some of his favorites of all time. One of them was “What Is And What Should Never Be” released by Led Zeppelin on their second album “Led Zeppelin II” (1969).

“Led Zeppelin means the world for us, for all of us (From Scorpions). Because listening to Zeppelin I, II and whatever they released in those days, songs like ‘Whole Lotta Love’ and ‘What Is and What Should Never Be’. I had this little band before I joined the Scorpions. I played with Michael Schenker in a band called Copernicus, this was one of the songs that we played. Michael also loved Led Zeppelin a lot. It was like a formula to Scorpions. Like being hard rocking and then playing the most beautiful ballads in the world.”

“They had this formula (Led Zeppelin) because they had a vocalist that could do that. It’s good to have a screamer in the band, like when Led Zeppelin played ‘Rock and Roll’ with Robert Plant screaming like crazy. But also he would touch you deep inside your body, they would be reaching out for your heart. This not only came through in Jimmy Page‘s beautiful composition and guitar playing, one of the kind top players. But the way Robert was singing was like how can you not be inspired by listening to a voice like this,” Klaus Meine said.

“Whole Lotta Love”

Another classic Led Zeppelin song that Klaus Meine likes is “Whole Lotta Love”, which is the most famous track from their second album released in 1969. The musician talked about that track in an interview with Classic Rock in 2022.

He even recalled when Jimmy Page went to see them playing live at the Hammersmith Odeon in London once. “What Zeppelin always had which the Scorpions could never match was a great blues touch. You can hear that on ‘Whole Lotta Love’. All of us in this band love Zeppelin, and were hugely influenced by them.”

“Jimmy Page came to see the Scorpions at one of our shows at Hammersmith Odeon. That was such a big buzz for us. Zeppelin did so much to create hard rock as we know it, through songs like this,” Klaus Meine said.

At the time the song became a number one hit in several countries like Australia and West Germany. It also peaked at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100.

“Stairway To Heaven”

“Stairway To Heaven” was featured on the official playlist on Scorpions’ Spotify page, which lists Klaus Meine’s favorite songs of all time and tracks that have influenced him. The track was first released by the band on their fourth album “Led Zeppelin IV” and is one of the most famous songs in history.

In an interview with Metal Hammer back in 2022, Scorpions’ founder and guitarist Rudolf Schenker recalled the story of when Jimmy Page went to see them playing. He said he told the British guitarist that “Stairway To Heaven” inspired their hit “Still Loving You”.

“Having lived through the 70s, Led Zeppelin were one of the most inspirational groups to me. Along with Black Sabbath and The Beatles. Jimmy Page once came to my dressing room at the Hammersmith Odeon.”

“We had a really nice time. I was surprised he wanted to come see us. But I told him ‘Stairway To Heaven inspired Still Loving You’. Because it’s such an unbelievable song and so creative.”