Led Zeppelin – "What Is and What Should Never Be" (1969)

And if you say to me tomorrow

“Oh, what fun it all would be”

Then what's to stop us, pretty baby?

The line that follows the lyrics quoted above – “But what is and what should never be” – also provides the title of today’s featured song, which is about Robert Plant’s relationship with his ex-wife’s younger sister, Shirley Wilson.  

That relationship began before Plant got married to Shirley’s sister Maureen.  Several years after they got divorced, Plant had a child with Shirley.  (That child is legally a first cousin to Plant’s children by his wife, but is genetically their half-brother.)

Shirley Wilson and Robert Plant

Plant’s situation is somewhat reminiscent of the one described in the Lovin’ Spoonful song, “Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind?,” which contains these lyrics:

Sometimes you really dig a girl the moment you kiss her

And then you get distracted by her older sister

Unlike the singer of that song, Plant apparently never “finally decide[d]” – he never really “[said] yes to one and let the other one ride.”

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In 2019, Billboard magazine observed the 50th anniversary of the U.S. release of Led Zeppelin’s eponymous debut album by ranking all 94 of the band’s songs according to their digital sales.  

Billboard only counted revenue from consumer downloads and on-demand streams of a song – their ranking excluded revenues from the music played on terrestrial or satellite radio stations because that music was chosen by station programmers, not listeners.

Billboard also excluded album sales (because you can’t tell which songs caused the purchaser to buy the album) and sales of physical singles (because not all songs are available as physical singles).

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It comes as no surprise that the song that topped the Billboard list was “Stairway to Heaven” – perhaps my least favorite Led Zeppelin song ever – which generated $2,903,223.42 from downloads and streams.

If we limit ourselves to songs released on the eight studio albums released by Led Zeppelin prior to John Bonham’s death and the breakup of the group, the worst-selling Led Zeppelin song was “Candy Store Rock,” which generated only $10,465.65 in digital revenues – roughly one-third of one percent as much money as “Stairway to Heaven” brought in.

The four Led Zeppelin songs that have previously been inducted into the 2 OR 3 LINES “GOLDEN DECADE” ALBUM TRACKS HALL OF FAME are all from the first – and best – Led Zeppelin album.  

Those songs – “Good Times, Bad Times,” “Dazed and Confused,” “Communication Breakdown,” and “How Many More Times” – came in at #14, #15, #29, and #44 respectively on the Billboard list.  

“What Is and What Should Never Be,” which was released in 1969 on Led Zeppelin II, comes in at #21.

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“Hard panning” is the term used when a stereo recording is mixed so that the sound of a voice or instrument is sent entirely to the left or right channel. 

The most distinctive thing about “What Is and What Should Never Be” is the hard panning of Jimmy Page’s guitar playing during the last minute of the track.  His two-chord riffs go back and forth between the left and right channels.

Some people sneer at audio grandstanding like the hard panning on this recording, but I loved the dramatic effect it created – especially when I listened to “What Is and What Should Never Be” with headphones.

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Click here to listen to “What Is and What Should Never Be.”  

Click here to buy “What Is and What Should Never Be” from Amazon.