| "Achilles Last Stand" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Led Zeppelin | |
| from the album Presence | |
| Released | 31 March 1976 |
| Recorded | November 1975[1] |
| Studio | Musicland, Munich, Germany[1] |
| Genre | |
| Length | 10:26 |
| Label | Swan Song |
| Songwriter(s) | |
| Producer(s) | Jimmy Page |
"Achilles Last Stand"[a] is a song by the English rock group Led Zeppelin released as the opening track on their seventh studio album, Presence (1976). Guitarist Jimmy Page and singer Robert Plant began writing the song during the summer of 1975 and were influenced by Eastern music, mythology, and exposure to diverse cultures during their travels. At roughly ten-and-a-half minutes, it is one of the group's longest studio recordings[b] and one of their most complex, with interwoven sections and multiple, overdubbed guitar parts.
The song received mainly positive reviews from music critics, with some comparing "Achilles Last Stand" to other Zeppelin songs such as "Kashmir". The band featured it during concerts from 1977 to 1980, and a 1979 live performance is included on the Led Zeppelin DVD (2003). Page called it his favourite Led Zeppelin song in several interviews, and considers its guitar solo on a par with his "Stairway to Heaven" solo.
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