Heaven Knows

Zoo Freaks, get ready to vibe with some cosmic trivia about Heaven Knows by Robert Plant from his 1988 album Now and Zen! This track, a pulsating blend of synth-driven rock and Plant’s signature wail, was the lead single from the album and hit number 1 on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart. What’s wild is that Plant didn’t write this one—credit goes to keyboardists Phil Johnstone and David Barratt, who crafted it as part of their band The Rest Is History. Plant was so blown away by their demo that he brought Johnstone on to co-produce Now and Zen and co-write eight of its tracks. The song’s a satirical jab at the flashy, short-attention-span culture of the late ’80s, with lyrics like “A brand new human being, razor sharp, all firm and tanned / All clean, all pure, with a thirty-second attention span.” It’s Plant poking fun at the era’s obsession with image over substance, all while delivering a banger that’s pure irony.

Another juicy tidbit: Heaven Knows features a scorching guitar solo by none other than Jimmy Page, Plant’s former Led Zeppelin bandmate. This was a big deal in ’88, as Plant was finally embracing his Zeppelin legacy after years of trying to distance himself. Page also shredded on the album’s other hit, Tall Cool One, and his presence helped appease Plant’s label, Atlantic Records, which was pushing for more guitar-driven rock. In a 1988 Rolling Stone interview, Plant admitted he’d stopped dodging his past, saying, “I’ve stopped apologizing to myself for having this great period of success and fanatical acceptance.” The music video for Heaven Knows, shot in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains, added to the song’s mystique, with Plant draped in a bejeweled cape, looking every bit the rock god amidst red banners fluttering in the desert breeze.

Now, let’s rewind to how Robert Plant kicked off his legendary career. Born on August 20, 1948, in West Bromwich, England, Plant was a teenager obsessed with blues and rock ‘n’ roll. He ditched grammar school and a brief stint training as a chartered accountant to chase music, leaving home at 16 to sing with local bands in the West Midlands. One of his early groups, Band of Joy, included drummer John Bonham, who’d later join him in Led Zeppelin. Plant honed his craft in the ’60s, belting out covers of American blues artists like Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf with a raw, powerful voice that caught attention. In 1968, guitarist Jimmy Page, fresh from The Yardbirds, recruited Plant for a new project that became Led Zeppelin. Their chemistry was electric, and Plant’s flamboyant stage presence and soaring vocals helped make Zeppelin one of the biggest bands in rock history.

After Zeppelin disbanded in 1980 following Bonham’s death, Plant launched a solo career with 1982’s Pictures at Eleven, proving he could stand on his own. His willingness to experiment with new wave, synth-pop, and later folk and Americana kept him relevant across decades. You can keep up with Plant’s latest gigs and releases on his official website, where he shares tour dates and news. He’s active on social media too—check out his Facebook, Instagram, and X for behind-the-scenes glimpses and throwbacks. Fans are all over the web, with dedicated communities like the Led Zeppelin Fans Facebook group, where Zoo Freaks can geek out over Plant’s solo work and Zeppelin classics. For deeper dives, fan sites like Led Zep News keep the flame alive with updates and retrospectives.