“For Your Life” criticizes the use of drugs, most notably cocaine, which is directly referenced in the lyrics. It was inspired by a female friend of Plant who had ruined her life by abusing drugs.
The track is quite venomous towards the subject, featuring audible snorting towards the second half of...
[Intro]
Well, well
Oh...
Oh, oh, oh
[Verse 1]
You said I was the only
With my lemon in your hand
Uh oh, uh oh
Exhibition is your habit
Emotion second hand
Uh oh, uh oh
Had to pull away to save me
Maybe next time around, ohh...
And she said, "Don't you want it?
Don't you want cocaine, cocaine, cocaine?"
Hadn't planned to, could not stand to
Try it, fry it, na na na na yeah
[Verse 2]
Ooooh oooh
Heard a cry for mercy
In the city of the damned
Uh oh, babe, damned
In the pits you go no lower
The next stop's underground
Oh, hello, underground
Your wine and roses ain't quite over
Fate deals a losing hand
And I said, didn't mean to
Did not mean to f-fail
You didn't plan it, you over-ran it
[Instrumental Break]
[Bridge]
Do you want it? Do you want to
Do it when you want to?
Do you want it? Do you want to
Do it when you want to?
When you blow it, babe
You got to blow it right
Oh, baby, if you fake it, mama
Baby, fake with all your might
When you fake it, mama
Please fake it right for yourself, babe
When you fake it, baby
You're faking it for your life, for your life
For your life, for your life
Do it, do it, do it, do it, do it
Do it when you wanna
Do it, do it, do it, do it, do it
Do it when you wanna
[Guitar Solo]
[Verse 3]
Oh, I can have you, baby
But I don't know what to do, yeah
Sometime, baby, nothing I could do, yeah
On the balance of a crystal
Paying through the nose
*Snort*
And when they couldn't resist you
I thought you'd go with the flow
And now your stage is empty
Bring down the curtain, baby, please
Fold up your show
Hadn't planned to
Could not stand to fry in it
I hadn't planned it
I over-ran it, frying
For your life, for your life
For Your Life was written by Robert Plant & Jimmy Page.
For Your Life was produced by Jimmy Page.
Led Zeppelin released For Your Life on Wed Mar 31 1976.