Robert Plant’s “29 Palms” and the “Great, Powerful Lady” Who Might Have Inspired It 

From vague references to mythological history to his way of overtly skirting around definitive answers, Robert Plant has often left his lyrics open to the interpretation of the listener—and his 1993 single “29 Palms” is no different. Still, this coy silence only increased intrigue around the song’s nameless subject.

In typical Plant fashion, he’s neither confirmed nor denied the rumors that “29 Palms” was about the female singer he toured with in the early 1990s. Instead, he merely paid her a compliment and switched topics.

Dissecting the Lyrics of Robert Plant’s “29 Palms”

Robert Plant’s 1993 track “29 Palms” is certainly forthcoming with its undertones of attraction, lust, and longing. The first verse neatly summarizes the narrator’s feelings: A fool in love, a crazy situation. However, the next line prompted some attentive listeners to raise their eyebrows: Her velvet glove knocks me down and down and down and down. 

Now, Plant is hardly the first rock ‘n’ roller to mention velvet gloves. The Beatles did the same thing decades earlier. However, rumors began circulating that Plant’s “29 Palms” was actually about singer Alannah Myles, who accompanied him on his early 1990s “Manic Nirvana” tour. Myles’ most famous hit is “Black Velvet,” leading some to draw a connection between that song and Plant’s. Moreover, “29 Palms” seems to feature a sped-up version of Myles’ pulsing 1989 track.

If a listener was on the fence about whether the song is about Myles in the first three verses, the chorus makes a compelling argument. It comes kinda hard when I hear your voice on the radio, Plant sings, apparently identifying the subject of his affection as a fellow musician popular enough to be on the radio. Taking me back down the road that leads back to you finishes the chorus—a fittingly travel-weary line for a touring musician.

The Former Led Zeppelin Frontman Responds To Rumors

If there was any semblance of truth to the rumor that Robert Plant’s “29 Palms” is actually about singer Alannah Myles, who accompanied him on tour in the early 1990s, Plant has shown no signs of coming out forthright with that information. During an interview with Network, the former Led Zeppelin frontman said, “We did tour together. We’re good friends.”

He continued, “I think the world of her. She’s a great, powerful lady; she has one of the finest voices of the idiom. She was always very kind to me, very warm-hearted. But the road is the road. Forget about all the rumors. Everything is true and untrue.”

Plant might not have been willing to admit whether he and Myles had an on-the-road affair, but he did admit to writing “29 Palms” while in southern California. Neither musician has opened up about the relationship (or lack thereof), leaving listeners to interpret the lyrics however they see fit—which is likely what Plant wanted all along.

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