Roy Harper

Songwriter: Roy Harper

Producer: Roy Harper

Earth for all creatures
A thought for all (wo)men
Right for the speechless
Wrong until then?

Eyes for the laughter
Thirst for the tongue
Hands for together
Ears for the song

The song of love
We sing in silence
Every moment long

Once
Here to be done as we do
With only one chance
Here for the wonder of under the stars
For the one and only
Once

Joy for the children
Hope for the chance
Men for the women
Now for the dance

The dance of love
We dance just once
In unique circumstance

Once
Here to be done as we do
With only one chance
Here for the wonder of under the stars
For the one and only once

Roy Harper could reasonably be called “the most influential guitarist named Roy you’ve never heard of”, though he might have to fend off Roy Buchanan in a cage match for the title.

Not only is he the sole real person Led Zeppelin actually named a song after—“Hats off to Roy Harper”—but along with Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, he has been explicitly cited as an influence by Pete Townshend of The Who, Kate Bush, Pink Floyd, and Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull.

Harper, a fingerstyle folk guitarist, writes complex, lengthy, meaningful songs that don’t have much mainstream draw, but enormous appeal to artists who grow up to write songs that do.

From the album

Once (1990)

Roy Harper popular songs

OnceRoy Harper

Roy Harper