The May Queen

The opening track from Carry Fire finds Robert Plant in a reflective mood. Speaking to BBC 6Music's Matt Everitt about the song title, Plant said: "I didn't even see it like that to begin with. It's just there was a big hawthorn bush outside the studio. There were no spring cleans or anything." "It was just 'Oh it's that time of year. The whole of life is opening up.' That's what it's all about – the whole deal of 'lay down in sweet surrender' or whatever," he continued. "The beginning of the year is such a great time, such an optimistic, great time even for older people."

The song's title references a line from "Stairway To Heaven." (The classic Zeppelin track includes the lyric "It's just a spring clean for the May Queen.") When Everitt pointed this out to Plant, he responded: "I never even thought about that. Do you think anybody can remember laughter? I don't know."