Sixty Six to Timbuktu

Sixty Six to Timbuktu is a greatest hits/compilation album featuring the history of the career of ex-Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant, from 1966 to a recording done at the Festival in the Desert in Mali. The album was released in 2003 and contains songs from Plant's eight solo albums up to the time of its release on its first disc, and rarities on its second disc. Some of his well-known songs were omitted from this release, such as "Burning Down One Side", "Other Arms", "In the Mood", and "Hurting Kind (I've Got My Eyes on You)".

Background

Former bandmate Jimmy Page played on four songs: Plant's "Tall Cool One", The Honeydrippers' "Sea of Love", "Heaven Knows" and Rainer Ptacek's "Rude World". The Cure's Porl Thompson played guitar on three songs on this album: '"Dirt in a Hole", "Darkness, Darkness", and Tim Buckley's "Song to the Siren". On the song "Win My Train Fare Home", Thompson contributed to the writing of that song but did not play on the live version.

Demos and rarities

"You'd Better Run," a cover of the Young Rascals' song, was recorded and released in 1966 when Plant was a singer with a band called Listen.
"Our Song" was recorded as a solo artist and released as a single one year later in 1967 and is an English version of an Italian song called "La Musica è Finita", written by Umberto Bindi and Franco Califano.
The next two songs, include Billy Roberts' "Hey Joe" and Stephen Stills' "For What It's Worth" and were recorded by a group named Band of Joy which featured Robert Plant and fellow Led Zeppelin member John Bonham.
"Operator" was recorded in 1968 with Alexis Korner on guitar and backing vocals, Robert Plant on vocals and harmonica and Steve Miller on piano. It was later released on the 1972 Korner album Bootleg Him!.
"Road to the Sun" was recorded with Phil Collins on drums for The Principle of Moments.
"Philadelphia Baby" was recorded for the Porky's Revenge soundtrack as The Crawling King Snakes, also featuring Collins.
"Red for Danger" was recorded in 1988, previously unreleased.
"Let's Have a Party" was released on the 1990 album The Last Temptation of Elvis.
"Hey Jayne" was released as a B-side on the 1993 single "I Believe".
"Louie, Louie" was featured on the 1993 soundtrack to Wayne's World 2.
"Naked, If I Want To" is a Moby Grape cover released as a B-side on the 1993 "Calling to You" single.
"21 Years" was first released in 1993 on the "29 Palms" single, and then later on the 1997 Rainer Ptacek tribute album The Inner Flame, and was recorded with Ptacek.
"If It's Really Got to Be This Way" was released on the 1994 Arthur Alexander tribute album Adios Amigo.
"Rude World" was featured on The Inner Flame, this track in collaboration with Jimmy Page.
"Little Hands" was released on the 1999 Skip Spence tribute album More Oar.
"Life Begin Again" was an Afro Celt Sound System track from 2001, featuring Plant.
"Let the Boogie Woogie Roll" was released on Jools Holland's album More Friends.

Track listing

Disc one

"Tie Dye on the Highway" – 5:09
"Upside Down" – 4:10
"Promised Land" – 4:59
"Tall Cool One" – 4:37
"Dirt in a Hole" – 4:44
"Calling to You" – 5:49
"29 Palms" – 4:51
"If I Were a Carpenter" – 3:47
"Sea of Love" – 3:04
"Darkness, Darkness" – 5:03
"Big Log" – 5:03
"Ship of Fools" – 4:58
"I Believe" – 4:54
"Little by Little" – 4:41
"Heaven Knows" – 4:04
"Song to the Siren" – 4:06

Disc two

"You'd Better Run" – 2:29
"Our Song" – 2:31
"Hey Joe " – 4:58
"For What It's Worth " – 3:30
"Operator" – 4:36
"Road to the Sun" – 5:35
"Philadelphia Baby" – 2:13
"Red For Danger" – 3:38
"Let's Have a Party" – 3:40
"Hey Jayne" – 5:23
"Louie, Louie" – 2:52
"Naked if I Want To" – 0:46
"21 Years" – 3:30
"If It's Really Got to Be This Way" – 3:59
"Rude World" – 3:45
"Little Hands" – 4:19
"Life Begin Again" – 6:19
"Let the Boogie Woogie Roll" – 2:36
"Win My Train Fare Home" – 6:15