The song appears on his latest solo album, Carry Fire, and tackles the subject of expanding empires that dominate the previous inhabitants of territories they’re claimed for themselves.

 

In a statement, Plant described the song as “a comment on a recent history of conquest and submission." “Every day our senses are assaulted by the ridiculous," he said. "It's not so long ago that today's plots and wrangles between nation governments would seem too far-fetched to inspire a Hollywood blockbuster. The perversions and struggles leave a shadow over the spirit of the people and the land. It's not an original sin. Every era bears the burden of chaos and warmongering. Time immemorial.”

 

The clip was created from images by artists Shepard Fairey and Ernesto Yerena, and inspired by photography by Aaron Huey. “They are artists of great conscience and sensitivity," Plant noted. "I'm most grateful. I'm also pleased to add my support to Honor the Earth.”

 

The foundation's mission statement is “to create awareness and support for native environmental issues and to develop needed financial and political resources for the survival of sustainable native communities … by using music, the arts, the media and indigenous wisdom to ask people to recognize our joint dependency on the Earth and be a voice for those not heard.”

 

The former LED ZEPPELIN singer’s thoughts evoked a variety of responses from fans. On Facebook one said, “You see, Robert, I‘m a big part of this mess because I was born into it. I drive in cars, fly in planes, sometimes watch stupid movies. How can I change? How can we change? … Would any one of us have the courage to refuse the wealth we are living in today and live like monks? I don‘t think so.”

 

"Let's not get all John Lennon with the less is more thing," another follower wrote. "As if Plant doesn't participate in the cars and planes and other excesses of industrialized society. If anything, we should be discussing equal rights, equal pay and equal everything as a global socialism where even entertainers earn a fair wage and not become billionaires on the backs of common working people. Why should celebrities earn so much for having a freak of nature ability? Doctors, lawyers because they studied to become wealthy? Global socialism. Level playing field. Rock stars sing for supper like everyone else.”

 

Plant is completing a North American tour before a run of dates in Europe. He returns to the U.S. in September.