By quantriweb2023 
The mid-1970s marked a tumultuous chapter for Mountain, the iconic American hard rock power trio that once dominated stadiums with their seismic sound. Following relentless touring and creative exhaustion, the band tragically imploded around 1972. Central to their towering success was Leslie West, the guitarist whose colossal tone became synonymous with Mountain’s legendary status. In the wake of the band’s breakup, West faced a high-stakes struggle to sustain his artistic momentum, culminating in his 1975 album, The Great Fatsby. Though the album only peaked modestly at number 147 on the Billboard 200—far from the original band’s multi-platinum heights—it carried unmistakable traces of the Mountain sound. Nestled deep within this transitional record lies a stunning, rarely discussed track entitled “Waiting To Take You Away.” This song was never released as a single or charted but offers the most vulnerable confession from West’s era, revealing the lonely heart concealed beneath the thunderous persona of a guitar god.
The story behind “Waiting To Take You Away” is one steeped in profound emotional contradiction. West, renowned for his enormous, bone-shaking riffs and arena-shattering energy, delivers here something wholly unexpected: an intimate, bluesy plea brimming with tenderness. This track emerged during a period marked by professional uncertainty and personal isolation—challenges often faced by the biggest rock stars. The song acts as a dramatic monologue, wherein the guitar legend breaks character, shedding his aggressive armor to reveal a weary soul yearning for genuine connection.
“Leslie always had this roar on stage, but in this song, you hear a different man—one who’s tired, searching, and sincere,” said Tom Richards, former bandmate and close friend of Leslie West. “It’s like he’s telling us all, ‘I’m here, waiting to take you away from whatever’s hurting you.’”
At its core, “Waiting To Take You Away” thematically explores longing and salvation. West positions himself as a lifeline, offering escape and transcendence for troubled souls. The song’s spiritual plea is conveyed through a gentle, rolling blues melody—a clear departure from Mountain’s famed hard-rock anthems. The band’s masterful restraint creates a subtle, soulful canvas for West’s deeply expressive vocals. Rather than unleashing a torrent of raw sound expected from him, West delivers the guitar solo with lyrical precision, utilizing his massive tone not for sheer volume but to evoke texture and melancholy. Each note weeps and swells with a fragile hope, underscoring the heartfelt narrative.
Music critic Laura James observed,
“This track reveals a rarely seen facet of Leslie West’s artistry. Here, his guitar sings vulnerabilities rather than shouts them. It’s a touching moment that stands in stark contrast to the larger-than-life legend we know.”
Fans of Mountain and followers of Leslie West’s complex career recognize “Waiting To Take You Away” as a quintessential, nostalgic artifact. The song transcends the usual hard rock bravado, showcasing the emotional depth that lay beneath one of rock’s most iconic riffs. It remains a timeless, deeply emotional, and profoundly dramatic piece of musical vulnerability—a hidden gem that exposes the beating, honest heart beneath the armor of hard rock superstardom.
Embedded below is a video capturing the essence of this rare ballad, bringing to life the intimate confession of a guitar titan at a crossroads in his artistic journey.