Like several Led Zeppelin tunes written by Page, it has its origins in an old Yardbirds song, in this instance an unreleased composition entitled "Knowing That I'm Losing You". The Yardbirds version features different lyrics, with the exception of the verse that begins with "Measuring a summer's day."
The track has an acoustic country flavour courtesy of the pedal steel guitar playing of Page. The song begins with a false start, after which Page pauses to set the right tempo. Throughout its duration, the song continually changes tempo a few bars at a time while the lyrics fondly recall love and contentedness. This was the second-to-last Led Zeppelin song Page wrote without any input from Robert Plant. ("Bron-Yr-Aur" from Physical Graffiti was the last.)
The song uses a simple double track vocal pattern to create a recognisable lilting feel. The song uses a standard Am G D C progression for the verses before moving on to G C D progression for the chorus.
Measuring a summer's day
I only finds it slips away to grey
The hours, they bring me pain.
Living reflection from a dream
I was her love, she was my queen
And now a thousand years between.
Thinking how it used to be
Does she still remember times like these
To think of us again?
And I do.
--song written by Jimmy Page
Short & sweet.
About lovers trapped in their own space-times? (Or just seeming like that.)
Their own skins are enough.
Implying what? Reincarnation?
Einstein's Theory of Relativity for Lovers...?
Men remember. Notches in their money & ammo belts.
Even when they take new lovers.
There's always a special one remembered.
Past obsessions recalled.
The one you thought was the One.
Women? You have to ask them.
The tendency, I've been led to understand & believe, is to concentrate on the present object of love &/or desire.
Give all to the one they're with, as long as that partner is worthy.
Out the door otherwise.
A little bit of shoegazing (i.e. pedal steel) come in there throughout but especially towards the end.