Their blues influences got the best of th… They were active between 1968 and 1980 as Led Zeppelin, some members of the group were playing as the Yardbirds (Jimmy Page) before 1968. Led Zeppelin's music was rooted in the blues. The combination of Robert Plant's soaring vocals combined with Jimmy Page's bluesy guitar has been imitated endlessly, while John Bonham's driving drums and John Paul Jones' bass set the template for what a true hard-rock rhythm section should sound like. The inspiration drawn from the blues is both lyrical and rythmical. Led Zeppelin's music was rooted in the blues. The bands that influenced zep as a whole were early blues (30's, 40's) artists such as muddy waters, Skip James, and Howlin' Wolf, which is actually why zep called themselves a blues band. The band has been sued a number of times over attribution, some cases having concluded with others being awarded writing credit for the song in question. After 1980 they kept playing but not under the same name. Led Zeppelin are my all time favourite band and they tend to get a lot of accusations of plagiarism, some of which are justified, however, most examples are no worse than what every other band steals. The theme is the same all along though. "Fool in the Rain" (1979) "Fool in the Rain" was the last single released by Led Zeppelin before the … They sometimes credited those sources, sometimes not. There's a huge debt to the Blues music that they loved so much which was the initial common thread for Page and Plant with artists such as Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters proving particularly influential. Led Zeppelin used a guitar style that drew heavily on the blues; its early repertoire included remakes of songs by Howlin’ Wolf, Albert King, and Willie Dixon. ‘Bring it on Home’ 'Led Zeppelin II' (1969) Another Dixon original, "Bring it on Home" was originally … The elephant-balled blues rock that had defined Zeppelin’s sound was now tempered down, replaced by a heady strain of wispy, mystic folk rock. Add Robert Johnson's monster "Traveling Riverside Blues" to direct cops by Page for his own purposes. The following picture illustrates pretty well the problem. Jake Holmes was not specially a blues singer but it was easier to illustrate that the inspiration was both lyrical and rhythmical with this song as it is often tricky to hear where the rhythmical similarities lie in pure blues songs. Most punk rock bands either hated Led Zeppelin, or denied being influenced by them. Now the version of Sonny Boy Williamson published in 1963. Take my seat and ride way back, The influence of American blues artists such as Muddy Waters and Skip James was particularly apparent on their first two albums, as was the distinct country blues style of Howlin' Wolf. In the next article, we will do a presentation of the on-going debate about whether or not Led Zeppelin actually covered songs or plagiarized them and the different instances for which they were sued. This song was published under the exact same name in 1963 by Sonny Boy Williamson. As we can see, the first lines are identical or almost. First we need to define what is the difference between the two. The previous picture is not a comprehensive list of all Led Zeppelin’s songs that have been covered/copied. Rarely does the rhythm section have the space to take the music to a higher dimension. The inspiration Led Zeppelin drew from the blues can be seen in many of their songs, if not a good part of them. Even though Led Zeppelin failed to give credits to many songs, some people like to argue that they copied unknown songs and made diamonds of them and that these unknown songs would have not been known but for Led Zeppelin. So, there’s a bit of irony in the fact that Johnny Ramone developed his guitar style by playing along to “Communication Breakdown,” as he revealed in the documentary ‘Ramones: The True Story.’ The inspiration Led Zeppelin drew from the blues can be seen in many of their songs, if not a good part of them. The… Now let’s take a look to the song “Bring it on Home” published in 1969 by Led Zeppelin. Take my seat, right way back. Meet me in the middle of the air Below are two Youtube video with first the original version of the song, that is to say the one of Jake Holmes. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. As you see here again, the lyrics from the song of Led Zeppelin are for a good part a copy of the ones from Sony Boy Williamson’s song mixed with Led Zeppelin’s own composition. All I want for you to do is take my body home. On this site you will find informations about the relations these four groupes had with the "blues". Editors' Notes Led Zeppelin may be rock gods, but their music is deeply shaped by American blues and English folk music. This list is anyway going to change, soon or later, as Led Zeppelin is getting sued by most artists/records company to whom they owe money due to the credits thing. And early Zep certainly borrowed deeply from both blues and folk traditions, albeit they made their tunes a lot heavier. The first two albums, of course, were released in 1969; Led Zeppelin II competed in the album charts in the autumn of 1969 with the Beatles' Abbey Road-- placing the 1960s and the 70s in immediate musical juxtaposition. The influence of American blues artists such as Muddy Waters and Skip James was particularly apparent on their first two albums, as was the distinct country blues style of Howlin' Wolf. I’m gonna bring it on home to you, I done bought my ticket, I got my load To say that British groups like The Stones and Led Zeppelin were influenced by the electric blues sound that emanated from this period would be a grave understatement. This is a list of songs that have strongly influenced Led Zeppelin's music, examples where they sometimes credit those sources, sometimes not. 1 December 2014 1 December 2014 / Wittmer Kévin / Leave a comment. Submit Corrections. A first example is “In my Time of Dying” published in 1975 by Led Zeppelin. Baby, baby, Watch out, watch out…. There are a number of obvious choices here, tunes the band actually covered, such as Memphis Minnie's "When the Levee Breaks," "Gallis Pole," by Leadbelly, which means the same thing as "Gallow's Pole," and Blind Willie Johnson's "Nobody's Fault But Mine." The lyrics are quite different, if not totally different. By Total Guitar 26 February 2021. This is simply a great blues collection of early material, and for the price can be enjoyed simply for what it is. If these wings should fail me, Lord, won’t you meet me with another pair. In their career, the British rock band Led Zeppelin recorded many songs that consisted, in whole or part, of pre-existing songs, melodies, or lyrics. The case was settled out of court and recent Led Zeppelin releases have given songwriting credit for “Whole Lotta Love” to Willie Dixon along with all four members of Led Zeppelin. They were rooted in blues but unlike some of their contemporaries, they went in hard and heavy. The group disbanded in 1980 after the death of John Bonham, the drummer of their group. Jimmy Page started playing guitar for the sole reason of hearing guitar playing on an Elvis song called “Baby Lets Play House”. If my wings should fail me, Lord. But there was more to Zeppelin than just heavy riffs. Blues. This was a great idea. In order to avoid a boring enumeration of the lyrical similiraties between Led Zeppelin’s songs and classic blues songs, we will take a look the song “Dazed and Confused” published in 1969 by Led Zeppelin. Led Zeppelin’s legacy and influence encompass the rock ‘n roll genre. And early Zep certainly borrowed deeply from both blues and folk traditions, albeit they made their tunes a lot heavier. Despite Led Zeppelin's status as icons of 70s rock, the band's music is steeped in the British electric blues and psychedelia of the 1960s. … The blues influences in Led Zeppelin’ songs. Now the version of Blind Willie Johnson, “In My Time of Dyin.”, Well, in my time of dyin’, don’t want nobody to moan Well, well, well, well, well, well, so I can die easy Excellent collection of the original classic Blues songs that inspired Led Zeppelin. … Tracks were structured around the twelve-bar blues on every studio album except for one, and the blues directly and indirectly influenced other songs both musically and lyrically. Page and Plant both listened to Elvis, Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, and dozens of other blues legends. Led Zeppelin is considered by many to be one of the greatest bands in the history of rock music, but their roots clearly lie in the tradition of the blues. In the previous article entitled “The Blues influences in Led Zeppelin’ songs”, we pointed out clearly that it was not always clear if Led Zeppelin covered songs or plagiarized them. And watch this train move down the track. Looking at all the instances would be really long so we will just focus on some of them in this article. Just as for the first song, below an excerpt of the lyrics of both versions, starting with the one of Led Zeppelin. This was a great idea. They pushed the limits, challenged ideals, and pulled out all the stops when it came to making music. Nonetheless, it is clear that Led Zeppelin got inspiration from Jake Holmes’s song for their own. Led Zeppelin's first album serves as a blueprint for what would follow in the rest of their career. Emotionally, most of these songs are devastating, but there are others which are simply driving and constant such as John Lee Hooker's "Boogie Chillen" and Bukka White's "Shake "Em on Down," or sexual in the case of Blind Boy Fuller's "I Want Some of Your Pie." ooh yeah. The similarities in this song are lyrical here, below an excerpt of the lyrics of the two versions of the song starting with the one of Led Zeppelin. Certainly Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page made no secret of the fact that he had been deeply influenced by blues and that Led Zep was going to be a modern day outlet for the form of American music that inspired him to become a guitarist in the first place. Sc… A song with the same name was published by Jake Holmes two years earlier. It is clear that Led Zeppelin stole or copied a part of the lyrics of the original song of Blind Willie Johnson and added their own composition after it (not above). In My Time of Dying (Physical Graffiti, 1975) At a little over eleven minutes, it’s their longest song. ... rock and a hefty slice of traditional blues influences, without so much of the epic riff-athons for which they would soon be known (we'll get to that in the next instalment). Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin): “I wanted the group to be a marriage of blues, hard rock and acoustic music with heavy choruses – a combination that hadn’t been explored before. Led Zeppelin showcases the eclectic mix of styles that would set them apart from their contemporaries. Conductor done hollered, “All, aboard” Watch this train roll down the track. As recent events have proven, Led Zeppelin continues to be one of the biggest bands of all time. Transcript Led Zeppelin created the blueprint for heavy metal, but much of the Brit rock band's hard-hitting sound was based on American blues. Welcome to our Wordpress dedicated to the blues influences in the rock of the 60s and 70s, focusing mainly on four bands - the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, Creedence Clearwater Revival and the infamous group Led Zeppelin. Jesus goin’ make my dyin’ bed, Well, meet me, Jesus, meet me, meet me in the middle of the air Add to Custom List ... 60 Songs That Influenced Led Zeppelin - Various Artists on AllMusic. And, of course, all punk bands love the Ramones. Jesus goin’ make up Led Zeppelin's influence on hard rock is unmatched. Led Zeppelin was influenced by the blues mainly because of Jimmy Page and Robert Plant. Like many British bands of the era, Led Zeppelin were steeped in American Blues, but they took that influence in a heavier direction than most of their peers, creating a powerful, stomping sound that also incorporated elements of British Folk, Psychedelia, Soul, Reggae, and Celtic and Arabic music. In Led Zeppelin case, as we will see in details, they most of the time they failed to give credits. Here too the similiraties are lyrical, which is not a surprise for a supposedly cover of the song. The difference lies in the fact that in a cover, proper credits are given to the original artists of the song, whereas when the song is plagiarized few credits or even no credit at all are given to the original artists. In my time of dying, want nobody to mourn Includes tracks by Sonny Boy Williamson, Robert Johnson, Leadbelly, Memphis Minnie, Josh White, Blind Willie Johnson, Bukka White, Sleepy John Estes, Bllind Boy Fuller, Arthur Crudup, Oscar Woods, Big Bill Broonzy and St. Louis Jimmy Oden. Whether it is just a lifting or a case of plagiarism is yet to be discussed in another article. Listen carefully to the first seconds of the songs, that is where the matter lies. Along with Black Sabbath and Deep Purple, they are often cited as the Godfathers of Heavy Metal. Certainly Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page made no secret of the fact that he had been deeply influenced by blues and that Led Zep was going to be a modern day outlet for the form of American music that inspired him to become a guitarist in the first place. Please meet me with another pair. Even the most naïve and surface Led Zeppelin listener tell you at least that they were influenced "by the blues." Picture taken there http://turnmeondeadman.com/led-zeppelin-plagiarism/, Blues Influences in the Rock of the 60s/70s, The blues influences in Led Zeppelin’ songs,  http://turnmeondeadman.com/led-zeppelin-plagiarism/. I’d originally thought of getting Terry Reid in as lead singer and second guitarist, but he had just signed with Mickie Most as a solo artist in a quirk of fate. Led Zeppelin emerged from the rubble of the Yardbirds, lynchpin of the first British blues boom when Eric Clapton at the helm and one of the world’s first psychedelic rock acts under his successor Jeff Beck. Well, well, well, so I can die easy They drew so heavily in the blues that they were, as we will debate in another article, sued by many blues artists because they failed to give proper credits to the original artists of the songs they covered, hence were and still are accused of plagiarism. The band was at the time composed of 4 musicians – Jimmy Page, the guitarist, Robert Plant, the singer, John Paul Jones, the bassist and keyboarder and John Bonham the drummer. Led Zeppelin spent tons of time laying down traditional blues, but only sliding loudly through their own signature wall of fuzz — sounds like something Gary Clark Jr. … The band were also strongly influenced by the music of the British, Celtic, and American folk revivals. Meet me, Jesus, meet me. A song of a similar name or almost was recorded by Blind Willie Johnson in 1927. Baby, baby… I’m gonna bring it on home to you. But there are 14 other absolute gems from the Delta here, and not one didn't directly or indirectly influence Page's playing and hence the band's sound. The resemblance is striking in the introduction of the song, before the lyrics. Got up, gone higher, all aboard. Led Zeppelin is an English rock band formed in London in 1968. Willie Dixon used the money received from this settlement for the Blues Heaven Foundation, which he founded in 1984 . The band's heavy, guitar-driven sound has led them to be cited as one of the progenitors of heavy metal, though their unique style drew from a wide variety of influences, including … All I want for you to do is take my body home I’m gonna bring it on home, Bring it on home to you. Jesus goin’ make up Led Zeppelin I: Jimmy Page lead and chord guitar lesson . In blues, rock, and jazz, the drummer and bassist's function is primarily to lay down a tight groove over which the front men can let loose. Led Zeppelin's self-described "tight but loose" musical philosophy had a special impact on us. You're watching the official music video for Led Zeppelin - 'Travelling Riverside Blues'. Jesus, gonna make up my dyin’ bed. I’ve got my ticket, I’ve got that load. Some of their main hits were “Stairway to Heaven” for instance, or “Whole Lotta Love”…. but more specifically, the individual bandmates' influences differ slightly, especially throughout the years. Obviously, the contrary argument is to say that they shamelessly ripped blues songs… In my opinion, both opinions are valuable, but it is neither black or white in this case, the similarities are just as many as the differences so we could argue on and on, and in the end anyone is free to conclude whether or not their songs are rip-offs. Looking at all the instances would be really long so we will just focus on some of them in this article. Various Artists When the Levee Breaks: 60 Songs That Influenced Led Zeppelin .