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Black Dog (song)
Encyclopedia
"Black Dog" is a song by English
rock band Led Zeppelin
, the lead off track of their fourth album
, released in 1971. It was also released as a single in the United States and Australia
with "Misty Mountain Hop
" on the B-side, and reached #15 on Billboard and #11 in Australia.
In 2010, the song was ranked #300 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Music sociologist Deena Weinstein argues, "Black Dog" is "one of the most instantly recognisable [Led] Zeppelin tracks".
, who is credited with writing the main riff, wanted to write a song that people could not "groove" or dance to with its winding riff and complex rhythm changes.
In an interview, Jones explained the difficulties experienced by the band in writing the song:
The song's title is a reference to a nameless black Labrador retriever
that wandered around the Headley Grange
studios during recording. The dog has nothing to do with the song lyrics (although the line "Eyes that shine burning red" is similar to the Black dog
legend), which are about desperate desire for a woman's love and the happiness resulting thereby. Regarding the lyrics to the song, Plant later said, "Not all my stuff is meant to be scrutinized. Things like 'Black Dog' are blatant, let's-do-it-in-the-bath type things, but they make their point just the same." Plant's vocals were recorded in two takes.
Built around a call-and-response dynamic between vocalist and the band, the start and stop a cappella
verses were inspired by Fleetwood Mac
's 1969 song "Oh Well." (Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page
and The Black Crowes
would later perform "Oh Well" on their 1999 tour and included it on the album Live at the Greek.)
Despite the seeming simplicity of the drum pattern, the song features a complex, shifting time signature
that the band has sometimes claimed was intended to thwart cover band
s from playing the song. Jones originally wanted the song recorded in 3/16 time but realised it was too complex to reproduce live. In live performances, Bonham eliminated the 5/4 variation so that Plant could perform his a cappella
vocal interludes and then have the instruments return to together synchronised. If the volume is turned up loud enough, Bonham can be heard tapping his sticks together before each riff. Page referenced this in an interview he gave to Guitar World
magazine in 1993:
Page also discussed how he achieved his guitar sound on the track:
Page's solo was constructed out of four overdubbed Gibson Les Paul
fills.
The sounds at the beginning of the song are those of Page warming up his electric guitar. He called it "waking up the army of guitars" — which are multitrack recorded in unison with electric bass guitar to provide the song's signature.
During the outro-solo Robert Plant can be heard moaning and wailing in the background. [] Around the 4-minute mark, he says, "Push me babe, push me babe." It was also during this part of the song that Robert Plant hits his highest note on any Led Zeppelin studio recording. He reaches it between the second and third repetition of the fade-out riff during the guitar solo (at the 3:49 mark in the song). Often known for hitting the high G during the band's early years, Plant seems to reach A5 here...though it is disputed if, on a live bootleg recording from 1968/9, during an improvisation if the C6 Robert Plant appears to sing is or is not in falsetto, on the subject of Plant's powerful vocal range between (~)1968 and (~)1973 if he did posess a 4 octave vocal range.
performances. It was first played live at Belfast
's Ulster Hall
on 5 March 1971, a concert which also featured the first ever live performance of "Stairway to Heaven
". It was retained for each subsequent concert tour until 1973. In 1975 it was used as an encore medley with "Whole Lotta Love", but was hardly used on the band's 1977 concert tour of the United States
. It was recalled to the set for the Knebworth Festival 1979
and the 1980 Tour of Europe
. For these final 1980 performances, Page introduced the song from stage.
When played live, Led Zeppelin often played the first few bars of "Out on the Tiles
" as the introduction for "Black Dog", except for the 1973 tour where the riff from "Bring It On Home" introduced the song.
Also, the "ah-ah" refrains were sung in call-and-response between Robert Plant and the audience.
Page's guitar playing prowess is well demonstrated in different recorded performances of the song from Madison Square Garden
in July 1973, as seen in the group's concert films The Song Remains the Same
and Led Zeppelin DVD. There is also a June 1972 live recording of "Black Dog" which can be heard on the album How the West Was Won, and another live version on Disc 2 of Led Zeppelin BBC Sessions.
"Black Dog" was performed at the Led Zeppelin's reunion show
at the O2 Arena
, London
on 10 December 2007.
Plant sampled the song on his solo tracks "Tall Cool One
" and "Your Ma Said She Cried In Her Sleep Last Night". Page and Plant
performed an updated version of this song on their 1995 tour. "Black Dog" was the first song performed by Page and Plant at the American Music Awards, which kicked off their first tour together in almost 15 years. Robert Plant also played a version of the song during his solo tour in 2005, as is included on the DVD release Soundstage: Robert Plant and the Strange Sensation
. Former Deep Purple
-singer David Coverdale
's band Whitesnake
released the song "Still of the Night
" in 1987 which has often been cited similar to "Black Dog"; later, when Coverdale toured with Page in 1993, they played both songs together. Robert Plant
and Alison Krauss
regularly covered "Black Dog" during their tour of USA and Europe in April and May 2008. It also features on their appearance on the Country Music Television
show CMT Crossroads, recorded in October 2007.
(*) designates unordered lists.
1971 7" radio edit (Japan: Warner Pioneer P-1001A)
1971 7" single (Poland: Atlantic X 87)
1971 7" single (Poland: Prasniewski N 677)
1973 7" single (Venezuela: Atlantic 5-011)
Note: The official UK Singles Chart
incorporated legal downloads as of 17 April 2005.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
rock band Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
, the lead off track of their fourth album
Led Zeppelin IV
The fourth album by the English rock band Led Zeppelin was released on 8 November 1971. No title is printed on the album, so it is generally referred to as Led Zeppelin IV, following the naming standard used by the band's first three studio albums...
, released in 1971. It was also released as a single in the United States and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
with "Misty Mountain Hop
Misty Mountain Hop
"Misty Mountain Hop" is a song from English rock band Led Zeppelin's untitled fourth album, released in 1971. In the United States and Australia it was the B-side of the "Black Dog" single, but still received considerable FM radio airplay...
" on the B-side, and reached #15 on Billboard and #11 in Australia.
In 2010, the song was ranked #300 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Music sociologist Deena Weinstein argues, "Black Dog" is "one of the most instantly recognisable [Led] Zeppelin tracks".
Inspiration and recording
Led Zeppelin bass player John Paul JonesJohn Paul Jones (musician)
John Paul Jones is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, composer, arranger and record producer. Best known as the bassist, mandolinist, and keyboardist for English rock band Led Zeppelin, Jones has since developed a solo career and has gained even more respect as both a musician and a...
, who is credited with writing the main riff, wanted to write a song that people could not "groove" or dance to with its winding riff and complex rhythm changes.
In an interview, Jones explained the difficulties experienced by the band in writing the song:
The song's title is a reference to a nameless black Labrador retriever
Labrador Retriever
The Labrador Retriever is one of several kinds of retriever, a type of gun dog. A breed characteristic is webbed paws for swimming, useful for the breed's original purpose of retrieving fishing nets. The Labrador is the most popular breed of dog by registered ownership in Canada, the United...
that wandered around the Headley Grange
Headley Grange
Headley Grange is a former poorhouse in Headley, East Hampshire, England, UK. It is best known as a recording and rehearsal venue in the 1960s and 1970s for bands such as Led Zeppelin, Bad Company, Fleetwood Mac, Genesis, Peter Frampton, the Pretty Things, Ian Dury and Clover.-Early history:Built...
studios during recording. The dog has nothing to do with the song lyrics (although the line "Eyes that shine burning red" is similar to the Black dog
Black dog (ghost)
A black dog is the name given to a being found primarily in the folklores of the British Isles. The black dog is essentially a nocturnal apparition, often said to be associated with the Devil, and its appearance was regarded as a portent of death. It is generally supposed to be larger than a normal...
legend), which are about desperate desire for a woman's love and the happiness resulting thereby. Regarding the lyrics to the song, Plant later said, "Not all my stuff is meant to be scrutinized. Things like 'Black Dog' are blatant, let's-do-it-in-the-bath type things, but they make their point just the same." Plant's vocals were recorded in two takes.
Built around a call-and-response dynamic between vocalist and the band, the start and stop a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
verses were inspired by Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac are a British–American rock band formed in 1967 in London.The only original member present in the band is its eponymous drummer, Mick Fleetwood...
's 1969 song "Oh Well." (Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page
Jimmy Page
James Patrick "Jimmy" Page, OBE is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer. He began his career as a studio session guitarist in London and was subsequently a member of The Yardbirds from 1966 to 1968, after which he founded the English rock band Led Zeppelin.Jimmy Page...
and The Black Crowes
The Black Crowes
The Black Crowes are an American rock band formed in 1989. Their discography includes nine studio albums, four live albums and several charting singles. The band was signed to Def American Recordings in 1989 by producer George Drakoulias and released their debut album, Shake Your Money Maker, the...
would later perform "Oh Well" on their 1999 tour and included it on the album Live at the Greek.)
Despite the seeming simplicity of the drum pattern, the song features a complex, shifting time signature
Time signature
The time signature is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats are in each measure and which note value constitutes one beat....
that the band has sometimes claimed was intended to thwart cover band
Cover band
A cover band , is a band that plays mostly or exclusively cover songs. New or unknown bands often find the cover band format marketable for smaller gigs, and these bands may be known as a wedding band, party band and function band. A band whose covers consist mainly of songs that were chart hits is...
s from playing the song. Jones originally wanted the song recorded in 3/16 time but realised it was too complex to reproduce live. In live performances, Bonham eliminated the 5/4 variation so that Plant could perform his a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
vocal interludes and then have the instruments return to together synchronised. If the volume is turned up loud enough, Bonham can be heard tapping his sticks together before each riff. Page referenced this in an interview he gave to Guitar World
Guitar World
Guitar World is a monthly music magazine devoted to guitarists. It contains original interviews, album and gear reviews and guitar and bass tablature of approximately five songs each month. The magazine is published 13 times per year...
magazine in 1993:
Page also discussed how he achieved his guitar sound on the track:
Page's solo was constructed out of four overdubbed Gibson Les Paul
Gibson Les Paul
The Gibson Les Paul was the result of a design collaboration between Gibson Guitar Corporation and the late jazz guitarist and electronics inventor Les Paul. In 1950, with the introduction of the Fender Telecaster to the musical market, electric guitars became a public craze. In reaction, Gibson...
fills.
The sounds at the beginning of the song are those of Page warming up his electric guitar. He called it "waking up the army of guitars" — which are multitrack recorded in unison with electric bass guitar to provide the song's signature.
During the outro-solo Robert Plant can be heard moaning and wailing in the background. [] Around the 4-minute mark, he says, "Push me babe, push me babe." It was also during this part of the song that Robert Plant hits his highest note on any Led Zeppelin studio recording. He reaches it between the second and third repetition of the fade-out riff during the guitar solo (at the 3:49 mark in the song). Often known for hitting the high G during the band's early years, Plant seems to reach A5 here...though it is disputed if, on a live bootleg recording from 1968/9, during an improvisation if the C6 Robert Plant appears to sing is or is not in falsetto, on the subject of Plant's powerful vocal range between (~)1968 and (~)1973 if he did posess a 4 octave vocal range.
Live performances
"Black Dog" became a staple and fan favourite of Led Zeppelin's live concertLed Zeppelin concerts
From September 1968 through the summer of 1980, English rock group Led Zeppelin were one of the world's most popular live music attractions, performing hundreds of sold-out concerts around the world.-History:...
performances. It was first played live at Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
's Ulster Hall
Ulster Hall
The Ulster Hall is a concert hall and grade B1 listed building in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Situated on Bedford Street in Belfast city centre, the hall hosts concerts, classical recitals, craft fairs and political party conferences...
on 5 March 1971, a concert which also featured the first ever live performance of "Stairway to Heaven
Stairway to Heaven
"Stairway to Heaven" is a song by the English rock band Led Zeppelin, released in late 1971. It was composed by guitarist Jimmy Page and vocalist Robert Plant for the band's untitled fourth studio album . The song, running eight minutes and two seconds, is composed of several sections, which...
". It was retained for each subsequent concert tour until 1973. In 1975 it was used as an encore medley with "Whole Lotta Love", but was hardly used on the band's 1977 concert tour of the United States
Led Zeppelin North American Tour 1977
Led Zeppelin's 1977 North American Tour was the eleventh and final concert tour of North America by the English rock band. The tour was divided into three legs, with performances commencing on 1 April and concluding on 24 July 1977...
. It was recalled to the set for the Knebworth Festival 1979
Knebworth Festival 1979
The Knebworth Festival 1979 consisted of two concerts performed by the English rock band Led Zeppelin and other artists at Knebworth House, Hertfordshire, England, in August 1979.-History:...
and the 1980 Tour of Europe
Tour Over Europe 1980
Tour Over Europe 1980 was the last concert tour by the English rock band Led Zeppelin. The tour commenced on June 17 and concluded on July 7, 1980...
. For these final 1980 performances, Page introduced the song from stage.
When played live, Led Zeppelin often played the first few bars of "Out on the Tiles
Out on the Tiles
"Out on the Tiles" is a song by English rock band Led Zeppelin, from the 1970 album Led Zeppelin III. The title of the song is derived from the British phrase for going out for a night on the town. Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham would talk about going "out on the tiles," meaning to go to bars,...
" as the introduction for "Black Dog", except for the 1973 tour where the riff from "Bring It On Home" introduced the song.
Also, the "ah-ah" refrains were sung in call-and-response between Robert Plant and the audience.
Page's guitar playing prowess is well demonstrated in different recorded performances of the song from Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
in July 1973, as seen in the group's concert films The Song Remains the Same
The Song Remains the Same (film)
The Song Remains the Same is a concert film by the English rock band Led Zeppelin. The recording of the film took place during three nights of concerts at Madison Square Garden in New York City, during the band's 1973 concert tour of the United States. The film premiered on 20 October 1976, at...
and Led Zeppelin DVD. There is also a June 1972 live recording of "Black Dog" which can be heard on the album How the West Was Won, and another live version on Disc 2 of Led Zeppelin BBC Sessions.
"Black Dog" was performed at the Led Zeppelin's reunion show
Ahmet Ertegün Tribute Concert
The Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert was a benefit concert held in memory of music executive Ahmet Ertegün at The O2 in London on December 10, 2007. The headline act was the English rock band, Led Zeppelin, who performed their first full-length concert since the death of drummer John Bonham in 1980,...
at the O2 Arena
The O2 arena (London)
The O2 Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in the centre of The O2, a large entertainment complex on the Greenwich peninsula in London, England.With a capacity of up to 20,000 depending on the event, it is second largest...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on 10 December 2007.
Plant sampled the song on his solo tracks "Tall Cool One
Tall Cool One (song)
"Tall Cool One" is a rock song performed by English rock singer Robert Plant. It was the third single released from his 1988 album Now and Zen, following "Heaven Knows" and "Ship of Fools". It reached number 87 on the UK singles chart, number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 1 on the...
" and "Your Ma Said She Cried In Her Sleep Last Night". Page and Plant
Page and Plant
Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, both formerly of English hard rock band Led Zeppelin, recorded and toured in the mid-1990s under the title Page and Plant. The pair re-united in 1994 and, after recording a highly successful first album, they embarked on a world tour. They then recorded a second album,...
performed an updated version of this song on their 1995 tour. "Black Dog" was the first song performed by Page and Plant at the American Music Awards, which kicked off their first tour together in almost 15 years. Robert Plant also played a version of the song during his solo tour in 2005, as is included on the DVD release Soundstage: Robert Plant and the Strange Sensation
Soundstage: Robert Plant and the Strange Sensation
Soundstage: Robert Plant and the Strange Sensation is the first live DVD by Robert Plant and the Strange Sensation, featuring a performance filmed for the Soundstage television series in Chicago on September 16, 2005, in addition to bonus features from prior to the founding of the Strange Sensation...
. Former Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
-singer David Coverdale
David Coverdale
David 'Jack' Coverdale is an English rock singer, most famous for his work with the his own hard rock band Whitesnake which achieved massive commercial success.-Early life:...
's band Whitesnake
Whitesnake
Whitesnake are an English rock band, founded in 1978 by David Coverdale after his departure from his previous band, Deep Purple. The band's early material has been compared by critics to Deep Purple, but by the mid 1980s they had moved to a more commercial hard rock style...
released the song "Still of the Night
Still of the Night (song)
"Still of the Night" is a single released by Whitesnake, from their hugely successful self titled 1987 album. It reached #16 in the U.K., #18 on the U.S. Mainstream Rock Tracks and #79 on the Billboard Hot 100 when it was released on March 9, 1987...
" in 1987 which has often been cited similar to "Black Dog"; later, when Coverdale toured with Page in 1993, they played both songs together. Robert Plant
Robert Plant
Robert Anthony Plant, CBE is an English singer and songwriter best known as the vocalist and lyricist of the iconic rock band Led Zeppelin. He has also had a successful solo career...
and Alison Krauss
Alison Krauss
Alison Maria Krauss is an American bluegrass-country singer, songwriter and fiddler. She entered the music industry at an early age, winning local contests by the age of ten and recording for the first time at fourteen. She signed with Rounder Records in 1985 and released her first solo album in...
regularly covered "Black Dog" during their tour of USA and Europe in April and May 2008. It also features on their appearance on the Country Music Television
Country Music Television
Country Music Television, or CMT, is an American country music-oriented cable television network. Programming includes music videos, taped concerts, movies, biographies of country music stars, game shows, and reality programs...
show CMT Crossroads, recorded in October 2007.
Accolades
| Publication | Country | Accolade | Year | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classic Rock | United States | "The Top Fifty Classic Rock Songs of All Time" | 1995 | 18 |
| The Guitar | United States | "Riff of the Millenium" | 1999 | 7 |
| Rolling Stone Rolling Stone Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J... |
United States | "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" was the cover story of a special issue of Rolling Stone, issue number 963, published December 9, 2004, a year after the magazine published its list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time".... " |
2010 | 300 |
| Q Q (magazine) Q is a popular music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom.Founders Mark Ellen and David Hepworth were dismayed by the music press of the time, which they felt was ignoring a generation of older music buyers who were buying CDs — then still a new technology... |
United Kingdom | "1010 Songs You Must Own!" | 2004 | * |
| Blender Blender (magazine) Blender was an American music magazine that billed itself as "the ultimate guide to music and more". It was also known for sometimes steamy pictorials of celebrities.... |
United States | "The Greatest Songs Ever!" | 2005 | * |
| Bruce Pollock | United States | "The 7,500 Most Important Songs of 1944-2000" | 2005 | * |
| Q | United Kingdom | "The 20 Greatest Guitar Tracks" | 2007 | 1 |
(*) designates unordered lists.
Formats and tracklistings
1971 7" single (US/Australia: Atlantic 45-2849, Angola/South Africa: Atlantic ATS 568, Argentina: Atlantic 2091175, Austria/Germany: Atlantic ATL 10103, Brazil: Atco 2091175, Canada: Atlantic AT 2849, Cape Verde: Atlantic ATL N 28-118, Ecuador: Atlantic 45-73502, France: Atlantic 10 103, Greece: Atlantic 2091 175, Holland: Atlantic ATL 2091 175, Italy: Atlantic K 10103, Japan: Warner Pioneer P-1101A, Mexico: Atlantic 2207-024, New Zealand: Atlantic ATL 88, Philippines: Atlantic ATR 0033, Portugal: Atlantic N 28118, Singapore: Stereophonic 10103, Spain: Atlantic HS 775, Sweden: Atlantic ATL 10.103, Turkey: Atlantic 72 500)- A. "Black Dog" (Jones, Page, Plant) 4:56
- B. "Misty Mountain Hop" (Jones, Page, Plant) 4:38
1971 7" radio edit (Japan: Warner Pioneer P-1001A)
- A. "Black Dog" [stereo] (Jones, Page, Plant) 4:56
- B. "Black Dog" [mono] (Jones, Page, Plant) 4:56
1971 7" single (Poland: Atlantic X 87)
- A. "Black Dog" (Jones, Page, Plant) 4:56
- B. "When the Levee Breaks" (Bonham, Jones, Page, Plant, Minnie) 7:08
1971 7" single (Poland: Prasniewski N 677)
- A. "Black Dog" (Jones, Page, Plant) 4:56
- B. "Four Sticks" (Page, Plant) 4:44
1973 7" single (Venezuela: Atlantic 5-011)
- A. "Black Dog" (Jones, Page, Plant) 4:56
- B. "Rock and Roll" (Bonham, Jones, Page, Plant) 3:40
Chart positions
| Chart (1972) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Japanese Singles Chart | 24 |
| Dutch Singles Chart | 20 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 Chart | 15 |
| Canadian CHUM 30 Chart | 14 |
| US Cash Box Top 100 Singles Chart | 9 |
| US Record World 100 Top Pops | 10 |
| Canadian RPM Top 100 Chart | 11 |
| German Singles Chart | 22 |
| Australian Go-Set Top 40 Singles Chart | 9 |
| New Zealand Top 50 Singles Chart | 10 |
| French Singles Chart | 23 |
| Chart (1973) | Peak position |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 6 |
Single (Digital download)
| Chart (2007) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart | 119 |
| US Billboard Hot Digital Songs Chart | 66 |
| Canadian Billboard Hot Digital Singles Chart | 59 |
Note: The official UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
incorporated legal downloads as of 17 April 2005.
Personnel
- Robert PlantRobert PlantRobert Anthony Plant, CBE is an English singer and songwriter best known as the vocalist and lyricist of the iconic rock band Led Zeppelin. He has also had a successful solo career...
- vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Jimmy PageJimmy PageJames Patrick "Jimmy" Page, OBE is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer. He began his career as a studio session guitarist in London and was subsequently a member of The Yardbirds from 1966 to 1968, after which he founded the English rock band Led Zeppelin.Jimmy Page...
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s - John Paul JonesJohn Paul Jones (musician)John Paul Jones is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, composer, arranger and record producer. Best known as the bassist, mandolinist, and keyboardist for English rock band Led Zeppelin, Jones has since developed a solo career and has gained even more respect as both a musician and a...
- bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - John BonhamJohn BonhamJohn Henry Bonham was an English musician and songwriter, best known as the drummer of Led Zeppelin. Bonham was esteemed for his speed, power, fast right foot, distinctive sound, and "feel" for the groove...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Album versions
- 1972: CCS (C.C.S. 2C.C.S. 2 (album)C.C.S. was the second studio album of the British blues and jazz outfit Collective Consciousness Society, led by guitarist Alexis Korner. This album is usually called C.C.S...
) - 1975: Eumir DeodatoEumir DeodatoEumir Deodato is a Brazilian pianist, composer, record producer and arranger, primarily based in the jazz realm but who historically has been known for eclectic melding of big band and combo jazz with varied elements of rock/pop, R&B/funk, Brazilian/Latin, and symphonic or orchestral music.Mainly,...
(First Cuckoo) - 1988: Newcity Rockers (Newcity Rockers - self titled LP featuring Ken Kozdra on Lead Vocals and Cliff Goodwin of the Joe Cocker Band on guitar. Released on Atlantic Records subsidiary (Critique) reached No. 82 in the US Billboard Hot 100 Charts)
- 1990: Dread ZeppelinDread ZeppelinDread Zeppelin is an American band best known for performing the songs of Led Zeppelin in a reggae style as sung by a 300 pound Vegas Elvis impersonator. Over the years they would also perform songs originally by Elvis Presley, Bob Marley and The Yardbirds. The group toured extensively around the...
(Un-Led-EdUn-Led-EdUn-Led-Ed is the debut album by Dread Zeppelin. Released in 1990 to a skeptical public, the album became a sensation on the strength of glowing reviews and a public endorsement by Led Zeppelin vocalist, Robert Plant, who claimed he preferred Dread Zep's version of "Your Time Is Gonna Come" to Led...
) - 1992: FoleyFoley (musician)Joseph McCreary, Jr., known professionally as Foley, is an American composer, musician, and photographer who is best known as the "lead bassist" with trumpeter Miles Davis from 1987 until 1991...
(7 Years Ago... Directions in Smart-Alec Music) - 1993: Paul ShafferPaul ShafferPaul Allen Wood Shaffer, CM is a Canadian musician, actor, voice actor, author, comedian, and composer who has been David Letterman's sidekick since 1982.-Early years:...
(The World's Most Dangerous PartyThe World's Most Dangerous PartyThe World's Most Dangerous Party was Paul Shaffer's second album, released as a double CD in July 1993. Assembled as if Paul and his band were playing live at a house party, the album features the voices, but not necessarily singing, of many celebrities and recording artists like David Letterman,...
) - 1995: Hampton String QuartetHampton String QuartetThe Hampton String Quartet considered by many to be one of the founders of the "alternative music" genré of chamber music is a string quartet specializing in rock music and other popular styles, playing serious chamber music arrangements of songs using classical composer influences and frequently...
(Sympathy for the Devil) - 1997: John FarnhamJohn FarnhamJohn Peter Farnham, AO, formerly billed as Johnny Farnham , is an English-born Australian pop singer. He was a teen pop idol from 1964 to 1979, and has since forged a career as an adult contemporary singer. His career has mostly been as a solo artist although he briefly replaced Glenn Shorrock as...
(Anthology 3: RaritiesAnthology 3: RaritiesAnthology 3: Rarities is a greatest hits compilation album by Australian singer John Farnham. The album was released in Australia on 10 November 1997, and is the third of a three disc Anthology set.-Track listing:...
[recorded live 1996]) - 1997: John Lee Sanders (World Blue)
- 1999: Coalesce (There Is Nothing New Under the Sun EP)
- 1999: Jizzy PearlJizzy PearlJizzy Pearl is an Irish-American vocalist born on March 17, 1958, in Chicago, Illinois. He first fronted the rock band Data Clan, which became Love/Hate, and has also sung for L.A...
(The Song Remains Remixed: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin) - 1999: Johnny Favourite (Holiday Romance: Swing Collection)
- 2001: Out of Phase (A Tribute to Led Zeppelin IV)
- 2002: Tony LevinTony LevinTony Levin is an American progressive rock musician, specializing in bass guitar, Chapman stick and upright bass ....
(Double EspressoDouble EspressoDouble Espresso is a live album performed by The Tony Levin Band at the Bearsville Theater, Woodstock, New York-Disk One:# "Pieces Of The Sun" - 7:15# "Geronimo" - 3:27# "Silhouette" - 4:35# "Dog One" - 5:36# "Tequila" - 5:15...
) - 2002: Masterplan (The Music Remains the Same: A Tribute to Led ZeppelinThe Music Remains the Same: A Tribute to Led ZeppelinThe Music Remains the Same is a tribute album of Led Zeppelin songs. It was released on 25 November 2002 by American record label Locomotive Music.-Track listing:#"Kashmir" – Angra#"Dazed and Confused" – Blaze...
) - 2002: Issa (The Electronic Tribute to Led Zeppelin)
- 2003: HeartHeart (band)Heart is an American rock band who first found success in Canada. Throughout several lineup changes, the only two members remaining constant are sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson. The group rose to fame in the 1970s with their music being influenced by hard rock as well as folk music...
(Alive in SeattleAlive in SeattleAlive in Seattle is an album released in 2003 by Heart. It is a double-CD package of their greatest hits recorded live in concert. The concert featured on this live album is their final concert in Seattle, during Heart's "Summer Of Love Tour", which was put on during the Summer of 2002.- Disc one...
[recorded live 2002]) - 2003: Tracy BonhamTracy BonhamTracy Bonham is an American alternative rock musician best known for her 1996 single "Mother Mother".Raised in Eugene, Oregon, Bonham is a classically-trained violinist and pianist...
(BeeBee (EP)Bee is an EP released by Tracy Bonham. The EP was recorded after performing on Blue Man Group's album The Complex and was only available to her fans while on tour...
EP) – with the signature lead guitar line played on an electric violinElectric violinAn electric violin is a violin equipped with an electronic output of its sound. The term most properly refers to an instrument purposely made to be electrified with built-in pickups, usually with a solid body...
instead - 2004: Page and PlantPage and PlantJimmy Page and Robert Plant, both formerly of English hard rock band Led Zeppelin, recorded and toured in the mid-1990s under the title Page and Plant. The pair re-united in 1994 and, after recording a highly successful first album, they embarked on a world tour. They then recorded a second album,...
(No Quarter: Jimmy Page & Robert Plant Unledded DVD) - 2004: Tracy GTracy GTracy G is an American heavy metal guitarist best known for his time with Dio from 1993 to 1999.His first band was with his father. It was called the Grijalva Brothers....
(Deviating from the List) - 2004: Tuba Guitarra & Bateria (TubaGuitarra&Bateria)
- 2005: Hayseed DixieHayseed DixieHayseed Dixie is an American band which began in the autumn of 2000 with the release of their first album, A Hillbilly Tribute to AC/DC. The band performs a mixture of cover versions of hard rock songs and original compositions in a style that is a unique fusion of bluegrass and rock music and are...
(A Hot Piece of GrassA Hot Piece of GrassA Hot Piece of Grass is the fifth album by American band Hayseed Dixie, released in 2005 .-Track listing:# "Black Dog" – 3:07# "War Pigs" – 4:27...
) - 2005: Larry CoryellLarry CoryellLarry Coryell is an American jazz fusion guitarist.-Biography:Coryell was born in Galveston, Texas. He graduated from Richland High School, in Richland, Washington, where he played in local bands The Jailers, The Rumblers, The Royals, and The Flames. He also played with The Checkers from nearby...
, Victor Bailey, & Lenny WhiteLenny WhiteLeonard White III, better known as Lenny White is an American jazz fusion drummer, who is best known for playing in Chick Corea's Return to Forever.-Biography:...
(Electric) - 2005: James Ryan (Led Zeppelin Salute: Get the Led Out!)
- 2005: Led Zepagain (A Tribute to Led Zeppelin)
- 2006: Robert Plant & The Strange Sensation (Robert Plant & The Strange Sensation)
- 2006: Zepparella (Live at 19 Broadway [recorded 28 October 2005])
- 2006: Franck Tortiller & Orchestre National de Jazz (Close to Heaven: A Led Zeppelin Tribute)
- 2006: Studio 99 (Led Zeppelin: A Tribute)
- 2007: Spahn RanchSpahn Ranch (band)Spahn Ranch was an electro-industrial group from Los Angeles. Active from 1992 to 2000, the band was well known in a sub-genre of industrial music for its fusion of electronic dance, industrial and gothic music.-History:...
(The Many Faces of Led Zeppelin [remix]) - 2007: Finn and the Sharks (Breakfast Special)
- 2007: The Boys from County Nashville (Long Ago and Far Away: The Celtic Tribute to Led Zeppelin)
- 2008: Ted KooshianTed KooshianTed Kooshian is a New York jazz pianist and keyboardist who has performed with artists that include Aretha Franklin, Chuck Berry, Toni Braxton, Marvin Hamlisch, Sarah Brightman, and Blood, Sweat, and Tears. Kooshian has played in many Broadway pit orchestras, and is a member of the Ed Palermo Big...
(Ted Kooshian's Standard Orbit Quartet) - 2008: Keith EmersonKeith EmersonKeith Noel Emerson is an English keyboard player and composer. Formerly a member of the Keith Emerson Trio, John Brown's Bodies, The T-Bones, V.I.P.s, P.P. Arnold's backing band, and The Nice , he was a founder of Emerson, Lake & Palmer , one of the early supergroups, in 1970...
(Led Box: The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Tribute) - 2008: Mads Tolling Trio (Speed of Light)
- 2008: Debbie Landry (Misty Mountain Hop: A Millennium Tribute to Led Zeppelin)
- 2009: Momentary Prophets (Quickening)
Samples
- 1988: NOFXNOFXNOFX is an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California .The band was formed in 1983 by vocalist/bassist Fat Mike and guitarist Eric Melvin. Drummer Erik Sandin joined NOFX shortly after. In 1991 El Hefe joined to play lead guitar and trumpet, rounding out the current line-up...
("Shut Up Already") - 1988: Robert PlantRobert PlantRobert Anthony Plant, CBE is an English singer and songwriter best known as the vocalist and lyricist of the iconic rock band Led Zeppelin. He has also had a successful solo career...
("Tall Cool OneTall Cool One (song)"Tall Cool One" is a rock song performed by English rock singer Robert Plant. It was the third single released from his 1988 album Now and Zen, following "Heaven Knows" and "Ship of Fools". It reached number 87 on the UK singles chart, number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 1 on the...
") - 1990: Daddy FreddyDaddy FreddyS. Frederick Small , better known as Daddy Freddy is a ragga vocalist.-Early life:Small was born in Kingston, Jamaica and grew up in the city's Trenchtown district. His house was a few minutes walk from Coxsone Dodd's influential record studio Studio One.His neighbours were Jacob Miller and...
("Daddy Freddy's In TownDaddy Freddy's In TownDaddy Freddy's In Town is a song by Daddy Freddy released on several singles as well as the album Stress.-1:*Release date: 1990*Format: 12" vinyl picture disc*Record label: Chrysalis*Catalog number: V 23703Side A...
") - 2003: Scott McAllister ("Black Dog Clarinet Concerto")
- 2009: T.I.T.I.Clifford Joseph Harris, Jr. , better known by his stage name T.I., is an American rap artist, film and music producer, actor and author. He is also the founder and co-chief executive officer of Grand Hustle Records....
("Make You SweatMake You Sweat"Make You Sweat" is the title of a number-one R&B single by Keith Sweat. As the leading single from the album, I'll Give All My Love to You, the hit song reached number fourteen on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent one week at number-one on the US R&B chart...
")
Other versions
- Tori AmosTori AmosTori Amos is an American pianist, singer-songwriter and composer. She was at the forefront of a number of female singer-songwriters in the early 1990s and was noteworthy early in her career as one of the few alternative rock performers to use a piano as her primary instrument...
has performed part of the song live at several of her shows. - Trey AnastasioTrey AnastasioTrey Anastasio is an American guitarist, composer, and vocalist most noted for his work with the rock band Phish...
has performed the song live and can be heard on the TAB at the TAB album. - Ronnie James DioRonnie James DioRonald James Padavona , better known as Ronnie James Dio, was an American heavy metal vocalist and songwriter. He performed with, amongst others, Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Heaven & Hell, and his own band Dio, which means God in Italian. Other musical projects include the collective fundraiser...
covered the song with his band ElfElf (band)Elf was a rock band founded in 1967 by the late singer and bassist Ronnie James Dio, keyboardist Doug Thaler, drummer Gary Driscoll, and guitarists Nick Pantas and David Feinstein . The band was originally called The Electric Elves, but was shortened to The Elves and finally Elf in mid-1970...
in early '70s. - Nicole ScherzingerNicole ScherzingerNicole Prescovia Elikolani Valiente Scherzinger is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, record producer, model, and actress. Scherzinger is perhaps best known for being the lead vocalist of the Pussycat Dolls....
has recorded the song and showed a snippet on her official Vevo Page on YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
. - Mads TollingMads TollingMads Tolling is a Danish-American violinist, violist and composer. Tolling won Grammy Awards for "Best classical crossover album" as part of Turtle Island Quartet's recordings 4+Four and A Love Supreme - The Legacy of John Coltrane . Tolling also recorded on Stanley Clarke's Toys of Men...
has covered the song. - "Weird Al" Yankovic"Weird Al" YankovicAlfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic is an American singer-songwriter, music producer, accordionist, actor, comedian, writer, satirist, and parodist. Yankovic is known for his humorous songs that make light of popular culture and that often parody specific songs by contemporary musical acts...
used part of the song in his song "Trapped in the Drive-ThruTrapped in the Drive-Thru"Trapped in the Drive-Thru" is a song from "Weird Al" Yankovic's twelfth studio album Straight Outta Lynwood, which was released on September 26, 2006. This song is a parody of "Trapped in the Closet" by R. Kelly...
"; the portion used is played by his band.
Sources
- Lewis, Dave (2004) The Complete Guide to the Music of Led Zeppelin, ISBN 0-7119-3528-9
- Welch, Chris (1998) Led Zeppelin: Dazed and Confused: The Stories Behind Every Song, ISBN 1-56025-818-7