snapper Posted May 19, 2009 Share Posted May 19, 2009 Someone finally does justice to this song: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jahfin Posted May 19, 2009 Share Posted May 19, 2009 There's no video clips of it out there (at least that I could find) but John Campbell did a pretty nice version of When the Levee Breaks that can be found on his 1993 Howlin' Mercy album. Review from AllMusic.com: Slide guitarist and songwriter John Campbell was a man driven. Before his untimely death, he had pulled out all the stops to play a music that was full of mystery, pathos, dark energy, and plenty of rock & roll strut 'n' growl; it could be frightening in its intensity. Howlin' Mercy was the last of two recordings for Elektra, and is by far the heavier of the two. As displayed by its opening track, "Ain't Afraid of Midnight," Campbell was a considerable slide guitarist who owed his skill to the bluesmen like Lightnin' Hopkins (from his home state of Texas), Fred McDowell, and a few others. His solos are wrangling, loose, and shambolic; they are undeniably dark and heavy. They cut with elegance across the rhythms and melodies in his songs. This is followed by a version of "When the Levee Breaks" that is a direct counter to and traditional reclamation of the Led Zep version and places it back firmly in the blues canon. As evidenced by "Saddle Up My Pony," Campbell was equally skilled at transmuting the Delta blues and framing them in a very modern context without taking anything away from their chilling, spare power and poetry. And in the modern rock and blues idiom, he was a master, as evidenced by the stomp and roll of "Firin' Line"; "Written in Stone"; and the epic, swamp blues cum overdriven scorcher "Wolf Among the Lambs." This final moment is perhaps Campbell's greatest on record in that it embodies all of his strengths and reveals none of them to be contradictions. Campbell was living and playing in New York at the end of his life, and that city's conflicting energies are reflected in his playing and writing. They needed each other, it seems, and if ever there were a Delta blues record that visited the Texas roadhouse and settled on the streetcorners of NYC, this is it. Awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquamarine Posted May 20, 2009 Share Posted May 20, 2009 Someone finally does justice to this song: You didn't think much of Zeppelin's version? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninelives Posted May 20, 2009 Share Posted May 20, 2009 I thought Robert's version with Strange Sensation and with Alison were pretty damned smokin'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickZepp Posted May 20, 2009 Share Posted May 20, 2009 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TM2SLCJwELI Plant & Krauss http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1M_7rzz_Cbc Plant & SS RoRHof with Mr Young Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dancin'Days Posted May 20, 2009 Share Posted May 20, 2009 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TM2SLCJwELI Plant & Krauss http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1M_7rzz_Cbc Plant & SS RoRHof with Mr Young Well hell.....it looks like Neil is having a ball! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reids Posted May 20, 2009 Share Posted May 20, 2009 Love this song (original blues, covers, re-interpretations)... R Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Dawg Posted May 20, 2009 Share Posted May 20, 2009 Dylans take http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYKVXXSsnKw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BonzoLikeDrumer Posted May 20, 2009 Share Posted May 20, 2009 I only think that Zeppelin (4th album) did the song a good go.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/When_the_Levee_Breaks#Origin I know it's Wiki but, I remember reading about Lizzie Douglas (RIP 1973) a long time before the advent of the internet so this is pure fact! I can't see the "finely justice" the OP was speaking of about You Tuber RESCUE94's version of the classic blues song. He has the mechanics of the song down very well but needs to work on timing and presentation (and I would unplug from the amp and just make a good recording with a good microphone & recording system). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapper Posted May 21, 2009 Author Share Posted May 21, 2009 oops Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapper Posted May 21, 2009 Author Share Posted May 21, 2009 You didn't think much of Zeppelin's version? Let me clarify, this 'is' Zeppelins version of WTLB. The guy learned it directly from the Zeppelin 4 tablature songbook note for note. The finger picking part also was taken from the vocal tablature and transposed to guitar. I thought it was pretty obvious this was Zeppelin's version he was playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpat Posted May 21, 2009 Share Posted May 21, 2009 I thought Robert's version with Strange Sensation and with Alison were pretty damned smokin'. Best non-Zep version I ever heard was from John Paul Jones on his Zooma tour, playing the electric slide -- in Chicago of all places at a maybe 500-seater. Place went up for grabs. Here is a link of Jonesy performing the song in Seattle: JOHN PAUL JONES' version of WHEN THE LEVEE BREAKS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glicine Posted May 21, 2009 Share Posted May 21, 2009 Not from that show, but a sample of JOHN PAUL JONES' version of WHEN THE LEVEE BREAKS. Rocks much more than Percy can these days. Ehh... having problem opening the url. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquamarine Posted May 21, 2009 Share Posted May 21, 2009 Let me clarify, this 'is' Zeppelins version of WTLB. The guy learned it directly from the Zeppelin 4 tablature songbook note for note. The finger picking part also was taken from the vocal tablature and transposed to guitar. I thought it was pretty obvious this was Zeppelin's version he was playing. Yes I did know that. Your statement, however, made it sound as if you thought he was performing it better than Zeppelin, finally doing it justice. Alternatively, you were being sarcastic, but it wasn't clear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpat Posted May 21, 2009 Share Posted May 21, 2009 Ehh... having problem opening the url. Sorry, I'm an idiot ... it should be working now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapper Posted May 22, 2009 Author Share Posted May 22, 2009 Best non-Zep version I ever heard was from John Paul Jones on his Zooma tour, playing the electric slide -- in Chicago of all places at a maybe 500-seater. Place went up for grabs. Here is a link of Jonesy performing the song in Seattle: JOHN PAUL JONES' version of WHEN THE LEVEE BREAKS Thats Awesome! Jones really seemed to be getting into it, very cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevedore Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 I thought Robert's version with Strange Sensation and with Alison were pretty damned smokin'. Smokin? Both versions put me to sleep! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevedore Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 Best non-Zep version I ever heard was from John Paul Jones on his Zooma tour, playing the electric slide -- in Chicago of all places at a maybe 500-seater. Place went up for grabs. Here is a link of Jonesy performing the song in Seattle: JOHN PAUL JONES' version of WHEN THE LEVEE BREAKS Very cool thank you! Jonesy's awesome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glicine Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 Smokin? Both versions put me to sleep! What a waste. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninelives Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 Smokin? Both versions put me to sleep! Well I liked them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevedore Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 Well I liked them. Fair enough, it's not horrible by any stretch, just can't groove to it that's all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevedore Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 What a waste. Waste of what? Your point? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glicine Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 Waste of what? Your point? Waste of your time and money, and the musician's effort. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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