zeppelincheetah Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 This is my personal favorite song off of their first album. Jimmy Page has said much about the band's use of light and shade and this song is the perfect example of that. It was originally a folk song by Anne Bredon, covered by Joan Baez. The members of Led Zeppelin heard the Joan Baez version and assumed that the song was traditional, only to find out the hard way that it in fact was an original song by Anne Bredon. This I'm sure most or all of you already know. I can't think of any other Led Zeppelin song that originally was sung by a woman. I also can't think of any other zep tune where Jimmy Page plays something that sounds like Spanish guitar. anything else to add? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glicine Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 This is my personal favorite song off of their first album. Jimmy Page has said much about the band's use of light and shade and this song is the perfect example of that. It was originally a folk song by Anne Bredon, covered by Joan Baez. The members of Led Zeppelin heard the Joan Baez version and assumed that the song was traditional, only to find out the hard way that it in fact was an original song by Anne Bredon. This I'm sure most or all of you already know. I can't think of any other Led Zeppelin song that originally was sung by a woman. I also can't think of any other zep tune where Jimmy Page plays something that sounds like Spanish guitar. anything else to add? What about When the Levee Breaks by Memphis Minnie? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swandown Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 There were a lot of "twists of fate" that brought this song to Led Zeppelin's ears. Anne Bredon just happened to perform the song on a live radio broadcast in 1960, and Janet Smith just happened to hear it, and Janet Smith just happened to move to Ohio, where Joan Baez just happened to see Janet Smith perform the song, and Joan Baez just happened to decide to include the song on her live album, and Jimmy Page just happened to acquire a copy of that album. If any one of those things doesn't happen, the song never gets recorded by Led Zeppelin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeppelincheetah Posted November 11, 2009 Author Share Posted November 11, 2009 What about When the Levee Breaks by Memphis Minnie? forgot about that one. it was written by her and her husband. well it's been 24 hours since I made this topic. I think i'm going to hold on out track three (you shook me), not many people have replied to this one. there's got to be something more to add, if nothing else just your own opinions on the song. What did members of the band think of this song? why did they stop playing it live? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BonzoLikeDrumer Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 Power Ballad heaven! One of the first one's in modern rock music for sure! A lot of interesting sound's on this song, fuzz box effect's on the guitar give it a gritty sound at time's. The acoustic guitar solo is very non-rock sounding and the Echo Plex (I think) used to enhance the track as the chorus come's in is mind bending! Bass and drums are tightly knit together and the vocals is the usual (but not plain) Robert Plant screaming rock-blues sound. Really doesn't fit in well after Good Time's Bad Time's, but it is a Led Zeppelin album! List of others to cover this song..... PYG Great White Paul Oakenfold Richard DeVinck Cactus Jack Thomas Fuchs Hampton String Quartet Hal Lindes Michael Armstrong Doro Vanilla Fudge Carl Kennedy with Dirty South Tony Franklin Joe Lynn Turner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ledzepfvr Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 Critics thought it an odd choice for the album at the time but it's well know that Plant and Page had both liked the song. It's considered "white blues" combining negro blues with southern lyrics in which the singer is conflicted (wanting to do the opposite of what is being sung about). Jimmy's expanded hard rock arrangement extended the song twice as long as Joan Baez's version and Roberts lamented singing reminds me of Janis Joplin, thus him being called the "male Janis". I read that Robert would have liked more time to work on the song. They did work that first album in seemingly record time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitarmy Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 It's really hard not to call almost every song on this album my favorite. This is definitely one of them and I don't really care where it came from as they put their own spin on it. That's what makes Led Zeppelin awesome. They can transform something beyond what it was before. That's enough in my book to make it theirs. As if this song didn't need any more controversy... 25 or 6 to 4 by Chicago has a similar descending chord progression. 12 January 1969 - Led Zeppelin I released XX June 1970 - 25 or 6 to 4 released as a single That's pretty far apart though. Might be more to the story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackDog71 Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 It's really hard not to call almost every song on this album my favorite. This is definitely one of them and I don't really care where it came from as they put their own spin on it. That's what makes Led Zeppelin awesome. They can transform something beyond what it was before. That's enough in my book to make it theirs. As if this song didn't need any more controversy... 25 or 6 to 4 by Chicago has a similar descending chord progression. 12 January 1969 - Led Zeppelin I released XX June 1970 - 25 or 6 to 4 released as a single That's pretty far apart though. Might be more to the story. This is not the first time i have heard about this and i never noticed it until someone brought it up on here. It's interesting, but i don't think it sounds enough alike to make a HUGE case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djzoso Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 There were a lot of "twists of fate" that brought this song to Led Zeppelin's ears. Anne Bredon just happened to perform the song on a live radio broadcast in 1960, and Janet Smith just happened to hear it, and Janet Smith just happened to move to Ohio, where Joan Baez just happened to see Janet Smith perform the song, and Joan Baez just happened to decide to include the song on her live album, and Jimmy Page just happened to acquire a copy of that album. If any one of those things doesn't happen, the song never gets recorded by Led Zeppelin. Woah, that's a domino effect, i think Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitarmy Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 This is not the first time i have heard about this and i never noticed it until someone brought it up on here. It's interesting, but i don't think it sounds enough alike to make a HUGE case. I agree with you there. But if there was any "stealing", I'd say Chicago took it, instead of the other way around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walter Posted November 23, 2009 Share Posted November 23, 2009 This song is purely the epitome of Zeppelin. Robert's powerful voice, Bonzo and Jonesy laying down incredible driving beat and Pagey the virtuoso. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electrophile Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 I've always loved this song and think it's a bit underrated by Zeppelin fan standards. Whenever people talk about the first album, they naturally mention Dazed and Confused or Good Times, Bad Times but seldom this one. It's a beautiful song and their interpretation of it lends it a certain something that not even the great Joan Baez could (and her version is damn good as well!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Masson Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 It's one of the first LZ songs I ever heard, at ten. Loved it then, and still do. It really is a good illustration of the light and shade idea. Robert sings it fabulously, he's almost over the top, but stays within good taste. I also love the sound of that Gibson acoustic that Jimmy was playing there - it was borrowed from Big Jim Sullivan, and used again for the appearance on the Julie Felix show in 1970. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badgeholder Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 For some good live versions, see the Fillmore West shows, April 24th and 27th, 1969. There are also two fantastic studio outtakes of this track, which feature Robert Plant screaming his ass off. (Otto talked about "almost" over the top? see these for WAY over!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Masson Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 For some good live versions, see the Fillmore West shows, April 24th and 27th, 1969. There are also two fantastic studio outtakes of this track, which feature Robert Plant screaming his ass off. (Otto talked about "almost" over the top? see these for WAY over!) Yeah, I agree with you on that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evster2012 Posted November 27, 2009 Share Posted November 27, 2009 why did they stop playing it live? To put it simply, the band was moving and expanding at such a phenomenal rate that some songs had to make room for others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black_Dog_90 Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 Amazing song. I love it. One of my favorite Led Zeppelin songs. I remember hearing it for the first time, I really liked it. I think everyone in the band did a great job in this song. Robert Plant's singing is really great but I especially like Jimmy Page's playing, it just shows his creativity. It's just beautiful and powerful at the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conneyfogle Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 One of my Favourite versions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deborah J Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 IMHO, this is one of their best mellow, but blues song. This song goes from a beautiful ballad and peaks up just enough to hit the edge of Rock, while staying bluesy. Roberts voice in this is beyond amazing, it's like you can feel the pain to the words in this ballad. Jimmy's acoustic playing in this at that time was wonderful to behold. JPJ and Bonzo keeping the rythm perfect for the entire song whether low or high. The music was tight in following the lyrics in this song. One of their best! The ending brings you to a place of peace and beauty. Then following this "You Shook Me"... brilliant! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeppelincheetah Posted April 3, 2010 Author Share Posted April 3, 2010 i can never relate to the lyrics of the song much but the message is so powerful that i make myself relate lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beatbo Posted April 4, 2010 Share Posted April 4, 2010 There were a lot of "twists of fate" that brought this song to Led Zeppelin's ears. Anne Bredon just happened to perform the song on a live radio broadcast in 1960, and Janet Smith just happened to hear it, and Janet Smith just happened to move to Ohio, where Joan Baez just happened to see Janet Smith perform the song, and Joan Baez just happened to decide to include the song on her live album, and Jimmy Page just happened to acquire a copy of that album. If any one of those things doesn't happen, the song never gets recorded by Led Zeppelin. swandown is spot on, as always.... you can find the history of this song told by janet smith on "the gate at the end of the world: a collection of songs by anne bredon". janet was a frequent performer on "the midnight special" folk music radio show on station KPFA in berkley, ca. anne bredon (at this time know as anne johanson) also performed on the show and janet asked about "babe", thinking it was a traditional folk song. she was shocked to learn that bredon actually wrote the thing. she transcribed it and began performing it herself. baez saw her performance and was facinated with this song. she also began performing it and when "joan baez in concert, part 1" was in production, vanguard records contacted smith regarding authorship. smith was not able to get in touch with bredon, so the song was credited "traditional, arr. baez" bredon was finally listed as author when "the joan baez songbook" was published in 1964... page would not have known bredon wrote this song if his only info was the album label and cover. when bredon contacted zep in the mid 80's (?), credit was readily arranged with out any legal action or threats.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louby Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 God, I just love this song. Pure and simple. That version above is epic too! I literally die and go to heaven every time I hear this song... wow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ringoffire Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 I actually love that this song follows "Good Times," the sequencing itself is another dimension of light and shade. As a teenager making my first compilation cassette, I started with "Good Times"/"Babe" to kick it off, because I couldn't imagine separating the two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.