Origin of this Solo Melody

[EzyEric]

There is a particular guitar solo melody that Ive heard in many solo's, mostly 75' and on. I first noticed it in Flying Circus (my first bootleg). But then I began to hear it in many others. I am trying to find the origins of this solo. Maybe it came from a studio song or something.

Here is a clip from Flying Circus of some of the songs Ive found it in :

Its most apparent/long in Stairway. I went back and tried to find the first Stairway I could find it in and it was TSRTS. Thats the first recording chronologically I heard this in, it could be in something sooner I dont have. But Ive heard it in every tour since.

Anyone have any thoughts on this melody and know perhaps where it came from or was inspired. I dont play guitar or anything and it sounds very simple, but it still usually gets my attention more than most parts in these solos.

[badgeholder]

Just another "Jimmy-ism, I would think. One of those things he likes to do. One of my favorites is this thing he does a lot in '77, it sounds like he's trying to make the Godzilla noise, he does it in "Since I Been Loving You' from 6-23-77, for example. Skeeunnnnck! Crazy

[huw]

That's just a fairly simple variation on a lick that basically falls right under your fingers when you play the guitar.

The phrasing & emphasis are pure Page, and the fact that he sticks it in to solos so frequently attest that it was a favourite (at least at the time), but you can trace licks based on that kind of idea & fingering all through the history of rock guitar. Chuck Berry for one would use that kind of idea, although he would probably start from the major third for a sweeter sound.

There's also a classic version of basically the same lick played by Richard Thompson in his solo on (IIRC) Shoot Out The Lights - fingering practically the same, phrasing totally different, resultant emotional effect something way more unsettling.

[EzyEric]

Just another "Jimmy-ism, I would think. One of those things he likes to do. One of my favorites is this thing he does a lot in '77, it sounds like he's trying to make the Godzilla noise, he does it in "Since I Been Loving You' from 6-23-77, for example. Skeeunnnnck! Crazy

Can you give me a general time in that SIBLY of this?

[Johnnie Gestappo]

That's just a fairly simple variation on a lick that basically falls right under your fingers when you play the guitar.

The phrasing & emphasis are pure Page, and the fact that he sticks it in to solos so frequently attest that it was a favourite (at least at the time), but you can trace licks based on that kind of idea & fingering all through the history of rock guitar. Chuck Berry for one would use that kind of idea, although he would probably start from the major third for a sweeter sound.

There's also a classic version of basically the same lick played by Richard Thompson in his solo on (IIRC) Shoot Out The Lights - fingering practically the same, phrasing totally different, resultant emotional effect something way more unsettling.

I think Jimmy just used that "Lick" to "Buy Time" while he was doing an extended/improvised solo. He could play that lick over and over until something melodic popped into his head. The best example to watch is the Stairway solo on the official DVD release. OTHFA is the other best example, because he would use that lick to get his "Bearings" and then rip into another flurry of notes. 1972 and before Jimmy didn't have to resort to something like that, he just let it rip.

[Zoso2112]

That lick is not a "Page-Lick". All though he does use it a lot. But that lick is used in almost every classic rock/blues solo. Clapton, Page, Hendrix and many others use that lick excessively. Its common throughout blues and classic rock. Almost all Page solos contain a version of that lick. You can trace that lick back to the very first Zep performance.

[SteveAJones]

You can trace that lick back to the very first Zep performance.

Not to argue semantics, but I think you meant the earliest Led Zeppelin performances?

No recordings exist of their first public performance.

[Zoso2112]

Not to argue semantics, but I think you meant the earliest Led Zeppelin performances?

No recordings exist of their first public performance.

Yeah, I didn't mean literally. But what I meant was that it is highly likely that Page used it even as early as their first performance.

[badgeholder]

Can you give me a general time in that SIBLY of this?

50 seconds in, before the vocals, and again during the guitar solo at 4:45 ish