The Led Zeppelin Blues

Swink · 06-14-2009, 06:55 AM

Zeppelin are in no way a pure blues band. Some of their songs like Communication Breakdown, Hot Dog, Heartbreaker, Kashmir, etc. are not that influenced by blues, while most of Coda and Houses of the Holy are.

I really cant place Led Zep anywhere, maybe experimental rock with a touch of blues.

Ricochet~kun · 06-28-2009, 02:16 PM

ive never heard and of thier bluesy songs... could anyone tell me which of their songs are supposed to be blues? because they jsut sound like solid rock to me

Classof75 · 07-25-2009, 01:56 PM

Like many bands (Black Sabbath, Fleetwwood Mac etc..) Led Zeppelin started off as a "blues band". Of course they progressed into so much more than that. This whole thing about them (or any other band) "ripping off" the blues comes from people who don't really understand that the origin of many of the "blues songs" out there can't be claimed by any one person. Not to say specific songs were not written by specific people, but even in those cases much of the music and lyrics were learned and passed on from the black "working class" community. Where authorship can be claimed, it is fair to give credit. I will say this, Led Zeppelin served up the blues to me, before I had heard any "real" blues (Howlin' Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson, etc..) and as a result I did go down and buy my first blues records. So in a way, Zeppelin did not really "rip off" the blues, they brought them to me. How else would a kid be compelled to buy old blues records?

Classof75 · 07-25-2009, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ricochet~kun

ive never heard and of thier bluesy songs... could anyone tell me which of their songs are supposed to be blues? because they jsut sound like solid rock to me

Bring It On Home (from L.Z. II)
The Lemon Song (from L.Z. II)
How Many More Times (from L.Z. I)
Dazed And Confused (from L.Z. I)
These are just off the top my head. Zeppelin's blues are electric and highly charged (which is why they might just seem like "solid rock" to your ears) Much of the "blues" influence is in the vocals and phrasing. Also you won't hear as much "12 bar" and slide guitar work in "straight rock", or "metal" rock music. If you were to start to listen to "real blues" music (Little Walter, Howlin' Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson, etc..), you would probably start really hearing it the next time you listened to Zeppelin. It's in there, it's their roots.

boo boo · 07-25-2009, 06:26 PM

A lot of early rock bands had blues roots. Hendrix, Cream, The Who, The Kinks, The Doors, CCR, Black Sabbath.

I don't understand how these bands are any less bluesy than Zep so if they don't qualify as blues, Zeppelin sure as hell don't.

Classof75 · 07-26-2009, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boo boo

A lot of early rock bands had blues roots. Hendrix, Cream, The Who, The Kinks, The Doors, CCR, Black Sabbath.

I don't understand how these bands are any less bluesy than Zep so if they don't qualify as blues, Zeppelin sure as hell don't.

That is a primary difference between "new" bands and the "classic" rock groups. Not much blues influence in the new stuff, the influences are the "classic" groups. The Doors could do blues like Zeppelin. The Kinks,
Who and C.C.R., I'm not sure. Too Pop (imo).

boo boo · 07-26-2009, 10:33 PM

The Who and CCR had a lot of bluesy stuff.

CCR had a lot more bluesy songs than Zep did.

Classof75 · 07-27-2009, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boo boo

The Who and CCR had a lot of bluesy stuff.

CCR had a lot more bluesy songs than Zep did.

Yeah, I guess Cotton Fields and Feelin' Blue make it. Sometimes CCR almost sounds like Country. What did the Who do that was blues?

dancooke · 08-28-2009, 08:30 AM

The best blues tracks by led zep are you shook me baby from led zep 1 and tea for one from prescence and theres a mini album you can buy called blues roots the bands that inspired led zeppelin

The Monkey · 08-28-2009, 03:50 PM

Well, blues was one of the foundations of rock & roll to begin it, so to tell "bluesy" rock from non-bluesy can be quite difficult. Sure, Jeff Beck and Cream may have more obvious blues elements in its music, but even bands as different as Pink Floyd and Metallica have their sound originated to a large part in the blues tradition.

06-28-2009, 02:16 PM	#22 (permalink)
Ricochet~kun SO IS YOUR FACE Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: in the groove Posts: 113	ive never heard and of thier bluesy songs... could anyone tell me which of their songs are supposed to be blues? because they jsut sound like solid rock to me __________________ *ROCK AND ROLL*

06-14-2009, 06:55 AM	#21 (permalink)
Swink Groupie Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 38	Zeppelin are in no way a pure blues band. Some of their songs like Communication Breakdown, Hot Dog, Heartbreaker, Kashmir, etc. are not that influenced by blues, while most of Coda and Houses of the Holy are. I really cant place Led Zep anywhere, maybe experimental rock with a touch of blues.

07-25-2009, 01:56 PM	#23 (permalink)
Classof75 Music Addict Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 127	Like many bands (Black Sabbath, Fleetwwood Mac etc..) Led Zeppelin started off as a "blues band". Of course they progressed into so much more than that. This whole thing about them (or any other band) "ripping off" the blues comes from people who don't really understand that the origin of many of the "blues songs" out there can't be claimed by any one person. Not to say specific songs were not written by specific people, but even in those cases much of the music and lyrics were learned and passed on from the black "working class" community. Where authorship can be claimed, it is fair to give credit. I will say this, Led Zeppelin served up the blues to me, before I had heard any "real" blues (Howlin' Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson, etc..) and as a result I did go down and buy my first blues records. So in a way, Zeppelin did not really "rip off" the blues, they brought them to me. How else would a kid be compelled to buy old blues records?

08-28-2009, 08:30 AM	#29 (permalink)
dancooke Groupie Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: high wycombe Posts: 25	The best blues tracks by led zep are you shook me baby from led zep 1 and tea for one from prescence and theres a mini album you can buy called blues roots the bands that inspired led zeppelin

08-28-2009, 03:50 PM	#30 (permalink)
The Monkey Music Addict Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Sweden Posts: 803	Well, blues was one of the foundations of rock & roll to begin it, so to tell "bluesy" rock from non-bluesy can be quite difficult. Sure, Jeff Beck and Cream may have more obvious blues elements in its music, but even bands as different as Pink Floyd and Metallica have their sound originated to a large part in the blues tradition.