The Memphis Minnie and Kansas City Joe version is very different on appearance, but not. I like both. I was surprised how much the Led Zeppelin remake sounded similar.
Saying it "sounded like the Mississippi back water" is probably the greatest compliment you could give to the members of Zeppelin They would love that, and feel humbled if I know anything about them.
The original song was about the Great Mississippi flood of 1927. It was performed by Memphis Minnie, a big time Mississippi Delta blues musician. The song literally is straight out of the Mississippi backwater. They nailed it perfectly
@Marc8533 You can make a case about swiping material from other artists and I won't argue with you, but don't you dare stand there and tell me Led Zeppelin were not talented. Besides, they had their own copyright fight on their hands years later when hip-hop artist started sampling their shit, also without credit. So what goes around comes around. There are only twelve notes in the western musical scale, and if you listen to enough music, you will certainly hear a combination of those twelve notes that you've heard before.
According to the wikipedia entry, "Page recorded Plant's harmonica part using the backward echo technique, putting the echo ahead of the sound when mixing."
@@marc8828 a lot of old blues songs were covered by the 70s generation(clapton, zep,jimmy)and i see no problem with it, but wish more people new about the roots!
@@Tykostr I never said there was a problem with it though. I was just replying to D Alcala clarifying that it isn't their song (because some people think it is). Still one of my favorite covers ever.
Robert Plant played the harmonica, but all those guys were multitalented. Jimmy Page can play anything with strings. John Bohoum could play anything you could hit and John Paul Jones could just play anything. All fantastic!
Was mighty blessed to see Zepplin do this live in 1973. I was 19. Now, I'm 64 and love this song as much now (if not more) than when I was a teenager. I have watched this video many times because your reactions to this classic are priceless. Good on y'all for being open to so many genres of music :)
Necessary: Private Industry to make Self Driving Bulldozers/other large equipment with Drilling apparati to push a nuclear weapon down to their computer bunkers that are 1 mile under mountains.
LZ did not play this in 1973. They only played it a total of 4 times, with all of them happening in January 1975. So, unless you saw them in Holland, Belgium, Minnesota or Chicago, then you would not have heard it.
@@unclenam137 I saw them in Minneapolis, MN in January. Perhaps I do have the year wrong, but the only person I can try to verify this with is my ex-husband and we haven't spoken in decades. At any rate, if I am incorrect about the year, it was not done intentionally. Have a blessed day :)
When the Levee Breaks was recorded in a stairwell of Headley Grange in rural Hampshire, England. A mansion, built in 1795, that used to be a potters house, an orphanage and a vocational center over the years. Bonham, the drummer, sat in a booth at the front entrance and cranked away on the drums while the rest of the band played around him on the stairwell. It was a Blues Song about a Mississippi Flood in the 1920's. An absolute classic. They recorded most of the Led Zeppelin IV album at the mansion, as well as some parts of their other albums. It was vacant at the time and they rented it out specifically to record the album. They said it was a very damp, haunted and cold mansion with a lot of history, and they loved returning to the site.
There wasn’t a booth. John had just got a new drum set and set it up in the entrance way and began playing with it. Jimmy heard it and grabbed microphones. The mics were brought up 4 flights of stairs and THAT is were the thundering echo comes from.
@@dylanhealy8126 The tone and reverb of those drums comes from the mic positions in the stairwell, yes, but they DID sweeten it up with an echoplex, that's where the actual slapback echo sound comes from, so it's not all 100% natural as legend supposedly has it. Great drum sound, though.
How many hours did I spend, high, with the cans on full blast, listening to Zep when each album (yes, they were albums) came out? This band simply cannot be beat for lyrical artistry and musical talent.
"When the Levee Breaks" is a blues song written and first recorded by husband and wife Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie in 1929. The song is in reaction to the upheaval caused by the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927.
"When the Levee Breaks" was re-worked by English rock group Led Zeppelin as the last song on Led Zeppelin IV, released in 1971. The lyrics in Led Zeppelin's version, credited to Memphis Minnie and the individual members of Led Zeppelin,[1] were partially based on the original recording. Many other artists have also recorded versions of the song or played it live.
We took it from you guys, America forgot about the superb black American blues players and music. Yet in the UK we loved it! Re invented it in different format and brought it back. Rolling Stones et all
Both Robert Plant a John Bohnam had a huge background in studying and playing blues. If you're not familiar, listen to their first 4 albums, specifically. Love what you guys are doing. I'm a Tool fan, Jazz fan, and a lover of music in general. I love that you two are stepping outside of your comfort zone and severely checking out other genres. Music is the only common language between all humans.
@Imran Khan yep the Beastie Boys on the map that drum fill right there. And I love the Beastie Boys they played their own instruments man they were awesome and at the time they came out everybody that was into for that type of music wanted to be them just awesome.
Apparently when Kansas went over to UK they wanted to learn the kind of prog things British musicians were doing but the Brits just wanted to hear any blues they knew.
I agree their version of when the Levi breaks is a great peace of music the hamoica is real good on vinyl which I have the original ledzepp 4 an treasure it
So funny how they're kinda scared to say the drums sound like a hip hop beat, when in fact Bonham's drums on "When The Levee Breaks" is probably the most sampled backbeat in all of hip hop. They've probably heard that drum intro a hundred times in modern hip hop tracks....because it's the BOMB! My favorite Zeppelin song ever!
Hah! Allright then Steve. Well, I did say "probably" the most sampled beat. Thanks for the scoop, I'll put that to use at the round of next bar trivia for sure.
Levee has been sampled in 182 songs, most notably Kim by Eminem and Rhymin’ and Stealing by Beastie Boys. Big Beat has been sampled in 282 songs, most notably 99 Problems by Jay Z and Girl on Fire by Alicia Keys. The actual winner is Amen, Brother by The Winstons which has been sampled in 2,945 songs, most notably in Straight Outta Compton by NWA and (yes, you’re reading this right) the Futurama theme song. Settled. With research.
Zeppelin, like all of the early British hard rock bands that gave birth to heavy metal (e.g. Black Sabbath, Cream, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin) were basically filtering American blues back through an amplified guitar tone. “When the Levee Breaks” is an even more direct reflection of this influence, as it’s a straight-up reworking of the 1928 blues song of the same name by the American blues artists “Kansas Joe” and “Memphis Minnie”, and it’s about the Great Mississippi Flood of the 1920s (I want to say 1925?). Great review, love the channel!
Yeah it's crazy how american artists had such a profound effect on Britain. That British artists mimicked their style and would in the future, influence american artists. Everything comes full circle
@@B355Y even outside of blues rock in the 60s, the back and forth between the Beatles and the Beach Boys both being heavily inspired by the other and then trying to one up each other with each new album. And that's how we got Sgt Pepper's and Pet Sounds, both being very easily arguable as the best albums ever. It was a whole community thing, music transcends borders and countries, its the universal language
chaz exactly! It’s the opening track on License to Ill from the Beastie Boys. It’s like these guys have zero music history! Don’t get me wrong I like their channel, but dudes did you guys grow up under a rock???
"Whoever played the harmonica" - it was Robert Plant. I love the enthusiasm these guys display though. I once heard this track come booming out of a bar - I was out in the street and you could hear those motherfucking drums over the traffic noise, it was beautiful . Bonham was a monster.
Power drummer. Bobham kills it! His fills are nasty and that kick would have sent the Germans off the Somme. Love it! But I’m going with Peart on technical precision.
Neil Peart and John Bonham are the best drummers rock has ever seen,both have a lot in common, but they are also as different as night and day. One just simply makes it look and sound hard, The other is the Hammer of the Gods!!!!!!
John Bonham was great, but if you're talking about "rock" drummers, I wouldn't ever leave out Danny Carey. even if you don't like Tool's music, he's an absolute magician, and especially original.
Great reaction guys Not many know the song was written in 1929 by Memphis Minnie it was about the Mississippi River flooding over in 1927. There are I think a few Led Zeppelin songs that they can't block because simply they are not their songs This would be one Dazed and Confused was originally done by The Yardbirds. Another Channel did that and it wasn't blocked. It was the live version Please do more Zeppelin one of my all-time favorite bands Peace✌😎
Thanks for defining some of the things i left out. A few different people have covered the song in every band has its own sound. I also like a perfect circles version 2
@@LindysRuffians It's easy to associate swamp rock with the deep American south, mostly because the instruments used, like the harmonica, are prevalent in those parts of the country (like Mississippi, etc). In the deep south, what can you also frequently find? Gators and swamps, baby.
One of the awesome things about Zep is that you can listen to a zep album and hear straight blues songs, celtic folk songs or rock songs, they had a very wide eclectic style
Yes!!!!! No Quarter is my favorite 2nd fave Achilles last stand. Bottom line they had magic there compositions were beyond amazing. May sound silly but just talking about there music gives me chills.
@@Mr_Numberman you got in on Zeppelin's Magick qaulity. Jimmy Paige bought Aleister Crowley's house on the south-east side of Lake Loch Ness called Boleskine Manor and did some recording there.
"When the Lebee Breaks" has more legendary guitar riffs packed into 1 song than most bands have in their entire catalog! One of my all time favorites. Great review guys!
Uhhh It IS blues, dudes! These lyrics were written in 1927 by Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie. First four Zep albums were full of heavy blues. This is just Mississippi blues electrified. Reason the beat “sounds hip hop” is because it’s one of the most sampled beats ever. Beastie Boys sampled this in “Rhymin & Stealin” which is probably where you first heard it. The harmonica player who is rippin’ it up is Robert Plant - the lead singer. As is typical for most blues outfits. Cmon dudes, dig in to the history! “Rock” is just what when a bunch of white dudes, a lot of them from England, fell in love with the music of Black America!
Preach on bruh! These youngsters & even ole school dudes, need to know the history of where this all started! Straight up! I'm not being rude whatsoever! Lil bit of truth, will take a long way before considering leavings comments! "Hound Dog" is a twelve-bar blues song written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. Recorded originally by Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton on August 13, 1952, in Los Angeles and released by Peacock Records in late February 1953, "Hound Dog" was Thornton's only hit record, selling over 500,000 copies, spending 14 weeks in the R&B charts, including seven weeks at number one. Thornton's recording of "Hound Dog" is listed as one of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's "500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll", and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in February 2013. If you ask anybody if they've ever hear "Hound Dog"? 99% are gonna tell ya it's an Elvis Presley song! JS... Rock on brothers & sisters! It's all good. 🤘🤘🤘
Binson Echorec, 2 x beyer 160's halfway up the staircase and a shit load of compression, it was also described by Andy Johns as more of a small hotel lobby rather than a stairwell, Andy Johns is the guy who actually set it all up, there is a lot of crap talked about this not least by Page who wasn't even there when the drum track was recorded.
@@caseywalker1714 stole? It's been tried in court, I recall... yet, isn't "influenced" or something, more 'in the spirit of music' kind of a thing feel better? If music is stolen, then Mozart, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Greig, etc etc need to come back & collect there royalties!! Hahaha
@@carysatch The went to court paid for stealing it then had a non-disclosure agreement put in. I'm sure you believe Elvis wrote/played/or maybe came up with Hound Dog... It has went on forever. Research publishing and it works & you might get why some of the people who know (like me) have a bitter taste about this type of behavior
@@caseywalker1714of course there are countless cases of the same, I'm reminded of The Doors battle over "Light My Fire" ... yet the thing about music can be amorphous; Robert Plant really enjoyed hearing Dred Zeppelin, he said it was "wonderful", yet never mentioned any animosity over them re-interpreting their music. Imitation is the greatest form of flattery! Also, thanks for the reply, I just see music as more intrinsic by nature, and much less proprietary.... almost spiritual, meant for sharing, not owning. Flexible, maliable, and symbiotic for BOTH player and listener. We are all only vibrations really... similar to music... each our own version of the same song. Thanks again! Keep on ROCKIN!
Fun fact, this song gets that dreary melancholy timbre because after all instrument tracks were recorded, they were slowed down before Plant laid down the vocals over it. Super cool sound from the minds of Page and Eddie Kramer
"When the Levee Breaks" is a country blues song written and first recorded by Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie in 1929. The lyrics reflect experiences during the upheaval caused by the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927.
This is correct. Many never realized Zepplin stole many old songs to modernize them to the new blues of the day. Like this one, many do not know this song exists..... ua-cam.com/video/hs5kK1c1MTI/v-deo.html
Erik Knudsen levee wasn’t stolen. It was already credited since beginning. Check out. The song parts they blatantly took and got sued are on the first two albums. But not this. It was properly credited since the beginning.
Erik Knudsen I won’t call that stealing. I would rather say they made that crap a 100 times better. No one really cares who stole what. Music is all that matters. And they most took lyrics anyways.
To get that drum sound; Bonham was just messing around with a small drum kit outside the studio near a stairwell, which gave the drums a layered eco effect. The other members liked it so they recorded the drums there for the effect.
Bonzo played the drums in the stairwell of Headley Grange and the engineer picked up the booming sound with microphones above said stairwell, on the third floor. Very creative and the results were epic.
The high ceiling that give them that reverb was replicated for decades afterwards, with people trying to record drums in elevator shafts, etc. Almost all the drums in the 80's had a huge echo because of this song and album.
John Bonham's drums on this song has been sampled numerous times in hip/hop and other genres. Also, this song was originally released by Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie, and is about the Great Mississippi flood in the first half of 1927. Loved your reaction! And you're right, these reviews spark new life into the music, introducing a whole new generation of people, and people who wouldn't normally give it a chance! Keep up the great work, guys!
This is awesome. If you ever do more Zeppelin. - Ten Years Gone - Going To California - Since I've been loving you - The Rain Song - Hey Hey, What can I do? - Dazed and Confused Some of my favorites. You've probably heard whole lotta love, Black Dog, Heartbreaker, Stairway, and Immigrant song (their biggest hits)
I bought Zepllin 1 in 1969 at 19. Been lovin them ever since. At first I was, "what the heck was thst?". IDK better listen again. Enjoy. Lots of great tunes...go all the way back and have a great musical journey
I’m so envious, Gavin. I discovered Zeppelin at 12 or 13. (51 now.) I then bought the entire catalogue, one or two albums at a time. Getting to know every record was an adventure. When you get to Physical Graffiti, you’ll never come back. I’d give anything to experience that again. Enjoy.
I've been watching a lot of these reaction videos recently and I'm getting a lot of affirmation that quality will tell. No matter what your background, the legendary groups are legendary for a reason.
Standing the test of time is the greatest accomplishment anyone can achieve . Musical acts , athletes , actors , etc . You can tell the difference between legacy and hype , after time has been tested . Most fail , very few pass .
I feel very lucky to have this music be the soundtrack of my youth and LOVE seeing people experience it for the first time. It was a time where music told stories and musicians played with so much passion. Bonham's drum track on this was groundbreaking.
There are probably 20 Zeppelin songs that someone could name as their favorite, and I would have zero arguments. Achilles Last Stand is one, but my favorite is When the Levee Breaks simply because it sounds like it could have come from their first 2 harder rock albums or from Physical Graffiti where they get deeper into blues, but it’s smack in the middle on IV. Perfect song imo.
Led Zeppelin 4 is the shit! Misty Mountain Hop, Black Dog, Stairway, and literally every song on that Album help define music as we know it today! Epic choice, all time favorite without a doubt!
In the sixty and seventy I listen to great Motown music as I got older I discovered Led Zeppelin. So glad to see young blacks discovering the music of my teens. You guys are right Zeppelin was a true blues band. Great job.
One of Zep's best! The drums were setup at the bottom of a stairwell in Headley Grange, with the microphone at the top, just to get the right sound. The harmonica is recorded with a backwards echo, where the echo actually comes before the sound of the harmonica.
Actually, it was Robert Plant on the harmonica. I thought I had heard it was him years ago, but just so you know, I had to look it up just now to confirm. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/When_the_Levee_Breaks#Personnel
Let's be honest how many bands can you pull anyone on their albums and play any one of their songs and be blown away. This is the reason why they were considered the greatest rock and roll band of all time.
That song " When the Levee Breaks" was a blues song originally recorded by Memphis Minnie and Joe Mccoy in 1927 because of the Great Mississippi flood...." The blues is the roots the rest is the fruits", greeting from COLOMBIA ( South America) ...cheers!🍻
I believe that Ryan and George do read some of this and/or do some research after they hear the tune, but F T is right, the song is by Lizzie "Memphis Minnie" Douglas and Wilbur "Kansas Joe" McCoy in 1929 about the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927. Knowing the roots of this tune will help Ryan and George better understand what they were hearing both musically and lyrically. This one is a gem that really captures a very specific place and time in history and tells a story. Those are my favorite songs and why I love the blues, it's visceral.
Check out Zep's version of "Gallows Pole," another favorite of mine. The origins of the song are centuries old with countless variations. Zep may have known the song, being from Europe, but they really reworked the Leadbelly's "Gallis Pole" recorded sometime during the 1930s and Fred Gerlach's from 1962 or so. Those two together made the song what you hear today.
Rock owes everything to Jazz and the blues. I grew up on classic rock but as I got older I fell in love with the blues. Zep does several great sounding blues songs.
Where did Jazz and Blues players learn their instruments, chords, etc? Much is rightfully made of the influence of these genres on rock- and for some reason it stops there. Nothing has ever made of the influence of Irish and Scottish music, the Mountain music that came from that, the cords and techniques used with these instruments that far predate Jazz and Blues, it's almost like music is an art form where people hear something and then pick it up and repeat it
Blues, Jazz, and Spirituals began by cross cultural interpretations of the African sensibilities on European music and vice versa. Interpreting European music with African instruments like banjo, and interpreting African folk with European instruments. A truly American artform. Polyrhythms polyrhythms polyrhythms.
I’m child of the 80’s and grew up listening to classic rock. So I don’t remember listening to so many classics for the first time. It’s great living vicariously through you guys!
Sean Mathers exactly. Plus when I heard these songs for the first time it was just cheap radio sound quality. I really like reactions with good sound quality, because I have not heard the musical intricacies before on a lot of old music, until some reaction videos. I wish this one had better sound quality for those of us listening/watching. But it is obviously good enough for them, as it was for me, in my youth.
Led Zepplin was looked down on by other big time rock bands like the Rolling Stones. They didn't appreciate their style of music. The fans saw it differently, they fell in love with Zeppelin. When you mentioned that their music was "dirty" it made me smile. I always referred to them as dirty blue eyed soul. They could bring the soul that other white bands couldn't do, but at the same time they could rip a solid hard rock song. A powerhouse band in their day.
@@joshdriscoll9323 the entire British invasion was based on American black music, so singling out any one band is short-sighted. Anyway, we all got some great music out of it, regardless of who was the original.
"Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie in 1929. The song is in reaction to the upheaval caused by the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927." This is a BLUES song.
Is it weird to be proud of some dudes you don't even know? 😂You guys are doing it! Great channel, and you are about 3 songs away from not being hip hop heads listening, but just rock fans. Watching the channel reminds me of how i got into rock as a black kid....I've been drumming and playing in bands for 4 years now, but you guys are there. You identify the same parts/ feelings that turned my ear. It's cool to see
Tron Carter, agree 100%. As a white guy who has listened to rock all my life I am gaining an appreciation for rap, hip hop, etc. listening to these guys helps me hear thing I’ve missed all along! Love this channel!
Symptom is a great track! I actually did a cover of it with Vinny Appice (Sabbath's second drummer) if you're interested you can hear it here ua-cam.com/video/XIPiEjPinsI/v-deo.html #shamelessplug
Recorded in a stairwell in a house, because that's how they could get that "height" and sound to the drums. And because I've not seen it mentioned, John Bonham is the drummer (aka - Bonzo). Man, if you love drummers, you know John Bonham.
Black Dog is the Band playing at 9/8 while John Bonham was playing at 4/4. Who in the World can do that and make it actually work? Only the God-Man Drummer John "Bonzo" Bonham!
Even Prince said ‘Zep were the only group I listened to that wrote songs in color.’ I believe it’s that expanse of knowledge in music that everyone had at that time that made great artists. Not just Top 40 but having a variety. A journalist once remarked that when he walked by John Bonhams hotel room he heard Al Green playing then Otis Redding followed by Gene Krupa and punk rock. That mix of shade will always be beneficial to any musician if you’re open to it
FYI guys-EVERY SONG BY ZEPPELIN IS FIRE. They never made a bad song. Ever. For some songs that show their versatility check out: No Quarter, Going to California, Babe I’m Gonna Leave You, and Ten Years Gone. Also, the drummer, John Bonham, in my opinion, is one of the greatest drummers of all time. King of the heavy, pounding, primal beats at 1 1/4 time, powerful with a masterful display of letting go while being totally in control at the same time, taking it right to the edge and looking down with a wink and smile. A true original, no one sounds like Bonham but Bonham. The same can be said for each member of the band. Individually they are/were abundantly talented and unique, but when they came together, collective genius that became legend. Greatest band of all time.
John Cornell I Could not agree more!! I love every song they ever did, but Stairway has been so over played it’s not really a go to listen for me anymore. In fact it kinda pisses me off when people say “oh I LOVE Zeppelin-they do Stairway to Heaven, right?” I’m like if you love Zeppelin you would know that already, and it would be the last song you would talk about with someone else who loves Zeppelin😉I love Zeppelin and every song you mentioned. Add Tangerine, Thank you, In the Evening, and Bring it on Home, and I’m coming over LOL.
The song gets it’s very elongated sound due to the fact that it was actually played in the studio much much faster. The genius was Jimmy Page knew what he wanted the song to sound like, but in slow motion. That’s also what gives the drums that echo effect. That, as well as what other comments mentioned about the Headley Grange stairwell. They also used something called reverse reverb. This was all groundbreaking stuff at the time.
I was born in '64 and had three older brothers. Those older brothers had a nice stereo and Led Zeppelin II and this album were what I would listen when I came home from school. Then I was introduced to ELP, Hendrix and many others. It was a great time to grow up for music.
...I do believe it's true" ~ Styx. ;-) BTW - how appropriate the CygnusX1 in MsCygnusX1 to reply - Rush is one of my faves, I've seen them in concert more than any other band, I've spent countless hours being "schooled" on guitar trying to learn Lerxt's chops - AND Cygnus X1, from the first time I heard it, became my favorite (among man great) Rush songs. I almost wet myself when they fired off the instrumental part of the song on their final tour. :-D
mpactdesignmedia Rush is my heart!!!😊💙 Seen them 12 times, landed my number 1 bucket list item during their final tour and finally saw them from the front row. Yes!! Finally hearing Cygnus X1 live left me awestruck. I was only ever able to master tracks like Rivendell and In The End. Good times, for sure. Rush and LZ will always amaze me. 🌌🌠
John Bonham on drums with his huge 26inch bass drum, Jimmy Page on his guitar in an open blues/slide tuning, John Paul Jones thundering away on the bass, and Robert plant singing his ass off and wailing away on his harmonica!!! It doesn't get any better in my books. Zeppelin were famous for taking old blues tunes from the Mississippi Delta/deep south and injecting raw power and deep grooves into these old blues tunes. FYI, the intro drum beat to this song and the beat from "Funky Drummer" are the most sampled drum beats in the history of recorded music! A truly amazing and powerful tune indeed!!! Nice pick guys!!
This drumbeat has been sampled a billion times on early hip hop albums. The most prominent being the Beastie Boys on the "Licensed to Ill" album on the track "Rhyming and Stealing" So, good catch :) *Edit
i love hearing it with dr dre's "lyrical gangbang" but i loved the song before that it is my favourite i bang to this shit daily, love how it sounds after going to california where you have a light beautiful piece, then all of a sudden my house shakes from the bass drum hahah
That whole album (ZOSO) is tremendous. It is too bad the label gives you such a hard time about doing this reaction. Us old farts grew up with Zep and really enjoy the music. It must be fun for you to discover this for the first time. A lot of old Zep stuff is straight up blues. Have fun with this.
I wish I have never heard a zeppelin song and could hear all their songs for the first time. Not saying I can’t listen still I just wanna know that feeling of hearing it for the first time. Same goes for Neil Young.. such a beautiful song writer
Not always, Zeppelin touched all different types of musical styles, including their own. Zeppelin created a class of their own. In the words of Jimmy Page "I'm not a FUC*ING blues guitarist, I'm a GUITARIST." The rest goes for of the band, they weren't a blues band or a rock band, they were just as much as a super sonic boogie woogie soul band...They were the one and only.
John Bonham is the key. He can lock down the groove no matter how complicated the beat is. Let's the rest of the band do crazy stuff like play in 12/8 over a 4/4 swing beat (Fool in the rain) or play a "stomp groove" - 3/4 over 4/4 beat (Black dog). Once the groove is locked down the rest of the great artists in the band can experiment with all types of different techniques to give different feeling to each tune.
IMHO they're all around the best rock band of all time. Led Zeppelin doesn't really have many weak songs, and the band itself is an the All-Star team of talented artists thrown into one band- all members are extremely talented and put out 10 amazing albums.- they have a lot of versatility in there sound between albums. I go through phases of which album is my favorite. Led Zeppelin 2 is probably my favorite right now- 'the Rain Song' is my favorite song by them. If you guys enjoy harmonica, I highly recommend 'TAKE THE LONG WAY HOME' by Super-Tramp amazing classic rock song. Y'all are fun to watch btw!
True fact!!!!!! Without jazz and blues those there would be no rock. I love seeing black Americans discovering Led Zeppelin who was inspired and imitated American Blues. Its so perfect.
The story of John Bonham recording the drum track of "When the Levee Breaks" is told by Greg Milner in his book, "Perfecting Sound Forever". Milner says, "The band wants Bonham's drums to have a booming, reverb heavy sound...they place the drums at the bottom of a stairwell with the microphone hanging 3 stories up". You're right it sounds dirty. They're literally crying the blues from the bottom of a well. Love your take on this classic!
They were very creative for sure ! Mics were placed in a chimney, under the stairs and in a hallway too. I read this way back in the 1980s in a magazine - and that there was a microphone hanging down from and bathroom ceiling and into a toilet bowl as well. I'm either right on my recollection of the magazine article and these details or dead wrong and I dreamed these details up - once, while sleeping.
John "Bonzo" Bonham, the drummer, was the backbone of the group. He was crazy good on the skins. People usually look to Jimmy Page, guitarist, and Robert Plant, singer and harmonica, as the main members of the group. But the band is not complete without every member. John Paul Jones, bass and keyboard, is wicked good as well. After Bonzo's death, they knew that the band was finished. You have to check out Moby Dick live for example of drum skills. I also recommend the Lemon Song to see the brilliant display of bass playing by Mr. Jones.
This song was written by a husband and wife duo in 1929 about the great Mississippi flood. Led Zep just zeppified it to perfection.
Came here to say this. Thanks!
@EricBaumgartner Yes! Thank you!
Did not know
The Memphis Minnie and Kansas City Joe version is very different on appearance, but not. I like both. I was surprised how much the Led Zeppelin remake sounded similar.
You beat me to it. And George heard it too
The song is based on the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927. Original song written and first recorded by Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie in 1929.
Janet Mayer I can only hope Ryan & George read this post.
RIP Wilbur "Kansas Joe" McCoy & Lizzie "Memphis Minnie" Douglas
Thanks for the info, going to look him up!
What?Led Zeppelin not writing an original song?I'm shocked XD
Yes but also, obviously, works metaphorically.
The drum beat is one of the backbones and most sampled beats in hip hop.
Most notably Rhymin' & Stealin' by the Beastie Boys.
"Midnight" by Ice T too. Both songs sample Black Sabbath as well.
And Kim by eminem
The guitar riff from Sweat Leaf by Black Sabbath is sampled in Rhymin' & Stealin'.
@@hansvandermeulen5515 Ah yes my first thoughts exactly
The singer Robert Plant plays the harmonica in on this track.
No way, I didn't know that! Wonderful! Plant is a gem. Absolute icon.
@@tjbrock2799 nope..it was Plant
@@Cinder_311 As we say around here (Planty is a local guy... Met him several times), That fella plays a mean gob-iron.
Robert played it. @@tjbrock2799
@@neilandfiBOSTIN!
Saying it "sounded like the Mississippi back water" is probably the greatest compliment you could give to the members of Zeppelin They would love that, and feel humbled if I know anything about them.
The original song was about the Great Mississippi flood of 1927. It was performed by Memphis Minnie, a big time Mississippi Delta blues musician. The song literally is straight out of the Mississippi backwater. They nailed it perfectly
Bonham's beats were used long before Kanye. Going back to the 80's
Chris Kavanagh yes!!!
@Marc8533 lyrics in blues has always been interchangeable to area. Shit has been that way for decades.
@Marc8533 You can make a case about swiping material from other artists and I won't argue with you, but don't you dare stand there and tell me Led Zeppelin were not talented.
Besides, they had their own copyright fight on their hands years later when hip-hop artist started sampling their shit, also without credit. So what goes around comes around. There are only twelve notes in the western musical scale, and if you listen to enough music, you will certainly hear a combination of those twelve notes that you've heard before.
Robert Plant, the leader singer, played the harmonica as well.
Damn rite. If you want to hear the greatest harmonica solo ever. Nobody's fault but mine
Camden Or the live version of Bring it on Home from how the west was won
J. K., One of may favorite wall of sound moments, when the rhythm section comes in
Camden Harper how many more times, bring it on home
According to the wikipedia entry, "Page recorded Plant's harmonica part using the backward echo technique, putting the echo ahead of the sound when mixing."
theres a reason why zeppelin ruled the world at one time.....their collection of music is untouchable
still rule
Lighter up
When the Levee Breaks isn't their song. It's by Memphis Minnie (old blues artist). Zeppelin covered it on their 4th album.
@@marc8828 a lot of old blues songs were covered by the 70s generation(clapton, zep,jimmy)and i see no problem with it, but wish more people new about the roots!
@@Tykostr I never said there was a problem with it though. I was just replying to D Alcala clarifying that it isn't their song (because some people think it is). Still one of my favorite covers ever.
When the Levee Breaks is actually one of the most sampled songs in hip hop, historically speaking. It do be a hip hop beat.
This should be played at high volume, preferably in a residential area
That's next to a river...
I allways play Zep loud theres no other way
This deserves more likes.
Dre. Lyrical Gangbang Intro
🤣🤣🤣
Harmonica player is Robert Plant, by the way
He definitely sounds awesome at it.
RP is a great harmonica player, check Nobody's Fault but Mine!
I wish more bands played a harmonica. It's sick!!
Watched him play this once while working s a stageand, and even ended up with the harp.
Hell yeah!
"Anyone that's playing a harmonica, something bad happened". 😂
Gold. Keep shining guys!
😅
Listen to the harp on " Nobody's Fault But Mine" about a heroin addict ( Jimmy).
Robert Plant played the harmonica, but all those guys were multitalented. Jimmy
Page can play anything with strings. John Bohoum could play anything you could hit and John Paul Jones could just play anything. All fantastic!
Was mighty blessed to see Zepplin do this live in 1973. I was 19. Now, I'm 64 and love this song as much now (if not more) than when I was a teenager. I have watched this video many times because your reactions to this classic are priceless. Good on y'all for being open to so many genres of music :)
Necessary: Private Industry to make Self Driving Bulldozers/other large equipment with Drilling apparati to push a nuclear weapon down to their computer bunkers that are 1 mile under mountains.
Deborah, I am envious of you.
LZ did not play this in 1973. They only played it a total of 4 times, with all of them happening in January 1975. So, unless you saw them in Holland, Belgium, Minnesota or Chicago, then you would not have heard it.
@@unclenam137 I saw them in Minneapolis, MN in January. Perhaps I do have the year wrong, but the only person I can try to verify this with is my ex-husband and we haven't spoken in decades. At any rate, if I am incorrect about the year, it was not done intentionally. Have a blessed day :)
Nice One Deborah, Must Have Been Amazing! 🐝
When the Levee Breaks was recorded in a stairwell of Headley Grange in rural Hampshire, England. A mansion, built in 1795, that used to be a potters house, an orphanage and a vocational center over the years. Bonham, the drummer, sat in a booth at the front entrance and cranked away on the drums while the rest of the band played around him on the stairwell. It was a Blues Song about a Mississippi Flood in the 1920's. An absolute classic. They recorded most of the Led Zeppelin IV album at the mansion, as well as some parts of their other albums. It was vacant at the time and they rented it out specifically to record the album. They said it was a very damp, haunted and cold mansion with a lot of history, and they loved returning to the site.
True story. That stairway is included in a documentary on Zep.
There wasn’t a booth. John had just got a new drum set and set it up in the entrance way and began playing with it. Jimmy heard it and grabbed microphones. The mics were brought up 4 flights of stairs and THAT is were the thundering echo comes from.
@@dylanhealy8126 they used a box that Jimmy had brought. Thats what gives it the echo.
@@69JayBee A box?
And no it was mics hanging in the stairwell, but only on the 2nd floor, not 4th like I originally said
@@dylanhealy8126 The tone and reverb of those drums comes from the mic positions in the stairwell, yes, but they DID sweeten it up with an echoplex, that's where the actual slapback echo sound comes from, so it's not all 100% natural as legend supposedly has it. Great drum sound, though.
Zeppelin to me, is the greatest Rock band to grace us.
I always say the same thing
Correct answer.
How many hours did I spend, high, with the cans on full blast, listening to Zep when each album (yes, they were albums) came out? This band simply cannot be beat for lyrical artistry and musical talent.
AGREED
i think TOOL is
When the drummer, John Bonham died, the band said we cannot continue. Best BAND EVER.
There are a lot of better bands
@@loveexposure3351 LOL
@@UUCCACPCProtectionTeamUnit What is funny?
@@loveexposure3351 Such as?
@@akerman79 Slowdive, Radiohead, My Bloody Valentine, Velvet Underground, King Crimson, Swans and many more
"When the Levee Breaks" is a blues song written and first recorded by husband and wife Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie in 1929. The song is in reaction to the upheaval caused by the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927.
"When the Levee Breaks" was re-worked by English rock group Led Zeppelin as the last song on Led Zeppelin IV, released in 1971. The lyrics in Led Zeppelin's version, credited to Memphis Minnie and the individual members of Led Zeppelin,[1] were partially based on the original recording. Many other artists have also recorded versions of the song or played it live.
Thank you Wikipedia
ua-cam.com/video/vFBpqR7eLc4/v-deo.html
Thank you from saving me from having to do all that heavy lifting to explain the history of this legitimate blues song.
I think Katrina and the events that followed brought this song into the 21st century.
Yes, a lot of the British rock bands were HEAVILY influenced by American blues, they were into it before even a lot of American rock groups were.
Yes. I heard Robert Plant loved American Blues
This was literally written by Mississippi blues artists
Led Zeppelin wouldn't exist without American blues. Nor would the Stones.....and so many more.
Peace!
We took it from you guys, America forgot about the superb black American blues players and music. Yet in the UK we loved it! Re invented it in different format and brought it back. Rolling Stones et all
@@YoYo_Ma Rock n roll, Jazz, Heavy Rock wouldn't exist without black American blues.
One does not simply call the great John bonham A drummer, he's THE Drummer
The naysayers would say Keith Moon
But those that really know say Bonham.
Love Zeppelin I do but for me personally it is Levon Helm all day
Bonzo IS king, but the holy trinity for me will always be him, Moon, and Neil Peart.
@@gnomesaiyan1680 Keith and John are drummers. Neil's a percussionist! But love 'em all!
One name Neil Peart
I love Bonzo, but Ginger Baker is hands down the greatest drummer of all time.
Both Robert Plant a John Bohnam had a huge background in studying and playing blues. If you're not familiar, listen to their first 4 albums, specifically. Love what you guys are doing. I'm a Tool fan, Jazz fan, and a lover of music in general. I love that you two are stepping outside of your comfort zone and severely checking out other genres. Music is the only common language between all humans.
John Bonham's intro on this song When the Levee Breaks is one of the most powerful drum intros ever.
It was actually recorded from down a stairwell
@Imran Khan About half of Dr. Dre's catalog, too.
Joh. Bonham= ultra level G
@Imran Khan yep the Beastie Boys on the map that drum fill right there. And I love the Beastie Boys they played their own instruments man they were awesome and at the time they came out everybody that was into for that type of music wanted to be them just awesome.
Vann Lindsey the drum track was recorded at the bottom of a stairwell in Jimmy Page’s old mansion.
Those brits took the American based blues rock n roll music- refined, fine tuned and perfected it & gave it back to us.
Apparently when Kansas went over to UK they wanted to learn the kind of prog things British musicians were doing but the Brits just wanted to hear any blues they knew.
old school blues is perfect already.
@@ddehggial9932 delta blues are good, but chicago blues are better.
Lotsa Brit bands fr the 60s did that in the 70s.
I agree their version of when the Levi breaks is a great peace of music the hamoica is real good on vinyl which I have the original ledzepp 4 an treasure it
So funny how they're kinda scared to say the drums sound like a hip hop beat, when in fact Bonham's drums on "When The Levee Breaks" is probably the most sampled backbeat in all of hip hop. They've probably heard that drum intro a hundred times in modern hip hop tracks....because it's the BOMB! My favorite Zeppelin song ever!
Billy Squire's the Big Beat is the most sampled rock song.
Hah! Allright then Steve. Well, I did say "probably" the most sampled beat. Thanks for the scoop, I'll put that to use at the round of next bar trivia for sure.
Levee has been sampled in 182 songs, most notably Kim by Eminem and Rhymin’ and Stealing by Beastie Boys. Big Beat has been sampled in 282 songs, most notably 99 Problems by Jay Z and Girl on Fire by Alicia Keys. The actual winner is Amen, Brother by The Winstons which has been sampled in 2,945 songs, most notably in Straight Outta Compton by NWA and (yes, you’re reading this right) the Futurama theme song. Settled. With research.
Amen Brother by The Winston's is, by far, the most sampled breakbeat
Steve Merrin - Alot of people put Billy down but I think he's a badass.
My all time favorite Led Zeppelin song. It's IMPOSSIBLE to not like this track.
Saw the title. Knew I had to get here quick before Led Zeppelin comes and takes it haha great review!
Zeppelin, like all of the early British hard rock bands that gave birth to heavy metal (e.g. Black Sabbath, Cream, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin) were basically filtering American blues back through an amplified guitar tone.
“When the Levee Breaks” is an even more direct reflection of this influence, as it’s a straight-up reworking of the 1928 blues song of the same name by the American blues artists “Kansas Joe” and “Memphis Minnie”, and it’s about the Great Mississippi Flood of the 1920s (I want to say 1925?).
Great review, love the channel!
I think 1927.
Yeah it's crazy how american artists had such a profound effect on Britain. That British artists mimicked their style and would in the future, influence american artists. Everything comes full circle
(Looks it up) - You are correct, sir!
@@B355Y even outside of blues rock in the 60s, the back and forth between the Beatles and the Beach Boys both being heavily inspired by the other and then trying to one up each other with each new album. And that's how we got Sgt Pepper's and Pet Sounds, both being very easily arguable as the best albums ever. It was a whole community thing, music transcends borders and countries, its the universal language
@@duffman18 exactly. I couldn't agree with you more
The drums at the beginning are one of the most famous breaks in hip hop...
chaz exactly! It’s the opening track on License to Ill from the Beastie Boys. It’s like these guys have zero music history! Don’t get me wrong I like their channel, but dudes did you guys grow up under a rock???
one of the most famous breaks ever
Coldcut, Beats and pieces
My son plays this song on the drums and can't get enough of it.
Eh The ghost of Neil Peart would disagree
Still the greatest drum track ever recorded. And Zeppelin's absolute high point
"Whoever played the harmonica" - it was Robert Plant. I love the enthusiasm these guys display though. I once heard this track come booming out of a bar - I was out in the street and you could hear those motherfucking drums over the traffic noise, it was beautiful . Bonham was a monster.
Yes he was❤
That's when those drums hit yo soul
Cool description, I can totally see the scene you described!
May I introduce you to the
GREATEST rock drummer ever,
Mr. John Bonham!!!!!!
May you live forever
and a day.
Rest in peace.
Lora Rolins Neil Peart?
Power drummer. Bobham kills it! His fills are nasty and that kick would have sent the Germans off the Somme. Love it! But I’m going with Peart on technical precision.
I would agree with you on
Neil, but, when Bonham was even halfway sober, his own precision would hold up.
A GOOD example is
"Good times, bad times".
Neil Peart and John Bonham are the best drummers rock has ever seen,both have a lot in common, but they are also as different as night and day.
One just simply makes it look and sound hard,
The other is the
Hammer of the Gods!!!!!!
John Bonham was great, but if you're talking about "rock" drummers, I wouldn't ever leave out Danny Carey. even if you don't like Tool's music, he's an absolute magician, and especially original.
Great reaction guys
Not many know the song was written in 1929 by Memphis Minnie it was about the Mississippi River flooding over in 1927.
There are I think a few Led Zeppelin songs that they can't block because simply they are not their songs
This would be one Dazed and Confused was originally done by The Yardbirds.
Another Channel did that and it wasn't blocked. It was the live version
Please do more Zeppelin one of my all-time favorite bands
Peace✌😎
Ron Sevon Dazed and Confused ripped off by Page with Yardbirds - lol. Jake Holmes laid down that riff and some of the lyrics.
the lyrics were written by minnie... not the music which is 80% of the song
When the Mississippi flooded in 1927, it covered an area the size of Scotland.
Actually it was oringinally recorded by Memphis Minnie AND Wilbur "Kansas Joe" McCoy in 1927
Thanks for defining some of the things i left out.
A few different people have covered the song in every band has its own sound.
I also like a perfect circles version 2
"Swampy" might be the word you gents were looking for.
Swampy is totally the word for this, but can anyone explain why my mind associates these sounds with a swamp?
@@LindysRuffians It's easy to associate swamp rock with the deep American south, mostly because the instruments used, like the harmonica, are prevalent in those parts of the country (like Mississippi, etc). In the deep south, what can you also frequently find? Gators and swamps, baby.
One of the awesome things about Zep is that you can listen to a zep album and hear straight blues songs, celtic folk songs or rock songs, they had a very wide eclectic style
Yes!!!!! No Quarter is my favorite 2nd fave Achilles last stand. Bottom line they had magic there compositions were beyond amazing. May sound silly but just talking about there music gives me chills.
@@Mr_Numberman you got in on Zeppelin's Magick qaulity. Jimmy Paige bought Aleister Crowley's house on the south-east side of Lake Loch Ness called Boleskine Manor and did some recording there.
@@knightscroftsquire-muldoon sorry dude no LZ tracks were ever recorded in Crowleys house !
drums were done at headley grange using some echo equipment.
An edited version. Rubbish.
Such a classic. Great one guys! Their BBC sessions is phenomenal
The early days and in Denmark _Robert's voice has that raw screamin power of expression you can REALLY feel!
Amber S That BBC sessions CD is top drawer
"When the Lebee Breaks" has more legendary guitar riffs packed into 1 song than most bands have in their entire catalog! One of my all time favorites. Great review guys!
If you guys would react to Zeppelins song “In my time of dying” you will forever be changed 💙🎸🎸🎤💙 I promise.
@VickieRay ANOTHER U.S.blues songs Plant said they "borrowed" "Jesus, Make Up My Dying Bed". Link:
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_My_Time_of_Dying
ohioshirey I’ve seen that before 😉
In the Light
@@theohioshirey no one cares
@@ryanmiskin8925 Apparently THEY DO according to multitudes of prior comments
Uhhh It IS blues, dudes! These lyrics were written in 1927 by Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie. First four Zep albums were full of heavy blues. This is just Mississippi blues electrified.
Reason the beat “sounds hip hop” is because it’s one of the most sampled beats ever. Beastie Boys sampled this in “Rhymin & Stealin” which is probably where you first heard it.
The harmonica player who is rippin’ it up is Robert Plant - the lead singer. As is typical for most blues outfits.
Cmon dudes, dig in to the history! “Rock” is just what when a bunch of white dudes, a lot of them from England, fell in love with the music of Black America!
I actually didn’t know all this! Thanks for the info :)
TRUTH
Well said man
Great Mississippi Flood of 1927
Preach on bruh! These youngsters & even ole school dudes, need to know the history of where this all started! Straight up! I'm not being rude whatsoever! Lil bit of truth, will take a long way before considering leavings comments!
"Hound Dog" is a twelve-bar blues song written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. Recorded originally by Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton on August 13, 1952, in Los Angeles and released by Peacock Records in late February 1953, "Hound Dog" was Thornton's only hit record, selling over 500,000 copies, spending 14 weeks in the R&B charts, including seven weeks at number one. Thornton's recording of "Hound Dog" is listed as one of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's "500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll", and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in February 2013.
If you ask anybody if they've ever hear "Hound Dog"? 99% are gonna tell ya it's an Elvis Presley song! JS... Rock on brothers & sisters! It's all good.
🤘🤘🤘
Bonhams drum track was recorded in a stairwell to get that “dirty” sound. RIP Bonzo, god wanted drum lessons so he called him home 😢
Binson Echorec, 2 x beyer 160's halfway up the staircase and a shit load of compression, it was also described by Andy Johns as more of a small hotel lobby rather than a stairwell, Andy Johns is the guy who actually set it all up, there is a lot of crap talked about this not least by Page who wasn't even there when the drum track was recorded.
@@RushfanUK perfect
It did use a echo device though, Rick beato explains this on his channel
Or the devil...:) lol
He teaching stutter kicks to jesus now
They used backwards echo on the harmonica. Genius move, the echo comes before its origins. Page was a master producer.
Yes he was!
Ask the people he stole stairway to heaven from
@@caseywalker1714 stole? It's been tried in court, I recall... yet, isn't "influenced" or something, more 'in the spirit of music' kind of a thing feel better? If music is stolen, then Mozart, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Greig, etc etc need to come back & collect there royalties!! Hahaha
@@carysatch The went to court paid for stealing it then had a non-disclosure agreement put in. I'm sure you believe Elvis wrote/played/or maybe came up with Hound Dog... It has went on forever. Research publishing and it works & you might get why some of the people who know (like me) have a bitter taste about this type of behavior
@@caseywalker1714of course there are countless cases of the same, I'm reminded of The Doors battle over "Light My Fire" ... yet the thing about music can be amorphous; Robert Plant really enjoyed hearing Dred Zeppelin, he said it was "wonderful", yet never mentioned any animosity over them re-interpreting their music.
Imitation is the greatest form of flattery!
Also, thanks for the reply, I just see music as more intrinsic by nature, and much less proprietary.... almost spiritual, meant for sharing, not owning. Flexible, maliable, and symbiotic for BOTH player and listener.
We are all only vibrations really... similar to music... each our own version of the same song.
Thanks again! Keep on ROCKIN!
Fun fact, this song gets that dreary melancholy timbre because after all instrument tracks were recorded, they were slowed down before Plant laid down the vocals over it. Super cool sound from the minds of Page and Eddie Kramer
Cool bit of trivia, thanks! Love the vibe of this song
"When the Levee Breaks" is a country blues song written and first recorded by Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie in 1929. The lyrics reflect experiences during the upheaval caused by the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927.
This is correct. Many never realized Zepplin stole many old songs to modernize them to the new blues of the day. Like this one, many do not know this song exists.....
ua-cam.com/video/hs5kK1c1MTI/v-deo.html
Erik Knudsen levee wasn’t stolen. It was already credited since beginning. Check out. The song parts they blatantly took and got sued are on the first two albums. But not this. It was properly credited since the beginning.
Erik Knudsen I won’t call that stealing. I would rather say they made that crap a 100 times better. No one really cares who stole what. Music is all that matters. And they most took lyrics anyways.
@@Terk131 they stole prolifically
@@Andey1954 BS--they directly stole the tunes
These two guys are the coolest, reviewing legendary music that truly unites us as people, enjoy my brothers
To get that drum sound; Bonham was just messing around with a small drum kit outside the studio near a stairwell, which gave the drums a layered eco effect. The other members liked it so they recorded the drums there for the effect.
Jeff Frank wrong. it's a big kit. big sizes 26 inch bass drum. big toms. and hi tuning
it's not just the reverb
Bonzo played the drums in the stairwell of Headley Grange and the engineer picked up the booming sound with microphones above said stairwell, on the third floor. Very creative and the results were epic.
Big drums, recorded in a hallway right off of the big foyer at Headly Grange. What a sound.
The high ceiling that give them that reverb was replicated for decades afterwards, with people trying to record drums in elevator shafts, etc. Almost all the drums in the 80's had a huge echo because of this song and album.
Notice that the drummer is in a different meter than the rest of the band. It is incredible. John Bonham is an animal.
The vocals are all over the place but eventually come together on the 4. This track is mathematics
Every member of Led Zeppelin shines in every song, just that some members have songs where they take the lead.
Since I've Been Loving You is one of my favorite Zeppelin songs, it's a brilliant blues piece and I think you guys would love it
Yes! They really need to listen to that one!
John Bonham's drums on this song has been sampled numerous times in hip/hop and other genres. Also, this song was originally released by Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie, and is about the Great Mississippi flood in the first half of 1927. Loved your reaction! And you're right, these reviews spark new life into the music, introducing a whole new generation of people, and people who wouldn't normally give it a chance! Keep up the great work, guys!
Lisa M. Altemose I totally agree with you
Thanks for the info on the song...I didn't know that and I love Led Zep
This is awesome. If you ever do more Zeppelin.
- Ten Years Gone
- Going To California
- Since I've been loving you
- The Rain Song
- Hey Hey, What can I do?
- Dazed and Confused
Some of my favorites. You've probably heard whole lotta love, Black Dog, Heartbreaker, Stairway, and Immigrant song (their biggest hits)
Gamerman Matt You sir know exactly what your listening to sir I love all the records you named then some
How bout Ramble On, What is and What Should Never Be, Battle of Evermore(with Sandy Denny).....
The Rover
Yes!! Ten years gone!!
Fool in the rain. Misty Mountain Hop. Good times bad times. In my time of dying. really any Led Zeppelin song is worthy of a reaction/review
Thats robert plant on the harmonica..hes the singer also and a friend.
I believe that is harmonica recorded and played backwards. Trippy
@@monkeyman49100 probably is
I was wondering who was playing that. Thank you!
Well said at the start.
I had never heard this song until you did this reaction, now listening to all Led's albums.
Gavin Petrie welcome to the club! You will be hooked for life! I’ve been listening to them since I was a wee child, thanks to my aunts and uncles.
I bought Zepllin 1 in 1969 at 19. Been lovin them ever since. At first I was, "what the heck was thst?". IDK better listen again. Enjoy. Lots of great tunes...go all the way back and have a great musical journey
Good decision!
I’m so envious, Gavin. I discovered Zeppelin at 12 or 13. (51 now.) I then bought the entire catalogue, one or two albums at a time. Getting to know every record was an adventure. When you get to Physical Graffiti, you’ll never come back. I’d give anything to experience that again. Enjoy.
trust me youll be hooked. i have been since my dad introduced them to me at 8 years old.
Harmonica was done by Robert Plant
...and Robert P crushed it!
I've been watching a lot of these reaction videos recently and I'm getting a lot of affirmation that quality will tell.
No matter what your background, the legendary groups are legendary for a reason.
Well put!
Standing the test of time is the greatest accomplishment anyone can achieve . Musical acts , athletes , actors , etc . You can tell the difference between legacy and hype , after time has been tested . Most fail , very few pass .
Excellent point
I feel very lucky to have this music be the soundtrack of my youth and LOVE seeing people experience it for the first time. It was a time where music told stories and musicians played with so much passion. Bonham's drum track on this was groundbreaking.
My favourite Zeppelin tune. Hands down. Greatest end to an album ever. Period. Amazing album, amazing exit.
Daddy Pobbin i love it, but u dont think achilles last stand is better?
There are probably 20 Zeppelin songs that someone could name as their favorite, and I would have zero arguments. Achilles Last Stand is one, but my favorite is When the Levee Breaks simply because it sounds like it could have come from their first 2 harder rock albums or from Physical Graffiti where they get deeper into blues, but it’s smack in the middle on IV. Perfect song imo.
His name is Mr. John Henry Bonham. Best not forget it my friend.
Tre Taylor 😊👏🏼♥️
Thank You 🙏🏻 Stacey
Bonzo, the human metronome
Tre Taylor aka God of The Drums
Hell Yeah!!
"any time you hear a harmonica, something bad happened" Thats one of the best quotes ive heard in a long time.
We have Ennio Morricone to thank for that
lmao so true
YES!!!!!
Endless shout outs & eternal mad props to Wilbur "Kansas Joe" McCoy & Lizzie "Memphis Minnie" Douglas, the original songwriters & performers
Amen
Led Zeppelin 4 is the shit! Misty Mountain Hop, Black Dog, Stairway, and literally every song on that Album help define music as we know it today! Epic choice, all time favorite without a doubt!
In the sixty and seventy I listen to great Motown music as I got older I discovered Led Zeppelin. So glad to see young blacks discovering the music of my teens. You guys are right Zeppelin was a true blues band. Great job.
One of Zep's best! The drums were setup at the bottom of a stairwell in Headley Grange, with the microphone at the top, just to get the right sound. The harmonica is recorded with a backwards echo, where the echo actually comes before the sound of the harmonica.
centuryrox if im not mistaken john bonnom the drummer played the harmonica
Actually, it was Robert Plant on the harmonica. I thought I had heard it was him years ago, but just so you know, I had to look it up just now to confirm.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/When_the_Levee_Breaks#Personnel
I did not know these specific things. Thank you!
Jimmy Page is an amazing producer, in addition to his songwriting abilities.
When The Trivia Breaks.
:-)
That drum beat, has been sampled in countless hip-hip songs. So yes! It is a “boom bap” beat! Hail John Bonham!
Here before it gets taken down 😂
Good Music savage
yup
This drum sound has been sampled many times for hip hop, it's so big and powerful.
I love watching you guys experiencing, for the first time, the music I grew up listening to.
Keep it going!!!
Welcome to the brilliance of John Bonham and Robert Plant.
Each member is extraordinarily talented right?
@edb081904 beat me to it, that man played some hellacious riffs in that time
not that JPJ wasn't f'n brilliant too.
Let's be honest how many bands can you pull anyone on their albums and play any one of their songs and be blown away. This is the reason why they were considered the greatest rock and roll band of all time.
@@Benny6968 Yep right on. That's why they were called the "mighty Led Zeppelin".
That song " When the Levee Breaks" was a blues song originally recorded by Memphis Minnie and Joe Mccoy in 1927 because of the Great Mississippi flood...." The blues is the roots the rest is the fruits", greeting from COLOMBIA ( South America) ...cheers!🍻
I think I read this somewhere. That it was about a real flood in the past. So I'm pretty sure you are correct on this statement. Good job brotha.
ua-cam.com/video/swhEa8vuP6U/v-deo.html The original itself.
I believe that Ryan and George do read some of this and/or do some research after they hear the tune, but F T is right, the song is by Lizzie "Memphis Minnie" Douglas and Wilbur "Kansas Joe" McCoy in 1929 about the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927. Knowing the roots of this tune will help Ryan and George better understand what they were hearing both musically and lyrically. This one is a gem that really captures a very specific place and time in history and tells a story. Those are my favorite songs and why I love the blues, it's visceral.
Oh, wow, I didn't know that. I know they stole/borrowed early blues tracks, but thought this one was an original based around delta blues.
Check out Zep's version of "Gallows Pole," another favorite of mine. The origins of the song are centuries old with countless variations. Zep may have known the song, being from Europe, but they really reworked the Leadbelly's "Gallis Pole" recorded sometime during the 1930s and Fred Gerlach's from 1962 or so. Those two together made the song what you hear today.
Rock owes everything to Jazz and the blues. I grew up on classic rock but as I got older I fell in love with the blues. Zep does several great sounding blues songs.
Gerhard Braatz by that logic all music owes everything to bongo drums
No it doesn't. Rock takes plenty from forms of music that aren't Jazz or Blues.
Gerhard Braatz I agree with you. My personal favorites by Zeppelin are any of their “blues influenced” songs
Where did Jazz and Blues players learn their instruments, chords, etc? Much is rightfully made of the influence of these genres on rock- and for some reason it stops there. Nothing has ever made of the influence of Irish and Scottish music, the Mountain music that came from that, the cords and techniques used with these instruments that far predate Jazz and Blues, it's almost like music is an art form where people hear something and then pick it up and repeat it
Blues, Jazz, and Spirituals began by cross cultural interpretations of the African sensibilities on European music and vice versa. Interpreting European music with African instruments like banjo, and interpreting African folk with European instruments. A truly American artform.
Polyrhythms polyrhythms polyrhythms.
Listen to “Since I’ve been loving you” from Zeppelin!!!!
That is my favorite one😍
Damn good rec, that song is like a sledgehammer to drywall. Way overpowered tool for the job.
I’m child of the 80’s and grew up listening to classic rock. So I don’t remember listening to so many classics for the first time. It’s great living vicariously through you guys!
Sean Mathers exactly. Plus when I heard these songs for the first time it was just cheap radio sound quality. I really like reactions with good sound quality, because I have not heard the musical intricacies before on a lot of old music, until some reaction videos. I wish this one had better sound quality for those of us listening/watching. But it is obviously good enough for them, as it was for me, in my youth.
John Bonham, baby. The best and nastiest drummer ever.
Nasty as hell. So fucking good
Followed by Kieth Moon
Even Neal Pert idolized him.
kelly sorrentini Keith is number 1 in my book.
Bonham and Danny Carey are my two favorites
Led Zepplin was looked down on by other big time rock bands like the Rolling Stones. They didn't appreciate their style of music. The fans saw it differently, they fell in love with Zeppelin. When you mentioned that their music was "dirty" it made me smile. I always referred to them as dirty blue eyed soul. They could bring the soul that other white bands couldn't do, but at the same time they could rip a solid hard rock song. A powerhouse band in their day.
1lxpg The Stones are still great, though. Never got the hate, however. Zeppelin was amazing.
Kieth still bashes them. Still jealous.
Don't forget that half-a-sissy, Eric Clapton, said they played too loud.
Maybe it was because Zep ripped off all their idols.
@@joshdriscoll9323 the entire British invasion was based on American black music, so singling out any one band is short-sighted. Anyway, we all got some great music out of it, regardless of who was the original.
"Dazed and Confused", my dudes. REACT TO IT (if you haven't heard it already).
So awesome!! Another one of my favs by Zep !!
"Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie in 1929. The song is in reaction to the upheaval caused by the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927." This is a BLUES song.
you can hear it here:
ua-cam.com/video/swhEa8vuP6U/v-deo.html
Is it weird to be proud of some dudes you don't even know? 😂You guys are doing it! Great channel, and you are about 3 songs away from not being hip hop heads listening, but just rock fans. Watching the channel reminds me of how i got into rock as a black kid....I've been drumming and playing in bands for 4 years now, but you guys are there. You identify the same parts/ feelings that turned my ear. It's cool to see
Tron Carter, agree 100%. As a white guy who has listened to rock all my life I am gaining an appreciation for rap, hip hop, etc. listening to these guys helps me hear thing I’ve missed all along! Love this channel!
Black Sabbath - Fairies Wear Boots
Yes yes yes!
Cadinho Meireles another great metal blues song!
And the wizard!
The time changes in that! I'd rather hear 'Symptom of the universe,' because it's so brutal, but turns pretty at the end.
Symptom is a great track! I actually did a cover of it with Vinny Appice (Sabbath's second drummer) if you're interested you can hear it here ua-cam.com/video/XIPiEjPinsI/v-deo.html #shamelessplug
Loved seeing this reaction, and lost it at "When you hear a harmonica, something bad happened". So true 😂🤣😅
This is the most sampled drum beat in history! Look it up its been sampled the most times of any song haha
According to www.whosampled.com/Led-Zeppelin/When-the-Levee-Breaks/, 176 songs, but probably way more than that hahaha
Recorded in a stairwell in a house, because that's how they could get that "height" and sound to the drums.
And because I've not seen it mentioned, John Bonham is the drummer (aka - Bonzo). Man, if you love drummers, you know John Bonham.
Nope. Amen Brother is the most sampled by far.
Next to Sara Smile by Hall and Oates..
Wilt Chamberlain Wow I never knew that? Many thanks for sharing...
Black Dog is the Band playing at 9/8 while John Bonham was playing at 4/4. Who in the World can do that and make it actually work? Only the God-Man Drummer John "Bonzo" Bonham!
Three diverse, seasoned, virtuoso musicians, and creative geniuses.
Tool is another. Lots of polyrhythms
And Danny Carey of Tool.
try Tool and finally Meshuggah
His time on this is almost reggae. One and three time. Not the usual back beat
Led Zep - Song remains the same - since I’ve been loving you What I show people to show the power of Zeppelin!
This was the end credits song in The Big Short as a musical metaphor for the collapsing financial system. It was the perfect choice!
Even Prince said ‘Zep were the only group I listened to that wrote songs in color.’ I believe it’s that expanse of knowledge in music that everyone had at that time that made great artists. Not just Top 40 but having a variety. A journalist once remarked that when he walked by John Bonhams hotel room he heard Al Green playing then Otis Redding followed by Gene Krupa and punk rock. That mix of shade will always be beneficial to any musician if you’re open to it
Beastie Boys used that beat for a song on their first album
Rhymin and Stealin
That's actually where I first knew it from, although I do believe that I had heard this song first.
This drum beat, with the guitar riff from Black Sabbath's Sweet Leaf
And Dr Dre and enigma
FYI guys-EVERY SONG BY ZEPPELIN IS FIRE. They never made a bad song. Ever. For some songs that show their versatility check out: No Quarter, Going to California, Babe I’m Gonna Leave You, and Ten Years Gone. Also, the drummer, John Bonham, in my opinion, is one of the greatest drummers of all time. King of the heavy, pounding, primal beats at 1 1/4 time, powerful with a masterful display of letting go while being totally in control at the same time, taking it right to the edge and looking down with a wink and smile. A true original, no one sounds like Bonham but Bonham. The same can be said for each member of the band. Individually they are/were abundantly talented and unique, but when they came together, collective genius that became legend. Greatest band of all time.
John Cornell I Could not agree more!! I love every song they ever did, but Stairway has been so over played it’s not really a go to listen for me anymore. In fact it kinda pisses me off when people say “oh I LOVE Zeppelin-they do Stairway to Heaven, right?” I’m like if you love Zeppelin you would know that already, and it would be the last song you would talk about with someone else who loves Zeppelin😉I love Zeppelin and every song you mentioned. Add Tangerine, Thank you, In the Evening, and Bring it on Home, and I’m coming over LOL.
I know it's blasphemous, but I like TOOL's cover of No Quarter better than the original...
I love zeppelin but they defo some bad songs hot dog and carouselambra come to mind
And In my time of dying.
I appreciated that when they came back together to do one concert, they used Jason Bonham. The only good choice.
Rebecca Hopkins no quarter is my FAVORITE. I agree. Led Zeppelin never made a bad song
The song gets it’s very elongated sound due to the fact that it was actually played in the studio much much faster. The genius was Jimmy Page knew what he wanted the song to sound like, but in slow motion. That’s also what gives the drums that echo effect. That, as well as what other comments mentioned about the Headley Grange stairwell. They also used something called reverse reverb. This was all groundbreaking stuff at the time.
Plus all the foil John stuck in the bass drum.
I was born in '64 and had three older brothers. Those older brothers had a nice stereo and Led Zeppelin II and this album were what I would listen when I came home from school. Then I was introduced to ELP, Hendrix and many others. It was a great time to grow up for music.
mpactdesignmedia Yes!!! The glory days of album rock on FM and vinyl. Those were the best times. 😊📻🎶🎶🎶
...I do believe it's true" ~ Styx. ;-) BTW - how appropriate the CygnusX1 in MsCygnusX1 to reply - Rush is one of my faves, I've seen them in concert more than any other band, I've spent countless hours being "schooled" on guitar trying to learn Lerxt's chops - AND Cygnus X1, from the first time I heard it, became my favorite (among man great) Rush songs. I almost wet myself when they fired off the instrumental part of the song on their final tour. :-D
mpactdesignmedia Rush is my heart!!!😊💙 Seen them 12 times, landed my number 1 bucket list item during their final tour and finally saw them from the front row. Yes!! Finally hearing Cygnus X1 live left me awestruck. I was only ever able to master tracks like Rivendell and In The End. Good times, for sure. Rush and LZ will always amaze me. 🌌🌠
John Bonham on drums with his huge 26inch bass drum, Jimmy Page on his guitar in an open blues/slide tuning, John Paul Jones thundering away on the bass, and Robert plant singing his ass off and wailing away on his harmonica!!! It doesn't get any better in my books. Zeppelin were famous for taking old blues tunes from the Mississippi Delta/deep south and injecting raw power and deep grooves into these old blues tunes. FYI, the intro drum beat to this song and the beat from "Funky Drummer" are the most sampled drum beats in the history of recorded music! A truly amazing and powerful tune indeed!!! Nice pick guys!!
Benjamin Danter jj
weading wikipedia much Monseuir!
Love VH.... maybe some Bruce or Jovi..im a Jersey/brooklyn girl!🤗
This drumbeat has been sampled a billion times on early hip hop albums. The most prominent being the Beastie Boys on the "Licensed to Ill" album on the track "Rhyming and Stealing"
So, good catch :)
*Edit
License to Ill
It was the opening to License to Ill, not Paul's Boutique
Was gonna mention that but figured SOMEONE would have. Actually i would have been disappointed if no one did! Lol
BassasaurusRex yup
i love hearing it with dr dre's "lyrical gangbang" but i loved the song before that it is my favourite i bang to this shit daily, love how it sounds after going to california where you have a light beautiful piece, then all of a sudden my house shakes from the bass drum hahah
Y'all are almost to a Fuckin
MILLION Subscribers.
Y'all deserve it.
That whole album (ZOSO) is tremendous. It is too bad the label gives you such a hard time about doing this reaction. Us old farts grew up with Zep and really enjoy the music. It must be fun for you to discover this for the first time. A lot of old Zep stuff is straight up blues. Have fun with this.
I wish I have never heard a zeppelin song and could hear all their songs for the first time. Not saying I can’t listen still I just wanna know that feeling of hearing it for the first time. Same goes for Neil Young.. such a beautiful song writer
Another great reaction video... I was gonna break out my Harmonica but then I didn't want some bad shit to happen so I just left it in the box.
lol!
Ken Vance never break your harmonica. It is a great instrument. It is used in all kinds of music. For great harmonica listen to John Popper.
When the levies did break, during Katrina, this song was in my head during all the sad newscasts of that time.
Same. I can't hear this song without thinking about it
Been listening to this song for twenty years and never took it so literally until u guys. Cryin an prayin aint gonna do you no good
Bonzo was the best drummer EVER! Led Zeppelin is a blues driven group from A-Z. They always have a blues vibe.
Charisse Linnell-Morton Danny Carey Tool....Bonham but more athletic, big and powerful💯
Not always, Zeppelin touched all different types of musical styles, including their own. Zeppelin created a class of their own. In the words of Jimmy Page "I'm not a FUC*ING blues guitarist, I'm a GUITARIST." The rest goes for of the band, they weren't a blues band or a rock band, they were just as much as a super sonic boogie woogie soul band...They were the one and only.
2nd after Ringo.
@@GOOD-oc9kk Hah not even close. Ringo fit the bill for what he did, but yeah, not even close.
@@MichaelRCarlson Well if not Ringo then it must be either Karen Carpenter or Sheila E.
John Bonham is the key. He can lock down the groove no matter how complicated the beat is. Let's the rest of the band do crazy stuff like play in 12/8 over a 4/4 swing beat (Fool in the rain) or play a "stomp groove" - 3/4 over 4/4 beat (Black dog). Once the groove is locked down the rest of the great artists in the band can experiment with all types of different techniques to give different feeling to each tune.
Apparently, most drummers play Rock and Roll wrong. It's got this lurking shuffle that they miss.
Well said A G
Some just don't get it. I do and it's hard to explain.
He's one of the greats
Fool in the rain is Awesome
IMHO they're all around the best rock band of all time. Led Zeppelin doesn't really have many weak songs, and the band itself is an the All-Star team of talented artists thrown into one band- all members are extremely talented and put out 10 amazing albums.- they have a lot of versatility in there sound between albums. I go through phases of which album is my favorite. Led Zeppelin 2 is probably my favorite right now- 'the Rain Song' is my favorite song by them. If you guys enjoy harmonica, I highly recommend 'TAKE THE LONG WAY HOME' by Super-Tramp amazing classic rock song. Y'all are fun to watch btw!
Take the long way home is such a good song
If im correct they stopped playing for a long time after Bonham died.
I would wholeheartedly like to thank the black community for inspiring groups like Zep to make this amazing music
True fact!!!!!! Without jazz and blues those there would be no rock. I love seeing black Americans discovering Led Zeppelin who was inspired and imitated American Blues. Its so perfect.
Howlin Wolf.... Muddy Waters... long long list... all American music is black music
@@kikivon3501 For real, almost all of the best Rock bands take great inspiration from old blues, jazz, and funk musicians.
@@izatafactnow Yeah, well, you're not wrong... all the good music, anyway ^___^
@@izatafactnow utter rubbish. That's ignoring all the input from, to name a few, immigrants from Ireland, Scotland and England
The story of John Bonham recording the drum track of "When the Levee Breaks" is told by Greg Milner in his book, "Perfecting Sound Forever". Milner says, "The band wants Bonham's drums to have a booming, reverb heavy sound...they place the drums at the bottom of a stairwell with the microphone hanging 3 stories up". You're right it sounds dirty. They're literally crying the blues from the bottom of a well. Love your take on this classic!
good book - I liked the deep dive on Thomas Edison and the early days
They were very creative for sure ! Mics were placed in a chimney, under the stairs and in a hallway too. I read this way back in the 1980s in a magazine - and that there was a microphone hanging down from and bathroom ceiling and into a toilet bowl as well. I'm either right on my recollection of the magazine article and these details or dead wrong and I dreamed these details up - once, while sleeping.
Whoa! Adding that to my reading list
It's everything you need to know about how audio recording and reproduction became part of the culture.
and an echo machine.
watch?v=XZYDDX1DHDU
Bonham.
That's it.
No need to say anything else.
It sounds like the blues because it is a blues song. The original version was recorded in 1929 by Memphis Minnie.
Didn't even realize that till I saw the songwriter was Joe McCoy... explains alot!
ua-cam.com/video/swhEa8vuP6U/v-deo.html
The original flood song.
I always thought that harmonica in the intro sounded like freight train horn sounding. I love this song!
John "Bonzo" Bonham, the drummer, was the backbone of the group. He was crazy good on the skins. People usually look to Jimmy Page, guitarist, and Robert Plant, singer and harmonica, as the main members of the group. But the band is not complete without every member. John Paul Jones, bass and keyboard, is wicked good as well. After Bonzo's death, they knew that the band was finished.
You have to check out Moby Dick live for example of drum skills. I also recommend the Lemon Song to see the brilliant display of bass playing by Mr. Jones.