Dude, I was about 14 years old, just lost my mom and grew-up listening to all Motown artist. By-the-way, I'm black and grew up on the westside of Chicago. I was spending time with my Aunt whom was dating this guy that left music at her place. He came over one night and played "Black Dog" and just like you, I said "WHAT THE ---- IS THAT"!! It was the most amazing thing I had ever heard!! I heard Guitars doing something I've never heard, a bass playing a bottom in a way that was monstrous, but thrilling, drums doing what??? (I was a drummer).....and to top all this-off with creative vocals! I had to know all those guys names right away!!! I found-out later that this was their 4th album, so I had to know about what came before that one which I did and it made me appreciate this one more!! In Grammer & High school my black friends thought a was a madman for listening to Led Zeppelin, but as I played things from their later works such as "All of my Love" my friends began to understand why I liked this band. Funny how later when I had kids my 16 year old (whom hated the music of my time) came-up to me and asked "Dad, have you heard of this band called Led Zeppelin"? I pulled-out my collection and she went crazy!! We'd developed an even closer bound. Interesting how things work. If you have any Questions, pls feel free to write. I really appreciate what you do man. keep it rolling
I’m an old white guy. Was in college in the 70s. Although there were racial tensions back then, in some ways, I think it’s worse now. Back then, we didn’t give a crap what color the artist was. We listened to white British groups, and white American groups, but we also had Jimi and reggae and MoTown and blues and Marvin and Bill Withers. We had an extraordinary variety. Groups from Australia, Germany, Sweden. About the only stuff we hated to admit liking was disco, the Osmonds, Pat Boone, and Barry Manilow. We had hard rock, acid, progressive, heavy metal, and on and on. We had Hispanic influenced Santana. Bob Marley, Living Colour, etc. And we didn’t give a shit about anything except “does it stir your soul?” It’s too bad people feel pigeonholed into “socially acceptable genres” now. Just my two cents.
I saw an interview with JPJ talking about this song ..he had a lot to do with its structure ...he said they wanted to do a song that would be very difficult for other bands to replicate..try to stay on beat it keeps changing throughout the song..he even discussed the structure with his father who is also accomplished musician
Black Dog is one of my top ten songs but so are most of the other LZ songs. Some are more awesome than others but truthfully, there are no bad LZ songs.
This is an “old white woman” who was in college in the late sixties, when all this massive good music was around. I heard in an interview with Robert Plant many decades later, that during the first years of touring America they had mixed audiences. After the assassination of MLK that completely changed. He expressed sadness at that fact, saying that music should bring people together. Instead, rock, metal, punk, grunge, metal, all became “white music”.
This is my favorite Led Zeppelin song. I am a 49-year-old white lady when I was young it was uncool for me to like pop musicI just Owned it and I’m glad I did. It’s hard but I’m glad you did saying I like this is a good thing. Thank you for the reaction. Loved it❤️👍😃
I am an older white guy, graduated from high school in"72, and am still impressed with the soul and rock legends known as Led Zeppelin! But just love that this generation has alot of appreciation for this awesome music even now!
I remember being very young and listening to Physical Graffiti for the first time-on cassette. Not knowing the order of the songs yet. Every song sounded like it had it's own personality. I still remember listening to it while Micheal and I were playing Dungeons and Dragons in his bedroom-which was on the 3rd floor attic.It was a weekend and I was spending the night and his mom kept yelling up the stairs for us to turn it down. Ahhhh...to be young. Good times.
I first heard this and thought that the timing was so bizarre that I dismissed it...at first. Then, after repeat listening I warmed up to it and embraced the complexities. Then I realized it all made sense, musically, and really dug it. However, the live version off of How the West Was Won is paralyzing....just a juggernaut of raw power that floors me every time!
I would rank this in their top ten songs. 10. Whole Lotta Love 9. The Rain Song 8. That's the Way 7. Black Dog 6. Ramble On 5. Since I've Been Loving You 4. Kashmir 3. Stairway to Heaven 2. When the Levee Breaks 1. Ten Years Gone
Create comments about how black folks weren't supposed to like LZ. The ironic thing about it is that LZ absolutely worshiped American black performers.
I got into Zep in '68 after I bought a used portable Lear Jet 8-track tape deck with my paper route/bus boy money. The older guy I bought it from threw in a bunch of tapes and I heard Zep for the first time. I was hooked immediately. When this song came out in '71 I was a senior in high school and all I could think about was getting in the shorts of a drop dead gorgeous girl I wss dating. Watched her honey drip and couldn't keep away! Never got past shortstop despite the song. Regret that to this day. God she was hot and this music did nothing to cool my jets.
I was raised on Top 40 radio, so my tastes were all across the board & I had very vast appreciation of all genres -- but I was in junior high school right at the moment when the music segregation BS hit its peak in the wake of the Rock vs Disco civil war. You had people on both sides who couldn't admit to liking music from the other side
Having been born in '63, with 3 older siblings, my taste have a wide range. Being a singer/keyboardist, guitarist, their influences on me were very important. Curious how old you are. Love the depth of your reactions brother! Oh, I'm a white guy. I love funk rock, blues, classic rock and occasionally, classic. Black Dog was a huge song in my early teens.
This song is allegedly inspired by Muddy Waters' album "Electric Mud". At least, that's what JPJ said inspired the riff. I've also heard that it could have actually been Howlin' Wolf's Howlin' Wolf Album.
You're always right on target. I love me some Hendrix, Clapton and SRV BUT Page always played what a "budding young guitarist" like me thought "That's exactly what I woulda played"
Is Black Dog my favorite Led Zeppelin song? No. But, the album it comes from, Led Zeppelin IV, is my favorite Zeppelin album. My favorite Zeppelin song comes from that album, When The Levee Breaks. Your father's too, right? I was born between the release of Led Zeppelin IV and Houses Of The Holy. The first Zeppelin song I heard was Fool In The Rain. I've always been a casual fan. I had their Physical Graffiti album. I knew the standards they played on the radio. Recently, they've become one of my favorite bands and it's because good music is good music. And, in my opinion, their music is pretty damn good most of the time!
Dude, I was about 14 years old, just lost my mom and grew-up listening to all Motown artist. By-the-way, I'm black and grew up on the westside of Chicago. I was spending time with my Aunt whom was dating this guy that left music at her place. He came over one night and played "Black Dog" and just like you, I said "WHAT THE ---- IS THAT"!! It was the most amazing thing I had ever heard!! I heard Guitars doing something I've never heard, a bass playing a bottom in a way that was monstrous, but thrilling, drums doing what??? (I was a drummer).....and to top all this-off with creative vocals! I had to know all those guys names right away!!! I found-out later that this was their 4th album, so I had to know about what came before that one which I did and it made me appreciate this one more!! In Grammer & High school my black friends thought a was a madman for listening to Led Zeppelin, but as I played things from their later works such as "All of my Love" my friends began to understand why I liked this band. Funny how later when I had kids my 16 year old (whom hated the music of my time) came-up to me and asked "Dad, have you heard of this band called Led Zeppelin"? I pulled-out my collection and she went crazy!! We'd developed an even closer bound. Interesting how things work. If you have any Questions, pls feel free to write. I really appreciate what you do man. keep it rolling
I’m an old white guy. Was in college in the 70s. Although there were racial tensions back then, in some ways, I think it’s worse now. Back then, we didn’t give a crap what color the artist was. We listened to white British groups, and white American groups, but we also had Jimi and reggae and MoTown and blues and Marvin and Bill Withers. We had an extraordinary variety. Groups from Australia, Germany, Sweden. About the only stuff we hated to admit liking was disco, the Osmonds, Pat Boone, and Barry Manilow. We had hard rock, acid, progressive, heavy metal, and on and on. We had Hispanic influenced Santana. Bob Marley, Living Colour, etc. And we didn’t give a shit about anything except “does it stir your soul?” It’s too bad people feel pigeonholed into “socially acceptable genres” now. Just my two cents.
I saw an interview with JPJ talking about this song ..he had a lot to do with its structure ...he said they wanted to do a song that would be very difficult for other bands to replicate..try to stay on beat it keeps changing throughout the song..he even discussed the structure with his father who is also accomplished musician
Black Dog is one of my top ten songs but so are most of the other LZ songs. Some are more awesome than others but truthfully, there are no bad LZ songs.
This is an “old white woman” who was in college in the late sixties, when all this massive good music was around. I heard in an interview with Robert Plant many decades later, that during the first years of touring America they had mixed audiences. After the assassination of MLK that completely changed. He expressed sadness at that fact, saying that music should bring people together. Instead, rock, metal, punk, grunge, metal, all became “white music”.
This is my favorite Led Zeppelin song. I am a 49-year-old white lady when I was young it was uncool for me to like pop musicI just Owned it and I’m glad I did. It’s hard but I’m glad you did saying I like this is a good thing. Thank you for the reaction. Loved it❤️👍😃
In live performances of this song, there was always a “call and response” segment......during the “ah, ah” part.
always on the radio early 70`s..
A question. No, a statement. No - a question. Perfect. It is a rhetorical question.
I am an older white guy, graduated from high school in"72, and am still impressed with the soul and rock legends known as Led Zeppelin! But just love that this generation has alot of appreciation for this awesome music even now!
love this song
Favorite Zeppelin track, In The Light.
I remember being very young and listening to Physical Graffiti for the first time-on cassette. Not knowing the order of the songs yet. Every song sounded like it had it's own personality. I still remember listening to it while Micheal and I were playing Dungeons and Dragons in his bedroom-which was on the 3rd floor attic.It was a weekend and I was spending the night and his mom kept yelling up the stairs for us to turn it down. Ahhhh...to be young. Good times.
I first heard this and thought that the timing was so bizarre that I dismissed it...at first. Then, after repeat listening I warmed up to it and embraced the complexities. Then I realized it all made sense, musically, and really dug it.
However, the live version off of How the West Was Won is paralyzing....just a juggernaut of raw power that floors me every time!
LZ IV hell of an album, as always great review.
My 3rd favourite album of all time
I would rank this in their top ten songs. 10. Whole Lotta Love 9. The Rain Song 8. That's the Way 7. Black Dog 6. Ramble On 5. Since I've Been Loving You 4. Kashmir 3. Stairway to Heaven 2. When the Levee Breaks 1. Ten Years Gone
love all of those tbh
What was the first Zeppelin song that STB watched a live performance? I’d love to watch his first glimpse of them performing live....
The top ten isn't big enough to hold all my favorite Zep tunes. It's hard to choose.
I have at least 30 on my list 🤣
Create comments about how black folks weren't supposed to like LZ. The ironic thing about it is that LZ absolutely worshiped American black performers.
And don't forget that black folk didn't like blues music saying that it was the devils music
I got into Zep in '68 after I bought a used portable Lear Jet 8-track tape deck with my paper route/bus boy money. The older guy I bought it from threw in a bunch of tapes and I heard Zep for the first time. I was hooked immediately. When this song came out in '71 I was a senior in high school and all I could think about was getting in the shorts of a drop dead gorgeous girl I wss dating. Watched her honey drip and couldn't keep away! Never got past shortstop despite the song. Regret that to this day. God she was hot and this music did nothing to cool my jets.
1971...awesome
It is in my top ten. Bingo.
I was raised on Top 40 radio, so my tastes were all across the board & I had very vast appreciation of all genres -- but I was in junior high school right at the moment when the music segregation BS hit its peak in the wake of the Rock vs Disco civil war. You had people on both sides who couldn't admit to liking music from the other side
Have you watched/listened to Kashmir - live Celebration Day version with Jason Bonham drumming? Robert's voice amazing so strong; band plays so tight.
Having been born in '63, with 3 older siblings, my taste have a wide range. Being a singer/keyboardist, guitarist, their influences on me were very important. Curious how old you are. Love the depth of your reactions brother! Oh, I'm a white guy. I love funk rock, blues, classic rock and occasionally, classic. Black Dog was a huge song in my early teens.
This song is allegedly inspired by Muddy Waters' album "Electric Mud". At least, that's what JPJ said inspired the riff. I've also heard that it could have actually been Howlin' Wolf's Howlin' Wolf Album.
Well stated response
You're always right on target. I love me some Hendrix, Clapton and SRV BUT Page always played what a "budding young guitarist" like me thought "That's exactly what I woulda played"
Is Black Dog my favorite Led Zeppelin song? No. But, the album it comes from, Led Zeppelin IV, is my favorite Zeppelin album. My favorite Zeppelin song comes from that album, When The Levee Breaks. Your father's too, right? I was born between the release of Led Zeppelin IV and Houses Of The Holy. The first Zeppelin song I heard was Fool In The Rain. I've always been a casual fan. I had their Physical Graffiti album. I knew the standards they played on the radio. Recently, they've become one of my favorite bands and it's because good music is good music. And, in my opinion, their music is pretty damn good most of the time!
need to listen to this version with Alison Krauss
top 5
STB....back where he belongs!
Not in the top ten. Great song but written and released as a pop song. Many other album cuts are more remarkable.