Led Zeppelin (album)
From Free net encyclopedia
Led Zeppelin, released on January 12, 1969 (see 1969 in music), was the first album by the British rock band Led Zeppelin. The groundbreaking music and recording techniques displayed on the album are today considered as one of the most impressive and important debuts in rock, creating an entirely new interpretation of the genre. The album established Led Zeppelin's then-unique dynamic, from their fusion of blues and rock to the integral contributions from each of the group's four musicians. Though all of these elements would later be developed, the album was the blueprint Led Zeppelin continued to follow for the rest of their career.
Led Zeppelin created a large and devoted following for the band. Their then-unique proto-metal and psychedelic sound endeared them to a section of the counterculture on both sides of the Atlantic. Though the album has since been overshadowed somewhat by its follow-up, Led Zeppelin II, music critics still consider it a classic to this day.
Despite the conceptual originality displayed on the album, it included three songs composed by others: "You Shook Me" and "I Can't Quit You Baby," both by blues artist Willie Dixon; and "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You." Regarding the last of these, at the time guitarist Jimmy Page mistakenly believed he was adapting a traditional folk song, but this was corrected on subsequent rereleases after it was revealed that the song actually was composed by Anne Bredon in the 1950s. Dixon, on the other hand, received proper credit as the composer of his two songs on this album (although "You Shook Me" later would be additionally credited to J. B. Lenoir); but he would go on to sue the band over the partial use of other material of his on the band's second album.
"Dazed and Confused" (the album's centerpiece) begins with a slow-tempo bluesy rhythm, then changes to faster tempo during the darkest part of the song, followed by a furious Page guitar solo before finally returning to the initial rhythm. John Bonham's drumming linked with John Paul Jones' electric bass playing also define the song's power and intensity. When Led Zeppelin performed "Dazed and Confused" live, it would gradually be extended in duration (up to 40 minutes by 1975) as a multi-section improvised jam. Jimmy Page would also play the guitar strings with a violin bow, a technique developed and adapted by Page during his years a studio guitarist, and later in his performances of this song during the latter days of The Yardbirds.
Robert Plant's voice and singing technique was very unusual compared to rock lead singers of the 1960s such as John Lennon, Mick Jagger and others. His voice gave a unique sound to this new band, and later became one of the most influential on rock singers in the 1970s and beyond. He also played harmonica on the bluesier Zeppelin songs.
Led Zeppelin demonstrated a wider range of textures and shades than just loud, amplified electric riffs. A tabla player accompanied Jimmy Page on the acoustic guitar instrumental "Black Mountain Side". "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" and "Your Time Is Gonna Come" also feature Page's acoustic guitar work.
Jimmy Page was known to use natural room ambiance to enhance the reverb and recording texture of this record. The album was recorded on an analog 4 track machine which also helped to give the record a warm sound.
The cover features an artfully manipulated version of the most famous photograph (originally from UPI) of the Hindenburg disaster. Further originality in album cover art and packaging would be developed on the band's subsequent releases.
In 2003 the TV network VH1 named Led Zeppelin the 44th greatest album of all time.
Contents |
Track listing
- "Good Times, Bad Times" (Bonham/Jones/Page) 2:46
- "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" (Bredon) 6:41
- "You Shook Me" (Dixon/Lenoir) 6:28
- "Dazed and Confused" ((Holmes)/Page) 6:26
- "Your Time Is Gonna Come" (Jones/Page) 4:14
- "Black Mountain Side" (Page) 2:05 [instrumental]
- "Communication Breakdown" (Bonham/Jones/Page) 2:27
- "I Can't Quit You Baby" (Dixon) 4:42
- "How Many More Times" (Bonham/Jones/Page) 8:28
Robert Plant was participating in songwriting, but wasn't given credits due to unexpired contractual obligations.
Personnel
- Jimmy Page - Acoustic, electric, and pedal steel guitar, backing vocals, producer
- Robert Plant - Vocals, harmonica
- John Paul Jones - Bass guitar, organ, keyboards, backing vocals
- John Bonham - Drums, tympani, backing vocals
- Viram Jasani - Tabla
- Chris Dreja - Back liner photo
- George Hardie - Cover design
- Glyn Johns - Engineer, mixing
- Peter Grant - Executive producer
Chart positions
Billboard Music Charts (North America) - singles
1969 Good Times Bad Times Pop Singles No. 80
External links
| Led Zeppelin |
|---|
| John Bonham · John Paul Jones · Jimmy Page · Robert Plant |
| Discography |
| Studio Albums: Led Zeppelin · II · III · Image:Zoso.png (IV) · Houses of the Holy · Physical Graffiti · Presence · In Through the Out Door · Coda
Live Albums: The Song Remains the Same · BBC Sessions · How the West Was Won |
| Films |
| The Song Remains the Same · Led Zeppelin DVD |
| Other |
| Peter Grant · Swan Song Records · The Yardbirds · XYZ · The Firm · Page and Plant |
bg:Led Zeppelin (албум) cs:Led Zeppelin I de:Led Zeppelin (Album) es:Led Zeppelin (álbum) fr:Led Zeppelin (album) it:Led Zeppelin (album) hu:Led Zeppelin (album) nl:Led Zeppelin (album) ja:レッド・ツェッペリン I pl:Led Zeppelin (I) pt:Led Zeppelin (álbum) ru:Led Zeppelin (альбом) fi:Led Zeppelin I sv:Led Zeppelin (musikalbum)