Led Zeppelin “Whole Lotta Love” Is It a Cover?
loI have heard Robert Plant say that Led Zeppelin’s technique for songwriting was to throw all types of music in a blender and see what comes out. I love Led Zeppelin. They have a ton of jams and I am definitely a fan. I’ve heard Led Zeppelin referred to as “The band that never wrote a bad song.” Was the statement sarcasm since they didn’t write a significant amount of their songs? This piece focuses on Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love.” Is it a cover? Honestly, yes and no.
Lyrically, “Whole Lotta Love” is a cover.
Led Zeppelin definitely borrowed heavily from the Blues. The lyrics for “Whole Lotta Love” are based on a 1962 Muddy Waters song. The song, “You Need Love,” was written by Willie Dixon. Dixon’s lyrics include:
I ain’t foolin’, you need schoolin’
Baby, you know you need coolin’
Woman, way down inside
Reaching a settlement in 1985 with Willie Dixon, this was not the only time Led Zeppelin had to write a check. “Bring It On Home” was credited to Willie Dixon after another legal entanglement with Led Zeppelin.
Robert Plant admitted he took the lyrics in an interview with Musician Magazine, “Page’s riff was Page’s riff. It was there before anything else. I just thought, ‘Well, what am I going to sing?’ That was it, a nick. Now happily paid for.”
Musically, “Whole Lotta Love” is an original.
“Whole Lotta Love” has an intense drum base. Jimmy Page is known for his creative sound techniques. This song showcases that statement. Recorded at the Olympic Studios in London on an 8-track, the room had 28-foot ceilings. They used the space to set up microphones in creative places. Jimmy Page told the Wall Street Journal, “For the song to work as this panoramic audio experience, I needed Bonzo to really stand out so that every stick stroke sounded clear and you could really feel them.” The thought was that if they had the drum sound right, everything else would follow.
Jimmy Page was a creative tour de force on “Whole Lotta Love.” Jack White says that Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love” has “some of the greatest notes ever played.” Innovative musical techniques and extreme creativity made this song legendary.
I wouldn’t change a thing about the song, but I don’t love that Jimmy Page was magnificent and beyond creative in the making of this track, yet Robert Plant just “nicked” the lyrics for his part in the song. Plant’s vocals are stellar, without a doubt, but appropriating lyrics kinda bums me out… especially since Plant did it repeatedly. Most of the time he asked for forgiveness rather than permission. I still think Robert Plant is an amazing lead singer. Led Zeppelin collectively made 92 songs for the world of rock. Solo, Robert Plant also has enjoyed a very successful career post-Led Zeppelin.
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