When the Levee Breaks

[DRS]

Still a masterpiece.
Still blows my mind after 47 years
Crank this and Enjoy!

 

[WordMan]

I’m in!

 

[Sam Hill]

Led Zep was never my favorite band, and I believe Jimmy Page would gladly steal the pennies off a dead man's eyes, but damn if some of his arrangements didn't sound amazing and gigantic, and WtLB is a perfect example. The man was a wizard in the studio.

 

[GulfportBound]

I’m in!

Stop right there!

/thread

 

[NorCal_Val]

Always liked this version as well;

 

[tonewoody]

A fantastic example of effective mixing. (Zeppelin version)

Intro drums, cranked, massive... memorable.

Vocals come in, drums fall back in the mix leaving space but somehow the 'massive drums' manage to stay in the listeners mind.
A brilliant production sleight of hand.

 

[NorCal_Val]

And a cool use of an echo unit on the kick drum.

 

[datguytim]

Still sounds as fresh as it did 45 years ago to me. Always magical & deep.

 

[ant_riv]

Well, the subject of borrowing or influenced seems quite straightforward and unarguable.

However, the ingenuity of incredible interpretations is also unarguable.
It’s a shame they didn’t cite appropriately, but I sure am glad for the music produced.

 

[T Dizz]

I think I first heard that drum beat on the opening to the 1st Beastie Boys record. I hadn't become a Zep fan as of then...I was only 11 though

 

[I Am Misery]

I think I first heard that drum beat on the opening to the 1st Beastie Boys record. I hadn't become a Zep fan as of then...I was only 11 though

same here, though my parents had 'Led Zeppelin IV' and i'm sure i had heard it on the radio at some point by then. same with 'The Ocean', which they used on 'She's Crafty'. Sabbath too, never heard 'Sweetleaf' until a few years later.

 

[Texsunburst59]

Here's a WTLB cover my son sang lead on a few years ago.

This was recorded at a local college studio.

 

[BatChainPuller]

I really like this rendition, based on Memphis Minnie:

 

[teleman1]

As I have brought my analyses on the Reality of Zep. I have pointed out the the first two albums were fantastic.But that exhausted their talents quite a bit. They couldn't follow Jeff Beck anymore, but their albums continued. There were however always one or 2 outstanding cuts amongst the filler. Funny my two favorite zep song are about water; The Levee & The Ocean

 

[rauchman]

As I have brought my analyses on the Reality of Zep. I have pointed out the the first two albums were fantastic.But that exhausted their talents quite a bit. They couldn't follow Jeff Beck anymore, but their albums continued. There were however always one or 2 outstanding cuts amongst the filler. Funny my two favorite zep song are about water; The Levee & The Ocean

Pure subjectivity.....

Here's my subjectivity....

I don't agree with your assertion, as LZ III is a fantastic "album", as is LZ IV (Zofo), actually, just about all of LZ's albums are great albums. They all bring something different. Don't buy that the 1st two LZ albums were Jeff Beck clones either. LZ III and LZ II are my fav's, although the rawness of LZ I is crazy good too.

On topic....
As others have said, Page was a wizard in the studio. Every song of every album has it's own identity sonically.

 

[teleman1]

From the new release, "Dolly does Zep" out this fall.

 

[zep41]

This is one of those Zeppelin tracks that you could listen to 100 times, yet still hear something "new" the 101st time.

 

[supergenius365]

Played that song with a 1 off band in college. What a total blast to play. We had a harp player as well who just put the icing on the cake.

 

[Jon Silberman]

It’s a shame they didn’t cite appropriately

It is indeed shameful.

 

[Heinz W]

I could listen to the intro drums on a loop all day. Bonham's drumming made Zeppelin AFAIC.