Led Zeppelin: Innovators or Plagiarists? Audio of 8 Songs Proving They Might Be the Best Cover Band of All Time
Before I get started, I’d like to say that I’m a huge fan of Led Zeppelin. That being said, someone (anonymous) emailed me about a month ago suggesting the idea for this post. They said they heard Howard Stern discussing the Album Led Zeppelin I, and that all of the songs, with the exception of Good Times Bad Times, were stolen from other artists, and writing credit was not given. Actually, writing credit WAS given, but only after Led Zeppelin’s Greatest Hits album was released. The original artists were never paid royalties for their works, but from what I understand, royalties are now being paid, but dated from the Greatest Hits album.
After many hours of searching for these songs, I now have all of the original artists’ versions of the songs from the album Led Zeppelin I., along with Led Zeppelin’s version. You decide - Innovators or Plagiarists?
#1 Good Times Bad Times
This appears to be their only original track on this album.
#2 Babe I’m Gonna Leave You
Original Artist: Joan Baez
Original Song Title: Babe I’m Gonna Leave You
Led Zeppelin’s Version
#3 You Shook Me
Original Artist: Willie Dixon
Original Song Title: You Shook Me
Led Zeppelin’s Version
#4 Dazed and Confused
Original Artist: Jake Holmes
Original Song Title: I’m Confused
Led Zeppelin’s Version
#5 Your Time is Gonna Come
Original Artist: Traffic
Original Song Title: Dear Mr. Fantasy
Led Zeppelin’s Version
#6 Black Mountain Side
Original Artist: Bert Jansch
Original Song Title: Black Waterside
Led Zeppelin’s Version
#7 Communication Breakdown (I don’t hear this one)
Original Artist: Eddie Cochran
Original Song Title: Nervous Breakdown
Led Zeppelin’s Version
#8 I Can’t Quit You Baby
Original Artist: Willie Dixon
Original Song Title: I Can’t Quit You Baby
Led Zeppelin’s Version
#9 Stairway to Heaven (Not on the album, but worth mentioning!)
Original Artist: Spirit
Original Song Title: Taurus
Led Zeppelin’s Version
Disturbing, right? If you know of any other rips, tell us in the comments.
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Also the pentatonic and blues scale has a tendency to seem similar to other songs using it.Basically if you look hard enough you'll find similarities to another song with ANY song.
And finally Led Zep fuckin rocked.
But yeah i enjoyed your post.
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A cover of the Small Faces, "You Need Loving"
Which is a cover of Willie Dixon (I believe).
The only ones that give credit are Savoy Brown (You need Lovin).
If you listen to the ending of the Small Faces version it's eerie. When you get to the part with, "Woman, Choo need it . Loooooooooove" You could play them side by side.
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ok they do sound a little(and i mean very little) bit alike
and i mean damn where do u think people get the idea's for there songs?
o yea thats right OTHER SONGS, so stairway to heaven is irrelevant
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http://www.archive.org/details/Kansas_Joe_Memph...
I appreciate that not giving writing credit + royalties is shitty, but I can't stop loving the LZ versions. Also, the "Dazed and confused" original is waayyy different from the LZ version, they even have few words in common, though a similar guitar breakdown.
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Nervous Breakdown...not even close
Black Mountainside...not enough to accuse plagarism, but some similarities
Your Time is Gonna Come...a little...kinda like saying "Welcome to the Jungle" sounds like "You Really Got Me". But there is that riff in there.....
Dazed and Confused...WTF! Woah....seriously, WTF!
You Shook Me....I knew this was a cover when it came out...you mean to say they tried to play it off as one of their own. My god...I'm getting more pissed the more I check this out.
Babe I'm gonna Leave You...nah, don't hear it. But these fucking rock star millionaires owe some money to a couple of these cats...a LOT of money
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