D'yer Mak'er
Encyclopedia
"D'yer Mak'er" is a song by English rock
band Led Zeppelin
, from their 1973 album Houses of the Holy
.
and its "dub
" derivative emerging from Jamaica
in the early 1970s. Its genesis is traced to Led Zeppelin's rehearsals at Stargroves
in 1972, when drummer John Bonham
started with a beat similar to 1950s doo-wop
, and then twisted it into a slight off beat tempo, upon which a reggae influence emerged. The distinctive drum sound was created by placing three microphones a good distance away from Bonham's drums.
"D'yer Mak'er" is one of the few Led Zeppelin songs where all four members share the composer credit. The sleeve on the album also gives tribute to "Rosie and the Originals", a reference to the doo-wop influence which was evident in the song's style.
This track, as well as another song entitled "The Crunge
", was initially not taken seriously by many listeners, and some critics reserved their harshest criticism for these two arrangements. In an interview he gave in 1977, Page referred to this negative response:
Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones
has expressed his distaste for the song, suggesting that it started off as a joke and wasn't thought through carefully enough. However, "D'yer Mak'er" has gathered critical respect in the years since, and has grown into something of a Led Zeppelin classic. Upon the album's release, Robert Plant was keen to issue the track as a single in the United Kingdom. Atlantic Records
went so far as to distribute advance promotional copies to DJs (now valuable collectors' items). While it was released in the US, and the single peaked at #20 in December 1973, it was ultimately never released in the UK.
This song was never performed live in its entirety at Led Zeppelin concerts
, although snatches of it were played during "Whole Lotta Love
" during the 1975 North American concert tour
and "Communication Breakdown
" at the Earls Court shows in the same year.
vocalist Robert Plant
discussed the song during an interview with Mike Halloran, a DJ
on radio
station FM94.9
in San Diego
. During the interview, he talked about the different interpretations and pronunciations of the name of the song. The title, which appears nowhere in the lyrics, was chosen because it reflects the reggae
flavour of the song. Plant has said that he finds it amusing when fans completely ignore the apostrophes and pronounce it as "Dire Maker".
1973 7" single (Holland: Atlantic ATL 10374)
1973 7" promo (UK: Atlantic K 10296, South Africa: Trutone 45)
1973 7" EP (Mexico: Atlantic GX 07-818)
1973 7" EP (Argentina: Music Hall 40.019)
in his 1991 album U-Neek. Sheryl Crow
covered the tune in 1995 for Encomium: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin;it was then released as a single. Bon Jovi
did a live version of the song. Stefani Germanotta (who later became Lady Gaga
) did a live cover of the song, as did the bands 311
and Iris. Puddle of Mudd did a version of the song on their 2011 covers album Re:(disc)overed.
The Hold Steady released "Joke About Jamaica" on their 2008 album Stay Positive, in which the opening lines are,
The song has also been translated into other languages, including Portuguese
, in which it is given the title Quero você pra mim.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
, from their 1973 album Houses of the Holy
Houses of the Holy
Houses of the Holy is the fifth studio album by the English rock band Led Zeppelin, released by Atlantic Records on 28 March 1973. The album title is a dedication by the band to their fans who appeared at venues they dubbed "Houses of the Holy". It was the second Led Zeppelin album to not...
.
Overview
This song was meant to imitate reggaeReggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
and its "dub
Dub music
Dub is a genre of music which grew out of reggae music in the 1960s, and is commonly considered a subgenre, though it has developed to extend beyond the scope of reggae...
" derivative emerging from Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
in the early 1970s. Its genesis is traced to Led Zeppelin's rehearsals at Stargroves
Stargroves
Stargroves is a manor house and associated estate at East Woodhay in the English county of Hampshire. It best known for being the home of Mick Jagger during the 1970s and a recording venue for The Rolling Stones and various other rock bands.-History:...
in 1972, when drummer John Bonham
John Bonham
John Henry Bonham was an English musician and songwriter, best known as the drummer of Led Zeppelin. Bonham was esteemed for his speed, power, fast right foot, distinctive sound, and "feel" for the groove...
started with a beat similar to 1950s doo-wop
Doo-wop
The name Doo-wop is given to a style of vocal-based rhythm and blues music that developed in African American communities in the 1940s and achieved mainstream popularity in the 1950s and early 1960s. It emerged from New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Baltimore, Newark, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and...
, and then twisted it into a slight off beat tempo, upon which a reggae influence emerged. The distinctive drum sound was created by placing three microphones a good distance away from Bonham's drums.
"D'yer Mak'er" is one of the few Led Zeppelin songs where all four members share the composer credit. The sleeve on the album also gives tribute to "Rosie and the Originals", a reference to the doo-wop influence which was evident in the song's style.
This track, as well as another song entitled "The Crunge
The Crunge
"The Crunge" is a song by English rock band Led Zeppelin from their 1973 album Houses of the Holy. It was also released as the B-side of "D'yer Mak'er".-Overview:The song evolved out of a jam session in the studio...
", was initially not taken seriously by many listeners, and some critics reserved their harshest criticism for these two arrangements. In an interview he gave in 1977, Page referred to this negative response:
Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones
John Paul Jones (musician)
John Paul Jones is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, composer, arranger and record producer. Best known as the bassist, mandolinist, and keyboardist for English rock band Led Zeppelin, Jones has since developed a solo career and has gained even more respect as both a musician and a...
has expressed his distaste for the song, suggesting that it started off as a joke and wasn't thought through carefully enough. However, "D'yer Mak'er" has gathered critical respect in the years since, and has grown into something of a Led Zeppelin classic. Upon the album's release, Robert Plant was keen to issue the track as a single in the United Kingdom. Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
went so far as to distribute advance promotional copies to DJs (now valuable collectors' items). While it was released in the US, and the single peaked at #20 in December 1973, it was ultimately never released in the UK.
This song was never performed live in its entirety at Led Zeppelin concerts
Led Zeppelin concerts
From September 1968 through the summer of 1980, English rock group Led Zeppelin were one of the world's most popular live music attractions, performing hundreds of sold-out concerts around the world.-History:...
, although snatches of it were played during "Whole Lotta Love
Whole Lotta Love
"Whole Lotta Love" is a song by English rock band Led Zeppelin. It is featured as the opening track on the band's second album, Led Zeppelin II, and was released in the United States and Japan as a single. The US release became their first hit single, it was certified Gold on 13 April 1970, when it...
" during the 1975 North American concert tour
Led Zeppelin North American Tour 1975
Led Zeppelin's 1975 North American Tour was the tenth concert tour of North America by the English rock band. The tour was divided into two legs, with performances commencing on January 18 and concluding on March 27, 1975...
and "Communication Breakdown
Communication Breakdown
"Communication Breakdown" is a song by the English rock band Led Zeppelin, from their 1969 debut album Led Zeppelin.- Structure :The pounding guitar riff was played by Page through a small, miked Supro amplifier throughout; and ran his Fender Telecaster through a fully closed Vox wah pedal to...
" at the Earls Court shows in the same year.
Pronunciation of song title
The name of the song is derived from an old joke: "My wife's gone to the West Indies." "Jamaica?" (which has a similar pronunciation as "D'you make her?") "No, she went of her own accord". On 21 July 2005, Led ZeppelinLed Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
vocalist Robert Plant
Robert Plant
Robert Anthony Plant, CBE is an English singer and songwriter best known as the vocalist and lyricist of the iconic rock band Led Zeppelin. He has also had a successful solo career...
discussed the song during an interview with Mike Halloran, a DJ
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
on radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
station FM94.9
KBZT
KBZT is a commercial modern rock music radio station in San Diego, California, broadcasting on 94.9 FM.-History:During the 1970s and '80s, KBZT was known as "KBest95" but in the 1980s morphed from oldies into soft rock, before being sold to Sandusky Radio and becoming "Y95" in 1987...
in San Diego
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
. During the interview, he talked about the different interpretations and pronunciations of the name of the song. The title, which appears nowhere in the lyrics, was chosen because it reflects the reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
flavour of the song. Plant has said that he finds it amusing when fans completely ignore the apostrophes and pronounce it as "Dire Maker".
Accolades
| Publication | Country | Accolade | Year | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Radio Caroline Radio Caroline Radio Caroline is an English radio station founded in 1964 by Ronan O'Rahilly to circumvent the record companies' control of popular music broadcasting in the United Kingdom and the BBC's radio broadcasting monopoly... |
United Kingdom | "Top 500 Tracks" | 1999 | 453 |
Formats and tracklistings
1973 7" single (US/Australia/New Zealand: Atlantic 45-2986, Austria/Germany: Atlantic ATL 10377, Canada: Atlantic AT 2986, France: Atlantic 10377, Greece: Atlantic 2091236, Japan: Warner Pioneer P-1265A, Mexico: Atlantic G-1275, Peru: Atlantic ALT 2986, Spain: Atlantic HS 987, Venezuela: Atlantic 5-001, Yugoslavia: Atlantic 26077)- A. "D'yer Mak'er" (Bonham, Jones, Page, Plant) 4:23
- B. "The Crunge" (Bonham, Jones, Page, Plant) 3:17
1973 7" single (Holland: Atlantic ATL 10374)
- A. "D'yer Mak'er" (Bonham, Jones, Page, Plant) 4:23
- B. "Gallows Pole" (trad. arr. Page, Plant) 4:56
1973 7" promo (UK: Atlantic K 10296, South Africa: Trutone 45)
- A. "D'yer Mak'er" (Bonham, Jones, Page, Plant) 4:23
- B. "The Crunge" (Bonham, Jones, Page, Plant) 3:17
1973 7" EP (Mexico: Atlantic GX 07-818)
- A1. "D'Yer Mak'er" (Bonham, Jones, Page, Plant) 4:23
- A2. "Over the Hills and Far Away" (Page, Plant) 4:47
- B1. "Black Dog" (Jones, Page, Plant) 4:56
- B2. "Misty Mountain Hop" (Jones, Page, Plant) 4:38
1973 7" EP (Argentina: Music Hall 40.019)
- A1. "D'Yer Mak'er" (Bonham, Jones, Page, Plant) 4:23
- A2. "The Crunge" (Bonham, Jones, Page, Plant) 3:17
- B1. "The Ocean" (Bonham, Jones, Page, Plant) 4:31
- B2. "No Quarter" (Jones, Page, Plant) 7:00
Chart positions
| Chart (1973) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart | 20 |
| US Cash Box Top 100 Singles Chart | 16 |
| US Record World Record World Record World magazine was one of the three main music industry trade publications in the United States, along with Billboard and Cash Box magazines. It was founded in 1946 under the name Music Vendor, but since 1964 changed it to Record World, under the ownership of Sid Parnes and Bob Austin, both... 100 Top Pops |
15 |
| Chart (1974) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian RPM Top 100 Chart | 24 |
| Canadian CHUM Chart | 7 |
| New Zealand Top 50 Singles Chart | 20 |
Personnel
- Robert PlantRobert PlantRobert Anthony Plant, CBE is an English singer and songwriter best known as the vocalist and lyricist of the iconic rock band Led Zeppelin. He has also had a successful solo career...
- vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Jimmy PageJimmy PageJames Patrick "Jimmy" Page, OBE is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer. He began his career as a studio session guitarist in London and was subsequently a member of The Yardbirds from 1966 to 1968, after which he founded the English rock band Led Zeppelin.Jimmy Page...
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s - John Paul JonesJohn Paul Jones (musician)John Paul Jones is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, composer, arranger and record producer. Best known as the bassist, mandolinist, and keyboardist for English rock band Led Zeppelin, Jones has since developed a solo career and has gained even more respect as both a musician and a...
- bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal... - John BonhamJohn BonhamJohn Henry Bonham was an English musician and songwriter, best known as the drummer of Led Zeppelin. Bonham was esteemed for his speed, power, fast right foot, distinctive sound, and "feel" for the groove...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Covers and translations
D'yer Mak'er was covered by Eek-A-MouseEek-a-Mouse
Eek-A-Mouse is a Jamaican reggae musician. He is one of the early artists to be described as a "singjay".-Biography:...
in his 1991 album U-Neek. Sheryl Crow
Sheryl Crow
Sheryl Suzanne Crow is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and actress. Her music incorporates elements of rock, folk, hip hop, country and pop...
covered the tune in 1995 for Encomium: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin;it was then released as a single. Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi is an American rock band from Sayreville, New Jersey. Formed in 1983, Bon Jovi consists of lead singer and namesake Jon Bon Jovi , guitarist Richie Sambora, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, as well as current bassist Hugh McDonald...
did a live version of the song. Stefani Germanotta (who later became Lady Gaga
Lady GaGa
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta , better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, she primarily studied at the Convent of the Sacred Heart and briefly attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts before withdrawing to...
) did a live cover of the song, as did the bands 311
311 (band)
311 is an American rock band from Omaha, Nebraska. The band was formed in 1988 by vocalist/rhythm guitarist Nick Hexum, lead guitarist Jim Watson , bassist Aaron "P-Nut" Wills and drummer Chad Sexton...
and Iris. Puddle of Mudd did a version of the song on their 2011 covers album Re:(disc)overed.
The Hold Steady released "Joke About Jamaica" on their 2008 album Stay Positive, in which the opening lines are,
-
- "They used to think it was so cute
- When she said "Dyer Maker"
- All the boys knew it was a joke about Jamaica"
The song has also been translated into other languages, including Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
, in which it is given the title Quero você pra mim.
Sources
- Lewis, Dave (2004) The Complete Guide to the Music of Led Zeppelin, ISBN 0-7119-3528-9
- Welch, Chris (1998) Led Zeppelin: Dazed and Confused: The Stories Behind Every Song, ISBN 1-56025-818-7