Hats off to (Roy) Harper
Encyclopedia
"Hats Off to Harper" is a song played by English
rock
band Led Zeppelin
. It is the last track on the album Led Zeppelin III
, released in 1970. The track features Jimmy Page
playing slide guitar, and Robert Plant
's vocals, processed through a tremolo
. The song was listed on the album as "Arranged by Charles Obscure," which was a humorous pseudonym
for Page.
The song is a medley of fragments of blues songs and lyrics, including "Shake 'Em on Down
" by Bukka White
. Therefore, the song is both a tribute to contemporary folk singer Roy Harper
and the influential American blues singer who recorded from the 1930s to the 1970s.
Roy Harper
is a folk musician from England whom Jimmy Page met at the Bath Festival
in 1970. He became close friends with members of the band, who invited him to perform as the opening act on some later Led Zeppelin concert tours. In 1971, Page played on Harper's album Stormcock, appearing in the credits under the pseudonym "S. Flavius Mercurius." Harper would go on to perform the lead vocals on Pink Floyd
's "Have a Cigar
", from 1975's Wish You Were Here. In 1985, Page recorded an album with Harper called Whatever Happened to Jugula?
. Harper explained:
According to Page, during recording sessions for Led Zeppelin III, the band "did a whole set of country blues and traditional blues numbers that Robert [Plant] suggested. But ["Hats Off to (Roy) Harper"] was the only one we put on the record."
"Hats Off to (Roy) Harper" begins with a strange audio snippet from the sessions which is quickly introduced and then faded out again, featuring Plant's voice and Page's slide guitar in tandem.
An alternate studio outtake of the track in the same style and similar instrumentation is available on some Led Zeppelin bootleg recordings
. Likely from the same recording session as the official release, it features lyrics from the songs "I Feel so Bad
" (recorded by Otis Rush
and Elvis Presley
), Robert Johnson
's "Traveling Riverside Blues" & "32-20 Blues", Sleepy John Estes' "Diving Duck Blues", Bukka White
's "Fixin' To Die", and Arthur Crudup
's "That Alright Mama." These songs were frequently performed in medley by the band at Led Zeppelin concerts
during "How Many More Times
" and, later, "Whole Lotta Love
." Thus, this outtake perhaps gives insight into the inspiration for the track, a desire to lay down an acoustic, studio take of a staple of their live performances. However, Led Zeppelin never performed "Hats Off to (Roy) Harper" live in concert.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
rock
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...
. It is the last track on the album Led Zeppelin III
Led Zeppelin III
Led Zeppelin III is the third studio album by the English rock band Led Zeppelin. It was recorded between January and July 1970 and released on 5 October 1970 by Atlantic Records. Composed largely at a remote cottage in Wales known as Bron-Yr-Aur, this work represented a maturing of the band's...
, released in 1970. The track features Jimmy Page
Jimmy Page
James 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...
playing slide guitar, and 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...
's vocals, processed through a tremolo
Tremolo
Tremolo, or tremolando, is a musical term that describes various trembling effects, falling roughly into two types. The first is a rapid reiteration...
. The song was listed on the album as "Arranged by Charles Obscure," which was a humorous pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
for Page.
The song is a medley of fragments of blues songs and lyrics, including "Shake 'Em on Down
Shake 'Em on Down
"Shake 'Em on Down" is a country-style blues song recorded by Bukka White in 1937. It is his best-known song and "became part of the repertoire of Chicago blues".-Background:...
" by Bukka White
Bukka White
Booker T. Washington White , better known as Bukka White, was an American Delta blues guitarist and singer. "Bukka" was not a nickname, but a phonetic misspelling of White's given name Booker, by his second record label .-Biography:Born between Aberdeen and Houston, Mississippi, White was the...
. Therefore, the song is both a tribute to contemporary folk singer Roy Harper
Roy Harper
Roy Harper is an English folk / rock singer-songwriter and guitarist who has been a professional musician since the mid 1960s...
and the influential American blues singer who recorded from the 1930s to the 1970s.
Roy Harper
Roy Harper
Roy Harper is an English folk / rock singer-songwriter and guitarist who has been a professional musician since the mid 1960s...
is a folk musician from England whom Jimmy Page met at the Bath Festival
Bath Festival of Blues 1969
The Bath Festival of Blues was a music festival held at the Bath Pavilion Recreational Ground in Bath, Somerset, England, on Saturday 28th June 1969. It featured a lineup of British blues bands, including Fleetwood Mac , John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, Ten Years After, Led Zeppelin, The Nice, Chicken...
in 1970. He became close friends with members of the band, who invited him to perform as the opening act on some later Led Zeppelin concert tours. In 1971, Page played on Harper's album Stormcock, appearing in the credits under the pseudonym "S. Flavius Mercurius." Harper would go on to perform the lead vocals on Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
's "Have a Cigar
Have a Cigar
"Have a Cigar" is the third track on Pink Floyd's 1975 album Wish You Were Here. It follows "Welcome to the Machine" and on the original LP opened side two...
", from 1975's Wish You Were Here. In 1985, Page recorded an album with Harper called Whatever Happened to Jugula?
Whatever Happened to Jugula?
Whatever Happened to Jugula? is the thirteenth studio album by English folk / rock singer-songwriter and guitarist Roy Harper. It was first released in 1985...
. Harper explained:
According to Page, during recording sessions for Led Zeppelin III, the band "did a whole set of country blues and traditional blues numbers that Robert [Plant] suggested. But ["Hats Off to (Roy) Harper"] was the only one we put on the record."
"Hats Off to (Roy) Harper" begins with a strange audio snippet from the sessions which is quickly introduced and then faded out again, featuring Plant's voice and Page's slide guitar in tandem.
An alternate studio outtake of the track in the same style and similar instrumentation is available on some Led Zeppelin bootleg recordings
Led Zeppelin bootleg recordings
The Led Zeppelin bootleg recordings are a collection of audio and video recordings of musical performances by English rock band Led Zeppelin which were never officially released by the band, or under other legal authority. The recordings consist of both live concert performances and outtakes from...
. Likely from the same recording session as the official release, it features lyrics from the songs "I Feel so Bad
I Feel so Bad
I Feel so Bad is a song written and originally recorded by Chuck Willis in 1953, a cover of the song was recorded by Elvis Presley on March 12, 1961 in RCA Studio B, in Nashville, TN....
" (recorded by Otis Rush
Otis Rush
Otis Rush is a blues musician, singer and guitarist. His distinctive guitar style features a slow burning sound and long bent notes...
and Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
), Robert Johnson
Robert Johnson
Robert Leroy Johnson was an American blues singer and musician. His landmark recordings from 1936–37 display a combination of singing, guitar skills, and songwriting talent that have influenced later generations of musicians. Johnson's shadowy, poorly documented life and death at age 27 have given...
's "Traveling Riverside Blues" & "32-20 Blues", Sleepy John Estes' "Diving Duck Blues", Bukka White
Bukka White
Booker T. Washington White , better known as Bukka White, was an American Delta blues guitarist and singer. "Bukka" was not a nickname, but a phonetic misspelling of White's given name Booker, by his second record label .-Biography:Born between Aberdeen and Houston, Mississippi, White was the...
's "Fixin' To Die", and Arthur Crudup
Arthur Crudup
Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup was an American Delta blues singer, songwriter and guitarist. He is best known outside blues circles for writing songs such as "That's All Right" , "My Baby Left Me" and "So Glad You're Mine", later covered by Elvis Presley and dozens of other artists.-Career:Arthur Crudup...
's "That Alright Mama." These songs were frequently performed in medley by the band 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:...
during "How Many More Times
How Many More Times
"How Many More Times" is the ninth and final track on English rock band Led Zeppelin's 1969 debut album Led Zeppelin. The song is credited in the album liner to Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, and John Bonham, but is listed by ASCAP as written by all four members of the band.-Album version:At eight...
" and, later, "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...
." Thus, this outtake perhaps gives insight into the inspiration for the track, a desire to lay down an acoustic, studio take of a staple of their live performances. However, Led Zeppelin never performed "Hats Off to (Roy) Harper" live in concert.
Formats and tracklistings
1970 7" single (Poland: Prasniewski 03)- A. "Hats Off to (Roy) Harper" (trad.) 3:42
- B. "Out on the Tiles" (Bonham, Page, Plant) 4:07
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