Rock and Roll (Led Zeppelin song)
Encyclopedia
"Rock and Roll" is a song by English
rock
band Led Zeppelin
, which was first released as the second track from the band's fourth album
in 1971, with a guest appearance by The Rolling Stones
pianist Ian Stewart
.
progression (in A). "Rock and Roll" stands as one of the best-known songs in the band's catalogue.
Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page
has said that this song came to be written as a spontaneous jam session, whilst the band were trying (and failing) to finish the track "Four Sticks
". Drummer John Bonham
played the introduction to Little Richard
's "Keep a Knockin'" and Page added a guitar riff. The tapes were rolling and fifteen minutes later the basis of the song was down. Said Page:
Page also commented:
"Rock and Roll" is one of the few Led Zeppelin songs where all four members share the composer credit.
The lyrics by singer Robert Plant reference a number of 1950s and 1960s early rock hits, including "The Stroll
," "The Book of Love
," and "Walking In the Moonlight."
from 1971 on. Initially, Plant referred to it on stage as "It's Been A Long Time", which is the first line of the song. In 1972 it was elevated to the opening number of all concert performances and it retained this status until 1975. For the band's 1977 North American tour
, it became part of a medley encore
with "Whole Lotta Love
", and during 1979 and 1980
it became an encore in its own right.
When performing the song live, singer Robert Plant usually switched the second verse with the third.
A live performance of the song from Madison Square Garden
in July 1973 was recorded for the band's concert film The Song Remains the Same
and accompanying soundtrack album
. There is also a June 1972 live recording of "Rock and Roll" which has been captured on the album How the West Was Won.
In 1985 Page, Plant and Jones reunited and performed the song at the Live Aid
concert at JFK Stadium, Philadelphia, as part of the Led Zeppelin set featuring drummers Tony Thompson
and Phil Collins
. "Rock and Roll" was also performed as the final encore at Led Zeppelin's reunion show
at the O2 Arena
, London
on 10 December 2007. On 7 June 2008, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones joined Foo Fighters
front man Dave Grohl
and drummer Taylor Hawkins
on stage at Wembley stadium to perform "Rock and Roll," along with "Ramble On
".
In 2006, Bowl Games of America used "Rock and Roll" as the finale for the Gator Bowl
halftime show. The song was performed by 28 high school marching bands, with over 2,500 players.
The song is featured in HBO's The Sopranos. It plays in the background on the radio at a pizza parlor in episode 3 of season 3.
(*) designates unordered lists.
1972 7" single (South Africa: Atlantic ATL 590)
1972 7" EP (US: Atlantic LLP 171 SD 7-7208)
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 and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel 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...
, which was first released as the second track from the band's fourth album
Led Zeppelin IV
The fourth album by the English rock band Led Zeppelin was released on 8 November 1971. No title is printed on the album, so it is generally referred to as Led Zeppelin IV, following the naming standard used by the band's first three studio albums...
in 1971, with a guest appearance by The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
pianist Ian Stewart
Ian Stewart (musician)
Ian Andrew Robert Stewart was a Scottish keyboardist, co-founder of The Rolling Stones and inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...
.
Overview
Befitting its title, the song is based on one of the most popular structures in rock and roll, the 12 bar bluesTwelve bar blues
The 12-bar blues is one of the most popular chord progressions in popular music, including the blues. The blues progression has a distinctive form in lyrics and phrase and chord structure and duration...
progression (in A). "Rock and Roll" stands as one of the best-known songs in the band's catalogue.
Led Zeppelin guitarist 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...
has said that this song came to be written as a spontaneous jam session, whilst the band were trying (and failing) to finish the track "Four Sticks
Four Sticks
Not to be confused with Four Kicks."Four Sticks" is a song by the English rock band Led Zeppelin from their fourth album, released in 1971. The title came from the fact that drummer John Bonham played with two sets of two drumsticks, totalling four...
". 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...
played the introduction to Little Richard
Little Richard
Richard Wayne Penniman , known by the stage name Little Richard, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist, and actor, considered key in the transition from rhythm and blues to rock and roll in the 1950s. He was also the first artist to put the funk in the rock and roll beat and...
's "Keep a Knockin'" and Page added a guitar riff. The tapes were rolling and fifteen minutes later the basis of the song was down. Said Page:
Page also commented:
"Rock and Roll" is one of the few Led Zeppelin songs where all four members share the composer credit.
The lyrics by singer Robert Plant reference a number of 1950s and 1960s early rock hits, including "The Stroll
The Stroll
The Stroll was both a slow Rock 'n' Roll dance and a song that was popular in late 1950s. The dance called the Stroll began in black communities to the song "C. C. Rider" by Chuck Willis prior to the song by the same name....
," "The Book of Love
The Book of Love (song)
"The Book of Love" is a rock and roll song, originally by The Monotones. It was written by three members of the group, Warren Davis, George Malone and Charles Patrick, and it peaked at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100.Lead singer Charles Patrick heard a Pepsodent toothpaste commercial with the line...
," and "Walking In the Moonlight."
Live performances
"Rock and Roll" was a key component of the band's setlist at Led Zeppelin concertsLed 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:...
from 1971 on. Initially, Plant referred to it on stage as "It's Been A Long Time", which is the first line of the song. In 1972 it was elevated to the opening number of all concert performances and it retained this status until 1975. For the band's 1977 North American tour
Led Zeppelin North American Tour 1977
Led Zeppelin's 1977 North American Tour was the eleventh and final concert tour of North America by the English rock band. The tour was divided into three legs, with performances commencing on 1 April and concluding on 24 July 1977...
, it became part of a medley encore
Encore (concert)
An encore is an additional performance added to the end of a concert, from the French "encore", which means "again", "some more"; multiple encores are not uncommon. Encores originated spontaneously, when audiences would continue to applaud and demand additional performance from the artist after the...
with "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...
", and during 1979 and 1980
Tour Over Europe 1980
Tour Over Europe 1980 was the last concert tour by the English rock band Led Zeppelin. The tour commenced on June 17 and concluded on July 7, 1980...
it became an encore in its own right.
When performing the song live, singer Robert Plant usually switched the second verse with the third.
A live performance of the song from Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
in July 1973 was recorded for the band's concert film The Song Remains the Same
The Song Remains the Same (film)
The Song Remains the Same is a concert film by the English rock band Led Zeppelin. The recording of the film took place during three nights of concerts at Madison Square Garden in New York City, during the band's 1973 concert tour of the United States. The film premiered on 20 October 1976, at...
and accompanying soundtrack album
The Song Remains the Same (album)
Upon its initial release in 1976, the album received some poor reviews, with some critics considering it to be over-produced and lumbering. Indeed, the band's members themselves have since expressed a lack of fondness for the recording...
. There is also a June 1972 live recording of "Rock and Roll" which has been captured on the album How the West Was Won.
In 1985 Page, Plant and Jones reunited and performed the song at the Live Aid
Live Aid
Live Aid was a dual-venue concert that was held on 13 July 1985. The event was organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise funds for relief of the ongoing Ethiopian famine. Billed as the "global jukebox", the event was held simultaneously in Wembley Stadium in London, England, United Kingdom ...
concert at JFK Stadium, Philadelphia, as part of the Led Zeppelin set featuring drummers Tony Thompson
Tony Thompson
Anthony T. "Tony" Thompson was a session drummer best known as a member of Chic. He was raised in the middle-class community of Springfield Gardens, in Queens, NY.-Chic:...
and Phil Collins
Phil Collins
Philip David Charles "Phil" Collins, LVO is an English singer-songwriter, drummer, pianist and actor best known as a drummer and vocalist for British progressive rock group Genesis and as a solo artist....
. "Rock and Roll" was also performed as the final encore at Led Zeppelin's reunion show
Ahmet Ertegün Tribute Concert
The Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert was a benefit concert held in memory of music executive Ahmet Ertegün at The O2 in London on December 10, 2007. The headline act was the English rock band, Led Zeppelin, who performed their first full-length concert since the death of drummer John Bonham in 1980,...
at the O2 Arena
The O2 arena (London)
The O2 Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in the centre of The O2, a large entertainment complex on the Greenwich peninsula in London, England.With a capacity of up to 20,000 depending on the event, it is second largest...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on 10 December 2007. On 7 June 2008, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones joined Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters is an American alternative rock band originally formed in 1994 by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of his previous band. The band got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War...
front man Dave Grohl
Dave Grohl
David Eric "Dave" Grohl is an American rock musician, multi-instrumentalist, and singer-songwriter who is the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter for Foo Fighters; the former drummer for Nirvana and Scream; and the current drummer for Them Crooked Vultures...
and drummer Taylor Hawkins
Taylor Hawkins
Oliver Taylor Hawkins is an American musician, best known as the drummer of the rock band Foo Fighters....
on stage at Wembley stadium to perform "Rock and Roll," along with "Ramble On
Ramble On
-Cover versions:Train did a cover of the song in early 2001 and released it as a single. Producer Brendan O'Brien heard Train's version and agreed to produce their second album, Drops of Jupiter...
".
Cultural influence
In 2002, General Motors used "Rock and Roll" in a series of television commercials for their Cadillac line of automobiles and ended the song and slogan "Break Through" in late 2006.In 2006, Bowl Games of America used "Rock and Roll" as the finale for the Gator Bowl
Gator Bowl
The Gator Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. Held continuously since 1946, it is the sixth oldest college bowl, as well as the first one ever televised nationally...
halftime show. The song was performed by 28 high school marching bands, with over 2,500 players.
The song is featured in HBO's The Sopranos. It plays in the background on the radio at a pizza parlor in episode 3 of season 3.
Accolades
Publication | Country | Accolade | Year | Rank |
---|---|---|---|---|
Dave Marsh Dave Marsh Dave Marsh is an American music critic, author, editor and radio talk show host. He was a formative editor of Creem magazine, has written for various publications such as Newsday, The Village Voice, and Rolling Stone, and has published numerous books about music and musicians, mostly focused on... |
United States | "The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made" | 1989 | 424 |
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,... |
United States | "The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll" | 1994 | * |
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 | 21 |
VH1 VH1 VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly... |
United States | "The 100 Greatest Rock Songs of All Time" | 2000 | 66 |
Q Q (magazine) Q is a popular music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom.Founders Mark Ellen and David Hepworth were dismayed by the music press of the time, which they felt was ignoring a generation of older music buyers who were buying CDs — then still a new technology... |
United Kingdom | "The 50 Most Exciting Tunes Ever.." | 2002 | 17 |
Q | United Kingdom | "The 1001 Best Songs Ever" | 2003 | 201 |
(*) designates unordered lists.
Formats and tracklistings
1972 7" single (US/Australia/New Zealand: Atlantic 45-2865, Austria/Germany: Atlantic ATL 10156, Brazil: Atco ATCS 10.005, Canada: Atlantic AT 2865, France: Atlantic 10156, Holland: Atlantic ATL 2091190, Japan: Warner Pioneer P-1123A, Lebanon: Atlantic AT 16005, Mexico: Atlantic G-1136, Poland: Atlantic XN 82, Portugal: Atlantic ATL N 28128, Spain: Atlantic HS 823)- A. "Rock and Roll" (Bonham, Jones, Page, Plant) 3:40
- B. "Four Sticks" (Page, Plant) 4:44
1972 7" single (South Africa: Atlantic ATL 590)
- A. "Rock and Roll" (Bonham, Jones, Page, Plant) 3:40
- B. "Going to California" (Page, Plant) 3:31
1972 7" EP (US: Atlantic LLP 171 SD 7-7208)
- A1. "Rock and Roll" (Bonham, Jones, Page, Plant) 3:40
- A2. "Black Dog" (Jones, Page, Plant) 4:56
- B. "Stairway to Heaven" (Page, Plant) 8:02
Chart positions
Chart (1972) | Peak position |
---|---|
US Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart | 47 |
US Cash Box Top 100 Singles Chart | 42 |
US Record World 100 Top Pops | 38 |
Canadian RPM Top 100 Chart | 38 |
Japanese Singles Chart | 34 |
German Singles Chart | 13 |
Spanish Singles Chart | 14 |
Australian Kent Music Report Kent Music Report The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998... Singles Chart |
51 |
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.... - 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 .... - Ian StewartIan Stewart (musician)Ian Andrew Robert Stewart was a Scottish keyboardist, co-founder of The Rolling Stones and inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...
- 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...
Cover versions
- 1980: HeartHeart (band)Heart is an American rock band who first found success in Canada. Throughout several lineup changes, the only two members remaining constant are sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson. The group rose to fame in the 1970s with their music being influenced by hard rock as well as folk music...
(Greatest Hits Live) - 1985: The AfflictedThe AfflictedThe Afflicted are a punk band based in San Francisco, California.They were first active from 1982–1988, consisting of Dan Rancid , Barry Wilder , Frankie John Lennon , and Daryl Bach...
(Good News About Mental Health) - 1986: The Glitter BandThe Glitter BandThe Glitter Band are a glam rock band from England, who initially worked as Gary Glitter's backing band under that name from 1973, when they then began releasing records of their own. They were unofficially known as the Glittermen on the first four hit singles by Gary Glitter from 1972 to 1973. The...
(Live at the Marquee) - 1988: Great WhiteGreat WhiteGreat White is an American hard rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1978. The band gained popularity during the 1980s and early 1990s. The band released several albums in the late 1980s and gained airplay on MTV with music videos for songs like "Once Bitten, Twice Shy"...
(Recovery: Live!Recovery: Live!Recovery: Live! is a live album released by the American hard rock band Great White in 1988. Several versions of the album were released, with variations in both covers and track listings. The US version feature 5 cover songs recorded direct-to-2-track in 1986, as well as 5 live songs from 1983...
) - 1989: various artists (Stairway to Heaven/Highway to HellStairway to Heaven/Highway to HellStairway to Heaven/Highway to Hell was a 1989 compilation album featuring bands that performed at the Moscow Music Peace Festival. It was released by the Make a Difference Foundation. Each song is a cover of a famous solo artist or rock band who had suffered a drug- or alcohol-related death. The...
) - 1989: Tent Poles (The Song Retains the Name)
- 1994: GotthardGotthard (band)Gotthard is a Swiss hard rock/heavy metal band founded in Lugano by Steve Lee and Leo Leoni. Their last eleven albums have all reached number 1 in the Swiss album charts, making them one of the most successful Swiss acts ever....
(Dial HardDial HardDial Hard is the second studio album released by the hard rock band Gotthard.-Track listing:All songs written by Steve Lee/Leo Leoni/Chris von Rohr except where noted.# "Higher" – 4:32# "Mountain Mama" – 3:52# "Here Comes the Heat" – 3:01...
) - 1999: Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown (Whole Lotta Blues: Songs of Led Zeppelin)
- 1999: Mark SlaughterMark SlaughterMark Allen Slaughter is an American singer and musician. He is one of the founders of hard rock band Slaughter, and he also has worked as a voice actor and composer...
(A Tribute to Led Zeppelin: The Song Remains Remixed) - 2000: Dread ZeppelinDread ZeppelinDread Zeppelin is an American band best known for performing the songs of Led Zeppelin in a reggae style as sung by a 300 pound Vegas Elvis impersonator. Over the years they would also perform songs originally by Elvis Presley, Bob Marley and The Yardbirds. The group toured extensively around the...
(De-jah Voodoo) - 2000: Solus (Dead Zeppelin: A Metal Tribute to Led Zeppelin)
- 2001: Rasputina (The Lost & FoundThe Lost & FoundThe Lost & Found is an EP record by Rasputina, the first edition of which was self-released in 2001 and the second edition released in 2003 by Instinct Records...
) - 2001: Double TroubleDouble Trouble (band)Double Trouble was the backing rhythm section for Texas blues rock guitarist and lead vocalist Stevie Ray Vaughan. Originally consisting of drummer Chris Layton and bassist Tommy Shannon, Reese Wynans would later join the outfit on keyboards.-History:...
with Susan TedeschiSusan TedeschiSusan Tedeschi is an American blues and soul musician, who has received multiple Grammy Award nominations, and is well-known for her singing voice, guitar playing, stage presence, and marriage to blues guitarist Derek Trucks...
and Kenny Wayne ShepherdKenny Wayne ShepherdKenny Wayne Shepherd is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He has released several studio albums and experienced a rare level of commercial success both as a blues artist and a young musician.-Biography:Shepherd graduated Caddo Magnet High School in Shreveport, Louisiana...
(Been a Long Time) - 2001: Out of Phase (A Tribute to Led Zeppelin IV)
- 2002: ElegyElegy (Netherlands band)Elegy are a Dutch power metal band, founded in 1986 in Eindhoven. Their music is characterized by the fusion of power and progressive metal, which made them the pioneers of the 'progressive power metal' subgenre. The band was plagued by a continuing changing roster, which counts in the current...
(The Music Remains the Same: A Tribute to Led ZeppelinThe Music Remains the Same: A Tribute to Led ZeppelinThe Music Remains the Same is a tribute album of Led Zeppelin songs. It was released on 25 November 2002 by American record label Locomotive Music.-Track listing:#"Kashmir" – Angra#"Dazed and Confused" – Blaze...
) - 2002: Peter Pan SpeedrockPeter Pan SpeedrockPeter Pan Speedrock is a Dutch band from Eindhoven. It was founded in 1997 by guitarist Peter van Elderen. He was joined by drummer Bart Nederhand and bass player Bob Muileboom in making their first self titled album. After this album Muileboom was replaced by Bart Geevers, who would stay to be a...
(Speedrock Chartbusters Vol.1Speedrock Chartbusters Vol.1Speedrock Chartbusters Vol.1 is an album by the Dutch band Peter Pan Speedrock. The album is Tribute to such bands as Led Zeppelin, Turbonegro and The Misfits.-Track listing:#"Goofy's Concern" #"Can't Stop Me"...
) - 2002: Cactus JackCactus Jack (band)-Band history:The band, originally named Caramba, was formed at the end of 1998 by Stevan Birak , Miodrag Krudulj , Vladimir Jezdimirović and Dušan Gnjidić ....
(DisCoverDisCover (album)Discover, written as DisCover on the cover, is the first album by Serbian hard rock band Cactus Jack.The album features nineteen cover songs and was recorded on Cactus Jack concert in Coupe club in Pančevo...
) - 2002: Galactic Achievement Society (The Electronic Tribute to Led Zeppelin)
- 2003: Sheryl CrowSheryl CrowSheryl Suzanne Crow is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and actress. Her music incorporates elements of rock, folk, hip hop, country and pop...
(C'mon America 2003 DVD) - 2004: Van HalenVan HalenVan Halen is an American hard rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1972. The band has enjoyed success since the release of its debut album, Van Halen, . As of 2007 Van Halen has sold 80 million albums worldwide and has had the most #1 hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart...
(Live Without a Net [recorded live 27 August 1986]) - 2005: Roger DaltreyRoger DaltreyRoger Harry Daltrey, CBE , is an English singer and actor, best known as the founder and lead singer of English rock band The Who. He has maintained a musical career as a solo artist and has also worked in the film industry, acting in a large number of films, theatre and television roles and also...
(MoonlightingMoonlighting (Roger Daltrey album)Moonlighting: The Anthology is a compilation album released by Roger Daltrey on 7 February 2005. The collection is notable for including tracks from various projects throughout his career, such as stage and film appearances, as well as a good sampling of songs from his discography...
)
- 2005: Chris NormanChris NormanChris Norman is an English soft rock singer. Norman was the lead singer of Smokie, an English glam rock band from Bradford, which found success in Europe in the 1970s....
(One Acoustic Evening) - 2005: Susan TedeschiSusan TedeschiSusan Tedeschi is an American blues and soul musician, who has received multiple Grammy Award nominations, and is well-known for her singing voice, guitar playing, stage presence, and marriage to blues guitarist Derek Trucks...
(The Best of Susan Tedeschi: Episode One) - 2005: Iron HorseIron Horse (band)Iron Horse is a Bluegrass band from Killen, Alabama. They are known for performing and recording bluegrass cover versions of rock songs, particularly their bluegrass treatments of heavy metal songs popularized by Metallica. The band has two tracks on the tribute album Strummin' with the Devil: The...
(Whole Lotta Bluegrass: A Bluegrass Tribute to Led Zeppelin) - 2005: Vanessa Boyd (Unkept Woman)
- 2005: Led Zepagain (A Tribute to Led Zeppelin)
- 2006: Jerry Lee LewisJerry Lee LewisJerry Lee Lewis is an American rock and roll and country music singer-songwriter and pianist. An early pioneer of rock and roll music, Lewis's career faltered after he married his young cousin, and he afterwards made a career extension to country and western music. He is known by the nickname 'The...
with Jimmy Page (Last Man Standing) - 2006: Soul Doctor (For a Fistful of Dollars [bonus tracks edition])
- 2006: Zepparella (Live at 19 Broadway [recorded 28 October 2005])
- 2006: Studio 99 (A Led Zeppelin Tribute)
- 2006: The Rockies (The Music of Led Zeppelin)
- 2007: Stevie NicksStevie NicksStephanie Lynn "Stevie" Nicks is an American singer-songwriter, best known for her work with Fleetwood Mac and an extensive solo career, which collectively have produced over forty Top 50 hits and sold over 140 million albums...
(Crystal Visions - The Very Best of Stevie NicksCrystal Visions - The Very Best of Stevie Nicks- References :...
[recorded live 2005]) - 2007: Vanilla FudgeVanilla FudgeVanilla Fudge is an American rock band. The band's original lineup – vocalist/organist Mark Stein, bassist/vocalist Tim Bogert, lead guitarist/vocalist Vince Martell, and drummer/vocalist Carmine Appice – recorded five albums during the years 1966–69, before disbanding in 1970...
(Out Through the in DoorOut Through the in DoorOut Through the In Door is the eighth album from Vanilla Fudge. It was released in June 2007, with the US finally following in August 2009....
) - 2007: KMFDMKMFDMKMFDM is an industrial band led by German multi-instrumentalist Sascha Konietzko, who founded the group in 1984 as a performance art project...
(The Many Faces of Led Zeppelin [remix]) - 2007: Lez ZeppelinLez ZeppelinLez Zeppelin is an all-female tribute act, performing the work of Led Zeppelin.-History:In June, 2005, Chuck Klosterman wrote an article for SPIN Magazine that featured Lez Zeppelin as a leading protagonist in a trend of all-female hard rock “tribute” bands...
(Lez Zeppelin) - 2007: The Boys from County Nashville (The Celtic Tribute to Led Zeppelin: Long Ago and Far Away)
- 2007: Molly Shea (Voodoo Woman)
- 2008: Foo FightersFoo FightersFoo Fighters is an American alternative rock band originally formed in 1994 by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of his previous band. The band got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War...
with Jimmy Page & John Paul Jones (Foo Fighters Live at Wembley StadiumFoo Fighters Live at Wembley StadiumLive at Wembley Stadium is a live video by the Foo Fighters, released on August 22, 2008, in Ireland and August 25, 2008, in the UK on DVD. It was also released in Australia on August 30, New Zealand on September 1, and Germany, Austria and Switzerland on September 5...
DVD) - 2008: Alvin and the ChipmunksAlvin and the ChipmunksAlvin and the Chipmunks is an American animated music group created by Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. in 1958. The group consists of three singing animated anthropomorphic chipmunks: Alvin, the mischievous troublemaker, who quickly became the star of the group; Simon, the tall, bespectacled intellectual;...
(UndeniableUndeniable (Chipmunks album)Undeniable is a 2008 album by The Chipmunks. Its release was connected to the version of the Alvin and the Chipmunks franchise from the 2007 film Alvin and the Chipmunks, but contains no music from the film...
) - 2008: Steve LukatherSteve LukatherSteve "Luke" Lukather is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, arranger, and record producer best known for his work with the rock band Toto. Lukather has played with many artists, released several solo albums, and worked as a composer, arranger, and session guitarist on more than 1,500 albums...
(Led Box: The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Tribute) - 2008: Albert CummingsAlbert CummingsAlbert Cummings is an American blues musician. Cummings started playing the five-string banjo at the age of twelve, but later switched to guitar. In his late twenties he formed a band, Swamp Yankee, and in 1999 released an independently produced album...
(Feel So Good) - 2008: Edinho Santa Cruz (Na Estrada do Rock: In Concert)
- 2010: John WaiteJohn WaiteJohn Charles Waite is an English rock singer and musician. He was lead vocalist for The Babys and Bad English. As a solo artist, he scored several international hits, including 1984's "Missing You", a top ten hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart, reaching #1 in the...
(In Real Time)
Live covers
- Axl RoseAxl RoseW. Axl Rose is an American singer-songwriter and musician. He is the lead vocalist and only remaining original member of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he enjoyed great success and recognition in the late 1980s and early 1990s, before disappearing from the public eye for several years...
and Tracii GunsTracii GunsTracii Guns is an American guitarist best known as the founder of glam metal group L.A. Guns as well as the supergroups Brides of Destruction and Contraband. He was also involved in the formation of the first lineup of Guns N' Roses but eventually left the group and was replaced by guitarist...
once performed the song live with Shark IslandShark Island (band)Shark Island was an American hard rock band from Los Angeles that played during the 1980s.-History:Shark Island was started in 1979 by singer Richard Black, whose name then was Rick Czerny, and lead guitarist Spencer Sercombe, under the name of 'Sharks'. Czerny and Sercombe met in high school and...
at Gazzari's nightclub.
- Sheryl CrowSheryl CrowSheryl Suzanne Crow is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and actress. Her music incorporates elements of rock, folk, hip hop, country and pop...
performed a cover of the song for her encore at the Riverbend FestivalRiverbend FestivalThe Riverbend Festival, or called Riverbend by locals, is an annual music festival in Chattanooga, Tennessee, which was started in June of 1981 as a five night festival. Over the years, the festival grew into the nine nights of its current run and presently ranks in the top 10% of all American...
on 11 June 2010.
- The FinnishFinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
band Negative play the song often in their live shows.
- Green DayGreen DayGreen Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
performed part of the song during the 21st Century Breakdown tour.
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