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Led Zeppelin's Influences |
Whole Lotta Love | |
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In 1985, Willie Dixon sued Led Zeppelin, claiming that "Whole Lotta Love" was largely plagiarized from Dixon's 1962 song "You Need Love."
[1] At that time, a lawyer for the Led Zeppelin's record company, Atlantic Records, offered only the weak defense, "It's strange that someone would wait all that time [to file a suit]."
[2] The case was settled out of court and recent Led Zeppelin releases have given songwriting credit for "Whole Lotta Love" to Willie Dixon along with all four members of Led Zeppelin. Muddy Waters recorded the first version of "You Need Love" in 1962 as a single for Chess Records, but the version of this song that most directly influenced Led Zeppelin was by the Small Faces. Robert Plant sounds very much like Steve Marriot during the vocal break ("Way down inside, woman, you need... lo-o-ove"). (Incidentally, the Small Faces interpretation of this song, retitled "You Need Loving," was credited to "Lane/Marriot"—Led Zeppelin weren't the only ones who were reluctant to give proper songwriting credit) Robert Plant also briefly quotes Howlin' Wolf at the end of "Whole Lotta Love" with the line "Shake for me girl/I wanna be your back door man." Actually, Plant was once again quoting Willie Dixon, as both of the songs "Shake for Me" and "Back Door Man," though popularized by Howlin' Wolf, were written by Dixon.
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Muddy Waters - His Best: 1955-1964
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The Small Faces - The Small Faces
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Howlin' Wolf - His Best (Chess 50th Anniversary Edition)
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| Compilations of Original Versions |
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| You Need Love by Muddy Waters is included on Led Astray, The Roots of Led Zeppelin and Zeppelin Classics. Led Zeppelin's Sources of Inspiration has a version of this song by Baba Blues (not quite sure who that is). |
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| Notes |
| 1. | | "Dixon Sues Led Zep Over Hit Records," Variety 317 (Jan. 30, 1985), p. 78. | | 2. | | Michael Goldberg, "Willie Dixon Sues Led Zeppelin over 'Whole Lotta Love',"Rolling Stone (March 14, 1985), p. 12. |
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The Blues and Folk
Roots of
Led Zeppelin's Music |
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