Musician Michael Fairbrother's take on popular music list inquiries.
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Coda, the ninth and last Led Zeppelin studio album, is a collection of all their leftover tracks. Below is a list of the actual and possible sources of inspiration for each song. 01 - WE'RE GONNA GROOVE: Groovin' (BEN E. KING) We're Gonna Groove (MANFRED MANN) 02 - POOR TOM: She Likes It (OWEN HAND) 03 - I CAN'T QUIT YOU BABY: I Can't Quit You Baby (OTIS RUSH) I Can't Quit You Baby (LITTLE MILTON) I Can't Quit You Baby (JOHN MAYALL & THE BLUESBREAKERS) 04 - WALTER'S WALK: [Original] 05 - OZONE BABY: Inspired by new wave music 06 - DARLENE: Inspired by country and rockabilly music 07 - BONZO'S MONTREUX: [Original] 08 - WEARING AND TEARING: Inspired by punk rock music 09 - BABY COME ON HOME: Baby Come On Home (BERT JANSCH) 10 - TRAVELLING RIVERSIDE BLUES: Travelling Riverside Blues (ROBERT JOHNSON) Kind Hearted Woman (ROBERT JOHNSON) Come On In My Kitchen (ROBERT JOHNSON) 11 - WHITE SUMMER/BLACK MOUNTAIN SIDE: She Moved Through The Fair (DAVY GRAHAM) White Summer (THE YARDBIRDS) 12 - HEY, HEY, WHAT CAN I DO: Inspired by folk rock 13 - SUGAR MAMA: Sugar Mama Blues (SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON) 14 - ST. TRISTAN'S SWORD: [Original]
BONUS BBC SESSIONS TRACKS:
THE GIRL I LOVE SHE GOT LONG BLACK WAVY HAIR: The Girl I Love... (SLEEPY JOHN ESTES) Watch Your Step (BOBBY PARKER) SOMETHIN' ELSE: Somethin' Else (EDDIE COCHRAN)
Led Zeppelin's eighth album, like the inspiration found on Houses Of The Holy, is mostly genre-based. There are no covers and no single specific songs to point to as influential. Below is a list of the actual and possible sources of inspiration for each song.
01 - IN THE EVENING: [Original]
02 - SOUTH BOUND SAUREZ:
At The Hop (DANNY & THE JUNIORS)
Got My Feet On The Ground (THE KINKS)
03 - FOOL IN THE RAIN:
Inspired by Latin and samba music
04 - HOT DOG:
Inspired by country and rockabilly music
05 - CAROUSELAMBRA:
The Lord Of The Rings (J.R.R. TOLKIEN)
Norse mythology
06 - ALL MY LOVE: [Original]
07 - I'M GONNA CRAWL:
Inspired by soul and r&b music
It's Too Late (WILSON PICKETT)
I Found A Love (WILSON PICKETT)
Just One More Day (OTIS REDDING)
For the inspiration on Presence, the band's seventh album, as far as I can tell, "Nobody's Fault But Mine" is a thinly-veiled rendition, "Royal Orleans" is a funky nod to The Meters, and "Candy Store Rock" is an evident homage to Elvis Presley. The other four songs are complete originals. Below is a list of the actual and possible sources of inspiration for each song.
01 - ACHILLES LAST STAND:
Inspired by Dance Of Albion (WILLIAM BLAKE)
02 - FOR YOUR LIFE:
Guitar riff reminiscent of Woody Woodpecker's laugh 03 - ROYAL ORLEANS:
Cissy Strut (THE METERS)
Chicken Strut (THE METERS) 04 - NOBODY'S FAULT BUT MINE:
Nobody's Fault But Mine (JOHN RENBOURN)
It's Nobody's Fault But Mine (BLIND WILLIE JOHNSON) 05 - CANDY STORE ROCK:
Baby Let's Play House (ELVIS PRESLEY) 06 - HOTS ON FOR NOWHERE:
Walter's Walk (LED ZEPPELIN) 07 - TEA FOR ONE:
Since I've Been Loving You (LED ZEPPELIN)
Led Zeppelin's sixth album, Physical Graffiti, just about encompasses the full range of what the band is all about. "In My Time Of Dying" is the only actual cover song here. Each successive album finds the band coming more into its own and the sources of inspiration less decipherable. Below is a list of the actual and possible sources of inspiration for each song.
01 - CUSTARD PIE:
Custard Pie Blues (SONNY TERRY)
Drop Down Mama (SLEEPY JOHN ESTES)
Drop Down Mama (TOM RUSH)
Drop Down Mama (MISSISSIPPI FRED MCDOWELL)
Shake 'Em On Down (BUKKA WHITE)
I Want Some Of Your Pie (BLIND BOY FULLER)
My Mama Don't Allow Me (ARTHUR CRUDUP)
Put On Your Nightcap (BIG JOE WILLIAMS)
02 - THE ROVER: [Original]
03 - IN MY TIME OF DYING:
In My Time Of Dying (JOSH WHITE)
Jesus Gonna Make Up My Dying Bed (JOSH WHITE)
In My Time Of Dyin' (BOB DYLAN)
Jesus Make Up My Dying Bed (BLIND WILLIE JOHNSON)
Dance Of The Inhabitants (JOHN FAHEY)
Jesus Is A Dying Bed Maker (CHARLEY PATTON)
04 - HOUSES OF THE HOLY: [Original]
05 - TRAMPLED UNDER FOOT:
Terraplane Blues (ROBERT JOHNSON)
Superstition (STEVIE WONDER)
06 - KASHMIR:
Inspired by Indian & Middle Eastern music
07 - IN THE LIGHT: [Original]
08 - BRON-YR-AUR:
She Likes It (OWEN HAND)
09 - DOWN BY THE SEASIDE:
Down By The River (NEIL YOUNG)
10 - TEN YEARS GONE:
Band On The Run (WINGS)
11 - NIGHT FLIGHT: [Original]
12 - THE WANTON SONG:
Immigrant Song (LED ZEPPELIN)
13 - BOOGIE WITH STU: Ooh, My Head (RITCHIE VALENS)
This album, Led Zeppelin's fifth, marks the beginning of the band starting to shed their habit of "borrowing" so much from other artists. Although there are segments of recognizable sounds from other songs scattered throughout the album. Aside from the band paying homage to certain genres, for the most part these are all original creations. Below is a list of the actual and possible sources of inspiration for each song.
01 - THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME:
Tinker Tailor Soldier Sailor (THE YARDBIRDS)
02 - THE RAIN SONG:
Something (THE BEATLES)
03 - OVER THE HILLS AND FAR AWAY:
Intro inspired by folk music
04 - THE CRUNGE:
Inspired by funk music
Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine (JAMES BROWN)
Mr. Pitiful (OTIS REDDING)
05 - DANCING DAYS:
Inspired by Indian & Middle Eastern music
06 - D'YER MAK'ER:
Inspired by reggae music
Poor Little Fool (RICKY NELSON)
My Darling Forever (ROSIE AND THE ORIGINALS)
Led Zeppelin's fourth album, for the most part, is almost completely original. The exception being their cover of "When The Levee Breaks". That being said, there are still bits and pieces of others' songs nipped in at least half of the albums tracks. Below is a list of the actual and possible sources of inspiration for each song.
01 - BLACK DOG: Oh Well, Part 1 (FLEETWOOD MAC)
02 - ROCK AND ROLL: Keep A Knockin' (LITTLE RICHARD)
Good Golly Miss Molly (LITTLE RICHARD)
03 - THE BATTLE OF EVERMORE:
The Lord Of The Rings (J.R.R. TOLKIEN)
04 - STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN: Taurus (SPIRIT)
Summer Rain (JOHNNY RIVERS)
And She's Lonely (THE CHOCOLATE WATCHBAND)
05 - MISTY MOUNTAIN HOP:
Inspired by the 1968 Hyde Park Pot Rally
The Hobbit/The Lord Of The Rings (J.R.R. TOLKIEN)
06 - FOUR STICKS:
Inspired by Indian & Middle Eastern music
07 - GOING TO CALIFORNIA: Go Your Way My Love (BERT JANSCH) I Had A King (JONI MITCHELL)
08 - WHEN THE LEVEE BREAKS: When The Levee Breaks (MEMPHIS MINNIE)
Led Zeppelin's third album finds the band employing more folk and acoustic elements in their music. While only one of the songs is considered an actual cover version ("Gallows Pole"), the rest of them were certainly very heavily influenced by other artists and styles. Below is a list of the actual and possible sources of inspiration for each song. 01 - IMMIGRANT SONG:
Get Smart (TV THEME SONG)
Bali Ha'i (RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN)
Ride The Sky (LUCIFER'S FRIEND)
02 - FRIENDS:
Mars, The Bringer Of War (GUSTAV HOLST)
Carry On (CSNY)
03 - CELEBRATION DAY:
Inspired by funk music
04 - SINCE I'VE BEEN LOVING YOU:
Never (MOBY GRAPE)
New York City Blues (THE YARDBIRDS)
I Woke Up This Morning (TEN YEARS AFTER)
05 - OUT ON THE TILES:
Travelling Riverside Blues (ROBERT JOHNSON)
06 - GALLOWS POLE:
Gallows Pole (FRED GERLACH)
The Gallis Pole (LEADBELLY)
07 - TANGERINE:
Knowing That I'm Losing You (THE YARDBIRDS)
08 - THAT'S THE WAY:
Inspired by folk music
09 - BRON-Y-AUR STOMP:
The Waggoner's Lad (BERT JANSCH)
10 - HATS OFF TO (ROY) HARPER:
Shake 'Em On Down (BUKKA WHITE)
Shake 'Em On Down (MISSISSIPPI FRED MCDOWELL)
Lone Wolf Blues (OSCAR WOODS)
Help Me (SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON)
Led Zeppelin's second album has more original offerings than the first. There are still a handful of songs where they borrowed from other artists though, as can be heard in "Whole Lotta Love", "The Lemon Song", "Moby Dick", and "Bring It On Home". Below is a list of the actual and possible sources of inspiration for each song.
01 - WHOLE LOTTA LOVE:
You Need Love (MUDDY WATERS)
You Need Loving (SMALL FACES)
Led Zeppelin's first album, Led Zeppelin, is almost entirely a covers album, with six out of the nine songs being previously recorded by other artists. The majority of the album borrows from blues and folk music. Below is a list of the actual and possible sources of inspiration for each song.
03 - YOU SHOOK ME:
You Shook Me (WILLIE DIXON)
You Shook Me (JEFF BECK)
I Need You (ELMORE JAMES)
04 - DAZED AND CONFUSED:
Dazed And Confused (JAKE HOLMES)
I'm Confused (THE YARDBIRDS)
Think About It (THE YARDBIRDS) 05 - YOUR TIME IS GONNA COME:
I Believe To My Soul (RAY CHARLES)
06 - BLACK MOUNTAIN SIDE:
Black Waterside (BERT JANSCH)
07 - COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN:
Nervous Breakdown (EDDIE COCHRAN)
08 - I CAN'T QUIT YOU BABY:
I Can't Quit You Baby (WILLIE DIXON)
I Can't Quit You Baby (OTIS RUSH)
09 - HOW MANY MORE TIMES:
How Many More Years (HOWLIN' WOLF)
No Place To Go (HOWLIN' WOLF)
The Hunter (ALBERT KING)
Rosie (ALEXIS KORNER)
Steal Away (ALEXIS KORNER)
Beck's Bolero (JEFF BECK)
Smokestack Lightnin' (THE YARDBIRDS)
Here is the second half of my favorite songs with slide guitar playing: [1] - TODD RUNDGREN - "I Saw The Light"
The slide guitar playing in this song is very George Harrison-esque and may well have been inspired by him. The simple main four-note descending lick is played throughout the song. It is not until the quite memorable guitar solo where Todd shows of his skills with a slide.
[2] - BADFINGER - "Day After Day"
This song actually features George Harrison on slide guitar along with Pete Ham. It closely mimics the vocal melody. I have heard solo acoustic renditions of this song without the slide and it is hard to listen to because it is so integral to the song's character. "I remember finding out about you."
[3] - AMERICA - "Sister Golden Hair"
Another one quite reminiscent of George Harrison's style of slide guitar playing. Maybe it had something to do with the "Fifth Beatle", George Martin, producing the record. The main slide riff played in the intro and middle of the song is the really ear-catching part, but the slide is applied throughout the song as well.
[4] - NAZARETH - "Love Hurts"
Okay, so there has always been a big debate on whether the solo in this song was played with a slide or EBow. The argument is that there is only one pick attack - on the first note of the solo. It sounds like a slide to me, thus its inclusion here. In any case it is hauntingly beautiful.
[5] - JON BON JOVI - "Blaze Of Glory"
The main slide riff heard here is played throughout on acoustic guitar. There are other sections of the song with slide fills, but they do not stand out as much as the main riff. Another standout aspect of this song is Jeff Beck's guitar solo (not played with slide). "I'm no one's son, call me young gun."
[6] - JOE WALSH - "Rocky Mountain Way"
Joe Walsh's slide playing is distinct and very recognizable. It is easily one of the most original styles in all of rock history. Aside from being one the greatest classic rock songs and being a defining moment for talk box, "Rocky Mountain Way" features some pretty tasty slide licks.
[7] - SANTO & JOHNNY - "Sleep Walk"
What an emotional song! I am moved every time I hear it. The steel-guitar playing is just out-of-this-world phenomenal!
[8] - LED ZEPPELIN - "What Is And What Should Never Be"
I am surprised that this song does not make more "slide guitar" lists. Yes, the guitar solo is the only time actual slide playing is featured, but it is so great. It is the first song I learned to play with a slide and I still love playing it.
[9] - MAZZY STAR - "Fade Into You"
This song is quite laid-back and does not feature an in-your-face slide guitar. The playing here is quite tasteful, atmospheric, and fits well with the overall moodiness of the song. "I think it's strange you never knew."
Here is the first half of my favorite songs that have slide guitar playing:
[10] - GEORGE THOROGOOD - "Bad To The Bone"
One of the all time classics of rock slide guitar. The main riff follows a typical blues shuffle, easily recognizable, and makes the song. Yet it is George's dirty and greasy slide solos that give it character.
[11] - RED RIDER - "Lunatic Fringe"
Most would not recognize this song for its slide guitar playing, but the slide solo is an enjoyable listen. It is quite melodic and angry at once. Even though it does not show up until the solo section, the slide guitar retains its importance for the remainder of the song. "See you on the other side."
[12] - ZZ TOP - "Tush"
Another rock classic that can get people amped up at parties. Both slide solos are quirky and fun. This is a must-have in your repertoire if you are a rock guitarist.
[13] - FLEETWOOD MAC - "Albatross"
One of the most laid-back, dreamlike rock songs ever. The slide guitar work is quite subtle, but do not let that fool you. It is integral to the song as a whole.
[14] - FOGHAT - "Slow Ride"
A classic rock radio staple and the most well-known song by this band. Although many of Foghat's songs feature slide guitar, this is the granddaddy of them all. It epitomizes how slide guitar should be presented in a jam song.
[15] - STEVE MILLER BAND - "The Joker"
Included here not only for its "wolf-whistle" slide guitar parts, but for the two solos. They are phenomenal, albeit simplistic. Pairing the wah pedal with the slide gives an even more vocal-like quality.
[16] - LITTLE FEAT - "Dixie Chicken"
I admit I am not a big Little Feat fan, but this song was always on the radio when I was growing up... it is an easy song to like. The slide guitar does not play an immediately prominent role in the song as it is quite sparse. Yet, when it is applied your ear is just drawn to it.
[17] - MOTLEY CRUE - "Without You"
Motley Crue's other big power ballad, features Mick Mars' steel guitar prowess. It is played at various times throughout the song, particularly the intro, pre-verse, and solo. The latter of which is easily singable, something I consider a cornerstone to a great guitar solo.
[18] - RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS - "Scar Tissue"
One of the bands most popular songs, includes some excellent slide guitar work by John Frusciante. The solos are quite emotional in a languishing way which fits the song perfectly. "With the birds I'll share this lonely view".
