Led Zeppelin is considered by many to be one of the greatest bands in the history of rock music, but their roots clearly lie in the tradition of the blues.
Their blues influences got the best of them on a few occasions during their run in the late 60s and 70s. In 1972, the band was sued for copyright infringement by Arc Music, the music publishing company that handled the catalog of Chess Records, one of the premier blues record labels. At the center of the case were two Led Zeppelin songs, “Bring It On Home” and “The Lemon Song.”
Arc Music claimed that the intro to “Bring It On Home” borrowed liberally from Sonny Boy Williamson’s song of the same name written by Willie Dixon, and that “The Lemon Song” borrowed from Howlin’ Wolf’s song “Killing Floor.”
Compare the songs below:
Sonny Boy Williamson’s original version of “Bring It On Home” vs Led Zeppelin’s “Bring It On Home.”
The Electric Flag’s version of Howlin’ Wolf’s “Killing Floor” vs Led Zeppelin’s “The Lemon Song”
The case was eventually settled out of court for an undisclosed amount of money. Ironically, Dixon himself didn’t receive any money from the settlement until he sued Arc Music over royalties and copyrights.
Dixon sued Led Zeppelin himself in 1985 in regards to another song he felt infringed on his copyrights, claiming that Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love” ripped off lyrics from his song “You Need Love.” Again, a settlement was reached out of court, and Dixon was given credit as co-writer of “Whole Lotta Love.”
Jimmy Page, guitarist for Led Zeppelin, commented on the band’s use of classic blues songs in an interview with Guitar World magazine.
I always tried to bring something fresh to anything that I used. I always made sure to come up with some variation. In fact, I think in most cases, you would never know what the original source could be. Maybe not in every case — but in most cases. So most of the comparisons rest on the lyrics. And Robert [Plant, lead singer of Led Zeppelin] was supposed to change the lyrics, and he didn’t always do that — which is what brought on most of the grief. They couldn’t get us on the guitar parts of the music, but they nailed us on the lyrics. We did, however, take some liberties, I must say [laughs]. But never mind; we did try to do the right thing.
Years later, many hip-hop artists would find themselves in a similar position as Led Zeppelin as the laws surrounding sampling became more strict, ultimately changing the sound of the genre forever.
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at 7:32 pm
NOTE: PLEASE EXCUSE SOME DUPLICATED PARAGRAPHS THAT GOT INTO MY LAST POST. THEY WERE NOT SHOWING WHEN I REVIEWED THE POST BEFORE SENDING…I DON’T KNOW HOW THAT OCCURRED BUT MY PC IS DEFINITELY GOING IN FOR REPAIRS THIS WEEK…
at 7:24 pm
I appreciate the recognition given my close friend Howlin’ Wolf who, though the actual “king” of the Chicago scene, got to be lesser known to whites and is so, even now, than Muddy or Bo who were all three the most significant contributors to the birth of Rock as well as expressing and evolving blues in many ways. But as you know, Wolf did not sell out and take crap from anyone. My iconic photos we created and the story of knowing him is on my website. We also made 2 songs – just us – fresh and hopefully out at last soon. More yet on FaceBook.
Ironically I was ripped off big-time – against Wolf’s wishes for me – by his own Booking Agent ABC then, but I did not know of this for decades which is one reason I live in hundred-aire poverty and a UK archive made many commissions off the one photo that was out there for years. Now my other very similar image 2nd of 99 gets same treatment but I’m more on top of it. Even Cadillac Records innocently used it not knowing it was mine.
I was fully ripped off re no royalties for anyone by a 3 French produced 3 times released vinyl and CD which includes my harp playing and songs.
But the point I am driven make today is this, about another very dear friend of mine Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup. The founder of Rock and Roll
and this may shock you to find out but I hope if you care you will take up the cause with me… as follows:
I appreciate the recognition given my close friend Howlin’ Wolf who, though the actual “king” of the Chicago scene, got to be lesser known to whites and is so, even now, than Muddy or Bo who were all three the most significant contributors to the birth of Rock as well as expressing and evolving blues in many ways. But as you know, Wolf did not sell out and take crap from anyone. My iconic photos we created and the story of knowing him is on my website. We also made 2 songs – just us – fresh and hopefully out at last soon. More yet on FaceBook.
Ironically I was ripped off big-time – against Wolf’s wishes for me – by his own Booking Agent ABC then, but I did not know of this for decades which is one reason I live in hundred-aire poverty and a UK archive made many commissions off the one photo that was out there for years. Now my other very similar image 2nd of 99 gets same treatment but I’m more on top of it. Even Cadillac Records innocently used it not knowing it was mine.
I was fully ripped off re no royalties for anyone by a 3 French produced 3 times released vinyl and CD which includes my harp playing and songs.
But the point I am driven make today is this, about another very dear friend of mine Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup. The founder of Rock and Roll
and this may shock you to find out but I hope if you care you will take up the cause with me… as follows:
I appreciate the recognition given my close friend Howlin’ Wolf who, though the actual “king” of the Chicago scene, got to be lesser known to whites and is so, even now, than Muddy or Bo who were all three the most significant contributors to the birth of Rock as well as expressing and evolving blues in many ways. But as you know, Wolf did not sell out and take crap from anyone. My iconic photos we created and the story of knowing him is on my website. We also made 2 songs – just us – fresh and hopefully out at last soon. More yet on FaceBook.
Ironically I was ripped off big-time – against Wolf’s wishes for me – by his own Booking Agent ABC then, but I did not know of this for decades which is one reason I live in hundred-aire poverty and a UK archive made many commissions off the one photo that was out there for years. Now my other very similar image 2nd of 99 gets same treatment but I’m more on top of it. Even Cadillac Records innocently used it not knowing it was mine.
I was fully ripped off re no royalties for anyone by a 3 French produced 3 times released vinyl and CD which includes my harp playing and songs.
But the point I am driven make today is this, about another very dear friend of mine Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup. The founder of Rock and Roll
and this may shock you to find out but I hope if you care you will take up the cause with me… as follows:
I appreciate the recognition given my close friend Howlin’ Wolf who, though the actual “king” of the Chicago scene, got to be lesser known to whites and is so, even now, than Muddy or Bo who were all three the most significant contributors to the birth of Rock as well as expressing and evolving blues in many ways. But as you know, Wolf did not sell out and take crap from anyone. My iconic photos we created and the story of knowing him is on my website. We also made 2 songs – just us – fresh and hopefully out at last soon. More yet on FaceBook.
Ironically I was ripped off big-time – against Wolf’s wishes for me – by his own Booking Agent ABC then, but I did not know of this for decades which is one reason I live in hundred-aire poverty and a UK archive made many commissions off the one photo that was out there for years. Now my other very similar image 2nd of 99 gets same treatment but I’m more on top of it. Even Cadillac Records innocently used it not knowing it was mine.
I was fully ripped off re no royalties for anyone by a 3 French produced 3 times released vinyl and CD which includes my harp playing and songs.
But the point I am driven make today is this, about another very dear friend of mine Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup. The founder of Rock and Roll
and this may shock you to find out but I hope if you care you will take up the cause with me… as follows:
Note: Permission granted to distribute the following (if entirely intact and for non-commercial purposes) Commercial uses require my licensing.
Some Interesting Facts About Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup
© Sandy Guy Schoenfeld
ARTHUR “BIG BOY” CRUDUP
It’s pronounced (crew’ – duhp) people… ‘coz there ain’t nothing
“cruddy” about the actual true “Father of Rock & Roll”
Arthur Crudup – whom I played drums for and corresponded with — has NEVER been inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame, under ‘Influences’, even though so MANY he influenced in one way or another have been! This is a matter that should be be a collective cause for all who care about both the actual history of music, especially blues and rock, to make it so that Arthur finally gets the formal and as full-as-possible national respect and admiration he is long due.
It’’s very arguable “That’s All Right (Mama)” is the first Rock & Roll song. (”Rocket ‘88″ rocks out, sure, but is a fast shuffle-beat blues. Rock is 2/4 time) and based on that Arthur Crudup first began doing his music that way is (if any one-only can be named such) the actual “Father of Rock and Roll.” His “So Glad You’re Mine” (early version) is a lot hotter than Elvis’s fairly-authentic and acknowledged cover, and may also be the first usage of “oo-wee” on a recording.
Elvis’s covering Arthur Crudup and other black artists was much appreciated and had long been sought by Sun Studio’s Sam Phillips. Elvis’s doing them in his seminal days and getting heard by a new audience (in spite of efforts to suppress it) then allowed other black artists to more easily cross over into white markets, i.e. Little Richard, Chuck Berry, etc. as well as for more white artists to add their own ways of what became Rockabilly and then, also with influences of other original blues artists of course, mainly Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters and Bo DIddley… Rock & Roll, heavy metal, etc. and all of this can be heard today in alternative music and almost any genre at some point.
And, as Elvis himself told reporters, in his own words in 1956, “The colored folks been (performing) it for more years than I know. I got it from them … in Tupelo… I used to hear old ***Arthur Crudup*** bang his box the way I do now (~ he wished! ~) and I said if I ever got to the place where I could feel all old Arthur felt, I’d be a music man like nobody ever saw.”
Ironically and sadly, “that nobody ever saw” is all too applicable to Arthur Crudup’s lack of recognition for both his pioneering early rock AND his very fine, clever, moving blues songs he wrote and performed.
Elvis may well have “made it” on his own, but “it” without the influence of various black blues artists – and most – especially Arthur Crudup he would have been at best if even (despite his fine voice) a Grand Ol’ Opry thing (if that too is not – which it often is, of course – also much influenced earlier on by blues.
And yes, I know influence goes in all directions, and about other than black or white only or even just USA-based music having a part in this process at some points, and about the Celtic-origin (allowable to be sung by slaves) folk and gospel music being then combined with African tonal form and resolving chords and some much more, too.
And yes, I do know about Howlin’ Wolf and country star Jimmy Rogers’ yodel influencing Wolf’s howl, etc. After all, I have Wolf’s comments about that on tape and can myself yodel as well as howl.
And this is what I want to howl about here: There’s no way to imagine Elvis’s career without his – fortunately during a break in his earliest recording effort – having “fooled around” playing “That’s All Right (Mama).” He also had at least two other early hits, both covers of Arthur’s material, “My Baby Left Me” and “So Glad You’re Mine.” Both were very approximately accurate covers in melody and lyrics, unlike “Hound Dog” which saw some adjustments but clearly derived from the original Lieber & Stoller notes which were arranged by Willie Mae Thornton for the initially-recorded version. I refer to early Elvis here, not when he was established or (shudder) “Colonel-ized.”
Arthur Crudup’s songs were further popularized by stars such as (the short list!) Etta James, Jimi Hendrix, Muddy Waters, Elton John, Rod Stewart, Johnny Winter, Paul Butterfield, Tina Turner, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Canned Heat and Creedence Clearwater Revival and Mike Wilhelm & The Frisco Jammers (where I’m playing harp)
AND YET, ARTHUR NEVER GOT PAID ANY ROYALTIES – despite his efforts and others on his behalf, who, a few years before he died achieved a $60,000 court award for back royalties – which nevertheless never was released to him!
In 1968, I took a dozen or so nice and very personal portraits of Arthur (unlike the nearly unrecognizable one of him on Wikipedia about which I might add is not entirely untypical of Wiki’s eschewing visual values even when significant “right-in-one’s-face aspects” of reality and “fact” are in such ways, best revealed). So there it is, folks.
PLEASE NOTE: PART OF ANY MONEY I MAKE BEYOND THE SIGNIFICANT EXPENSES OF HAVING PORTRAITS MADE FROM MY VINTAGE NEGATIVES WILL BE USED FOR EFFORTS TO GET ARTHUR CRUDUP INDUCTED INTO THE ROCK HALL OF FAME, THOUGH MOST OF ANY MONEY I ATTAIN IN ANY FASHION GOES (ONCE IMMEDIATE BASIC NEEDS ARE COVERED AND SOMETIMES EVEN WHEN NOT) TOWARD MY YEARS-LONG EFFORTS TO RESCUE TRAFFICKED AND ASSIST IN PROTECTING AND EMPOWERING OTHERWISE-ENDANGERED AND AT-RISK WOMEN .
(please feel free to donate to these causes via my PayPal)
howlingsandy@hotmail.com
GREAT ARTHUR CRUDUP OR HOWLIN’ WOLF RELATED GIFTS FREE
FOR ALL WHO DO (VALUE IN PROPORTION TO AMOUNT DONATED)
at 1:26 am
LOVVVVVVE the blues!!!!!! Also I love Clara SMith (no relation to Bessie), Blinf Lemmon Jefferson, Charlie Patton, all those REAL singers that others copycatted…..
too bad these geniuses didn’t make the yuppy bucks like Led Zepplin, the stones and Eric Clapton did because those GTRUE creators of sall time (even better than the rappers today) got screwed in the racist land called the land of opportunity…….Bessie Smith did made some dough back in HER day, though…..
at 4:23 pm
all i gotta say is I LOVE SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON!!
at 2:59 pm
Thanks TUD, u know that “The White Book” & “Hammer of The Gods” did this topic better though, dont u? Sure u do! I understand though, if much more was “borrowed” then u’d be doing a plagerism piece on yourselves. And as usual yall tried to protect ya boy Jay-Z by not mentioning how his current mindstate was heavily influenced by Zeppelin’s, Jimmy Page & their song, Stairway to Heaven , or how the song itself is a salute to Freemasonary. That would certainly help to explain how the band always gets away with a slap on the wrist after blatantly stealing other atists work, just like “ya boy” does.
You heard the rumor MAKAVELLI IS ALIVE and wrote a book on what really happened 9/7/96?
You heard he says Jay-Z pulled the trigger?
YOU HEARD IT NOW!
at 2:50 pm
Memphis Minnie’s, When the Levee Breaks was also copied by Led Zeppelin. This is the reason, for a long time, I never bought any Led Zeppelin album. At least the Beatles and The Stones made original music. A tragedy when you consider these blues artists where robbed and died broke, with no justice. However, the lack of concern by Source Magazine, BET, or any other Balck media to recognize these artists is also a travesty. Props to Blues music, the origin of everything today -and props to chain gang music, which is the most unrecognized Black music ever. Chain gang music, music of black criminals imprisoned in an unjust justice system.
David Kiehlmeier
Publisher
Blunt News