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{{subpages}} | {{PropDel}}<br><br>{{subpages}} | ||
{{Infobox Single | {{Infobox Single | ||
|name = Black Dog | |name = Black Dog | ||
|image = | |image = Image:Bdsingle1971.jpg | ||
|caption = 1971 French single | |caption = 1971 French single | ||
|album = ''Led Zeppelin IV'' | |album = ''Led Zeppelin IV'' | ||
Line 11: | Line 11: | ||
|genre = Hard rock, blues-rock | |genre = Hard rock, blues-rock | ||
|language = English | |language = English | ||
|length = 4 | |length = 4 minutes 55 seconds | ||
|composer = | |composer = Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones | ||
|label = Atlantic Records | |label = Atlantic Records | ||
|producer = Jimmy Page | |producer = Jimmy Page | ||
|engineer = Andy Johns | |engineer = Andy Johns | ||
}} | }} | ||
{{TOC|right}} | |||
''''Black Dog'''' is a song by [[England|English]] rock band Led Zeppelin, which is featured as the lead-off track of their Led Zeppelin IV|fourth album, released in 1971. It was also released as a single in the US and Australia with 'Misty Mountain Hop' on the B-side, and reached number 15 on ''Billboard'' and number 11 in Australia. | |||
==Overview== | ==Overview== | ||
Led Zeppelin bass player | Led Zeppelin bass player John Paul Jones, who is credited with writing the main riff,<ref>{{cite book|last=Lewis|first=Dave|year=2012|title=Led Zeppelin: From a Whisper to a Scream|location=London|publisher=Omnibus Press|pages=52|isbn=978-1-78038-547-1}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last=Schulps|first=Dave|date=October 1977|title=Jimmy Page: The Trouser Press Interview|url=http://www.teachrock.org/resources/article/jimmy-page-the-trouser-press-interview/|journal=Trouser Press|publisher=Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press|volume=4|issue=22|issn=0164-1883}}</ref> wanted to write a song that people could not 'groove' or dance to with its winding riff and complex time signature changes. | ||
{{ | |||
In an interview, Jones explained the difficulties experienced by the band in writing the song: {{Quote|I wanted to try an electric blues with a rolling bass part. But it couldn't be too simple. I wanted it to turn back on itself. I showed it to the guys, and we fell into it. We struggled with the turn-around, until John Bonham|[John] Bonham figured out that you just four-time as if there's ''no'' turn-around. That was the secret.<ref>Liner notes by Cameron Crowe for ''The Complete Studio Recordings (Led Zeppelin box set)|The Complete Studio Recordings''</ref>}} | |||
The song's title is a reference to a nameless black Labrador retriever that wandered around the Headley Grange studios during recording.<ref>Liner notes by Cameron Crowe for ''The Complete Studio Recordings (Led Zeppelin box set)|The Complete Studio Recordings''</ref> The dog has nothing to do with the song lyrics, which are about desperate desire for a woman's love and the happiness resulting thereby. Regarding the lyrics to the song, Plant later said, 'Not all my stuff is meant to be scrutinized. Things like 'Black Dog' are blatant, let's-do-it-in-the-bath type things, but they make their point just the same.'<ref>{{cite journal|last=Crowe|first=Cameron|date=13 March 1975|title=The Durable Led Zeppelin|url=http://www.theuncool.com/journalism/rs182-led-zeppelin/|journal=Rolling Stone|publisher=Jann Wenner|issue=182|issn=0035-791X|accessdate=19 April 2014}}</ref> Plant's vocals were recorded in two takes.<ref>{{cite web|date=25 March 2014|title=Led Zeppelin Database - Studio Vaults|url=http://www.argenteumastrum.com/studio_vaults.htm|publisher=Argenteum Astrum|accessdate=19 April 2014}}</ref> | |||
Page | Built around a call-and-response dynamic between vocalist and the band, the start and stop a cappella verses were inspired by Fleetwood Mac's 1969 song 'Oh Well'.<ref>{{cite book|last=Lewis|first=Dave|year=2012|title=Led Zeppelin: From a Whisper to a Scream|location=London|publisher=Omnibus Press|pages=52|isbn=978-1-78038-547-1}}</ref> (Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page and the Black Crowes would later perform 'Oh Well' on their 1999 tour and included it on the album ''Live at the Greek''.) | ||
{{ | Despite the seeming simplicity of the drum pattern, the song features a complex, shifting time signature. Jones originally wanted the song recorded in 3/16 time but realised it was too complex to reproduce live.<ref>{{cite book|last=Lewis|first=Dave|year=2003|chapter=The Making of Led Zep IV|title=Led Zeppelin: The 'Tight but Loose' Files: Celebration II|location=London|publisher=Omnibus Press|pages=22|isbn=978-1844-49056-1}}</ref> In live performances, Bonham eliminated the 5/4 variation so that Plant could perform his ''a cappella'' vocal interludes and then have the instruments return to together synchronised.<ref>{{cite book|last=Gracyk|first=Theodore|date=2007|title=Listening to Popular Music, Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Led Zeppelin|location=Ann Arbor|publisher=University of Michigan Press|pages=166|isbn=978-0-472-06983-5}}</ref> If the volume is turned up loud enough, Bonham can be heard tapping his sticks together before each riff. Page made reference to this in an interview he gave to ''Guitar World'' magazine in 1993: {{Quote|He did that to keep time and to signal the band. We tried to eliminate most of them, but muting was much more difficult in those days than it is now.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Tolinski|first=Brad|coauthors=Greg DiBenedetto|date=May 1993|title=Inside the studio with Jimmy Page|url=http://www.skeptictank.org/files/en004/lza93pag.htm|journal=Guitar World|publisher=Harris Publications|volume=14|issue=5|issn=1063-4231}}</ref>}} | ||
Page | Page also discussed how he achieved his guitar sound on the track: {{Quote|We put my Les Paul through a direct box, and from there into a mic channel. We used the mic amp of the mixing board to get distortion. Then we ran it through two Urei 1176 Universal compressors in series. Then each line was triple-tracked. Curiously, I was listening to that track when we were reviewing the tapes and the guitars almost sound like an analogue synthesizer.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Tolinski|first=Brad|coauthors=Greg DiBenedetto|date=May 1993|title=Inside the studio with Jimmy Page|url=http://www.skeptictank.org/files/en004/lza93pag.htm|journal=Guitar World|publisher=Harris Publications|volume=14|issue=5|issn=1063-4231}}</ref>}} | ||
The sounds at the beginning of the song are those of Page warming up his electric guitar. He called it | Page's solo was constructed out of four overdubbed Gibson Les Paul fills.<ref>{{cite book|last=Lewis|first=Dave|year=2012|title=Led Zeppelin: From a Whisper to a Scream|location=London|publisher=Omnibus Press|pages=52|isbn=978-1-78038-547-1}}</ref> The sounds at the beginning of the song are those of Page warming up his electric guitar. He called it 'waking up the army of guitars' — which are multitrack recorded in unison with electric bass guitar to provide the song's signature. | ||
==Live performances== | ==Live performances== | ||
'Black Dog' became a staple and fan favourite of Led Zeppelin concerts|Led Zeppelin's live concert performances. It was first played live at Belfast's Ulster Hall on 5 March 1971, a concert which also featured the first ever live performance of 'Stairway to Heaven'.<ref>{{cite book|author=Lewis, Dave and Pallett, Simon|title=Led Zeppelin: The Concert File|edition=Revised|location=London|publisher=Omnibus Press|year=2005|pages=130|isbn=978-1-84449-659-4}}</ref> It was retained for each subsequent concert tour until 1973. In 1975 it was used as an encore medley with 'Whole Lotta Love', but was hardly used on the band's Led Zeppelin North American Tour 1977|1977 concert tour of the United States. It was recalled to the set for the Knebworth Festival 1979 and the Tour Over Europe 1980|1980 Tour of Europe. For these final 1980 performances, Page introduced the song from stage.<ref>{{cite book|last=Lewis|first=Dave|year=2012|title=Led Zeppelin: From a Whisper to a Scream|location=London|publisher=Omnibus Press|pages=52|isbn=978-1-78038-547-1}}</ref> | |||
When played live, Led Zeppelin often played the first few bars of | When played live, Led Zeppelin often played the first few bars of 'Out on the Tiles' as the introduction for 'Black Dog', except for the 1973 tour where the riff from 'Bring It On Home (Led Zeppelin song)|Bring It On Home' introduced the song. Also, the 'ah-ah' refrains were sung in call-and-response between Robert Plant and the audience. | ||
Page's guitar playing prowess is well demonstrated in different recorded performances of the song from | Page's guitar playing prowess is well demonstrated in different recorded performances of the song from Madison Square Garden in July 1973, as seen in the group's concert films ''The Song Remains the Same'' and ''Led Zeppelin (DVD)|Led Zeppelin'' DVD. There is also a June 1972 live recording of 'Black Dog' which can be heard on the album ''How the West Was Won (album)|How the West Was Won'', and another live version on Disc 2 of ''BBC Sessions (Led Zeppelin album)|BBC Sessions''. | ||
'Black Dog' was performed at the Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert|Led Zeppelin's reunion show at the The O2 arena (London)|O<sub>2</sub> Arena, London on 10 December 2007. | |||
Plant sampled the song on his solo tracks | Plant sampled the song on his solo tracks 'Tall Cool One' and 'Your Ma Said She Cried In Her Sleep Last Night'. Jimmy Page and Robert Plant performed an updated version of this song on their 1995 tour. 'Black Dog' was the first song performed by Page and Plant at the American Music Awards, which kicked off their first tour together in almost 15 years. Robert Plant also played a version of the song during his solo tour in 2005, as is included on the DVD release ''Soundstage: Robert Plant and the Strange Sensation''. Whitesnake overtly based 'Still of the Night' on this song; later, when Coverdale-Page toured in 1993, they played both songs together. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss regularly covered 'Black Dog' during their tour of USA and Europe in April and May 2008.<ref>{{cite web|last=Sparaco|first=Gerard|date=2 January 2011|title=Robert Plant & Alison Krauss – Your Long Journey (Wardour-063)|url=http://www.collectorsmusicreviews.com/plant-robert/robert-plant-alison-krauss-your-long-journey-wardour-063/|publisher=Collectors Music Reviews|accessdate=19 April 2014}}</ref> It also features on their appearance on the Country Music Television show CMT Crossroads, recorded in October 2007.<ref>{{cite web|author=Staff writer|date=15 January 2008|title=Robert Plant and Alison Krauss: 'Cmt Crossroads' to Premiere Next Month|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/robert-plant-and-alison-krauss-cmt-crossroads-to-premiere-next-month/|publisher=Blabbermouth.net|accessdate=19 April 2014}}</ref> | ||
</ref> It also features on their appearance on the | |||
==Accolades== | ==Accolades== | ||
{|class= | {|class='wikitable sortable' | ||
|- | |- | ||
! Publication | ! Publication | ||
Line 62: | Line 53: | ||
! Accolade | ! Accolade | ||
! Year | ! Year | ||
!align= | !align='center'|Rank | ||
|- | |- | ||
| ''Classic Rock'' | | ''Classic Rock'' | ||
| United States | | United States | ||
| | | The Top Fifty Classic Rock Songs of All Time<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/50.html#CLASSIC ROCK SONGS|title=The Top Fifty Classic Rock Songs of All Time - 1995|accessdate=2009-02-10|publisher=Jacobs Media}}</ref> | ||
| 1995 | | 1995 | ||
| 18 | | 18 | ||
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| ''The Guitar'' | | ''The Guitar'' | ||
| United States | | United States | ||
| | | Riff of the Millennium<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/50.html#guitarriff|title=Riff of the Millennium - December 1999|accessdate=2009-02-10|publisher=''The Guitar''}}</ref> | ||
| 1999 | | 1999 | ||
| 7 | | 7 | ||
|- | |- | ||
| '' | | ''Rolling Stone'' | ||
| United States | | United States | ||
| | | The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/_/id/6596661/500songs|title=The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time - November 2003|accessdate=2009-02-10|publisher=''Rolling Stone''}}</ref> | ||
| 2003 | | 2003 | ||
| 294 | | 294 | ||
|- | |- | ||
| '' | | ''Q (magazine)|Q'' | ||
| United Kingdom | | United Kingdom | ||
| | | 1010 Songs You Must Own!<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/q1010songs.htm|title=1010 Songs You Must Own! Celebrity Choices - September 2004|accessdate=2009-02-10|publisher=''Q''}}</ref> | ||
| 2004 | | 2004 | ||
| * | | * | ||
|- | |- | ||
| '' | | ''Blender (magazine)|Blender'' | ||
| United States | | United States | ||
| | | The Greatest Songs Ever!<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.blender.com/guide/articles.aspx?id=1407 | title=Standout Tracks from the 500 CDs You Must Own - January 2005| accessdate=2009-02-10 | publisher=''Blender''}}</ref> | ||
| 2005 | | 2005 | ||
| * | | * | ||
Line 96: | Line 87: | ||
| Bruce Pollock | | Bruce Pollock | ||
| United States | | United States | ||
| | | The 7,500 Most Important Songs of 1944-2000<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.acclaimedmusic.net/Current/S4102.htm | title=The 7,500 Most Important Songs of 1944-2000 - 2005| accessdate=2009-02-10 | publisher=Acclaimed Music}}</ref> | ||
| 2005 | | 2005 | ||
| * | | * | ||
Line 102: | Line 93: | ||
| ''Q'' | | ''Q'' | ||
| United Kingdom | | United Kingdom | ||
| | | The 20 Greatest Guitar Tracks<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/qlistspage3.htm#20 Greatest Guitar Tracks|title=The 20 Greatest Guitar Tracks - September 2007|accessdate=2009-02-10 |publisher=''Q''}}</ref> | ||
| 2007 | | 2007 | ||
| 1 | | 1 | ||
Line 108: | Line 99: | ||
| DigitalDreamDoor | | DigitalDreamDoor | ||
| United States | | United States | ||
| | | The 100 Greatest Recordings From 1971<ref>{{cite web | url=http://digitaldreamdoor.nutsie.com/pages/bg_hits/bg_hits_71.html|title=The 100 Greatest Recordings From 1971 - 2007| accessdate=2009-02-10 | publisher=DigitalDreamDoor}}</ref> | ||
| 2007 | | 2007 | ||
| 20 | | 20 | ||
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| DigitalDreamDoor | | DigitalDreamDoor | ||
| United States | | United States | ||
| | | The 100 Greatest Rock Guitar Riffs<ref>{{cite web | url=http://digitaldreamdoor.nutsie.com/pages/best_guitarriff.html|title=The 100 Greatest Rock Guitar Riffs - 2007| accessdate=2009-02-10 | publisher=DigitalDreamDoor}}</ref> | ||
| 2007 | | 2007 | ||
| 32 | | 32 | ||
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== Chart positions == | == Chart positions == | ||
{|class='wikitable sortable' | |||
{|class= | |||
!Chart (1972) | !Chart (1972) | ||
!align= | !align='center'|Peak position | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Japanese Singles Chart<ref name= | | Japanese Singles Chart<ref name='Japanese singles chart'>{{cite web | url = http://www.oricon.co.jp/ | title = Top 100 Singles - 1 January 1972 | publisher = Oricon | accessdate = 2009-01-19}}</ref> | ||
|align= | |align='center'|24 | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Dutch Singles Chart<ref name= | | Dutch Singles Chart<ref name='Dutch singles chart'>{{cite web | url = http://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Led+Zeppelin&titel=Black+Dog&cat=s | title = Top 100 Singles - 29 January 1972 | publisher = dutchcharts.nl | accessdate = 2009-01-19}}</ref> | ||
|align= | |align='center'|20 | ||
|- | |- | ||
| US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 Chart<ref name= | | US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 Chart<ref name='US singles chart'>{{cite web | url = http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/esearch/chart_display.jsp?cfi=379&cfgn=Singles&cfn=The+Billboard+Hot+100&ci=3070665&cdi=8848487&cid=02%2F12%2F1972 | title = Hot 100 Singles - 12 February 1972 | publisher = ''Billboard'' | accessdate = 17 January 2009}}</ref> | ||
|align= | |align='center'|15 | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Canadian CHUM 30 Chart<ref name= | | Canadian CHUM 30 Chart<ref name='Canadian chum chart'>{{cite web | url = http://www.1050chum.com/index_chumcharts.aspx?chart=786 | title = CHUM Singles Chart - 12 February 1972 | publisher = 1050chum.com | accessdate = 15 January 2009}}</ref> | ||
|align= | |align='center'|14 | ||
|- | |- | ||
| US ''Cash Box'' Top 100 Singles Chart<ref name= | | US ''Cash Box'' Top 100 Singles Chart<ref name='US cashbox singles chart'>{{cite web | url = http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/70s_files/19720219.html | title = Top 100 Singles - 19 February 1972 | publisher = ''Cash Box'' | accessdate = 17 January 2009}}</ref> | ||
|align= | |align='center'|9 | ||
|- | |- | ||
| US ''Record World'' 100 Top Pops<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.geocities.com/muggy59/1972.html| title= Top 40 for 1972 - February 1972| publisher=''Record World''| accessdate=2009-01-19}}</ref> | | US ''Record World'' 100 Top Pops<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.geocities.com/muggy59/1972.html| title= Top 40 for 1972 - February 1972| publisher=''Record World''| accessdate=2009-01-19}}</ref> | ||
|align= | |align='center'|10 | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Canadian ''RPM'' Top 100 Chart<ref name= | | Canadian ''RPM'' Top 100 Chart<ref name='Canadian rpm chart'>{{cite web | url = http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.7509&volume=17&issue=2&issue_dt=February%2026%201972&type=1&interval=24&PHPSESSID=hrg50o22lgammqcogv27ve6d95 | title = RPM Singles Chart - 26 February 1972 | publisher = ''RPM'' | accessdate = 15 January 2009}}</ref> | ||
|align= | |align='center'|11 | ||
|- | |- | ||
| German Singles Chart<ref name= | | German Singles Chart<ref name='German singles chart'>{{cite web | url = http://www.musicline.de/de/chartverfolgung_summary/title/LED+ZEPPELIN/Black+Dog/single | title = Top 100 Singles - 6 March 1972 | publisher = musicline.de | accessdate = 2009-01-19}}</ref> | ||
|align= | |align='center'|22 | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Australian ''Go-Set'' Top 40 Singles Chart<ref name= | | Australian ''Go-Set'' Top 40 Singles Chart<ref name='Australian singles chart'>{{cite web | url = http://www.poparchives.com.au/gosetcharts/1972/19720401.html | title = Top 40 Singles - 1 April 1972 | publisher = ''Go Set'' | accessdate = 2009-01-19}}</ref> | ||
|align= | |align='center'|9 | ||
|- | |- | ||
| New Zealand Top 50 Singles Chart<ref name= | | New Zealand Top 50 Singles Chart<ref name='New zealand singles chart'>{{cite book|last=Scapolo|first=Dean|date=2007|chapter=Top 50 Singles - May 1971|title=The Complete New Zealand Music Charts|location=Wellington|publisher=Transpress|isbn=978-1-877443-00-8}}</ref> | ||
|align= | |align='center'|10 | ||
|- | |- | ||
| French Singles Chart<ref name= | | French Singles Chart<ref name='French singles chart'>{{cite web | url = http://www.infodisc.fr/SongPts_70.php?debut=750 | title = Top 100 Singles - 1972 | publisher = infodisc.fr | accessdate = 2009-01-19}}</ref> | ||
|align= | |align='center'|23 | ||
|- | |- | ||
!Chart (1973) | !Chart (1973) | ||
!align= | !align='center'|Peak position | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Swiss Singles Chart<ref name= | | Swiss Singles Chart<ref name='Swiss singles chart'>{{cite web | url = http://hitparade.ch/showitem.asp?interpret=Led+Zeppelin&titel=Black+Dog&cat=s | title = Top 100 Singles - 7 March 1973 | publisher = hitparade.ch | accessdate = 15 January 2009}}</ref> | ||
|align= | |align='center'|6 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|} | |} | ||
=== Single (Digital download) === | === Single (Digital download) === | ||
{|class='wikitable sortable' | |||
{|class= | |||
!Chart (2007) | !Chart (2007) | ||
!align= | !align='center'|Peak position | ||
|- | |- | ||
| UK Singles Chart<ref name= | | UK Singles Chart<ref name='UK singles chart'>{{cite web | url = http://www.musicvf.com/Led+Zeppelin.art | title = UK Top Singles - 18 November 2007 | publisher = musicvf.com | accessdate = 17 January 2009}}</ref> | ||
|align= | |align='center'|119 | ||
|- | |- | ||
| US ''Billboard'' Hot Digital Songs Chart<ref name= | | US ''Billboard'' Hot Digital Songs Chart<ref name='US digital songs chart'>{{cite web | url = http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/esearch/chart_display.jsp?cfi=395&cfgn=Singles&cfn=Hot+Digital+Songs&ci=3088348&cdi=9518569&cid=12%2F01%2F2007 | title = Hot Digital Songs - 1 December 2007 | publisher = ''Billboard'' | accessdate = 17 January 2009}}</ref> | ||
|align= | |align='center'|66 | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Canadian ''Billboard'' Hot Digital Singles Chart<ref name= | | Canadian ''Billboard'' Hot Digital Singles Chart<ref name='Canadian digital singles chart'>{{cite web | url = http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/esearch/chart_display.jsp?cfi=346&cfgn=Singles&cfn=Hot+Canadian+Digital+Singles&ci=3088339&cdi=9518226&cid=12%2F01%2F2007 | title = Hot Digital Singles - 1 December 2007 | publisher = ''Billboard'' | accessdate = 17 January 2009}}</ref> | ||
|align= | |align='center'|59 | ||
|- | |- | ||
|} | |} | ||
<small>Note: The official | <small>Note: The official UK Singles Chart incorporated legal downloads as of 17 April 2005.</small> | ||
{| class= | ==Credits== | ||
|colspan= | {|class='wikitable' | ||
|colspan='2' style='background:#ccffcc'|<center>'''Personnel'''</center> | |||
|- | |- | ||
| | | | ||
Line 198: | Line 188: | ||
**John Bonham - drums, percussion | **John Bonham - drums, percussion | ||
*Production: | *Production: | ||
** | **Peter Grant – executive producer | ||
**Andy Johns - engineer, mixing | **Andy Johns - engineer, mixing | ||
**Joe Sidore - original CD mastering engineer (mid-1980s) | **Joe Sidore - original CD mastering engineer (mid-1980s) | ||
Line 205: | Line 195: | ||
|} | |} | ||
== | ==References== | ||
{{reflist|2}} | {{reflist|2}}[[Category:Suggestion Bot Tag]] |
Latest revision as of 07:44, 26 October 2024
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'Black Dog' is a song by English rock band Led Zeppelin, which is featured as the lead-off track of their Led Zeppelin IV|fourth album, released in 1971. It was also released as a single in the US and Australia with 'Misty Mountain Hop' on the B-side, and reached number 15 on Billboard and number 11 in Australia. OverviewLed Zeppelin bass player John Paul Jones, who is credited with writing the main riff,[1][2] wanted to write a song that people could not 'groove' or dance to with its winding riff and complex time signature changes. In an interview, Jones explained the difficulties experienced by the band in writing the song:
The song's title is a reference to a nameless black Labrador retriever that wandered around the Headley Grange studios during recording.[4] The dog has nothing to do with the song lyrics, which are about desperate desire for a woman's love and the happiness resulting thereby. Regarding the lyrics to the song, Plant later said, 'Not all my stuff is meant to be scrutinized. Things like 'Black Dog' are blatant, let's-do-it-in-the-bath type things, but they make their point just the same.'[5] Plant's vocals were recorded in two takes.[6] Built around a call-and-response dynamic between vocalist and the band, the start and stop a cappella verses were inspired by Fleetwood Mac's 1969 song 'Oh Well'.[7] (Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page and the Black Crowes would later perform 'Oh Well' on their 1999 tour and included it on the album Live at the Greek.) Despite the seeming simplicity of the drum pattern, the song features a complex, shifting time signature. Jones originally wanted the song recorded in 3/16 time but realised it was too complex to reproduce live.[8] In live performances, Bonham eliminated the 5/4 variation so that Plant could perform his a cappella vocal interludes and then have the instruments return to together synchronised.[9] If the volume is turned up loud enough, Bonham can be heard tapping his sticks together before each riff. Page made reference to this in an interview he gave to Guitar World magazine in 1993:
Page also discussed how he achieved his guitar sound on the track:
Page's solo was constructed out of four overdubbed Gibson Les Paul fills.[12] The sounds at the beginning of the song are those of Page warming up his electric guitar. He called it 'waking up the army of guitars' — which are multitrack recorded in unison with electric bass guitar to provide the song's signature. Live performances'Black Dog' became a staple and fan favourite of Led Zeppelin concerts|Led Zeppelin's live concert performances. It was first played live at Belfast's Ulster Hall on 5 March 1971, a concert which also featured the first ever live performance of 'Stairway to Heaven'.[13] It was retained for each subsequent concert tour until 1973. In 1975 it was used as an encore medley with 'Whole Lotta Love', but was hardly used on the band's Led Zeppelin North American Tour 1977|1977 concert tour of the United States. It was recalled to the set for the Knebworth Festival 1979 and the Tour Over Europe 1980|1980 Tour of Europe. For these final 1980 performances, Page introduced the song from stage.[14] When played live, Led Zeppelin often played the first few bars of 'Out on the Tiles' as the introduction for 'Black Dog', except for the 1973 tour where the riff from 'Bring It On Home (Led Zeppelin song)|Bring It On Home' introduced the song. Also, the 'ah-ah' refrains were sung in call-and-response between Robert Plant and the audience. Page's guitar playing prowess is well demonstrated in different recorded performances of the song from Madison Square Garden in July 1973, as seen in the group's concert films The Song Remains the Same and Led Zeppelin (DVD)|Led Zeppelin DVD. There is also a June 1972 live recording of 'Black Dog' which can be heard on the album How the West Was Won (album)|How the West Was Won, and another live version on Disc 2 of BBC Sessions (Led Zeppelin album)|BBC Sessions. 'Black Dog' was performed at the Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert|Led Zeppelin's reunion show at the The O2 arena (London)|O2 Arena, London on 10 December 2007. Plant sampled the song on his solo tracks 'Tall Cool One' and 'Your Ma Said She Cried In Her Sleep Last Night'. Jimmy Page and Robert Plant performed an updated version of this song on their 1995 tour. 'Black Dog' was the first song performed by Page and Plant at the American Music Awards, which kicked off their first tour together in almost 15 years. Robert Plant also played a version of the song during his solo tour in 2005, as is included on the DVD release Soundstage: Robert Plant and the Strange Sensation. Whitesnake overtly based 'Still of the Night' on this song; later, when Coverdale-Page toured in 1993, they played both songs together. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss regularly covered 'Black Dog' during their tour of USA and Europe in April and May 2008.[15] It also features on their appearance on the Country Music Television show CMT Crossroads, recorded in October 2007.[16] Accolades
(*) designates unordered lists. Chart positions
Single (Digital download)
Note: The official UK Singles Chart incorporated legal downloads as of 17 April 2005. Credits
References
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