Trampled Under Foot

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Trampled Under Foot
Appears on Physical Graffiti
Published by Flames of Albion Music
Registration ASCAP 500236257
Release date 2 April 1975
Recorded January - February 1974
Genre Funk rock, hard rock
Language English
Length 5 min 35 sec
Composer Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones
Label Swan Song Records
Producer Jimmy Page
Engineer Ron Nevison & Keith Harwood

"Trampled Under Foot" (also sometimes seen as "Trampled Underfoot") is a song by English rock group Led Zeppelin, featured on their 1975 album Physical Graffiti.

Overview

The song was written by Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones, and evolved out of a jam session in 1972.[1] The lyrical theme were inspired by blues musician Robert Johnson's 1936 "Terraplane Blues."[2] A Terraplane is a classic car, and the song uses car parts as metaphors for temptation—"pump your gas," "rev all night," etc.[3]

Much rehearsal went into perfecting the relentless semi-funk riff that dominates this song.[4] John Paul Jones has credited Stevie Wonder with part of the inspiration for the beat, which he played on a clavinet.<refSnow, Mat, “The Secret Life of a Superstar”, Mojo magazine, December 2007.</ref>[5][6] Backed with a solid backbeat from Bonham, the song would later be sampled in dance remixes and the BBC television programme the Old Grey Whistle Test, synchronised the song with a black and white filmclip featuring dance hall girls. Guitarist Jimmy Page played wah-wah and, as producer, employed backwards echo on the recording.[7][8]

"Trampled Under Foot" was frequently played on the radio when it was first released, charting at #38 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart. Led Zeppelin did not release any singles in the United Kingdom until 1997, when "Whole Lotta Love" was released 28 years after it was written. There were several pressings made of "Trampled Under Foot" as a single in 1975 in time for the band's Earl's Court concerts, but they were all shelved before being released, and are today highly sought-after collectors items.[9]

Live versions

"Trampled Underfoot" became a standard part of Led Zeppelin concerts from 1975 onwards, being played on every tour until 1980.[10] It was also performed at Led Zeppelin's reunion show at the O2 Arena, London on 10 December 2007. When the song was played live, the band would often extend it with lengthy guitar and keyboard solos, and sometimes segue it into the song "Gallows Pole". One of Plant's favorite Led Zeppelin songs, he sang it on his 1988 Now and Zen tour, and also at his daughter Carmen's 21st birthday party in November 1989, with Jason Bonham on drums.

Along with "No Quarter," "Trampled Under Foot" showcased Jones' skills as a keyboard player when performed on stage. A notable example is the version played at the Earls Court Arena in 1975, as featured on the Led Zeppelin DVD, which includes an extended solo by Jones on a Hohner Clavinet D6. It is also notable that Plant rarely sang all the different verses of the song live, and sang a verse (with small alterations sometimes) twice or even three times.

Accolades

Publication Country Accolade Year Rank
Melody Maker United Kingdom "Best Song of the Year" 1975 2
Radio Caroline United Kingdom "Top 500 Tracks"[11] 1999 398
DigitalDreamDoor United States "The 100 Greatest Recordings From 1975"[12] 2007 115

Formats and tracklistings

1975 7" single (US/Australia/El Salvador/New Zealand: Swan Song SS 70102, Austria/Germany: Swan Song SS K 19402, Brazil: Atlantic ATL 1-15-101-012, Canada: Swan Song SWS 70102, Chile: Atlantic 70102, France/Holland: Swan Song SS 19402, Italy: Swan Song K 19402, Japan: Warner Pioneer P-1361A, Mexico: Swan Song G-1514, Portugal: Atlantic ATL NS 28162, South Africa: Swan Song SNS 100, Spain: Swan Song SS 45-1205)

  • A. "Trampled Under Foot" (Jones, Page, Plant) 5:35
  • B. "Black Country Woman" (Page, Plant) 4:24

1975 7" promo (UK: Swan Song SSK 19403)

  • A. "Trampled Under Foot" (Jones, Page, Plant) 5:35
  • B. "Black Country Woman" (Page, Plant) 4:24

Chart positions

Chart (1975) Peak position
US Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart[13] 38
US Cash Box Top 100 Singles Chart[14] 28
US Record World 100 Top Pop Chart[15] 39
Canadian RPM Top 100 Chart[16] 41
Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart 80
Personnel
  • Musicians:
    • Jimmy Page – electric guitar, producer, remastering, digital remastering
    • Robert Plant – vocals
    • John Paul Jones – clavinet, bass pedals
    • John Bonham - drums, percussion
  • Production:
    • Peter Grant – executive producer
    • Ron Nevison - engineer
    • Keith Harwood – engineer, mixing
    • Joe Sidore - original CD mastering engineer (mid-1980s)
    • George Marino - remastered CD engineer (1990)

Cover versions

  • 1992: Michael Hall (Love Is Murder)
  • 1997: The Honeymoon Killers (Sing Sing (1984-1994) [recorded 1984])
  • 1999: Eric Gales (Whole Lotta Blues: Songs of Led Zeppelin)
  • 2003: various artists (A Bluegrass Tribute: Pickin' on Led Zeppelin, Volume II)
  • 2005: Hampton String Quartet (Take No Prisoners!)
  • 2005: Tracy G (Hip Hop Tribute to Led Zeppelin)
  • 2006: Greg Reeves & Eric Stock (Dub Tribute to Led Zeppelin)
  • 2007: Vanilla Fudge (Out Through the in Door)
  • 2007: Zepparella (A Pleasing Pounding)
  • 2008: Chuck Bonnett (Misty Mountain Hop: A Millennium Tribute to Led Zeppelin)

Notes

  1. ↑ Godwin, Robert (2003), Led Zeppelin: The Press Reports, Collector's Guide Publishing, ISBN 1-896522-41-6 p. 321
  2. ↑ Dave Lewis (1994), The Complete Guide to the Music of Led Zeppelin, Omnibus Press, ISBN 0-7119-3528-9.
  3. ↑ Godwin, Robert. "Led Zeppelin: Alchemists of the '70s", Goldmine, 24 August 1990, p. 13.
  4. ↑ Dave Lewis (1994), The Complete Guide to the Music of Led Zeppelin, Omnibus Press, ISBN 0-7119-3528-9.
  5. ↑ Dave Lewis (1994), The Complete Guide to the Music of Led Zeppelin, Omnibus Press, ISBN 0-7119-3528-9.
  6. ↑ Kehew, Brian. The Keyboards of Led Zeppelin and John Paul Jones
  7. ↑ Dave Lewis (1994), The Complete Guide to the Music of Led Zeppelin, Omnibus Press, ISBN 0-7119-3528-9.
  8. ↑ Steven Rosen, 1977 Jimmy Page Interview, Modern Guitars, 25 May 2007 (originally published in the July 1977, issue of Guitar Player magazine).
  9. ↑ Dave Lewis (1994), The Complete Guide to the Music of Led Zeppelin, Omnibus Press, ISBN 0-7119-3528-9.
  10. ↑ Dave Lewis (1994), The Complete Guide to the Music of Led Zeppelin, Omnibus Press, ISBN 0-7119-3528-9.
  11. ↑ Top 500 Tracks - 1999. Radio Caroline. Retrieved on 2009-02-10.
  12. ↑ The 100 Greatest Recordings From 1975 - 2007. DigitalDreamDoor. Retrieved on 2009-02-10.
  13. ↑ Hot 100 Singles - 17 May 1975. Billboard. Retrieved on 2009-01-17.
  14. ↑ Top 100 Singles - 31 May 1975. Cash Box. Retrieved on 2009-01-17.
  15. ↑ Top 40 for 1975 - May 1975. Record World. Retrieved on 2009-01-19.
  16. ↑ RPM Singles Chart - 31 May 1975. RPM. Retrieved on 2009-01-15.
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