Communication Breakdown
| Communication Breakdown | |
|---|---|
| Appears on | Led Zeppelin |
| Published by | Superhype Music |
| Registration | ASCAP 330171185 |
| Release date | 12 January 1969 |
| Recorded | October 1968 |
| Genre | Hard rock, blues-rock |
| Language | English |
| Length | 2 min 28 sec |
| Composer | Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, John Bonham |
| Label | Atlantic Records |
| Producer | Jimmy Page |
| Engineer | Glyn Johns |
'Communication Breakdown' is a song by the English rock band, Led Zeppelin, from their 1969 début album Led Zeppelin.
Overview
The pounding guitar riff was played by Page through a small, miked Supro amplifier throughout, and ran his Fender Telecaster through a fully closed Vox wah pedal to create the 'guitar in a shoebox' sound on the lead. 'Communication Breakdown' is also one of the few songs that Page sang a backing vocal on. The tightly-constructed song would prove to be influential in rock, metal, and alternative music.
In the US, the track was released as the B-side of the single 'Good Times Bad Times'. On the BBC Sessions, released in 1997, this song was featured three times, each with a slightly different improvisation by the musicians. Two live versions taken from performances at the TV program Tous En Scene in Paris in 1969 and at the Royal Albert Hall in 1970 can also be seen on the Led Zeppelin DVD. 'Communication Breakdown' is also one of the few Zeppelin songs in which the group did a proper lip-sync video for which is also available on the Led Zeppelin DVD.
The song was used on the soundtrack to the 1998 film Small Soldiers.[1]
Live history
The song was a popular live number at Led Zeppelin concerts, and was the only song to be played during every year that the band toured. It usually either opened shows or was played as an encore. 'Communication Breakdown' was the last song performed in the year of 1975 and 1979 for the band at Earls Court on 25 May 1975 and Knebworth on 11 August 1979.
Formats and tracklistings
See "Good Times Bad Times" single.
Credits
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