"Nobody's Fault But Mine"
More from Led Zeppelin
(1969) Led Zeppelin
(1969) Led Zeppelin II
(1970) Led Zeppelin III
(1971) Led Zeppelin IV
(1973) Houses Of The Holy
(1975) Physical Graffiti
(1976) Presence
(1976) The Song Remains The Same
(1979) In Through The Out Door
(1980) Coda
(2003) How The West Was Won
"Nobody's Fault But Mine"
by Led Zeppelin
From the album Presence (1976)
Written by milindaledzep (2)
Guitar/synthesiser, followed by Robert's non-lyrical vocals, is all tame enough until the crashing sound of Bonzo's drums join in then we really get started.
Robert seems to be taking and shouldering the blame for something here, stating "it's nobody's fault but mine". He then proceeds with more non-lyrical vocals travelling up and down the harmonic vocal scale which he follows with a solo on the harmonica.
Then it's back to himself, blaring out "now there's a monkey on my back", indicating an irritant of sorts.
Jimmy then calms things down with a well timed guitar solo, but it's no good because as they reach the climax of the tune Robert is still announcing that it's his fault, "O Lordy, it's nobody's fault but mine".
All in all this is a very powerful track lyrically, musically and vocally, my personal favourite on this particular CD.
Try an mp3! Download from iTunes Music Store.
(their quick micro-payment system is easy, plus our hard-working writers get commissions when you download a few mp3s. Besides, it's always good to try new music!)
yestermorrow wrote:
based heavily on an old blues song with the same name
Pretty much par for the course for Zep, but always done with such flair and panache that they usually succeeded in taking the originals into a whole new dimension and made them all their own.
A corking rendition, this: probably my fave from Presence, too.
Isn't "a monkey on my back" a reference to drug addiction? Seem to think I heard it explained that way somewhere sometime: can anyone shed any light?
yestermorrow May 28, 2008 2:09 AM Quote ↓
This is also based heavily on an old blues song with the same name; it is probably most famous in a version by Blind Willie Johnson from 1926/7 or so. LZ just adapted it, electrified it, but it is still a lot like the old version.