Led Zeppelin: 3 Reasons ‘You Shook Me’ Is 1 of the Band’s Most Unique Songs
Led Zeppelin emerged fully formed on their debut album. They won over fans in the United States with their first concerts and made everything sound so effortless, even when they struggled to record songs. Making Led Zeppelin I was the opposite of a struggle, and “You Shook Me” was one of the band’s most unique songs.
Led Zeppelin recorded ‘You Shook Me’ and the rest of their debut soon after forming
Guitarist Jimmy Page lived through a whirlwind in late 1968. He experienced the disintegration of the Yardbirds, the formation of Led Zeppelin, and the recording of the band’s debut album within a few months.
The fiery blimp disaster shown on the cover of the debut carried several meanings: That the band burned with an intense passion for its craft, that it planned to burn musical conventions, and that its music would come down hard and shake audiences.
It’s one of the most primal blues tunes of Led Zeppelin’s entire career, but “You Shook Me” was also one of the band’s most unique songs.
1. The guitar Jimmy Page plays makes ‘You Shook Me’ a unique Led Zeppelin song
Page’s signature guitars included the double-neck custom Gibson, the sunburst Les Paul, and the black-and-white Danelectro he used for “Kashmir.” Yet he recorded all of Led Zeppelin I using a Fender Telecaster he received as a gift from Jeff Beck when he suggested his friend for the Yardbirds.
Except for one song — “You Shook Me.”
When someone wanted to sell him their Gibson Flying V, Page brought it to the studio and used it on “You Shook Me.” The powerful double humbucker pickups helped thicken the dirge-like blues riff and nearly overpowered the amp while recording the song. Page’s rare guitar model on “You Shook Me” made it a unique standout from the entire catalog of Led Zeppelin songs.
2. ‘You Shook Me’ was cover of a cover — sort of
Three versions of “You Shook Me” entered the world in the 1960s. Muddy Waters recorded his version of the Willie Dixon and J.B. Lenoir-penned tune in 1962. Beck put his take, which hewed closer to the original that Zep’s, on his 1968 album Truth. Then came Led Zeppelin’s version in 1969 to blow both of them out of the water.
Some of Led Zeppelin’s earliest songs were essentially blues covers where they neglected to credit the original songwriters. Take “The Lemon Song” and “Whole Lotta Love” from Led Zeppelin II, for instance. Beck covered the Waters song six years after the blues maestro released his. Led Zeppelin’s electrified take on “You Shook Me,” with flashy fretwork from an English guitar master, was more of a cover of Beck’s cover than it was a version of the original.
Page made Beck cry when he played the Zep version; the latter had made it a signature staple of his live set. Led Zeppelin’s heavy, extended take on the song gave it a whole new feel. Its connection to the original was in spirit only.
3. Every Led Zeppelin member got a solo
Page taking the reins and showing off skills was par for the course in Led Zeppelin. What makes “You Shook Me” one of Led Zeppelin’s most unique songs is that the other three members had a chance to do the same on their instruments.
Thanks to the wonders of overdubbing, John Paul Jones played simultaneous organ and electric piano solos. Robert Plant showcased his solid harmonica skills with a bluesy solo that leads into one of Page’s best guitar solos.
Now, drummer John Bonham often had a chance to shine. His “Pat’s Delight” and “Moby Dick” drum solos were staples of the live sets from the start. The way the band miked and recorded his drums ensured his playing was hard to miss. Restrained during most of the song, Bonzo thoroughly pounded his drums while playing behind Page’s shredding.
The band showcased their soft side and excellent composing skills on later songs, but the relatively straightforward blues of “You Shook Me” mask the fact it’s one of Led Zeppelin’s most unique songs. Jimmy Page’s guitar, the parade of solos, and the fact it’s a cover of a cover make it an underrated standout in the band’s list of songs.
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