Since I've Been Loving You
Encyclopedia
"Since I've Been Loving You" is a blues-rock
song in C minor by English
rock
band Led Zeppelin
, released on the 1970 album Led Zeppelin III
.
played Hammond organ
on the song, using the bass pedals
for the bassline. It was the only track from the third album that the band had played live prior to the recording sessions, but was reportedly the hardest to record. One story mentions Jimmy Page
taking a break following a series of failed attempts to track the solo. Seemingly unable to get the tone he was craving, he set about a walk around the studio to clear his mind. Sitting outside of the recording area was an unplugged amplifier, which he utilised, and recorded the solo we hear today on the next take. Audio engineer Terry Manning
called it "The best rock guitar solo of all time."
Because of the live recording, this is one of a few songs in which one can hear the squeak of John Bonham
's bass drum pedal in the studio, the others being "The Ocean", "The Rain Song
" and "Dancing Days
" from 1973's Houses of the Holy
, "Ten Years Gone
" from 1975's Physical Graffiti
, and "Bonzo's Montreux
" from 1982's Coda
and "I Can't Quit You Baby
" from the same album. In an interview he gave to Guitar World
magazine in 1993, Page made comment of this whilst discussing the remastering of Led Zeppelin tracks:
As an improvisational showcase for all four group members, and especially for Jimmy Page's electric blues guitar solos, "Since I've Been Loving You" became a staple and fan favorite of Led Zeppelin's live concert
performances from 1970 until the end of their ninth American tour
in summer 1973. It was played on the 1970, 1971
, 1972
, 1973
, 1977
, 1979 and 1980
tours, but only a few times on the 1975 North American tour
. In live performances of the song from 1977 onwards, Page would sometimes incorporate some of the solo of "Tea for One
", a track from the band's 1976 album Presence that is similar in style to this song.
Page's guitar prowess is well demonstrated in different 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 accompanying soundtrack
) and Led Zeppelin DVD
. There is also a June 1972 live recording of "Since I've Been Loving You" which can be heard on the album How the West Was Won, and another live version on Disc 2 of BBC Sessions
.
Page and Plant
recorded a version of the song in 1994, released on their album No Quarter: Jimmy Page and Robert Plant Unledded
. Plant also used a sample from this on his solo track "White, Clean, and Neat". "Since I've Been Loving You" was performed at Led Zeppelin's reunion show
at the O2 Arena
, London
on December 10, 2007.
(*) designates unordered lists.
Blues-rock
Blues rock is a hybrid musical genre combining bluesy improvisations over the 12-bar blues and extended boogie jams with rock and roll styles. The core of the blues rock sound is created by the electric guitar, piano, bass guitar and drum kit, with the electric guitar usually amplified through a...
song in C minor by English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
, released on the 1970 album Led Zeppelin III
Led Zeppelin III
Led Zeppelin III is the third studio album by the English rock band Led Zeppelin. It was recorded between January and July 1970 and released on 5 October 1970 by Atlantic Records. Composed largely at a remote cottage in Wales known as Bron-Yr-Aur, this work represented a maturing of the band's...
.
Overview
This was one of the first songs prepared for the Led Zeppelin III album. The song was recorded live in the studio with very little overdubbing. John Paul JonesJohn Paul Jones (musician)
John Paul Jones is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, composer, arranger and record producer. Best known as the bassist, mandolinist, and keyboardist for English rock band Led Zeppelin, Jones has since developed a solo career and has gained even more respect as both a musician and a...
played Hammond organ
Hammond organ
The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard...
on the song, using the bass pedals
Bass pedals
Bass pedals are an electronic musical instrument with foot-operated pedal keyboard with a range of one or more octaves. The earliest bass pedals from the 1970s consisted of a pedalboard and analog synthesizer tone generation circuitry packaged together as a unit...
for the bassline. It was the only track from the third album that the band had played live prior to the recording sessions, but was reportedly the hardest to record. One story mentions Jimmy Page
Jimmy Page
James Patrick "Jimmy" Page, OBE is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer. He began his career as a studio session guitarist in London and was subsequently a member of The Yardbirds from 1966 to 1968, after which he founded the English rock band Led Zeppelin.Jimmy Page...
taking a break following a series of failed attempts to track the solo. Seemingly unable to get the tone he was craving, he set about a walk around the studio to clear his mind. Sitting outside of the recording area was an unplugged amplifier, which he utilised, and recorded the solo we hear today on the next take. Audio engineer Terry Manning
Terry Manning
Terry Manning is a music producer, songwriter, photographer and recording engineer known for work in rock, rhythm and blues, and pop music genres....
called it "The best rock guitar solo of all time."
Because of the live recording, this is one of a few songs in which one can hear the squeak of John Bonham
John Bonham
John Henry Bonham was an English musician and songwriter, best known as the drummer of Led Zeppelin. Bonham was esteemed for his speed, power, fast right foot, distinctive sound, and "feel" for the groove...
's bass drum pedal in the studio, the others being "The Ocean", "The Rain Song
The Rain Song
"The Rain Song" is a ballad song from English rock band Led Zeppelin's fifth album Houses of the Holy, released in 1973.-Recording:"The Rain Song" is a love ballad of over 7 minutes in length. Guitarist Jimmy Page originally constructed the melody of this song at his home in Plumpton, England,...
" and "Dancing Days
Dancing Days
"Dancing Days" is a song by English rock band Led Zeppelin. It appears on their 1973 album, Houses of the Holy, having been recorded at Stargroves in 1972. It was inspired by an Indian tune that Jimmy Page and Robert Plant heard while traveling in Bombay.This was the first track from the album to...
" from 1973's Houses of the Holy
Houses of the Holy
Houses of the Holy is the fifth studio album by the English rock band Led Zeppelin, released by Atlantic Records on 28 March 1973. The album title is a dedication by the band to their fans who appeared at venues they dubbed "Houses of the Holy". It was the second Led Zeppelin album to not...
, "Ten Years Gone
Ten Years Gone
"Ten Years Gone" is a song by English rock band Led Zeppelin from their 1975 album Physical Graffiti.-Overview:Originally intended to be an instrumental piece, Jimmy Page used some 14 guitar tracks to overdub the harmony section. Robert Plant later added lyrics, which are dedicated to an old...
" from 1975's Physical Graffiti
Physical Graffiti
Physical Graffiti is the sixth studio album by the English rock band Led Zeppelin, released on 24 February 1975 as a double album. Recording sessions for the album were initially disrupted when bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones considered leaving the band...
, and "Bonzo's Montreux
Bonzo's Montreux
"Bonzo's Montreux" is a song by English rock group Led Zeppelin. The song is a solo by drummer John Bonham, recorded in September 1976 at Mountain Studios in Montreux, Switzerland...
" from 1982's Coda
Coda (album)
-Sales chart performance:AlbumSinglesNo commercial or promotional singles were issued, although three tracks received independent radio airplay...
and "I Can't Quit You Baby
I Can't Quit You Baby
"I Can't Quit You Baby" is a blues standard written by Willie Dixon and first recorded by Chicago blues artist Otis Rush in 1956. The song, a slow twelve-bar blues, has been recorded by various artists, including Led Zeppelin, who included it on their debut album.- Otis Rush version :"I Can't Quit...
" from the same album. In an interview he gave to Guitar World
Guitar World
Guitar World is a monthly music magazine devoted to guitarists. It contains original interviews, album and gear reviews and guitar and bass tablature of approximately five songs each month. The magazine is published 13 times per year...
magazine in 1993, Page made comment of this whilst discussing the remastering of Led Zeppelin tracks:
As an improvisational showcase for all four group members, and especially for Jimmy Page's electric blues guitar solos, "Since I've Been Loving You" became a staple and fan favorite of Led Zeppelin's live concert
Led Zeppelin concerts
From September 1968 through the summer of 1980, English rock group Led Zeppelin were one of the world's most popular live music attractions, performing hundreds of sold-out concerts around the world.-History:...
performances from 1970 until the end of their ninth American tour
Led Zeppelin North American Tour 1973
Led Zeppelin's 1973 North American Tour was the ninth concert tour of North America by the English rock band. The tour was divided into two legs, with performances commencing on May 4 and concluding on July 29, 1973...
in summer 1973. It was played on the 1970, 1971
Led Zeppelin North American Tour 1971
Led Zeppelin's 1971 North American Tour was the seventh concert tour of North America by the English rock band. The tour commenced on August 7 and concluded on September 17, 1971. It included two warm-up shows in Montreux, Switzerland....
, 1972
Led Zeppelin North American Tour 1972
Led Zeppelin's 1972 North American Tour was the eighth concert tour of North America by the English rock band. The tour was divided into two legs, with performances commencing on May 27 and concluding on June 28, 1972. It included two warm-up shows in Europe....
, 1973
Led Zeppelin North American Tour 1973
Led Zeppelin's 1973 North American Tour was the ninth concert tour of North America by the English rock band. The tour was divided into two legs, with performances commencing on May 4 and concluding on July 29, 1973...
, 1977
Led Zeppelin North American Tour 1977
Led Zeppelin's 1977 North American Tour was the eleventh and final concert tour of North America by the English rock band. The tour was divided into three legs, with performances commencing on 1 April and concluding on 24 July 1977...
, 1979 and 1980
Tour Over Europe 1980
Tour Over Europe 1980 was the last concert tour by the English rock band Led Zeppelin. The tour commenced on June 17 and concluded on July 7, 1980...
tours, but only a few times on the 1975 North American tour
Led Zeppelin North American Tour 1975
Led Zeppelin's 1975 North American Tour was the tenth concert tour of North America by the English rock band. The tour was divided into two legs, with performances commencing on January 18 and concluding on March 27, 1975...
. In live performances of the song from 1977 onwards, Page would sometimes incorporate some of the solo of "Tea for One
Tea for One
"Tea for One" is the last track on English rock band Led Zeppelin's 1976 album Presence. It begins with mid-tempo interplay between guitarist Jimmy Page and drummer John Bonham before settling into a sotto voce groove. The song evolves into a slow blues epic, featuring lyrics which deal with...
", a track from the band's 1976 album Presence that is similar in style to this song.
Page's guitar prowess is well demonstrated in different performances of the song from Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
in July 1973, as seen in the group's concert films The Song Remains the Same
The Song Remains the Same (film)
The Song Remains the Same is a concert film by the English rock band Led Zeppelin. The recording of the film took place during three nights of concerts at Madison Square Garden in New York City, during the band's 1973 concert tour of the United States. The film premiered on 20 October 1976, at...
(and accompanying soundtrack
The Song Remains the Same (album)
Upon its initial release in 1976, the album received some poor reviews, with some critics considering it to be over-produced and lumbering. Indeed, the band's members themselves have since expressed a lack of fondness for the recording...
) and Led Zeppelin DVD
Led Zeppelin (DVD)
Led Zeppelin is a double DVD set by the English rock band Led Zeppelin, released in the United Kingdom on May 26, 2003 and the United States on May 27, 2003. It contains live concert footage of the band spanning the years 1969 to 1979...
. There is also a June 1972 live recording of "Since I've Been Loving You" which can be heard on the album How the West Was Won, and another live version on Disc 2 of BBC Sessions
BBC Sessions (Led Zeppelin album)
BBC Sessions is a compilation album featuring studio sessions and a live concert recorded by English rock group Led Zeppelin for the BBC. It was released on 11 November 1997, by Atlantic Records. This was the first release of new Led Zeppelin material in 15 years. Disc 1 consists of material from...
.
Page and Plant
Page and Plant
Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, both formerly of English hard rock band Led Zeppelin, recorded and toured in the mid-1990s under the title Page and Plant. The pair re-united in 1994 and, after recording a highly successful first album, they embarked on a world tour. They then recorded a second album,...
recorded a version of the song in 1994, released on their album No Quarter: Jimmy Page and Robert Plant Unledded
No Quarter: Jimmy Page and Robert Plant Unledded
No Quarter is a live album by Page and Plant, both formerly of English rock band Led Zeppelin. It was released by Atlantic Records on 14 October 1994. The long awaited reunion between Page and Plant occurred on a 90 minute "UnLedded" MTV project, recorded in Morocco, Wales, and London, which rated...
. Plant also used a sample from this on his solo track "White, Clean, and Neat". "Since I've Been Loving You" was performed at Led Zeppelin's reunion show
Ahmet Ertegün Tribute Concert
The Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert was a benefit concert held in memory of music executive Ahmet Ertegün at The O2 in London on December 10, 2007. The headline act was the English rock band, Led Zeppelin, who performed their first full-length concert since the death of drummer John Bonham in 1980,...
at the O2 Arena
The O2 arena (London)
The O2 Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in the centre of The O2, a large entertainment complex on the Greenwich peninsula in London, England.With a capacity of up to 20,000 depending on the event, it is second largest...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on December 10, 2007.
Accolades
| Publication | Country | Accolade | Year | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sounds | Germany | "The Top 30 Songs of All Time" | 1992 | 16 |
| Mojo Mojo (magazine) MOJO is a popular music magazine published initially by Emap, and since January 2008 by Bauer, monthly in the United Kingdom. Following the success of the magazine Q, publishers Emap were looking for a title which would cater for the burgeoning interest in classic rock music... |
United Kingdom | "100 Great Voices" | 1994 | * |
| Guitarist Guitarist (magazine) Guitarist is a monthly music making magazine published by Future Publishing in the United Kingdom. The magazine features reviews of newly released guitars, amplifiers and other equipment, plus interviews with guitar players, features on the guitar industry, news articles, and features on playing... |
United Kingdom | "Top 100 Guitar Solos of All-time" | 1998 | 8 |
| Guitar World Guitar World Guitar World is a monthly music magazine devoted to guitarists. It contains original interviews, album and gear reviews and guitar and bass tablature of approximately five songs each month. The magazine is published 13 times per year... |
United States | "100 Greatest Solos of All-time" | 1998 | 53 |
| Q Q (magazine) Q is a popular music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom.Founders Mark Ellen and David Hepworth were dismayed by the music press of the time, which they felt was ignoring a generation of older music buyers who were buying CDs — then still a new technology... |
United Kingdom | "1010 Songs You Must Own!" | 2004 | * |
(*) designates unordered lists.
Personnel
- Robert PlantRobert PlantRobert Anthony Plant, CBE is an English singer and songwriter best known as the vocalist and lyricist of the iconic rock band Led Zeppelin. He has also had a successful solo career...
- vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Jimmy PageJimmy PageJames Patrick "Jimmy" Page, OBE is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer. He began his career as a studio session guitarist in London and was subsequently a member of The Yardbirds from 1966 to 1968, after which he founded the English rock band Led Zeppelin.Jimmy Page...
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s, lyricsLyricsLyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of... - John Paul JonesJohn Paul Jones (musician)John Paul Jones is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, composer, arranger and record producer. Best known as the bassist, mandolinist, and keyboardist for English rock band Led Zeppelin, Jones has since developed a solo career and has gained even more respect as both a musician and a...
- bass pedalsBass pedalsBass pedals are an electronic musical instrument with foot-operated pedal keyboard with a range of one or more octaves. The earliest bass pedals from the 1970s consisted of a pedalboard and analog synthesizer tone generation circuitry packaged together as a unit...
, hammond organHammond organThe Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard... - John BonhamJohn BonhamJohn Henry Bonham was an English musician and songwriter, best known as the drummer of Led Zeppelin. Bonham was esteemed for his speed, power, fast right foot, distinctive sound, and "feel" for the groove...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Album versions
- 1994: Page and PlantPage and PlantJimmy Page and Robert Plant, both formerly of English hard rock band Led Zeppelin, recorded and toured in the mid-1990s under the title Page and Plant. The pair re-united in 1994 and, after recording a highly successful first album, they embarked on a world tour. They then recorded a second album,...
(No Quarter: Jimmy Page & Robert Plant Unledded) - 1994: Cinnamon (Cinnamon II)
- 1996: Jason BonhamJason BonhamJason John Bonham is an English drummer. Jason's parents are Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham and his wife Pat Phillips. After his father's death in 1980, he has played with Led Zeppelin on different occasions, including the Ahmet Ertegün Tribute Concert at The O2 Arena in London in...
Band (In the Name of My Father - The ZepsetIn the Name of My Father - The ZepsetIn the Name of My Father: The Zepset is a recorded album by Jason Bonham, released in 1997 under than name The Jason Bonham Band. The album consists entirely of cover versions of various songs by English rock group Led Zeppelin, as a tribute to the band's drummer, and Bonham's late father, John...
) - 1999: Great WhiteGreat WhiteGreat White is an American hard rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1978. The band gained popularity during the 1980s and early 1990s. The band released several albums in the late 1980s and gained airplay on MTV with music videos for songs like "Once Bitten, Twice Shy"...
(Great Zeppelin: A Tribute to Led ZeppelinGreat Zeppelin: A Tribute to Led ZeppelinGreat Zeppelin: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin is a cover album released by the American hard rock band Great White in 1998, dedicated to songs of Led Zeppelin. It was recorded live in a concert that took place at The Galaxy Theatre of Santa Ana, California, USA, in December 1996 and released by the...
) - 1999: Otis ClayOtis ClayOtis Clay is an American R&B and soul singer, who started in gospel music.-Life and career:...
(Whole Lotta Blues: Songs of Led Zeppelin) - 1999: Naoto Shibata (Stand Proud! II)
- 2000: Tequila & the Actual Matrix (Radio Therapy)
- 2001: Simply Led (From the Land of the Ice and Snow)
- 2002: Voodoo Highway (Love's Addiction)
- 2003: Letz Zep (Live on Broadway)
- 2003: Mad Zeppelin (Live)
- 2003: Whole Lotta Led (The Bring It On Home Tour)
- 2004: Jizzy PearlJizzy PearlJizzy Pearl is an Irish-American vocalist born on March 17, 1958, in Chicago, Illinois. He first fronted the rock band Data Clan, which became Love/Hate, and has also sung for L.A...
(Just a Boy) - 2004: DokakaDokakaDokaka is a Japanese beatboxer who performs music solely by multitracking his own voice, generally with one instrument per track. He has distributed his recordings primarily as free downloads from his website; these include...
(Tributes) - 2004: Jezz Woodroffe (In Through the Swing Door: Swing Cover Versions of Led Zeppelin Classics)
- 2006: Corinne Bailey RaeCorinne Bailey RaeCorinne Bailey Rae is a British singer-songwriter and guitarist from Leeds, who released her debut album Corinne Bailey Rae in February 2006....
(Corinne Bailey RaeCorinne Bailey Rae (album)Corinne Bailey Rae is the eponymous debut album of English singer–songwriter Corinne Bailey Rae, released 24 February 2006 on EMI. It was released in February 2006 in Ireland and the United Kingdom, and in continental Europe on 3 March 2006. The album debuted at number 1 on both the UK Albums Chart...
[bonus tracks edition]) - 2006: Gentlemen's Blues Club (Shotgun Wedding)
- 2006: Danny Masters Band (99.5 The Mountain Homegrown Vol. 5)
- 2006: Zepparella (Live at 19 Broadway [recorded 28 October 2005])
- 2007: Lez Zeppelin (Lez Zeppelin)
- 2008: EuropeEurope (band)Europe is a Swedish rock band formed in Upplands Väsby in 1979 under the name Force by vocalist Joey Tempest, guitarist John Norum and drummer Tony Reno. Although widely associated with glam metal, the band's sound incorporates heavy metal and hard rock elements...
(Almost UnpluggedAlmost UnpluggedAlmost Unplugged is a live album by the Swedish hard rock band Europe. It was released on CD on September 17, 2008 and on DVD on August 19, 2009.The album was recorded at Nalen, a venue in Stockholm on January 26, 2008...
)
Sources
- Lewis, Dave (2004) The Complete Guide to the Music of Led Zeppelin, ISBN 0-7119-3528-9
- Welch, Chris (1998) Led Zeppelin: Dazed and Confused: The Stories Behind Every Song, ISBN 1-56025-818-7