The Lemon Song
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| "The Lemon Song" | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
||
| Song by Led Zeppelin | ||
| from the album 'Led Zeppelin II' | ||
| Released | 22 October 1969 | |
| Recorded | 1969 | |
| Genre | Hard Rock | |
| Length | 6:18 | |
| Label | Atlantic Records | |
| Writer(s) | Jimmy Page | |
| Producer(s) | Jimmy Page | |
| 'Led Zeppelin II' track listing | ||
| "What Is and What Should Never Be" (2) |
"The Lemon Song" (3) |
"Thank You" (4) |
"The Lemon Song" is a song by English rock band Led Zeppelin, featured on their 1969 album Led Zeppelin II. It was recorded in New York when the band were on their second concert tour of the United States.
"The Lemon Song" is laced with sexual innuendo, and features some of Led Zeppelin's most blues-influenced playing. It was recorded virtually live in the studio, and no electronic devices were used to create the echo on Robert Plant's vocal. It was made solely by Plant's voice and the acoustics in the studio.
The song borrows significantly from Howlin' Wolf's "Killing Floor", which was a song Led Zeppelin often incorporated into their live setlist during their first concert tour of the United States. For the second and third American tours the song evolved into "The Lemon Song", with Plant often improvising lyrics onstage. However, despite Howlin' Wolf's influence on the arrangement, the album sleeve of Led Zeppelin II initially credited only the four members of Led Zeppelin. The band was later sued for copyright infringement, and Howlin' Wolf's name was added to the credits.
Other lyrics, notably "squeeze (my lemon) 'til the juice run down my leg," can be traced to Robert Johnson's "Traveling Riverside Blues". Led Zeppelin performed that song for a BBC session in 1969. It was first released on their Box Set in 1990, and was a bonus track on the Coda album for The Complete Studio Recordings. It is also included on the BBC Sessions album. Robert Johnson's name has never been added to the credits for "The Lemon Song".
"The Lemon Song" was also performed by The Black Crowes at the Greek Theater when they toured with Jimmy Page in 1999.
[edit] Trivia
The "squeeze my lemon, baby, juice run down my leg" line was used as a tagline by Australian teen author John Marsden in his book Dear Miffy.
[edit] References
- Led Zeppelin: Dazed and Confused: The Stories Behind Every Song, by Chris Welch, ISBN 1-56025-818-7
- The Complete Guide to the Music of Led Zeppelin, by Dave Lewis, ISBN 0-7119-3528-9
| Led Zeppelin |
|---|
| Jimmy Page · Robert Plant · John Paul Jones · John Bonham |
| Discography - (Category) |
Studio albums: Led Zeppelin · Led Zeppelin II · Led Zeppelin III ·  (Led Zeppelin IV) · Houses of the Holy · Physical Graffiti · Presence · In Through the Out DoorLive albums: The Song Remains the Same · BBC Sessions · How the West Was Won |
| Films |
| The Song Remains the Same · Led Zeppelin DVD |
| Other |
| Peter Grant · Richard Cole · Swan Song Records · The Yardbirds · XYZ · The Firm · Page and Plant · Strange Sensation · Bootlegs ∙ Concerts ∙ Songs |
