Custard Pie

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Custard Pie"

Song by Led Zeppelin
from the album 'Physical Graffiti'
Released	February 24, 1975
Recorded	1974
Genre	Hard rock
Length	4:13
Label	Atlantic Records
Writer(s)	Page/Plant
Producer(s)	Jimmy Page
'Physical Graffiti' track listing
	"Custard Pie" (1)	"The Rover" (2)

"Custard Pie" is the first track on English rock band Led Zeppelin's sixth album, Physical Graffiti, released in 1975. The riff-heavy song pays homage to the blues songs of the Robert Johnson era; specifically "Drop Down Mama" by Mississippi Fred McDowell, "Shake 'Em On Down" by Bukka White, "I Want Some Of Your Pie" by Blind Boy Fuller and "Custard Pie Blues" by Brownie McGhee.

The song contains somewhat difficult-to-comprehend lyrics, but, like several other songs on the album, they are full of sexual innuendo. In this case, "Custard Pie" refers to a woman's sexual organs and the song is rife with references to oral sex: "Your custard pie, yeah, sweet and nice / When you cut it mama, save me a slice."

"Custard Pie" contains a blistering wah-wah solo by guitarist Jimmy Page, and features an electric clavinet played by John Paul Jones. Some observers have pointed out that it displays some similarities in sound to "Whole Lotta Love" from Led Zeppelin II, which was itself heavily influenced by the blues song "You Need Love" written by Willie Dixon.

This track was never played live at Led Zeppelin concerts.

Jimmy Page performed this song on his tour with The Black Crowes in 1999. A version of "Custard Pie" performed by Page and The Black Crowes can be found on the album Live at the Greek.

[edit] Sources

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