Custard Pie
| "Custard Pie" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Song by Led Zeppelin from the album Physical Graffiti | ||||
| Released | 24 February 1975 | |||
| Recorded | January–February 1974 | |||
| Genre | Hard rock[1] | |||
| Length | 4:13 | |||
| Label | Swan Song | |||
| Writer | ||||
| Producer | Jimmy Page | |||
| Physical Graffiti track listing | ||||
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"Custard Pie" is the opening track on the English rock band Led Zeppelin's sixth album, Physical Graffiti, released in 1975.
Lyrics
The lyrics to the riff-heavy song pay homage to the blues songs of the Robert Johnson era; specifically "Drop Down Mama" by Sleepy John Estes, "Shake 'Em On Down" by Bukka White, and "I Want Some Of Your Pie" by Blind Boy Fuller.[2]
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 genitals 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", as well as "chewin' a piece of your custard pie".
Recording
"Custard Pie" contains a wah-wah solo by guitarist Jimmy Page, which was played through an ARP synthesizer.[2] It also features an electric clavinet played by John Paul Jones and a harmonica solo by vocalist Robert Plant.[2] Whether on purpose or not, the volume gets louder right as the solo ends and stays at that volume for the rest of the album.
Live performances
Despite being rehearsed for Led Zeppelin's 1975 North American tour, this track was never completely played live at Led Zeppelin concerts.[2] The band briefly performed a portion of the song as part of their acoustic set during a concert in Houston, Texas on 21 May 1977.
In later years, Robert Plant incorporated a chorus of the song on the end of the live version of his solo song, "Tall Cool One". Page also produced his own live version on his Outrider tour. Page and Plant finally performed the complete song together on occasion in 1996 while touring behind their No Quarter: Jimmy Page and Robert Plant Unledded album. In 1999, Page again performed the song, this time whilst on his tour with The Black Crowes. A version of "Custard Pie" performed by Page and The Black Crowes can be found on the album Live at the Greek.
Personnel
- Robert Plant – vocals, harmonica
- Jimmy Page – guitars
- John Paul Jones – bass guitar, Clavinet
- John Bonham – drums
Cover versions
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
References
- ↑
- Larkin, Colin (1997). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Seventies Music. Virgin Books. p. 249. ISBN 978-0-7535-0154-2.
Physical Graffiti, a double set, gave full rein to the quartet's diverse interests, with material ranging from compulsive hard rock ('Custard Pie' and 'Sick Again') to pseudo-mystical experimentation ('Kashmir').
- Linhardt, Alew (23 June 2004). "Top 100 Albums of the 1970s". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
- Larkin, Colin (1997). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Seventies Music. Virgin Books. p. 249. ISBN 978-0-7535-0154-2.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Lewis, Dave (1994). The Complete Guide to the Music of Led Zeppelin. Omnibus Press. ISBN 0-7119-3528-9.
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