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From album
Led Zeppelin II
Led Zeppelin · 1969 · Track 5
Details
Duración4:14
ÁlbumLed Zeppelin II
Año1969
ISRCUSAT29900475
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The story behind
The song Heartbreaker, part of the album Led Zeppelin II, kicks off with a distorted and powerful guitar riff, courtesy of Jimmy Page. This musical pattern, described as a key element of heavy rock, has a peculiarity: its initial entry can sound a bit disorienting, as if the band wasn't entirely sure where the beat begins. This quality, which some have called "magically clumsy," is part of what makes this track so distinctive. The piece also includes a 46-second guitar solo, improvised and unaccompanied, which Page recorded at Atlantic Studios in New York City. This solo, which uses the "pull-off" technique, is said to have been inspired by the style of Johnny Guitar Watson and his 1954 instrumental track, Space Guitar.
The recording of Heartbreaker took place at A&R Recording and Atlantic Studios in New York City during the band's second tour of North America in 1969. The sound engineer was Eddie Kramer. There is debate about the exact equipment used for the guitar solo; Page mentioned using a Gibson Les Paul with a Marshall Stack, a combination that, according to him, he had recorded with for the first time. However, others present at the session suggest that a Rickenbacker amplifier was used, attributing the distorted sound to its poor condition. This solo has had a notable impact on other guitarists; Eddie Van Halen claimed that the "tapping" technique he popularized was inspired by this solo by Page in 1971, upon observing how Page performed a "pull-off" to an open string. Steve Vai has also highlighted the influence of this solo in his youth, describing it as challenging and bold. The song was included in 2004 and 2010 on the list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time by Rolling Stone magazine.