The Lemon Song

When you dive into The Lemon Song, you encounter a piece that has deep roots in the blues, but which Led Zeppelin transformed into something of their own. The song draws from "Killing Floor", a 1964 track by the legendary Howlin' Wolf, which was already a classic of Chicago electric blues. What's interesting is how the British band took that foundation and expanded it, especially on their North American tour. In their live performances, Robert Plant used to improvise lyrics over the structure of "Killing Floor", and over time, that evolution gave rise to "The Lemon Song". The lyrics, loaded with sexual allusions, echo Robert Johnson's "Travelling Riverside Blues", and it's even suggested that Johnson may have borrowed from an earlier 1937 song. Furthermore, influences from Albert King's "Cross-Cut Saw" can be perceived.

The recording of The Lemon Song took place in Los Angeles during Led Zeppelin's second North American tour, and it was included on their 1969 album, Led Zeppelin II. A peculiarity of the version that appears on the record is that it was recorded almost live in the studio, without resorting to electronic devices to create echo on Plant's voice; this was achieved solely through the acoustics of the place and the power of his own voice. The connection with "Killing Floor" was so strong that, after a copyright lawsuit by Arc Music, Howlin' Wolf's publisher, Led Zeppelin reached an out-of-court settlement. As a result, Howlin' Wolf was recognized as a co-author on later releases, and received a payment of US$45,123. The song, with its blend of raw blues and Led Zeppelin's characteristic power, became one of the most distinctive pieces on Led Zeppelin II.