The story behind
Led Zeppelin took song "When the Levee Breaks" from an original 1929 recording, made by Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie. The lyrics talk about a flood of the Mississippi River, and how that dragged many people towards the Midwest of the country. The song was included in the fourth album of Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin IV, as the last track. The drumming of John Bonham was recorded on a staircase, with a new Ludwig kit, and microphones on top. Jimmy Page described it as a riff that was worked out, but the sound of the drums didn't fit. Later, in a mobile studio, it was recorded with an echo technique, and the rhythm was slower, especially in the solos. The band played it live a couple of times, but then stopped doing so. The mix was kept as is, without remixing. ↓ Skip to chords
Led Zeppelin — When the Levee Breaks
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From the album
![[Led Zeppelin IV]](https://doresol.com/assets/img/albums/led-zeppelin-iv-led-zeppelin.jpg)
[Led Zeppelin IV]
Led Zeppelin · 1971 · Track 0