Trampled Under Foot

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"Trampled Under Foot"
Tufsingle.jpg
Netherlands single picture sleeve
Single by Led Zeppelin
from the album Physical Graffiti
B-side "Black Country Woman"
Released2 April 1975 (1975-04-02) (US)
RecordedJanuary–February 1974
Studio
Genre
Length5:38
Label Swan Song
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Jimmy Page
Led Zeppelin singles chronology
"D'yer Mak'er"
(1973)		"Trampled Under Foot"
(1975)		"Candy Store Rock"
(1976)
Audio sample

"Trampled Under Foot" is a song by English rock group Led Zeppelin. A funk-influenced piece with John Paul Jones on clavinet, it was included on their 1975 album Physical Graffiti . The song was released as a single in several countries and was frequently performed in concert.

Contents

Lyrics

The lyrics were inspired by blues musician Robert Johnson's 1936 song "Terraplane Blues". [7] A Terraplane is a classic car, and the song uses car parts as metaphors for sex—"pump your gas", "rev all night", etc. The themes of these songs however differ; "Terraplane Blues" is about infidelity, while "Trampled Under Foot" is about giving in to sexual temptation. [8]

Composition and recording

The song evolved out of a jam session in 1972 and is credited to Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones. [9] Much rehearsal went into perfecting the relentless semi-funk riff that dominates this song. [7] John Paul Jones has credited Stevie Wonder with the inspiration for the beat ("Superstition", 1972), which he played on a clavinet. [7] [10] Page played through a wah-wah pedal and, as producer, employed reverse echo on the recording. [7] [11]

Reception and charts

Billboard described "Trampled Under Foot" as "the most commercial single [Led Zeppelin] put together in several years" and as having "a powerful staccatto beat." [12] Cash Box called it a "high-powered effort" that "packs a punch that is sure to be felt on top of the charts." [13] Record World said that "As Zeppelin-sanity begins to reach Beatlemaniacal proportions, the stage is set for the heavy metalmen to take their first single from Physical Graffiti to the top." [14] Released in April 1975, it reached number 38 on the Billboard Hot 100. [15]

Chart (1975)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report) [16] 60
Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) [17] 41
US Billboard Hot 100 [15] 38
US Cash Box [18] 28
US Record World [19] 39

Live performances and other versions

Page using a wah-wah pedal during a performance in Chicago (January 1975) LedZeppelinChicago75.jpg
Page using a wah-wah pedal during a performance in Chicago (January 1975)

"Trampled Under Foot" became a standard part of Led Zeppelin concerts from 1975 onwards, being played on every tour until 1980. [7] In 2012, the song was performed during the London Olympics opening ceremony as a part of a selected playlist. [20]

A rough mix of the track with less overdubbing was titled "'Brandy & Coke' (Trampled Under Foot) [Initial Rough Mix]". It was released on 11 February 2015 (on iTunes), as part of the remastering process of all nine albums. [21] The rest of the album was released on 23 February 2015.

Personnel

According to Jean-Michel Guesdon and Philippe Margotin: [22]

See also

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References

  1. ↑ Schuman, Michael A. (2009). Led Zeppelin: Legendary Rock Band . Enslow Publishers. ISBN   978-0-7660-3026-8. The keyboard-driven, hard rock track "Trampled Under Foot" was popular on FM stations.
  2. ↑ Schinder, Scott; Schwartz, Andy (2008). Icons of Rock: An Encyclopedia of the Legends Who Changed Music Forever. Vol. 2. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN   978-0-313-33847-2. "Houses of the Holy" and "Trampled Under Foot" were tightly constructed, even danceable hard rock tunes.
  3. ↑ Bennun, David (14 June 2017). "Disco rock – 10 of the best". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  4. ↑ Hunter-Tilney, Ludovic. "Led Zeppelin, O2 Arena, London". Financial Times . Archived from the original on 7 May 2015. Retrieved 14 July 2013.
  5. ↑ Elliott, Paul (30 May 2016). "The Top 20 Greatest Funk Rock Songs". TeamRock. Archived from the original on 2 June 2016. Retrieved 20 September 2021.
  6. ↑ Chick, Stevie (2005). "Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti". In Dimery, Robert (ed.). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die . London: Cassell Illustrated. p. 338.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Lewis, Dave (1994). The Complete Guide to the Music of Led Zeppelin. Omnibus Press. ISBN   0-7119-3528-9.
  8. ↑ Godwin, Robert (24 August 1990). "Led Zeppelin: Alchemists of the '70s". Goldmine . p. 13.
  9. ↑ Godwin, Robert (2003). "Led Zeppelin: The Press Reports". Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 321. ISBN   1-896522-41-6.
  10. ↑ Snow, Mat (December 2007). "The Secret Life of a Superstar". Mojo . p. 13.
  11. ↑ Rosen, Steven (25 May 2007). "1977 Jimmy Page Interview (Audio/Text)". Modern Guitars. Archived from the original on 5 January 2011.
  12. ↑ "Billboard's Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard . 12 April 1975. p. 86. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  13. ↑ "Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. XXXVI, no. 47. 12 April 1975. p. 22. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  14. ↑ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. 12 April 1975. p. 1. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
  15. 1 2 "Led Zeppelin – Awards". AllMusic . Retrieved 14 July 2013.
  16. ↑ "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – CHART POSITIONS PRE 1989". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
  17. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 3969a." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
  18. ↑ "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending MAY 31, 1975". Cash Box . Archived from the original on 3 October 2012.
  19. ↑ "The Singles Chart" (PDF). Record World . 17 May 1975. p. 31. ISSN   0034-1622 . Retrieved 17 September 2017.
  20. ↑ Heath, Sophia (19 June 2012). "London 2012 Olympics: the full musical playlist for the Olympic opening ceremony". The Daily Telegraph . Retrieved 30 July 2013.
  21. ↑ Grow, Kory (8 January 2015). "Led Zeppelin Announce Super-Deluxe 'Physical Graffiti' Reissue". Rolling Stone . Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  22. ↑ Guesdon & Margotin 2018, p. 388.

Bibliography

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