Genre Blues Label Atlantic | Length 7:25 | |
Released 5 October 1970 (1970-10-05) Recorded Island Studios, London, 1970 Writer(s) John Paul Jones
Jimmy Page
Robert Plant | ||
"Since I've Been Loving You" is a song by the English rock band Led Zeppelin, released in 1970 on the album Led Zeppelin III.
Contents
Overview
"Since I've Been Loving You" was one of the first songs prepared for the Led Zeppelin III album. The song was recorded live in the studio with very little overdubbing. It was reportedly the hardest to record. Audio engineer Terry Manning called it "The best rock guitar solo of all time." John Paul Jones played Hammond organ on the song, using the bass pedals for the bassline.
This recording was done using John Bonham's Ludwig Speed King model #201, the drum pedal he used for his entire career and which was known as the "Squeak King" because of the excessive squeaking that can be heard on some recordings, especially on this track.
The opening and closing lyrics of "Since I've Been Loving You" are nearly identical to the 1968 Moby Grape song Never.
Song Information
The song is a slow blues in the key of C minor. It uses the 12 bar chord minor progression known as "quick-change".
Live performances
As an improvisational showcase for all four group members, and especially for Page's electric blues guitar solos, "Since I've Been Loving You" became a staple and fan favourite of Led Zeppelin's live concert performances from 1970 until the end of their ninth American tour in summer 1973. It was played on the 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1977, 1979 and 1980 tours, but only a few times on the 1975 North American tour. In live performances of the song from 1977 onwards, Page would sometimes incorporate some of the solo of "Tea for One", a track from the band's 1976 album Presence that is similar in style to this song.
Page's guitar prowess is well demonstrated in different performances of the song from Madison Square Garden in July 1973, as seen in the group's concert films The Song Remains the Same (and accompanying soundtrack) and Led Zeppelin DVD. There is also a June 1972 live recording of "Since I've Been Loving You" which can be heard on the album How the West Was Won, and another live version on Disc two of BBC Sessions. The band performed the song during the 2007 Reunion gig in London's O2 Arena, and it is included the 2012 film of that historic concert, Celebration Day.
Re-recordings
Page and Plant recorded a version of the song in 1994, released on their album No Quarter: Jimmy Page and Robert Plant Unledded. Plant also used a sample from this on his solo track "White, Clean, and Neat". "Since I've Been Loving You" was performed at Led Zeppelin's reunion show at the O2 Arena, London on 10 December 2007.
Accolades
(*) designates unordered lists.