FIRST TIME HEARING Led Zeppelin- "When The Levee Breaks" (Reaction)

[@retroreactions....]

Blues Rock gold...with all the gritty intense emotional urgency... Thanks for watching! 🥰

[@juliemanarin4127]

They were the greatest band in history! Robert on that harmonica!

[@retroreactions....]

Yes!!

[@theivory1]

The speculation around how this drum sound was recorded is legendary.

[@retroreactions....]

LOL....yea, was it staircase, or bathroom, or maybe a cave!

[@michaelbaucom4019]

The Led Zepp guys being their usual excellent selves...RIP John Bonham

[@retroreactions....]

Yup...Must sound amazing live too!

[@juliemanarin4127]

@@retroreactions.... they did! This one was never played live to my knowledge

[@ThirdEye...]

Still the world’s best drummer today !

[@kimberlyjohnson8932]

The greatest rock band ever.

[@retroreactions....]

😃

[@helenespaulding7562]

Yes, it’s Robert playing the harp. He’s a really fine mouth harp player. Something often overlooked.

[@retroreactions....]

WOWWWW, had no clue he did that as well....he played amazing on this one!

[@helenespaulding7562]

@@retroreactions.... can I tell you a story? Actually, it’s Roberts story When he was around 15 or so, he would go see as many of the great black American blues artists who were touring Britain in the early 60’s as he could. One night, he went to see Sonny Boy Williamson, one of the greats. During a break, Plant went to the rest room, and Sonny Boy was in there too. Robert was in Awe. After finishing up, Robert brazenly asked if he could have his autograph. Sonny Boy, who was NOT yet finished and who towered over him, looked down at this cheeky white kid and told him to “f**k off”. Which Plant did. But on his way out, he passed Sonny Boy’s dressing room and took the opportunity to help himself to Sonny Boy’s harmonica. According to Plant, he used this harmonica all through the Zeppelin years, and probably still has it. So, if we are to believe Robert ( who is famous, by the way, for spinning yarns) then the harmonica you hear on Levee Breaks is actually Sonny Boy Williamson’s..,, one of the blues greats Maybe Robert felt, with the pedigree of that harmonica, he’d better learn to play it well! 😉

[@helenespaulding7562]

@@retroreactions.... when we were “playing the game” months ago, didn’t I submit a song for evaluation called “Tie-Dye on the Highway” live from Knebworth 1990 ? He does a crackerjack harp solo on it. If not, I could PM you the link.

[@retroreactions....]

WOW lol....already acting like a rock star at 15! It was fate! Maybe if Sonny boy would have given the autograph, Robert may never have picked up learning harmonica!

[@retroreactions....]

Can't remember, but there was at least 1 blues song that you picked that I enjoyed. Sure send the link....

[@helenespaulding7562]

OH HELL YEAH!!!! 🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘 in top two favorite Zep songs. And Zep is favorite band Other fave is Kashmir. Cannot believe you’ve never heard this! 😱

[@retroreactions....]

Woohoo! I know you love this one, and you're first! 😁 🥇 Oh, didn't know it was top 2 though!! Nope, the adult contemporary/soft rock station never played it haha!

[@ericanderson8886]

Elevated blues to the max and Plant on that mean harp.

[@retroreactions....]

Yes! Thanks for watching!

[@sourisvoleur4854]

My favorite hard rocking LZ song. Man man man. Every part of this recording is so entirely spot-on. Just flawless. Flaw. Less. The drums are delicious. Harmonica, inspired. Guitar, super dee duper. Bass, perfect. And vocals -- OH YEAH. Blues-based rock just doesn't get any better.

[@sourisvoleur4854]

My absolute unchallenged favorite LZ song until I heard Fool in the Rain; now they vie for first place depending on which I heard last. With both, it's Bonzo's perfect drumming that nails it to the ground and allows everything else to soar. My vote for best rock drummer. That other guy from Canada notwithstanding.

[@retroreactions....]

Sweet, glad I picked one you love! Agree with all.....haha "super dee duper" should be a new rating on my scale!!

[@sourisvoleur4854]

He's not heading south, he's heading north. "Go to Chicago." The Great Migration saw millions of Black Americans move north from the old South to cities like Chicago and Detroit in search of employment and less racism. The man is saying he's going to join that throng now that he's lost his home.

[@flubblert]

​@@sourisvoleur4854 bingo!! 👍

[@36karpatoruski]

This song will wake the dead! End of story.

[@retroreactions....]

🙂👻

[@Veggamattic]

Plant never gets enough credit for his harmonica work. If you haven't heard John Popper from Blues Traveler...he is the true harmonica virtuoso in contemporary music and worth a listen.

[@retroreactions....]

He is amazing on that instrument!! Had no idea. I know the couple of big BT hits, especially Runaround...they played that all the time when I was in college 🙂

[@Veggamattic]

@@retroreactions.... I saw him play on an interesting card in Toronto once...Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and Neil Young. I remember that the staged got rushed and the security got overwhelmed. Another great day in rock and roll!😎

[@retroreactions....]

Wow, all 4 of those greats in 1 night?

[@juliemanarin4127]

@Retro Reactions he played harmonica on a bunch of songs...try watching Nobody's Fault But Mine live!

[@Veggamattic]

Bayou Blues at it's very best!

[@retroreactions....]

Yess! Thanks for watching Todd

[@joshuadeshaies7266]

Yes it was Robert on the harmonica. Great song from the GOATS!! Luv it bro like always!!

[@retroreactions....]

Goats for sure!! Thank you so much Joshua!!

[@reneelyons6836]

Classic!!!!! They do it so very well! 💟☮🎶🎶

[@retroreactions....]

For sure!! Excellent songs everyday in Retro Reactions World!!

[@reneelyons6836]

For Sure!!!! That's why I watch EVERY♥DAY!!🎶🎶 😄

[@retroreactions....]

💙💙💙💙

[@norahdenovan8658]

So happy that your back to the gods ❤️🙏& this one is just pure gold, sad story though. Bonzo is just right at the heart of this . RIP sir , you were the best 💕

[@retroreactions....]

Much more Zep in the future!! Thanks

[@clab5864]

Level of production AHEAD of its time!!!!

[@retroreactions....]

Yes... Thanks for watching!

[@ischmidt]

One of the most sampled songs of all time for obvious reasons. I believe they actually played the drums in a bathroom to get that wild reverb sound. But the rest of the song is great too. One of Zeppelin's best blues vamps.

[@retroreactions....]

Epic drums! Thanks Ian

[@williamcabell142]

Live DUDE! Don’t tell me your one of those studio nerds! 🤨 The GOATS😎🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@retroreactions....]

I adore live music, been to hundreds of epic concerts, but for first time reactions to songs I def like hearing the studio first, how it was originally presented you know. I have broken this rule a few times on the channel 🙂

[@thedocofrock1890]

i remember buying this vinyl album in '71 thinking it was led zep iv but it was called zoso even though it was not printed anywhere on the cover. and it had the picture of the old dude with the huge bundle of sticks tied to his back that looked like a photo in a bombed out house after ww2. 'the battle of evermore' to this day is still one of my top 5 zep tunes along with this song

[@retroreactions....]

Nice! Added your vote for BOE! Thanks for watching!

[@helenespaulding7562]

Just a quick comment: in the lyrics he speaks of going to Chicago, ‘cause after the flood, tens of thousands of black share-croppers lost everything and there was no work “down south”. Unknown history: tens of thousands were forcibly kept in “refugee” camps after the flood to rebuild the levees, and to make sure that white plantation owners had labor available to them to plant crops etc. True. For real. In 1927

[@helenespaulding7562]

@@JEFFREYJERDON if you listen to podcasts, one of the best is called Revisionist History by Malcolm Gladwell. He has an entire episode devoted to this untaught history. I was flabbergasted. I’m sure it’s in the archives but it was several years ago….2019 or so.

[@stevecowder4774]

Wow man, you sure do know how to pick em. This is my favorite song ever from Zeppelin, and that’s not easy to come up with. It’s just so slick and hardcore. And yeah, not enough can be said about that echoing harmonica. That alone puts this memorable song in a totally different class by itself.

[@retroreactions....]

Thanks Steve! Glad you love this song. Harmonica was stellar!

[@bill3118]

I first saw them play when I was 16 in 1968. Followed them around ever since. I'm enjoying your journey almost as much. Have fun. x

[@retroreactions....]

Thank you so much Bill, glad to hear that! 🙂

[@wallacecallow2255]

Yes, I really liked the backdrop screen along with the blues music, and how they went together.

[@retroreactions....]

Thank you Wallace!

[@wallacecallow2255]

@@retroreactions.... My pleasure!

[@Technolen]

Hello Brandon, this song is the source of "Never Let Me Down Again" drum samples by the way... It´s favourite Depeche Mode song too. Massive blues, just listen to Bonzo´s drums and JPJ bass. Jimmi´s slide guitar and Robert´s soulful vocal make me fell like I´m standing by the river Mississipi and watch how water runs from here to eternity - like our lives .-)

[@retroreactions....]

Oh wow! Never knew that about DM 🤯 Yes, awesome blues song!

[@Prone2Thrill]

My favorite song by my favorite band so that should say it all.... great documentary called "It might get loud" with Jimmy Page, Jack White and The Edge from U2. At one point Jimmy talks about recording and how the drum tech set up Bonhams new set in the entryway to Headley Grange and the stairwell gives the drums all that space - changed the way drums would be recorded going forward. #legends BTW - Ozzy plays a mean harmonica....you can see him (great audio quality too) on the "Rehearsal video" (shouldn't be blocked) for "The Wizard" when Black Sabbath reformed and recorded new stuff. Songs like God is dead and End of the beginning are epic and show how they still have it. #2016

[@KarinStrong-k4j]

I just discovered your channel today! You are by far one of the best out there. I love how you always have the perfect background photo/graphic for the song you’re reacting to.

[@retroreactions....]

Hello Karin! So happy you found my channel and that you enjoy my reaction style 😊 Thanks for acknowledging the backdrops. I think they add a nice creative touch to the song. Really appreciate your kind comments!!

[@novygravel658]

Great album that was.... to me the greatest zep song is on that album, The battle of evermore.... The mandolin, vocals are out of this world.... hope you do some days!

[@retroreactions....]

Mandolin? Wow cool!! I added your vote for that one. I'm sure I will do it eventually ☺

[@juliemanarin4127]

@Retro Reactions JPJ plays anything! He plays mandolin on many songs and The Battle Of Evermore has Jimmy picking up JPJs mandolin and playing fir the only time

[@davidmckenzie420]

Now you really need to hear the more recent international collaboration of this epic song. (It includes John Paul Jones on bass.)

[@retroreactions....]

Is it performed by some other artists?

[@davidmckenzie420]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/gnmTXoqOiquMaM0

[@retroreactions....]

Thanks

[@ronjm945]

@@retroreactions.... yes it is performed by musicians from all over the world and is a fantastic cover..

[@retroreactions....]

Thanks Ron

[@flubblert]

Actually he's not just going down, he's "goin to Chicago". Chicago became home to many a delta blues men during the Great Migration of the 30s and 40s when Southern blacks moved to big Northern cities. It is here that Blues legends like Muddy Waters and Willie Dixon plugged in and turnt up the electric guitar and caught the ear of many a young English lad from across the pond (Clapton, Page, Jagger, etc.) It is Chicago Blues by way of Mississippi and Louisiana where Led Zeppelin found their style and niche that would literally rock the world of rock and influence generations of rock and rollers to come. BTW, "Going to Chicago" ("sorry I can't take you") that he repeats a couple of times in this song, is a classic American blues song covered by countless blues artist from Joe Williams to B.B. King. Perhaps a nod to that history.

[@retroreactions....]

Thanks for the info flubbert

[@flubblert]

@@retroreactions.... they are truly one of the GOATs.

[@drmagic60]

Great pick for today buddy! Back in the 80’s, early 90’s I was really big into the blues. I’ve seen Bo Diddley, B.B.King, John Lee Hooker, Koko Taylor, Lonnie Brooks, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Buddy Guy, Tinsley Ellis, James Cotton to name a few. Used to have a local blues club that I visited a lot! Next time you’re after a real “synthy” song from LZ you should try “In The Light” from the Physical Graffiti album.

[@retroreactions....]

Thank you...Dale had the blues!...OK, I've added your vote for ITL...thanks as always!

[@andrewgibson395]

Try the Playing For Change version of this, John Paul Jones plays bass on that as well but it's a bit different to this version.

[@lqr824]

I haven't seen this analysis anywhere, but what my ears tell me is 1) having the mics so far from the drum set introduced enough delay that the drums are always dragging slightly behind the beat. This was recorded with mics up staircases from a big recording space (apparently a car garage). Sound travels about a foot per ms (30cm/ms) so a mic 30 feet away is a 30ms delay. That's totally audible. 2) I know his drum tuning was very original but every piece of the kit sounds lower pitched than usual. If I'm right, the simple explanation is that they sped up the tape and had him play along with that. When played back at normal speed it then sounds lower-pitched and everything has longer decay. This also makes the timing sound rougher, and I think this is the least metronome-like of Bonham's playing. He can play more accurately--but chose not to for this song. That gives the drums, and thus the track as a whole, a ponderous, treacly feel... which in turn is an accurate embodiment of the Mississippi, which is never a speedy river even at flood stage. It's slow and muddy and sticky. Bonham (and Page, whom I think was engineering this) is capturing that.

[@retroreactions....]

Wow, thanks for explaining all of that.. interesting stuff!

[@peanutbutter35]

Have you reacted to the rain song yet? If not it’s a must! Or ten years gone!

[@retroreactions....]

Yes to Rain Song! Will add your vote for 10 Years Gone..Here's the link (sorry I'm too close to the camera) kzbin.info/www/bejne/l5fTnoemYrN-kMk

[@yitzchakscott-thoennes]

appreciate the background, as always! I've sometimes wished, great though they are, that LZ had a different singer; not with this song, though.

[@retroreactions....]

Thanks, many flooding pictures to choose, I liked the simplicity of this one....

[@samjaxwhistler]

You want an insane Zeppelin song? Try Dancing Days and Carouselambra.

[@retroreactions....]

Will add your votes for those thanks!

[@samjaxwhistler]

@@retroreactions.... You're welcome. Carouselambra is ridiculous. That's the best way I can sum it up.

[@helenespaulding7562]

I don’t know why, but I NEVER expected you to react to this blues rock song…….knowing your taste. We’ll see what yon think Edit: you liked it! Great! 😁. Always puts me in almost a trance…. Lost in that incredible drum and bass groove.

[@retroreactions....]

Not in my top few genres, but I can definitely vibe with blues!! Lots of emotion and grit!

[@reneelyons6836]

hahahahaha 🤣🤣

[@helenespaulding7562]

@@reneelyons6836 ?

[@reneelyons6836]

Just funny what you said to Brandon.

[@helenespaulding7562]

@@reneelyons6836 got it 😁👋. Yeah, I knew blues wasn’t one of his fave genres. 😉

[@Manni59]

Led Zeppelin has produced some rubbish at times on all records, but there are a good dozen standout songs on their first six records. "When The Levee Breaks" is one of the absolute gems of the band. This thing so...dirty, so...laid back and still driving. Excellent!

[@retroreactions....]

One of their best no doubt!!