Led Zeppelin - Black Dog • Reaction While We Ride

[@johns7097]

I'm impressed. You picked up the time signature change on your first listen. Guitar and bass shift time but the drums stay the same. Then they meet at the same time.

[@amiematthews6469]

As I’m thinking to myself, how am I going to explain what he heard as “adding a beat” was a time signature change for bass and guitar with drums keeping on that original time, then brilliantly coming back together as one, you explained it for me!☺️Music theory on rhythm: lesson one!

[@Nimno74]

Nice you pointed that out

[@michaelbaldwin8484]

"Black Dog" literally refers to a dog that was hanging around Headley Grange, where they were recording. They named the song after it For great Zeppelin driving music, check out "Trampled Underfoot", "Carouselambra", or "The Wanton Song"

[@PeterTea]

Trampled Underfoot is a perfect car song. Mama let me pump your gas ⛽️

[@thekevindeucey]

Very apt.

[@thekevindeucey]

@@PeterTea lol

[@mariopantoja8259]

Maybe..

[@jamestoddjackson9655]

For great driving music check out ALL LED ZEPPELIN lol

[@misterx1969]

You are the 1st person ive ever known that detected they went from 4/4 to 5/4 and back!

[@randycomerford2038]

This is just another amazing songs from probably the most talented band ive ever heard.

[@scottclark3761]

The Guitars and Drums are on different time signatures. So it sounds off beat.....but it isn't. It's a subtle thing to catch. A black dog wandered into the studio while they were recording. In English folklore, a black dog was an omen of death. So maybe it was tongue in cheek.....sort of a morbid humor. Try Fool in the Rain for a riding song......

[@smoovjazz8029]

The guitars are 4-4

[@thekevindeucey]

Led Zepplin were genious. They are literary why we have a R&R HoF.

[@scootieway7584]

this song made me start playing drums still playing it. its a good workout

[@jofabris556]

The thing about Led Zeppelin is that they are all masters at what they do!

[@BBaldwin]

They were, are and WILL ALWAYS BE the ultimate rock band.

[@jbojoify]

Black Dog is named after a dog that roamed the farm of Hedley Grange which was their recording studio in England. It is totally an unrelated name as far as I know.

[@lasciethiesing2219]

Zeppelin is always best in the car. Crank it up!!!

[@Allagi22]

If you're wondering about the beat and the time signatures, you're right that this song does mix it up. But asking "how" and "why" is a big question. It comes back to music theory, and manipulating that theory. Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones were professional studio musicians before Led Zeppelin. They got real creative using the tools they used to use in their day jobs.

[@paveel12]

If You want the Best led zeppelin song to vibe while driving, You need to listen to "immigrant song (remastered)".

[@kronos6460]

"The song remains the same" is my go to for driving.

[@thekevindeucey]

There really are so many doozies. I recommended Rock And Roll. Get straight to the point. kzbin.info/www/bejne/op_Go2Wdbr19frc

[@Canucklehead557]

"Black Dog" is built around a call and response dynamic between the vocalist and band, with its start and stop a cappella verses inspired by Fleetwood Mac's 1969 song "Oh Well", according to biographer Dave Lewis. The title is a reference to a nameless black Labrador Retriever that wandered around the Headley Grange studios during recording. John Paul Jones, who is credited with writing the main riff, was inspired by Muddy Waters' controversial 1968 album Electric Mud. He added a winding riff and complex rhythm changes, that biographer Keith Shadwick describes as a "clever pattern that turns back on itself more than once, crossing between time signatures as it does." The group had a difficult time with the turnaround, but John Bonham's solution was to play it straight through as if there was no turnaround. In live performances, Bonham eliminated the 5/4 variation so that Plant could perform his a cappella vocal interludes and then have the instruments return at the proper time. For his guitar parts, Page used a Gibson Les Paul to record multiple overdubs.

[@ransomholliday7632]

The drummer was doing some amazing things. Saw it explained in a documentary. He's literally playing forward and backward at the same time. (Best way I could think to explain it). That's why their music sounds different.

[@robynmawer769]

Far and away & misty mountain hop! My 2 faves!! Won't steer ya wrong,Van!!

[@robynmawer769]

1 was 16 and my uncle only 10 ytr older than me took me to many concerts. That mornin,john Bonham passed away. My mom was the oldest of 7. I actually have an uncle 2 years then my uncle. He was 5 when i was born. Stort in its own. They were big bros to me.lol

[@dwaynehiggins595]

Good driving song by Zep, gotta be Trampled Under Foot!

[@juliemanarin4127]

Oh yeah!

[@crashraynor]

100% correct sir

[@donnamiley6778]

This is one of their BEST songs ever! It's iconic.

[@ARain6500]

Song was named after a black dog they discovered hanging around Hedley Grange, an old mansion in England they recorded LZ 4 in.

[@58andyr]

Well done, you got the essence of the cross beats straight away!

[@ViKingsRacing]

'When the levee breaks' is great for driving

[@rnrmunimula3756]

“How’d they do that?” The wizardry of Jimmy Page.

[@jamiedaugharty2391]

Every member of Zep is top 5 all time on/in their respective instruments/discipline. Benchmark band. John Paul Jones, bassist, the most under-rated musician in the band

[@nickmorse2277]

And composer and writer 💯

[@randycomerford2038]

For sure!!

[@grandwazoodebris1015]

Black Dog is in 7/4 time or something, so the drummer plays 4/4 and eventually the bass and guitar comes back and finds him. The iconic (guitar) riff was written by the bass player JPJ.

[@coryr9938]

Trampled Under Foot! Perfect driving song, it's even about a car lol

[@aafjeyakubu5124]

LOL, um sort of.

[@coryr9938]

@@aafjeyakubu5124 Yeah on the surface it's about a car lol...

[@brandonboucher7090]

the thing about this song is that they give it to you at the end

[@zachlawrence6844]

Top 2 Plant and Mercury. Been that way for 30 yrs. It's not a new revelation. They started Rock as we know it and Zeppelin reigned as the #1 band in the world for 10 years till the death of the drummer. And what your hearing in the song is 2 different time signatures:) It was on beat. The 2 time signatures meet. like 4 will meet 8.

[@brianrussell6570]

John Paul Jones said that they wanted to do a song that would be almost impossible to cover cause according to him the beat moves every measure so if you are trying to tap out the beat it moves

[@TheRstb]

JPJ called it a "stomp groove"

[@jbojoify]

This song is impossible to bop your head to because it’s in an odd time signature. And it’s got the starts and stops.

[@AcidicFilmsXD]

No quarter and The Ocean, two songs by Led Zeppelin

[@58andyr]

Nobody else has commented on that 'off-beat' shift. It's very skillful and really makes this different to other bands.Well done!

[@Kirkwoodclay]

This is exactly how I jam to this song.

[@whatkatiedidnext7108]

Thank you by then is a great song to drive to

[@glennasmith6151]

BLACK DOG YEAH!!!!!!

[@ljh454]

Trampled under foot, rock and roll and Kashmir.

[@dogkog3694]

Best zeppelin driving songs bar none are: When the Levee Breaks (feel cool AF) Trampled Under Foot (feel good AF), and Achilles Last Stand (make you drive fast AF)

[@ericafranklin180]

Rock n Roll is a great driving song. Studio not live

[@silverwolf5151]

Totally agree

[@Cactusfruitsquisher]

The live version is better

[@helenespaulding9372]

Drums on one beat, guitar on different beat....they meet up occasionally. Very cool..

[@Ed9870]

Black dog is also British slang for a hangover or depression. Churchill used to describe having a case of the "black dog"every once in awhile. I think in the context of the song, he's trying to get over some woman who did him wrong.

[@Scoobydcs]

the drums and bass were in 4 4 time. the guitar was in a different timing and they came back together at different because of that. fantastic musicianship

[@dannamusic1]

Yes they genius

[@christopherleonard8313]

Zeppelin is THE TRUTH man. When the levy breaks is another great track..great video man. Keep up the great work

[@redSectorA]

The drummer is sticking to 4/4 and does what is called a beat reversal where he plays the kick or snare two times in a row to effectively reverse the beat and then back again- erra, without missing a beat. The other guys are playing 5/4 over top of it. Air drummers playing along are like WTF when suddenly they are off beat. Good stuff!

[@saguarotreker]

Playing 5/4 is "sorta" close its actually 9/8 as the beat syncs only once every 18 beats. But yeah, John rumbled through with an amazing 4/4 that had he missed a single hit the whole thing falls apart. A true testament to his ability to keep time.

[@patrickperry8951]

I remember this song being used in Cadillac commercials

[@ryankklein]

I remember turning this up pulling out the parking lot in high school. I thought you could ride with it lol.

[@GrandmaZeppelin]

Once you familiarize yourself with their songs you will really enjoy riding to them because you’ll know all the drops and change ups. It’s really fantastic. I love good riding music ☮️💜

[@Aj-zr8dz]

This song is great when you're stuck in traffic on your way back or forth to the beach in Jersey!

[@KWP1111]

Led Zeppelin, ramble on, hey hey what can I do, traveling River side blues

[@davidbentley145]

This old music is so well done...it takes on a life of it's own...u feel on a deep level...a whole other league...

[@butchmorrow3182]

Best Led Zep to drive to? "Whole Lotta Love"

[@lawrenceeason8007]

There are plenty of articles out there on the unusual rhythm pattern of Black Dog. Specifically John Bonham on drums

[@dewelrivera3305]

When the levee breaks

[@zigman63]

Really really appreciate you going down the led zepplin road,I feel you get it so far.

[@hollyharvey1986]

The Lemon Song, Dy’er Ma’ker, the Immigrant song are all great riding songs to groove to by Led

[@dianesaienni5466]

Plant is one if not the best vocalist in rock and roll.

[@brianfisher6165]

you can ride to it now that you know what it's about and what to expect!!!!✌😎

[@janellacleland5393]

My favorite zeppelin song!!!

[@brandongallegos1206]

Since I've been loving you is an awesome song

[@corimay8484]

Next Zeppelin song do The Ocean......or Trampled Underfoot. Two of the most overlooked songs imo.

[@veryape1]

According to most people... a black dog walked into the studio while they were recording. That's it...

[@tylerwoods9954]

Listen to Rock N Roll by Led Zeppelin while you're driving. You'll be going 100 down the road!

[@johnmcbarron7282]

I always enjoyed driving to Kasimir and When The Levee Brakes. Achilles Last Stand too if memory serves me.

[@bluereenie2]

Oh yeah, Bonzo is in another time signature that eventually meets up to the guitars. They do this a lot.

[@smoovjazz8029]

What the guitars are doing is called subdividing. They are playing 4-4 but they are not counting 1234. They are counting 12312312. A very common subdivision. Count to 3 twice and to 2 once is 3 + 3 + 2=8 while Bonham counts to 4 twice during that same time. That is the tension between the 2 rhythms you are hearing but they're both 4-4 just expressed differently. Imagine eating pizza. Bonham is eating 4 pieces at a time while the guitarists eat 3 pieces then another 3 pieces and then 2 pieces. 😂

[@TwistedSither]

23 Led Zeppelin albums in my collection, and not a bad one among them.

[@rockandrollmd541]

I could see the wheels turning in your head trying to figure out the rhythm :D I searched for "Deep Purple" on your channel, couldn't find any. Ian Gillan has one of the best voices in rock. My recommendation is "Hard Lovin' Man" from 1970, perfect for the car! Only a couple people have reacted to it.

[@sonofjay817]

LIttle known fact. Led Zeppelin was dropped on Earth from a spaceship. They're from somewhere else.

[@ginger4141]

You ask for Zeppelin driving song here is a list: Dancing Days, Kashmir, Fool In The Rain, The Ocean, Ramble On, Rock and Roll, When The Levee Breaks, Achilles Last Stand, Nobody's Fault But Mine, Communication Breakdown, and How Many More Times.

[@thisguy8916]

Kashmir or When the Levee Breaks are good songs for riding.

[@wesley.peterson]

The guitar is playing in a different tempo so the guitar and drums are off each other for a while. It is purposely done and KUDOS to you for hearing it the first time.

[@helenespaulding9372]

To ride to? No question: When the Levee Breaks. No contest.

[@glennawhiteman742]

Dude! Ride to? The Immigrant song, Kashmir, Heartbreaker, Houses of the Holy, In the Evening...there are tons! Take your pick!😀

[@mggtz]

Rock N Roll

[@crashraynor]

The main riff is 5/4 I think, but plant is singing in 4/4 so on every beat 20 the lyrics "catch up" ... it's genius. These guys dont f around

[@emersongoss16]

Kashmir great driving song and Trampled Under Foot

[@user-gk1nt6sm2z]

Black dog, was on location where they recorded the song. That's the dog panting sound at the start.

[@Benjamming-gh5kl]

'Kashmir' and 'In The Evening' are two great driving songs from Zeppelin.

[@patrickg.1170]

what u will notice Van is that most of the 70s 80s bands that followed Zepplin came with a high singing vocalist....all bc of singers like Plant, Steven Tyler....Think of Axl, Neil, Sebastian, Keifer, etc. the goal was to sing high and loud....thats direct lineage from Plant....Thing was there were only a few who could do it naturally...Steve Perry, Sebastian Bach , etc. did it easy....Axl had a deep voice and had to train himself to sing high...All rock owes their styles to them 60s and 70s and now even 80s rock bands.

[@bryanbarshinger6971]

If u can find the album cover with the man on the mountain hold the picture to a mirror it forms a perfect black dog head.

[@crashraynor]

The Ocean!

[@dorkoptimusrex907]

Yes the black lab was wandering around the studio but I just learned from john Paul Jones the dog died in one of the rooms.

[@jacid.624]

Here's a track that you might probably never heard about, which is great for driving: neelix "expect what" Be aware of the speed limit.

[@user-gk1nt6sm2z]

Louder! Get the led out.

[@TexasPride62]

Love Zeppelin but some good ride music would be a prog rock band like YES. Try riding to YES songs like "Roundabout", "I've Seem All Good People" or "Yours is No Disgrace"..... mellow vibe, great instrumentals, and some harmony.

[@richardrejmer8721]

2:28. . You are correct about the beat. . the main riff is in 5/4 and the drum beat is in 4/4 in that section.

[@davidokeefe3644]

Black dog is a British phrase meaning heavy depression.Down about this chick I guess.Epic.

[@whatkatiedidnext7108]

They also named it after the black Labrador that walked around the grounds of the Manor House recording studio which they recorded in

[@davidokeefe3644]

@@whatkatiedidnext7108 Yeah now you say that it rings a bell..Lots of crazy stories around Zepplin.

[@whatkatiedidnext7108]

David O'Keefe there definitely was! you can find the original meaning behind the title of the song somewhere , great band , forgotten era 😕

[@NalinX]

Travelling Riverside Blues - great riding song by Zep , and a great rework of an older Blues hit. Check it out, next ride

[@mdfield1]

This is from Songfacts. The title does not appear in the lyrics, and has nothing to do with the song itself. The band worked up the song at Headley Grange, a mansion in Hampshire, England that is out in the country, surrounded by woods. A nameless black Labrador retriever would wander the grounds, and the band would feed it. When they needed a name for this track, which didn't have an obvious title, they thought of the canine and went with "Black Dog." Zeppelin bass player John Paul Jones got the idea for this song after hearing Muddy Waters' 1968 album Electric Mud. He wanted to try "electric blues with a rolling bass part," and "a riff that would be like a linear journey."

Jones rarely had completed songs together, but the bits and pieces he brought to Led Zeppelin's writing sessions proved worthy. When they started putting the album together, Jones introduced this riff, the song started to form. The first version Jones played was comically complex. "It was originally all in 3/16 time, but no one could keep up with that," he said.

When the mobile recording studio (owned by The Rolling Stones) showed up at the mansion, this song was ready to go and recorded there. This is the first track on Led Zeppelin 4, which became the band's best-selling album. A wide range of musical styles show up on the set, with "Black Dog" exemplifying the blues-rock that was the bedrock of the band's sound.

The album itself is technically untitled, with symbols on the cover instead of words., but since it was their fourth album, it became known as Led Zeppelin 4. Some fans also referred to it as "ZoSo," which is a rough translation Jimmy Page's symbol. In this song, Robert Plant is singing about a woman who appeals to his prurient interests, but is clearly no good for him - he tells himself he'd rather have a "steady rollin' woman" come his way.

Robert Plant explained in an interview with Cameron Crowe: "Not all my stuff is meant to be scrutinized. Things like 'Black Dog' are blatant, let's-do-it-in-the-bath type things, but they make their point just the same." The start-and-stop a cappella verses were inspired by Fleetwood Mac's 1969 song "Oh Well." Before Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham joined Fleetwood Mac in 1974, they were more of a Blues band led by guitarist Peter Green. Jimmy Page and The Black Crowes performed "Oh Well" on their 1999 tour and included it on the album Live At The Greek. The lyrics never approached "Stairway To Heaven" level scrutiny, but were still subject to some interesting interpretations. Jimmy Page's interest in the occultist Aleister Crowley, combined with the image of the Hermit (from the Tarot) in the album art and the band's disappearance when they set off to Headley Grange to record, led some listeners to conclude that the titular dog was some kind of hellhound, and that the line, "Eyes that shine burning red, dreams of you all through my head," had something to do with Satan. The sounds at the beginning are Jimmy Page warming up his guitar. He called it "Waking up the army of guitars." Even by Led Zeppelin standards, this is a very complex song musically, with a chaotic blend of riffs and time signatures that make it very difficult to play and a testament to the band's musicianship. When the drums and guitar kick in, they're actually playing completely different patterns, which is something devised by John Paul Jones. The only real consistent element in the song are the vocal interludes. This is not a song you'd want to dance to. The songwriting credits on this one read: John Paul Jones/Jimmy Page/Robert Plant. Some bands - like U2 and R.E.M. - would credit every member on their original songs, but Zeppelin decided amongst themselves who would get the credits (and associated royalties). Page and Plant were almost always listed (Plant handled lyrics), but whether Jones or Bonham showed up as a writer depended on their contributions. This track was one where Jones clearly deserved a credit; he is also listed on the album as a co-writer of "Rock And Roll," "Misty Mountain Hop" and "When The Levee Breaks." Robert Plant's vocal was recorded in just two takes, marking one of his most memorable performances. His vocal booth was the drawing room at the Headley Grange mansion, which engineer Andy Johns set up with egg crates covering the walls as a sound-soak. The guitars are heavily layered. Four separate Jimmy Page guitar tracks were overdubbed. Page recorded the guitar directly into a 1176 limiter preamp (manufactured by Universal Audio), distorted the stages of it, and then sent that to a normally operating limiter. In other words, no guitar amplifier was used in the recording process. It has been claimed that John Paul Jones arranged the complicated time signatures so nobody would be able to cover the song. Asked about the allegations during Australia's Triple M Led Zeppelin special, he responded by saying the story was just a myth, adding: "I actually wrote it in rehearsal from Jimmy's house on the train. My dad was a musician and he showed me a way of writing down notation on anything. And so I wrote the riff to 'Black Dog' on the back of a train ticket which I unfortunately don't have." Plant sampled this on his solo hit "Tall Cool One." “Whole Lotta Love" made #4 on the US Hot 100, and "Black Dog" was their next highest-charting song. Most of their tracks were not released as singles, and fans of the band were far more likely buy the albums. As Robert Plant sings every line after the music stops, you can faintly hear Bonham tapping his drumsticks together to keep the time. This was one of the few songs for which John Paul Jones used a pick to play his bass. Robert Plant would sometimes improvise some of the lyrics in concert, substituting lines like, "I've got a girl that loves me so love me so sweet jelly roll." This isn't the first famous rock song with a color-animal title that doesn't appear in the lyric: Jefferson Airplane released "White Rabbit" in 1967. In 1977, Steely Dan gave us "Black Cow," but that one does have the title in the lyric. Apparently, Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas can knock out a killer version of this song. Slash from Guns N' Roses told NME, March 22, 2010: "I first heard Fergie three years ago at a fundraiser in LA, where I was one of many guests with the Black-Eyed Peas. I was going to play during a rock medley, and in walks this little blonde girl from Orange County, and she sang 'Black Dog‚' better than any guy I'd ever heard.'' Note the lyrics, "Baby, when you walk that way, watch your honey drip, can't keep away." In 1981, Robert Plant and Jimmy Page formed a group called The Honeydrippers, which scored a hit with a remake of "Sea of Love." Page and Plant performed an updated version of this song on their 1995 No Quarter tour. Starting in 2005, Plant added it to his setlist at solo performances. His solo renditions were more subdued vocally, but often rather intricate musically, with a range of world music elements incorporated into the song. Led Zeppelin cover band Dread Zeppelin did a version of this mixed with Elvis' "Hound Dog" called "You Ain't Nuthin' But A Black Dog." Their lead singer is an Elvis impersonator. In 2015, this was used in a commercial for the video game Destiny: The Taken King. Game action takes place as the song plays in the background. Andy Johns, sound engineer on Led Zeppelin IV, was asked by Guitare & Clavier how the recording sessions went for Led Zeppelin IV. He replied: "It was more fun and more serious than for Led Zeppelin III. We mainly recorded it in Headley Grange - a haunted place - using the Rolling Stones mobile recording unit. The rest of the album was produced at Island studios, an old church. We recorded the main tracks for 'Black Dog' downstairs, in what used to be the crypt. The main tracks for 'Stairway To Heaven' were recorded in the big room upstairs." Johns explained how "Black Dog" was recorded: "This one is interesting, because we trebled the guitars. On the stereo, there is one on the left, one on the right, and one in the middle. Each was recorded live. I wanted to try live recording, because I loved the sound that Bill Halverson had secured using this technique with Neil Young. Halverson had told me how he had done that, but I never achieved his results. One day, we were hanging around in the studio, and I told Page that I wanted to try something. For some reason, it worked. The guitars were very reliable."

[@betterthan23]

This is one of my favorite comments I’ve ever read, thank you for so much information. They truly are fascinating by how talented and creative they were.

[@Robert-rr7kw]

The Song Remains the Same as an absolute driving song! When playing, you better hit a road with no red lights.. This song is serpentine.

[@joshcopley9039]

Fool In The Rain

[@angelrdiaz4755]

It's about a dog that died in the house or mansion hedley grange were they did some there greatest recordings because of the great aquistics the place had including this one (:. I guess as a tribute or deeply moved by the dogs death this emmense jam was created (:.

[@philshorten3221]

If you want something to drive to. I'm sure you'll see a few Zepp tracks, but as a curve ball, I throw in, Pink Floyd - "One of These Days" and the live at Pompeii version is pretty cool. Just watch your foot on that gas pedal!!!

[@debbieplato5107]

check out You Shook Me. Blues on steroids and Robert Plant's amazing vocals. Trampled under Foot. Great driving song.

[@alansmith7626]

they shifted gears, lol

[@davidbentley145]

I can see u gettin into the 60's style late night rockin ass music for partyin into the wee hrs of the mornin...Here is another suggestion for you...Procol Harum ... "Simple Sister"...this piece takes a bit to build, but the crescendo is worth the ride!Enjoy!

[@bthomsadventures6966]

Golden Earring - Radar love Bob Seger - Turn the Page Best driving songs ever. (In my opinion)

[@emc7110]

Top 2/3 voices in rock. Top 1 drums in rock. Top 3 guitarists in rock. Top 7 bass in rock

[@Leftylobber]

Going to California

[@kanomorrow7622]

I got you dog! I play drums (25 years) and one of the sweetest grooves from “bonzo” (rip john bonham) is “Fool in the rain” if you like drums check this out!

[@ARS5150]

Fool in the Rain has to be my favorite Zep song.

[@xfishnutzx]

Something you can ride to by Led Zep? In My Time of Dying is next level

[@CSLBRK]

You should listen to the live version from TSRTS (the song remain the same) album , the song is SINCE IVE BEEN LOVING YOU i know you have listen to the studio album version but trust me they took it to a hole other level on the live version. the studio version was already insanely good but hey! the LIVE version is from outta this world! The guitar, the singing the drum ouuf !