Led Zeppelin: Since I've Been Lovin' You

Led Zeppelin performs "Since I’ve Been Lovin’ You", Masidon Square Garden, 1973, as seen in the film “The Song Remains the Same”:


Since I’ve been Lovin’ You is one of Led Zeppelin’s master pieces. The song was recorded live in the studio with very little overdubbing. John Paul Jones played Hammond Organ on the song, using the bass pedals for the bass-line. It was the only track from Led Zeppelin's 3rd albumthat the band had played live prior to the recording sessions. One story mentions Jimmy Page taking a break following a series of failed attempts to track the solo. Seemingly unable to get the tone he was craving, he set about a walk around the studio to clear his mind. Sitting outside of the recording area was an unplugged amplifier, which he promptly appropriated, and recorded the solo we hear today on the next take. Audio engineer Terry Manning called it "The best rock guitar solo of all time." The verse portion is heavily influenced by the Moby Grape song "Never" from their album that was released ub 1968 Wow/Grape Jam. Moby Grape was one of Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant's favorite bands. Also, the song's introduction is identical to that of "New York City Blues", a song by Page's previous band The Yardbirds. The song was originally Intended to be included on Led Zeppelin II, but was bumped for "Whole Lotta Love." This is one of a few songs in which one can hear the squeak of John Bonham's bass drum pedal in the studio (The others being "The Ocean" and "The Rain Song" from 1973's Houses of the Holy, "Ten Years Gone" from 1975's Physical Graffiti, and "Bonzo's Montreux" from 1982's Coda). In an interview from 1993, Page made a comment of this while discussing the remastering of Led Zeppelin tracks: “The only real problem I can remember encountering was when we were putting the first boxed set together. There was an awfully squeaky bass drum pedal on "Since I've Been Loving You". It sounds louder and louder every time I hear it! [laughs]. That was something that was obviously sadly overlooked at the time”. As an improvisational showcase for all four group members, and especially for Jimmy Page's electric blues guitar solos, "Since I've Been Loving You" became a staple and fan favorite of Led Zeppelin's live concert performances from 1970 until the end of their ninth American tour in summer 1973. In live performances of the song from 1977 onwards, Page would sometimes blend some of the guitar solo into the song "Tea for One", a track from the band's 1976 album Presence. Page's guitar expertise 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 the 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 2 of Led Zeppelin The BBC Sessions. Plant also used a sample from this on his solo track "White, Clean, and Neat". Jason Bonham, son of Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, also recorded a cover version of "Since I've Been Lovin' You" and released it on his 1997 album In the Name of my Father - The Zepset. Page and Plant recorded a version of the song in 1994, released on their album No Quarter: Jimmy Page and Robert Plant Unledded.

Page and Plant performs "Since I’ve Been Lovin’ You", 1994, from the album “No Quarter”:


"Since I've Been Loving You" was also performed recently at the reunion show in London on December 10, 2007:



Lyrics to Since I’ve Been Lovin’ You:
Working seven to eleven every night,
It really makes my life a drag,
I don't think that's right.
I've really, really been the best of fools,
I did what I could,
'Cause I love you, baby,
How I love you, darling,
How I love you, baby,
How I love you, girl, little girl.
But baby, Since I've Been Loving You, yeah,
I'm about to lose my worried mind, oh, yeah.

Everybody trying to tell me
That you didn't mean me no good.
I've been trying, Lord, let me tell you,
Let me tell you I really did the best I could.
I've been working seven to eleven every night,
It kinda makes my life a drag.
Lord, you know it ain't right.
Since I've Been Loving You,
I'm about to lose my worried mind.

Said I've been crying,
My tears they fell like rain,
Don't you hear,
Don't you hear them falling,
Don't you hear,
Don't you hear them falling.

Do you remember, mama, when I knocked upon your door?
I said you had the nerve to tell me
You didn't want me no more,
I open my front door hearing my back door slam,
You must have one of them new fangled,
New fangled back door man,

I've been working from seven, seven, seven,
To eleven every night,
It kinda makes my life a drag, a drag, drag,
Ah, yeah, it makes a drag.
Baby, Since I've Been Loving You,
I'm about to lose,
I'm about to lose, lose my worried mind.
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