LedZeppelinLives.com: <center>Led Zeppelin song: D'yer Maker

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO D'YER MAKER

The title of the song is pronounced "Jamaica," and is a play on the word: "She went to the Caribbean." "Jamaica?" "No, she went on her own." (In other words "Did you make her") It could also be a sexual reference.

The song has a caribean beat and bassline, which inspired the title to reference something relating to "Jamaica".

Often people thought the title was pronounced "Dear Maker" and would try to read into it to unveil some cryptic hidden meaning. Jimmy Page had an interest in the occult and Robert Plant wrote some very spiritual lyrics, which led to deeper meanings in many of their songs, but not this case, it was simply an interesting title for a song with a caribbean sound.

This song was originally intended to mimic Reggae the sounds that were emerging from Jamaica in the early 1970's. Bonham's inability to replicate a Reggae beat on the drums, inadvertently turned the song into an odd combination of what sounded like an early 1950's doo-wop and reggae blend.

Led Zeppelin never performed this live. It would have been difficult to recreate the "Reggae band" sound live.

The distinctive drum sound was created by placing 3 microphones a good distance away from John Bonham's drums. Led Zeppelin was always expirementing with different forms of production in the stuido recordings. This song exemplifies this zep-style recording procedure which captures a raw sound of Bonham's drums that gives a feeling of standing right next to the drums while listening to the song.

This is one of the few Zeppelin songs where all 4 members share the composer credit.

Sheryl Crow sang this on Encomium, the 1995 Led Zeppelin tribute album.

CLICK HERE to view the ENTIRE video compilation of the Led Zeppelin reunion show, December, 2007

Lyrics to D'yer Maker
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
You don't have to go oh oh oh oh oh
You don't have to go oh oh oh oh oh
Baby please don't go.

Ay ay ay ay ay ay
All those tears I cry ay ay ay ay ay
All those tears I cry ay ay ay ay ay
Baby please don't go.

When I read the letter you wrote
it made me mad mad mad
When I read the news that it brought me
It made me sad sad sad.
But I still love you so
I can't let you go
I love you- ooh baby I love you.

Oh oh oh oh oh oh
Every breath I take oh oh oh oh oh
Every move I make oh oh oh oh oh
Baby please don't go.

Ay ay ay ay ay ay
You hurt me to my soul ay ay ay ay ay
You hurt me to my soul ay ay ay ay ay
Darling please don't go.

Oh oh oh oh oh oh
You don't have to go oh oh oh oh oh
You don't have to go oh oh oh oh oh
Baby please don't go