tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498544514654266731.post9114284232202862264..comments2023-10-17T00:21:06.453-07:00Comments on Thee Optimist: When the Levee BreaksUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498544514654266731.post-40518960106542939642021-07-06T21:46:31.947-07:002021-07-06T21:46:31.947-07:00Thank you for your insightful comment. I didn'...Thank you for your insightful comment. I didn't really want to say it in the post, but yeah, sure. The Zeppelin version is better. As a practical matter, Led Zeppelin were so good, it would be hard for anyone to do a better version of anything than they did. Including the people they "nicked" from. The thing to remember, IMHO, is the transcendent Led Zeppelin version of "When the Levee Breaks" wouldn't have happened if Memphis Minnie hadn't written and recorded the original in the first place. THEE ROCK upon which I shall build my Churchhttp://www.theeoptimist.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498544514654266731.post-19238913900375897462021-07-06T15:38:20.794-07:002021-07-06T15:38:20.794-07:00"borrowed music from Zep retroactively"?..."borrowed music from Zep retroactively"??? Whoa!?!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498544514654266731.post-78652619535194439572021-07-06T13:35:02.635-07:002021-07-06T13:35:02.635-07:00It's a lie. Zeppelin never stole anything. The...It's a lie. Zeppelin never stole anything. They were always the best. Earlier bands "borrowed music from Zep. Retroactively.Wee Jimmy Pagehttps://www.jimmypage.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8498544514654266731.post-87122578121070926602021-07-05T17:25:23.740-07:002021-07-05T17:25:23.740-07:00Thank you for writing about this. Older blues arti...Thank you for writing about this. Older blues artist often don't get enough credit for their musical contributions. I used to a blues show as a deejay at a college radio station. I did a regular feature in which I pointed out the "white boys" who stole an old blues song. I gave credit to the original artist or songwriter and played both versions back-to-back. I would then ask callers for their feedback. When I featured "When the Levee Breaks," it was the only time callers said they thought the newer version (by Led Zepplin) was unquestionably better than the original. I actually agree. I thought Zepplin captured the mood (one of loss, hopelessness and desolation) better than the uptempo, sprightly, buoyant-sounding Memphis Minnie version. More simply put, the Zepplin version matches the lyrics better than Memphis Minnie's version. Unlike Memphis Minnie, Zepplin makes great use of musical "spaciousness" to convey this. But, hey--it's all just opinions. And I don't have to tell you what they say about opinions..., <br /><br />And, not to make this about me, but I have also had to "supplement my income with prostitution."<br /><br />But I have no regrets.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com