"Trampled Under Foot" | ||||
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Single by Led Zeppelin | ||||
from the album Physical Graffiti | ||||
B-side | " Black Country Woman" | |||
Released | 2 April 1975 | (US)|||
Recorded | February 1974; April–May 1974 [1] | |||
Studio | Ronnie Lane Mobile Studio, Headley Grange, Hampshire; Olympic, London [1] | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 5:38 | |||
Label | Swan Song | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Jimmy Page | |||
Led Zeppelin singles chronology | ||||
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Audio sample | ||||
"Trampled Under Foot" is a song by English rock group Led Zeppelin. A funk-influenced piece with John Paul Jones on clavinet, it was included on their 1975 album Physical Graffiti. The song was released as a single in several countries and was frequently performed in concert.
The lyrics were inspired by blues musician Robert Johnson's 1936 song " Terraplane Blues". [8] A Terraplane is a classic car, and the song uses car parts as metaphors for sex—"pump your gas", "rev all night", etc. The themes of these songs however differ; "Terraplane Blues" is about infidelity, while "Trampled Under Foot" is about giving in to sexual temptation. [9]
The song evolved out of a jam session in 1972 and is credited to Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones. [10] Much rehearsal went into perfecting the relentless semi-funk riff that dominates this song. [8] John Paul Jones has credited Stevie Wonder with the inspiration for the beat (" Superstition", 1972), which he played on a clavinet. [8] [11] Page played through a wah-wah pedal and, as producer, employed reverse echo on the recording. [8] [12]
Billboard described "Trampled Under Foot" as "the most commercial single [Led Zeppelin] put together in several years" and as having "a powerful staccatto beat." [13] Cash Box called it a "high-powered effort" that "packs a punch that is sure to be felt on top of the charts." [14] Record World said that "As Zeppelin-sanity begins to reach Beatlemaniacal proportions, the stage is set for the heavy metalmen to take their first single from Physical Graffiti to the top." [15] Released in April 1975, it reached number 38 on the Billboard Hot 100. [16]
Chart (1975) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia ( Kent Music Report) [17] | 60 |
Canada Top Singles ( RPM) [18] | 41 |
US Billboard Hot 100 [16] | 38 |
US Cash Box [19] | 28 |
US Record World [20] | 39 |
"Trampled Under Foot" became a standard part of Led Zeppelin concerts from 1975 onwards, being played on every tour until 1980. [8] In 2012, the song was performed during the London Olympics opening ceremony as a part of a selected playlist. [21]
A rough mix of the track with less overdubbing was titled "'Brandy & Coke' (Trampled Under Foot) [Initial Rough Mix]". It was released on 11 February 2015 (on iTunes), as part of the remastering process of all nine albums. [22] The rest of the album was released on 23 February 2015.
According to Jean-Michel Guesdon and Philippe Margotin: [1]
The keyboard-driven, hard rock track "Trampled Under Foot" was popular on FM stations.
"Houses of the Holy" and "Trampled Under Foot" were tightly constructed, even danceable hard rock tunes.