Trampled Under Foot
1975 single by Led Zeppelin
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"Trampled Under Foot" is a song by the 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.
| "Trampled Under Foot" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Netherlands single picture sleeve | ||||
| 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 | |||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Producer | Jimmy Page | |||
| Led Zeppelin singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Audio sample | ||||
Lyrics
The lyrics were inspired by blues musician Robert Johnson's 1936 song "Terraplane Blues".[10] 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.[11]
Composition and recording
The song evolved out of a jam session in 1972 and is credited to Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones.[12] Much rehearsal went into perfecting the relentless semi-funk riff that dominates this song.[10] John Paul Jones has credited Stevie Wonder with the inspiration for the beat ("Superstition", 1972), which he played on a clavinet.[10][13] Page played through a wah-wah pedal and, as producer, employed reverse echo on the recording.[10][14]
Reception and charts
Billboard described "Trampled Under Foot" as "the most commercial single [Led Zeppelin] put together in several years" and as having "a powerful staccatto beat."[15] Cashbox called it a "high-powered effort" that "packs a punch that is sure to be felt on top of the charts."[16] 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."[17] Released in April 1975, it reached number 38 on the Billboard Hot 100.[18]
| Chart (1975) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[19] | 60 |
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[20] | 41 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[18] | 38 |
| US Cashbox[21] | 28 |
| US Record World[22] | 39 |
Live performances and other versions
"Trampled Under Foot" became a standard part of Led Zeppelin concerts from 1975 onwards, being played on every tour until 1980.[10] In 2012, the song was performed during the London Olympics opening ceremony as a part of a selected playlist.[23]
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.[24] The rest of the album was released on 23 February 2015.
Personnel
According to Jean-Michel Guesdon and Philippe Margotin:[1]
- Robert Plant – vocals
- Jimmy Page – electric guitars
- John Paul Jones – bass, Clavinet
- John Bonham – drums