Rock

The Led Zeppelin song John Paul Jones hates because of John Bonham

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With their distinctive fusion of heavy metal, blues, and folk music in the 1970s, Led Zeppelin revolutionized the rock music landscape. They pioneered previously unheard sounds and methods, such as distorted guitar solos, intricate rhythms, and potent voices. Many other musicians were inspired to stretch the boundaries of rock music by Led Zeppelin’s experiments with various genres and unorthodox song structures.

With their heavy rock, blues, and folk influences as well as Robert Plant’s strong vocals and Jimmy Page’s guitar prowess, the band amassed a sizable fan base and secured their position in rock history. Zeppelin doesn’t tend to get bogged down in blues traditions; instead, they concentrate on broadening their range of musical styles by incorporating global music and funk. Despite the fact that classics from this period like “Over the Hills and Far Away” and “The Rain Song” continue to be played. However the song, ‘D’Yer Ma’ker was not for John Paul Jones.

The reggae song “D’Yer Mak’er,” from the 1973 record “Houses of the Holy,” is a rare example. The phrase “D’Yer Mak’er,” which means “did you create her?” in a Cockney accent, is the source of the song’s title.

Nearly every band member contributed to this dubious composition, but Jones blames John Bonham for the song’s strange beat, as discussed in the Led Zeppelin FAQ. He said, “It would have been all right if Bonham had worked at the part. The whole point of reggae is that the drums and the bass really have to be very strict about what they play. And he wouldn’t be, so it sounded dreadful.”

Reggae music is generally considered to be relaxed, but the interlocking of the bass and percussion requires quite a bit of precision. Bonham performs a shoddy imitation of the rock-steady beat in the song. However, it’s not as if Bonham, one of the best drummers in the world at the moment, couldn’t play “D’Yer Mak’er.” Jimmy Page consistently played in front of the beat while Jonesy led right up the middle throughout the song, which is the whole purpose behind Zeppelin’s power. A song like “Black Dog,” in which every band member is operating at full capacity in between Robert Plant’s shrieks, is the ideal illustration of their collaboration done properly. The project would likely have failed if another musician had been performing one of those parts.

In the UK and the US, reggae music was still largely unheard of, and important performers like Bob Marley weren’t yet well-known. Reggae wasn’t yet being played on the radio by white disc jockeys, despite the fact that it was a crucial component of Caribbean communities in the U.K. finding their cultural expression. ‘D’Yer Mak’er managed to reach a peak of No. 20 on the U.S. singles chart, despite Led Zeppelin never having formally released singles in their native U.K. Despite receiving a mixed response both back then and now, “D’yer Ma’ker” conveys a much stronger message than Zeppelin failing to attempt.

1 Comment

  1. Joseph Schmo Reply

    May want to re-think your theory on pronunciation. According to Robert Plant, “D’Yer Maker”, as said by a Brit, is pronounced “Jamaica.” Reggae song. Get it?

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