An essential part of being in a band: You must stick your head outside of a window and smile.
"Dazed and Confused", Led Zeppelin
Another that is ranked among the most obvious Led Zeppelin songs of all time, yet I've reached the point where it doesn't bother me at all. I can play "Dazed and Confused" and feel no annoyance! Pretty damn amazing, but not a favorite. You know you have a splendid group when the least favorites are still captivating. It so remarkable that this is a band who hardly knew each other and had barely played together - before cramming into a studio and churning out one of rock and roll's most momentous records in 36 hours. "Dazed and Confused" is just one of many masterpieces found on that record. The instantly recognizable intro - deep, sensuous, bass driven - leads the number, though from their it wriggles between thick and intense, and explosive and electrifying. With John Bonham's heavy power transforming throughout the song, JP's frenzied guitar solo and additional bowing, thrown together with Robert Plant's youthful and unrestrained moans and howls, you have a recipe for unrivaled, manic prowess.
I should mention that "Dazed and Confused" is originally a composition penned by a man called Jake Holmes. He opened for the Yardbirds while Jimmy Page was in the band, and from there, the song endured a life with the Yardbirds. It was at that time credited to "Jake Holmes arr. Yardbirds". This was the mass introduction to bowing a guitar, which helped radically change the song's arrangements. When JP was left with the Yardbirds title, which we all know became Led Zeppelin, he kept the song in the repertoire. Further re-crafted, Page established new lyrics, as well as different melodies. This version remains credited to simply "Jimmy Page". Though the songs have the same title, the issue of plagiarism has never officially been raised.
