Babe I’m Gonna Leave You

Zoo Freaks, get ready to groove with the Zoo Crew as we spin the classic "Babe I’m Gonna Leave You" by Led Zeppelin from their debut album, Led Zeppelin. This track, a standout on the 1969 record, has a fascinating backstory. Originally penned in the late 1950s by folk singer Anne Bredon, the song caught the ear of Joan Baez, who recorded it for her 1962 album Joan Baez in Concert. Jimmy Page, a fan of Baez, heard her version and began reworking it during his session musician days. When he played it for Robert Plant at their first meeting in 1968 at Page’s riverside home in Pangbourne, the duo’s chemistry sparked, shaping the song’s iconic arrangement. Page later shared in a 2014 interview with Daniel Rachel in The Art of Noise that he loved the song’s dynamics, using a finger-style acoustic approach with a flamenco burst to create “light and shade.” Fun fact: Baez’s early album pressings listed the song as “traditional,” leading Page to initially credit it as “Traditional, arr. by Jimmy Page.” It wasn’t until 1990, after Bredon reached out, that she received proper credit and back royalties, with the song now credited to Bredon, Page, and Plant.

Another tidbit for you Zoo Freaks: the song’s recording showcases Page’s innovative guitar work. In a 1977 Guitar Player interview, he revealed he used a borrowed Gibson J-200 acoustic for the track, praising its thick sound and ease of play despite heavy-gauge strings. He also experimented with a pedal steel guitar, tuning it to emulate Chuck Berry’s slow blues instrumentals, adding a unique texture to the nearly seven-minute epic. Fans on the Led Zeppelin Official Forum have long debated a “strange sound” around the 1:40 mark, with some jokingly suggesting it’s a subliminal message or mystical effect, though it’s likely just studio ambiance or Plant’s vocal echo technique, which also appears in “Whole Lotta Love.” A 2019 Reddit post on r/ledzeppelin called the song a masterclass in dynamics, noting Plant’s restraint in the final take compared to outtakes where he “tried to shred every verse.” Oh, and did you know Quicksilver Messenger Service also had a song with the same title in 1968? Radio DJs, like those at WBCN, often had to clarify “Zeppelin or Quicksilver?” when taking requests!

Now, let’s rewind to how Led Zeppelin got their start. Formed in London in 1968, the band rose from the ashes of The Yardbirds, where Jimmy Page was a guitarist. After The Yardbirds disbanded, Page teamed up with manager Peter Grant to form a new group, initially called The New Yardbirds. Page recruited Robert Plant, a powerful vocalist from Birmingham’s Band of Joy, after hearing him sing at a gig. Plant brought along drummer John Bonham, his bandmate, known for his thunderous style. John Paul Jones, a seasoned session musician, joined on bass and keyboards, completing the lineup. Their first rehearsal on August 19, 1968, included songs like “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You,” and their chemistry was instant. A Scandinavian tour as The New Yardbirds followed, but Page soon renamed the band Led Zeppelin, inspired by a quip from The Who’s Keith Moon about a project “going down like a lead balloon.” Their debut album, recorded in just 36 hours at Olympic Studios, fused blues, folk, and hard rock, setting the stage for their legendary career.

For all you Zoo Freaks wanting to dive deeper, check out Led Zeppelin’s official website for news, tour archives, and merch. Connect with them on Facebook, Instagram, and X for updates and throwback posts. Fans can join the conversation at the Led Zeppelin Official Forum or the Led Zeppelin Facebook Group, where diehards share trivia, rare photos, and live bootlegs. For more fan-driven content, explore Led Zep News for updates on band projects and reissues. Keep rocking with the Zoo Crew, and let “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You” take you back to the golden age of rock!