‘Dazed and Confused’ remains one of the most controversial songs that Led Zeppelin ever recorded. Even in a band that became notorious for giving themselves credit on other people’s songs, ‘Dazed and Confused’ remains perhaps the most egregious example.
American folk singer Jake Holmes wrote the original version of ‘Dazed and Confused’ in early 1967. Holmes was a relatively obscure performer, having worked with Joan Rivers in a cabaret act in the mid-1960s before striking out on his own as a solo performer. A regular on the folk circuit, Holmes often shared bills with other artists. At his August 25th, 1967 concert at the Village Theatre (the future Fillmore East), he found himself as the opener for The Youngbloods and The Yardbirds.
Jimmy Page didn’t arrive at the venue until after Holmes performed, but drummer Jim McCarty saw Holmes sing ‘Dazed and Confused’ and was impressed enough to buy Holmes’ album “The Above Ground Sound” of Jake Holmes. There’s probably a strong chance that some of the other members of the band, Page included, had previously heard Holmes play the song around Greenwich Village at the time, but it was their shared bill at the Village Theatre that served as the impetus for what would eventually become Led Zeppelin’s ‘Dazed and Confused’.
Page reworked the song to focus on the descending chromatic bass line. The Yardbirds incorporated the song into their performances, and when Page formed The New Yardbirds with Robert Plant, John Paul Jones, and John Bonham, ‘Dazed and Confused’ was one of the earliest songs that they rehearsed and played live. Plant wrote a new set of lyrics, and ‘Dazed and Confused’ suddenly became Led Zeppelin’s own.
Jones largely stuck to the already-written descending bass line, adding his own riffs during the song’s chorus and breakdown sections. Perhaps the biggest addition to the song was Bonham’s drums – Holmes’ original had no percussion, save for some hits to the body of Holmes’ guitar. Bonham adds a rock-steady foundation for the song and even gets his own call-and-response hits throughout the track.
Page’s guitar is heady and atmospheric throughout most of the track, featuring pitch harmonics and a wah-wah pedal that help create the psychedelic swirl. At times, Page doubles Jones’ descending riffs, and other times, he adds in his own riffs. Page also doubles himself throughout the track, playing different octaves to give his riffs a fuller sound.
Plant added a bluesier and more harried vocal performance, singing his newly-written replacement lyrics with gusto. The best part of hearing Plant’s isolated vocals is picking up on the wordless moans that filter in and out of the track during its nightmarish middle section. Plant’s moody improvisations add just the right amount of menace to the track.
Ultimately, the version of ‘Dazed and Confused’ that appeared on Led Zeppelin I would be credited to Page alone. Holmes attempted to contact Page in order to receive his proper writing credit in the 1980s, but Page didn’t respond. It took a lawsuit from Holmes in 2010 for the credit to be changed (voluntarily by Page) to now give Holmes credit for “inspiring” the track.
Check out the isolated tracks for ‘Dazed and Confused’ down below.