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Song: You Shook Me
Album: Led Zeppelin [released Jan 12, 1969 (US) | Mar 28, 1969 (UK)]
Single: N/A
Credited to: J.B. Lenoir, Willie Dixon
Related Songs:
You Shook Me - Jeff Beck (previous cover)
You Shook Me - Muddy Waters (original)
Stones In My Passway - Robert Johnson (reference)
I Need You - Elmore James (music)

Lyrics:

You know you shook me, you shook me all night long
You know you shook me, baby, you shook me all night long
You shook me so hard, baby, baby, baby, please come home

I have a bird that whistles, and I have birds that sing
I have a bird that whistles, and I have birds that sing
I have a bird, won't do nothing, oh, oh, buy a diamond ring, yeah

(Organ Solo)

(Harmonica Solo)

(Guitar Solo)

You know you shook me, babe, you shook me all night long
I know you really, really did, babe
I said you shook me, baby, you shook me all night long
You shook me so hard, baby

(Vocal Improvisation)

You shook me a-all night long

Personal notes: Incredible song. I love songs that have guitar parts that mimic the vocal section, like as if the guitar were singing along. On a related note, I also love how Robert Plant mimics Jimmy Page's guitar at the end of this piece. It's something they were good at, and also did on songs like Dazed and Confused. In addition to Led Zeppelin, I have heard Deep Purple and REO Speedwagon both perform comparable feats. On Deep Purple's live Made In Japan album, Ian Gillan mimics Ritchie Blackmore's guitar in the middle of Strange Kind Of Woman. Kevin Cronin (vocals) and Gary Richrath (guitar) of REO Speedwagon had a habit of doing a regular guitar mimicry section during their live performances of 157 Riverside Avenue, such as the one on the album Live/You Get What You Play For. I grew up unconsciously listening to Led Zeppelin, thanks to my parents, but after consciously getting into classic rock, I only knew a few of Zeppelin's more popular songs before I heard any of their albums (including, most especially, Stairway To Heaven). The first album I listened to was the untitled fourth album, which was quite an experience for me, and probably has something to do with the fact that I still think it's perfection in the form of an album. Then, as I was just starting to really get into classic rock, the local classic rock radio station did a Top 50 album countdown (which is quite possibly the best programming I've ever heard them do, and unfortunately they haven't done it again since). So I sat by my radio for a whole weekend, listening to 50 of the greatest classic rock albums of all time, some of the music I had heard in my infancy and remember only on a raw, subconscious level, but a lot of it new to me. I remember being very impressed listening to Led Zeppelin's first and second albums, and one of the things that stuck in my mind specifically were the various occasions when Plant would mimic Page's guitar. It was just incredible for me, and one of the first things that really drew me into Led Zeppelin, and this song has an excellent example of that.

Influences: This song was originally written by Willie Dixon and performed by Muddy Waters. Jeff Beck (a friend of Jimmy Page's and fellow former Yardbird) recorded a version of it on his solo debut album 'Truth', which was released in August 1968 - only months before Led Zeppelin's debut. The lyrics in Led Zeppelin's version referring to the birds that whistle and sing are from a Robert Johnson song titled Stones In My Passway. The music in this song is strikingly similar to the song I Need You by Elmore 'King of the Slide' James (especially the guitar fills).



You Shook Me - Muddy Waters

you know you shook me, babe
you shook me all night long
you know you shook me, baby
you shook me all night long
oh, you know you kept on shakin' me darlin'
till you done messed up my happy home

you know you move me baby
just like a hurricane
you know you move me baby
just like a hurricane
oh, you know you move me, sweetheart
just like an earthquake moves the land

Oh, sometimes I wonder
what my poor wife and child's gonna do
Oh, sometimes I wonder
what my poor wife and child's gonna do
Oh, you know you made me mistreat them, honey
but I'm a layin' low with you

you know you shook me, baby
you shook me all night long




You Shook Me - Jeff Beck

You know you shook me
You shook me all night long, yes you did
You know that you shook me
You shook me all night long
And the way that you love me baby (you know what you do?)
You mess up my happy home

(Dig this)
You know you love me
Just like a hurricane
You know you love me
Just like a hurricane
And the way that you love me, babe
You mess up my happy home (you're so bad)
(Come on)



Stones In My Passway - Robert Johnson

I got stones in my passway, and the road seems dark as night
I got stones in my passway, and the road seems dark as night
I have pains in my heart, they have taken my appetite

I have a bird to whistle, and I have a bird to sing
I have a bird to whistle, and I have a bird to sing
I got a woman that I�m loving, boy, but she don�t mean a thing

My enemies have betrayed me, have overtaken this poor boy at last
My enemies have betrayed me, have overtaken this poor boy at last
And there�s one thing for certain, I have stones all in my path

Now, you tried to take my life and all my lovin', too
You laid this passway for me, now, what�re you tryin' to do
I�m cryin', �Please! Please! Let us be friends�E
And when you hear me hollering in my passway, rider, please open your door and let me in

I�ve got three lanes to truck on, boy, please don�t block my road
I�ve got three lanes to truck on, boy, please don�t block my road
I�m feeling shamed by my rider, and I�m booked and I got to go



I Need You - Elmore James

I need you baby, both night and day
When I sent for you, baby, you turn and go the other way
Yes, I need you, yes, I need you, both night and day

You cheated on me baby, all through the day
When I sent for you, baby, you turn, you turn and go the other way
Yes, I need you, yes I need you, both night and day

I sent you money, baby, to come on home to me
You tell me that, things ain't what they used to be
I need you, baby, I love you, darlin', come on home to me