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Song: Nobody's Fault But Mine
Album: Presence [released Mar 31, 1976 (US) | Apr 5, 1976 (UK)]
Single: N/A
Credited to: Jimmy Page, Robert Plant
Related Songs:
Nobody's Fault But Mine - Blind Willie Johnson (original)
Nobody's Fault But Mine - John Renbourn (previous cover)
Nobody's Fault But Mine - Sister Rosetta Tharpe (previous cover)
Nobody's Fault But Mine - Nina Simone (previous cover)

Lyrics:

Ah-ah-ah-ahh, ah-ah-ah-ahh, ah-ahh, ah-ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ahh, ah-ah-ah-ah
Ah-ah-ah-ahh, ah-ah-ah-ahh, ah-ahh, ah-ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ahh, ah-ah-ah-ah

Oh, nobody's fault but mine
Uh, nobody's fault but mine, yeah
Try to save my soul to light
Oh, it's nobody's fault but mine

Devil, he told me to roll
The Devil, he told me to roll
How to roll, but not collide
It's nobody's fault but mine, yeah

Ah-ah-ah-ahh, ah-ah-ah-ahh, ah-ahh, ah-ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ahh, ah-ah-ah-ah
Ah-ah-ah-ahh, ah-ah-ah-ahh, ah-ahh, ah-ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ahh, ah-ah-ah-ah
Ah-ah-ah-ahh, ah-ah-ah-ahh, ah-ahh, ah-ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ahh, ah-ah-ah-ah

(Harmonica Solo)

Brother, he showed me the gong
My brother, he showed me the ding-dong-ding-dong
How to kick that gong to light
Oh, it's nobody's fault but mine

That monkey on my back
The m-m-m-m-monkey on my back, back, back, back
Gonna change my ways to light
Nobody's fault but mine

(Guitar Solo)

Ah-ah-ah-ahh, ah-ah-ah-ahh, ah-ahh, ah-ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ahh, ah-ah-ah-ah
Ah-ah-ah-ahh, ah-ah-ah-ahh, ah-ahh, ah-ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ahh, ah-ah-ah-ah
Ah-ah-ah-ahh, ah-ah-ah-ahh
How to kick that gong to light, n-n-n-n-n-n-n-nobody's fault

Influences: This was originally a song by Blind Willie Johnson, covered by John Renbourn. Led Zeppelin were likely influenced by John Renbourn's version, though the lyrics to Zep's version are characteristically unique. Some have claimed that Led Zeppelin's version bears thematic similarities to Robert Johnson's Hellhound On My Trail, but I have found no evidence to suggest that that song was a direct influence on this one. Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Nina Simone also recorded versions of Nobody's Fault But Mine.



Nobody's Fault But Mine - Blind Willie Johnson

Nobody's fault but mine
Nobody's fault but mine
If I don't read my soul be lost

I have a bible in my home
I have a bible in my home
If I don't read my soul be lost

Father, he taught me how to read
Father, he taught me how to read
If I don't read my soul be lost, nobody's fault but mine

Nobody's fault but mine
If I don't read my soul be lost

I have a bible of my own
I have a bible of my own
If I don't read my soul be lost

Mother, she taught me how to read
Mother, she taught me how to read
If I don't read my soul be lost, nobody's fault but mine

Nobody's fault but mine
If I don't read it my soul be lost

Sister, she taught me how to read
Sister, she taught me how to read
If I don't read it my soul be lost, nobody's fault but mine

Nobody's fault but mine
If I don't read my soul'd be lost



Nobody's Fault But Mine - Blind Willie Johnson

Ain't nobody's fault but mine
Nobody's fault but mine
If I don't read, my soul be lost, ain't nobody's fault but mine

My mother, she taught me how to read
Mother, she taught me how to read
If I don't read, my soul be lost, ain't nobody's fault but mine

Ain't nobody's fault but mine
Nobody's fault but mine
If I don't read, my soul be lost, ain't nobody's fault but mine

Why, I got a bible in my home
I got a bible in my home
If I don't read, my soul be lost, ain't nobody's fault but mine

Ain't nobody's fault but mine
Nobody's fault but mine
If I don't read, my soul be lost, ain't nobody's fault but mine

My sister, she taught me how to read
sister, she taught me how to read
If I don't read, my soul be lost, ain't nobody's fault but mine

Ain't nobody's fault but mine
Nobody's fault but mine
If I don't read, my soul be lost, ain't nobody's fault but mine