I'm dazed and confused, is it stay is it go?
Am I being choosed? Well I'd just like to know
Give me a clue as to where I am at
Feel like a mouse and you act like a cat

I'm dazed and confused, hanging on be a thread
I'm being abused, I'd be better off dead
I can't stand this teasing, I'm starting to crack
You're out to get me, you're on the right track

Yeah, I'm dazed and confused and it's all upside down
Am I being choosed? Do you want me around?
Secrets are fun to a certain degree
But this one's no fun 'cause the secret's on me

Overall Meaning

The opening line of Jake Holmes's song "Dazed and Confused" paints a picture of uncertainty and confusion. The singer asks whether they should stay or go, and wonders if they are being chosen for something. This feeling of uncertainty is heightened by the lack of clues as to where the singer is or what is happening. The next line introduces a metaphor, comparing their situation to that of a mouse and a cat, suggesting that someone is toying with them.

The next stanza reveals that the situation has become more intense, with the singer feeling like they are hanging on by a thread and being abused. They can't take the teasing anymore and are starting to crack under the pressure. The final stanza again asks whether they are being chosen or wanted, and suggests that secrets can be fun but not when they are on the singer. The overall impression is of someone in a difficult and possibly dangerous situation, not knowing who to trust or what is going on.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm dazed and confused, is it stay is it go?
I'm feeling disoriented and uncertain of what to do, should I keep staying or go away instead?

Am I being choosed? Well I'd just like to know
I'm not sure if I'm being selected or rejected, I'm asking for clarification.

Give me a clue as to where I am at
I'm lost and confused, I need some guidance to know where I stand.

Feel like a mouse and you act like a cat
I feel vulnerable and helpless, and you're taking advantage of it like a predator.

I'm dazed and confused, hanging on be a thread
I'm in a precarious and unstable situation, barely holding on.

I'm being abused, I'd be better off dead
I'm being mistreated and hurt, I'd rather be dead than keep enduring it.

I can't stand this teasing, I'm starting to crack
I can't bear this psychological torture and it's affecting my mental state severely.

You're out to get me, you're on the right track
I believe you have malicious intentions towards me, and you're succeeding in your harmful plans.

Yeah, I'm dazed and confused and it's all upside down
Yes, I'm still feeling bewildered and perplexed, and everything seems twisted and distorted.

Am I being choosed? Do you want me around?
Am I still in consideration? Are you interested in my presence?

Secrets are fun to a certain degree
I acknowledge that secrets can be entertaining and exciting, but only up to a certain point.

But this one's no fun 'cause the secret's on me
This particular secret is not enjoyable because it involves me and my uncertain fate.

Writer(s): Jake Holmes Copyright: MCA Music Publishing A.D.O. Universal S

Contributed by Grace R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@prajwal5222

3y↑12

I'm dazed and confused, is it stay is it go?
Am I being choosed? well I'd just like to know
Give me a clue as to where I am at
Feel like a mouse and you act like a cat
I'm dazed and confused, hanging on be a thread
I'm being abused, I'd be better off dead
I can't stand this teasing, I'm starting to crack
You're out to get me, you're on the right track
Yeah, I'm dazed and confused and it's all upside down
Am I being choosed? do you want me around?
Secrets are fun to a certain degree
But this one's no fun 'cause the secret's on me

All comments from YouTube:

@KingKook

11y↑192

Jake's version is actually more ominous & threatening than Zep's version. Page gave it a lot of energy and power but that eerie, paranoid atmosphere is so thick and raw in Jake's original version. It's amazingly effective.

@Jamestele1

2y↑13

I love this original. That nasty guitar is more akin to the Yardbirds or Renegades, and vocals sound like a Beatnik, not sleeping for a few days, taking methedrine!

@SB-se7vb

2y↑6

Both of these comments aptly describe how I’ve always felt about the song.

@cosmic_JAV

1y↑9

Yeah I think this the original version is much heavier then LZ's. It just has so much emotion in the vocals and lyrics, and the guitar is much darker sounding, the whole song is darker sounding. I absolutely love it

@josuepina2994

1y↑5

Those vocals; Like KingKook said. This version is more ominous & threatening. Truthfully, I am a huge Zep fan but, no way. This is my "Dazed And Confused". Peace out

@dannyphillips7573

1y↑7

Zepplin the biggest rip off fan ever

Greedy people that gave nobody money

8 More Replies...

@kylestewart4444

6y↑147

I seriously love this song. Zeppelin definitely made a great version but they should have credited him.

@josuepina2994

1y↑10

You are right. However, ha, ha, ha! Zeppelin giving credit to those they ripped off? That's a good one. Being sarcastic so, all good. Peace out

@templetonparceley8645

1y↑2

Or, at least, give another title to their version of the song!

@josuepina2994

1y↑8

@Templeton Parceley Iv'e got a title, "Dazed, stolen, & Confused". Peace out

@feisalalykhan8403

1y↑3

LZ should have credited a lot of folks.

@isaacbell2426

48w↑1

This is the far better version not least for its sinister & menacing tone!

4 More Replies...

@missdee4927

3y↑90

I love Zep's Dazed and Confused so much. So when someone said somewhere that it was lifted from someone named Jake Holmes, I came here and had to listen and it is damn good!

@wildmercuryfilms

3y↑5

Great comment

@syncout

20w

also check out "I'm confused" on "live yardbirds" album an early version of it before Robert was on the scene

@Oh_Phoenix

2y↑15

Both songs are so powerful in their own right, just a shame Zepp didn’t give Jake Holmes any credit for the obviously inspired ascending riff

@harrambou9468

29w

I would argue Page perfected the guitar bit immediately following the verse (you know which part) but him never once giving credit is frustrating

@BlueParadoxical

8y↑62

Wow, this is really awesome. I especially admire him and the musicians backing him for creating such a hard sound with relatively little percussion! It's very much in the spirit of the old-time blues singers, but very psychedelic and 60s...

@michaelbauers8800

2y↑1

Old post, but I agree. Really creative song.

@groaningmole4338

3y↑148

Never heard this before. Amazing that Page was allowed to keep any credit at all. Holmes clearly wrote virtually the entire song.

@wildmercuryfilms

2y↑7

AMEN!!!!!

@boxychubbo6922

2y↑8

Jimmy Page gave him enough money to keep him happy

@berik101

2y↑15

Jimmy Page wasn't allowed to keep any credit. Holmes even sent him several letters yet nothing came from Page back. Only mention was at a concert around 50 years later

@weldonbailey1005

2y↑8

QUESTION TO ALL ABOVE^^ on this thread. Have any one of you pulled the lyrics to Dazed and Confused by Jake Holmes? Did you follow doing the same with Led Zeppelin? Did u even bother to compare them? How can anyone say that they are the same? Pure ignorance. They both contain the words Dazed and Confused for sure. Beyond that...I simply dont see it. Jake's version has mouse and a cat. No mouse and cat in Led Zep...not even a meooww. QUESTION 2: Did anyone on this thread listen to Jake's version in entirety and then follow listening to the Led Zep version? Curious again. Are any of you saying the chords and the guitar riffs, drums, bass lines etc are the same as well? Are they even remotely similar? Ok, if I havent made my point to u yet...idk why. That being said...Jimmy Page for sure should have given some credit to Jake particularly since Jake's band had opened for the Yardbirds and supposedly played Dazed and Confused which has been said to have impressed Jimmy. But to whoever above said Jake wrote the entire Led Zep version or that LZ completely stole the song is beyond absurd. Its really popular to jump on the bash band wagon. There are many song titles that have been duplicated over the years whose lyrics and musical composition are nothing alike. Many still attempt to cover their butts by researching and may credit other artists just in case. Who knows, maybe they heard the original as a kid and somehow may have been influenced later by it. Maybe not even consciously. I dont necessisarily feel the same way about old blues singers and their versions of originals. But even them, many of the songs that they were the first to record had been played and sung for generations before the original recording came out. Passed down by mouth and tradition. Do they get railed for not finding out the originator of a song from before recording music was even possible? Do they owe the originators heirs money? Why i feel more strongly regarding the blues singers of old is that they definitely directly impacted the beginnings of rock. And virtually ALL early rockers were influenced by them DIRECTLY. So, where possible, credit should be given. Remember too though...even LZ had to start as an opening act for bigger names. Maybe they figured, let the courts sort it all out when they start raking in the cash...for now lets just rock out. Peace. Old guy Mark

@k.o.o.p.a.

@BoxyChubbo Page has refused to give credit until 2010 when Holmes sued!! Page is a piece of shit but still one my favorites

23 More Replies...

@user-cf1se1kk5x

2y↑132

I gotta say “WOW”!, this is pretty cool, I’ve never heard this until today, shame on Led Zep for not giving any credit to the creator of this song.

@ronniewall492

THEY STOLE A LOT IF STUFF STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN WAS TAKEN FROM BAND SPIRIT.
NEVER WAS INTO ZEPPLIN.

@QueenetBowie

2y↑2

They also “borrowed heavily” for Whole Lotta Love which was taken from The Small Faces You Need Lovin’

@jeffbartolini773

1y↑2

@The Sly Fox Which is a Willie Dixon song. named You Need Love

@moussegarbonzo8352

1y↑2

@Jeff Bartolini Yep. Written by Dixon and originally performed by Muddy Waters! Shamelessly ripped off by Zeppelin. Willie sued them for stealing two of his tunes, You Need Love and Bring It On Home. They settled out of court in the 80's. Hard to deny how rocking Zep was, but they took so much from so many. Irony here is that Willie Dixon himself has been accused of stealing from other artists. The music industry is shady!

@robbiefellows2200

1y↑1

There are several videos documenting the songs they blatantly stole

8 More Replies...

@rigsey6003

6y↑23

This is a great song in it's own right. Jake really makes the listener feel like he is in despair, almost possessed or falling into the pits of hell itself. Very moving.

@valinormons

1y↑8

This is a good song. I prefer Page's version because of the power from the Telecaster. But this original version speaks for itself. It's the foundation of what was to follow 2 years later. They should have given him credit from the beginning, but they probably figured that no one would notice.

@dirkfaude1

10y↑446

Oh, and the original is very cool. Ground breaking really. Psychedelic at the time Sgt. Peppers was coming out. This guy was ahead of the curve.

@eahannan

5y↑9

Yeah way ahead

@conorthefivechickenedcockr9003

5y↑4

Totally agree

@matthaeusprime6343

4y↑10

Sgt. Pepper was released while this was being recorded. Revolver the Beatles previous album was released the year before, they were doing some psychedelic before this song was released.

@Frankincensedjb123

4y↑2

You're a joke. This song sucks massively. Page turned a piece of garbage into a masterpiece.

@technoforever888

4y↑2

Have to agree.

11 More Replies...

@JHallia

11y↑26

I loved this original version first time I heard it. The acoustic guitar is very dark and hypnotic. It's wonderful...

@michaelbauers8800

2y↑21

Wow, this is really interesting and creative, and Jake Holmes should be known to all Zep fans for originating this. I just learned about it today, and I am over 55 years old. Better late than never!

@balko1653

5y↑95

This song is really creepy, especially with this cover picture. It's really mysterious, a masterpiece.

@mauriciom5555

3y↑8

jajajjaja what the f*ck?! every cover of that times looks like this!! XD

@ronniewall1481

FOR SOME REASON FIRST THING I THOUGHT OF WAS A GUY JUST OUT OF PRISON.

@billpresing5568

2y↑5

Thank you for this, it has been many years since hearing as I wore out the record album. ...Jake breaths fire into his lyrics and guitar playing it is by far the best and only version to me. Watching him perform was extremely heartfelt. And a Big THANK YOU to Jake wherever he may be.

@theclarkey100

3y↑9

I knew the story about this original version, but this is the first time I've actually heard it ...thank you for posting :-))

@fhb3

8y↑320

Nice to learn the origins of some of our most beloved songs.

@MrJohnnyDistortion

8y↑4

Have you ever heard the original "Happy Birthday"?

@MikeGreenwood51

Was that Beethoven's

@eddiereece1827

8y↑25

Indeed man I didn't realise that Zeppelin dazed and confused was a cover of a cover, page is such a crafty thief

@fhb3

7y↑12

eddie reece Page DID give Holmes credit when the public called him on it. I did hear that Holmes didn't ask them for recognition, but that story was contradicted. If Holmes DID ask for full credit and Page just stole the man's royalties, then that's just HEINOUS.

@thebrazilianatlantis165

7y↑10

"Page DID give Holmes credit when the public called him on it." Decades after the public knew about it. Asked about the similarity in 1990, Page said, "I'd rather not get into it...."

Holmes is apparently the flower child type. He wrote to Led Zeppelin asking them to do the right thing -- in his naivety not understanding that they don't respond to letters like that -- and when he finally sued, Page responded by settling out of court. Meanwhile Page still has not given Plant songwriting credit for lyrics of "Dazed And Confused" that Page has said Plant wrote; apparently for that to happen Plant would have to... sue him. Plant, 1985: "When we ripped [Willie Dixon's "You Need Love"] off, I said to Jimmy, 'Hey, that's not our song.' And he said, 'Shut up and keep walking.'"

7 More Replies...

@harryschaefer5887

11y↑4

By far the very best version of this tune! Heard Jake plying live on a NYC FM station "back in the day". I had to rush out to buy my vinyl copy. " Ya gotta admire my taste!"

@Multi1628

6y↑6

~ I enjoy Led Zeppelin music, all of it, while acknowledging that anyone that knows music history knows much of it is/was derivative. They owe a great debt to such artists as Jake Holmes/The Yardbirds, Bo Diddley, Muddy Waters, and James Brown. Thank you for showing music history. The Tower record label itself is a treasure trove of music history unto itself! Cheers, DAVEDJ ~

@NaradaC

11y↑3

This is great. In its own right. No matter who stole what. Credit to Holmes for writing and performing a great song

@OtavioFesoares

7y↑4

The Above Ground Sound is a folk-rock masterpiece. It should be reissued and remastered.

@Alienwordz

11y↑2

Interesting to listen to the original writers performing what another took and made big bucks off of. How many of us would have never listened to Dylan if Jimi Hendrix have never done All Along the Watchtower and how many did not realize how much the Beatles "borrowed" in their initial albums from Chuck Berry and other artists? I like this version because it was the original and for its day it was so cutting edge.

@citywide2932

5y↑5

LOVE this. Never heard it before. I didn't even know Zeppelin's version was a cover. This is AWESOME!

@hellomynameislynne3585

Yes he nicked the main riff but Hardly a cover dazed and confused is nothing like this apart from the nicked main riff

@ThanasisTeitzis

43w↑1

Same song dude. Music lyrics even the way they play it ....

@jasonhorton5464

38w

@@hellomynameislynne3585 the title is literally the same

@risingabovesurface

11y↑2

Jimmy Page added ALOT , completely changing the dynamic and feel of the song. Jake Holmes is entitled compensation, but there are limits to the amount he could of hoped to receive.

@tonilloyd232

6y↑12

I love the Led Zep version (so heavy!), but this is brilliant too!

@DetestProtest

12y↑7

The lyrics are damn similar, as is the structure of the first part of the song in particular, though the empty part is even a bit familiar. The Yardbirds' rendition, to me, is a little more reminiscent of this, but the basic idea is all there in Mr. Holmes' recording. Notwithstanding, no copyright could ever phase my love for Zepp, both versions are great.

@AbbeyRoadkill1

11y↑7

Exactly, Zep didn't change much about their 'borrowed' tunes and it got them into trouble. That's why they were successfully sued 5 times. Look, I think Zep is a great band who wrote many great original songs. They still deserve to be mentioned with the greatest bands of all time. But they should also be called out for not giving credit where it's due.

@giuliogrifi7739

5y↑4

Dramatically psychedelic...an incredible discovery to me !!!!!!! THANK YOU !

@sophocles1198

3y↑6

You gotta give Page credit for knowing a great song when he hears it.

@djrtc1

11y↑22

Holmes and Zeppelin settled out of court a few years back. He is finally given credit on the new Celebration Day. For those of you who are interested Frank Sinatra recorded an entire album of Jake Holmes songs he co-wrote with Bob Gaudio known for his work with the Four Seasons. Not too shabby there.

@absta100

1y↑1

Nice 1 🎉

@harrambou9468

29w

Celebration Day?? Not that too…

@djrtc1

29w

@@harrambou9468 The DVD of the 2007 show. Not the actual song.

@glenthecarguy

10y↑2

Jake Holmes was a great songwriter Later in the 1970s, with his music career stalling, Holmes moved into writing advertising jingles for HEA Productions, which provided music for advertising agencies. His first jingle for HEA was for an anti-drug campaign, "What Do You Do When the Music Stops". Besides the US Army slogan and Dr. Pepper jingle, he is also the composer of the "Aren't You Hungry for Burger King Now?" campaign (1981),[5] "Come see the softer side of Sears", and many other commercials, earning him the nickname "Jingle Jake".[6] His voice can also be heard on commercials for Philip Morris, General Motors, Union Carbide, Gillette, DeBeers, Winn-Dixie, and British Petroleum. In the 1990s, Holmes set up in partnership a jingle and music production company called Three Tree Productions. Three Tree was eventually acquired by Frank Gari's Gari Media Group. Gari, best known for television news music and image packages, continues to produce TV commercial jingles including "Vista Blues" for Apple Inc.'s Get a Mac campaign.

@Vdrusilla189

12y↑3

I love this song. It always gives me shivers.

@JulienDurden

11y↑3

That's a pretty badass song! Zeppelin made a monster out of this song, like all their covers ... but this song just kicks ass!

@fookutube89

11y↑11

this song is very beautiful and mysterious and it gets eerier and eerier .. then calming down again back to level one and progressively getting back into the latter mode .. pretty gnarly .. and then very delicate ..

@jaxflfreebird

5y↑2

On a second listen after three years I do like what Jake Holmes did with the song even if the lyrics and vocals are quite different from Zep's version. If this song had to stand alone it would still be STARK and FOREBODING. It's not bad, not bad at all. This guy went on to write jingles for commercials. Wow. We can't all be singers and musicians in bands. Life is hard. I will admit that Jake did a decent job with this song. It is stark and memorable.

@Austinite333

7y↑12

damn i love this version. has it's own charm.

@dnb419

4y↑7

"Dazed and Confused" by Jake Holmes is a folk song and sounds familiar but the way Zeppelin played it, it was also a completely different musical arrangement as well as different lyrics. The Yardbirds also performed "Dazed" see below...

Wikipedia - "On August 25, 1967, the (Yardbirds) headlined at the Village Theater in New York City, with opening acts the Youngbloods and Jake Holmes.[14] Yardbirds drummer Jim McCarty was the only Yardbird to catch Holmes' performance.[6][b] He liked the song and bought the album the next day, subsequently playing it to the rest of the band. They reworked it, focusing the arrangements based on the descending bass line. Page added additional guitar riffs in the middle of the song.[18][6]"
"The Yardbirds began to develop a new arrangement for "Dazed and Confused" while still on tour in the U.S.[19] Holmes' brooding atmosphere and descending bass line were retained, as well as most of the lyrics.[19] Page doubled the bass line, echoing Holmes' live performances with two acoustic guitarists.[6] However, propelled by drums and an overdriven Fender Telecaster,[11] the song quickly took on a new, distinctly non-folk sound.[15]"
"Singer Keith Relf initially followed Holmes' verses, but later often changed the order or mixed lines from different verses.[20] Led Zeppelin biographer Mick Wall feels that Relf only "slightly altered" the lyrics,[18] while Page biographer Martin Power credits Relf with "writing new lyrics".[11] Yardbirds chronicler Greg Russo describes that gradually the song "moved from Holmes' original lyrics to an alternate set of lyrics that combined words from Jake Holmes and Keith Relf."[6]"'

Continues on Wikipedia - "Yardbirds' new arrangement, contributed by the four members, soon amounted to a major reworking of Holmes' original piece.[11] Bassist Chris Dreja later said, "We found it, arranged it and played it. In a way, it was a great epitaph, because we were feeling very dazed and confused about what the hell was going on!"[6]"

@networkcobbler

4y↑1.3K

Jimi Hendrix heard the original recording of "All Along the Watchtower", liked it, and turned it into an whole new song. But he left the writing credit solely to Bob Dylan. And that is the difference between Jimi Hendrix and Jimmy Page.

@nthdegree1269

4y↑55

Right, and Bob Dylan did "IN MY TIME OF DYIN" listen to his amazing version from 1962. He credited as Traditional, only taking credit for "Arrangement" which is the correct thing to do. Zeppelin took full credit on their album! Listen to Moby Grape's song "NEVER" you will quickly realize what song it influenced by Zepp

@alejandrogonzalez1541

4y↑4

True.

@vladimirjohnson7934

4y↑10

Old Wes many people would disagree with you. I for one can’t see how Hendrix is a better player in any way on acoustic or electric but whatever you say

@tedwojtasik8781

4y↑32

@Nth Degree I don't know how old you are but first, I bought Physical Graffiti the day it was released in Feb 1975 and still have that original album. On the original pressing In My Time of Dying is credited to all four members AND Bob Dylan. They did this even though their version of this traditional song sounds completely different than Dylan's.

@nthdegree1269

4y↑4

@Ted Wojtasik Well, they certainly were not consistent. This image shows credit to themselves only
https://images.app.goo.gl/AkD1YjFpJCrjw3fg8
It wouldn't matter even if they had included Dylan as he only credited himself for the arrangement. He certainly didn't do what Zepp did here.

126 More Replies...

@pauljeffreythomas4466

3y↑2

Amazing tune! Another overlooked talent.

@djrtc1

11y↑2

In Led Zeppelin's latest release Celebration Day they finally credit Jake Holmes for Dazed and Confused. It was an out of court settlement a few years back. It's long been part of the Yardbirds/Led Zeppelin history. Unfortunate it took over 40 years for them to correct this, but they did.

@jarcadiobuendia6463

9y↑2

Such an awesome performance!

@tonypetts6663

2y↑82

I came here thinking yeah I'll just listen to a few bars to see what supposedly "inspired" Jimmy's version but this is brilliant in its own right.
Acoustically the song sounds more haunting and the vocals are spot on.
He should definitely get full writing credit for the Led Zeppelin/Yardbirds Versions.

@ronniewall1481

2y↑1

LOOK ON MY PLAYLIST I'VE GOT TONS OF LESSOR KNOWN GROUPS.

@bb-li7bv

2y↑4

not full writting credit, Zeppelin version has too many agrrangments and variations

@SB-se7vb

2y↑5

@b b You’re wrong. The lyrics and melody are almost entirely lifted. If The Verve had to give full credit to Rolling Stones for Bittersweet Symphony to the point they didn’t earn any royalties for decades based on an alternative arrangement of the Stones’ song, then Led Zeppelin is a no brainer as it bears a far starker resemblance to the original. Just because copyright law isn’t fairly enforced doesn’t change the factual elements of the musical similarities.

@bb-li7bv

2y↑2

@S B no, the lyrics and musical movements are very diferent, just a few lines are similar, anyway, I recognise Jake Holmes deserved a credit from the go, because he clearly influenced Page for this track.

@SB-se7vb

2y↑3

@b b “I’ve been dazed and confused” is the important part in conjunction with the other elements. The melody and phrasing is the same, doesn’t matter if the musical arrangement that followed is different. Like I said, I agree with the verdict on the Stairway to Heaven case. But Dazed and Confused is arguably more respectively similar.

1 More Replies...

@mp3872

7y↑2

Singer-songwriter Jake Holmes scoffed at speculation that his lovelorn song from 1967 is actually about a bad acid trip. But he's forever grateful for what he once called "the infamous moment of my life when 'Dazed and Confused' fell into the loving arms" of guitarist Jimmy Page, who added lyrics, altered the melody and played his Fender Telecaster with a violin bow.

@matthewbrandon931

2y↑2

He came close to greatness with this song. But almost never counted.

@PhilippePretot

6y↑2

C'est une révélation... merci pour ces racines musicales!

@josron6088

4y↑2

This guy was a genius I hope he benefited from the Led Zeppelin cover.

@betsyduane3461

3y↑2

Yardbirds drummer Jim McCarty saw him do this and brought the album to the Yardbirds, the whole band rewrote it as a rock song.

In June 2010, Holmes filed a lawsuit in United States District Court, alleging copyright infringement and naming Page as a co-defendant. The suit was "dismissed with prejudice" on January 17, 2012,[a] after an undisclosed settlement between Page and Holmes was reached out of court in the fall of 2011. Subsequent Led Zeppelin albums, such as Celebration Day (2012) and the remastered and deluxe editions of the group's debut album (2014), expanded the songwriter's credit for "Dazed and Confused" to "By Page – Inspired by Jake Holmes."

@MrRedlacc

11y

I love Led Zep - but I truly love this too - this original is deep and heartfelt - passionate - good works. A good song is a good song - this proves that.

@MrDizzyvonclutch

2y↑1

This is just as great as what jimmy did with it! Love the all naturale sounds if it!!!

@god1425

11y↑16

A bassist I once played with gave me this kernel of advice when it comes to similar sounding songs "dont worry you'll never be big and important enough for someone to care if you stole their riff" and For the most part I think thats true... and im not worried about identical chord patterns, it was the fact that our song was nearly identical to the chord strumming pattern at the start of everlong

@maradelalamaangeles5359

What? You wrote the strumming

@TheTruthIsTheWay11

7y↑3

I personally find both versions incredible!

@JohnSpawn1

11y↑4

"Come together" was basically a slowed down version (with an additional heavy bass riff in order to make the song more original) of Berry's "You can't catch me". Lennon even sang the line "Here come ol' flattop, he come groovin' up slowly" similar to a line in Chuck Berry's song which went "Here come a flattop, he was movin' up with me". The publisher of that song sued the Beatles and later John had to cover a certain Chuck Berry song: You Can't catch me (on John's solo album Rock'n'Roll)

@joelpatrick5558

7y↑2

Wow! we can also hear the inspiration of ``ramble on`` and ``friends`` in there.....Jake holmes` track is one hell of a ground breaking and innovative style fusion creation!

@zeppelin0110

5y↑1

Damn, I have to say, the original is INTENSE AS HELL. Not any worse than LZ's take on it. I'm truly impressed.

@margotolsen8148

7y↑2

I love it!!! Splendid!!

@tylerreid2570

7y↑3

This song has so much power almost as much as Zeppelins version

@AvengingAngel777

5y↑2

This is a damn good song.

@ChuxDiaz

3y↑1

This an amazing song!

@topreviewer2934

10y↑1

Thanks to Bloomberg Business Week for the enlightening article on the origins of Dazed and Confused. The original by Jake Holmes is great on it's own and I'm glad I was able to learn about it from that article. Love the jam.

@weldonwenturine3395

The yardbirds covered it and they did a great job !!

@garryfrost6293

5y↑2

Pure raw talent!!!!! 1967 Where it all began!!!!!!!

@mohitrpai

6y↑4

My god this is a truly incredible composition. Dark and sexy and that Guitarrrrr....

@petercotte5818

4y↑2

I love Led Zeppelin but it sucks they didn't give credit where credit was deserved. This version of Dazed and Confused is amazing by the way as is the Yardbird's as is Zeppelin's.

@barrydelisle8655

5y↑2

This can be classed as one of the greats

@axeman1063

9y↑2

In August 1967, Holmes opened for The Yardbirds at a Greenwich Village gig in New York.[7] According to Holmes, "That was the infamous moment of my life when Dazed and Confused fell into the loving arms and hands of Jimmy Page."[6] When "Dazed and Confused" appeared in Led Zeppelin's album in 1969, he was aware of it but didn't follow up on it. In the early 1980s, however, he sent a letter to Page asking for "some credit at least and some remuneration", but no reply was received.[6]
In June 2010, Jake Holmes sued Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page for copyright infringement, claiming to have written and recorded "Dazed and Confused" two years before it appeared on Led Zeppelin's debut album. In court documents Holmes cited a 1967 copyright registration for "Dazed and Confused" which was renewed in 1995.[7] This court case (Case No. CV10-4789-DMG-PJW) was "dismissed with prejudice", presumably because the parties settled out of court—in January 2012.[8]

@cotiaratv3651

38w

Jake is a legend. 🤘

@o0monox0o

10y

very good song indeed, i'd like to hear more of Jake Holmes music.

@johnrentmah

8y↑172

i love this version cuz it is downright disturbing just scary sounding and all about a poison relationship yup been there

@datatwo7405

3y↑7

Yep... this version seems so much darker than Zep's. It is definately way ahead of its time...

@javaally1203

3y↑4

Exactly..... and Jimmy Paige switched Holmes' honest humility with "baby baby baby baby baby" so his ego wouldn't get hurt

@javaally1203

3y↑4

I cant relate to Led Zeppelin's version but Jake's version hits in very profound ways

@mikal0457

True but Led Zeppelin version is just insane and epic

@southsider3542

2y↑2

@Java Ally Zeppelin was not a band known for their deep and profound lyrics

@lucylennon2221

Love this! ... and
so did Jimmy Page!

@wildmercuryfilms

21w

Led Zeppelin is One of The Greatest Cover Bands of the Late Sixties & Early Seventies.

@Nighthawk5210

5y↑1

I love Zeppelin's but this is pretty cool too, love the guitars and Holmes' paranoid sounding vocal.

@chrisbuchaniec3765

4y↑8

"The above ground sound" we need more awesome weird like this

@claudiobronzini8254

5y↑1

After Jack's performance, the song has been played from the late Yardbirds. And their performance was much better than Pink Floyd, also thanks to the fantastic Keith's harm. Jimmy Page took this song from the Yardbirds' late repertoire (Page, McCarty, Dreja, Relf).

@fatbelly27

2y↑7

You wonder what other gems there are from 1967. What a time that was.

@FodorPupil

The times where people didn't steal ####. Oh, wait.

@umbra5119

3y↑5

amazing track

@BlueSky...

2y↑3

No doubt about it, listening to this, it's obvious LZ should have included Holmes' name in the "Dazed and Confused" songwriting credit when they released their debut LP back in '69.

@SB-se7vb

2y↑4

I agreed with the outcome of the Stairway to Heaven case. However, this bears far starker musical/melodic similarities and near lyrical identicalness to the original, and if we’re being honest, Holmes would have won if pursued and if copyright law were fairly applied across the board.

@wildmercuryfilms

2y↑1

That’s why Page PAID HIM a lucrative amount to drop the case.

@dwaynewladyka577

9y↑2

Jake Holmes wrote this. The Yardbirds, when they were a four piece group with Jimmy Page covered it. Jimmy Page covered it again after the Yardbirds spit up in 1968 and he formed Led Zeppelin. Jake Holmes is not mentioned as the writer. See the clip where the Yardbirds perform it on French T.V in 1968. See the album/CD credits on Led Zeppelin 1. Jake Holmes is not mentioned as the writer.

@lamontprospect9974

Wow. What a great version. I tried to order this CD off Amazon and it's pretty expensive. It must be a limited run. I wonder if there's any other songs on this album redone by Zeppelin?

@amarartemis

3y↑30

Hauntingly superb version. So this is the original? LED Zeppelin did a Great cover 🥸

@carlneoh5843

2y↑7

LZ didn't do a cover, they stole it and credited themselves for it, even stole the legendary bassline

@richardharrold9736

2y↑7

@Carl Neoh the only thing the LZ song shares is the chord progression and title. Oh, and Holmes didn't originate it either, it's an old blues standard...

@shroomzed2947

34w

@@richardharrold9736 Copium

@richardharrold9736

34w

@@shroomzed2947 what's copium? Holmes' claim to have originated D&C and been the victim of LZ plagiarism is clearly nonsense.

@shroomzed2947

34w

@@richardharrold9736 If you can’t hear how much was lifted from this variant I don’t know what to tell you. Either delusional or just deaf I suppose

@truthmatters-jt5up

This, the Yardbirds' version, and of course LZ.
All good versions.
But this is the original.
And it's damn good.
Without this, the other two wouldn't exist.

@fgldnglbs

As soon as the Yardbirds got back home, they, likely Jimmy Page in particular, starting reworking the song. Eventually, they performed their version on TV with Holmes' lyrics intact at that stage in development. It's posted and can be found under keywords "Dazed and Confused Yardbirds." I wanted to remark that Keith Relf's vocals weren't a fit, but several other posters beat me to the punch.

@musiccityspotlightpodcast4470

5y↑2

Imagine if they used this song on the movie Dazed and Confused!

@ishawnm

11y↑1

Heck, you and I are of a like mind on this. The only LZ reworking of an old blues or folk song I liked better than the original was "When the Levee Breaks"...the 1927 original is nice but Bonzo's drums on the remake really work well there.

@masterofthesun127

11y

the songs are very different but led zeppelins version is definitely based off the same theme no question. If you can't here that then you never listened to the zeppelin version. It also has that same kind of lost, empty feeling disposition. Besides that they are very different and are lyrically different. This is an awesome song!

@prajwal5222

3y↑12

@sagekult5044

Added to playlist, thanks Jake!

@Lucas-nu8ur

C'mon , this is pure psychodelic rock , not only Page used it, but it also inspired Pink Floyd

@dscott1699

20w

Jake is now reimbursed and mentioned on all zeppelin credits after 2014. He was awarded an out of court settlement. And Jimmy Page now acknowledges Jake as being the writer (before lyrical change to suit Zeppelin) on all newer productions.

@Konachronic

11y

The Yardbirds actually performed this song after he was no longer an opening act. The title and beginning chord progression/bass line is the same. Unlike the other lifted songs that Led Zeppelin stole, they at least didn’t take any credit for this song. The song was attributed to no one on the album!

@SimonRobeyns

11y

bit dazed & confused myself to realise this was the song that got led zep going just like few others on their first lp i didn't know about.. still probably the best cover you can make & i guess the lyrics and arrangements have chnged enough

@evelinevanveen2998

9y↑3

Jake's song and performance is very intense! I like it a lot!

@gtf2648

there isn't a band that's ever existed on earth that hasn't ripped off somebody.
with one exception...the very first band on earth.
they were the only completely original band to ever exist

@Nordicroo

52w

Reminds me a bit of Pink Floyd's early stuff with Syd Barrett. This could easily have blended in on their debut album from the same year as Jake Holmes own debut. Both albums were released on the same label in the US.

@BenjWarrant

3y↑2

There's no doubt that the song on Led Zeppelin (the first LP) was a version of this song.

@jimswordsnchords1759

I'm listening to this song in 2019. If Page and Company hadn't made a masterwork of their version, I might never have heard of Jake Holmes...

@nthdegree1269

4y↑1

40 years late for credit. Page should have payed royalties years ago regardless if you or I know about this. 40 some years later it's only credited as inspiration Jake would have won but he never bothered untill it was too late

@stacyblue1980

3y↑1

Love this. fantastic! I BETTER than the later version by a band I wont mention.......

...theyre mentioned enough ffs.

@daduck100

6y↑16

As a Led Zeppelin fan from day one, I'm shocked to find they stole what became the centerpiece of every stage performance they did, and never gave the originator credit! In the 1960's, we thought we were hearing original stuff from the bands of the day, but now years later find out they weren't above plagiarism. Our heroes are tarnished.

@einstein1956

2y↑1

I'm thinking Stairway to Heaven. Led Zeppelin is a rip off. Shame on them...

@aliceborealis

It's not as if nobody knew in the 1960's.

@malcolmthompson1597

1y↑1

Totally agree Shannon! I do still like Zeps version but they should have given credit. They seem to have a history of that! Even Arthur Lee sarcastically mentioned Robert Plant regards his “House is Not A Motel” , yes Robert Plant it’s my song, I wrote it!