Nobody's Fault But Mine
Led Zepagain Lyrics
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Nobody's fault but mine
Trying to save my soul tonight
Oh, it's nobody's fault but mine
The devil he told me to roll
The devil he told me to roll
How to roll the log tonight
Brother he showed me the gong?
Brother he showed me the ding dong ding dong
How to keep that gong alive
Oh, it's nobody's fault but mine
Got a monkey on my back
Got a mo, mo, mo, mo, monkey on my back, back, back, back
Gonna change my ways tonight
Nobody's fault but mine
I will get down rollin' tonight
No-no-no-no-no-no-nobody's fault
but mine
Got a woman who's evil, she got a heart like a stone
Got a woman who's evil, she got a heart like a stone
But when I try to love her, my love just comes out alone
The lyrics of “Nobody's Fault But Mine” by Led Zepagain present a powerful narrative of a struggle between good and evil for the salvation of one’s soul. The singer confesses that he is responsible for his own life, and it is nobody's fault but his if he fails to save his soul that night. He knows that the devil is trying to seduce him and convince him to give in to his immoral urges. However, the singer does not blame anyone else for his temptation to sin but himself, and he acknowledges the consequences of his actions. He does not want to be led astray anymore, and he expresses his determination to change his ways.
The use of repetition in the song emphasizes the singer's self-blame and the need for personal responsibility. The devil is just a metaphor for one's internal struggle with temptation, and the desire to overcome it is entirely personal. The use of religious imagery, including references to soul-saving, adds a spiritual dimension to the song, giving it a sense of urgency and depth. The central message of the song is that one should take responsibility for their actions and strive to overcome their weaknesses, regardless of the challenges they may face.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, nobody's fault but mine
The singer takes responsibility for the problems he faces
Trying to save my soul tonight
The singer attempts to get his life back on track
The devil he told me to roll
The singer is easily influenced and led astray
Brother he showed me the gong?
The artist is taught new things, but these may not be useful
Got a monkey on my back
The artist has a burden he must overcome
I will get down rollin' tonight
The singer is determined to change his ways
The Bible says, "That it ain't no lie"
The singer recognizes the difficulty of his situation and its consequences
My own decision to get clean
The artist takes control of his life and decides to make a change
My mother she told me so
The artist was warned of the potential pitfalls in his life
Gonna raise a fuss, I'm gonna raise a holler
The artist is determined to succeed and make noise about his success
Got a shiny new dime, gonna put it in a shoe
The singer has found something new and valuable that he intends to protect
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ROBERT ANTHONY PLANT, JAMES PATRICK (JIMMY) PAGE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
The Dinkster
Led Zeppelin usually gets a lotta praise but I think something that never gets enough praise is Robert’s harmonica playing. That solo he does in this song is incredible to me
Dylan Healy
Because “When the Levee Breaks” is their biggest song that has harmonica in it. This song is probably their second biggest with it.
But tracks like “You Shook Me,” “Bring it on Home,” and “Custard Pie” are not played on the radio like their other songs are, so Robert’s harmonica skills are something really only big fans would know
Dan C
Zeppelin is so f'in badass. I heard from a friend who knows a friend that Bonham was burnt out and ready to call it a night.
TechPiller
Whole lotta praise!
EvilBraTT
I can't come to grips with just how good Jon Bonham was!
John S Rous
I don't know about you but I can't come to grips with how good JoHn Bonham was!
LLKool Bean
@John S Rous My favorite drummer ever....
Chinger Burger
Neither could he ironically.
EvilBraTT
@Robert B ...and
EvilBraTT
@Robert B Well, Bob, I don't give a shit!