Originally named the New Yardbirds, Led Zeppelin signed a deal with Atlantic Records that gave them considerable artistic freedom. Initially unpopular with critics, they achieved significant commercial success with eight studio albums over ten years. Their 1969 debut, Led Zeppelin, was a top-ten album in several countries and featured such tracks as "Good Times Bad Times", "Dazed and Confused" and "Communication Breakdown". Led Zeppelin II (1969) was their first number-one album, and yielded "Ramble On" and "Whole Lotta Love". In 1970, they released Led Zeppelin III which featured "Immigrant Song". Their untitled fourth album, commonly known as Led Zeppelin IV (1971), is one of the best-selling albums in history with 37 million copies sold. The album includes "Black Dog", "Rock and Roll" and "Stairway to Heaven", with the latter being among the most popular and influential works in rock history. Houses of the Holy (1973) yielded "The Ocean", "Over the Hills and Far Away" and "The Rain Song". Physical Graffiti (1975), a double album, featured "Trampled Under Foot" and "Kashmir".
Page wrote most of Led Zeppelin's music, particularly early in their career, while Plant wrote most of the lyrics. Jones's keyboard-based compositions later became central to their music, which featured increasing experimentation. The latter half of their career saw a series of record-breaking tours that earned the group a reputation for excess and debauchery. Although they remained commercially and critically successful, their touring and output, which included Presence (1976) and In Through the Out Door (1979), grew limited, and the group disbanded following Bonham's death in 1980. Since then, the surviving former members have sporadically collaborated and participated in one-off reunions. The most successful of these was the 2007 Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert in London, with Bonham's son Jason Bonham on drums.
Led Zeppelin are one of the best-selling music artists of all time; their total record sales are estimated to be between 200 and 300 million units worldwide. They achieved eight consecutive UK number-one albums and six number-one albums on the US Billboard 200, with five of their albums certified Diamond in the US. Rolling Stone magazine described them as "the heaviest band of all time", "the biggest band of the Seventies", and "unquestionably one of the most enduring bands in rock history". They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995; the museum's biography of the band states that they were "as influential" during the 1970s as the Beatles were during the 1960s.
Albums
Led Zeppelin (1969)
Led Zeppelin II (1969)
Led Zeppelin III (1970)
Led Zeppelin IV (1971)
Houses of the Holy (1973)
Physical Graffiti (1975)
Presence (1976)
In Through the Out Door (1979)
Coda (1982)
Blue Suede Shoes
Led Zeppelin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Three to get ready, now go cat go
But don't you, step on my blue suede shoes
You can do anything but lay off of my blue suede shoes
You can knock me down, step in my face
Slander my name all over the place
And do anything that you want to do
And don't you step on my blue suede shoes
You can do anything but lay off of my blue suede shoes
Oh let's go cats!
You can burn my house, steal my car
Drink my liquor from an old fruit jar
Do anything that you want to do
But uh uh honey lay off of them shoes
And don't you, step on my blue suede shoes
You can do anything but lay off of my blue suede shoes
Rock!
Well it's one for the money, two for the show
Three to get ready, now go cat go
But don't you, step on my blue suede shoes
You can do anything but lay off of my blue suede shoes
Well it's blue, blue, blue suede shoes
Blue, blue, blue suede shoes yeah!
Blue, blue, blue suede shoes baby
Blue, blue, blue suede shoes
You can do anything but lay off of my blue suede shoes
The lyrics to Led Zeppelin's "Blue Suede Shoes" are actually by Carl Perkins and were later covered by numerous artists including Elvis Presley. The song is a classic rock and roll anthem that speaks to the importance of self-expression, individuality, and the need for boundaries.
The lyrics begin by setting the scene of a live musical performance, as the singer sings, "Well it's one for the money, two for the show, three to get ready, now go cat go." This line references the typical countdown used by performers to start a show, with "cat" being a term of endearment or familiarity. The next line, "But don't you step on my blue suede shoes," highlights the importance of protecting one's personal possessions and identity. The blue suede shoes symbolize something significant and unique to the singer, and stepping on them would be a direct violation of personal boundaries.
The lyrics then continue to emphasize the importance of respect and boundaries. The singer makes it clear that while others may try to bring them down or tarnish their reputation, they will not allow anyone to interfere with their individuality. They sing, "You can knock me down, step in my face, slander my name all over the place, and do anything that you want to do, but uh uh honey lay off of my shoes." The repetition of "lay off of my shoes" reinforces the message that the blue suede shoes hold a special significance to the singer and must not be tampered with.
The song concludes with a spirited call to action and a repetition of the importance of not stepping on the blue suede shoes. The lyrics communicate a sense of pride and defiance, emphasizing that while others may have control over certain aspects of the singer's life, their personal identity and possessions remain inviolable.
Overall, "Blue Suede Shoes" is a classic rock and roll song that conveys the message of individuality, the need for boundaries, and the importance of protecting one's personal identity.
Line by Line Meaning
Well it's one for the money, two for the show
It's about the value of the performance, with the first act being a high-stakes opportunity to impress
Three to get ready, now go cat go
Preparing for the performance, urging the performer to embrace their energy and enthusiasm
But don't you, step on my blue suede shoes
A warning to others not to disrespect or compromise the singer's personal style or identity
You can do anything but lay off of my blue suede shoes
The singer is asserting that although they are open to various actions, their shoes remain off-limits
You can knock me down, step in my face
Even if someone tries to physically harm or degrade the singer, they will not be deterred
Slander my name all over the place
Others spreading false and damaging rumors about the singer
And do anything that you want to do
The singer acknowledges that people have freedom of actions and choices
But uh uh honey lay off of my shoes
Despite the freedom, the singer reiterates the importance of protecting their shoes
And don't you step on my blue suede shoes
A repetition of the warning not to ruin or stain the shoes
Oh let's go cats!
An enthusiastic call to action and encouragement to the band or audience
You can burn my house, steal my car
Even if someone commits serious offenses, the singer remains focused on the shoes
Drink my liquor from an old fruit jar
Even if someone shows complete disregard for the singer's belongings
Do anything that you want to do
The singer repeats that others have freedom of action
But uh uh honey lay off of them shoes
The singer insists again on the importance of preserving the shoes
And don't you, step on my blue suede shoes
A firm request to avoid damaging the shoes
You can do anything but lay off of my blue suede shoes
The singer emphasizes the distinct boundary regarding the shoes
Rock!
An exclamation reflecting the style and genre of music being performed
Well it's blue, blue, blue suede shoes
Reaffirming the color and material of the shoes
Blue, blue, blue suede shoes yeah!
Expressing enthusiasm for the distinctive shoes
Blue, blue, blue suede shoes baby
Repeating the color and material of the shoes in a playful manner
Blue, blue, blue suede shoes
The shoes are continuously emphasized
You can do anything but lay off of my blue suede shoes
The final repetition of the boundary and importance of the shoes
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Carl Perkins
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@rudy2shoes403
Thank you for posting these Jimmy!!! I look forward to hearing more from your fabled vault 🤤😏
@jimmypage4085
any recommendations?
@rudy2shoes403
@JimmyPage well, I would ultimately cede any ultimate opinion to yourself. I'd really like to hear some of the "Days of Heaven" - starting with say, the San Francisco shows in late April 1969 - end of the 6th American Tour 9/19/70 (*thst evening show from 9/19/70 would be up there).. also through 1971. Any release from those days woukd be a triumph, imho. Also, maybe Earl's Court 1975. Possibly a "follow up" to HTWWW with a "How The East Was Won" - featuring unedited snippets from the amazing Japanese Tour of 1971 would be amazing. This would have to include unedited versions of Dazed & Whole Lotta Love Medley's along with the incredible encores of Thank You, Communication Breakdown, etc. There's so much material from the 1969 & 1970 tours that hsve never surfaced. I'd like to collaborate with you on this project.
@rudy2shoes403
8/31/69 - Texas International Pop Festival is an amazing show. Those San Francisco shows from April '69, no telling what May - August '69 sounded like! Or, the early 1970 Tour, including the Bath Festival through August '70, then the fall Tour 1970 through really all 1971 - there's not a lot of material that's surfaced from this era, I would think there's so many great nuggets in the Vault which I'd love to listen to 100's of hours of live, primo Zeppelin 🎧
@jimmypage4085
currently working on uploading those. Glad to say they should be ready soon!
@rudy2shoes403
@JimmyPage thank you sir! Now, some other shows I'd like to hear would be Milwaukee 8/31/70, Honolulu 9/6/70, Leicester 11/25/71, and of course Seattle 6/19/72. Do you have these dates as well?
@LuzMaria95
I loooooove this 😄💃
@flynlulus
Love these covers, ...Looking for a good recording of "Mess of Blues."
@jimmypage4085
flynlulus From zeppelin?
@flynlulus
@JimmyPage ...yea' ...is one on youtube... but I'd heard a cassette bootleg years ago that was a great version. 😎