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)
Nobody
Led Zeppelin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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 calls me son
Got a mother who calls me son
And I'm goin' off to die
Oh, nobody's fault but mine
Led Zeppelin's song 'Nobody's Fault But Mine' is an introspective look at personal responsibility and the idea that we are ultimately in control of our own fate. The song begins with the repeated refrain "Nobody's fault but mine" which sets the tone for the rest of the lyrics. The singer acknowledges that he is trying to save his soul tonight, implying that he feels he has lost his way in life and is struggling to find meaning and purpose.
The next verse talks about the devil, and how he told the singer to roll the log. This is a reference to a traditional blues lyric where rolling the log is a metaphor for working hard and trying to keep afloat in difficult times. The devil's influence is a reminder that we often face temptation and negative influences in life, but that ultimately it is up to us to resist or give in to these forces.
The third verse describes the singer's brother showing him how to play the gong and keep it alive. The gong can be interpreted as a symbol of music or creativity, and the brother's guidance is a reminder that we often need the support and encouragement of others to pursue our passions.
In the fourth verse, the singer talks about having a monkey on his back and needing to change his ways. This is a common metaphor for addiction or negative habits, and the singer is implying that he has been struggling with some kind of personal demon. He recognizes that it is nobody's fault but his own, implying that he takes responsibility for his own actions and the consequences that come with them.
The final verse is perhaps the most poignant, as the singer talks about his relationships with his mother and a woman who calls him son. He is going off to die, implying that he is either going to war or facing some kind of inevitable hardship. However, he takes responsibility for his own fate and once again acknowledges that it is nobody's fault but his own. This is a powerful statement about personal autonomy and the idea that we must take responsibility for our own lives, even in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, nobody's fault but mine
I'm responsible for my own actions and decisions
Nobody's fault but mine
I can't blame anyone else for my mistakes
Trying to save my soul tonight
I'm trying to redeem myself for past wrongdoings
Oh, it's nobody's fault but mine
Again, emphasizing personal responsibility for one's choices
The devil he told me to roll
My own inner demons are tempting me to do something I know is wrong
The devil he told me to roll
I'm being influenced negatively by my own thoughts and desires
How to roll the log tonight
I've been shown how to do something reckless or dangerous
Nobody's fault but mine
Once again, reiterating that I'm the only one responsible for my actions
Brother he showed me the gong?
Someone close to me has introduced me to something or someone that may lead me astray
Brother he showed me the ding dong ding dong
This new influence is enticing me with something that looks superficially appealing
How to keep that gong alive
I'm learning how to maintain a behavior or habit that may not be good for me in the long term
Oh, it's nobody's fault but mine
I must take responsibility for being swayed by these external influences
Got a monkey on my back
I'm struggling with a difficult problem or addiction
Got a mo, mo, mo, mo, monkey on my back, back, back, back
This issue is weighing me down and constantly on my mind
Gonna change my ways tonight
I'm determined to improve my situation and make better choices going forward
Nobody's fault but mine
Yet again, emphasizing personal responsibility for one's actions and decisions
I will get down rollin' tonight
I may succumb to temptation tonight, but I will be the only one responsible for my actions
No-no-no-no-no-no-nobody's fault
The responsibility for my choices ultimately lies only with me
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ROBERT ANTHONY PLANT, JAMES PATRICK (JIMMY) PAGE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Debmeow
on No Quarter
Brilliant, a masterpiece.
robin
on Immigrant Song
i love this
Marie Fenouilliére
on Stairway to Heaven
j'adoreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee