The song borrows from "Killing Floor" by Howlin' Wolf, a song Led Zeppelin often incorporated into their live setlist during their first US concert tour. Over the course of the second and third North American tours, the song evolved into "The Lemon Song," with vocalist Robert Plant often improvising lyrics onstage.
The album version of the song was recorded virtually live in the studio, and no electronic devices were used to create the echo on Plant's vocals: it was made by nothing more than Plant's voice and the acoustics in the studio.
The Lemon Song
Led Zeppelin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ohh yeah, long time ago
I wouldn't be here, my children
Down on this killin' floor
I should have listened, baby, to my second mind
Ohh, I should have listened, baby, to my second mind
Every time I go away and leave you, darling
Babe, yeah
Treat me right baby
Oh my, my, my
Alright, take it down a bit
People tellin' me baby can't be satisfied
They try to worry me baby
But they never hurt you in my eyes
Said, people worry baby, I can't keep you satisfied
Huh, let me tell you baby
You ain't nothin' but a two-bit, no-good jive
I wwent to sleep last night, I worked as hard as I can
I bring home my money, you take my money, give it to another man
I should have quit you, baby
Oh, such a long time ago
I wouldn't be here with all my troubles
Down on this killing floor
Squeeze me baby, 'till the juice runs down my leg
Squeeze me baby, 'till the juice runs down my leg
The way you squeeze my lemon, I
I'm gonna fall right out of bed, bed, bed, bed, yeah
Hey
Hey
Hey
Hey
Hey, hey, hey, hey, you
Baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby
Hey, babe, hey, babe, babe
I'm gonna leave my children down on this killin' floor
The Lemon Song by Led Zeppelin is a bluesy track that speaks of the regret and pain of staying in a dysfunctional relationship. The opening line "I should have quit you long time ago" establishes a feeling of remorse, indicating that the singer should have left this person a long time ago to avoid the current situation. The following lines "I wouldn't be here, my children, Down on this killin' floor" presents the bleakness of the current state, and the metaphor of killing floor implies that this pain is leading the singer to the brink of death.
The song then dives into the theme of infidelity, where the singer talks about his partner's inability to be satisfied, and how this is causing him heartache. The line "Every time I go away and leave you, darling, You send me the blues way down the line" speaks of how his partner's unfaithfulness makes him feel blue each time he returns. The song then ends with a sexually charged metaphor, as the singer yearns for his partner's physical touch despite the emotional turmoil she's caused him.
Overall, The Lemon Song presents a portrait of a doomed and painful relationship, where the singer is stuck and cannot quit his partner. It speaks to the universal fear of heartbreak and the longing for physical touch despite the emotional cost.
Line by Line Meaning
I should have quit you long time ago
I regret not breaking up with you earlier
Ohh yeah, long time ago
I acknowledge the lateness of my decision to move on
I wouldn't be here, my children
I wouldn't be going through all this pain and suffering
Down on this killin' floor
In this depressing situation
I should have listened, baby, to my second mind
I should have listened to my instincts about our relationship
Every time I go away and leave you, darling
Whenever I try to take some time away from you
You send me the blues way down the line, ohh
You make me feel really depressed and sad
Babe, yeah
Addressing my partner
Treat me right baby
I deserve to be treated well
Oh my, my, my
Expressing passion for my partner
Alright, take it down a bit
Calm down and be reasonable
People tellin' me baby can't be satisfied
People are saying that it's impossible to please you
They try to worry me baby
They want to make me anxious about our relationship
But they never hurt you in my eyes
But I don't see you as someone who would harm me intentionally
Said, people worry baby, I can't keep you satisfied
People are concerned that I can't make you happy
Huh, let me tell you baby
Listen to me, my partner
You ain't nothin' but a two-bit, no-good jive
You're nothing more than someone who's dishonest and manipulative
I went to sleep last night, I worked as hard as I can
I worked really hard all day and was exhausted
I bring home my money, you take my money, give it to another man
You take all my earnings and give them to someone else
I should have quit you, baby
I should have ended our relationship earlier
Oh, such a long time ago
It's too late now
I wouldn't be here with all my troubles
I wouldn't be in this difficult situation
Down on this killing floor
In this depressing place
Squeeze me baby, 'till the juice runs down my leg
I want you to be intimate with me
The way you squeeze my lemon, I
The way you touch me
I'm gonna fall right out of bed, bed, bed, bed, yeah
I'm going to be overstimulated and overwhelmed
Hey
Expressing attention
Hey
Expressing attention
Hey
Expressing attention
Hey
Expressing attention
Hey, hey, hey, hey, you
Addressing someone
Baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby
Addressing my partner
Hey, babe, hey, babe, babe
Addressing my partner
I'm gonna leave my children down on this killin' floor
I'm going to leave behind all my troubles and bad memories
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ROBERT PLANT, JIMMY PAGE, JOHN BONHAM, JOHN PAUL JONES, CHESTER ARTHUR BURNETT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@LedZeppelinGold
The Lemon Song
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I should have quit you a long time ago
Ooh-whoa, yeah, yeah, long time ago
I wouldn't be here, my children
down on this killin' floor
I should have listened, baby, a-to my second mind
Oh, I should have listened, baby, to my second ma-ah-hah-ah-ind
Everytime I go away and leave ya, darlin'
a-send me the blues, rain down the line, no
Hey, yeah-yeah-yeah, keep up, yeah, oh, yeah
Babe-yeahh, yeah, treat me right, baby
Ooh-whoa, whoa-whoa, my, my, my, my-hah
Now, take it down a little bit
People tell me baby can't be satisfied-a
Try to worry me, b-ba-baby
but I'd never end up guilt-chewin' myself
People worry, baby, can't keep you satisfied
Huh, let me tell ya, babe
Ah, you ain't nothin' but a nn-two-bit, no-good jive
I went to sleep last night, I work as hard as I can-a
I bring home my money, you take my money, give it to another man
I should have quit you, baby-a, oh, such a long time ago-ho
I wouldn't be here with all my troubles
nn-down on this killin' floor
Squeeze me, babe, 'till the juice runs down my leg
Do, squeeze, squeeze me, baby, until the juice runs down my leg
The way you squeeze my lemon-a
I'm gonna fall right outta bed, 'ed, 'ed, bed, yeah
Yeah
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
Juice, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby
Baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby
Hey, babe, babe, babe, babe, oh, oh
No, no, now, now
I'm gonna leave my children down on this killin' floor
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@lalif8334
The bass line is out of this world.
@kishamunson1739
@Perry Comeau that funky Trampled Underfoot organ is incredible.
@mikieknight6607
Yes indeed!
@mikieknight6607
JPJ said his Trampled Underfoot organ was a bastard son of Stevie Wonders Superstition
@kishamunson1739
@@mikieknight6607 I can totally hear the influence of Superstition.
@mikieknight6607
@@kishamunson1739 yea I never made the connection until I read him saying that but now I can totally hear it. That funky clavinova sound can also be heard on Custard Pie and some others so it must've of hit him pretty hard!
@elissabradbury5375
One of Coolest Basslines in music history!
@marinatimofeeva4832
Yes!
@alekwlodarz
Andy Fraser Mr Big
@frank234561
Coolest stolen bass lines. lol. Look up Howlin Wolf.