Nobody's Fault But Mine
Page Jimmy & Plant Robert Lyrics


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Nobody's fault but mine [Repeat: x 2]
Trying to save my soul tonight
It's nobody's fault but mine

Devil he told me to roll [Repeat: x 2]
How to roll the log tonight
Nobody's fault but mine
Brother he showed me the gong?
Brother he showed me the ding dong ding dong
How to roll, the log tonight
Oh, it's nobody's fault but mine

Got a monkey on my back. [Repeat: x 2]
Gonna change my ways tonight
Nobody's fault but mine




I will get down rollin' tonight
Nobody's fault

Overall Meaning

but mine


"Nobody's Fault But Mine" is a blues-rock song written by Page Jimmy and Plant Robert, performed by the iconic band Led Zeppelin. It is a classic song from their 1976 album "Presence", whose context is rooted in the blues' themes of struggle and redemption. The song is a brooding and self-reflective lamentation in which the singer acknowledges his life's upheavals were a result of his own decisions.


The song's opening line "Nobody's fault but mine" is repeated throughout and highlights the song's central message. The singer acknowledges that he alone is responsible for the circumstances of his life. He has made his own choices and mistakes and must take ownership of them. The devil tempting him is just a metaphor for his own internal struggles with his darker impulses. The song's refrain that, "trying to save my soul tonight, it's nobody's fault but mine," in effect, expresses the desire to change, a change that can only come from within.


The song is a showcase of the band's musical virtuosity in their solo performances. Jimmy Page's guitar shows shades of funk, folk, and rapid-fire blues licks, and the haunting background vocal harmonies by Robert Plant stand out. The song speaks of transformation and redemption and has been covered by several other artists, including Eric Clapton, Gov't Mule, and Blind Boys of Alabama, to name a few.


Line by Line Meaning

Nobody's fault but mine
I take full responsibility for my actions and their consequences


Trying to save my soul tonight
I'm attempting to redeem myself


Devil he told me to roll
I was tempted and influenced by evil


How to roll the log tonight
To partake in sinful behavior


Brother he showed me the gong?
Someone close to me exposed me to corrupt behavior


Brother he showed me the ding dong ding dong
They showed me how to engage in sinful behavior


Got a monkey on my back
I'm burdened by my past mistakes and misdeeds


Gonna change my ways tonight
I'm committed to changing my behavior for the better


I will get down rollin' tonight
I will indulge in sinful behavior tonight




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave
Written by: NINA SIMONE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@hididdleyi

Plant is one of those rare vocalists who not only sings a song, but tells it. Who the hell can't listen up!?

@marcelhagen300

He tells it, but more important: HE FEELS IT!!!

@bbernard1981

I've never heard it like that but you're right

@user-xm1me4uq3i

Yup

@lowellcalavera6045

Plant was on fire here....This reminds me why we all loved him so much.

@zackincincy

(loved?)...........love him so much

@tammybrown4901

You know love him

@joeyhuebner10

I still love his singing mate

@brianv9733

he's not dead, Bro.

@stormy8092

He does, 'When the Levee Breaks' here too. It's a classic.

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