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Origins of the When the Levee Breaks Original

“When the Levee Breaks” tells the story of the upheaval caused by the Great Mississippi River Flood of 1927. In 1971, English rock group Led Zeppelin included a reworked version of the song as the last track on their untitled fourth studio album. Featuring John Bonham’s iconic drumming, “When the Levee Breaks” is considered on par with Led Zeppelin’s seminal rock anthem, “Stairway to Heaven”, which appeared on the same album. The “When the Levee Breaks” original was recorded back in 1929 by country blues artists Memphis Minnie and Kansas Joe McCoy.

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Get Hey Joe by Jimi Hendrix

Where Did the Hey Joe Original Originate?

“Hey Joe” became a rock standard in the 1960s. It’s a song about a man on the run to Mexico after shooting his unfaithful wife. It was also the song that turned guitarist Jimi Hendrix into a star. Some claim that “Hey Joe” is a traditional song. However, no documentary evidence backs this up, and folk singer Billy Roberts is generally credited with authorship. In late 1965, Los Angeles garage band the Leaves recorded and released the “Hey Joe” original version.