The Birth of a Rock Anthem: Inside “Whole Lotta Love” by Led Zeppelin

“Whole Lotta Love” was a commercial and critical success. It reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US and became the band’s first hit single. Despite its chart performance, the band never officially released singles in the UK, preferring to focus on albums.

The song’s influence is immeasurable. It’s been covered by numerous artists and featured in various films, TV shows, and commercials. Rolling Stone included it in their “500 Greatest Songs of All Time,” and it’s widely regarded as one of the greatest guitar songs ever written.

Whole Lotta Love

• The famous middle section with the swirling sounds was achieved by Jimmy Page using a Theremin and extensive studio experimentation.
• The song was embroiled in a copyright lawsuit with Willie Dixon, which was settled out of court in 1985. Dixon’s name was later added to the songwriting credits.
• In live performances, the band would often extend Whole Lotta Love into epic, 20-minute-long jams, incorporating medleys of blues and rock classics.

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