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Sonny Boy Williamson — Bring It On Home
Album: His Best
Avg rating:
7.8

Your rating:
Total ratings: 1373









Released: 1963
Length: 2:28
Plays (last 30 days): 3
Baby, baby,
I'm gonna bring it on home to you

I done bought my ticket, I got my load
Conductor done hollered, "All, aboard"
Take my seat and ride way back,
And watch this train move down the track

Baby, baby,
I'm gonna bring it on home to you

I think about the good times I once have had
Soul got happy now, my heart got glad
I think about the way you love me too
You can bet your life, I'm comin home to you

I'm goin home,
I'm gonna bring it on home, now
I'm gonna bring it on home, now
I'm gonna bring it on home, now
Gonna bring it on home,
Bring it on home to you
Comments (92)add comment
But where is the guitar solo?  Ha!  It’s great to hear the original version of such a fantastic cut.
 On_The_Beach wrote:

Man, ANOTHER old blues guy ripping off Led Zeppelin?!!
This is outrageous. Jimmy and Robert should sue.



 Shipp wrote:

Not him. Imposter..so sad.



No no, this is the real SBW. 
Not him. Imposter..so sad.
 On_The_Beach wrote:

Man, ANOTHER old blues guy ripping off Led Zeppelin?!!
This is outrageous. Jimmy and Robert should sue.




How dare they....the audacity of some people......LOL....ahhhhhhhhhh
 eileenomurphy wrote:

Godlike!!!  ICONIC!!!




Amen! Chair dancing and head bobbin'.
Godlike!!!  ICONIC!!!
 Shipp wrote:

1946 rock. Does it get any better?



Ooops. 1963, actually.
Embarrassed to admit that the first version of this song that I ever heard was Led Zep. My naive white south upbringing...what can I say?!
I see why Led Zeppelin love this song so much
Stomp ya feet , clap yo hands
I believe this should be 1964, or perhaps 1963, since that’s when it was recorded, though it was released in either 1965 or 1966. Sonny Boy Williamson II’s songs were recorded for this compilation between 1957 and 1964. When I first saw “1946,” I thought that it sounded way too modern for that year, both stylistically and in terms of recording quality. Nonetheless, it’s a great song and a great recording.
 On_The_Beach wrote:
Man, ANOTHER old blues guy ripping off Led Zeppelin?!!
This is outrageous. Jimmy and Robert should sue.
 

Too funny. Needed that. Thanx

What a pity that there is only one song from this guy in the playlist! But what about "Help me"? 
 SmackDaddy wrote:
1946. Think about that and tell me again when rock n roll started.
 

Way before then. 
1946 rock. Does it get any better?
Real one! Thank you!
1946. Think about that and tell me again when rock n roll started.
Most Excellent, thanks for going back to the ROOTs
The best harmonica player back in the day...thanks RP
THIS. Is the real deal
Love this original and the hard rocking cover. I'll give this an 8 because you can actually dance to it.
Help me out here. Is this Sonny Boy W? Or this Rice fellow who impersonated him. And you're talking about music adaptation!
 On_The_Beach wrote:
Man, ANOTHER old blues guy ripping off Led Zeppelin?!!
This is outrageous. Jimmy and Robert should sue.
 

 On_The_Beach wrote:
Man, ANOTHER old blues guy ripping off Led Zeppelin?!!
This is outrageous. Jimmy and Robert should sue.

 
O_T_B - you crack me up, brother!  And yes, I am pointing out to others that you are being sarcastic as hell....I've seen idiot_wind do the same type of thing (commenting about LZ for example, and how they needed a better drummer LOL) so yeah....

That being said, this is one hell of an old cut, the jazz/blues fan in me rates it an 8 with possible bump to 9 one day.

Stay cool on the beach and Long Live RP!!

Man, ANOTHER old blues guy ripping off Led Zeppelin?!!
This is outrageous. Jimmy and Robert should sue.
Imitation is the most sincere flattery.  Led Zeppelin never had it so good as to have this to duplicate. 
Great to hear Sonny Boy instead of Robert Plant. Goodness, plant even ripped off his shudder voice. Godlike. 
 Skydog wrote:

Atlantic didn't?!?!?!?!?!?!?
Page & Plant got some splainin' to do 

btw do you know about stairway to heaven?

 
There have been multiple lawsuits: Willie Dixon's publisher, Arc Music, over "Whole Lotta Love" and "Bring it on Home," both of which Dixon wrote, while recorded by Muddy Waters and SBW II respectively. The suit was settled out of court in 1985. Arc also sued on behalf of Chester "Howlin' Wolf" Burnett over "Killing Floor" ("The Lemon Song") in 1972, which was also settled.

To this day it's not known how much of a hand the band had in LZ's published songwriting credits. Some say it was the label; others that the band went along willingly. Since their label was Atlantic, it stretches credulity to think that the Erteguns, who adored the blues and blues musicians—even those not on their label, would consciously rip them off. However, LZ's publishing arm was created by their manager, Peter Grant, independent of the label, with whom Grant had negotiated a recording contract. When that expired he moved LZ to his own label, Swan Song. (Grant had previously served as an executive at Swan Records.) It would seem that the publishing, and hence song crediting, were independent of their contract with Atlantic. Since all the suits were settled out of court, I don't know if the whole story will ever be fully known. Grant died in 1995.
 ahess247 wrote:

You're just now figuring out that Led Zeppelin ripped off numerous old Blues artists? Basically half of the acts that performed at Woodstock did the same thing.

 
Skydog was just pulling someone's leg. I've known that sly Skydog for going on 40 plus years and he knows more about music than most people have forgotten.


 Skydog wrote:

Atlantic didn't?!?!?!?!?!?!?
Page & Plant got some splainin' to do 

btw do you know about stairway to heaven?

 
You're just now figuring out that Led Zeppelin ripped off numerous old Blues artists? Basically half of the acts that performed at Woodstock did the same thing.
 treatment_bound wrote:
I've been listening to this song for about 45 YEARS, as my brother bought this sometime around the turn of the 70's.

I just never knew it was a cover by Zep 'til about 5 years ago, as Atlantic never gave SBW credit on the the damn platter!



 
Atlantic didn't?!?!?!?!?!?!?
Page & Plant got some splainin' to do 

btw do you know about stairway to heaven?
I've been listening to this song for about 45 YEARS, as my brother bought this sometime around the turn of the 70's.

I just never knew it was a cover by Zep 'til about 5 years ago, as Atlantic never gave SBW credit on the the damn platter!


 Giselle62 wrote:
everything sounds so good to me right now, must be menopause meds.

  
tkosh wrote:

So...  where do you get those?

 
{#Roflol} {#Good-vibes}

Sonny Boy looks on from on high, trying to understand just what the hell he's inspired...
work is officially over!
All right!'  Haven't heard  Sonny boy  In a long time
 What you both said.

the_jake wrote:

AMEN

 


 Relayer wrote:
Waiting to hear Page rip into the song with a monster riff.....

Great to hear this (for the first time), and this is why you have to love Radio Paradise.  Radio Paradise is part musical exploration and part musical education....lord knows we all need that education.

 
AMEN
Recorded some 20 odd years before the only version I knew of... I wonder if this was considered "scandalous " when he recorded it?

First listen gets a 9 form me!  
I had no idea SBW was the originator. Cool.
Awesome

SBW, this Man is Awesome 
Waiting to hear Page rip into the song with a monster riff.....

Great to hear this (for the first time), and this is why you have to love Radio Paradise.  Radio Paradise is part musical exploration and part musical education....lord knows we all need that education.
 Giselle62 wrote:
everything sounds so good to me right now, must be menopause meds.
 
Chuckle, chuckle.  "Hot flash" takes on a new meaning, eh?
 musikluvr wrote:

I'd still love to hear the Zep version right about now.

 

It's not in RP's roster of Zep songs.  Looks like you'll just have to pull out that old beat up vinyl album and give it a go.


 MinMan wrote:
credit where credit is due:

from AMG: "Led Zeppelin framed its own "Bring It on Home" with a typically uncredited version of the (1965) Dixon tune, right down to imitating Williamson's vocal style. The band's own "Bring It on Home" shreds a blistering Jimmy Page riff, making for a classic song from the Led Zeppelin II LP (1969), but the lack of credit for the intro and outro is shameful negligence."

 
I'd still love to hear the Zep version right about now.

 SoGiselle62 wrote:
everything sounds so good to me right now, must be menopause meds.

 
So...  where do you get those?
everything sounds so good to me right now, must be menopause meds.
So very good..
finely , {#Beat}  some real music...........{#Crashcomp}
credit where credit is due:

from AMG: "Led Zeppelin framed its own "Bring It on Home" with a typically uncredited version of the (1965) Dixon tune, right down to imitating Williamson's vocal style. The band's own "Bring It on Home" shreds a blistering Jimmy Page riff, making for a classic song from the Led Zeppelin II LP (1969), but the lack of credit for the intro and outro is shameful negligence."
 teleskialaska wrote:

Hardly a ripp off.  Both are amazing.



 
{#High-five}
 S-curvy wrote:
Cool!  I love the old-timey cover of a Led Zepp tune, kinda mellowed out a bit too  {#Drunk}

 
I love Zep, but seriously?  This, a cover?  {#Lol}  {#Stupid}
Cool!  I love the old-timey cover of a Led Zepp tune, kinda mellowed out a bit too  {#Drunk}
Fantastic to hear the original version! I must admit I keep waiting to hear Jimmy rip into the tune however.... ;-)
Love songs with a train running!
These artist are at least getting some muchly deserved airtime... 
Another song Zeppelin ripped off
I knew Led had blues inspiration, but where else would I have heard the original inspiration for a song that I love? Thanks Bill and Rebecca, once again...
Thank you, Bill and Rebecca. Can't believe I've never heard this. Until Now.
Take that, Led Zeppelin.  Oh right....they already did!
how good can the blues get? well this is right up there.  Thanks for those great harmonica riffs {#Motor}

Hardly a ripp off.  Both are amazing.


 Mugro wrote:
Bands like Led Zep were blues cover bands to start.

Not quite.  Zep covered/adapted blues songs on the first two albums (and maintained a blues sensibility in much of their subsequent work) but the were not a 'cover' band by any stretch.
 Mugro wrote:

Bands like Led Zep were blues cover bands to start. Homage, ripoff? You decide.
 
Never fully understood Eric Clapton's approach to this during the 60s. From what I remember, he left the Yardbirds because he thought that they were getting too pop-oriented and didn't respect the blues masters enough. The final straw IIRC was the single "For Your Love." 

Within a short period of time, however, he's in Cream, which based a lot of its music in the blues but leaned more into power rock and psychedelia. So much for purism. 
 scraig wrote:
{#Yes} derekd wrote:
Little unexpected surprises like this is why I listen to RP.
 
AMEN! Learn more about music history and stuff I've not heard before but should have-that's why donate monthly-this venue must live! 
 


 On_The_Beach wrote:
Wow, it's easy to see where Plant got his vocal mannerisms for this song.
Is it an "homage" or a ripoff?

 
Bands like Led Zep were blues cover bands to start. Homage, ripoff? You decide.

First time ever for this.  Guess my folks actually had something other than swing to listen to.  Nice! 
That was an awesome selection - Thanks!
Now we talking - outstanding!

{#Yes} derekd wrote:
Little unexpected surprises like this is why I listen to RP.
 


Little unexpected surprises like this is why I listen to RP.
 On_The_Beach wrote:
Is it an "homage" or a ripoff?
 
Led Zeppelin's Led Zeppelin II was released in 1969.

Sonny Boy Williamson's His Best was released in 1946.

What do you think?


 On_The_Beach wrote:
Wow, it's easy to see where Plant got his vocal mannerisms for this song.
Is it an "homage" or a ripoff?

 

Who cares? Both versions are great!
 mikeatlarge wrote:
Yikes... this track destroyed the run you had going with an otherwise great set. This is a bit too far removed from the usual RP fare.
 

Yea, it is an upgrade.{#Yes}{#Clap}

Solid 9!
Plant sounds more like this guy than all those Plant wannabes in the late 80's sounded like him
 mikeatlarge wrote:
Yikes... this track destroyed the run you had going with an otherwise great set. This is a bit too far removed from the usual RP fare.
 

Heaven forbid that we should remove too far from the usual.
Yikes... this track destroyed the run you had going with an otherwise great set. This is a bit too far removed from the usual RP fare.
Thas some blues...mmmm, mmmmmmm goood...{#Motor} Baaaabee

 On_The_Beach wrote:
Wow, it's easy to see where Plant got his vocal mannerisms for this song.
Is it an "homage" or a ripoff?
 
SBW was a giant, played with Howling Wolf and all.

Loving this. 
 LowPhreak wrote:


Not true. Look on the albums after the song titles. The original artists are BMI credited.

 
Sorry, but I double checked both the original vinyl (yeah, that old {#Cool}) and my CD copy, and "Bring It On Home" is credited on both to Jimmy Page and Robert Plant. I'm hoping that you have later copies, and the author, Willie Dixon, has been properly credited.

The album from which this cut comes wasn't released in 1946. Although I don't have this album, I have the recording from Willie Dixon's Chess Box, issued by Chess in 1988. According to Chess's documentation, this song was recorded on January 11, 1963 with Williamson singing and on harp, Lafayette Leake (organ), Matt Murphy (yeah that Matt "Guitar" Murphy, guitar), Milton Rector (bass), and Al Duncan (drums).

Like Dylan today—check out "Rollin' and Tumblin'" from Modern Times—Led Zep back then would take the basic tune and add something original to it. Their middle half to "Bring It On Home" is stunningly original. I suppose the act of adding something original, whether it be the middle half or new lyrics, in their eyes absolved them of giving proper songwriting credit. It's an open issue despite the whirlwind of lawsuits around this song and others. My take is: these guys are wealthy beyond comprehension. Copyright or none, public domain notwithstanding, it's appropriate to show the originators some love.

"Like many blues artists, Dixon saw very little profit from his recordings (especially by the time younger acts started covering his material). His pay at the height of the Chess years was only $100 a week, hardly enough to support his family. In the '70s the publishing arm of Chess Records, Arc Records, sued Led Zeppelin over the group's use of "Bring It on Home" on their second album. Arc won, although Dixon saw no money from it. He ended up having to sue Arc music, in much the same way Arc had sued Zeppelin, to make things right. Later, Dixon would sue Zeppelin himself over the similarities between his "You Need Love" and Led Zeppelin's mega smash "Whole Lotta Love". Throughout the later stages of his career, Dixon was at the forefront of efforts to make record companies give artists their due (he even drew his friend Muddy Waters into the lawsuit against Arc). In 1982, he set up the Blues Heaven Foundation, for the express purpose of making sure royalties made it to musicians and their estates."
I'm seeing Willie Dixon as the composer on this.....
Wow, it's easy to see where Plant got his vocal mannerisms for this song.
Is it an "homage" or a ripoff?

 WonderLizard wrote:
This was one of the many, many blues songs that LZ, er, appropriated without attribution. At least the others (Who, Stones, etc.) had the decency to acknowledge their forebears.
 

Not true. Look on the albums after the song titles. The original artists are BMI credited.

 WonderLizard wrote:
This was one of the many, many blues songs that LZ, er, appropriated without attribution. At least the others (Who, Stones, etc.) had the decency to acknowledge their forebears.
 
I heard an interview of Robert Plant on Fresh Air and he sidestepped the issue of using other's songs without paying them royalties. He suggested they were public domain. I wonder why they did that? Seems like theft to me.
Most pleasant.
This was one of the many, many blues songs that LZ, er, appropriated without attribution. At least the others (Who, Stones, etc.) had the decency to acknowledge their forebears.
Wow, I forgot how much I love the blues!  I have to go dig into some vinyl when this is done.
 tanstaafl wrote:
Grew up on the Zep version and maybe that's why I like their's better.

  I'm thinking of re-rating the Zep version a 9 to make room for this at the top.  LZ didn't do much to change this.


Grew up on the Zep version and maybe that's why I like their's better.