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Whole Lotta Love - Prince vs. Led Zeppelin

Which version do you like better?

Which one did you hear first?

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I like the Led Zeppelin version better.

I heard it first.

I think that Prince showed excellent taste in deciding to cover this song.

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[Edited 8/7/16 17:20pm]

CalhounSq said:

LOL!! Heard Zeppelin first, but I loooooooove that P covered it, that shit was EVERYTHING!!!! Not sure their original could be topped by anyone really. It's like asking who's version of PR is best - P will always win.

CalhounSq said:

LOL!! Heard Zeppelin first, but I loooooooove that P covered it, that shit was EVERYTHING!!!! Not sure their original could be topped by anyone really. It's like asking who's version of PR is best - P will always win.

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Yeah,

The original version is so classic and has been out so long, that it will be interesting to see if anyone heard Prince's version first.

But there are some young'ns on here.

L.Z. wins this one.

raspberryberet3121 said:

Hi everyone. I am new to the site, but have been a Prince fan from the beginning. So glad that I found a place to come to and share thoughts and feelings about the most amazing musician there ever was (my opinion). That being said, I love both versions, but Prince's had such a unique and distinctive sound. It was just crazy what he could do with a guitar.

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Welcome, and thanks for responding to my thread. I am new too.

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Prince's cover of 'Whole Lotta Love' from 'Indigo Nights' sounds to me, like a mash up of 'Whole Lotta Love' and 'American Woman'.

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NorthC said:

I prefer the original. You Need Love by Muddy Waters. Written by Willie Dixon.

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I just listened to the original version "You Need Love" by Muddy Waters, and I also listened to "You Shook Me" by Muddy Waters.

Thanks for the info.

I had no idea that these songs weren't written by Led Zeppelin.

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QueenofCardboard said:

NorthC said:

I prefer the original. You Need Love by Muddy Waters. Written by Willie Dixon.

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I just listened to the original version "You Need Love" by Muddy Waters, and I also listened to "You Shook Me" by Muddy Waters.

Thanks for the info.

I had no idea that these songs weren't written by Led Zeppelin.

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Zeppelin, much as I love 'em, did a lot of ripping off (then again, so did The Beatles). That said, nearly all of their songs are such staples that they've made the definitive versions.

I prefer Prince's acoustic rendition to his full band cover, and I think he has a lot more sex appeal than Robert "OOOYEAH! PUSH! PUSH!" Plant.

the xenophobia celebration performance of it, the loooong one with the amazing guitarsolos

that shit is rediculously cool

CalhounSq said:

LOL!! Heard Zeppelin first, but I loooooooove that P covered it, that shit was EVERYTHING!!!! Not sure their original could be topped by anyone really. It's like asking who's version of PR is best - P will always win.

This.

QueenofCardboard said:

NorthC said:

I prefer the original. You Need Love by Muddy Waters. Written by Willie Dixon.

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I just listened to the original version "You Need Love" by Muddy Waters, and I also listened to "You Shook Me" by Muddy Waters.

Thanks for the info.

I had no idea that these songs weren't written by Led Zeppelin.

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Yeah it's a real shame that Zeppelin's ubiquity has obscured the original writers of these compositions, much as I like them they could be shockingly shameless and barefaced in their stealing of other people's songs. As an aside you should try listening to the Small Faces' cover version of You Need Love if you haven't already, much of Robert Plant's vocal delivery in Whole Lotta Love seems inspired by that version.

IstenSzek said:

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I was really excited when I found out that Prince did a cover of "Whole Lotta Love", and I couldn't wait to hear it.

But when I did hear it I was dissappointed that Prince didn't sing.

Are there any versions out there in which Prince sings?

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I was at the taping of the Alladin Version and I remember it flooring everyone. No one expected it.

I've since heard better versions but man did it kill live. The sound there was off the hook.

Miss U everyday P...

[Edited 8/8/16 10:48am]

QueenofCardboard said:

QueenofCardboard said:

Of course LZ's original was super-charged, there's no way to top that iconic testosterone rock classic, but Prince sure did it justice in his own way.

Come to think of it, that's all I ask of future Prince covers: do it your own way, but do it justice. In that respect, Bilal's "Baby baby baby" is a good example. He didn't come anywhere close to Prince's powerful delivery, but he performed the song exactly as he had to: as himself, singing a Prince song... with panache.

QueenofCardboard said:

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Prince's cover of 'Whole Lotta Love' from 'Indigo Nights' sounds to me, like a mash up of 'Whole Lotta Love' and 'American Woman'.

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I was there! (in the night of 13th-14th Sept 2007). I used to love the Led Zeppelin original, but I don't think this song worked very well for Prince. He kind of got away with it but seemed a little out of his comfort zone doing it, it was way too loud and I'm not a big fan of that heavy sound and the screetching voice.

I agree his version sounded more like a cross between American Woman and Whole Lotta Love.

CherryMoon57 said:

QueenofCardboard said:

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Prince's cover of 'Whole Lotta Love' from 'Indigo Nights' sounds to me, like a mash up of 'Whole Lotta Love' and 'American Woman'.

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I was there! (in the night of 13th-14th Sept 2007). I used to love the Led Zeppelin original, but I don't think this song worked very well for Prince. He kind of got away with it but seemed a little out of his comfort zone doing it, it was way too loud and I'm not a big fan of that heavy sound and the screetching voice.

I agree his version sounded more like a cross between American Woman and Whole Lotta Love.

this is a jailable offense - you know that, right?

CalhounSq said:

CherryMoon57 said:

I was there! (in the night of 13th-14th Sept 2007). I used to love the Led Zeppelin original, but I don't think this song worked very well for Prince. He kind of got away with it but seemed a little out of his comfort zone doing it, it was way too loud and I'm not a big fan of that heavy sound and the screetching voice.

I agree his version sounded more like a cross between American Woman and Whole Lotta Love.

this is a jailable offense - you know that, right?

I guess you had to be there... I thought the Live at the Aladdin was a little more bearable but you must admit it is one beast of a song and personnally speaking, I didn't like Prince doing it, I preferred that it stayed Led Zep's. Prince and Led Zeppelin represent two different worlds for me.

CherryMoon57 said:

CalhounSq said:

this is a jailable offense - you know that, right?

I guess you had to be there... I thought the Live at the Aladdin was a little more bearable but you must admit it is one beast of a song and personnally speaking, I didn't like Prince doing it, I preferred that it stayed Led Zep's. Prince and Led Zeppelin represent two different worlds for me.

I hear you I guess I heard him do it 2 or 3 times, absolutely loved it every time, he killed it (in a good way) for me

The Live at the Aladdin version is the one my mind immediately referred to when thinking of the "Prince version." Definitely check that out, full vocals. The clip itself is easily available, just checked.

And yeah, Zeppelin stole a lot of songs without giving credit. Never heard allegations with the Beatles, they did a lot of covers but still cited the original writers.

[Edited 8/8/16 15:55pm]

CalhounSq said:

CherryMoon57 said:

I guess you had to be there... I thought the Live at the Aladdin was a little more bearable but you must admit it is one beast of a song and personnally speaking, I didn't like Prince doing it, I preferred that it stayed Led Zep's. Prince and Led Zeppelin represent two different worlds for me.

I hear you I guess I heard him do it 2 or 3 times, absolutely loved it every time, he killed it (in a good way) for me

I guess it didn't help that I had listened to the Led Zeppelin version for years prior to hearing Prince doing it. In general I tend to prefer originals over covers.