Not All That Glitters Is Gold: Led Zeppelin's Questionable Songwriting Ethics

Many plagiarism allegations, settled both in and out of courtrooms, lurk within Led Zeppelin’s discography. Allegations ranging from incorrect songwriting attribution to explicit plagiarism have followed the legendary rock group throughout their entire career. However, considering the clouded circumstances surrounding accusations of plagiarism against the band, especially those that were settled outside of court, it is strange that these claims have not impacted the band’s reputation with their audience on a larger scale. Despite multiple accusations of copyright infringement, the band’s music has remained a staple for rock ‘n’ roll fans for nearly 50 years. Their music is used in soundtracks for current movies, played daily on classic rock radio stations, and Led Zeppelin merchandise, records, and apparel can still be purchased in virtually any music store.

 In this article, a brief context will be provided regarding Led Zeppelin’s most public plagiarism accusations, both legal and informal, so that readers can understand the magnitude, or lack thereof, of these accusations. Then, four possibilities as to why Zeppelin has maintained a positive ethos, or reputation, with their loyal fan base despite their questionable songwriting ethics will be presented. The fact that the band has never lost a copyright lawsuit, the timing of the most well-known plagiarism accusations, the attitude of the band’s audience, and the band’s mindset about the creation of Led Zeppelin, their major label debut, are four factors that have allowed Led Zeppelin to maintain a positive ethos with their fans, despite their shady songwriting practices.

 Within the parameters of this article, ethos, the Greek term for a person’s moral character, can be defined as the reputation of an individual or organized collection of individuals (a sports team, a band, a company, etc.) that is “created by a person’s habits…rather than by [their] experiences." The ancient Greek rhetoricians identified two distinct types of ethos: invented ethos and situated ethos. Invented ethos refers to the way an individual intentionally presents themselves in a particular situation. For example, even if members of a band practice immoral behaviors behind closed doors, such as using drugs or treating their producers and managers badly, they may choose to present themselves as clean-cut, kind people on stage because they want to ensure the goodwill of their audience. These deliberate actions may win over a band’s audience, but it does not mean the members of the band actually have sound moral character; in fact, many may consider the idea of only presenting oneself as moral when the situation demands it to be immoral. 

Examples of the band’s invented ethos can be analyzed in the way they reacted to out-of-courtroom accusations- was their decision to give songwriting credits to original writers only because they wished to remain reputable in the public eye? Or did they do so because they truly believed they had wronged other artists and wished to amend their unethical behavior?

Situated ethos  refers to more modern connotations of character and reputation. This type of ethical proof refers not to how an individual molds their image, but to how an audience perceives the individual, as well as why they perceive them this way. The audience’s perception of character and reputation derives from many things, including “feelings of liking or disliking," the intensity of those feelings, and the individual’s charisma. The following three examples display instances where Led Zeppelin’s ethos as songwriters was challenged; allegations against the band can be understood as attempts to alter Zeppelin’s situated ethos.

In 2003, Rolling Stone placed Led Zeppelin’s self-titled debut album at No. 29 on their list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. When the record was first released on January 12, 1969, it contained seven songs credited to songwriters John Bonham, John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page, and Robert Plant; two of the nine songs on the record were correctly credited to their original writers. By the time the album made Rolling Stone’s list 34 years later, Led Zeppelin’s track listing had undergone an unprecedented amount of scrutiny due to multiple accusations of plagiarism and copyright infringement. When the album was remastered and re-released 11 years later in 2014, the revised liner notes had been adjusted to reflect the origins of Zeppelin’s material a bit more accurately.

The re-released record now lists five original Led Zeppelin tracks, (two less than the original release did), two songs written by Willie Dixon, and two songs whose credits have been revamped to acknowledge artists who “inspired” and collaborated with Page and Plant. However, there is great debate on whether Page and Plant deserve to be listed as contributors on these “inspired” songs at all; inspiration credits were only added when other artists accused Led Zeppelin of stealing their musical and intellection property, but settled for inspiration credits opposed to taking their cases to court.

Photo by Salvador Martinez

Zeppelin’s alleged plagiarism did not stop with their first album. In 1987, Willie Dixon, the artist who was given songwriting credit for “You Shook Me” and “I Can’t Quit You, Baby” on Led Zeppelin, withdrew his second lawsuit against the rock group over the rights to “Whole Lotta Love” and “Bring It On Home,” two tracks off the band’s second album, Led Zeppelin II. A news clipping from Variety, a Los Angeles music magazine, in 1987 states that Dixon sued Led Zeppelin for using one of his guitar melodies, which was written by Dixon and recorded by blues legend Muddy Waters, as the opening riff in “Whole Lotta Love,” and for explicitly stealing his music and lyrics and using them verbatim in “Bring It On Home,” a song written by Dixon but recorded by Sonny Boy Williamson. The news report continues to explain that the case was settled out of court after a witness told the judge that “Whole Lotta Love” consisted of variations on Dixon’s “You Need Love.” The judge, in turn, insisted that “variations” are differences, and that differences do not equate to plagiarism. While Dixon dropped the case, he later settled it out of court, achieving both partial song credit and some royalties from “Whole Lotta Love.” The track is now credited to Bonham, Dixon, Jones, Page, Plant.

The most notable case against Led Zeppelin was settled in 2016 when the band was sued over the rights to the opening guitar melody on one of their most famous tracks, “Stairway to Heaven." The estate of Randy Wolfe, the late guitarist of the American rock band Spirit, filed charges against Page and Plant, Led Zeppelin’s primary songwriters, in 2014. The charges claimed that Led Zeppelin, after touring with Spirit and even covering some of their songs during live sets, used the same riff from Spirit’s “Taurus” as the opening guitar melody in “Stairway to Heaven."The ruling of the case was determined by Judge Klausner, the same judge who awarded the estate of Marvin Gaye $5.3 million over the rights to the music from Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke’s “Happy” in 2015. Klausner concluded that while Led Zeppelin may have borrowed from their influencers, the majority of their work was their own. This ruling did not satisfy the prosecution, who claimed that Zeppelin‘s alleged plagiarism is a “falsification of rock & roll history."

As of 2018, Led Zeppelin has yet to lose a copyright lawsuit; any added songwriting credits or royalties were settled outside of courtrooms. This may be one reason that many fans still attribute a positive ethos to Led Zeppelin despite the controversy surrounding their songwriting. Listeners who love a band and/or their music will obviously be wary of any accusations against an artist they love. Therefore, Zeppelin’s “clean” legal record allows dedicated fans to easily dismiss any accusations since there is no recorded evidence stating that the group intentionally ripped off other artists. However, a clean legal record does not equate to a reputable character. One of the reasons Zeppelin has escaped losing lawsuits is because many artists who accused the band of stealing their intellectual property opted to settle their disputes outside of a courtroom after realizing how difficult it often is to prove that an artist has plagiarized material in a court of law.

As the technique of remixing, especially in electronic music, has grown more popular, it has become increasingly difficult for a judge and jury to make clear decisions over whether a song has been plagiarized. American journalist Lisa Suhay states that “the question of ownership has shifted from being about copyrights on lyrics and scores, to scores of nuanced lawsuits over chord progressions and melodies." Because recent copyright cases have become about minute details, the jury is ultimately left to evaluate the arbitrary “concept and feel” of the songs. As the line between remix and plagiarism becomes increasingly blurred, so does the difficulty between differentiating inspiration from plagiarism. For this reason, the rulings of court cases cannot be the sole factor on which an audience bases their situated ethos concerning Led Zeppelin’s songwriting ethics.

Another factor that has allowed Led Zeppelin to maintain their situated ethos with their fan base is the timing of the band’s most recent, and arguably most public, copyright lawsuit. When the estate of Randy Wolfe filed charges against Page and Plant in 2014, it had been 34 years since the death of the Bonham, the band’s drummer, and 32 years since the group had released an original studio album. The lawsuit, which finally went to court in the summer of 2016, was different from previous accusations against the band for three reasons: not only was it one of the few lawsuits that actually reached a decision in a courtroom, but unlike the previous cases in the band’s early career, it took place in an era of increased media coverage and social media presence. Additionally, the prosecution accused Zeppelin of using Spirit’s guitar melody virtually note-for-note; previous accusations against the band mainly stated that they allegedly used pre-existing riffs or lyrics and altered them in a new, “original” way.

The difference in the public perception between Dixon’s 1985 accusations and the claims of Wolfe’s estate in 2016 demonstrates how the time period of each suit could have easily shaken the band’s ethos if it had happened earlier, or while all members of the band were still living. In 1987, an article less than a column in length ran in Variety informing fans of the outcome of Dixon’s lawsuit against the band. Not only did Dixon drop the suit, but news of the entire ordeal was not well known; interested readers would have had to read the short column on two separate pages to obtain a bare minimum of information about the case.

Photo by Salvador Martinez

The 2016 lawsuit, however, occurred in an age of accessible social media. A simple Google search containing the terms “Led Zeppelin plagiarism” will result in hundreds of news articles that offer different perspectives on the case, as well as links to hear the music under scrutiny. If the “Stairway to Heaven” charges were filed shortly after the release of “Led Zeppelin IV”, the result may have been drastically different. Since the song was one of the group’s biggest hits, the case may have received more media attention, which could have potentially altered fans’ perceptions of Zeppelin’s ethos. Additionally, the circumstances surrounding the timing of the lawsuit are also relevant. When charges were filed in 2014, only three members of Led Zeppelin were alive, and the band has ceased to produce original music 32 years earlier. Even if the public had boycotted Zeppelin because of these allegations, it would not have tremendously affected their ethos or career because the band had disbanded over three decades earlier and had already obtained a status as rock legends. If the band was currently producing original material, there may have been lashback from their fans. However, as demonstrated by the successful solo careers of all three living members, any recent copyright lawsuits do not seem to have shaken their reputation.

For much of the band’s audience, Zeppelin’s alleged plagiarism has not largely affected their perception of the band or their music because these listeners do not associate an artist’s work with their personal lives, politics, or morals. This phenomenon, known in some academic fields as the art versus artistry debate, separates the artist from the content they create. Thus, listeners free themselves from ethical or moral obligations and enjoy Led Zeppelin’s music while completely separating it from the individual lives of Bonham, Jones, Page, and Plant.

According to a survey of 137 people who consider themselves Led Zeppelin fans, 69.3 percent of fans surveyed reported that they were aware of the 2016 lawsuit over the similarities between “Stairway to Heaven” and “Taurus” Additionally, 65.7 percent of people also knew of other circumstances where Led Zeppelin’s integrity as songwriters was attacked via charges of alleged plagiarism. However, only 22.6 percent of the 137 fans surveyed reported that any allegations against the band changed their perception of Led Zeppelin as individual people, and 88.4 percent reported that these allegations did not change the way they enjoyed the band’s music.

Finally, when people think about Led Zeppelin today, they may picture a band with three remaining members, all approximately 70 years old. They may think about the band’s extensive discography of nine studio albums, four live albums, and nine compilation box set releases. For fans who were lucky enough to see Zeppelin perform live, the mention of the group may conjure memories of a spectacular live performance. Essentially, many classic rock fans view Led Zeppelin as pioneers of the genre and rock ‘n’ roll gods. However, when the rock band released their debut album, Led Zeppelin, they were not quite the experienced musicians that fans know today.

When the band’s Atlantic Records debut was released, the members of Zeppelin were 25 (Page), 23 (Jones), and 20 (Bonham and Plant) years old. While youth is no excuse for intentional plagiarism, many fans might attribute Zeppelin’s blurred mix of inspiration, remix, and plagiarism to their young age and potential. Additionally, it could be argued that the group did not anticipate the commercial success of Led Zeppelin, which has gone platinum eight times in the United States, twice in the United Kingdom, and received numerous accolades, since it was their first LP release. Therefore, the group may have knowingly allowed themselves to be frugal when using “inspired” riffs, melodies, and lyrics from other artists because they could not predict that their work would be heard by millions, including the artists they “borrowed” content from. Just as beginner musicians or DJs may borrow or sample music they are inspired by, so might have Zeppelin lifted elements from other artists in order to get their foot in through the (out) door.

These four factors are just a few of many ways that Zeppelin fans might choose to dismiss allegations against the band and continue to assign Led Zeppelin a positive situated ethos. However, it is important to note that each individual listener engages with music differently; some listeners may boycott Zeppelin entirely due to plagiarism allegations, some may condemn the band’s four members but continue to appreciate their music, and others may not care or even be aware about the constant attacks on the band’s ethos. Zeppelin’s ethos as rock legends may be hard to shake, even by shady songwriting practices, but band’s clean copyright record, the timing of the 2016 “Stairway to Heaven” lawsuit, the audience’s choice to separate the artist from their music, and the mindset concerning a first major label release have allowed the rock ‘n’ roll band to live on through radio airwaves and as a household name. 

Mexican Metalheads, Pilsen Punx & Little Village Hardcore: DIY Music & Chicago's southwest side

Ska band Bombflower performs at Slob City, a DIY house venue in Little Village

Photo by Heriberto Gallegos of Glegoz Photography

My relationship with “Do It Yourself” (DIY) music communities is one that spans about six years and a variety of different musical genres. When I lived in Aurora, a suburb about 30 miles west of Chicago, I began getting involved in DIY punk, pop punk, and rock shows across the suburbs when I was 14 years old. I would attend punk and metal shows in the city whenever I was able to catch a ride with older friends who had access to cars. The disparity between the suburban and city music scenes was immense. The suburban pop punk scene was comprised of predominantly white men in their mid-20’s, and white women ranging from the ages of 15-24. My initial perceptions of the Chicago DIY scene were that the city had more DIY spaces, a greater variety of bands, and a more diverse and welcoming crowd than the suburbs. After moving to Chicago in the summer of 2016, I began regularly attending DIY punk, metal, and hardcore shows. The majority of the shows I attended were hosted at spaces on the city’s southwest side in neighborhoods that are predominantly Hispanic/Latinx, such as Pilsen, Little Village, and McKinley Park.

The racial composition of these DIY shows is usually about 60-70 percent Hispanic/Latinx, 30-40 percent white, and about 10 percent African American, Asian, or other races. While it would make sense that shows hosted in Hispanic neighborhoods would draw a large Hispanic crowd, it seemed impossible that all of Chicago’s Hispanic/Latinx punks and metalheads resided in the Lower West Side. After forming social connections with many Hispanic/Latinx people in the DIY scene, I learned that while some of them did live in Lower West Side neighborhoods, many of them did not. This prompted me to research two separate, but interrelated questions: why, and how, are Chicago’s Hispanic neighborhoods harboring successful DIY punk, metal, and hardcore communities? Secondly, why are so many Hispanics/Latinx people in Chicago drawn to these genres of music?

Hardcore band Through N Through performs at Slob City

Photo by Eddy Garcia

After closely observing a mixed genre DIY show in Pilsen, interviewing fans and musicians, and collecting demographic data from 14 people active in Chicago’s DIY scene, three main factors emerged that could explain why DIY punk, metal, and hardcore shows are flourishing in Chicago’s southwest Hispanic/Latinx neighborhoods. Geographic location, the neighborhood dynamics of low-income, minority communities, and the cultural expectations that many Hispanic/Latinx households place on their children appear to be the three strongest factors in creating Chicago’s thriving DIY punk, metal, and hardcore scenes.

On January 28^th,  2018, I observed a show at a popular DIY venue in Pilsen known as the Fallout, located at the intersection of Cermak Ave., Ashland Ave., and Blue Island Ave. The event included seven bands; one ska punk, three punk, and three metal; five DJ sets, and seven artist booths. The show drew a large crowd of over 150 people, and approximately 60 percent of those people were Hispanic/Latinx, even though five of the seven bands were predominantly, or completely, white. The rest of the crowd was approximately 30-35 percent white and five to 10 percent Asian or African American.

Fans watch skaters at a DIY Skate Show at the Fallout

Photo by Heriberto Gallegos of Glegoz Photography

Geographic location is of utmost importance in determining the success of a DIY show. Many shows on the Lower West Side are easily accessible by Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) buses and trains. For example, patrons wishing to attend a show at the Fallout can get dropped at the corner by the Cermak (21) bus, which runs east and west through Cicero, a largely Hispanic working-class suburb, and Little Village, a largely Hispanic Chicago neighborhood. The Fallout is also accessible by the Ashland (9) bus, which runs north and south, and is a 10 to 15-minute walk from the 18th St. pink line, which runs southwest from Chicago’s downtown Loop.

Proximity to the CTA is crucial to the success of DIY shows because patrons come from all over the city. Of the 14 people I surveyed, 12 identified themselves as either Hispanic, Mexican, Latinx, or a combination of the three. Four of those 12 lived on the North side, three lived in Cicero, three lived in Humboldt Park, and two lived in the Lower West Side. Accessible, cost-effective transportation plays an important role in the DIY scene because it allows teenagers with meager disposable incomes and low-income people who may not have cars to easily get to and from a show.

Skyscrapers of downtown Chicago seen from 18th & Damen in Pilsen

Photo by Nikki Roberts

Other aspects related to the geography of neighborhoods, such as the variation in property values, shape successful DIY music communities. On the North side, there are seldom empty lots or buildings because property values are much higher than on the city’s South and West sides. Higher property values mean that empty space is quickly snatched up by real estate developers and retailers because land can be flipped for profit; lower property values on the South side mean smaller returns for real estate developers. This lack of property investment manifests itself as vacant lots, abandoned storefronts, and empty warehouses. These spaces are often turned into thriving DIY venues for local music and art, thus creating an “underground” network of venues on Chicago’s South and Lower West sides.

A neighborhood’s community-police relationship and crime rates are other factors that allow Hispanic communities to foster successful DIY communities. For an underground scene that functions by hosting events at illegitimate venues, the relationship between the venue’s neighborhood and the police determines if a show will thrive or be shut down by law enforcement. During an interview with Lupe Espinoza, a 21-year-old Hispanic woman from Bridgeport who has been promoting DIY shows for over three years, Espinoza argued that “the shows are better on the South side…because the neighborhoods are ‘ghetto’ enough to not get cops coming by all the time.” Indeed, it would seem the Chicago Police Department (CPD) officers stationed in Pilsen may have more to worry about than an unregulated DIY show; in 2017, there were 590 counts of assault, 478 counts of theft, and there have been two shootings just one month in to 2018. A lack of concern from CPD allows chaotic, rowdy DIY shows to flourish on the city’s southwest side.

Chicago’s Lower West Side is supportive of DIY music communities because its access to transportation, property values, and police officers create an environment that not only allows, but also turns a blind eye to, chaotic DIY shows. However, even though the Lower West Side is predominantly Hispanic, this still does not explain why Hispanic/Latinx people are drawn to these sub-genres of rock music.

Punk band Death of Self performs at La Bodega,
a DIY skate space in Little Village

Photo by Yasmine Esparza

When conducting interviews with fans and musicians in Chicago’s DIY punk, metal, and hardcore scenes, the Hispanic/Latinx people I spoke to all talked about similar dynamics that drew them to shows on the southwest side that weren’t solely about the sound and style of the music itself. The most influential factors that emerged through these interviews were income levels, histories of violence and oppression, and family expectations and values.

Nine of the 14 people I surveyed reported their annual incomes. Of these nine, five reported annual incomes of less than $30,000, and the average annual income of the nine people was $38, 571.        Punk’s bare bones, DIY attitude makes it more accessible for people with fewer resources. The show at the Fallout had a cover charge of just $8. While this was a bit pricier than most DIY shows, it was certainly cheaper than a cover charge at an established venue.

In an interview with Salvador Martinez, a 21-year-old Hispanic male from Cicero and the vocalist of local hardcore band XEUTHANIZEDX, Martinez argued that the genres of punk and metal are more accepting of people from working class and low-income backgrounds than other genres of music.

“With punk and metal, you don't have to have the most elegant shit.  So that’s why I feel more lower income kids could identify with it.  Rap could be more about flexing and living a crazy life that not a lot of people can relate to…punk bands are aggressive and more politically oriented; a lot of the poorer people can relate,” said Martinez.

Martinez performs with XEUTHANIZEDX
at Toastamania: Halloween Havok at the Fallout

Photo by LEAP Photography

The minimalism of Chicago’s punk, metal, and hardcore scenes explains why many low-income Hispanic/Latinx people are attracted to DIY shows. However, if this is accepted to be true, one thing I struggled to understand was why the same phenomenon isn’t occurring in lower income African American communities. Where are the black punk scenes in Bronzeville? Why aren’t there DIY metal or hardcore shows in Garfield Park?

I asked these questions to Jose Casas, a Latino male from Little Village, who now resides in Cicero, Illinois. Casas is the guitarist and one of the founders of Los Crudos, perhaps Chicago’s best-known Hispanic/Latinx punk rock group. When Los Crudos was formed in 1991, Casas said that there was a flourishing hip hop and house music scene, but a DIY punk scene was virtually non-existent in Pilsen and Little Village. To him, punk rock was a way to empower himself and to gain self-respect; it was a way to communicate and express the pain and oppression that he, his family, and his fellow band members experienced as people of color, through music.

Los Crudos performs at 924 Gilman in Berkley, CA
Casas is pictured on far left

Photo by East Bay Express

 “African Americans are Americans. [Latin Americans] yeah, we’re not black, but we’re not white…Latin punks, Mexican metalheads...they go towards metal, towards punk, instead of writing political ethnic music [from] their own backgrounds: rancheras,    cumbias. That was asked to me and confronted to me a lot when I first started my band. ‘Why you playing that white boy music?’ Not from my parents, but from other people thatwere in my peer group who were studying to be professionals. They said, ‘if you’re going to be fighting that cultural battle, then why you playing that white boy music?’ Because we’re American. Because it’s also our rebellion,” said Casas.

           

When Los Crudos began playing shows on the southwest side, Casas reported that the racial composition of DIY shows was “50 percent white and 50 percent other races.” One thing that set Los Crudos apart from other punk bands was their lyrics. In a musical genre dominated by white Americans, Crudos only writes and performs their lyrics in Spanish. Casas explained that this was a subtle rebellion; the band partially assimilated to American society by playing “white boy music,” but retained their culture by performing music in their native language. Casas explained that, to him, this was only fitting. Some topics, such as pain, corrupt politics, and teenage confusion, could only be expressed properly in Spanish, a language that invokes feelings of comfort for him.

The ability to utilize the genres of punk, metal, and hardcore as a form of expression and rebellion was also a reoccurring theme throughout my interviewing process. Espinoza, the woman from Bridgeport, told me that “Hispanics go through so much struggle that they actually use music as a form of expression, which calls for better moshing and better

Ska band The Land before Tim provokes a
"wall of death" mosh pit at the Fallout

Photo by LEAP Photography

 As many punks and metalheads will argue, aggressive moshing is considered an acceptable outlet for releasing the stress and anger that is built up inside them; anger that often comes from systematic and personal oppression. Espinoza’s assertion that Latinx/Hispanic people have “better moshing” may stem from the fact that these ethnic groups that have been opressed and marginalized during their entire history of immigration and migration to the United States, which may cause them to feel more anger and act aggressively in mosh pits at local shows.

To Casas and Espinoza, punk and metal can be viewed as vessels for rebellion, not just against oppression, but also against family expectations. Only three of the 12 Hispanic/Latinx people to take my survey reported having religious affiliations; of these three, 67 percent were Christian or Roman Catholic. Espinoza explained that in traditional Hispanic Catholic households, punk rock is considered a more acceptable form of rebellion for young people than criminal or violent behavior. Espinoza’s statement also touches on why she believes DIY communities are more popular for rebellious Hispanics than for other rebellious young people of color, such as African Americans.  

            “Within black households, being a ‘rocker’ is way more frowned upon than in Mexican households. Mexicans wanna rebel against their usually Catholic traditional family, so they turn to rock or gangs. It’s half and half.”

The conclusions I presented came from extensive field research, interviews with Hispanic/Latinx people, and demographic survey data. However, it is important to recognize that many other factors not mentioned in this analysis can also shape successful DIY music communities. Additionally, the conclusions I drew from my interviews may only be representative of the people I spoke to; other Hispanic/Latinx people may cite different, or even oppositional, reasons for attending DIY shows and enjoying rock music.

Many factors contribute to whether a DIY show will be successful, what kind of crowd it will draw, and whether a show will be a one-off exception or expand into a flourishing community. From my research, I believe that geographic and neighborhood influences, such as proximity to transportation, the emergence of potential DIY spaces, and police relationships, determine if a community is fit to host DIY shows and if they will be easily accessible to the DIY community. Cultural and societal factors, such as income levels, family norms, and racial oppression, may draw many Hispanic/Latinx people to subgenres of rock music. When these two groups of circumstances align, as they often do in Chicago’s Hispanic/Latinx southwest neighborhoods, the result is thriving DIY punk, metal, and hardcore communities.