Editing Led Zeppelin II (section)

==Music and lyrics==
The finished tracks reflect the evolving sound of the band and their live performances.<ref name="allmusicguide">{{cite web |url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r11460|pure_url=yes}} |title=Led Zeppelin II |website=AllMusic |access-date=11 February 2009}}</ref><ref name=RS2006>{{cite magazine |last=Gilmore |first=Mikal |title=The Long Shadow of Led Zeppelin |magazine=Rolling Stone |issue=1006 |date=10 August 2006 |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/11027261/the_long_shadow_of_led_zeppelin/print |access-date=9 December 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071205000838/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/11027261/the_long_shadow_of_led_zeppelin/print |archive-date=5 December 2007}}</ref> Plant had his first songwriting credits on ''Led Zeppelin II''; he had been unable to have his contributions to the writing process credited for the first album because of a prior contract with [[CBS Records International|CBS Records]].{{sfn|Lewis|1990|p=47}}

===Side one===
"[[Whole Lotta Love]]" was built around a five-note Page riff. Parts of the lyrics were taken directly from [[Willie Dixon]]'s "[[You Need Love (Muddy Waters song)|You Need Love]]", which led to the group being sued for plagiarism, eventually settling out of court. The arrangement also resembles the [[Small Faces]] track "[[You Need Loving]]".{{sfn|Lewis|1990|pp=47, 57}} With basic tracks recorded on Page's houseboat, the middle section of the song contained a variety of overdubbed instruments and vocals which were mixed live by Page and Kramer, making full use of stereo panning and other controls available on the desk. The song was edited down to a single in the US, where it became a top 5 hit. In the UK, a single release was cancelled; the group never issued any singles there during their active career together.{{sfn|Lewis|1990|pp=47–48}} It was finally issued as a single in 1997.{{sfn|Lewis|2012|p=59}} A mainly instrumental version of the song was recorded by [[CCS (band)|CCS]] and was used as the theme tune to the BBC TV show ''[[Top of the Pops]]'', ensuring it was well known by virtually everyone in Britain.{{sfn|Lewis|1990|p=48}}

Led Zeppelin performed "Whole Lotta Love" at every gig from June 1969 onwards. It was the closing number of their live shows between 1970 and 1973, often extended to incorporate a rock'n'roll medley towards the end of the set. A different arrangement of the song was played for the Knebworth Fayre concerts in 1979. It was the last song the group ever performed live with drummer [[John Bonham]], on 7 July 1980. "Whole Lotta Love" has since been critically praised as one of the definitive heavy metal tracks, though the group have never considered themselves to fit that specific style.{{sfn|Lewis|1990|p=48}}

"[[What Is and What Should Never Be]]" was primarily written by Plant. It features a variety of dynamics during the track, along with flanged vocals and wide-panned stereo guitars.{{sfn|Lewis|1990|p=48}}

"[[The Lemon Song]]" was a re-arrangement of [[Howlin' Wolf]]'s "[[Killing Floor (Howlin' Wolf song)|Killing Floor]]", which had become a regular part of the group's live show during 1969. It was mostly recorded live and expanded to include new lyrics, including the sexually-charged phrase "squeeze my lemon" which was borrowed from [[Robert Johnson]]'s "[[Travelling Riverside Blues]]", which the band had played for the BBC radio show ''[[Top Gear (radio show)|Top Gear]]'' broadcast on 29 June 1969.{{sfn|Lewis|1990|p=48}}<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=z_dmDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA46 |pages=46–47 |title=Led Zeppelin: All the Albums, All the Songs |author=Martin Popoff |publisher=Voyageur Press |date=21 August 2018|isbn=9780760363775 }}</ref>{{sfn|Lewis|2010|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=AQLtgOAQcqQC&pg=PT102 102]}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/jimmy-page-on-led-zeppelins-totally-fearless-bbc-sessions-110658/ |work=rollingstone.com |title=Jimmy Page on Led Zeppelin's 'Totally Fearless' BBC Sessions |author=David Fricke |date=13 September 2016 |access-date=24 September 2018 |archive-date=25 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180925025322/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/jimmy-page-on-led-zeppelins-totally-fearless-bbc-sessions-110658/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

"[[Thank You (Led Zeppelin song)|Thank You]]" was written by Plant as a love song to his wife, Maureen. Page played [[twelve-string guitar]] and Jones played [[Hammond organ]] on the track.{{sfn|Lewis|1990|p=48}}

===Side two===
"[[Heartbreaker (Led Zeppelin song)|Heartbreaker]]" was mostly written by Page as a showcase for his guitar skills, including an unaccompanied solo in the middle of the song. It quickly became a live favourite, being performed regularly from October 1969 onwards, and throughout the group's career.{{sfn|Lewis|1990|p=48}}

"[[Living Loving Maid (She's Just a Woman)]]" was purported to be written about a [[groupie]] the band encountered while touring the US. The group disliked the track, considering it to be little more than filler, and consequently it was never played live by the group. Plant performed the track live on his 1990 solo tour.{{sfn|Lewis|1990|p=48}}

"[[Ramble On]]" was written by Plant. The lyrics were inspired by [[J. R. R. Tolkien]], and similar themes appeared on subsequent Led Zeppelin albums. The track made good use of dynamics, moving from a quiet acoustic guitar in the opening, to a variety of overdubbed electric guitars towards the end.{{sfn|Lewis|1990|p=49}} It was never performed live by Led Zeppelin during their main career, but Plant has performed the song regularly on solo tours, and it was part of Page and Plant's live set in the mid-1990s. It was finally performed live for the first time by Led Zeppelin at the [[Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert]] in 2007.{{sfn|Lewis|2012|p=67}}

"[[Moby Dick (instrumental)|Moby Dick]]" was designed as a showcase for Bonham's drum solo. A previous drum showpiece featured a different arrangement called "Pat's Delight" (after his wife). Moby Dick is in [[drop D tuning]] and features a variety of drums and percussive instruments played with bare hands as well as drumsticks. It was a regular part of Led Zeppelin's live show, developing to include additional percussion and electronic drums.{{sfn|Lewis|1990|p=49}}

"[[Bring It On Home (Sonny Boy Williamson II song)#Led Zeppelin version|Bring It On Home]]" was a cover of a Willie Dixon song originally performed by [[Sonny Boy Williamson II]]. Led Zeppelin's arrangement includes a faster middle section in addition to the straightforward blues structure of the original. It was played live regularly throughout late 1969 and 1970.{{sfn|Lewis|1990|p=49}}