Bring It On Home (Sonny Boy Williamson II song)

"Bring It On Home" is a blues song written by American music arranger and songwriter Willie Dixon. Sonny Boy Williamson II recorded it in 1963, but the song was not released until 1966. Led Zeppelin adapted it in part as a homage to Williamson in 1969 and subsequently, the song has been recorded by several artists.

Recording and release

Sonny Boy Williamson recorded the song on January 11, 1963, in Chicago. He alternates his vocal sections with harmonica phrases, accompanied by Matt "Guitar" Murphy on guitar, Milton Rector on bass guitar, Al Duncan on drums, and either Lafayette Leake or Billy Emerson on organ.

AllMusic reviewer Bill Janovitz describes Williamson's harp playing as "subdued" and his vocal delivery as "smooth": "The swinging music chugs like a train, a feeling it is supposed to evoke for the lyrics

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 ...
I'm gonna bring it on home to you"

"Bring It On Home" was released three years later in early 1966, when it was included on the Chess Records Williamson compilation The Real Folk Blues. Chess subsidiary Checker Records also released it as a single, but it did not reach the record charts.

Led Zeppelin version

"Bring It On Home"
Italian single picture sleeve
Song by Led Zeppelin
from the album Led Zeppelin II
Released	October 22, 1969 (1969-10-22)
Recorded	May 4–5, 1969; May 10, 1969; July 1969 (?)
Studio	Mystic, Hollywood, California; R&D, Vancouver; Atlantic, New York City
Genre	Hard rock blues rock
Length	4:19
Label	Atlantic
Songwriter(s)	Willie Dixon
Producer(s)	Jimmy Page

Audio
"Bring It On Home" on YouTube

In 1969, English rock band Led Zeppelin recorded a version of "Bring It On Home" for the band's second album Led Zeppelin II. The intro and outro were deliberate homages to the Sonny Boy Williamson song, whereas the rest of the track was an original composition by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant.

Led Zeppelin performed "Bring It On Home" in concert at different points in their career. A recording from a June 25, 1972, concert in Los Angeles is included on How the West Was Won. In 1973, a portion of the song was used to link performances of "Celebration Day" and "Black Dog" and it was played at the reunion of surviving Led Zeppelin members staged at Jason Bonham's wedding reception in May 1990.

Copyright issue

Without songwriter Willie Dixon's knowledge, Arc Music, the music publishing arm of Chess Records, brought a claim against Led Zeppelin for using "Bring It On Home" without its permission. The group maintained that they copied parts of the song as an intentional tribute to Williamson, but resolved the matter with an undisclosed cash settlement. For the 2003 live album How the West Was Won, the song was credited to Dixon alone, with the note "Medley contains 'Bring It On Back' (Jimmy Page/Robert Plant/John Paul Jones/John Bonham)". On the 2014 Led Zeppelin II reissue, Dixon is listed as the sole songwriter.

Personnel

According to Jean-Michel Guesdon and Philippe Margotin:

Robert Plant – vocals, harmonica
Jimmy Page – guitars
John Paul Jones – bass
John Bohnam – drums, percussion

References

^ Dixon, Willie; Snowden, Don (1989). I Am the Blues. Da Capo Press. p. 223. ISBN 0-306-80415-8.
^ The Essential Sonny Boy Williamson (CD booklet). Sonny Boy Williamson II. Universal City, California: MCA Records. 1993. p. 23. CHD2-9343.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^ Janovitz, Bill. "Sonny Boy Williamson II: 'Bring It On Home' – Review". AllMusic. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
^ Guesdon & Margotin 2018, p. 142.
Christman, Ed (January 9, 2019). "Led Zeppelin At 50: Every Zep Song, Ranked By Revenue Generated". Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
The original Led Zeppelin II album notes credit Page and Plant. The 2014 reissue credits Dixon alone.
^ Lewis, Dave (1994). Led Zeppelin: The Complete Guide to Their Music. London: Omnibus Press. eBook. ISBN 0-7119-3528-9.
Lewis writes "Bring It On Home" was "Used on stage from the November 1969 US tour and retained for their 1970 itinerary" (Lewis 1994), although the group's official website shows the first performance on January 7, 1970, at the Town Hall in Birmingham, UK. "January 7, 1970: Birmingham, UK (Town Hall)". Ledzeppelin.com. 21 September 2007. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
^ How the West Was Won (Album notes). Led Zeppelin. New York City: Atlantic Records. 2003. Back cover. 83587-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
Led Zeppelin II Deluxe Edition (Album notes). Led Zeppelin. New York City: Atlantic Records. 2014. CD label. R2 536128.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)

Bibliography

Guesdon, Jean-Michel; Margotin, Philippe (2018). Led Zeppelin All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track. Running Press. ISBN 978-0-316-448-67-3.

External links

"Bring It On Home" (Royal Albert Hall 1970) video at ledzeppelin.com

v t e Sonny Boy Williamson II
Albums	Down and Out Blues The Real Folk Blues Sonny Boy Williamson and the Yardbirds Bummer Road His Best
Songs	"Bring It on Home" "Checkin' Up on My Baby" "Don't Start Me Talkin'" "Eyesight to the Blind" "Help Me" "One Way Out"

v t e Willie Dixon
Albums	Willie's Blues (1959) I Am the Blues (1970) Mighty Earthquake and Hurricane (1984) Hidden Charms (1988)
Songs written	"Evil" (1954) "Hoochie Coochie Man" (1954) "I Just Want to Make Love to You" (1954) "I'm Ready" (1954) "Diddy Wah Diddy" (1955) "My Babe" (1955) "I Can't Quit You Baby" (1956) "Pretty Thing" (1956) "The Seventh Son" (1956) "Fishin' in My Pond" (1957) "Back Door Man" (1960) "Spoonful" (1960) "I Can't Hold Out" (1960) "Wang Dang Doodle" (1960) "I Ain't Superstitious" (1961) "Little Red Rooster" (1961) "You Can't Judge a Book by the Cover" (1962) "You Need Love" (1962) "You Shook Me" (1962) "Bring It On Home" (1963) "Help Me" (1963) "Whole Lotta Love" (1969) "Spider in My Stew" (1974)
Related articles	List of songs written

v t e Led Zeppelin songs
Discography
Led Zeppelin	"Good Times Bad Times" "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" "You Shook Me" "Dazed and Confused" "Black Mountain Side" "Communication Breakdown" "I Can't Quit You Baby" "How Many More Times"
Led Zeppelin II	"Whole Lotta Love" "What Is and What Should Never Be" "The Lemon Song" "Thank You" "Heartbreaker" "Living Loving Maid (She's Just a Woman)" "Ramble On" "Moby Dick" "Bring It on Home"
Led Zeppelin III	"Immigrant Song" "Celebration Day" "Since I've Been Loving You" "Gallows Pole" "Tangerine" "That's the Way" "Bron-Y-Aur Stomp"
Untitled (Led Zeppelin IV)	"Black Dog" "Rock and Roll" "The Battle of Evermore" "Stairway to Heaven" "Misty Mountain Hop" "Four Sticks" "Going to California" "When the Levee Breaks"
Houses of the Holy	"The Song Remains the Same" "The Rain Song" "Over the Hills and Far Away" "The Crunge" "Dancing Days" "D'yer Mak'er" "No Quarter" "The Ocean"
Physical Graffiti	"The Rover" "In My Time of Dying" "Houses of the Holy" "Trampled Under Foot" "Kashmir" "In the Light" "Ten Years Gone" "The Wanton Song" "Sick Again"
Presence	"Achilles Last Stand" "For Your Life" "Nobody's Fault but Mine" "Candy Store Rock"
In Through the Out Door	"In the Evening" "Fool in the Rain" "Carouselambra" "All My Love"
Coda	"We're Gonna Groove" "I Can't Quit You Baby" "Bonzo's Montreux" "Wearing and Tearing"
Other songs	"Baby Come On Home" "Hey, Hey, What Can I Do" "Travelling Riverside Blues" "White Summer" "The Girl I Love She Got Long Black Wavy Hair" "Somethin' Else"

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