Led Zeppelin – Whole Lotta Love – Verse 3
Whole Lotta Love < All Analyses
Chord Progression
D, E, D, E, D, E, D, E, D, E, D, E, D, E, D, E, D, E, D, E, D
Chord Progression Analysis
D Major (I) – E Major (V)
d- e- d- e- d- e- d- e- d- e- d- e- d- e- d- e- d- e- d- e- dSimilar Chord Progressions
1. “Smokestack Lightning” by Howlin’ Wolf (1956)
Chord Progression: C Major (I) – D Major (V)
2. “Satisfaction” by The Rolling Stones (1965)
Chord Progression: E Major (I) – D Major (IV) – A Major (V) – E Major (I)
3. “All Day and All of the Night” by The Kinks (1964)
Chord Progression: G Major (I) – A Major (V)
Musical Analysis
“Whole Lotta Love” utilizes the two-chord progression of D Major and E Major. The D Major chord serves as the tonic (I) chord, giving listeners a sense of resolution and stability. The E Major chord is the dominant (V) chord, which produces tension and propels the progression forward. The shift between these two chords creates a bluesy, yet hard rock sound, a distinctive characteristic of the song.
Overall Analysis
“Whole Lotta Love” by Led Zeppelin is a hard rock song that was released in 1969. The song features a famous guitar riff with a simple, blues-influenced chord progression. That guitar riff is based on the D and E chords and can be heard throughout the main part of the song. The verse consists of the same primary chords as the riff, with slight variations in the E chord during the iconic “You need cooling” vocal part. The overall harmonic structure of the song with its repeating chords D and E gives it a strong I-V dynamic while staying in the D Mixolydian mode. Additionally, the guitar riff borrows elements of other blues progressions, creating a distinguished sound.
Style Analysis
The style of “Whole Lotta Love” is firmly rooted in the hard rock and blues tradition. The repetitive, heavy guitar riff played throughout the song and the driving rhythm section grounds it in this stylistic framework. The simple, two-chord progression allows the band to maintain an aggressive, driving sound while also highlighting individual instruments, such as the guitar riff, and the vocal performance. Additionally, the structure of the song is somewhat reminiscent of a 12-bar blues, but with a unique twist that sets it apart from traditional blues pieces.
What are the chords in: Led Zeppelin – Whole Lotta Love – Verse 3?
D, E, D, E, D, E, D, E, D, E, D, E, D, E, D, E, D, E, D, E, D