D’yer Mak’er - Led Zeppelin (1973)

“D’yer Mak’er“ (intended to be pronounced in a British non-rhotic accent as ’Jamaica’, /dʒəˈmeɪkə/) was a song by English rock band Led Zeppelin, from their 1973 album “Houses Of The Holy“. This song was meant to imitate reggae and its ’dub’ derivative emerging from Jamaica in the early 1970s. Its genesis is traced to Led Zeppelin’s rehearsals at Stargroves in 1972, when drummer John Bonham started with a beat similar to 1950s doo-wop, and then twisted it into a slight off-beat tempo, upon which a reggae influence emerged. The distinctive drum sound was created by placing three microphones a good distance away from Bonham’s drums. “D’yer Mak’er“ is one of the few Led Zeppelin songs where all four members share the composer credit. The sleeve on the album also gives tribute to Rosie And The Originals, a reference to the doo-wop influence which was evident in the song’s style. This track, as well as another song entitled “The Crunge“, was initially not taken seriously by many listeners, and some critics at the time reserved their harshest criticism for these two tracks. Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones has also expressed his distaste for the song, suggesting that it started off as a joke and wasn’t thought through carefully enough. However, “D’yer Mak’er“ has gathered critical respect in the years since, and has grown into a Led Zeppelin classic. Upon the album’s release, Robert Plant was keen to issue the track as a single in the United Kingdom. Atlantic Records went so far as to distribute advance promotional copies to DJs (now valuable collectors’ items). While it was released in the U.S., and the single peaked at #20 in December 1973, it was ultimately never released in the U.K. The name of the song is derived from an old joke: “My wife’s gone to the West Indies.“ “Jamaica?“ (which has a similar pronunciation as “D’you make her?“) “No, she went of her own accord“. The title, which appears nowhere in the lyrics, was chosen because it reflects the reggae flavor of the song. Robert Plant has said that he finds it amusing when fans completely ignore the apostrophes and pronounce it as “Dire Maker“. Led Zeppelin were an English rock band. Formed in 1968 in London, the group consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, drummer John Bonham and bassist John Paul Jones. With their heavy, guitar-driven blues-rock sound, Led Zeppelin are regularly cited as one of the progenitors of heavy metal and hard rock, even though the band’s individualistic style drew from many sources and transcends any one music genre. More than thirty years after disbanding following Bonham’s death in 1980, Led Zeppelin continue to be held in high regard for their artistic achievements, commercial success, and broad influence. The band have sold over 300 million albums worldwide, including 111.5 million certified units in the United States, making them one of the world’s best-selling music artists of all time, as well as the second best-selling band of all time in the United States, only behind The Beatles. They have had all of their original studio albums reach the top 10 of the Billboard album chart in the U.S., with six reaching the number one spot. Rolling Stone magazine has described Led Zeppelin as “the heaviest band of all time“, “the biggest band of the ’70s“ and “unquestionably one of the most enduring bands in rock history“. Similarly, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame described the band as being “as influential in that decade [70s] as The Beatles were in the prior one“. This channel is dedicated to the classic rock hits that have become part of the history of our culture. The incredible AOR tracks that define music from the late 60s, the 70s and the early 80s . . . Classic Rock is here! Check out my newer music videos and other fun stuff at: For music videos of the Old School funk, go to: Check out my music videos from the Roots Of Rap at: If you like relaxing with some classic Cool Jazz, go to: If you like college football & other aspects of life at The Ohio State University, go to: Check out my news videography stuff at: Also, check out my youngest daughter (the world’s youngest video producer) at: To stay updated about all my projects, please join my Facebook fan page: And coming in 2011 . . . DJ Buddy Love presents LONGEVITY . . . A world record club DJ mixing marathon charity event . . . 121 hours nonstop to benefit cancer research . . . Live to the world via UStream, Facebook, YouTube & Twitter . . . More details coming soon . . . Enjoy!! ;~} Copyright 1973 Atlantic Records All Rights Reserved