travelling riverside blues cover

The Story Behind Led Zeppelin’s “Travelling Riverside Blues”

Feature Photo: Bruce Alan Bennett / Shutterstock.com

When Led Zeppelin released their four CD Box Set Led Zeppelin on September 9, 1990, Led Zeppelin fans were treated to two Led Zeppelin recordings that had never been released before. One was a studio recording entitled “Travelling Riverside Blues.” The other was a live performance of “White Summer/Black Mountain Side.”

The Led Zeppelin box set was the first compilation of Led Zeppelin material ever released. The box set was released in three different configurations. There was a four-CD Set, a six-vinyl record set, and a four-cassette tape set. All three configurations contained a 36-page deluxe booklet. The box set was released in a large album sized hard cardboard box. All the songs on the album had been remastered. The initial Led Zeppelin CD releases in the 1980s sounded horrible. The Led Zeppelin box set contained the best sounding versions of those classic Led Zeppelin songs that we all grew up with. It was the first of many attempts at remastering the Led Zeppelin material.

Led Zeppelin was never known as a band that released rare material. With the exception of “Hey, Hey, What Can I Do,” all the singles released from Led Zeppelin albums contained only album tracks on the b sides. No greatest hits albums were released during their tenure. Led Zeppelin was always very guarded about their material. The arrival of the box set in 1990, only ten years after the band had broken up, surprised many Led Zeppelin fans. The grand surprise was the inclusion of the two unreleased tracks.

The inclusion of “Traveling Riverside Blues,” on the Led Zeppelin box set was the crown jewel of the box set for Led Zeppelin fans. The song had been recorded in 1969 at one of the seven BBC studios in London, England. Because the song had been recorded at one of the BBC studios. The BBC held the rights to the recording. Legally, Led Zeppelin could not release the recording until they negotiated with the BBC for the recording’s release. Led Zeppelin’s “Traveling Riverside Blues” performance was initially recorded by the BBC at Aeolian Hall in England on June 24th, 1969. At the time, Led Zeppelin was touring the United Kingdom. John Walters of the BBC produced the song’s recording. The song was broadcast on the John Peel Top Gear show on June 28, 1969.

The “Traveling Riverside Blues” recording is vintage Led Zeppelin circa 1969. Robert Plant’s incredible vocals fuel the song. Robert Plant is pitch-perfect on the tune, while Jimmy Page lays down his signature guitar solos and riffs. It’s a stunning recording of a band that seemed to be in their prime early on—a prime that never ended until the band broke up.

“Traveling Riverside Blues” is a song by Robert Johnson. It was initially written in 1937. However, because it was never released at the time, the public never heard of the song until the 1960s when it was released on the album King of the Delta Blues Singers in 1961

Robert Johnson’s original version.

The Story Behind Led Zeppelin’s “Travelling Riverside Blues” article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2024

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About the author.

Brian Kachejian

Brian Kachejian was born in Manhattan and raised in the Bronx. He is the founder and Editor in Chief of ClassicRockHistory.com. He has spent thirty years in the music business often working with many of the people who have appeared on this site. Brian Kachejian also holds B.A. and M.A. degrees from Stony Brook University along with New York State Public School Education Certifications in Music and Social Studies. Brian Kachejian is also an active member of the New York Press.

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Traveling Riverside Blues by Led Zeppelin

Songfacts®:

• This was written and originally recorded by blues great Robert Johnson. Led Zeppelin borrowed heavily from American blues music. , CA) >> Suggestion credit : Henric - San Diego (Vaxjo
• Led Zeppelin first played this for a BBC session in 1969, but the song was never released on an album. It was placed on the Box Set in 1990, and it was also made a bonus track on the Coda album for the Complete Studio Recordings. >> Suggestion credit : A.J. - Toledo, OH
• Jimmy Page used a 12-string acoustic guitar to play this song. >> Suggestion credit : Jordan - St. Louis, MO
• In the third verse, it sounds like Robert Plant mistakenly sings "My baby geen bone" instead of 'My baby been gone." >> Suggestion credit : Nate - Buffalo, NY
• The lyric, "I've had no lovin' since my baby been gone" came from B.B. King's "Woke Up This Morning (My Baby Was Gone)."
• To get the fast bass beats, John Bonham used "triplets" on the bass drum - he would use the tip of his toe. >> Suggestion credit : Thomas - Toronto, Canada, for above 2
• More songs from Led Zeppelin
• More songs from 1982
• Lyrics to Traveling Riverside Blues
• Led Zeppelin Artistfacts

Comments: 21

• Tyler W from Florida One small note, there were many blues musicians decades before BB King who used the line "I've had no lovin' since my baby been gone" and variations of it.
• Rick from Miami Please don't squeeze me lemon
• Stungem 75x from Lancaster, Pa Definitely, one of the sexiest songs Zepp ever did. Definitely, one of my top 5 favs. It’s like a slow driving machine. Givin it to ya and unstoppable.
• Louis from Drexel Hill, Pa Ahmet Ertegun once said that Plant knew every lyric to every song ever recorded. You can hear that on albums and recordings of live performances. The lyrics "...kind-hearted woman, studies evil all the time..." comes from the Robert Johnson song "Kind-Hearted Woman".
• Ray from Bonneville Salt Flats, Ut @- kenny, Minneapolis, MN. You've heard the lyrics correctly: "I AIN'T GOING TO STATE NO COLOR, BUT HER front teeth is crowned with gold." RJ was talkin about one of his black hoochie mamas, very possibly the woman about whom he wrote Love in Vain. John Hammond did a video/DVD thing in the late 70s and looked up some of the people who knew RJ....including the woman "Willie Mae", I think. When he played the song for her she burst into tears. Remember...he wrote these songs in a much different time that the one we live in now and taking it further, RJ lived in a microcosm of barrooms, brothels, juke joints and other high class establishments. His co-denizens of this blues world within the southern black world was...how to say it....pretty raw and sex, color and other subjects that would be taboo in out politically correct world were acceptable in that juke joint world.
• Josh from Champaign, Il Inviting a woman into the "kitchen" in this context is an allegory for inviting them in the bedroom to do some "cookin'" ;o) If you can't stand the heat...
• Lisa from Blountville , Tn I've got a kind hearted woman, / she studies evil all the time. / I've got a kind hearted woman, / she studies evil all the time. / You would do to quit me ... Robert Johnson Got no lien on my body. / Got no mortgage on my soul. / Got no lien on my body, baby. / Got no mortgage on my soul John Lee Hooker First time I heard this was on the box set .I thought well Zeppelin dug up some old stuff.This was back in the day before I started to collect Zeppelin bootlegs. I've heard the Clapton version...aahh it's ok. Zeppelin's version is far superior. Great slide from Jimmy.Robert belting out almost every well know blues line is so great you really felt as if in this song it was Zeppelin way of saying how much love and respect they have for the blues.
• David from Los Angeles , Ca This song is freakin' cool, if you like this song i suggest you listen to Jennings Farm Blues.
• Kenny from Minneapolis, Mn "Come On In My Kitchen" is explained by an excellent, very informative article on Wikipedia. On the liner notes of the Robert Johnson LP, the lyrics of "Travelling Riverside" are quoted as "I'm going to stay around Goldsboro, til my front teeth is crowned with gold." Listen to it. To my ear, he says, "I AIN'T GOING TO STATE NO COLOR, BUT HER front teeth is crowned with gold." Am I wrong? If I'm right, what does that lyric mean?? My only guess is so unbelievable, I'm afraid to say it.
• Oldpink from New Castle, In No wonder that opening guitar sounded so "jingle jangle!" Roger McGuinn probably gets a big smile whenever he hears this one. Great fun, and it's cool how Plant bellows out random delta blues lines.
• Ray from Bonneville Salt Flats, Ut An interesting experiment: Listen to RJ's original recording. Then listen to Eric Clapton's version. Finally listen to LZ's version. Clapton's lyrics are almost word-for-word with RJ's. LZ's is far, far away from the original and includes lines from so many Delta blues song as to leave yer head spinning. Having said that, I still love all 3 versions. The only criticism I have of LZ is that the electric guitar added to the acoustic 12-string sticks out like a sore thumb. It just doesn't belong there. Still, it's one of my favorite LZ songs and gets a lot of play in my car and at home via WinAmp.
• Peter Griffin from Quahog, Ri Nope, it's definitely "geen bone". How Zeppelin could have never recorded this song for an album is beyond me. It is FREAKING AWESOME.
• Smalls from Uniontown, Pa, Pa I could probably type all day about this song, if I wanted to, but I'll keep it short and sweet. This song is so f'n awesome that words alone do it no justice, go and listen to it.
• Jamey from Montgomery, Al Instead of 'My baby geen bone', I think the lyric was "Had no lovin' since my baby could ball,yeah".
• Jambi from T-town, Mi another one of jimmy's beautiful bluesy slide performances
• Peter Griffin from Quahog, Ri He does say "geen bone". He switched the vowels around.
• Peter Griffin from Quahog, Ri Same sexual innuendo as The Lemon Song, sung differently and worded slightly differently.
• Hanna from Trondheim, Norway Squeeze my lemon, yeah! :p Led Zeppelin rooccks.
• Michael from Lorain, Oh "Squeeze My lemon" Classic, one of my favorites. I cannot believe how my parents did not like me listening to singers like marilyn manson. The lyrics are the same to their music. The only difference is the meaning is laid between the lines. It is just the same as my parents parents not wanting them to listen to the begginings of Rock and Roll. Rock and Roll can never die. Guitars and drums are what got me this far. Peace, Mikey
• Kuriente from Binangonan, Other The quote, "Why don't you come in my kitchen?" is actually a Robert Johnson quote. Johnson being the one who originally wrote this song back in the 30's. The Zeppelin version of this song is actually quite different than the original and is more of a tribute to Johnson than a cover. "Why don't you come in my kitchen" comes from Johnson's "Come on in my kitchen." There are also some references to "Kind Hearted Woman Blues".
• Anonymous from , Wi Yes, we know what you're talking about, Robert... but what does he mean when he asks, "Why don't you come in my kitchen?" I feel like there's something I'm not getting here...

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Watch Led Zeppelin’s Mississippi Delta-Inspired “Travelling Riverside Blues” Video

Jimmy Page pays tribute to blues guitar hero Robert Johnson in this 1969 BBC recording

It was the iconic blues guitarists who birthed the rock-star persona.

Robert Johnson , Son House , Lead Belly , Memphis Minnie , Charley Patton, John Lee Hooker, Howlin’ Wolf… History has a way of deifying names such as these, ensuring that they’re spoken about in awed, reverent tones because of their innovative musical inspiration.

In one respect, this reverence is completely justified. These blues guitarists are among the founders of rock and roll, and of popular music as a whole. Without them there would be no Chuck Berry, Keith Richards, Eric Clapton , Jeff Beck , Jimmy Page , Duane Allman, Samantha Fish or Gary Clark Jr., to name a handful of guitarists influenced by their music.

And so they are revered, not only for their music, guitar talents or songwriting abilities but also for the hard lives they led, which were more often than not painted into their music.

These legends of blues plied their craft during one of the ugliest periods of racial strife and economic disparity in America. Alcohol, drugs, crime and poverty were among the hardships that informed their music.

Lead Belly was a convicted murderer, Robert Johnson a serial womanizer. Son House was a hard-drinking ex-con, and boozy Memphis Minnie was known to hold her own in a fight.

Only a fool would mess with any of them.

The music itself often gets the hagiography treatment too, in a way that smooths its legacy and ignores the circumstances that bred it.

The likes of Lead Belly have been embraced as folk heroes by artists such as Bob Dylan, and by the most recent crop of new blues-rock bands, who have favored these older figures over the classic blues-rock explosion crowd of the 1960s, because they’re more authentic and raw.

Nirvana effectively turned the MTV generation on to Delta blues with their cover of Lead Belly’s “In the Pines”/“ Where Did You Sleep Last Night? ” But an artist like Lead Belly wasn’t trying to be restrained or virtuous. He was just working with the tools he had – that sparser sound he and his peers honed in the days before Marshall stacks and Fender Strats .

If Robert Johnson or Blind Lemon Jefferson had had access to an electric guitar , there’s every chance he would have cranked it all the way to 11, like the rock and roll stars who were to come.

Paying tribute to Robert Johnson, Led Zeppelin recorded an amped up cover version of his 1930s composition “Travelling Riverside Blues” for BBC radio in 1969.

Featuring a blistering 12-bar solo and some textbook slide work, Jimmy Page tips his hat to the iconic bluesman.

In 1990, the band released this unique promo video for the song featuring live and archive footage cut with various Mississippi-themed scenes.

We can only guess what Robert Johnson himself would make of it…

Order Annye C. Anderson’s  Brother Robert: Growing Up with Robert Johnson   here .

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Christopher Scapelliti is editor-in-chief of  Guitar Player  magazine, the world’s longest-running guitar magazine, founded in 1967. In his extensive career, he has authored in-depth interviews with such guitarists as Pete Townshend, Slash, Billy Corgan, Jack White, Elvis Costello and Todd Rundgren, and audio professionals including Beatles engineers Geoff Emerick and Ken Scott. He is the co-author of  Guitar Aficionado: The Collections: The Most Famous, Rare, and Valuable Guitars in the World , a founding editor of  Guitar Aficionado  magazine, and a former editor with  Guitar World ,  Guitar for the Practicing Musician  and  Maximum Guitar . Apart from guitars, he maintains a collection of more than 30 vintage analog synthesizers.

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Famous Blues Covers: Led Zeppelin, "Travelling Riverside Blues"

Photo from Eric Alpert Facebook page

It's Wednesday: time for another episode of our "Famous Blues Covers".

"Travelling Riverside Blues": from Robert Johnson to Led Zeppelin.

And now let's listen to the original!

What a song!

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Traveling Riverside Blues

Added by anto47

• Highlights 3
• Versions 22
• Adaptations 1

Traveling Riverside Blues written by Robert Johnson English

Traveling Riverside Blues written by Robert Johnson instrumental

Travelling Riverside Blues written by Jimmy Page , Robert Plant English

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United will cover visa costs for fans travelling to Moscow

Reading time: minutes

The Premier League side will be travelling to Russia on September 27 and supporters have had to make quick arrangements to plan the trip, but United have promised to pay charges of up to £118.20 to cover fans' visas who are going to the game. 

Jose Mourinho's side offered the same service for last season's Europa League last 16 clash with Rostov. 

The Russian Embassy now has an office in Manchester, making it easy for fans to process their own documentation.

Fans have been told to supply the club with a receipt after completing the visa application, which will then be reimbursed. 

"It is great to see Manchester United supporting our travelling fans in Europe by covering the costs of Russian visas for the CSKA Moscow away game. 

"This comes following requests from M.U.S.T - the Manchester United Supporters Trust. M.U.S.T has consistently lobbied the club for greater support for our fans, both at home and away.

"Recent wins this season include more discounted youth season tickets being made available around the ground and also cheaper League Cup tickets. 

"Previously our discussion have also resulted in visa fees being covered for the last Russian away match in Rostov as well as laying on free coaches at European away games and to domestic finals and semi-finals at Wembley too.

"We don't get everything we request, of course, but we do see this as welcome progress in building a co-operative relationship between the Club and the Supporters' Trust."

238 fans made the trip to Rostov in March for the 1-1, but the allocation for Moscow is not yet confirmed. 

"As there is adequate time in advance of the game, this maximum includes a £70 single five-working day application fee, £38.40 5-working day service charge and £9.80 postage fee.

"To receive your passport back from the Visa Application Centre, we are aware that you must return your receipt. 

"As we will require your receipt from the purchase of your visa in order to issue you with a refund, please make a copy of this before exchanging it for your passport."

Trans-Siberian Railway Prices

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Home » Prices and Trans-Siberian Tickets » Trans-Siberian Railway Prices

Ticket prices for the Trans-Siberian Railway also depend on the current ruble exchange rate.

Is the Trans-Siberian Railway expensive?

Before starting on your Trans-Siberian Railway adventure you naturally want to know what the entire trip will cost. Although this sounds like a simple question, it is pretty difficult to answer. The Trans-Siberian Railway price of travel depends on the following factors:

• Which travel class do I want to use? The price for a first class ticket is about three times the price of a 3rd class ticket
• Am I willing to buy the tickets myself and assume responsibility for the organisation of the trip?
• How many stopovers do I want to make? The more breaks, the higher the total price.
• What sort of accommodation do I want? Will it be a luxury hotel or will a hostel dormitory be sufficient?
• What tours and excursions would I like to go on?
• What is the current exchange rate for rubles?

Basically, everything from a luxury to a budget holiday is available. If you buy yourself a 3rd Class nonstop ticket at the counter, a few hundred Euros will cover the price. All you will experience is a week on the Trans-Siberian train and will see nothing of the cities on the way. There is, however, any amount of room for upward expansion. Everyone makes different choices about which aspects they are willing to spend money on. I personally prefer to save money on accommodation and railcar class, visit as many cities and do as many trips as possible. To enable better classification of your travel expenses I have contrasted two typical traveler types. In the third column you can calculate the total cost of your own journey on the Trans-Siberian Railway. Please keep in mind that these are only rough estimations and not exact prices.

The all-in costs seem fairly high at first. However, they cover everything and it is quite a long journey taking four weeks. Many people forget to consider that when looking at the list. We should also deduct the running costs for food and leisure at home. I think most visitors to this page will classify themselves somewhere between the two categories, that is around the € 2,000 – € 2,500 range. When comparing these prices with other travel packages, you get the impression that it is hardly worthwhile travelling individually on the Trans-Siberian Railway. Please keep in mind that most packages last no more than 14 days and you are herded like cattle through the most beautiful locations.

If you spend less time on the Trans-Siberian Railway you will, of course, pay less. I chose this particular travel length because I prefer not to do things by halves. If you fulfill your dream of travelling on the Trans-Siberian Railway, enjoy it and don’t rush things. But it’s up to you, of course. Try playing around with the form a bit to find the appropriate price for your trip.

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