Every song Jimmy Page contributed to before he was famous
When people were asked to vote for their favourite guitarist, bassist, singer and drummer to create the world’s best rock and roll band, they ended up just recreating Led Zeppelin. Every member was considered the best at what they did. Jimmy Page is no exception, as his twisted blues style and ability to comprehend rock music are phenomenal and above the guitarists who came before and after.
This didn’t begin with Led Zeppelin, though. When you have a talent like Jimmy Page, people can pin that down right away; as such, he was asked to be a session guitarist on a vast array of songs before Led Zeppelin were ever famous.
Before he shaped and defined the future of rock ‘n’ roll, Jimmy was already having a massive impact on popular music. Unsurprisingly, he took to his work with Led Zeppelin so quickly as he had already committed thousands of hours to the studio working with other artists, meaning he was already a seasoned veteran before he had even signed a record deal. He understood what kind of music impacts people most effectively and how to play under various producers. He was also comfortable enough with his guitar that he could play it as easily as he could breathe.
The list of artists he worked with is extensive and contains a considerable amount of well-known names. This could be something like jamming with The Kinks and the Rolling Stones, giving pop songs added layers, and playing the blues with Otis Spann.
Sadly, we may never know the true expanse of Jimmy Page’s discography, as many artists he worked with and their recorded songs have been lost in time. That being said, there is enough that a list can be put together of some of the best and most notorious songs he worked on before finding fame.
With Led Zeppelin, there is a common thread that connects the songs; he has a specific sound that inspired other guitarists for years to come and helped shape rock music as a whole. The same can’t be said for these songs. There is a wide variety in tone, genre, and general sound, further highlighting just how fantastic Page is as a guitarist.
There is a reason why, decades after initially finding fame and with millions of other guitarists coming and going within that time, he is still held aloft as one of the greatest musical minds ever. This list represents his adaptability as a musician and is there for all to see.
Songs Jimmy Page worked on before finding fame:
- ‘Diamonds’ – Jet Harris
- ‘Goldfinger’ – Shirley Bassey
- ‘Tobacco Road’ – Nashville Teens
- ‘Stirs Me Up’ – Otis Spann
- ‘The Crying Game’ – Dave Berry
- ‘Heart of Stone’ – The Rolling Stones
- ‘Baby, Please Don’t Go’ – Them
- ‘Downtown’ – Petula Clark
- ‘I’m a Lover, Not a Fighter’ – The Kinks
- ‘Some Things Just Stick in Your Mind’ – Vashti Bunyan
- ‘The Last Mile’ – Nico
- ‘Bald Headed Woman’ – The Who
- ‘I Pity The Fool’ – The Manish Boys
- ‘In My Time of Sorrow’ – Marianna Faithfull
- ‘Sunshine Superman’ – Donovan
- ‘Circles’ – The Fleur De Lys
- ‘Beck’s Bolero’ – Jeff Beck
- ‘A Tout Casser’ – Johnny Hallyday
- ‘With a Little Help From My Friends’ – Joe Cocker
- ‘Jim’s Blues’ – P.J. Proby
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