Led Zeppelin – In My Time of Dying

"In My Time of Dying" is a traditional gospel music song that has been recorded by numerous musicians.

An early version, titled "Jesus Goin' A-Make Up My Dying Bed", is mentioned in historian Robert Emmet Kennedy's Black Cameos published in 1924, on Louisiana street performers, and also listed in the Cleveland Library's Index to Negro Spirituals.

One of the first versions recorded was by Blind Willie Johnson in 1927 as "Jesus Make Up My Dying Bed" and Charlie Patton recorded a version in 1929. In 1945, Josh White recorded the song as "In My Time of Dying", which inspired several popular versions.

Bob Dylan version

The song gained greater prominence in popular music when Bob Dylan included a version (along with several others dealing with the subject of death) on his 1962 eponymous debut album. The song had a slightly different name on the Dylan album, "In My Time of Dyin'" (as did the later Shocking Blue cover).

On the liner notes to the album:

"Dylan had never sung In My Time of Dyin' prior to this recording session. He does not recall where he first heard it. The guitar is fretted (i.e., he plays slide guitar) with the lipstick holder he borrowed from his girl, Suze Rotolo, who sat devotedly and wide-eyed through the recording session."

Dylan's version is likely based on Joshua White's 1933 recording and arrangement. The song's running time is 2:40.

Led Zeppelin version

Song: "In My Time of Dying"

Song by: Led Zeppelin from the album Physical Graffiti

Released: 24 February 1975

Recorded: 1974

Genre: Hard rock, blues rock, heavy metal

Length: 11:06

Label: Swan Song

Writer: Page/Plant/Jones/Bonham

Producer: Jimmy Page

Led Zeppelin's "In My Time of Dying" was released on their sixth album Physical Graffiti; it is the third song on the album, and closes Side 1 of the album's original double-LP configuration. At 11:05, it is the longest studio track on any Led Zeppelin studio album, but contains no long instrumental passages despite its extended timing. As Physical Graffiti was exceptionally successful commercially, achieving RIAA 16x Platinum status, Led Zeppelin's rendition of the song is probably the most widely known.

Because of its improvisational nature the band never had a rehearsed ending for the song. The studio version ends with: "I'm going to make it my dyin', dyin', dyin'..." After a few seconds of silence followed by a dramatically feigned coughing fit (likely by John Bonham) is heard. Playing along, Plant quips "cough" as an apt final word for the song. Bonham can then be heard exclaiming, "That's gonna be the one, isn't it?", referring to that particular take. This is followed by a different voice (likely that of recording engineer Andy Johns) saying through the talk-back microphone "Come have a listen, then." Bonham then releases the clutch of his hi-hat and says (rather sheepishly) "Oh, yes. Thank you."

In the May 2008 issue of Uncut Magazine, Page elaborated on the humorous reaction in the studio which can be heard at the end of the song:

“We were just having such a wonderful time. Look, we had a framework for "In My Time Of Dying", Ok, but then it just takes off and we're just doing what Led Zeppelin do. We're jamming. We're having a ball. We. Are. Playing.”

Video – Live Performance: http://www.dailymoti...-dying-19_music

Page performed this song on his tour with The Black Crowes in 1999. A version of "In My Time of Dying" performed by Page and The Black Crowes can be found on the album Live at the Greek.

NOTE: 1.) Compiled from wikipedia.org 2.) Video link above needs bandwidth!