Out on the Tiles

"Out on the Tiles"
Song by Led Zeppelin from the album Led Zeppelin III
Released	5 October 1970
Recorded	May - August 1970
Genre	Hard rock, heavy metal
Length	4:07
Label	Atlantic
Writer	Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Bonham
Producer	Jimmy Page
Led Zeppelin III track listing
"Since I've Been Loving You" (4) "Out on the Tiles" (5) "Gallows Pole" (6)

"Out on the Tiles" is a song by English rock band Led Zeppelin, from the 1970 album Led Zeppelin III. The title of the song is derived from the British phrase for going out for a night on the town. Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham would talk about going "out on the tiles," meaning to go to bars, and often sang a ditty based around the phrase. It goes "I've had a pint of bitter and now I'm feeling better and I'm out on the tiles. We're going down the rubbers and we're going to pull some scrubbers because we're out on the tiles." Guitarist Jimmy Page turned the tune into a riff and Bonham's lyrics were replaced with something a little more tame for general audiences. Bonham and Page are credited with writing the song, along with vocalist Robert Plant.

The song is one of the most aggressive recordings in the band's catalog and closes the "heavy" first side of Led Zeppelin III, which is noted for its stylistic departure from the band's first two releases, featuring several acoustic arrangements that dominate the second half of the album.

The spacey sound mix achieved on the recording of this song was a product of distance miking in the studio by Page.^[1][2] Just after the 1:23 mark in the track, someone in the recording studio is heard saying "stop". It is widely believed that it was Page who said it, although this has never been confirmed. As the song has unique rhythm and syncopation, it is assumed that whoever yelled "stop" was trying to act as a verbal conductor. Before that, at about 0:11 in the song, someone (again possibly Page) says "All right".

In Japan "Out on the Tiles" was mistakenly placed on the B-side of the "Immigrant Song" single, rather than "Hey Hey What Can I Do". Those copies are now rare collector's items. "Out on the Tiles" was played live in its entirety just a few times at Led Zeppelin concerts, most notably on September 4, 1970 in Los Angeles, as is preserved on the famous bootleg recording Live On Blueberry Hill. However, the beginning of the song was much more often used as an introduction to live performances of "Black Dog", as heard on the official live release How the West Was Won. It was also used as an introduction to John Bonham's drum solo "Over the Top" on the band's 1977 North American concert tour.^[1]

Jimmy Page performed "Out on the Tiles" on his tour with The Black Crowes in 1999. A version of this song performed by Page and The Black Crowes can be found on the album Live at the Greek. The song was also featured on the VH1 series Supergroup, in which it was performed as part of the group's set at the concert in series finale, and Jason Bonham dedicated it to his late father John.

Personnel

• Robert Plant - vocals
• Jimmy Page - guitars
• John Paul Jones - bass guitar
• John Bonham - drums

Cover versions

• 1989: Toxik (Think This)
• 1993: Helen Keller Plaid (The Song Retains the Same II)
• 1995: Blind Melon (Encomium: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin)
• 1999: Coalesce (There Is Nothing New Under the Sun EP)
• 2000: Jimmy Page & The Black Crowes (Live at the Greek)
• 2000: Malamor (Dead Zeppelin: A Metal Tribute to Led Zeppelin)
• 2004: Vick LeCar (Bad Influence)
• 2005: Julz A (Squeeze Rock)
• 2006: Greg Reeves & Erica Stock (Dub Tribute to Led Zeppelin)
• 2007: Megadeth (United Abominations [Japanese bonus disc edition])
• 2007: Dread Zeppelin (Bar Coda)
• 2007: Frankie Banali & Friends (24/7/365: The Tribute to Led Zeppelin)

Sources

• Lewis, Dave (2004) The Complete Guide to the Music of Led Zeppelin, ISBN 0-7119-3528-9
• Welch, Chris (1998) Led Zeppelin: Dazed and Confused: The Stories Behind Every Song, ISBN 1-56025-818-7

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Dave Lewis (1994), The Complete Guide to the Music of Led Zeppelin, Omnibus Press, ISBN 0-7119-3528-9.
2. ^ Steven Rosen, 1977 Jimmy Page Interview, Modern Guitars, May 25, 2007 (originally published in the July 1977, issue of Guitar Player magazine).

External links

• ASCAP entry