Led Zeppelin heavily drew inspiration from blues songwriting; for instance, "Whole Lotta Love" has strong ties to the work of Chess Records' talented Willie Dixon. The 1970 song "Hats Off To (Roy) Harper" openly reveals its influences, with Robert Plant’s powerful vocals drawing from various classic blues sources.
Included in "Led Zeppelin III," the track was seemingly conceived during a jam session between Jimmy Page and Robert Plant. While Page was experimenting with his slide guitar, Plant reminisced about the blues songs he had covered in clubs during the mid-60s.
Many of the repeated lyrics, such as "When I done quit hollerin', babe/I believe I’ll shake ’em on down," are derived from Bukka White’s "Shake ‘Em On Down." The fervor of the slide guitar, however, also draws from the rendition by Mississippi Fred McDowell, a popular artist at the time, whose song "You Gotta Move" was also covered by The Rolling Stones.
Nonetheless, it is not simply a cover. Robert Plant’s vocals are enhanced with tremolo effects, and the line "Listen, mama, put on your mornin’ gown/Put on your nightshirt, mama, we gonna shake ’em on down" alludes to Sonny Boy Williamson's "Help Me."
The song also includes influences from lesser-known blues tracks, like Oscar Woods' "Lone Wolf Blues."
In an interview with Melody Maker around the song's release, Jimmy Page reflected on the jam session that sparked its creation. He said, “This came about from a jam Robert and I had one night. We have a whole tape of us exploring different blues styles. Robert had been using the harmonica through the amp and then began singing through it.”
The song's title helped elevate Roy Harper's visibility; he even named a comprehensive 2001 compilation of his work "Hats Off" in tribute to it. Page noted, “It’s meant to be a genuine hats off to Roy because he’s a truly talented guy who has faced many challenges.”
Interestingly, Led Zeppelin never performed the song live—take a listen to the studio version below.
Related: Becoming Led Zeppelin Is The Year’s Must-See Music Documentary
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Led Zeppelin heavily borrowed from blues songwriting; for instance, 'Whole Lotta Love' is significantly influenced by the work of the brilliant Willie of Chess Records.