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Song: Heartbreaker
Album: Led Zeppelin II [released Oct 22, 1969 (US) | Oct 31, 1969 (UK)]
Single: N/A
Credited to: Jimmy Page, John Bonham, John Paul Jones, Robert Plant
Related Songs: N/A


Lyrics:

Hey, fellas, have you heard the news, you know that Annie's back in town
It won't take long just watch and see, all the fellas lay their money down
Her style is new but the pay is the same, as it was so long ago
But from her eyes, a different smile, like of the one who knows

Well, it's been ten years and maybe more, since I first set eyes on you
The best years of my life gone by, here I am alone and blue
Some people cry and some people die, by the wicked ways of love
But I'll just keep on rollin' along, with the grace from the lord above

People talkin' all around, 'bout the way you left me flat
I don't care what the people say, I know where their jive is at
One thing I do have on my mind, if you could clarify, please do
It's the way you call me another guy's name, when I try to make love to you, yeah

I try to make love, it ain't no use
Give it to me, give it

(Guitar Solo)

Worked so hard I couldn't unwind, get some money saved
Abuse my love a thousand times, however hard I've tried
Heartbreaker, your time has come, can't take your evil way
Go away, heartbreaker

Heartbreaker, heartbreaker, heart -


Personal notes: This is an awesome song. The riff is classic, in fact it's one of the first two riffs I learned to play on guitar when I discovered how to read tablature (the other was Cream's Crossroads). This is one of those songs where you can start humming the riff without hearing the song, and you'll instantly get into the groove. When I do that, it's hard to keep myself from starting to sing along. Excellent lyrics, too, they flow with the song so well. And the guitar solo is one of the greatest of all time. Not quite as punctuated as the Whole Lotta Love solo, but certainly longer and more impressive. Between those two songs, Heartbreaker has always been my personal favorite. And the solo is even better in live versions. This is one of those songs that was better live, even without turning it into an extended jam piece. The same can't be said of Whole Lotta Love - the live medleys are excellent, but the Whole Lotta Love part itself was never as good live as it was in the studio, especially on the guitar solo. The solo in Heartbreaker is one of those that you can practically hum note for note, now if only it was that easy to play. A perfect air guitar song.


Influences: None found.