The Songs Jimi Hendrix Claimed Led Zeppelin Had Ripped Off from Others

Early Controversies Around Led Zeppelin

Where there are famous bands, there will always be controversy. For Led Zeppelin, two recurring claims followed them: whispers about satanism and accusations of stealing from other musicians. In the world of music, it was the second that drew the sharper criticism.

Rock music had long been linked with rebellion and counterculture. In the 1960s and 1970s, its aggressive energy caused some people to accuse rock stars of being ungodly. As Led Zeppelin rose to global fame, their extraordinary performances led some to speculate that they had made a deal with the devil.

 

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Rumors and Speculation

Stories circulated that the group had traded their souls for talent or engaged in dark practices on the road. Some even claimed they drank blood on their tour bus. Of course, these were nothing more than myths, but rather than hurt the band, such rumors only added to their mystique among rock fans.

Still, while many brushed off those tales as nonsense, another controversy stuck more firmly. Led Zeppelin were often accused of borrowing too heavily from existing songs, blending blues, folk, and hard rock in ways that impressed audiences but frustrated purists.

Jimi Hendrix’s Harsh View

Among those who criticized Zeppelin was guitar legend Jimi Hendrix. “I don’t think much of Led Zeppelin,” he once remarked. “I mean, I don’t think much about them.”

Hendrix rarely made public attacks on the group, but those close to him recalled how he truly felt. Carmine Appice, drummer for Vanilla Fudge, remembered that Hendrix often spoke negatively about Zeppelin.

What Hendrix Allegedly Said

“Jimi Hendrix personally told me that he didn’t like Zeppelin because they were like excess baggage and they stole from everybody,” Appice recalled. He went on to explain which songs Hendrix considered borrowed: “‘You Shook Me’ was on Jeff Beck’s record. ‘Dazed and Confused’ has a bit of Vanilla Fudge on it, and it has parts of ‘Beck’s Bolero’ in it. I think I was told by a member of the band that the ‘Good Times Bad Times’ riff came from Tim Bogart’s bass line.”

These comments revealed Hendrix’s frustration with Zeppelin’s approach, seeing their music less as groundbreaking and more as taking from others without acknowledgment.

The Lasting Debate

To this day, Led Zeppelin remains celebrated as one of rock’s greatest bands, but the criticisms of their originality continue to follow them. Over the years, the band has updated songwriting credits on some tracks to recognize the artists whose work inspired them. Yet, for many listeners, certain songs still feel too close to earlier recordings to be ignored.

This debate has become part of their legacy. While Zeppelin’s influence is undeniable, questions about their integrity as songwriters linger, creating a divide between those who see them as innovators and those who view them as opportunists.