"Bring It On Home" is a blues song written by American music arranger and songwriter Willie Dixon. Sonny Boy Williamson II recorded it in 1963, but the song was not released until 1966. Led Zeppelin adapted it in part as a homage to Williamson in 1969 and subsequently, the song has been recorded by several artists.
Recording and release
Sonny Boy Williamson recorded the song on January 11, 1963 in Chicago. He alternates his vocal sections with harmonica phrases, accompanied by Matt "Guitar" Murphy on guitar, Milton Rector on bass guitar, Al Duncan on drums, and either Lafayette Leake or Billy Emerson on organ. AllMusic reviewer Bill Janovitz describes Williamson's harp playing as "subdued" and his vocal delivery as "smooth": "The swinging music chugs like a train, a feeling it is supposed to evoke for the lyrics "Bring It On Home" was released three years later in early 1966, when it was included on the Chess Records Williamson compilation The Real Folk Blues. Chess subsidiary Checker Records also released it as a single, but it did not reach the record charts.
Led Zeppelin version
In 1969, English rock band Led Zeppelin recorded a version of the song for their album Led Zeppelin II. The intro and outro were deliberate homages to the Sonny Boy Williamson song, whereas the rest of the track was an original composition by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant. Plant's harmonica part was recorded in Vancouver. The band went on tour with the master tapes for Led Zeppelin II and recorded parts in various studios. Led Zeppelin frequently performed this song live at Led Zeppelin concerts, first appearing as an encore on the band's 1970 UK tour. When played live, the song exhibited sharp interplay between Page's guitar, John Bonham's drums and John Paul Jones' bass. This can be seen on the Led Zeppelin DVD, which features a performance at the Royal Albert Hall in 1970. A recording from a June 25, 1972, concert in Los Angeles is included on How the West Was Won. From 1973, the song was dropped from the band's live set list. However, the middle section riff was retained and served as the introduction to "Black Dog" on the band's 1973 tour of the United States, as documented in the concert film The Song Remains the Same. "Bring It On Home" was played at the reunion of surviving Led Zeppelin members staged at Jason Bonham's wedding reception in May 1990.
Copyright issue
Without songwriter Willie Dixon's knowledge, Arc Music, the music publishing arm of Chess Records, brought a claim against Led Zeppelin for using "Bring It On Home" without its permission. The group maintained that they copied parts of the song as an intentional tribute to Williamson, but resolved the matter with an undisclosed cash settlement. For the 2003 live albumHow the West Was Won, the song was credited to Dixon alone, with the note "Medley contains 'Bring It On Back' ". On the 2014 Led Zeppelin II reissue, Dixon is listed as the sole songwriter.
