"I Can't Quit You Baby"

The eighth track off of Led Zeppelin's self-titled debut album, "I Can't Quit You Baby" is a cover of a song originally penned by Chess Records blues legend, Willie Dixon and performed by Otis Rush and released in 1956. Rush would later re-work his earlier version of "I Can't Quit You Baby" and release it on a blues compilation titled "Chicago|The Blues|Today! Vol. 2" in 1966; it was this version that Led Zeppelin's cover and most subsequent covers were based upon.

"I Can't Quit You Baby" was written by Willie Dixon specifically for Otis Rush in the hopes it would provide him a strong song from which he could launch his career. In his autobiography "I Am The Blues" Willie Dixon would relate that at the time of writing the song, Rush was preoccupied and in a tumultuous relationship with a woman, and it was from this sentiment that Willie Dixon wrote the song. The song proved to be a modest success reaching number six on the Billboard R&B chart. The original 1956 single would eventually go on to be inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1994.

Willie Dixon

Led Zeppelin's version remains true to the classic blues tradition of the original song, and in relation to other songs on their first album, this track stands out as one of the most successful, with no flat spots throughout, and manages to retain a perfectly symmetrical form. The band played this number live as a regular part of it's set list from 1968 through 1970, when it was eventually dropped in favor of "Since I've Been Loving You". Portions of this song were played however in 1972 and 1973 during the band's extended "Whole Lotta Love" medleys. An outstanding version of "I Can't Quit You Baby"can be heard and seen on the band's 2003 live DVD; a shorter version of this cut can be heard on their final album "Coda".

Led Zeppelin at the Royal Albert Hall in 1970

For this song, like the rest of the tracks off the first album, I elected to use my Fender Baja Telecaster, played through my Marshall Haze 40 amplifier. If you are at all acquainted with the pentatonic base blues, than this song shouldn't be to difficult for you to navigate. 

|-5------(5)------|--------------------------------------------------------|
|-5------(5)------|--------------5-8p5-8b10==(8)-(8)-8r(8)p5---------------|
|-5------(5)------|----7b9==(7)r-----------------------------7-5-6-(6)-6/--|
|-4------(4)------|--------------------------------------------------------|
|-5------(5)------|--------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------|--------------------------------------------------------|

|---------------------------------------------|
|------------5-8p5--8b10==(8)---(8)-----8r(8)-|
|--7b9==(7)r----------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------|

|-----------------------------------------|
|-7------(7)b7.5--10b14==(10)--(10)r(10)--|
|-7------(7)b7.5--------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------|

|---------------------|
|-(10)------(10)------|
|---------------------|
|---------------------|
|---------------------|
|---------------------|

|--------------------------------------------------------------|
|------------5-8p5-8b10==(8)r(8)b10==(8)-(8)--(8)r(8)----------|
|--7b9==(7)r--------------------------------------------7-5-6--|
|--------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------|

|------------------------------------|----------/19--------------|
|------------5-8p5-------------------|---------------------------|
|--7b9==(7)r--------6s14---(14)s=====|=16-----------/19----------|
|------------------------------------|------------------/7-------|
|------------------------------------|---------------------7\-0--|
|------------------------------------|---------------------------|

|-^5------(5)------||----5---6-----------------------------------|
|-^5------(5)------||----5---6-----------------------------------|
|-^5------(5)------||----6---7-7b9==(7)r-5-7p5---5-7-7-7-7-7b9===|
|-^4------(4)------||----7---8-----------------7-----------------|
|-^5------(5)------||----7---8-----------------------------------|
|------------------||----5---6-----------------------------------|

|------------5---6-------------------------------------||
|------------5---6-------------------------------------||
|-(7)r-------6---7-7b9==(7)r-5-7p5h7p5-5---------------||
|--------x-x-7---8-----------------------5h7p5---5-----||
|--------x-x-7---8-----------------------------7---7s5p||
|------------5---6-------------------------------------||

 Verse
|-------------------------------------/18--4s===|
|-------------------------------------/18--4s===|
|------------------------------------------4s===|
|------------------------------------------3s===|
|-4---(4)b5==(4)r(4)b5==(4)r(4)-(4)-------------|
|-----------------------------------------------|

|-5s=6s7s8/---------|------------------------------------------------------|
|-5s=6s7s8/---------|--------------5-8p5--8b10==(8)-(8)--(8)-8r(8)p5-------|
|-5s=6s7s8/---------|----7b9==(7)r-----------------------------------7-5-6-|
|-4s=5s6s7/---------|------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------|------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------|------------------------------------------------------|

|-------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------5-8p5-----------------------------------|
|-(6)-(6)/--7b9==(7)r---------2s14-(14)b16====(14)--(14)r(14)-|
|-------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------------|

|-0-----------------------|
|-0-------1s3s1s3s1s3s1s==|
|---------2s4s2s4s2s4s2s==|
|-------------------------|
|-------------------------|
|-------------------------|

|-------------------------|
|-3s1-(1)--(1)---(1)------|
|-4s2-(2)--(2)---(2)------|
|-------------------------|
|-------------------------|
|-------------------------|

|---------------------------------------------------5-------|
|--------------5-8p5--8b10==(8)-(8)-8r(8)-5-------5---7s10--|
|----7b9==(7)r------------------------------7-5-6-----------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------|

|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-(10)p0----------------5-8p5--8b10==(8)-(8)--8r(8)p5-----------5---|
|-------------7b9==(7)r-------------------------------7-5-6-(6)---6-|
|----------7--------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------|

|----------------------------|
|--5-(5)--(5)---(5)-----13---|
|----------------------------|
|----------------------------|
|----------------------------|
|----------------------------|

|---------------------------------------------------||
|-(13)b17==(13)r(13)-10---(10)----7b8==(7)r7b8==(7)r||
|---------------------------------7b9==(7)r7b9==(7)r||
|---------------------------------------------------||
|---------------------------------------------------||
|---------------------------------------------------||

|-------5---6------------------------------------|
|-(7)---5---6------------------------------------|
|-(7)---6---7-7pb9==(7)r(7)p5-7p5---5-7-7-7-7-7--|
|-------7---8---------------------7--------------|
|-------7---8------------------------------------|
|-------5---6------------------------------------|

|----------------5---6------------||
|----------------5---6----------5-||
|-7b9==(7)-(7)r--6---7------5h6---||
|----------------7---8----7-------||
|----------------7---8------------||
|----------------5---6------------||

 Guitar Solo
|--5-------------8-9--10b12==(10)r----------8b8.5-------|
|----8s10---(10)--------------------10-(10)---------10--|
|-------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------|

|--10-8-8--8----8-9--10p9-10p9--10b12==(10)r--8b8.5-------------8-9-|
|------------10--------------------------------------10-10-(10)-----|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------|

|-(9)---(9)-10p9-10b12==(10)r------8b8-5------|
|------------------------------10---------10--|
|---------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------|

|-12-----------13b15==(13)r----------13b15==(13)r-----------13b15==(13)r--13-12-10----10-------------------|
|-----10-10-10--------------10-10-10---------------10-10-10------------------------13----13p12p10-12-------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(11)--|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-10-10-10b12==(10)r-10-12p10----10-13b16==(13)-(13)b17==(13)r(13)-10-10-(10)h13--|
|-----------------------------11--------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

|-------------------------------------------------------5-----8p5---5-----------|
|-----5-8p5-8p5---5-----------------------------------5---8p5-----8---8p5-------|
|-2s6-----------7---7p5h6-------------5---5h7b9==(7)r---------------------8s7p5-|
|-------------------------7-5---5h6h7---7---------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------7-------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

|-----------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------5-----------------------------------------------|
|---5h6-5h6---(7)-7-5h6-------------------------------------|
|-7---------------------5--(5)-----5s7-5--------------------|
|------------------------------(0)-------7s5-4-(4)-4s5-4--5-|
|-----------------------------------------------------------|

|------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------x/-----|
|--------------------------x\-x/-----|
|--4-5-4-5-4-5-4-5s7--0-0--x\-x/-----|
|-----------------------------x/-0---|

|---------------------------------------5-8-5-8-8-5-5h8p5----------------------------------|
|-----------------------------5-8-5-8-5-------------------8-5-5h8p5-----------------8-10---|
|-------------------5-7-7-5-7---------------------------------------7p5-7p5-----7s9--------|
|-------5---5-7-5-7---------------------------------------------------------7-7------------|
|--5s7----7--------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

|---------------------------------------------12b14==(12)r-||
|---13b17==(13)r==(13)--13pb17==(13)r(13)-10---------------||
|----------------------------------------------------------||
|----------------------------------------------------------||
|----------------------------------------------------------||
|----------------------------------------------------------||

|-12--------------------------------------------------------------|
|----10-(10)--5---6-----------------------------------------------|
|-------------6---7-7pb8==(7)r(7)p5-7p5---5-7-7-7-7-7-7-7b9==(7)--|
|-------------7---8---------------------7-------------------------|
|-------------7---8-----------------------------------------------|
|-------------5---6-----------------------------------------------|

|--------5---6---------------------------------5-|-5--10b12==(10)r-10-8-10b12==(10)r---------|
|--------5---6-------------------------------5---|----10b13==(10)r------10b13==(10)r------10-|
|-(7)r---6---7-7pb9==(7)r(7)p5-7p5---5---5-6-----|-------------------------------------------|
|--------7---8---------------------7---7---------|-------------------------------------------|
|--------7---8-----------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
|--------5---6-----------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|

|-10b12==(10)r---10-8b8.5---------------------------|
|-10b13==(10)r------------10-10--(10)-(10)/---10----|
|---------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------|

|-10b12==(10)r--10b12==(10)r-10-8b8.5-10b12==(10)r---------|
|-10b13==(10)r--10b13==(10)r----------------------------10-|
|----------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------|

|-10b12==(10)------(10)--10-(10)r==(10)--|
|-10b13==(10)------(10)--10-(10)r--------|
|----------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------|

|---------------------------------------5-----8p5---5------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------5---8p5-----8---8p5-8p5---5------------------------|
|--9b11==(9)r-9-7p5-7p5---5-7b9==(7)r-------------------------7---7p5-7p5----------------|
|-----------------------7-------------------------------------------------7p5-7p5---5-7--|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------7------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

|----------------------------------------------------------5-8p5---5--|
|--------------------------------------------------------5-------8----|
|--9b11==(9)r(9)-7--(7)--7--7b9==(7)r(7)p5---5-7b8==(7)r--------------|
|------------------------------------------7--------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|

|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----5b5.5-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--7-------7-5h7p5---5-------------------------------------------------------------|
|------------------7---7p5p4-5p4-5p4-5p4-5p4-5p4-5p4--5b7==(5)r(5)p3---5---3b3.5---|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------5---5-------5-|

|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------5---------------5-7b9==(7)r-7p5---5-7-|
|-------------------3-5-7-(7)---7s5-3-(3)-5s7-----------------7-----|
|-3h5p3-0-3-5-(5)-5-------------------------------------------------|

|----------------------------5---5-8p5---5-5---------8-9-|
|--------------------------5---8-------8-----8s10-10-----|
|----------------7b9==(7)r-------------------------------|
|-7s9----------------------------------------------------|
|-----7--(7)/--------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------|

|-10-10-10b12==(10)r-8---------8-10-10pb12==(10)-(10)r(10)p8--------|
|----------------------10-(10)-------------------------------10-5---|
|---------------------------------------------------------------6---|
|---------------------------------------------------------------7---|
|---------------------------------------------------------------7---|
|---------------------------------------------------------------5---|

|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------5-8p5-8p5-8p5-8p5-8b10==(8)-(8)r----------------------|
|-7-7pb9==(7)r(7)p5-7p5---5h7b9==(7)r------------------------------------7b9==(7)r-7p5---7p=|
|-8---------------------7--------------------------------------------------------------7----|
|-8-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-6-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

|------------------------------------------------------------------||
|-----5---6--------------------------------------------------------||
|-5---6---7-7pb9==(7)r(7)b9==(7)r(7)b9==(7)r(7)b9==(7)r(7)b9==(7)r-||
|-----7---8--------------------------------------------------------||
|-----7---8--------------------------------------------------------||
|-----5---6--------------------------------------------------------||

 Outro
|----------------------------4--|
|----------------------------4--|
|-7b9==(7)------(7)---(7)r---4--|
|----------------------------3--|
|----------------------------4--|
|-------------------------------|

|-(4)s5--(5)---(5)------|---------------------------------------------------|
|-(4)s5--(5)---(5)------|------------5-8p5-8b10==(8)---(8)r(8)--------------|
|-(4)s5--(5)---(5)------|--7b9==(7)r----------------------------7-6---------|
|-(3)s4--(4)---(4)------|-------------------------------------------5-(5)/--|
|-(4)s5--(5)---(5)------|---------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------|---------------------------------------------------|

|------------------------------------------|
|-------------5-8p5--7s10--(10)s13s=15s=17-|
|---7b9==(7)r------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------|

|--------------------------------------------------------------|
|-(17)-------7b8==(7)r=7b8===(7)r(7)b8==(7)r(7)b8==(7)r(7)b10==|
|------------7b9==(7)r(7)b9==(7)r(7)b9==(7)r(7)b9==(7)r(7)b11==|
|--------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------|

|-----------------|
|-(7)r------------|
|-(7)r------------|
|-----------------|
|-----------------|
|-----------------|

|--------------------------------------------------5------------|
|-------------5-8p5-8b10==(8)--(8)-8r(8)p5-------5---7s10-(10)--|
|---7b9==(7)r------------------------------7-5-6----------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------|

|--------------------------------------------|
|------------5-8p5--8b10==(8)---(8)---(8)r---|
|--7b9==(7)r---------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------|


|-6s7---(7)-(7)/---/19---------------|
|-6s7---(7)-(7)/-------/19-----------|
|-6s7---(7)-(7)/-----------/19-------|
|-5s6---(6)-(6)/---------------/19---|
|-6s7---(7)-(7)/---------------------|
|----------------------------------0-|

|---------------------------|
|-5------(5)---(5)-(5)\-----|
|-5------(5)---(5)-(5)\-----|
|-4------(4)---(4)-(4)\-----|
|-5------(5)---(5)-(5)\-----|
|-----------------------(0)-|

|----5------------------------------------------------|
|----5---6--------------------------------------------|
|----6---7-7pb9==(7)r(7)p5-7p5---5-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7b9==|
|----7---8---------------------7----------------------|
|----7---8--------------------------------------------|
|----5---6--------------------------------------------|

|-----------------------------------------------8p5-----|-x------------*|
|------------5---6----------------------------------8p5-|--------------*|
|-(7)--(7)r--6---7-7pb9==(7)r(7)p5-7p5---5--------------|---------7----*|
|------------7---8---------------------7---7p5----------|-----7---8----*|
|------------7---8--------------------------------------|-----7---8----*|
|------------5---6--------------------------------------|-----5---6----*|

This is a fantastic song, one of my favorites actually, and a great example of someone taking the traditional blues form to another level.