"Heartbreaker"

"Heartbreaker" is the fifth song off of "Led Zeppelin II" and the hardest rocker on the album...one of the hardest rockers off any Zeppelin album for that matter. The song itself was recorded in May, 1969 at A&R Studios in New York City with Jimmy acting as producer naturally, and pioneer engineer Eddie Kramer working the board alongside him. The intro riff to this song is one of the most recognized in all of rock and roll, and the solo is consistently ranked as one of Jimmy's best.


The song is noted for it's rapid fire breakdown, and lightning fast hammer ons and pull offs that would inspire a generation of young guitarist to follow. It is alleged that a young Eddie Van Halen saw the band live in 1972 at the L.A. Forum and got the idea of employing the finger-tapping technique he employed on the enigmatic guitar solo "Eruption" from Page's quick hammer ons and pull offs in "Heartbreaker".

Eddie Van Halen tapping the night away

One of the more enigmatic portions of the song is the acapellea guitar solo Page played in the middle of the number. Something that is not commonly known about the solo is that Jimmy recorded it by himself with just Eddie Kramer around and added it after the song had already been "completed. The solo itself is actually in a completely different pitch from the rest of the song.

Jimmy remembered the solo and related how it came about in 1993,  "I was always trying to do something different, or something that no one else had thought of. But the interesting thing about the solo is that it was recorded after we had already finished "Heartbreaker" - it was an afterthought. That whole section was recorded in a different studio and it was sort of slotted in the middle. If you notice, the whole sound of the guitar is different." Jimmy was also asked if the solo was composed or improvised on the spot, "No it was made up on the spot. I think it was one of the first things I played through a Marshall."

The solo has earned numerous accolades as has the song itself in it's entirety. Guitar World Magazine listed the solo at number 16 on their list of greatest guitar solo's of all time. Master shredder and acclaimed guitar virtuoso Steve Vai later related on on the solo's impact on him, "This one [Heartbreaker] had the biggest impact on me as a youth. It was defiant, bold, and edgier than hell. It really is the definitive rock guitar solo." On an interesting note, the band Nirvana actually played a cover of "Heartbreaker" at their first ever show at a house in Raymond, Washington on March 7, 1987 in Raymond Washington. A recording of this show, and the song itself can be heard on the Nirvana box set "With the Lights Out".

Steve Vai

For this song I of course used my Marshall Haze 40, and picked out my Gibson Les Paul Classic and included an Ibanez Tube Screamer in the mix. The solo is a beast!!

e:-------|-----------------------|-----------------------------------|
B:-------|-----------------------|-----------------------------------|
G:-------|-----------------------|-----------------------------------|
D:-------|-----------0--1-2------|---------------0--1-2--------------|
A:-------|---0--3~---------------|---0-0-0-0-3~----------------------|
E:--3b---|------------------3b---|-----------------------3b----------|

[Riff 2]
e:--------------------|----------------------------------------------|
B:--------------------|----------------------------------------------|
G:--------------------|----------------------------------------------|
D:--------2--3-4------|-------------2--3-4---------------------------|
A:--2--5--------------|--2-2-2-2-5-----------------------------------|
E:----------------5b--|---------------------5b-----------------------|

[Riff 3]
e:------------------------|------------------------------------------|
B:------------------------|------------------------------------------|
G:------------------------|------------------------------------------|
D:------------3--4-5------|---------------3--4-5---------------------|
A:--3~---6~---------------|---3-3-3-3-6~-----------------------------|
E:--------------------6b--|-----------------------6b-----------------|

[Riff 4]
e:-----------------------|-------------------------------------------|
B:-----------------------|-------------------------------------------|
G:-----------------------|-------------------------------------------|
D:-----------5--6-7------|---------------5--6-7----------------------|
A:--5~---8~--------------|---5-5-5-5-8~------------------------------|
E:------------------8b---|----------------------8b-------------------|

[Riff 5]
e:---------------------------|---------------------------------------|
B:---------------------------|---------------------------------------|
G:---------------------------|---------------------------------------|
D:------------7--8-9---------|-------------------7--8-9--------------|
A:--7~--10~------------------|----7-7-7-7--10~-----------------------|
E:--------------------10b----|---------------------------10b---------|

[Fill 1]
e:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
B:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
G:------7---7---7---7-7-7--9-9-9-------------------------------------|
D:--7s9---9---9---9--------------------------------------------------|
A:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

Progression:

[Riff 1] x2
[Riff 2] x1
[Riff 1] x1

 A5         D      A
Hey fellas have you heard the ...
     D   A
It won't take long until someone can ...
     D A
Her style is new but the face's ....
          D        A
But from her eyes a different smile like that of one who knows.....
 D  A  D  A  D  A

[Riff 1] x2
[Riff 2] x1
[Riff 1] x1

       A5          D   A
Well it's been ten years and maybe ....
      D    A
The best years of my life gone....
    D A
Some people cry and some people ...
         D        A
But I'll just keep on rollin'....

 D  A  D  A  D  A

With [Riff 3] x2:

People talkin' all around 'bout ...
, I know where ...

With [Riff 4] x1:

One thing I do have on my mind, ...

With [Riff 5] x1:

It's the way you call me another ...

[Fill 1] x2

Wallop an E chord, then break into the solo:

e:--------------------|--------------------|-------------------------|
B:--------------------|--------------------|-------------------------|
G:--2~~~h5p2p0--------|--2~~~h5p2p0--------|-------------------------|
D:--------------2p0---|-------------2p0----|-------------------------|
A:------------------3-|-----------------3--|-------------------------|
E:--------------------|--------------------|-------------------------|

e:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
B:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
G:-2~~h5p2p0h5p2p0h5p2p0h5p2p0h5p2p0h5p2p0-h5b8r7p2p0-h5b8r7p2p0-----|
D:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
A:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
          *  *

e:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
B:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
G:-h5b8r7p2p0-h5b8r7p2p0-h5b8r7p2p0-h5b8r7p2p0---5b9r5b9r5b9r5b9r5---|
D:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
A:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
     *  *    *       *    *   *   *   *

e:----------------|-----------------------|--------------------------|
B:----------------|-----------------------|--------------------------|
G:----5-7b9-7b9---|-----5--7b9-7b9r7-5----|----5-7b9r7b9r7b9r7b9~----|
D:--7-------------|--7-----------------7--|--7-----------------------|
A:----------------|-----------------------|--------------------------|
E:----------------|-----------------------|--------------------------|

e:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
B:------------------------------------------5-5--8p5-5---5-5--8p5----|
G:-7b9r7-5-----7b9r7-5-----7b9r7-5----5-7b-------------7----------7b9|
D:---------7-----------7-----------7---------------------------------|
A:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

e:-------------------------------------8p5-7---------8p5-7-----5h8p5-|
B:--5-8p5--5-5-5-5-8p5-------5--8p5-5--------5h7--5--------5h7-------|
G:---------------------7--7b-----------------------------------------|
D:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
A:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

e:------8p5-7p5--5------5---8--11--11p8---10p8-8---------------------|
B:-7-5-------------/10----------------------------8h10---------------|
G:-----------------------------------------------------8-9-8-8-9--6-7|
D:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
A:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

e:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
B:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
G:--7---4-5-4--------------4-5p4-------------------------------------|
D:------------6-5------4-5--------7----7-7--4h5p4---4h5p4------------|
A:----------------0-7---------------0-------------7-------7-0-0-4-3--|
E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

e:-----------|------------------------5------------------------------|
B:-----------|---------------------5-----8p5-------------------------|
G:-----------|-------------2--4s6--------------7b9--8p7-5--7p5-------|
D:-----------|---------2-4-------------------------------------7p5---|
A:--5-3-4----|-0--2-4----------------------------------------------7-|
E:--------3~-|-------------------------------------------------------|

e:----------------------------------5--------------------------------|
B:--------------------------------5---8p5-8p5------------------------|
G:---------5--7--5h7p5---5-7--7b9-------------7-8-8b---5-5h7--5----5-|
D:--5h6h7--------------7----------------------------------------7----|
A:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

e:--------------5--5-------------------------------------------------|
B:------------5-------8~~-----------9-------7-------5-----4-----3~~\-|
G:--5--5h6--6--------------------------------------------------------|
D:---------------------------0---9------7-------6------5-----4~~~~~\-|
A:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

Repeat this 8 times:

    A7  A13sus4  A7   A6
e:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
B:---2------3------5-------7-----5------3----------------------------|
G:---0------0------0-------0-----0------0----------------------------|
D:---2------4------5-------7-----5------4----------------------------|
A:---0------0---------------------------0----------------------------|
E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

After the above riff repeats 4 times, these riffs enter in tandem:

 e:--3~~--------------------5~~------------------|
 B:--1~~--------------------3~~------------------|
     -- G:--0~~--------------------0~~------------------| --
     | D:--2~~--------------------4~~------------------|  |
     | A:--0~~--------------------0~~------------------|  |
     | E:----------------------------------------------|  |
     |          |
     | e:----------------------|-----------------------|  |
     | B:----------------------|-----------------------|  |
     | G:----------------------|-----------------------|  |
     -- D:------------5-5--4--2-|------------5-5--4--2--| --
 A:--0~---3-4------------|--0~---3-4-------------|
 E:----------------------|-----------------------|

Next solo break:
(the two-bar lower riff shown above repeats 4 times under solo)

e:------------------------------------5----------8-9--10p9-10p8-10b12|
B:------------------------------5--7-----/10~~-----------------------|
G:------------2-------2-2--5-6---------------------------------------|
D:------------2---4--------------------------------------------------|
A:-------3s4---------------------------------------------------------|
E:--4s5--------------------------------------------------------------|

e:-10b12-10b12r10---8-9-10-8-9---------------------------------------|
B:------------------------------10--10b12-10b11-10b11-10b11-10b11-10-|
G:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
D:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
A:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

e:-----------------12--12b14~---12b14--12b13--12b14-12b13--12b15~----|
B:----8---------10---------------------------------------------------|
G:-----------11------------------------------------------------------|
D:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
A:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

e:--12b14--12b13r12p10-----10----------------------------------------|
B:---------------------13-----13---10h13p10----10-13-10h13p10-----10-|
G:------------------------------------------12----------------12-----|
D:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
A:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

e:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
B:-13-10h13p10-----10-13-10h13p10-----10-13--10-12-10-10h12p10----10-|
G:-------------12-----------------12---------------------------11----|
D:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
A:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

e:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
B:--13p10-12p10-----10h13p10--10h12p10-----10h13p10-12-10-10-13b15---|
G:--------------11---------------------11----------------------------|
D:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
A:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

e:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
B:--13b17~----10----13p10-----10--13b17~~~--13b17~~--13b17--10-----13|
G:---------------13-------13-----------------------------------12----|
D:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
A:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

e:--------------------------|
B:--10------------5--5------|
G:----------7b9-------------|
D:--------------------------|
A:--------------------------|
E:--------------------------|

At this point another guitar enters banging out these chords:
     A  G   A  C   A G
e:---------------------------|
B:---5---3---5~--8---5--3----|
G:---6---4---6~--9---6--4----|
D:---7---5---7~--10--7--5----|
A:---7---5---7~--10--7--5----|
E:---------------------------|

e:---------------------------------------------------5---------------|
B:-------------------------------------------------5---/10~~-10b13---|
G:--------------------------------------2---4--5s6-------------------|
D:----7-------------------------------2---4--------------------------|
A:-------3--0-0----------------3s4-----------------------------------|
E:----------------3--3--5--5-----------------------------------------|

e:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
B:--10b11-10b13-10b11-10b14-10b14~~~~~---10b13r10--------8--8--8--8--|
G:---------------------------------------------------/7--9--9--9--9--|
D:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
A:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

        (second guitar plays a high A chord)
e:---------------------------------------14p12-----14p12-----14p12---|
B:--8---8---8-8-8-8--8-8-8-8--8-8-8-8----------13--------13--------13|
G:--9---9---9-9-9-9--9-9-9-9--9-9-9-9--------------------------------|
D:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
A:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

e:--14p12------14--12---12--12---------15----15----15~---15~---15~---|
B:--------13------------12--13-----/17----17----17----17----17----17\|
G:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
D:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
A:-------------------------------------------------------------------|
E:-------------------------------------------------------------------|

D   A
  Work so hard I can't ...
D   A
  Abuse my love a thousand ...
D   A
  Heartbreaker your time has ....
D   A
   Go away ...

 D  A  D  A  D  A

 D  A  D  A  D  A

[Riff 1] x1 /w lyrics: