Finding Zoso: Discovering the Music of Jimmy Page: "Since I've Been Loving You"

One of the first tracks prepared by Led Zeppelin for their third album, "Since I've Been Loving You" has gone down in the annals of blues/rock as one of the most fantastic pieces of slow minor blues ever put to tape. "Since I've Been Loving You" had it's genesis as one of the pieces due for inclusion on the band's previous album, "Led Zeppelin II" but due to run-time was bumped, supposedly in favor of "Whole Lotta Love" but that claim is apocryphal at best. It is the only song on the album that the band had played in a live setting prior to putting it down on tape for commercial release.

Despite the fact that the song was mostly fully formed by the time they decided to record it for "Led Zeppelin III" the band had an extremely difficult time getting it down; Jimmy in particular. They elected to record it as a live take with John Paul Jones playing a Hammond Organ, using the bass pedals for the bass line. Jimmy, had tremendous difficulty with his solo midway through the song that made for a stop/start session. It has been said that out of frustration, he left the recording room, and wandered around the studio, until he stumbled upon an amplifier and decided to plug it in and play around. Shortly thereafter after noodling through this new amp for a bit, he re-entered the session and nailed the solo that appears on the track today.

In an interview with Guitar World, Jimmy described the recording process on "Since I've Been Loving You", "This was a 'live' track. John Paul plays organ and foot bass pedals at the same time. My guitar solo? It could have been better but y'know. You are never satisfied with a performance, although of course there are those lucky musicians who can play it perfect every time. On these type of numbers, John decides his own drum beat to play. We might occasionally suggest the use of conga drums on a particular number, but he always fixes his own beat." Despite Jimmy's misgivings about his effort on the solo, "Led Zeppelin III" engineer Terry Manning hailed it as '"the best rock guitar solo of all time." A claim many would be hard pressed to argue.

Nailed it!

As a result of the song being played live, one unique audible feature of "Since I've Been Loving You" is the presence of a slight squeaking sound that becomes very noticeable during the quieter portions of the song. Jimmy spoke on this issue in an interview in 1993, "The only real problem I can remember encountering was when we were putting the first boxed set together. There was an awfully squeaky bass drum pedal on "Since I've Been Loving You". It sounds louder and louder every time I hear it! [laughs]. That was something that was obviously sadly overlooked at the time."

The band played the song live on every tour from 1970 until 1980, it eventually took on the roll as a showpiece song for Jimmy to solo around, and a definite crowd pleaser. Around 1976 after the release of "Presence" Jimmy would incorporate elements of the solo from "Tea For One" into his solo on "Since I've Been Loving You" as they were both slow blues songs in the key of C Minor. In 1994, Jimmy and Robert Plant would re-record the song for their album "No Quarter: Jimmy Page and Robert Plant Unledded", and the song would ultimately be included in the set-list for the band's reunion show at the O2 Arena in 2007.

Can someone get this man a can of oil???

Here is the tab for "Since I've Been Loving You". It's by no means an easy song to play, just make sure if you get lost to find your way back to the C Minor Pentatonic Scale and fake your way through the solo if you have to. As long as you get the beginning and ending nailed, everything else is gravy!

 INTRO 
|-----------8------|----------------------11-10-8-10-11-|
|---------8---11-8-|-11b13=======(11)r------------------|
|------------------|------------------------------------|
|------------------|------------------------------------|
|------------------|------------------------------------|
|------------------|------------------------------------|
  Fm
|-10-8---10-8-----------------------------------|
|------9------9-9-9--8--------------------------|
|----------------------10---7-8-10-7-8----------|
|--------------------------------------10-8-----|
|-------------------------------------------10--|
|-----------------------------------------------|
  Cm
|-------------------------------------|------------------------------11-13-|
|-------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
|-----------------------8p7----7-8-10-|-10s12------(12)-12-12--(12)--------|
|-------8s10--(10)----------10--------|------------------------------------|
|-8p6---------------------------------|------------------------------------|
|-----8-------------------------------|------------------------------------|
  Fm
|-15p13p11-13-15-13-11-13-13------------------------|
|----------------------------13-13-(13)--(13)--(13)-|
|---------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------|

|-13h15p13-11-13-15-13-11-13----|

|----------------------------13-|

|-------------------------------|

|-------------------------------|

|-------------------------------|

|-------------------------------|

|-------------------------------8-----------------------|
|-(13)---(13)--8s11---------7s8---11-8------------------|
|-------------------10s12--------------11-10-8----10----|
|----------------------------------------------10----10-|
|-------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------|
  Cm
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------8-------11-13-13-|
|-8p7------------------8p7---------------8p7----8-10---10s12----------|
|-----10-8-8-8-(8)-(8)-----10-8-8-8-(8)------10-----------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|

|------------11-13-13b15-13-11-13-13b15==(13)r------|
|-13---11h13----------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------|
  Gm
|------------------------------------10-13-13b15-13b15====(13)r\------|
|-11p8----8h11p8----8-8-(8)-------11-----------------------------9-11-|
|------10--------10---------10s12-------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
  Ab
|--------11-------11----13b15--13b15-13--13b15--|
|-11b13-----11b13----11-------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------|
  Cm/Eb       G7/Cm Eb7    D7                Dbmaj7
|-11---------------------|-------------------------------------||
|----13-(13)\------------|-------------------------------------||
|------------------------|---5------5b7-5------5------5b7-5----||
|-------------------/5---|-4---------------4-3-----------------||
|------------------------|-------------------------------------||
|-------------------/6---|-5----(5)--------5-4----(4)--------4-||
 1st Verse
  Cm                 Fm
|------------------|-------------------------|
|------------------|-------------------------|
|------------/8-/8S|=1--------8-10b12--10b12-|
|------------------|-------------------------|
|-3----------------|-------------------------|
|------------------|-------------------------|
  Cm
|---------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------|
|-10b12----------10pb12r(10)-8-10-10b12-|
|---------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------|

|---------------------------------------------------|
|---------------/11b13==(11)r-11-8------------------|
|-8--------------------------------10-8p7----7-8-10-|
|---10-10---------------------------------10--------|
|---------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------|
  Fm
|-------------------------|------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------|------------------------------------------|
|-10--------------1-3-3s5-|-3s5-3-1-1s3s1-1s3-1-1s3s1-1s3-1-1s3s1-3--|
|----10-10----------------|------------------------------------------|
|-----------------3-5-5s6-|-5s6-5-3-3s5s3-3s5-3-3s5s3-3s5-3-3s5s3-5--|
|-------------------------|------------------------------------------|
  Cm
|-------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------|
|-3s5---------------------------------|
|-------------10-12-12-13-12-12-10----|
|-5s6------------------------------13-|
|-------------------------------------|

|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------11-------------------------------------------|
|----------10h11p10-------12----10h11p10----10----------------------------|
|-10-12-13----------13-10----------------13----13-10-10-12-13p12p10-10-8\-|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|

  Gm                      Ab          Fm
|-3--3-(3)---(3)--------|---------------------------|
|-3--3-(3)---(3)--------|---------------------------|
|-0--0-(0)---(0)--------|---------------------------|
|-5--5-(5)---(5)----5-5-|-6--6s8-6--5-3--3s5-3--3s5-|
|-----------------------|---------------------------|
|-------------------3-3-|-4--4s6-4--3-1--1s3-1--1s3-|

  Cm/EbG7/DCm  Eb7   D7                Dbmaj7
|------------------|---------------------------------------||
|------------------|---------------------------------------||
|-/5---4---5-------|---5----5b7r(5)------5------5b7r(5)----||
|--------------5---|-4---------------4-3-------------------||
|-/6---5---6-------|---------------------------------------||
|--------------6---|-5----5----------5-4----(4)----------4-||
 2nd Verse
  Cm
|---------------------------------------------------|
|-------4-------3-----3-(3)-4-----4-------3-----4---|
|-----5---5---5---5-----------5-----5-(5)---5-----5-|
|---5-------5-------5-----------5-------------5-----|
|-3---------------------(3)------------3------------|
|---------------------------------------------------|
  Fm
|-----------------3-----1-------3-----3-----1---------|
|---1-----1-------1-------1-(1)---1-----1-----1---1---|
|-----1-----1-(1)---1---------------1-----1-----1-----|
|-------3-------------3-------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------|
|-1------------1-------------1------------------------|
  Cm
|-------------------------------------------------------|
|-----4-------3-------3-------4-----4-------3------3----|
|-------5---5---5---5---5-(5)---5-----5-(5)---5-------5-|
|---5-----5-------5---------------5------5------5-(5)---|
|-3-----------------------(3)---------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------|

|-----------------------------------------------------------|
|---4------4--------3------3--------4------4----------------|
|-----5-------5-(5)---5-------5-(5)---5-------5-5-5-5-5-3---|
|-5-----5-(5)----5------5-(5)----5------5-(5)---------------|
|-----------------------------------------------6-6-6-6-5-5-|
|-----------------------------------------------------------|
  Fm
|---------------------------------------------|--------------^1-----1--|
|-----------1-------------1-------------1-----|--------------^1-----1--|
|-1-------1---1---------1---1---------1---1---|------------0-^1-----1--|
|-------3-------3-(3)-3-------3-(3)-3-------3-|---3-(3)------^3-----3--|
|-3---3------------3-------------3------------|-3----------------------|
|---------------------------------------------|------------------------|
  Cm
|---------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------|
|-3s5-5-5-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x----5-5-5-5-5----5-5-5-5-5-|
|-------------x-x-x-x-x-x----5-5-5-5-5----5-5-5-5-5-|
|-------------x-x-x-x-x-x-/6-6-6-6-6-6-/6-6-6-6-6-6-|
|---------------------------------------------------|

|-------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------|
|-5-4-5-4-5-4-5-4-5-4-5-4-5-4-5-4-5-4-5-4-5-4-5\--|
|-------------------------------------------------|
|-6-5-6-5-6-5-6-5-6-5-6-5-6-5-6-5-6-5-6-5-6-5-6\--|
|-------------------------------------------------|
  Gm                  Ab          Fm
|-3---3---3---(3)---|---------------------------|
|-3---3---3---(3)---|---------------------------|
|-0---0---0---(0)---|---------------------------|
|-5---5---5---(5)---|-6--6s8-6--5-3--3s5-3--3s5-|
|-------------------|---------------------------|
|-------------------|-4--4s6-4--3-1--1s3-1--1s3-|
  Cm/E G7/DCm  Eb7
|------------------|
|------------------|
|-/5---4---5-------|
|--------------5---|
|-/6---5---6-------|
|--------------6---|
  D7                Dbmaj7
|--------------------------------------------------------------||
|------------------------------------------8-11p8-11p8----8----||
|------------------------------------10b12-------------11---10-||
|--------------------------------------------------------------||
|--------------------------------------------------------------||
|--------------------------------------------------------------||

|--------------------------------------------------------------||
|--------------------------------------------------------------||
|---5----5b7r(5)------5------5b7r(5)---------------------------||
|-4---------------4-3------------------------------------------||
|--------------------------------------------------------------||
|-5----5----------5-4----(4)----------------------------4------||
 Guitar Solo
  C                                  Cm                                                                                
|---------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------|
|-8----8------------------------------------------8-------------|
|---10---10-8h10p8----8-------------------------8---10-8-10-(10)|
|------------------10---10-8p6-8p6-------6-8s10-----------------|
|----------------------------------8-8-8------------------------|

|---------------------------------------------------------|

|---------------------------------------------------------|

|10p8----10p8----8------------8-10-10b12-10b12-10-8-10-10-|

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

|---------------------------------------------------------| 
|---------------------------------------------------------|

Fm
|-----------11-10-8---10-8-----------------------------------------------|
|-------8-9---------9------9-9-9-8---------------------------------------|
|-(10)-----------------------------10-8----------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------10-8s6---8-6---6-------5h6p5-----|
|----------------------------------------------8-----8---8-(8)-------8p6-|
|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
  Cm
|---------8--------------------------------------------|
|-----x-8---11-8----------------------------16-18-16---|
|----------------10b12==(10)r-10-8----8--17------------|
|----------------------------------10------------------|
|------------------------------------------------------|
|-8----------------------------------------------------|

|------------------------------15----------------------------------|
|-18b20-18b20==(18)r(18)p16-18----16b16.5-18-16-18b20-18b20==(18)r-|
|------------------------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------------------------|

|--------------------------------|

|18-18pb20r(18)p16-18-18b20-16---|

|--------------------------------|

|--------------------------------|

|--------------------------------|

|--------------------------------|

 Fm
|--16-15----------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------16----------------------------------------------------------16-|
|-----------17s15p13s12-----12-13-15--12-13-------------13--15-15b17----|
|-----------------------15------------------15--15-(15)-----------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|

|----------------------------|

|------------------13-16-13--|

|-15b17==(15)r---------------|

|----------------------------|

|----------------------------|

|----------------------------|

|------------------------------------------------------------|
|-16b20==(16)r(16)-13-16b20==(16)r(16)-13-16b20==(16)r(16)-13|
|------------------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------------------|

|-------------------------------------------------|

|-18b20-18b20-18b20-18-18pb20-18-18pb20-18-18pb20-|

|-------------------------------------------------|

|-------------------------------------------------|

|-------------------------------------------------|

|-------------------------------------------------|

 Cm                                                                                                                              
|---------------------8----------------------------------------------|
|-16----------------8---8h11p8-8-------------------------------------|
|----17-(17)\-10b12--------------10p8-10p8----8----------------------|
|------------------------------------------10---10-8h10p8----8-------|
|---------------------------------------------------------10---10p8s6|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|

Bb

|------------------------------------------------------11p8---11p8-10p8---|

|----------------------------------------------------8------8-----------10|

|---------------------------------10----8----8-10b12----------------------|

|------------------8----8-10-8-10----10---10------------------------------|

|-8p6---6---6-8s10---10---------------------------------------------------|

|-----8---8---------------------------------------------------------------|

Cm                                                                                          
|-8--------------------------------------------------------|
|---11b13==(11)r-11----------------------------------------|
|-------------------10b12--10pb11r(10)-8----8----8---------|
|----------------------------------------10---10---10-10-10|
|----------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------|

                            Bb5/C

|------------------------------------------|

|--------------------------8--------/11-11-|

|-8-10-8--------10-8---------8----8-/12----|

|---------10-10------10-10-----10----------|

|------------------------------------------|

|------------------------------------------|

 Gm
|----10-13-13b15==(13)r--13-10-13-13b15-13-10-12-10--------------|
|-11------------------------------------------------11-11---9-11-|
|----------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------|
  Ab                      Fm
|----------11-------11----13b15-13b15---13b15-13----13b15-|
|-11b13-------11b13----11---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------|

|---------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------|
|--6-----6s=8--6--------5--3----------3s=5-----3--3s=5----|
|---------------------------------------------------------|
|--4-----4s=6--4--------3--1----------1s=3-----1--1s=3----|
  Cm/Eb        G7/D                      Cm       Eb7                                              ~~
|-11---------------------8-----------------------------11-13-11--|
|----13-(13)\----------8---11-8---------------------13-----------|
|----------------10b12----------10b12-10-8-----------------------|
|------------------------------------------10-10-----------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------|

|----------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-/5-----------4-------------------------5-----------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------5--------------|
|-/6-----------5-------------------------6-----------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------6--------------|
  D7                                     Dbmaj7
|-13b15---13b15========(13)-(13)r(13)p11-13-13b14-13b15---13b15-----------|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|

|--13pb15r(13)-11b11.5==(11)r-||

|--------------11b11.5==(11)r-||

|-----------------------------||

|-----------------------------||

|-----------------------------||

|-----------------------------||

|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------5----------5b7r=(5)--------------------------5-----------5b7r(5)----|
|--4-----------------------------------4--------3---------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--5-------------5---------------------5--------4------------(4)------------|
 3rd Verse
  Cm
|---------------------------------|
|--------------------13\----------|
|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|
|---------------4-----------------|
  Fm                                    Cm
|-------------------------------------|-------------|
|-------------------------------------|-4-----------|
|-----3-5b7-5b7-5-3-5p3-5-------------|-5-----------|
|---5---------------------5-----------|-5-----------|
|---------------------------3p1-------|-------------|
|-------------------------------3-3---|-------------|
  Eb                       D
|------------------------|-----------------------------------------|
|------------------------|-------------7-(7)-------7-------7-------|
|-8--8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-|-7-7-7-7-7-7---(7)-7---7---7---7---7---7-|
|-8--8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-|-7-7-7-7-7-7---(7)---7-------7-------7---|
|-6--6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-|-5-5-5-5-5-5----5------------------------|
|------------------------|-----------------------------------------|
  Cm   G7/DCm/EEb7   D7                Dbmaj7
|------------------|--------------------------------------||
|------------------|--------------------------------------||
|-/5---4---5-------|---5----5b7r(5)------5------5b7r(5)---||
|--------------5---|-4---------------4-3------------------||
|-/6---5---6-------|--------------------------------------||
|--------------6---|-5----5----------5-4----(4)-----------||
 4th Verse
  Cm
|-------------------8--10-10-10---(10)-11-11-11---(11)-10-------|
|----------8--------------------8---8------8----8--(8)----8-----|
|-----8------8----------------8---------------------------------|
|-/10---10-----10-(10)----10--------------------------------10s=|
|---------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------|
  Fm
|---1-----1---(1)-3---3---(3)-4---4-------3---1---|
|-----1-----1-(1)---1---1-------1---1-(1)---1---1-|
|-------1-----------------------------------------|
|-3------------------------3-----------3----------|
|-------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------|
  Cm
|------8-------8-------10------------11---10--------------8---10---|
|--------8-------8-(8)----8-------------8---------8-(8)-8---8----8-|
|---------------------------8--8-(8)-------------------------------|
|-3s10-----10-10---10---------10-10-------10-(10)---10-------------|
|------------------------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------------------------|
  C7
|-----12--------12-----------15-18-15---------15---------|
|--------11---------11-13s17----17--------17-----17-(17)-|
|-----------12-(12)----11s15----15----15-(15)------------|
|-/10----------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------15--|
|--------------------------------------------------------|

|------------------------------------|

|-17--------17----------17-------17--|

|----15---------15-(15)----15--------|

|------------------------------------|

|-------15-(15)-----15-----15-15-----|

|------------------------------------|

Fm
|---1-----1-------3-----3-------4-----4-------3-----3---|
|-----1-----1-(1)---1-----1-(1)---1-----1-(1)---1-----1-|
|-1-----1------1------1------1------1------1------1-----|
|-3------------3-------------3-------------3------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------|

|---1-----1-------3-----3-------4-----3-------1-----1---|
|-----1-----1-(1)---1-----1-(1)---1-----1-(1)---1-----1-|
|-1-----1------1------1------1------1------1------1-----|
|-3------------3-------------3-------------3------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------|
  Cm
|------8-------8-------10------10-------11---------------10---------8-|
|--------8-------8-(8)----8-------8-(8)----8-------8-(8)----8-----8---|
|------------------------------------------------8--------------------|
|-3s10-----10-10---10-------10-10---10-------10-10---10-------10-10---|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|

|---------8---------8---------8---------8---------8-------------------|
|-------8---------8---------8---------8---------8---------------------|
|-10b12-----10b12-----10b12-----10b12-----10b12-----10b12==(10)r-10-8-|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|

|---------------------------|

|---------------------------|

|---------------------------|

|-10-8-7--------------------|

|--------10-8-----8-10-8----|

|-------------/10-----------|

Gm                    Ab          Fm              Cm/EbG7/DCm  Eb7
|------3---(3)--------|---------------------------|-------------------|
|------3---(3)--------|---------------------------|-------------------|
|----x-0---(0)--------|---------------------------|-/5---4---5--------|
|------5---(5)----5-5-|-6--6s8-6--5-3--3s5-3--3s5-|--------------5----|
|---------------------|---------------------------|-/6---5---6--------|
|-3---------------3-3-|-4--4s6-4--3-1--1s3-1--1s3-|--------------6----|
  D7                Dbmaj7
|---------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------|
|---5----5b7r(5)------5------5b7r(5)----|
|-4---------------4-3-------------------|
|---------------------------------------|
|-5----5----------5-4----(4)----------4-|
  Ab
|-----------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------|
|-5---------------------------------------|
|-6---6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-|
|-6---------------------------------------|
|-4---4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-|
  Fm                             Cm/EbG7/DCm  Eb7
|------------------------------|------------------|
|------------------------------|------------------|
|------------------------------|-/5---4---5-------|
|-3--3s5-3--3s5-6S5S3-(3)/-5-3-|--------------5---|
|------------------------------|-/6---5---6-------|
|-1--1s3-1--1s3-4S3S1-(1)/-3-1-|--------------6---|
  D7                Dbmaj7
|--------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------|
|---5----5b7r(5)------5------5b7r(5)---|
|-4---------------4-3------------------|
|--------------------------------------|
|-5----5----------5-4----(4)-----------|
  Cm
|-----------------------------------------|-----------------------*|
|-4s3s4s3s4s3s4s3s4s3s4s3s4s3s4s3s4s3s4---|-4p3-3-4p3-3-4-3-3-----*|
|-5s4s5s4s5s4s5s4s5s4s5s4s5s4s5s4s5s4s5---|-----------------------*|
|-----------------------------------------|-----------------------*|
|-----------------------------------------|-----------------------*|
|-----------------------------------------|-----------------------*|

Finding Zoso: Discovering the Music of Jimmy Page

Saturday, August 4, 2012

"Since I've Been Loving You"

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