Best Led Zeppelin Outtakes

Photo: p_a_h from United Kingdom / CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)

Led Zeppelin was not a band that recorded a great deal of material that they left unreleased. There are multiple reasons for this. First and foremost was the simple fact that they did not have a long recording career due to the tragic passing of John Bonham in 1980. Led Zeppelin released their first studio album in 1969 entitled Led Zeppelin and their last in 1979 entitled In Through The Out Door. Over a ten year period, the band released ten albums. Ten freaking magical albums that defined the career of the greatest rock band of all time.

One of the other reasons Led Zeppelin did not leave behind a lot of unreleased material according to Jimmy Page as they put most of the stuff they recorded for each album onto the albums. The band released almost an album a year and did some major touring, so they did not have a lot of time to spend on each album. There were also many other personal issues like any band or artist or human being has that we will not get into here that did, however, seem to affect their output.

Led Zeppelin was not a singles band. They only released eleven singles during their ten year run. Only one of them made it to the U.S. Billboard Top 10. But who cares. Led Zeppelin was an album band. It was all about their complete albums. It was about their live shows, it was about every great song on every brilliant album they released. Nonetheless, when a band does not release that many singles, there’s less of a chance for unreleased b sides to make it onto those singles. In Led Zeppelin’s case, it only happened once. Their only unreleased B-side was the great track “Hey Hey What Can I Do,” which was the B-side to the “Immigrant Song,” single released in 1970.

During their initial run, the band released no greatest hits albums, no compilation albums and only one live album which the band always argued was a soundtrack album and not an official live album. Even after the band stopped recording, Atlantic Records was very slow at releasing any sort of compilation. The Coda Outtakes album was released shortly after the passing of John Bonham but that was about it. Most Led Zeppelin fans were not initially happy with Coda when it was released. The 1980s saw the entire Led Zeppelin catalog released on very poor-sounding CDs.

It was not until the 1990s when Atlantic Records started to release Led Zeppelin compilation sets that we began to hear Led Zeppelin Outtakes. Most of the releases were remastered catalog albums that sounded a little better than the 1980s masters. There were a few box sets and various compilations, Once again there was not much-unreleased stuff issued with just a few exceptions. It was not until 1997 and the release of the BBC Sessions that Led Zeppelin fans were presented with some really nice unreleased material.

The next series of great Led Zeppelin releases that contained the most unreleased Led Zeppelin material ever issued occurred when Jimmy Page once again remastered the entire catalog in the 2010s. However, this time, Atlantic Records released each album with a companion disk of unreleased tracks from the catalog albums. Most of the unreleased tracks were rough mixes, alternate mixes, and other variations of songs. Even the 1997 BBC Sessions Two CD set was released in a remastered version with an extra disk. These CD reissues released in the 2010s contained a vast amount of unreleased material. The two that stood out the most were Led Zeppelin I which contained a live Led Zeppelin concert on the companion disk and the new version of Coda which contained the largest amount of unreleased material which made sense because Coda was originally an outtakes album.

This Best Led Zeppelin Outtakes list takes a look at the best Led Zeppelin outtakes both studio and live that were ever released on any of the Led Zeppelin albums that were released between 1969 and 1979. It doesn’t matter when they were recorded or released as long as they were not included on the original versions of Led Zeppelin’s vinyl catalog. Some of these tracks have been released on various Led Zeppelin releases. These Led Zeppelin Outtakes have all been officially released.

# 12 – Jennings Farm Blues

Led Zeppelin III (Deluxe Edition) [2014 Remaster]

We open up this Led Zeppelin Outtakes list with the classic outtake “Jennings Farm Blues.” This one was pretty popular among Led Zeppelin fans, Couldn’t leave this one off. This is the rough mix version found on the Led Zeppelin III remaster.

# 11 – The Ocean (Live)

We continue this Led Zeppelin Outtakes list with a live version of “The Ocean.” This was an outtake from the 1976 The Song Remains The Same soundtrack. It was released on the 2007 CD version of the Soundtrack.

# 10 – Key to the Highway / Trouble in Mind (Rough Mix)

This very cool instrumental track was released on the 2014 deluxe edition bonus disc from the Led Zeppelin III album. Just take a listen to that very cool sounding guitar riff Jimmy Page plays while Robert Plant is jamming away on harp. This sounds like it was recorded in 1929.

# 9 – Ribs & All / Carrot Pod Pod (Pod) (Reference Mix)

The track “Ribs & All / Carrot Pod Pod,” was released on the 2015 deluxe edition bonus disc of Led Zeppelin’s Presence album. This one is very heavily based on John Paul Jones piano playing. There are no vocals. A very interesting piece of music.

# 8 -White Summer / Black Mountain Side (Live in Paris,69)

Led Zeppelin’s great debut album Led Zeppelin I was reissued in 2014 with a bonus disk that contained a live 1969 concert from the Olympia Theater in Paris, France. The live recording of “White Summer / Black Mountain Side,” was from this show. This is essentially a long live Jimmy Page guitar solo performance that is almost ten minutes long. He gave the boys in the band a nice break during this one, just like Bonham would do later on in the set. Oh, the 70s concert experience!

# 7 – Baby Come On Home

The great reissue of Led Zeppelin outtakes album Coda had some really good stuff on the 2015 issue. “Baby Come On Home,” had originally appeared on Led Zeppelin’s 1993 Box Set. However, it sounded better on the 2015 Coda remaster. This is fantastic! Robert Plant rock this!

# 6 – The Girl I Love She Got Long Black Wavy Hair

First released on the 1997 BBC Sessions 2 CD set. This one blew us all away. Jimmy Page starts this one off with a variation of one of his most famous guitar riffs of all time. Do not miss listening to this one. Once again, Robert Plant’s vocals will knock you out.

# 5 – Rock and Roll (Sunset Sound Mix)

This fantastic mix of “Rock and Roll,” was also part of the 2018 Record Day special release. It’s cool to hear different mixes of songs that we have been listening to our entire lives.

# 4 – Sugar Mama

Led Zeppelins’ recording of “Sugar Mama,” is one of our favorite rare Led Zeppelin gems. This version was released on the 2015 deluxe issue of Coda. This was one of the strongest tracks released on Coda.

# 3 – Sunshine Woman

Robert Plant is amazing on this great track that was heavily bootlegged over the years. This version of “Sunshine Woman,” was released on the remastered BBC Sessions CD. How coudl you not love this one! Its pure rocking blues Led Zeppelin style! It may not be the best sound quality but the performance is killer.

# 2 – Traveling Riverside Blues

As we get close to the end of this Led Zeppelin outtakes list we turn to two pretty big ones that have been around for a while. “Traveling Riverside Blues,” is a Led Zeppelin rare track that appeared on more Led Zeppelin CDs than any other outtakes or live cuts that were not initially released on the 1970s albums. It first appeared on 1990’s Led Zeppelin Boxed Set. It next appeared on the 1997 Led Zeppelin BBC Sessions CD which is the version that appears here. It also appeared on the 2015 Coda reissue.

# 1 – Hey Hey What Can I Do

There was never any doubt that this great Led Zeppelin song released as a B-side in 1970 would stand in the number one position on our best Led Zeppelin outtakes list. I still remember the day I brought this single in the 1970s and flipped it over and heard this great song. Moments like that you never forget.

There is plenty more Led Zeppelin on ClassicRockHistory.com – Check out all our other Led Zeppelin articles below…….

Top 10 Led Zeppelin Songs

Top 10 Led Zeppelin Deep Tracks List

Led Zeppelin Albums Ranked

Best Led Zeppelin Box Sets

Top 10 Led Zeppelin Album Covers

Best Led Zeppelin Outtakes

Complete Led Zeppelin Discography, CDs, Vinyl, Compilations & Songs

Led Zeppelin I Album Review

Led Zeppelin II Album Review

Led Zeppelin III Album Review

Led Zeppelin Houses Of The Holy Album Review

Led Zeppelin In Through The Out Door Album Review

What It Was Like To Experience A 1970’s Led Zeppelin Concert

The Story Behind Led Zeppelin’s “Travelling Riverside Blues”

Why Led Zeppelin’s Blueberry Hill Show Was One Of Their Best

Read Why Led Zeppelin By Led Zeppelin Book Is So Worth Owning

50 Years Later, Led Zeppelin Is Still The Best Ever

9 Classic Rock Bands That Did Great Led Zeppelin Covers

How Led Zeppelin’s “Hey Hey What Can I Do,” Surprised Everyone

Don’t Miss Led Zeppelin’s Brilliant Performance of Kashmir in 2007

Best Cover Versions of Led Zeppelin’s Black Dog

Best Cover Versions Of Led Zeppelin’s “Rock and Roll.”

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