Custard Pie

Custard Pie
Appears on	Physical Graffiti
Published by	Flames of Albion Music
Registration	ASCAP 330213031
Release date	24 February 1975
Recorded	January - February 1974
Genre	Blues rock, funk rock
Language	English
Length	4 min 13 sec
Composer	Jimmy Page, Robert Plant
Label	Swan Song Records
Producer	Jimmy Page
Engineer	Ron Nevison & Keith Harwood

'Custard Pie' is the first track on English rock band Led Zeppelin's sixth album, Physical Graffiti, released in 1975. The lyrics to the riff-heavy song pay homage to the blues songs of the 1920s

Overview

'Custard Pie' contains a wah-wah solo by guitarist Jimmy Page, which was played through an ARP synthesizer. It also features a Hohner Clavinet D6 played by John Paul Jones, with a sound like a very percussive guitar track, and a mouth harp by vocalist Robert Plant.

Despite being rehearsed for Led Zeppelin's 1975 US Tour, this track was never completely played live at Led Zeppelin concerts. On Led Zeppelin's 1977 US Tour the band briefly performed a portion of the song as part of their acoustic set during a concert in Houston, Texas on 21 May 1977.

In later years, Robert Plant incorporated a chorus of the song on the end of the live version of his solo song, 'Tall Cool One'. Page also produced his own live version on his Outrider tour. In 1999, Page again performed the song, this time whilst on his tour with the Black Crowes. A version of 'Custard Pie' performed by Page and the Black Crowes can be found on the album Live at the Greek.

Credits

Personnel

Musicians: Jimmy Page – electric guitar, producer, remastering, digital remastering Robert Plant – vocals, harmonica John Paul Jones – Clavinet D6, bass pedals John Bonham - drums, percussion Production: Peter Grant – executive producer Ron Nevison - engineer, mixing Keith Harwood – engineer, mixing Joe Sidore - original CD mastering engineer (mid-1980s) George Marino - remastered CD engineer (1990)