Trampled Under Foot by Led Zeppelin

Rock bands don't come much bigger than Led Zeppelin and at the time that this single came out they were easily the biggest band in the world.

As many people may well know, Led Zeppelin didn't release any official singles in the UK. They did release some in the USA and elsewhere, but not in the UK.
So, where did this one come from then?

"Trampled Under Foot" is taken from the bands 6th album "Physical Graffiti", which was released in 1975. The B Side of this single, "Black Country Woman", is also taken from the same album.
The single was released on Led Zeppelin's own "Swan Song" record label.

This piece from Wikipedia gives a clue as to how the "Trampled Under Foot" single came to be released in the UK.
"There were several pressings made of "Trampled Under Foot" as a single in 1975 in time for the band's Earls Court concerts (in May of 1975), but they were all shelved before being released"
As you can see from the photo above, it says "Special Limited Edition" on the record sleeve, which tends to back this up.

Those gigs at Earls Court were part of the tour celebrating the release of the "Physical Graffiti" album.
I was lucky enough to go to one of those dates at Earls Court. I don't know which night it was now, but i do remember that it was a great gig. As it happens, one of the songs that stood out for me on the night and that i can still remember it being played, was "Trampled Under Foot". For the record, others include "Kashmir" and "In My Time Of Dying", all tracks from "Physical Graffiti".

I was also lucky enough to see Led Zeppelin again, at one of their shows at Knebworth in 1979.
I thought the Earls Court gig was better by the way.
Age does have its benefits sometimes you know.

Once again, i can remember where i bought my copy of "Trampled Under Foot". This time it was in a dedicated record shop called "Whites". Another shop which has now, sadly,  bitten the dust. "Whites" will, however, feature in some more of these blog posts in the future.

I was a regular customer there around this time and knew the owners well. Hence the fact that i got to buy this single in the first place.
I remember going into the shop and one of the owners showing me a copy of "Trampled Under Foot'. Being a big fan of the band, i asked if i could buy it. I was told that, as it was rare and really just a promotional single, he could only sell it to me if i bought a Led Zeppelin album.
I don't recall what i bought, but i got my copy of "Trampled Under Foot" and if memory serves me correct, it only cost me 50 pence?

Looking on the back of the record sleeve, i can tell you that i bought "Trampled Under Foot' on 31st May 1975, which was after the Earls Court gigs. I can also tell you that it was the 221st single that i bought.
Back in those days i used to write certain dates and facts on the record sleeves and i'm now very glad that i did.

Led Zeppelin have always been one of my favourite bands and i still play their music regularly, both at home and on the radio. Although it all tends to be on CD, or even an mp3 these days.

The "Trampled Under Foot" single is the only music by Led Zeppelin that i still have on vinyl. I used to have most of their albums and even a couple of U.S singles on vinyl. But, in common with many other people, i sold much of my vinyl collection, especially my LP's, some years ago now.
A major cause for regret, but....

For me, Led Zeppelin's music still stands the test of time and sounds as good as just about anything that has been produced since.
I don't see my opinion about that changing anytime soon.