Moby Dick

"Moby Dick" is an instrumental drum solo by English rock band Led Zeppelin, featured on the band's 1969 album Led Zeppelin II. Named after the 1851 novel of the same name by Herman Melville, it was also known by the alternative titles "Pat's Delight" (early 1968–1969 version with completely different guitar riff) and "Over the Top" (with "Out on the Tiles" intro section and original closing reprise) during various points of the band's career. The track is often regarded as one of the greatest drum solos of all time. Composition and recording "Moby Dick" emerged after Led Zeppelin guitarist and producer Jimmy Page found drummer John Bonham jamming or improvising in the studio, recorded parts of his solos and pieced it all together. Studio outtakes from the Led Zeppelin II sessions reveal that the drum solo recorded was edited down from a much longer version. The guitar riff can be traced back to the BBC unused session track "The Girl I Love She Got Long Black Wavy Hair", which was recorded in the summer of 1969. The riff is also similar to that of Bobby Parker's 1961 hit single, "Watch Your Step", although the progression is in a different key and tempo. Live performances