WHEN THE LEVEE BREAKS
As recorded by Led Zeppelin
(From the 1971 Album LED ZEPPELIN IV)
Words and Music by Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones & John Bonham
Transcribed by www.mikesguitarsite.co.uk
Gtr I (C F C F A C) - 'Jimmy Page - Rhythm 12 string electric'
Gtr II (C F C F A C) - 'Jimmy Page - Lead w/dist'
Gtr III (C F C F A C) - 'Jimmy Page - Lead w/dist'
[Intro]
Q=76
4/4
Gtr I
|---------||--------------------------------|
|---------||o-------------------------------|
|---------||----------0-0-0-------3p0---5-5-|
|---------||--3p0---0-0-0-0-----0-3p0-0-5---|
|---------||o-3p0-0---0-----3-0-0-3p0---5---|
|---------||--------------------------------|
|----------------------------------||
|---------------------------------o||
|---------0-----3p0---3p0---5-5----||
|-3p0---0-0-0-0-3p0-0-3p0-0-5------||
|-3p0-0---0-0-0-3p0-0-3p0-0-5-----o||
|----------------------------------||
$
3x
||----------------------------|--------------------------------||
||o---------------------------|-------------------------------o||
||----------0-0-0-3p0-0---0-0-|---------0-0-0---------0-0-5-5--||
||------0-0-0-0-0-3p0-0-0-----|-----0-0-0-0-0-3p0-0-3-0-0-5----||
||o-3p0-0-0-0-0-0-------------|-3p0-0-0-0-0-0-3p0-0-3-0-0-5---o||
||----------------------------|--------------------------------||
|-------------------------------||------------------------------|
|-------------------------------||o-----------------------------|
|---------0-0-0-----------0-5-5-||------0---0-0-0-----0---0-0-0-|
|-----0-0-0-0-0-----0-3p0-0-5---||------0-0-0-0-0-----0-0-0-0-0-|
|-3p0-0-0-0-0-0-3p0-0-3p0-0-5---||o-3p0-0-0-0-0-0-3p0-----0-0-0-|
|-------------------------------||------------------------------|
3x
|---------------------------------||
|--------------------------------o||
|-----0---0-0-0-3p0---3p0-0-5-5---||
|-----0-0-0-0-0-3p0-0-3p0-0-5-----||
|-3p0-----0-----3p0-0-3p0-0-5----o||
|---------------------------------||
|-------------------------------||
|-------------------------------||
|---------0-0-0-------------5-5-||
|-----0-0-0-0-0-3---0-3p0-0-5---||
|-3p0-0---0-----3p0-0-3p0---5---||
|-------------------------------||
|-/8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8s10-10-10-10\-0-0-|-5-3-5-0-5-3-5-0---|
|-/8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8s10-10-10-10\-0-0-|-5-3-5-0-5-3-5-0---|
|-/8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8s10-10-10-10\-0-0-|-5-3-5-0-5-3-5-0---|
|-/8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8s10-10-10-10\-----|-5-3-5-0-5-3-5-0---|
|-----------------------------------|-------------------|
|-----------------------------------|-------------------|
|-/8-8-8-8-8-8-8s10-10-10-10\-0-0-|-5-3-5-0-5-3-5-0-|-(0)----||
|-/8-8-8-8-8-8-8s10-10-10-10\-0-0-|-5-3-5-0-5-3-5-0-|-(0)----||
|-/8-8-8-8-8-8-8s10-10-10-10\-0-0-|-5-3-5-0-5-3-5-0-|-(0)----||
|-/8-8-8-8-8-8-8s10-10-10-10\-----|-5-3-5-0-5-3-5-0-|-(0)----||
|---------------------------------|-----------------|--------||
|---------------------------------|-----------------|--------||
[Verse]
||----------------------------|-------------------------------|
||o---------------------0-----|---------0---------------------|
||------0-0-0-0-----0-0-0-0-0-|-----0---0-0-0-------------5-5-|
||--3p0-0-0-0-0-----0-0-0-0-0-|-3p0-0-0-0-0-0-----0-3p0-0-5---|
||o-3p0-0-0-0-0-3p0-0-0-0-----|-3p0-----0-----3p0-0-3p0-0-5---|
||----------------------------|-------------------------------|
|---------------------------|--------------------------------|
|---------------------0-----|---------0----------------------|
|-----0-0-0-0-----0-0-0-0-0-|-----0---0-0-0-------------5-5--|
|-3p0-0-0-0-0-----0-0-0-0-0-|-3p0-0-0-0-0-0-----0-3p0-0-5----|
|-3p0-0-0-0-0-3p0-0-0-0-----|-3p0-----0-----3p0-0-3p0-0-5----|
|---------------------------|--------------------------------|
|---------------------------|-------------------------------|
|---------------------0-----|---------0---------------------|
|-----0-0-0-0-----0-0-0-0-0-|-----0---0-0-0-------------5-5-|
|-3p0-0-0-0-0-----0-0-0-0-0-|-3p0-0-0-0-0-0-----0-3p0-0-5---|
|-3p0-0-0-0-0-3p0-0-0-0-----|-3p0-----0-----3p0-0-3p0-0-5---|
|---------------------------|-------------------------------|
|----------------------------------||
|---------------------------------o||
|---------0-0-0-------------5-5----||
|-----0-0-0-0-0-----0-3p0-0-5------||
|-3p0-0---0-0-0-3p0-0-3p0-0-5-----o||
|----------------------------------||
|-/8-8-8-8-8-8-8s10-10-10-10\-0-0-|-5-3-5-0-5-3-5-0-|
|-/8-8-8-8-8-8-8s10-10-10-10\-0-0-|-5-3-5-0-5-3-5-0-|
|-/8-8-8-8-8-8-8s10-10-10-10\-0-0-|-5-3-5-0-5-3-5-0-|
|-/8-8-8-8-8-8-8s10-10-10-10\-----|-5-3-5-0-5-3-5-0-|
|---------------------------------|-----------------|
|---------------------------------|-----------------|
To Coda
|-/8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8s10-10-10-10\-----|-5-3-5-0-5-3-5-0-||
|-/8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8s10-10-10-10\-0-0-|-5-3-5-0-5-3-5-0-||
|-/8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8s10-10-10-10\-0-0-|-5-3-5-0-5-3-5-0-||
|-/8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8s10-10-10-10\-----|-5-3-5-0-5-3-5-0-||
|-----------------------------------|-----------------||
|-----------------------------------|-----------------||
[Bridge]
Gtr II
|-----------------|----------------12-|
|-----------------|-------------------|
|-----------------|-------------------|
|-----------------|-------------------|
|-----------------|-------------------|
|-----------------|-------------------|
|
| Gtr I
|-0-12-12--0-7-7--|-0-5-5-7-10-12-----|
|-0-12-12--0-7-7--|-0-5-5-7-10-12-----|
|-0-12-12--0-7-7--|-0-5-5-7-10-12-----|
|--------------7--|---------10-12-----|
|-----------------|-------------------|
|-----------------|-------------------|
~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~
3x
||--12s10-----12-(12)--7s5----7-(7)--|-5s3----5-(5)-7-10-12-------------||
||o-------/12--------------/7--------|-----/5--------------------------o||
||-----------------------------------|----------------------------------||
||-----------------------------------|----------------------------------||
||o----------------------------------|---------------------------------o||
||-----------------------------------|----------------------------------||
|
| 3x
||---0--------12--12---0------7--7---|-0------5--5--7-10-12-12-12-12----||
||o--0--------12--12---0------7--7---|-0------5--5--7-10-12-12-12-12---o||
||---0--------12--12---0------7--7---|-0------5--5--7-10-12-12-12-12----||
||-------------------------------7---|----------------10-12-12-12-12----||
||o----------------------------------|---------------------------------o||
||-----------------------------------|----------------------------------||
~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~
|-12s10-----/17-(17)--12s10--------------|
|-------/12-----------------/12s10-(10)--|
|----------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------|
|
|--0---------12--12----0---------7---7---|
|--0---------12--12----0---------7---7---|
|--0---------12--12----0---------7---7---|
|------------------------------------7---|
|----------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------|
~~~~~~~
|-12s10-----17-(17)-15-15-15s17-(17)-------|
|-------/12--------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------|
|
|--0---------5---5---7-10-12-----12--12-12-|
|--0---------5---5---7-10-12-----12--12-12-|
|--0---------5---5---7-10-12-----12--12-12-|
|----------------------10-12-----12--12-12-|
|------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------|
~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~
|-12s10-----/17-(17)--12s10--------------|
|-------/12-----------------/12s10-(10)--|
|----------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------|
|
|--0---------12--12----0---------7---7---|
|--0---------12--12----0---------7---7---|
|--0---------12--12----0---------7---7---|
|------------------------------------7---|
|----------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------|
D.S. al Coda
|-12s10-----17-(17)-15-15-17-(17)\------||
|-------/12-----------------------------||
|---------------------------------------||
|---------------------------------------||
|---------------------------------------||
|---------------------------------------||
|
|--0---------5---5---7-10-12--12---12-0-||
|--0---------5---5---7-10-12--12---12-0-||
|--0---------5---5---7-10-12--12---12-0-||
|---------------------------------------||
|---------------------------------------||
|---------------------------------------||
[Bridge]
&
~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~
|-12s10-----12-(12)--7s5----7-(7)--|-5s3----5-(5)7-10-12--------------|
|-------/12--------------/7--------|-----/5---------------------------|
|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|
|-----------12--12---0----0-7--7---|-0-0--0-5--5S7-10-12-12-12-12-0-0-|
|-12--------12--12---0----0-7--7---|-0-0--0-5--5S7-10-12-12-12-12-0-0-|
|-12--------12--12---0----0-7--7---|-0-0--0-5--5S7-10-12-12-12-12-0-0-|
|-12------------12-----------------|----------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~
|-12s10-----12-(12)------7s5----7-(7)-----|-5s3----5-(5)-7-10-12----------|
|-------/12------------------/7-----------|-----/5------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|
|-12--------12--12--12-0-7------7--7------|-5------5--5--7-10-12-12-12-12-|
|-12--------12--12--12-0-7------7--7------|-5------5--5--7-10-12-12-12-12-|
|-12--------12--12--12-0-7------7--7--0-0-|-5------5--5--7-10-12-12-12-12-|
|------------------------7------7--7--0-0-|-------------------12-12-12-12-|
|-----------------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------|-------------------------------|
~~~~~~~ ~~
|-12s10----/17-(17)----(17)\-12s10--------------------|
|-------12-------------------------10s12s10-(10)s12---|
|-----------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------|
|
|-12--------12--12--12---0----7-----------7---7-------|
|-12--------12--12--12---0----7-----------7---7-------|
|-12--------12--12--12---0----7-----------7---7---0-0-|
|-----------------------------7-----------7---7---0-0-|
|-----------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------|
~~~~~~~
|-12s10----/17-(17)s16-15s17-(17)-------(17)\--|
|-------12-------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------|
|
|--5---------5---5---7-10-12--12--12-12--------|
|--5---------5---5---7-10-12--12--12-12--------|
|--5---------5---5---7-10-12--12--12-12--------|
|-------------------------12--12--12-12--------|
|----------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------|
~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~
|-12-10----17-(17)------12-10----17-(17)-----|
|-------12--------------------12-------------|
|--------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------|
|
|-12-------12--12--12-0--7--------7---7------|
|-12-------12--12--12-0--7--------7---7------|
|-12-------12--12--12-0--7--------7---7--0-0-|
|------------------------7--------7---7--0-0-|
|--------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------|
~~~~~~~ ~~
|-12s10----/17-(17)---15s17-------(17)\-|
|-------12------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------|
|
|--5---------5---5--7-10-12-12-12--12---|
|--5---------5---5--7-10-12-12-12--12---|
|--5---------5---5--7-10-12-12-12--12---|
|------------------------12-12-12--12---|
|---------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------|
~~~~~~~
|-12s10----12s10----12s10------17s15s17-(17)-----|
|-------12-------12-------(12)-------------------|
|------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------|
|
|-12-------12-12-12--0------7---------7---7------|
|-12-------12-12-12--0------7---------7---7------|
|-12-------12-12-12--0------7---------7---7--0-0-|
|---------------------------7---------7---7--0-0-|
|------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------|
~~~~~~~
|-12s10----12s10----12s10----17s15s17-(17)--------|
|-------12-------12-------12------------------\12-|
|-------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------|
|
|--5--------5--5-----7----10----12-----12--12--12-|
|--5--------5--5-----7----10----12-----12--12--12-|
|--5--------5--5-----7----10----12-----12--12--12-|
|-------------------------------12-----12--12--12-|
|-------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------|
~~~~~~~
|-12s10----/17-(17)----(17)S12s10--------------------|
|-------12------------------------10s12s10-(10)s12---|
|----------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------|
|
|-12--------12--12--12---0---7-----------7---7-------|
|-12--------12--12--12---0---7-----------7---7-------|
|-12--------12--12--12---0---7-----------7---7---0-0-|
|----------------------------7-----------7---7---0-0-|
|----------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------|
~~~~~~~ ~~
|-12s10----/17-(17)-15-15s17----------||
|-------12----------------------------||
|-------------------------------------||
|-------------------------------------||
|-------------------------------------||
|-------------------------------------||
|
|--5---------5---5---7-10-12-12-12-12-||
|--5---------5---5---7-10-12-12-12-12-||
|--5---------5---5---7-10-12-12-12-12-||
|-------------------------12-12-12-12-||
|-------------------------------------||
|-------------------------------------||
[Outro]
Gtr I
4x
||----------------------------|--------------------------------||
||o---------------------------|-------------------------------o||
||----------0-0-0-3p0-0---0-0-|---------0-0-0---------0-0-5-5--||
||------0-0-0-0-0-3p0-0-0-----|-----0-0-0-0-0-3p0-0-3-0-0-5----||
||o-3p0-0-0-0-0-0-------------|-3p0-0-0-0-0-0-3p0-0-3-0-0-5---o||
||----------------------------|--------------------------------||
Gtr II
|---------------------------|-----------------------8s====12--|
|---------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------|---------------------------------|
|
| Gtr I
|---------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------0-0-0-3p0-0---0-0-|---------0-0-0---------0-0-5--5--|
|-----0-0-0-0-0-3p0-0-0-----|-----0-0-0-0-0-3p0-0-3-0-0-5-----|
|-3p0-0-0-0-0-0-------------|-3p0-0-0-0-0-0-3p0-0-3-0-0-5-----|
|---------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---/15---17-(17)---/15-(15)---/15-------------|
|---------------------------15-------15--------|
|----------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------|
|
| Gtr III
|-3p==0-0--0---0----------3p=0---0-3p=0-0-/5---|
|----------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------|
|
| Gtr I
|----------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------|
|--------------0--0---0------------3p=0----5-5-|
|-3p==0----0---0--0---0----------0-3p=0-0--5---|
|-3p==0-0------0----------3--0---0-3p=0----5---|
|----------------------------------------------|
~~~~~~~~~
|---/15---17-(17)---/15-(15)---/15------------|
|---------------------------15-----------15---|
|---------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------|
|
|-3p==0-0--0---0----------3p=0---0-3p0-0-/5---|
|---------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------|
|
|---------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------|
|--------------0----------3p=0-----3p0----5-5-|
|-3p==0----0---0--0---0---3p=0---0-3p0-0--5---|
|-3p==0-0------0--0---0---3p=0---0-3p0-0--5---|
|---------------------------------------------|
~~~~~~~~~
|---/15---17-(17)---/15-(15)---/15------------|
|---------------------------15-----------15---|
|---------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------|
|
|-3p==0-0--0---0----------3p=0---0-3p0-0-/5---|
|---------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------|
|
|---------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------|
|--------------0--0---0------------3p0----5-5-|
|-3p==0----0---0--0---0----------0-3p0-0--5---|
|-3p==0-0------0----------3--0---0-3p0----5---|
|---------------------------------------------|
~~~~
|---/15-----17-----(17)---/15--------------|
|----------------------15------------------|
|-----------------------------------(12)---|
|------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------|
|
|-3p==0-0-0--0-------3p=0---0-3p0-0--/5----|
|------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------|
|
|------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------|
|------------0-------3p=0-----3p0-----5--5-|
|-3p==0---0--0-0-0---3p=0---0-3p0-0---5----|
|-3p==0-0----0-0-0---3p=0---0-3p0-0---5----|
|------------------------------------------|
Gtr I
||---------------------------------|----------------------------------||
||o--------------------------------|---------------------------------o||
||----------0-0-0-------3p0----5-5-|---------0-----3p0---3p0----5-5---||
||--3p0---0-0-0-0-----0-3p0-0--5---|-3p0---0-0-0-0-3p0-0-3p0-0--5-----||
||o-3p0-0---0-----3-0-0-3p0----5---|-3p0-0---0-0-0-3p0-0-3p0-0--5----o||
||---------------------------------|----------------------------------||
|
| Gtr III
||--3p0-0-0-0-----3p0-0-3p0-0-/5---|-3p0-0-0-0-----3p0-0-3p0-0-/5-----||
||o--------------------------------|---------------------------------o||
||---------------------------------|----------------------------------||
||---------------------------------|----------------------------------||
||o--------------------------------|---------------------------------o||
||---------------------------------|----------------------------------||
Gtr II
|--------------------------------|-------12s10----12\---------------------|
|--------------------------------|-------------12-------------------------|
|--------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
|
|-3p0-0-0-0-----3p0-0-3p0-0-/5---|-3p0-0--0--0----------3p0-0-3p0-0-/5----|
|--------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
|
| Gtr I
|--------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
|---------0-0-0-------3p0----5-5-|-----------0----------3p0---3p0----5-5--|
|-3p0---0-0-0-0-----0-3p0-0--5---|-3p0----0--0-----0--0-3p0-0-3p0-0--5----|
|-3p0-0---0-----3-0-0-3p0----5---|-3p0-0-----0-----0--0-3p0-0-3p0-0--5----|
|--------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
~~~~~~~~~~~
|-------12s10----12\--------------------|-----12s10-----15-(15)----|
|-------------12------------------------|------------12------------|
|---------------------------------------|--------------------------|
|---------------------------------------|--------------------------|
|---------------------------------------|--------------------------|
|---------------------------------------|--------------------------|
|
|-3p0-------0----------3-0-0-3-0-0-/5---|-3p0----------------------|
|---------------------------------------|--------------------------|
|---------------------------------------|--------------------------|
|---------------------------------------|--------------------------|
|---------------------------------------|--------------------------|
|---------------------------------------|--------------------------|
|
|---------------------------------------|--------------------------|
|---------------------------------------|--------------------------|
|-----------0-----0--0--------------5-5-|-0-3----(3)---------------|
|-3p0-0-----0-----0--0-3p0-0-3p0-0--5-5-|-0-3----(3)---------------|
|-3p0-0-----0-----0--0-3p0-0-3p0-0--5---|-0------------------------|
|---------------------------------------|--------------------------|
~~~~~~
|-(15)--(15)\--------:-----------------------*|
|--------------------:---10------------------*|
|----------------x\--:----0------------------*|
|----------------x\--:-----------------------*|
|--------------------:-0---------------------*|
|--------------------:-----------------------*|
|
|--------------------:-----------------------*|
|--------------------:-----------------------*|
|--------------------:-----------------------*|
|--------------------:-----------------------*|
|--------------------:-----------------------*|
|--------------------:-----------------------*|
|
|--------------------:-----------------------*|
|--------------------:-----------------------*|
|--(3)---------------:-------3p0-(3)p(0)-----*|
|--(3)---------------:-------3p0-(3)p(0)-----*|
|--------------------:-----------------------*|
|--------------------:-----------------------*|
Tablature Legend
----------------
h - hammer-on
p - pull-off
b - bend
pb - pre-bend
r - bend release (if no number after the r, then release immediately)
/\ - slide into or out of (from/to "nowhere")
s - legato slide
S - shift slide
- natural harmonic
[n] - artificial harmonic
n(n) - tapped harmonic
~ - vibrato
tr - trill
T - tap
TP - trem. picking
PM - palm muting
\n/ - tremolo bar dip; n = amount to dip
\n - tremolo bar down
n/ - tremolo bar up
/n\ - tremolo bar inverted dip
= - hold bend; also acts as connecting device for hammers/pulls
<> - volume swell (louder/softer)
x - on rhythm slash represents muted slash
o - on rhythm slash represents single note slash
Misc Legend
-----------
| - bar
|| - double bar
||o - repeat start
o|| - repeat end
*| - double bar (ending)
: - bar (freetime)
$ - Segno
& - Coda
Tempo markers - = BPM(8/16=s8/s16), where s8 = swing 8ths, s16 = swing 16ths
***************************************************************************************
* Generated using Power Tab Editor by Brad Larsen - http://powertab.guitarnetwork.org *
***************************************************************************************
