The Jeff Beck song that Robert Plant said is one of his favorites

Born in Surrey, England back in 1944, Jeff Beck became one of the most influential guitarists in history. After achieving success as a member of The Yardbirds the musician started a successful solo career that was praised by many of his peers over the decades. One of his fans is the singer Robert Plant, famous for being the frontman of Led Zeppelin, group that also had Beck’s friend and ex-bandmate, the guitarist Jimmy Page.

Rock and Roll Garage selected which song from Jeff Beck’s career Robert Plant picked twice as one of his favorites and the explanation the singer gave for his choice.

The Jeff Beck song that Robert Plant said is one of his favorites

Talking with BBC Radio show Tracks Of My Years in 2021 (Transcribed by Rock and Roll Garage), Robert Plant revealed some of his favorite songs of all time. One of them was “I Ain’t Superstitious”, song written by the bluesman Willie Dixon and first recorded by the legendary Blues singer and guitarist Howlin’ Wolf in 1961. However, the version Plant chose was Jeff Beck’s cover. Robert Plant said: “Many of us were on a kind of mod-circuit. We would be traveling around and playing this various clubs in Watford, Brighton. All over the country. It was what you loosely call sub-pop. Rod (Stewart) had been in a band called Steampacket with: Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger and Long John Baldry.”

“At this stage, Jeff Beck, who was along with Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck part of those three guys that shaped the guitar from the mid to late 60s. For a long time Rod Stewart fronted this little celebration. Yet again it’s another song that came out from Chicago. It’s a Howlin’ Wolf song called ‘I Ain’t Superstitious’. But between Rod and Jeff, they really killed it. When Led Zeppelin first went to America they were playing and they were just out of this world. They were really, really amazing.”

Robert Plant continued:

“Rod and I, at that time, we had a lot in common. We were at the front of groups with these excellent musicians behind us. I guess we were living the life. I remember John Bonham and I went to the management office when we first joined the Yardbirds which became Led Zeppelin.”

“We saw Rod Stewart in the reception. He was like a tanned Adonis with his see-through shirt and hairs sticking up about maybe 18 inches off the top of his head. It was remarkable. (So) Bonham said to me: ‘Do you think we’ll ever be like that?’ I’m still waiting for that day,” Robert Plant said.

Talking with BBC Radio 6 in 2022 (Transcribed by Rock and Roll Garage), Robert Plant once again said the track was one of his favorites. He also recalled how busy he and Beck were at the time touring everywhere with their bands. “What a difference a few years makes. That’s 1968, Jeff Beck Group featuring Rod Stewart. It’s that great Howlin’ Wolf track. Pleased to say that at that time I (was) very happily town to town leapfrogging with Led Zeppelin and Jeff Beck just whizzing through the spheres. So what a remarkable time it was. Also I think that’s Micky Waller on drums,” Robert Plant said.

The song

The track had Rod Stewart on vocals and was released on the guitarist’s debut album “Truth” (1968). That album also had the future Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood playing bass. Curiously, that record also had Plant’s future Zeppelin bandmate, the bassist John Paul Jones playing in some tracks.

Jeff Beck was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame back in 2009 by Jimmy Page. “He’d just keep getting better and better, and he leave us – mere mortals,” Jimmy Page said at the ceremony.

Robert Plant and Jeff Beck were “bandmates” for a while. They were in the supergroup The Honeydrippers created by Plant in 1981. Beck played on the group’s only studio record, the EP “The Honeydrippers: Volume One” (1984). That record also had Jimmy Page, Nile Rodgers and Paul Shaffer.