Song Clearance Sheet
4 sources citedWhen the Levee Breaks
Rock1970s71BPM
F majKey
More around 70 BPM → · More in F major →
Tempo/key via GetSongBPM →
The verdict
Documented Sampling History
The sampled 1971 recording (Bonham’s drums, Page’s riff) is fully commercial with confirmed, properly-credited writers. The underlying 1929 McCoy/Memphis Minnie composition likely entered US public domain on Jan 1 2025 — a separate fact that doesn’t change the recording’s clearance picture.
Sampled 100+ times
Used by independents?
Unconfirmed — the page doesn't yet document enough sampler detail to tell.
Quick Facts
Released1971
AlbumLed Zeppelin IV
GenreRock, Blues Rock
LabelAtlantic Records
ProducerJimmy Page
Recorded atHeadley Grange
More infoWikipedia → · Discogs →
Who you need to ask
The recording's writers/owners — Page, Plant, Jones, Bonham & Memphis Minnie (jointly credited on the 1971 recording)
Powerpop Blog → · checked Jul 2026
The current administrator — Not confirmed — needs a Songview/Discogs lookup
Unknown · checked Jul 2026
Which layer you actually need
People sample the 1971 Zeppelin recording (Bonham's drums, Page's riff) — fully commercial and separately owned. The underlying 1929 McCoy/Memphis Minnie composition very likely entered US public domain on Jan 1, 2025, but that does NOT cover the Zeppelin recording (verify PD status before relying on it)
Has it been sampled?
Yes — one of the most-sampled drum tracks in rock (100+ by one count); Zeppelin's catalog overall is sampled in 400+ songs, largely for Bonham's drums
Do they allow sampling?
No standalone policy found, but a long record of legitimate use
Who Owns It
Licenses explained →The two permissions you need, and who holds them
The song itself (the writing)Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones, John Bonham & Memphis Minnie (jointly credited)
The recording (current administrator)Not confirmed
Receipts
Every public mention of terms, policy, or past deals we've found
A legendary, well-documented recording technique
Engineer Andy Johns recorded Bonham's drums at the bottom of a stone stairwell at Headley Grange with mics positioned three stories up for natural reverb; Jimmy Page also slowed the tape slightly during mixing for extra weight.
Drummer Cafe · read it →
A positive credit contrast
Unusually for the band, Zeppelin credited Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie as co-writers here — notably different from their broader, well-documented reputation for uncredited borrowing from blues originators.
Powerpop Blog · read it →
Can You Use It for Free?
How to check PD →Is it public domain?No
Sample History
100+
Times sampled
—
Covers
—
First flip
Big names who used itBeastie Boys · Eminem · Björk · Massive Attack
Who to Contact
LZ
Led Zeppelin (writers of record)
The credited writers of the sampled 1971 recording
What they'll chargeNobody's shared numbers yet
Don't Want the Hassle?
Sample something pre-cleared insteadCheck Tracklib →
Find a similar sound that's 100% freeBrowse the catalog →
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Page history · 2 updates
Jul 2026Page created — full research (New Discovery batch)
Jul 2026BPM/Key pending a separate manual keyfinder pass