Written and first recorded by husband and wife Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie in 1929
Made famous by Led Zeppelin
E7* E E7** E7* 18x
C D
E7* E E7** E
If it keeps on raining, levee's goin' to break, 2x
E7* E E7** E
When the levee breaks I'll have no place to stay.
E7* E E7** E7* 2x
Mean old levee taught me to weep and moan, 2x
Got what it takes to make a mountain man leave his home,
E7* E E7* E E7* E
Oh, well, oh, well, oh, well.
C D
E7*/E 4x
E7* E
Don't it make you feel bad
When you're trying to find your way home,
You don't know which way to go?
If you're goin' down South
They got no work to do,
If you don't know about Chicago.
E7* E E7** E7* 14x
C D
E7* E E7** E
Cryin' won't help you, praying won't do you no good,
E7* E E7** E
Now, cryin' won't help you, praying won't do you no good,
E7* E E7** E
When the levee breaks, mama, you got to move.
E7* E E7** E7* 2x
E7* E E7** E
All last night sat on the levee and moaned, 2x
E7* E E7** E
Thinking about me baby and my happy home.
E7* E E7* B E7* A D
E 2x
Ah ha ah ha ah ha ha ha
E7* E E7* B E7* A D E
Going, going to Chicago... Going to Chicago... sorry but I can't take you...
E7* E E7** E7* E
Going down... going down now... going down....
230512_2809-When-the-Levee-Breaks.mp3 (2023)
- When The Levee Break Alternative.mp3 85 BPM Oldie Ballad
- When The Levee Breaks Reprise.mp3
When The Levee Breaks Alternative #2.mp3
Daniel — Vocals, Guitar
From the album Earthling Country
by Daniel Brouse