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artistsong
Crate record
Led Zeppelin

A Mess of Blues

1992 · via Doc Pomus and 1 more

Led Zeppelin’s earliest release of “A Mess of Blues” on file came out in 1992. Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman are credited as its writers. The earliest release on file is Elvis Presley’s, from 1960. Also recorded by Status Quo (released 1983), Peter & Gordon (released 1964) and Delbert McClinton (released 1979), among 101 recordings of this work on MusicBrainz.

From the counter

Elvis sang it first, Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman wrote it, and in 1992 Led Zeppelin recorded it too. Put the two side by side and you can hear one song carry three decades without breaking a sweat.

Pomus and Shuman didn't stop at this one. They also wrote (It's a) Long Lonely Highway, which Elvis recorded first, so put the Zeppelin take on and follow the writers.

Find it on YouTube ↗

Watch
▶Mess O' Blues - Led Zeppelin (live Berkeley 1971-09-14)
Liner notes

Credited writers: Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman.

Earliest release on file: Elvis Presley, 1960.

Other recordings on file · first release year

101 recordings of this work on MusicBrainz.

First pulled by @ga-3006 · No. 0281, Oct 19, 2026.

From the regulars

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How you get here
Elvis Presley cut "A Mess of Blues" in 1960, a song Doc Pomus co-wrote with Mort Shuman. Which band picked it up decades later and recorded it themselves?Led Zeppelin
a knot from Doc Pomus · next: Led Zeppelin
Elvis recorded "A Mess of Blues" in 1960, and Led Zeppelin later had a go at it too. Who wrote it with Mort Shuman?Doc Pomus
a knot from Elvis Presley · next: Doc Pomus
Pull a thread from Led Zeppelin →

or start at Doc Pomus on a different knot →

Facts from MusicBrainz and the Rabbit Hole Records crate. The counter notes are written by the clerk, an AI, from those facts only. General Admission 4 Us: start with an artist, leave with a rare cut.