Led Zeppelin Legend Jimmy Page Hit With New Lawsuit Over ‘Dazed and Confused’ Origins

Jimmy Page Hit With New Lawsuit Over Yardbirds’ Use of ‘Dazed and Confused’

Singer-songwriter Jake Holmes has reignited a legal dispute with Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page regarding songwriting credits for the iconic track “Dazed and Confused.”

In a newly filed copyright infringement lawsuit, Holmes alleges he has not been properly acknowledged or compensated for early renditions of “Dazed and Confused” performed by the Yardbirds—versions that include a performance featured in the recent documentary Becoming Led Zeppelin. Holmes claims that he issued cease and desist letters to Page and others involved last month, but after receiving no response, he proceeded with legal action.

Holmes originally wrote and recorded “Dazed and Confused” in 1967. He contends that Page first encountered the song in August of that year when Holmes opened for the Yardbirds in Greenwich Village. The song also appeared on Holmes’ debut album The Above Ground Sound of Jake Holmes. Not long after that performance, the Yardbirds began performing their own adaptation of the track during live shows in 1967 and 1968, though they never released a studio version.

Jimmy Page later reworked the tune for Led Zeppelin, modifying the lyrics but maintaining the song’s core melody and distinctive descending riff—elements closely mirroring Holmes’ original composition.

Holmes remained silent on the matter for decades, once reportedly saying he allowed it to slide. However, in 2010 he filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Page, which was resolved out of court. As a result of that settlement, Led Zeppelin’s version of “Dazed and Confused” was updated to include the acknowledgment “inspired by Jake Holmes.” Holmes retained the full copyright to his original song, though the agreement didn’t clearly address how Yardbirds recordings should be credited.

In the new lawsuit, Holmes argues that several Yardbirds archival releases over the past three years have included live versions of “Dazed and Confused” that misattribute authorship to Page alone. Holmes claims he has not received any royalties from these recordings.

He also points out that Becoming Led Zeppelin lists the band’s version of “Dazed and Confused” as “Written by Jimmy Page, inspired by Jake Holmes,” yet the Yardbirds’ version in the same film credits Page as the sole writer. According to the lawsuit, “The Yardbirds performance of ‘Dazed and Confused’ in the film is a performance of the Holmes Composition.” Holmes accuses the defendants of knowingly and repeatedly infringing on his copyright despite being made aware of his ownership and after being issued formal cease and desist notices.