Maybe I'm a Leo

"Maybe I'm a Leo"
Cover of the 1973 Australia single
Song by Deep Purple
from the album Machine Head
Released	March 1972
Recorded	6–21 December 1971, Montreux, Switzerland
Genre	Hard rock blues rock
Length	4:52
Label	EMI (UK) Warner Bros. (US)
Songwriter(s)	Ritchie Blackmore Ian Gillan Roger Glover Jon Lord Ian Paice
Producer(s)	Deep Purple

"Maybe I'm a Leo" is a song by the English rock group Deep Purple, from their 1972 album Machine Head.

History

Roger Glover says: "I wrote the riff to "Maybe I'm a Leo" after hearing John Lennon's "How Do You Sleep?". I liked the idea that the riff didn't start on the down beat, like 99% of riffs do. Most of the songs on Machine Head were from the first take, or not long after."^[1]

Singer Ian Gillan is a Leo (born 19 August), the only group member at the time with that astrological sign.

The song was rarely played by the band live; however, three live recordings of it have been released on albums: Deep Purple in Concert, recorded in 1972; Live at the Olympia '96; and Live at Montreux 2011.

The SACD version of Machine Head has an alternative guitar solo on "Maybe I'm a Leo".

Personnel

• Ritchie Blackmore – guitar
• Ian Gillan – vocals
• Roger Glover – bass guitar
• Jon Lord – organ
• Ian Paice – drums

Cover versions

• The Atomic Bitchwax on their album 3.
• Gov't Mule on The Deep End, Volume 1 in which Roger Glover made a guest appearance.
• Paul Gilbert on Smoke on the Water, a Tribute to Deep Purple
• Van Halen used to perform the song during their early concerts.^[2]
• Glenn Hughes, Luis Maldonado & Chad Smith on Re-Machined: A Tribute to Deep Purple's Machine Head.
• Blindside Blues Band (2008.) on their album Keepers Of The Flame

References

1. "questiontime". Roger Glover official site. Archived from the original on 20 October 2007. Retrieved 19 November 2007.
2. Divita, Joe (12 November 2020). "Van Halen 1975 High School Performance Surfaces + It's a Must Listen". Loud Wire. Retrieved 13 November 2020.