Led Zeppelin and LOTR

The back of the Led Zeppelin Album, second one.

 

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/2406/index.html

The figure in the above picture,"The Hermit," is a card from the Rider-Wait Tarot Deck(thanks Zerxes). I believe that the band may have seen similarities between the card and Gandalf from the Tolkien trilogy.


duh! yerself

(I think you're getting confused between Tarot & Trading Cards, - and taking the speculation that Led Zep thought "The Hermit" was Gandalf - as fact.)

 

Look for "The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins" by Leonard Nimoy. It's got a friggin' bassoon solo.

 

Could "Rings of smoke through the trees" in Stairway refer to Gandalf?

 

Lord of the Rings should not be mentioned in the same sentence as Led Zeppelin. It tarnishes Zeppelin's reputation.

 

It tarnishes Zeppelin's reputation.

And yet the band were obviously heavily influenced by the book. Hell, Plant's dog was called "Strider".

Go figure.

 

"Gollum and a girl? Fair girls in Moria"
Some people have suggested that the "girl" might be referring to the One Ring...either that or it's just a personal touch...who knows.

"Yup, BTW there's a backside of Led Zeppelin IV wich features a figure from a trading card, it's actually gandalf looking down on bag end.

Yup, Gandalf's picture is one the back of Led Zeppelin IV."

Actually according to Jimmy Page that picture is The Hermit from a deck of Tarrot Cards not Gandalf.



As to "Rings of Smoke Through the trees" referring to Gandalf....Robert Plant has repeatedly denied any LotR allusions in Stairway to Heaven

"Lord of the Rings should not be mentioned in the same sentence as Led Zeppelin. It tarnishes Zeppelin's reputation."

But it's a fact that LotR influenced Led Zeppelin. Jimmy Page was being intervied on my radio station one day and someone asked what songs had LotR references...he responded that there were numerous but Ramble On was the most obvious/well known.

I also heard somewhere that LotR inspired Plant to move to the country...dunno about the vailidity of that though.

 

I have all of Led Zeppelin's recordings. They are by far my fav!

 

Up!

 

Yeah, Zeppelin has quite a few homages to LOTR in their songs, Battle of Evermore probably the most obvious.

 

I could've swore I saw a "Stairway to Heaven" T-Shirt that looked similar to artwork I've seen for the Mines of Moria.

By the way, when I was watching FotR I keep anticipating a little Zeppelin melody going for some of those scenes It would've been cool!

Also, Jimmy Page's birthday was 3 days ago! YAY!

 

Someone ought to make t-shirts with LotR pics on the front and corresponding Zep lyrics on the back.

Someone also ought to make babydoll shirts for good bands like Led Zep, Iron Maiden etc...not that I'm bitter or anthing...

Silmarillion suggested I make my own babydolls....maybe I'll make a LotR/Led Zep one..that'd be cool.