Led Zeppelin and LOTR

Having not read any of the LOTR books, the lyrics to Zep's "Ramble On" went over my head for many years. Only now after having seen Fellowship does it make sense.

Leaves are falling all around, It's time I was on my way.
Thanks to you, I'm much obliged for such a pleasant stay.
But now it's time for me to go. The autumn moon lights my way.
For now I smell the rain, and with it pain, and it's headed my way.
Sometimes I grow so tired, but I know I've got one thing I got to do...

*Ramble On, And now's the time, the time is now, to sing my song.
I'm goin' 'round the world, I got to find my girl, on my way.
I've been this way ten years to the day, Ramble On,
Gotta find the queen of all my dreams.

Got no time to for spreadin' roots, The time has come to be gone.
And to' our health we drank a thousand times, it's time to Ramble On.

* Chorus

Mine's a tale that can't be told, my freedom I hold dear.
How years ago in days of old, when magic filled the air.
T'was in the darkest depths of Mordor, I met a girl so fair.
But Gollum, and the evil one crept up and slipped away with her, her, her....yeah.

* Chorus

Gonna ramble on, sing my song. Gotta keep-a-searchin' for my baby...
Gonna work my way, round the world. I can't stop this feelin' in my heart
Gotta keep searchin' for my baby. I can't find my bluebird!


Are there any other Zeppelin tracks that are related to LOTR?

Also happy belated to Jimmy Page who celebrated his birthday yesterday.

 

LMM...

It merely cemented LotR status in pop culture - which people have known since probably the late 60's / early 70's. LotR was like a slow train that's never stopped. It didn't take the world by storm when released, but it has become buried in culture the world over.

A side note, I think if Peter Jackson was in Led Zeppelin and came up with those same lyrics, the die-hard LotR fanboys would be slagging him for changing too much of the plot. "T'was in the darkest depths of Mordor, I met a girl so fair.
But Gollum, and the evil one crept up and slipped away with her, her, her....yeah"
Gollum and a girl? Fair girls in Moria ?

 

There is also Led Zeppelin song called "Misty Mountain Hop". First thing I thought of when it was mentioned Gollum lived in the Misty Mountains.

 

Cool!
I never knew about that.

The great Styx has a song that's flat out called The Lord of the Rings (think it might actually be called Lords of the Ring but you get the point).

 

Misty Mountain Hop is about a boy on his first acid trip.

hehe...

But there are definitely lots of LOTR references and allusions in that song as well.

There are a few cool Zeppelin/LOTR sites out there that detail the connections in some songs.

 

"The pain of war cannot exceed
The woe of aftermath,
The drums will shake the castle wall,
The ringwraiths ride in black,
Ride on."

The Battle Of Evermore

 

I'm starting to get a whole new appreciation for Zeppelin!

 

If you ever watch the Zep movie, "The Song Remains The Same", there are some Plant dream sequences that echo LotR.

Here's a link to a site with more Zeppelin/LotR similiarities.

 

Weren't there quite a few LOTR-based songs written by Rush?

All I remember right now is Rivendell:

"Sunlight dances through the leaves
Soft winds stir the sighing trees
Lying in the warm grass
Feel the sun upon your face
Elven songs and endless nights
Sweet wine and soft relaxing lights
Time will never touch you
Here in this enchanted place

You feel there's something calling you
You're wanting to return
To where the misty mountains rise and friendly fires burn
A place you can escape the world
Where the dark lord cannot go
Peace of mind and sanctuary by loud water's flow

I've traveled now for many miles
It feels so good to see the smiles of
Friends who never left your mind
When you were far away
From the golden light of coming dawn
Till the twilight when the sun is gone
We treasure ev'ry season
And ev'ry passing day

We feel the coming of a new day
Dark gives way to light a new way
Stop here for a while until the world,
The world calls you away
Yet you know I've had the feeling
Standing with my senses reeling
This is the place to grow old till
I reach my final day"

 

Thanks, Owen! I have the "Song" videotape but I haven't seen it in awhile. I'll probably pick up the DVD soon.

 

Ever heard about MAGMA?
Word is (newspaper source) tha their songs are written in the language of the elfs. My dad owns a couple of albums, but since I'm not such a huge LOTR fan, I can't understand anything, so I can't really say it for sure.

 

This one's a bit of a stretch;

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

Over the Hills and Far Away


Hey lady-you got the love I need
oh Maybe-more than enough
oh Darling Darling [darling] walk a while with me
-oh you've got so much-

Many have I loved
Many times been bitten
Many times I've gazed
Along the open road

Many times I've lied
Many times I've listened
Many times I've wondered
How much there is to know

Many dreams come true
And some have silver linings
I live for my dream
And a pocketful of gold

Mellow is the man
Who knows what he's been missing
Many many men
Can't see the open road

Many is a word
That only leaves you guessing
Guessing 'bout a thing
You really ought to know
You really ought to know



"What has it got in its pocketses, eh?"-page 80

-------------------------------

This comes from the Houses of the Holy lyric booklet, so the lyrics are accurate. The first obvious connection is the title, "Over the Hills and Far Away", which refers to The Hobbit. Bilbo, Gandalf, and the band of dwarves go over the hills (the Misty Mountains) and far away. The last part may have a loose connection to the works, but I doubt it. However, the first four lines need a closer look. I believe that this describes when Bilbo finds the Ring of Power. The "Lady" is actually the Ring. It "has the love" Bilbo needs, as in it has the power to make him disappear and escape from the caves. It has more than enough love, however, since Bilbo obviously doesn't need all that power, and it ends up getting him and Frodo into a mess. But Bilbo likes the Ring, and wants it to "walk a while" with him. And it has so much power, too. Hairfoot, an esteemed Tolkien/Zeppelin lover sees a connection with the last part as well. He suggests the last stanza "could reference a large number of things in Hob and LOTR. The two most prominent are At the Gate of Moria--Gandalf trying to puzzle out the entrance phrase "Speak friend...." The other is the guessing game, or more properly known as the Riddle Game." I don't have any quotes for the interpretations on this song, since it's fairly obvious, and the quotes would have to be long passages for anyone to get anything out of them.

 

Im pretty sure there may be a LotR / Zeppelin connection in their song No Quarter. Its on Houses of the Holy, but unfortunately I dont have the lyrics at my disposal.

 

Check out the No Quarter page Uncle Owen provided the site's link for up top. Great Zep/LOTR website, btw.

 

No Quarter
(Jones/Page/Plant)

Close the door, put out the light.
You know they won't be home tonight.
The snow falls hard and don't you know?
The winds of Thor are blowing cold.
They're wearing steel that's bright and true
They carry news that must get through.

They choose the path where no-one goes.

They hold no quarter.

Walking side by side with death, The devil mocks their every step
The snow drives back the foot that's slow, The dogs of doom are howling more
They carry news that must get through, To build a dream for me and you

They choose the path where no-one goes.

They hold no quarter. They ask no quarter.
The pain, the pain without quarter.
They ask no quarter.
The dogs of doom are howling more!
**********

I don't see the LotR connection but I haven't read the books yet.

 

The dogs of doom in The Lord of the Rings are the Wargs, wolves in the service of Sauron.

Check out the link above for more.

 

I did after I posted that......It does seem a bit of a stretch, but cool anyway.

 

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.

 

Oh and how about black Sabbath? I'll give an example:

Black Sabbath: The Wizard

Misty morning, clouds in the sky
Without warning, the wizard walks by
Casting his shadow, weaving his spell
Funny clothes, tinkling bell

Never talking
Just keeps walking
spreading his magic

Evil power disappears
Demons worry when the wizard is near
He turns tears into joy
Everyone's happy when the wizard walks by

Never talking
Just keeps walking
spreading his magic

Sun is shining, clouds have gone by
All the people give a happy sigh
He has passed by, giving his sign
Left all the people feeling so fine

Never talking
Just keeps walking
spreading his magic

 

[image=http://www.led-zeppelin.org/multimedia/photos/various18.jpg] [image=http://members.aol.com/theroverr2/OLDMAN.JPG]

Hmmm...

 

That's the one I meant LMM.

 

Where's the proof that The Hermit is actually Gandalf?

Cause it just looks like an old guy in robes to me.

 

It's really Obi-Wan.

 

The fact that it's from a LOTR trading card duh!

 

Which one's the LOTR trading card, the Tarot or the back of the Led Zep album?