Led Zepp/LOTR

[onidragon]

Everyone tells me that a bunch of Led Zepp songs have lyrics based on the works of Tolkien, but the only one I found like that was "The Battle of Evermore" off IV. Can anybody give me the titles of other Zep songs about Hobbits and rings?

[Oggih]

Twas 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.

Ramble On.

[onidragon]

Twas 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.

Ramble On.

Ok!

I'll make a list:

LOTR Zeppelin:

Led Zeppelin II:
Ramble On

Led Zeppelin III:
Bron-y-Aur Stomp

Led Zeppelin IV:
Battle of Evermore
Misty Mountain Hop

Any others?

[ddub]

Misty Mountain Hop - "Misty Mountains" is possibly generic, but it is a location in the Hobbit

Over the Hills and Far Away (some say) - which is not directly related and more of the same feeling if it was an influence at all

Oh and Bron-y-Aur Stomp is about his dog who he named "Strider" which is another name for Aragorn

[Lolicat]

Yea, most of the songs just reference the novels if they mention them at all. Battle of Evermore is actually about the border wars between Wales and England, it's a seige with a dramatic setting.

[onidragon]

Yea, most of the songs just reference the novels if they mention them at all. Battle of Evermore is actually about the border wars between Wales and England, it's a seige with a dramatic setting.

I distinctly remember Plant saying something about Ringwraiths in that one (possibly as a metaphor).

[Lolicat]

I distinctly remember Plant saying something about Ringwraiths in that one (possibly as a metaphor).

O, hell yea, he uses the LotR imagery in the song, but it's actually about the border wars because he was reading about them at the time.

[onidragon]

O, hell yea, he uses the LotR imagery in the song, but it's actually about the border wars because he was reading about them at the time.

Ok, but that's what this thread is about, it's not songs dedicated exclusively to Tolken/Zeppelin crossovers, just to songs that use it's imagery and characters. Until now, Battle of Evermore was the only song I knew that had LOTR stuff in it, although I forgot about Ramble On.

[committed hero]

Rush has a song called "Rivendell" on an early album.

And I recall an o-o-old metal band called Cirith Ungol.

[onidragon]

Rush has a song called "Rivendell" on an early album.

And I recall an o-o-old metal band called Cirith Ungol.


What.


This is dedicated to The Zepp brah.

[cherokeesam]

I don't think Zep even really read the trilogy early on. I mean, what "girl," exactly, did Gollum and the Evil One creep up on in Mordor and steal away with? U R WRONG, PLANT.....WRONG WRONG WRONG >mad face x3<


Personally, I'm more interested in Deep Purple's references to Michael Moorcock's works, like "Stormbringer." Elric and Melnibone kicks Middle Earth's ass six ways from Sunday.

BLOOD AND SOULS FOR MY LORD ARIOCH

[Lolicat]

Tolkien's prose was stale and structurally rooted in a dead tradition. It's not shocking that consecutive fantasy tales have remained steadfastly traditional and conservative when LotR is such a huge influence.

[cherokeesam]

Tolkien's prose was stale and structurally rooted in a dead tradition. It's not shocking that consecutive fantasy tales have remained steadfastly traditional and conservative when LotR is such a huge influence.

Nothing conservative or traditional about Moorcock. His fantasies were something ENTIRELY new.

[Lolicat]

Nothing conservative or traditional about Moorcock. His fantasies were something ENTIRELY new.

I'll give you that, there are a few fantasy greats that have risen above the rest, but for the most part you get stale characters and situations, which is why I basically skipped the genre after a while. Magic realism is the best way to do anything.

[cherokeesam]

I'll give you that, there are a few fantasy greats that have risen above the rest, but for the most part you get stale characters and situations, which is why I basically skipped the genre after a while. Magic realism is the best way to do anything.

Agreed.

I can't stand the dime-a-dozen shameless Tolkien trilogy ripoffs and D&D "Shut Up And Give Us More Money" glorified advertisements that pollute the genre these days. Hell, for the past 20-someodd years now.

[Lolicat]

Best modern fantasy I ever read was The Darkness That Comes Before, a wonderful philosophical, psychological fantasy that created engaging and realistic characters. Shame that the following books had only glimpses of the genius of the first.

[harbingerofdoom]

there are a lot of references but some of the references do not directly relate to any of tolkiens work

misty mountain hop, does use the name misty mountains, but its not referring to the misty mountains from the book... its entirely about the counter culture and drugs (big shock there huh?)

over the hills and far away doesnt really have anything at all to do with the lotr.. its just people who want there to be an association and create a link in their minds between the misty mountains and the hills combined with the far away part and the journey to a far away place. beyond that... there isnt much to suggest any links.

the battle of evermore may in fact be about war in general, a specific war (as stated above) or directly about lotr as it does contain ringwraiths, castles and thundering horses... or it may be about all of them rolled up into one... i would think the latter because of the inclusion of the mists of avalon in the song which is part of the king arthur legend (which tolkien heavily tapped from as well).

ramble on also has lyrics that specifically take from lotr (the gollum line). as for her, it could be the precious that was taken. its also led zeppelin, so it could be a metaphor for something else.. either way, yes definite connection there.

a lot of what i just posted is my own personal opinion based on the songs... you're gonna have to draw your own conclusions for yourself.

/edit/
oh yeah... and rush's rivendell that was mentioned previosuly is directly about the rivendell from lotr... and is (i think) the only rush song that has no drums and is one of the few rush songs that they have never played live.
someone will correct me on those if im wrong im sure.

[Rockbandfan23467]

Some claim Stairway is a LOTR reference.

[cherokeesam]

I think "Hey Hey What Can I Do" is a thinly veiled reference to Arwen. "I got a woman wanna ball all day; I gotta woman stay drunk all the time."

Who else *could* he be talking about besides Arwen?