Led Zeppelin – Ramble On

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  Lyric Correction:I realize the lyrics are written " evil one " but Plant definitely says " Gollum and the evil war "
  
  
  Listen to the r's and n's in his songs .

  Flag jasavakon April 21, 2012   Link

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  General Comment: Robert Plant said in a documenury the he used the referance to the Lord Of The Rings in this and in other songs.

  Flag Allysdadon October 20, 2011   Link

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  General Comment:It was inspired by the Hobbit and LOTR series..
  
  and seeing as he says "ramble on, its time for me to go, got to sing my song, got to find that girl." as well other lyrics. its clearly a tribute to Ramblin Man by the The Allman Brothers- Ramblin Man
  
  Ramblin' Man
  A man who is always on the move, travelling constantly, wherever life may take him, Also possessing a strong affinity for women but is too much of a restless soul to settle down; therefore, he often breaks hearts. His own as much as the women he is with.
  
  

  Flag MevilDaygoon October 20, 2011   Link

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    Led Zeppelin wrote Ramble on in 1969, The Allman Bro's did a cover of Hank Williams Sr.'s Rambling Man (written in 1951) in 1973. So that kinda blows a tribute out of the water.

    Flag Allysdadon October 20, 2011  
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  General Comment:i had a terrible terrible terrible breakup soph yr in hs all because of me and i just got back what i gave to her awhile ago. ahaha damn karmas a bitch shit really will get you. but it kinda feels good now cause i can "ramble on".. my past no longer hurts so the next one will only be treated like a queen

  Flag JamzXIVon July 09, 2011   Link

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  General Comment:okay, i honestly LOVE LOVE LOVE lotr, and i heard the Mordor and Gollum references, but, i do NOT think this song is ABOUT lotr. i think mordor could be a metaphor for hell(or another craptastic place) while gollum is the devil(or a boy who stole "her") and he's saying that even if you end up in the shittiest place EVER you can still "ramble on" and get over it.
  

  Flag SilentSong19on June 10, 2011   Link

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    i also meant that if you had the shittiest issues ever you could still "ramble on"

    Flag SilentSong19on June 10, 2011  
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  General Comment:GONNA RAMBLE ON!!!

  Flag MrGrieveson October 22, 2010   Link

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  Song Meaning:the reason this song was created is because back in the day many critics were saying that all led zeppelin does is ramble on. Therefore, they created this song to rub it in their faces. And in fact, the members of led zeppelin loved lord of the rings in their childhood up till forever which is why you hear many references to it in many of their songs. Although this song may have little to no meaning, it really only is led zeppelin...Rambling on. =)

  Flag acefreak5on April 08, 2010   Link

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  My Interpretation:First off, all artistic work is open to interpretation. Secondly artist’s do not uses literally or historic references without purpose. This literally concept is called allusion.
  
  An allusion is a literary term, though the word also has come to encompass indirect references to any source, including allusions in film or the visual arts. In literature, allusion is used to link concepts that the reader already has knowledge of, with concepts discussed in the story. In the field of film criticism, a film-maker's intentionally unspoken visual reference to another film has come to be called an homage. It may even be sensed that real events have allusive overtones, when a previous event is inescapably recalled by a current one. "Allusion is bound up with a upon the ready stock of ideas or emotion already associated with a topic in a relatively short space. Thus, an allusion is understandable only to those with prior knowledge of the covert reference in question( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/…).
  
  The first verse of the song Planet says “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.” This refers to Planet’s many short relationships in his search for is soul mate and how he breaks them off before the become to serious. Plant’s reluctance to settle down is supported by the verse
  
  “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.”
  
  The phrase “And to' our health we drank a thousand times” shows that he truly enjoyed his time with these woman. However, the need to settle down and fall in love again has alluded him and he may not even believe life is real anymore. Planet uses the line “magic filling the air” as a metaphor for the death of love.
  
  The big controversy over the references to Mordor and Gollum in the song are allusions of Aragorn and Arwen’s relationship in LotR.
  
  “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”
  
  Plant maybe referring to a past girlfriend he now sees as his soul mate that he met in a dark period of his life ‘Mordor’. Gollum refers to either Plant’s own pursuit of a personal task (possibly his music career) or another man who stole his soul mate from him. Plant also shows optimism towards his future with his soul mate through this reference as well. Aragorn and Arwen eventually reunite when Aragorn nears the completion of his task.
  In conclusion the song is a love song about Plant’s hopefully eventual reunion with his soul mate. Plant references Mordor and Gollum in the song only further enhance to depth of his story through the story of Aragorn and Arwen’s love in LotR.
  

  Flag Mendez43on April 06, 2010   Link

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    sorry didn't mean to double post. I actually signed up for this site just to post that, cause of the nonsense over the use of an allusion to a popular cult novel.

    Flag Mendez43on April 06, 2010  
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  My Interpretation: Let me start of by saying any artist's work is open to interpretation. Secondary anytime an artist uses a proper noun there is usually a meaning behind it. The literary term for this is called Allusion..
  
  "An allusion is a literary term, though the word also has come to encompass indirect references to any source, including allusions in film or the visual arts. In literature, allusion is used to link concepts that the reader already has knowledge of, with concepts discussed in the story. In the field of film criticism, a film-maker's intentionally unspoken visual reference to another film has come to be called an homage. It may even be sensed that real events have allusive overtones, when a previous event is inescapably recalled by a current one. "Allusion is bound up with a upon the ready stock of ideas or emotion already associated with a topic in a relatively short space. Thus, an allusion is understandable only to those with prior knowledge of the covert reference in question."
  
  (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/…)
  
  Plant is comparing his own life to that of Aragorn. I will assume that Plant had missed out on being with his soul mate, he had meet durinf a dark part of his life(Mordor), then loss her while he was pursuing his music career or possibly to other man whostole her away from him.
  
  In the first Stanza of the song he says
  "It's time I was on my way.
  Thanks to you, I'm much obliged for such a pleasant stay.
  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.."
  This leads me to believe that Plant is referring to his many brief relationships with other women. However, he knows that the woman is with is not his soul mate, so he must keep searching "Ramble On".
  
  The lines "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" further supports my theory. Plant knows he is not really to settle down, but enjoyed his time with the girl he was with. Plant's admits his own reluctance to settle down with anyone in the lines "Mine's a tale that can't be told, my freedom I hold dear." Plant shows his optimism of the future with he's soul mate by referring to Aragorn's and Arwen's love and being reunited after Arargon's mission was nearing completion.
  
  Aragorn's and Arwen's story of their first encounter can be found in Appendix A of the 'Lord of the Rings"
  
  

  Flag Mendez43on April 06, 2010   Link

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  General Comment:I know that this song refers to Lord of the Rings and what not... but it's my graduation anthem either way!! I will ramble on and this song just reminds me that a lot will change soon and I'm gonna start my life.
  Great song! One of Zeppelin's best in my opinon :D

  Flag Mercury1on March 30, 2010   Link

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