I've been to London, seen seven wonders. I know to trip is just to fall
I used to rock it, sometimes I'd roll it. I always knew what it was for.

There can be no denyin' that the wind 'll shake 'em down
And the flat world's flyin'. There's a new plague on the land

If we could just join hands (X3)

Traversed the planet when heaven sent me. I saw the kings who rule them all
Still by the firelight and purple moonlight. I hear the rested rivers call
And the wind is crying, from a love that won't grow cold
My lover, she is lying, on the dark side of the globe

If we could just join hands (X3)

You got me rockin' when I ought to be a-rollin'
Darlin', tell me, darlin', which way to go
You keep me rockin', baby, then you keep me stolen
Won't you tell me, darlin', which way to go... that's right

Oh how I wonder, oh how I worry and I would dearly like to know
I've all this wonder of earthly plunder will it leave us anything to show

And our time is flyin' see the candle burnin' low
Is the new world rising, from the shambles of the old

If we could just join hands.



Lyrics submitted by kevin

Track duration: 05:27

"The Rover" as written by James Patrick (jimmy)/plant Page

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


The Rover song meanings
Add your thoughts

33 Comments

sort form View by:
  • 0
    General Comment:Such an overlooked song, definitely one of my favorites
    Flag Hareon April 01, 2011   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:Well as we all know Zep loved to writes songs about mythology and history. I believe this song is about the privateer ship "The Rover" That was commissioned in the year 1800.

    "I've been to London, seen seven wonders."

    The ship was built in Canada but did see London Egypt India the Amazon among just some of the wonders of the world

    It single headedly engaged a French Convoy coming with plunder from Egypt.

    it captured three spanish gun boats and the Santa Rita off the coast of Venezuela.

    "I've all this wonder of earthly plunder will it leave us anything to show"

    "Traversed the planet when heaven sent me. I saw the kings who rule them all
    "There can be no denyin' that the wind 'll shake 'em down""

    the Wind being the changes in the world French revolution the American Revolution. It fought Napoleon and Witnessed the last of the Holy Roman Emperors. Seeing a new world rising from the Napoleonic wars. the Napoleonic wars represent the end of the Old world of Emperors and kings and the beginning of the new World of republics and Democracy.

    "Is the new world risin', from the shambles of the old "

    The Ship eventually capsized and sank in the West Indies.

    "And the wind is crying, from a love that won't grow cold
    My lover, she is lying, on the dark side of the globe"

    the West Indies was originally consider OF THE EDGE OF THE FLAT WORLD in the darkness.

    "And the flat world's flyin'. There's a new plague on the land"

    As we all know Europeans brought Plague and disease to the west Indies and 70% of the population died from the new plague on the land.
    Flag resotston December 27, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Rover is brit slang for wanderer, Page and Plant first wrote it as accoustic in 1970.
    Flag zoso15128on June 08, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Seems to be about two or three different things at once: the singer's personal journey, the band, and the progressive struggle in general.

    The first lines are about drugs for sure. Pot and acid at the beginning. He says he "always knew what it was for". He probably felt okay about pot because it was mind-expanding or good for musical creativity.

    Later there's a "new plague" or "new flag" on the land. This is where it's hard to tell if it's about something personal still or something political, like the progressive movements from the 60's losing steam and dissolving in the entertainment and drug culture. I think it's possibly about heroin addiction-- the lover lying on the dark side of the globe. This could be someone he knows directly, like Page or someone else, or even his muse.

    Back to the personal, he wonders about all the riches and fame-- "earthly plunder"-- and if in the end anything will be left. "See the candle burning low" points to knowing that the band is stretching themselves to thin and running out of steam.

    "Just join hands" seems to back at the more global or social level-- people could solve the world's problems if they were united.

    "Carouselambra" seems to be a later answer to this song. It also blends the bands journey with the social challenges of the day.
    Flag bigmike7on September 26, 2009   Link
  • 0
    My Opinion:To me its one of those Hell Yeah songs like rush freewil like the meaning is like true "if we could just join hands"
    Flag chrispitts420on February 13, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think this song is written from the perspective of a satellite looking down on the world seeing things like london and the seven wonders, and perhaps it's "lover", or another satellite is on the other side of the world and if this inanimate satellite could talk it'd ask "If they could just join hands"- or if only people would stop arguing and simply get along because our time on earth is fleeting.
    Flag whaton January 10, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Gosh, this song is wonderful! I'm like breaking out in a cold sweat when I listen to it! I agree with shsclassicrocker... "I've all this wonder of earthly plunder will it leave us anything to show" could be about the enviroment, I don't know how big that problem was in the seventies though, I didn't exist then:P
    Flag Venice_Queenon December 18, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I love this song... and this album, obviously. I don't think these lyrics make any sense though. He's known for bein pretty random. I think it's more about drug trips and all the good things in life.
    Flag physicalgraffition October 29, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I take this song as an ambiguous, I wish we could be at peace kinda thing. I'm not sure. 'Is the new world risin, from the shambles of the old?' or 'If we could just join hands' (and be at peace) Thats what it sends me.
    Flag shsclassicrockeron April 11, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think its about the women he meets all the time and gets high with, but he doesn't really connect with any of them. (You know... new girl every night kind of thing I'm sure Plant had). Stuff like "our time is flying", "sometimes i roll it", the "dark side of the moon" thing, all drug references saying they get high together... but still he just wished they could "just join hands..." Some of the imagery I feel like is just some garbled trippy imagery. My favorite line in the whole thing is definitley "I know to trip is just to fall." Trip in the sense of a drug trip.
    Flag phatslugon March 14, 2007   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

Back to top
explain