Led Zeppelin and Lord of the Rings

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Discussion Overview

The discussion explores the connections between Led Zeppelin's music and J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy. Participants share observations about specific songs, lyrics, and themes that they believe reference or are inspired by the works of Tolkien, as well as personal anecdotes related to music and its interpretation.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants note that "Battle of Evermore" mentions ringwraiths, suggesting a direct connection to Tolkien's work.
  • Others mention "Misty Mountain Hop" as having references to Middle Earth, recalling specific scenes from the films that resonate with the song's themes.
  • One participant shares a personal project involving a cassette deck that could play songs in reverse, linking it to the idea of hidden messages in music, particularly in relation to Led Zeppelin.
  • There is a playful exchange about the reverse message phenomenon in music, with references to other bands and songs, indicating a broader interest in music interpretation.
  • Some participants express differing opinions on the significance of these connections, with one suggesting that the comparisons are not as profound as those between Pink Floyd and "The Wizard of Oz."

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that there are connections between Led Zeppelin's music and Tolkien's works, but there is no consensus on the depth or significance of these connections. Multiple views on the relevance of specific songs and interpretations remain present.

Contextual Notes

Some claims about specific songs and their connections to Tolkien's works are based on personal interpretations and memories, which may vary among participants. The discussion includes anecdotal evidence and subjective experiences related to music listening.

quantumdude
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Hey folks,

I've been watching the first two LOTR movies a lot, in anticipation of the 3rd one to come out in December. Lately I've been noticing all the imagery that Led Zeppelin borrows from that trilogy, and I am now listening to "Battle of Evermore", which mentions the ringwraiths. That prompted me to do some Googling, and this is what I turned up:

Zeppelin and Tolkein Relations Page

Someone with much more time on his hands found more connections. I thought they were kind of cool.

Enjoy,
 
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In the darkest depths of mordor i met a girl so fair...
 
But Gollum, and the eeevil one

crept up and stole away with hee-eer hee-eer hee-eer yeah.

<- is done singing

<- isn't going to quit his day job
 
...crept up and slipped away with hee-eer hee-eer hee-eer yeah.
:wink:
 
Ramble On!

Yeah, Zeppelin and Tolkien have a lot of connections.

Let's see... Misty Mountain Hop has some references to Middle Earth (if I remember my Tolkien correctly).

Watch the Song Remains the Same. Plant's scene sort of goes for that mythical atmosphere.
 
Originally posted by Sting
Let's see... Misty Mountain Hop has some references to Middle Earth (if I remember my Tolkien correctly).

Yes, I remember watching Fellowship of the Ring, and when Galadriel said that Gollum took the ring deep into the Misty Mountains, that power riff was sounding off in my head.
 
Someone with much more time on his hands found more connections. I thought they were kind of cool.
Speaking of having time on someone’s hands, I once reworked an auto-reversing cassette deck so it would play a tape either forwards or backwards. This made it easy to listen to a song in either direction. The Zeppelin band had quite a few things to say about Satan.
I thought it was kind of cool, hehe.
 
Originally posted by BoulderHead
Speaking of having time on someone’s hands, I once reworked an auto-reversing cassette deck so it would play a tape either forwards or backwards. This made it easy to listen to a song in either direction. The Zeppelin band had quite a few things to say about Satan.
I thought it was kind of cool, hehe.

nahh.. you got it all wrong... Chicago has the good stuff:wink:
 
Saw Return of the King again last weekend. That's 5 times now!

I need help.
 
  • #10
Tom Mattson said:
Saw Return of the King again last weekend. That's 5 times now!

I need help.

Holy cow, I only saw it twice and it was too much for me.
 
  • #11
Boulderhead, Zantra! NO JOKE?? I'd always heard about that reverse message thing but I thought it was a myth. (Somebody call Mythbusters! :wink: ) I never knew anyone who actually HEARD it themselves. That's so weird! Then it's true? Zantra, Chicago? Really? Get OUT! CHICAGO? :frown: really? Jeez... :frown:
 
  • #12
interesting, but its not pink floyd/wizard of oz. :D
 
  • #13
chief said:
interesting, but its not pink floyd/wizard of oz. :D
True. :biggrin: Isn't that WEIRD?? I just love watching/listening to that. :wink:
 
  • #14
BoulderHead said:
Speaking of having time on someone’s hands, I once reworked an auto-reversing cassette deck so it would play a tape either forwards or backwards. This made it easy to listen to a song in either direction. The Zeppelin band had quite a few things to say about Satan.
I thought it was kind of cool, hehe.

Meh, you hear what you want to here. I remember a friend of mine convincing someone that a rage song, "born of a broken man", actually, said "pinapple pumkin man", just by saying so, and playing the song for him.
 

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