Led Zeppelin & LOTR lyrics - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Boromir's Lady · 12-02-2002, 09:14 AM

NOTE: I finally found (through search) that this topic has been discussed in August! So I apologize for a second post! If board members and Moderators want me to delete this, just let me know.

This was something interesting that I had heard about a long time ago - That Led Zeppelin used LOTR references in some of their songs - and my curiosity got the best of me so I went looking into the lyrics and this is what I found. Now I can't say for certain they definately are referencing Tolkien, but it's still pretty interesting!

The Battle of Evermore
(From Led Zeppelin 4 - 1971)

The Queen of light took her bow
and then she turned to go
The Prince of Peace embraced the gloom
and walked the night alone

oh, dance in the dark of night
Sing to the morning light

The Dark Lord rides in force tonight
and time will tell us all, oh
Oh throw down your plow and hoe
rest not to lock your homes

Side by side we wait the night
of the darkest of them all

I hear the horses thunder down in the valley below
I'm waiting for the Angels of Avalon
waiting for the Eastern Glow

The apples of the valley hold the seas of happiness
The ground is rich from tender care
Repay, do not forget, no, no

Oh dance in the dark of night
Sing to the morning light

The apples turn from brown to black
The tyrant's face is red
Oh, war is the common cry
Pick up you swords and fly

The sky is filled with good and bad
that mortals never know

Oh, well, the night is long
The beads of time pass slow
Tired eyes on the sunrise
waiting on the eastern glow

The pain of war cannot exceed
the woe of aftermath
The drums will shake the castle wall
The ring-wraiths ride in black, ride on

Sing as you raise your bow
Shoot straighter than before
No comfort has the fire at night
That lights the face so cold

Oh, dance in the dark of night
Sing to the mornin' light

The magic runes are writ in gold
to bring the balance back
bring it back

At last the sun is shining
The clouds of blue roll by
with flames from the dragon of darkness
the sunlight blinds his eyes

~~~~~~~~~
On this same album there is a song titled 'Misty Mountian Hop' but the only reference I noticed was this line:

'So I'm packing my bags for the misty mountains where the spirits go now'

Misty Mountain hop

And 'Stairway to Heaven' may have some references
Stairway to Heaven

Ramble on

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...

Ramble on

[ December 02, 2002: Message edited by: Boromir's Lady ]

12-02-2002, 09:14 AM	#1
Boromir's Lady Pile O'Bones Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: USA Posts: 21	Led Zeppelin & LOTR lyrics NOTE: I finally found (through search) that this topic has been discussed in August! So I apologize for a second post! If board members and Moderators want me to delete this, just let me know. This was something interesting that I had heard about a long time ago - That Led Zeppelin used LOTR references in some of their songs - and my curiosity got the best of me so I went looking into the lyrics and this is what I found. Now I can't say for certain they definately are referencing Tolkien, but it's still pretty interesting! The Battle of Evermore (From Led Zeppelin 4 - 1971) The Queen of light took her bow and then she turned to go The Prince of Peace embraced the gloom and walked the night alone oh, dance in the dark of night Sing to the morning light The Dark Lord rides in force tonight and time will tell us all, oh Oh throw down your plow and hoe rest not to lock your homes Side by side we wait the night of the darkest of them all I hear the horses thunder down in the valley below I'm waiting for the Angels of Avalon waiting for the Eastern Glow The apples of the valley hold the seas of happiness The ground is rich from tender care Repay, do not forget, no, no Oh dance in the dark of night Sing to the morning light The apples turn from brown to black The tyrant's face is red Oh, war is the common cry Pick up you swords and fly The sky is filled with good and bad that mortals never know Oh, well, the night is long The beads of time pass slow Tired eyes on the sunrise waiting on the eastern glow The pain of war cannot exceed the woe of aftermath The drums will shake the castle wall The ring-wraiths ride in black, ride on Sing as you raise your bow Shoot straighter than before No comfort has the fire at night That lights the face so cold Oh, dance in the dark of night Sing to the mornin' light The magic runes are writ in gold to bring the balance back bring it back At last the sun is shining The clouds of blue roll by with flames from the dragon of darkness the sunlight blinds his eyes ~~~~~~~~~ On this same album there is a song titled 'Misty Mountian Hop' but the only reference I noticed was this line: 'So I'm packing my bags for the misty mountains where the spirits go now' Misty Mountain hop And 'Stairway to Heaven' may have some references Stairway to Heaven Ramble on 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... Ramble on [ December 02, 2002: Message edited by: Boromir's Lady ] __________________ ~Have you seen it, Aragorn? The white tower of Ecthelion glimmering like a spike of pearl and silver, its banners caught high in the morning breeze. Have you ever been called home by the clear ringing of silver trumpets?~