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Plant was influenced by J. R. R. Tolkien?


Shu Chang

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I think that J. R. R. Tolkien's book series inspired lyrics in some early Led Zeppelin songs. Most notably "The Battle of Evermore", "Misty Mountain Hop" and "Ramble On" all contain verses referencing Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. Conversely, Plant sometimes used more straightforward blues-based lyrics dealing primarily with sexual innuendo, as in "The Lemon Song", "Trampled Under Foot", and "Black Dog"...

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Yes they were also writing other similar songs that could be adated to Tolkien's mythology. I think the Stairway To Heaven could also apply to the Noldorian Elves and specificaly Gladariel and her testing problem that resolved itself in the LotR. I like the songs that you have listed as I am a fan of all of Tolkien's books and have most of them in my library. I also like the rest of the music of LZ and have a lot of CDs and DVDs and vinyl records.

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Someone asked Plant I think about this, and he said that none of their songs where LOTR inspired, easy as that.

Well you'd THINK it would be that easy, wouldn't ya? Reminds me of the line, "We know what you SAID, now let us tell you what you MEANT."

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There is a bit of mystery about Gollum, he did go to Mordor but didn't pick the Ring up from there.

He origionally stole it from his cousin Deagol, who found it in the Anduin after Isildur lost it (or it fell off) . After being banished from his village, sought refuge in the Misty Mountains. Bilbo then was lead to it after Gollum had dropped it, taking it home to the Shire. Gollum then went searching for it and was captured and taken to Mordor for questioning about the loss. It is said taht the Ring was trying to get 'home'.

That is where Sauron knew of the Shire and where the Ring was. So Gollum never found the Ring in Mordor at all. I think it's purely artist license to make the story balanced.

I also think the Tolkien Purists should ignore this part and just enjoy the song for what it was written for.

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As well as that Plant used his dog Strider in in the Long Beach Arena concert at the end of Bron-A-Aur Stomp. This is on the How The West Was Won CD1 and he calls it out after the last line, to qualify the dog he's singing about. It's an interesting name a Aragorn was called Strider in the early part of the LotR in Bree. I wonder if this didn't influence Plant's choice of name.

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There is a bit of mystery about Gollum, he did go to Mordor but didn't pick the Ring up from there.

He origionally stole it from his cousin Deagol, who found it in the Anduin after Isildur lost it (or it fell off) . After being banished from his village, sought refuge in the Misty Mountains. Bilbo then was lead to it after Gollum had dropped it, taking it home to the Shire. Gollum then went searching for it and was captured and taken to Mordor for questioning about the loss. It is said taht the Ring was trying to get 'home'.

That is where Sauron knew of the Shire and where the Ring was. So Gollum never found the Ring in Mordor at all. I think it's purely artist license to make the story balanced.

I also think the Tolkien Purists should ignore this part and just enjoy the song for what it was written for.

thanks for the info...loved lotr movies...the sap that i am i cried at the end of the first one when one of the seven were killed...of course i loved all the hot guys in all 3 movies

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Gollum was a slimy lizard that lived in a dark cave and fed on flesh. He tried to eat Bilbo in the Lord of the Hobbit. You would know this if you read the book.

Hmmm... never heard of this book? Can I find it at readtolkiensbooksbeforemakingstatementsthatyouhaventgotaclueaboutandtellingwrong

nameonhisbooks.com? :D

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There is a bit of mystery about Gollum, he did go to Mordor but didn't pick the Ring up from there.

He origionally stole it from his cousin Deagol, who found it in the Anduin after Isildur lost it (or it fell off) . After being banished from his village, sought refuge in the Misty Mountains. Bilbo then was lead to it after Gollum had dropped it, taking it home to the Shire. Gollum then went searching for it and was captured and taken to Mordor for questioning about the loss. It is said taht the Ring was trying to get 'home'.

That is where Sauron knew of the Shire and where the Ring was. So Gollum never found the Ring in Mordor at all. I think it's purely artist license to make the story balanced.

I also think the Tolkien Purists should ignore this part and just enjoy the song for what it was written for.

Where in 'Ramble On' does it say Gollum found the ring in Mordor?

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Plant supposedly read Lewis Spence's Magic Arts in Celtic Britain and this inspired him to write Stairway to Heaven. If he is an avid reader, then he probably draws inspiration from many sources including Tolkien.

STH was written with the masonic manual as inspiration, thru jimmy, plant was the 'puppet' as he 'wrote' the lyrics.

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