The Battle of Evermore

[JethroTull]

Who is the resident LZ song analyst here? I was listening to this song today and would love to know what the lyrics mean. Thanks

[Pb Derigable]

I am no SteveAJones and since my father favorite band is Jethro Tull, ill try to help. Reading the Lord of there Rings will help. There is a site out there with some research on The Led Zeppelin In - Frequently Murmured List but this what it said not to be ripping somebody work off

http://www.oldbuckeye.com/ifmtl1.html#1.5

Battle of Evermore-With some imagery borrowed from Tolkien

and lyrics inspired by a book Robert was reading at the time about

Scottish border wars, it is likely that the song is a compilation

of elements of these two sources. The lyrical reference to

`ringwraiths' is an indication of the use of some middle earth

imagery. The actual ringwraiths reference, "The ringwraiths ride

in black..." refers to the Nazgul in Tolkien's middle earth. The

Nazgul were evil servants of the Dark Lord, also referred to in

the song, Sauron, who roamed the earth in search of the one ring

to rule them all, the magic ring of invisibility found by Bilbo

Baggins in _The_Hobbit_. The Nazgul were referred to as

"Ringwraiths" by common peoples. Another line from the song

"Bring it back, bring it back..." is interpreted by some as the

rapidly fading links between England and the magic of the past.

The lines "The magic runes are writ in gold, to bring the balance

back" are interpreted by some as meaning the band had found or

regained some sense of balance, although this is very probably not

what Plant was singing about. Additionally, the Queen of light

referred to is Galhadriel, and a ringwraith is a human that fell

under the power of Sauron and now lives as a "shadow" or being on

another plane of existence. A ringwraith is essentially one of

Sauron's henchmen and were dedicated to finding the ring and to

bring it back to Sauron. They also dress in black. Some other

lyrical ideas are supposed to have come from "The Magic Arts In

Celtic Britain" by Lewis Spence.

I read the book's a year before i met Zeppelin and i read them agian afterwards

[Idunn]

My take on the song is completely different. To my mind, it's a two part "play" based somewhat loosely on Arthurian legend, the Battle Of Camlann, and what came after that.

According to Geoffrey Of Monmouth , Arthur defeated and killed Mordred (the tyrant mentioned in the song, perhaps) at the Battle Of Camlann. Arthur, fatally wounded , was taken to Avalon...a legendary island somewhere in the british isles famous for it's apples. I believe the Queen Of Light refered to in the song may be Morgan La Fey, who was the chief among nine sisters who lived in Avalon.

(the legend is a complicated one, so I'm forced to be brief here...but you can find a great deal of info via the net)

So... my own personal view is that the song is a conversation between King Arthur (Robert) and Morgan La Fey (Sandy Denny) as the king lays dying. It's interesting to note that Roberts first reference to the apples has then fruiting, and his last reference has them slowly dying.

The idea of the ring wraiths, in my opinion , is merely thrown in as an allegory for death as it approaches.

[huw]

Don't ignore the probability that Robert was after something far less specific, creating a general feeling which referenced all the above sources (& more) but with a vague narative left delberately open to interpretation.

[Idunn]

Don't ignore the probability that Robert was after something far less specific, creating a general feeling which referenced all the above sources (& more) but with a vague narative left delberately open to interpretation.

That's why I said "loosely based". As with all Zeppelin songs, imo , the import lies more in the feeling it invokes in the listener, than it does the actual bits and pieces that were the inspiration to begin with.

[eternal light]

I am no SteveAJones and since my father favorite band is Jethro Tull, ill try to help. Reading the Lord of there Rings will help. There is a site out there with some research on The Led Zeppelin In - Frequently Murmured List but this what it said not to be ripping somebody work off

http://www.oldbuckeye.com/ifmtl1.html#1.5

Battle of Evermore-With some imagery borrowed from Tolkien

and lyrics inspired by a book Robert was reading at the time about

Scottish border wars, it is likely that the song is a compilation

of elements of these two sources. The lyrical reference to

`ringwraiths' is an indication of the use of some middle earth

imagery. The actual ringwraiths reference, "The ringwraiths ride

in black..." refers to the Nazgul in Tolkien's middle earth. The

Nazgul were evil servants of the Dark Lord, also referred to in

the song, Sauron, who roamed the earth in search of the one ring

to rule them all, the magic ring of invisibility found by Bilbo

Baggins in _The_Hobbit_. The Nazgul were referred to as

"Ringwraiths" by common peoples. Another line from the song

"Bring it back, bring it back..." is interpreted by some as the

rapidly fading links between England and the magic of the past.

The lines "The magic runes are writ in gold, to bring the balance

back" are interpreted by some as meaning the band had found or

regained some sense of balance, although this is very probably not

what Plant was singing about. Additionally, the Queen of light

referred to is Galhadriel, and a ringwraith is a human that fell

under the power of Sauron and now lives as a "shadow" or being on

another plane of existence. A ringwraith is essentially one of

Sauron's henchmen and were dedicated to finding the ring and to

bring it back to Sauron. They also dress in black. Some other

lyrical ideas are supposed to have come from "The Magic Arts In

Celtic Britain" by Lewis Spence.

I read the book's a year before i met Zeppelin and i read them agian afterwards

Name: The Nazgul

Other Names: Ringwraiths, Black Riders, The Nine, Nine Riders, Nine Servants, Winged Shadows

Race: Used to be Men

Date of Death: T.A. 3019

Nazgul was the name given to the Nine Men who were given the Nine Rings of Power as mentioned in the verse of the Ring. They became corrupted by the Power of the Rings and transformed into Sauron's dark and deathless servants. In the beginning of the Lord of the Rings they used horses to ride upon. After they were defeated at the Ford of Bruinen, they went back to Mordor and they received winged creatures to ride upon. The Nazgul were led by the Lord of the Nazgul who wore a crown on his formless head. He was slain by Eowyn and Merry at the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. When the One Ring was destroyed the Nazgul were destroyed with it.

http://www.lordotrings.com/tour/nazgul.asp

[ninelives]

Robert talks a bit about the Tolkien references in this interview:

http://www.947theglobe.com/pages/2035951.php

It's towards the bottom of the page.

[beatbo]

Robert talks a bit about the Tolkien references in this interview:

http://www.947theglobe.com/pages/2035951.php

It's towards the bottom of the page.

excellent post!