- Ramble On
Song infobox
Name = Ramble On
Artist =Led Zeppelin
Album =Led Zeppelin II
Released =22 October 1969
track_no = 7
Recorded = 1969, Juggy Sound Studio, New York
Genre =Hard rock
Length = 4:23
Writer = Page/Plant
Label = Atlantic
Producer =Jimmy Page
Chart position =
Background =
prev = "Living Loving Maid (She's Just a Woman) "
prev_no = 6
next = "Moby Dick"
next_no = 8
Misc = Audiosample
Background=#E6E8FA
Upper caption = Audio sample
Audio file = Ramble On by Led Zeppelin.ogg"Ramble On" is a song by English rock bandLed Zeppelin from their 1969 album "Led Zeppelin II ". It was co-written byJimmy Page andRobert Plant , and was recorded in 1969 at Juggy Sound Studio, New York, during the band's second concert tour of the United States.The song's lyrics were heavily influenced by "
The Lord of the Rings " byJ.R.R. Tolkien .Dave Lewis (1994), "The Complete Guide to the Music of Led Zeppelin", Omnibus Press, ISBN 0-7119-3528-9.] The opening line ("Leaves are falling all around") is probably a paraphrase of the opening line of Tolkien's poem "Namárië ". The poem may also be the inspiration for the entire first verse.The Tolkien references later in the song refer to the adventures of either Frodo Baggins as he travels to Mordor or Aragorn as he has to choose between staying with his love Arwen (Elrond's daughter) or going to destroy the Ring in Mordor:
cquote
"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 ofMordor "
"I met a girl so fair."
"ButGollum , and the evil one crept up"
"And slipped away with her."Plant later admitted in an audio documentary that he was embarrassed by the Tolkien references. References to the work of Tolkien also exist in other Led Zeppelin songs, such as "
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp ", and "Misty Mountain Hop ".The guitar's jangly introduction employs a classic Jimmy Page technique: using regular open chords superimposed higher on the fretboard. Often mistaken for bongos, drummer
John Bonham is actually hitting a plastic rubbish bin throughout the song.The song also serves as a classic illustration of the tight interplay between bassist John Paul Jones and drummer
John Bonham . Jones' light, melodic bass phrases give way to a clever ascending motif which follows Bonham's bass drum.Until 2007 "Ramble On" was never performed live in its entirety at
Led Zeppelin concerts .Dave Lewis (1994), "The Complete Guide to the Music of Led Zeppelin", Omnibus Press, ISBN 0-7119-3528-9.] However, part of the song was performed by the band in the middle of "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You " at a concert atToronto on November 2, 1969, as can be heard on the Led Zeppelin bootleg "Listen to my Bluebird". The full version of the song was played at Led Zeppelin's reunion show on December 10, 2007, at the O2 Arena inLondon .In 2004, the song was ranked #433 on "
Rolling Stone "'s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.Cover versions
A cover version of the song was recorded by
Jason Bonham , son of Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, and released on his 1997 album "In the Name of My Father - The Zepset ".Fact|date=June 2008 The group Train, whose lead singer was previously in a band which did entire sets of Led Zeppelin songs, also covered "Ramble On". Producer Brendan O'Brien heard Train's version and agreed to produce their second album.Fact|date=June 2008Led Zeppelin parody cover band
Dread Zeppelin recorded versions of this song on their albums "No Quarter Pounder " and "It's Not Unusual".Fact|date=June 2008Foo Fighters front manDave Grohl and drummerTaylor Hawkins performed this song and "Rock and Roll " atWembley Stadium on 07 June 2008, joined by Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones.References
ources
*"Led Zeppelin: Dazed and Confused: The Stories Behind Every Song", by Chris Welch, ISBN 1-56025-818-7
*"The Complete Guide to the Music of Led Zeppelin", by Dave Lewis, ISBN 0-7119-3528-9
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