Ramble On
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2008) |
| “Ramble On” | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Song by Led Zeppelin | |||||
| Album | Led Zeppelin II | ||||
| Released | 22 October 1969 | ||||
| Recorded | 1969, Juggy Sound Studio, New York | ||||
| Genre | Hard rock | ||||
| Length | 4:23 | ||||
| Label | Atlantic Records | ||||
| Writer | Page/Plant | ||||
| Producer | Jimmy Page | ||||
| Led Zeppelin II track listing | |||||
|
|||||
| Audio sample | |||||
|
|
|||||
"Ramble On" is a song by English rock band Led Zeppelin from their 1969 album Led Zeppelin II. It was co-written by Jimmy Page and Robert 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 by J.R.R. Tolkien.[1] 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 retrieve the Ring in Mordor:
| “ |
Mine's a tale that can't be told, |
” |
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", "The Battle of Evermore" 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.[1] However, part of the song was performed by the band in the middle of "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" at a concert at Toronto 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 in London.
In 2004, the song was ranked #433 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
[edit] 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.[citation needed] 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.[citation needed]
Led Zeppelin parody cover band Dread Zeppelin recorded versions of this song on their albums No Quarter Pounder and It's Not Unusual.[citation needed]
The song was also sampled by the Insane Clown Posse for the song "50 Bucks" on their albums Psychopathics from Outer Space and The Pendulum.[citation needed]
Foo Fighters front man Dave Grohl and drummer Taylor Hawkins performed this song and "Rock and Roll" at Wembley Stadium on 07 June 2008, joined by Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones.
[edit] References
- ^ a b Dave Lewis (1994), The Complete Guide to the Music of Led Zeppelin, Omnibus Press, ISBN 0-7119-3528-9.
[edit] Sources
- 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
|
|||||
