The following is an insightful letter discussing various items  
that influenced Led Zeppelin's music: 
 
 
 
    I don't quite understand what's going on here. When you say  
"major religious experiences", do you mean good or bad? I don't  
think you know what "story about Stairway to Heaven" I'm talking  
about. It just doesn't make sense to me. It's late, and I'm  
tired, so I may not be "all there" right now. If you'd like me to  
explain further, let me know. But you may be surprised at what  
you hear. 
    "The Battle of Evermore" has a lot to do with a place called  
"Middle Earth" as do many Zep songs. A mythical world brought to  
life in the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien. Zep  
was known to have an obsession with this world, and they speak of  
it in many songs. The "Misty Mountains" are in Middle Earth. The  
dreaded range of mountains where Orcs, Trolls, Demons, and other  
unspeakable creatures lived. In "Ramble On" it's mentioned again  
with the evil creature Gollum, and the dark land of Mordor. "The  
Battlle of Evermore" is mainly about the final battle in the  
story, between good and evil, which the good won by a hair, and  
changed the structure of the world for ages to come. Two lines to  
the song say this: <1> "The drums will shake the castle walls,  
the Ringwraiths ride in black." And <2> "The Dark Lord rides in  
force tonight, and time will tell us all." The Dark Lord is like  
the Devil of Middle Earth and the Ringwraiths are his soulless  
servants. In the final battle, all of them are cast into oblivion  
forever, along with all the other evil creatures of that world. 
    Sorry to have written another novel, but having had religious  
experiences listening to the songs, I thought you might like to  
know more about what they are really talking about, and what they  
really mean. I know I hate it when I can't figure out what a song  
is trying to say, especially when it's important to me for some  
reason. 
    Hmmm... One more message like that, and I'll have written my 
own trilogy, huh? Why don't you write me a book or two, then I 
won't feel so bad.
 - Ray



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