@@Thomas.Wright I'm not sure if Beowulf is a great example. It was written in English, but set in Denmark. King Arthur and Robin Hood are better examples of English myths.
@Jacob Harton The 12th-century French writer Chrétien de Troyes, who added Lancelot and the Holy Grail to the story, began the genre of Arthurian romance that became a significant strand of medieval literature. In these French stories, the narrative focus often shifts from King Arthur himself to other characters, such as various Knights of the Round Table. Arthurian literature thrived during the Middle Ages but waned in the centuries that followed until it experienced a major resurgence in the 19th century. In the 21st century, the legend lives on, not only in literature but also in adaptations for theatre, film, television, comics and other media.
@@Aron-ru5zk No, that's not accurate. Sindarin was patterned after Welsh, yes, but most of his mythological influence came from Finland and the _Kalevala._
Even Stairway to Heaven has the lines "there's a feeling I get when I look to the west, and my spirit is crying for leaving", referencing the longing of the elves to journey west to the undying lands. Much like the ending-credits song of ROTK, "Into the West". But if you wanna go really bizarre, The Beatles themselves wanted to score and act in a lord of the rings film directed by Stanley Kubrick, who felt the complexity of the novel made it near impossible to adapt. Tolkien however being a traditionalist wasn't too fond of the idea or the band.
Also "In my thoughts I have seen rings of smoke through the trees and the voices of those who stand looking" which references Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli meeting Gandalf the White in Fangorn Forest.
@Varmando Varuso Paul as Frodo, George as Gandalf, John as Gollum and Ringo as Sam. That was the original casting and I think it wasn't that bad actually
Also "there's a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold" comes from the first line of a poem about Strider: "all that is gold does not glitters, not all those who wander are lost".
Tolkien died in 73, many bands around that time wanted to pay tribute to him for his fine works. His imagery influenced many authors and songwriters. Nothing wrong with that at all.
Lee was a good friend of Tolkien's? No. "I met him quite by chance, really,” he recalled in the interview. “I met him with a group of other people in a pub in Oxford he used to go to, The Eagle and Child. I was very much in awe of him, as you can imagine, so I just said, ‘How do you do?’” Lee was the only LOTR cast member to actually meet Tolkien, who passed away in 1973
Christopher Lee was hired by Rhapsody (Of Fire) to do narration on some of their albums and he got interested in metal, so he made a metal album about Charlemagne.
In 1970, I had a 1959 Strat that was repainted in green metal flake. I had a friend inscribe Elvish on it. Later when a friend of mine really, really wanted it, I gave it to him. He stripped it down to the bare wood! Should have kept it, and had the neck scalloped and new German silver frets added. Would have been worth thousands, especially with the Elvish. My goodness, the joys of youth!
Hey great video as usual!! Please do a video on how science fiction shaped music (Rush - 2112, Cygnus X-1 - Rush, Black Sabbath - Iron man, a Space Oddity - David Bowie and several Pink floyd songs) that would be awesome! keep up the good work!
Don't forget Gong with their flying teapots in space and Magma that told a story of escaping Earth for the planet Kobaïa. A little less known, but interesting.
I can only think of 4 pink Floyd songs that are related to science fiction: Astronomy Domine, Interstellar Overdrive, Set the controls for the Heart of the Sun and maybe Welcome to the Machine.
@@rundoetx - I got to see Zep 3 out of the 4 times they went through L.A. One of the very few bands who were as good live as they were on their albums.
Not only does Music play a huge part in Tolkien's works but in the Silmarillion he writes about how the world was made, and the world itself was literally made from music.
Your videos are amazing man. You give us so much insight into some of the best music ever made. I think a song you could do an excellent analysis on is the Live version of Whipping Post by the Allman Brothers that’s over 20 minutes long. Keep up the great work!
Thanks for the video, brother- I originally subscribed to your channel due to a Rush video that popped into my notifications one day. I really enjoy it- and I agree with you about “The Children of Húrin”. I love the story of Túrin Turambar- ever since I first read the Silmarillion, he’s been quite possibly my favorite character- so tragic, though. Anyway- I’ve rambled on long enough(see what I did there?)- Thanks again for the video- it’s got two of my favorite things in life, how could I not love it?
One that Polyphonic overlooked - which admittedly is a little obscure - is an AMAZING early-70s concept album by Swedish multi-instrumentalist Bo Hansson, just called "Music Inspired By The Lord Of The Rings." If you're into prog rock and haven't heard it, it's well worth a listen. I absolutely fell in love the first time I heard it, and it's probably my favorite musical treatment of the books. Hansson creates an otherworldly atmosphere that a lot of other adaptations lack.
It goes beyond direct references, even. Rush's song By Tor and the Snow Dog was a prog song with a fantasy story line that is the sort of thing a Tolkien reader (Peart) would write. Dungeons & Dragons inspires people to write songs, too, which is an indirect Tolkien influence since Gygax basically emulated the whole world of Tolkien to build D&D. I think he even got sued by Tolkien's estate over it.
Polyphonic, I just started watching most of your videos and I might actually consider you one of my favorite you tubers. I’m not gonna say “oh you’re my biggest fan” or anything I just want to let you know (even though you might get this a lot) I really appreciate your work.
Surprised you didn't mention Blind Guardian who did an awesome Middle-Earth themed album. My favorite song out of that album was Time Stand Still (at the Iron Hill), which imo perfectly captured the battle between Fingolfin and Morgoth. Ok, maybe it's technically melodic metal but you mentioned Amon Amarth.
There's also a black metal band called Carach Angren which takes it's name from one of the passes into Mordor. If you like that style of music, I'd highly recommend them.
Loving all your videos btw. Loving all the interesting info, all the topics you cover and loving all the work you put into your videos. I’m quickly becoming a big fan. 👍🏻
A little off topic but this is a detail I really like in Bill Burr's F is for family. In that show his son Kevin has a band and it is heavily influenced by Middle Earth. If fact Kevin's favorite band is called Shire of Frodo. :)
And ALSO the hermit figure that is like the Zeppelin thingy, I read in an interview that it was meant to be Gandalf, they used the Tarot of the Hermit but it was supposed to be interpreted as Gandalf
Couple of memories. First, Barclay James Harvest's second album has Galadriel, they even released a single under the pseudonym Bombadill. However there is a really major oversight. Earlier than any reference in the video, Joe Boyd ran the Middle earth club. Wonder where he got that name? Not to mention a band he managed, Pink Floyd. Definitely Tolkien in spirit, Folk rock subgenre, acid folk is full of hobbit forming references, from Mark Bolam to Shagrat. Great Tolkien name. My mates and I just listened to contemporary music in the late sixties/early seventies. Pigeon holes like classic rock came much later. P.S. Loved the video.
I was gonna write a song about middle earth then someone told me that like 400 bands made songs already I was like damn. Looks like imma have to rock that star wars chun.
I'm a big fan of Tolkien and classic rock and I very loved the video but you should have talked more about stairway to heaven and the references in that
Misty mountain hop is more then a reference to a mountain range, it’s literally the story of the hobbit, it talks about the dwarfs coming for tea and more
Glass Prism Poe Through The Glass Prism and The Alan Parsons Project Tales Of Mystery And Imagination Edgar Allan Poe! And Phil Ochs, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, The Beatles and Queen all had a track or two based on Edgar Allan Poe!
"Music has always close ties to literature..." Yet then only speaks of modern music. The statement is true and could have been used to show the connection long before rock and roll.
This is a great video. You make a lot of interesting points. However there is point that you touched on that I think can be expanded upon. That is Tolkien’s use of language and grammar in his descriptions. I don’t know if I’m just weird in this way but, when I read his works I notice that there is a certain rhythm to the narration even the characters speak in a poetic way which makes things seem sort of like a song. It’s just an observation I had when reading LotR.
cool video, Tolkien's work is awesome. What font did you use for the text in this video? and also what is the background music that's playing when not playing the band's songs (like here: 3:08)
I read and loved The Hobbit when I was about 12yrs old, then a couple of years later I heard Led Zeppelin 2 for the first time, which IMO is their best album. I couldn't get over how good the album was, and the fact that there was a reference to Tolkien's works made it even better. It was not long after this that I then went on to read The Lord of the Rings.
Only somewhat related, but people should go listen to "Trespass" by Genesis. It's a fairly rough album but nonetheless very good. In particular the last song "The Knife" is a genuinely incredible song, probably genesis' first great song.
Oh, and dont forget that the Beatles wanted to do a LOTR movie starring them and directed by Stanley Kubrik
Oh yeah, that... wait, WHAT!?
I could imagine John and Paul playing as Frodo and Sam, and Ringo and George would play Merry and Pippin.
Tolkien was against the Beatles being casted and Stanley Kubrick was one of those people who thought that a adaptation could never work
To which Tolkien coldly said, "no."
"IF" the Beatles could be as serious as Pink Floyd... ya, maybe.
Hummm... PF stared in LotR.
Tolkien was attempting to write a mythology for England, which had lost its myths long ago. It's no wonder that English bands championed his stories.
@@Thomas.Wright I'm not sure if Beowulf is a great example. It was written in English, but set in Denmark. King Arthur and Robin Hood are better examples of English myths.
@Jacob Harton The 12th-century French writer Chrétien de Troyes, who added Lancelot and the Holy Grail to the story, began the genre of Arthurian romance that became a significant strand of medieval literature. In these French stories, the narrative focus often shifts from King Arthur himself to other characters, such as various Knights of the Round Table. Arthurian literature thrived during the Middle Ages but waned in the centuries that followed until it experienced a major resurgence in the 19th century. In the 21st century, the legend lives on, not only in literature but also in adaptations for theatre, film, television, comics and other media.
@@Aron-ru5zk No, that's not accurate. Sindarin was patterned after Welsh, yes, but most of his mythological influence came from Finland and the _Kalevala._
@@bujfvjg7222 Yeah, the Arthurian cycle was heavily French. The only really English thing about it was the core mythology of the Fisher King.
@@Serai3 The Children of Hurin is basically Tolkien's version of the story of Kullervo.
Even Stairway to Heaven has the lines "there's a feeling I get when I look to the west, and my spirit is crying for leaving", referencing the longing of the elves to journey west to the undying lands. Much like the ending-credits song of ROTK, "Into the West". But if you wanna go really bizarre, The Beatles themselves wanted to score and act in a lord of the rings film directed by Stanley Kubrick, who felt the complexity of the novel made it near impossible to adapt. Tolkien however being a traditionalist wasn't too fond of the idea or the band.
Also "In my thoughts I have seen rings of smoke through the trees and the voices of those who stand looking" which references Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli meeting Gandalf the White in Fangorn Forest.
@Varmando Varuso Paul as Frodo, George as Gandalf, John as Gollum and Ringo as Sam.
That was the original casting and I think it wasn't that bad actually
Tolkien hated the hippies trying to visit him in the 60's and 70's..
I always took that lyric as Viking’s wanting to head west to Britain for treasures and raiding lol
Also "there's a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold" comes from the first line of a poem about Strider: "all that is gold does not glitters, not all those who wander are lost".
The fact that "Battle for Evermore" is so underrated should be classified as one of the great tragedies of mankind.
I had never heard of it before the video and your comment made me want to listen to it. I gotta tell you... you're right
Tolkien died in 73, many bands around that time wanted to pay tribute to him for his fine works. His imagery influenced many authors and songwriters. Nothing wrong with that at all.
These video essays are beyond dope. Soooo good!
Lee was a good friend of Tolkien's? No. "I met him quite by chance, really,” he recalled in the interview. “I met him with a group of other people in a pub in Oxford he used to go to, The Eagle and Child. I was very much in awe of him, as you can imagine, so I just said, ‘How do you do?’” Lee was the only LOTR cast member to actually meet Tolkien, who passed away in 1973
Queen II is an amazing album, and it gives me a lot of fantasy and Tolkein vibes.
Not mentioning Christopher Lee's metal singing career... shame on you :D
CseRedHide what WHAT
@@Beatles__ - Yes. That is a real thing. It is okay. Christopher Lee seemed to really enjoy doing it.
@@Beatles__ ua-cam.com/video/cvKRbi2ovDY/v-deo.html
Yeah, Chris done 'is acd too.
Christopher Lee was hired by Rhapsody (Of Fire) to do narration on some of their albums and he got interested in metal, so he made a metal album about Charlemagne.
Zeppelin, Sabbath, Genesis, Camel, Rush AND Marillion in the same video? Am I dreaming??
In 1970, I had a 1959 Strat that was repainted in green metal flake. I had a friend inscribe Elvish on it. Later when a friend of mine really, really wanted it, I gave it to him. He stripped it down to the bare wood! Should have kept it, and had the neck scalloped and new German silver frets added. Would have been worth thousands, especially with the Elvish. My goodness, the joys of youth!
That poor guitar...
Hey great video as usual!!
Please do a video on how science fiction shaped music (Rush - 2112, Cygnus X-1 - Rush, Black Sabbath - Iron man, a Space Oddity - David Bowie and several Pink floyd songs)
that would be awesome! keep up the good work!
Don't forget Gong with their flying teapots in space and Magma that told a story of escaping Earth for the planet Kobaïa. A little less known, but interesting.
I can only think of 4 pink Floyd songs that are related to science fiction: Astronomy Domine, Interstellar Overdrive, Set the controls for the Heart of the Sun and maybe Welcome to the Machine.
It's just 'Space Oddity' without an 'A'
He just uploaded a video on how Science fiction influenced Jimi Hendrix's music.
Also "Watcher of the Skies" and "Get em out by Friday" by Genesis
Here’s a suggestion: How H.P Lovecraft shaped metal
How H.P. Lovecraft shaped Hentai.
This
advocatefish d Touché
Ïa!! Ïa!! Cthulhu F'thagn R'lyeh!
Yeah actually I would love to see this
How dare you forget Leonard Nimoy's "The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins"!!
With a generous amount of pipe weed thrown into the mix, everything was possible back in the seventies.
Old Toby?
@@teemusid ... Old Mary! 😉
@Jan Hanchen Michelsen - A lot of them can't even remember where they were or what they did, in the 70's
@@oldschoolrr6077 I'm old enough to remember seeing Led Zeppelin on their first 4 tours of America. I doubt I'll ever forget it. .
@@rundoetx - I got to see Zep 3 out of the 4 times they went through L.A. One of the very few bands who were as good live as they were on their albums.
Yes yes yes yes this is the bestest video of all time! My two most favourite things: Zeppelin and LOTR!!!!
The purple piper plays his tunes. The choir softly sings...
Agent Jens oh man, is that song inspired by LoTR?
@@KilgoreTrout-vo7uy Nope.
Three lullabies in an ancient tongue.
@@KilgoreTrout-vo7uy OH! and Kilgore Trout?!?!?! DO I know you from the Nothintolose75 UA-cam page?
In the court of the crimson..
Children of Hurin is my favorite story of Tolkien too. It brings shadows to the Middle Earth lore. Thanks for this video.
:)
Read *Beren and Luthien* and also *The Fall of Gondolin,* as well.
So much Zeppelin I'm getting goosebumps I forgot how much I loved them
Could u imagine if Rush were high priests in a lord of the rings type film
They would be wearing kimono's and having long hair;)
They are the priests! Of the temples of Sauron!
Wearing their farewell to kings robes.
@@liam1558 that sounds great
But there aren't really priests in Middle Earth
Ramble On was from late 1969, and not 1968. It may not matter at all now, but things were changing so quickly then...
Yeah I have no idea where he got that from. It wasn't even written or recorded in 1968...
Ayyy a polyphonic on classic rock? I'm a clicker
Not only does Music play a huge part in Tolkien's works but in the Silmarillion he writes about how the world was made, and the world itself was literally made from music.
Michael Moorcock's influence (and proper collaborations) with Hawkwind and BoC would make for an interesting video, too.
Your videos are amazing man. You give us so much insight into some of the best music ever made. I think a song you could do an excellent analysis on is the Live version of Whipping Post by the Allman Brothers that’s over 20 minutes long. Keep up the great work!
Dude when i saw this video Nimrodel was the first thing i thought of. Lovely song!
Oh hell yeah, polyphonic video on classic rock AND it includes zeppelin. Cant go wrong with that, thanks for another good video! 🤘🏼
The fact that Led Zeppelin had many Tolkien references makes them more than just a hard rock band. They sing of art.
Led Zeppelin totally took the stage. They were the main reference of Tolkien’s cult in rock music
Also, The Beatles wanted to do a LOTR movie and Pink Floyds "The Gnome" is a reference to Tolkiens work.
Thanks for the video, brother- I originally subscribed to your channel due to a Rush video that popped into my notifications one day. I really enjoy it- and I agree with you about “The Children of Húrin”. I love the story of Túrin Turambar- ever since I first read the Silmarillion, he’s been quite possibly my favorite character- so tragic, though. Anyway- I’ve rambled on long enough(see what I did there?)- Thanks again for the video- it’s got two of my favorite things in life, how could I not love it?
I feel like king gizzards gonna be the next band to reference Tolkien
Civic Mick They already have. The Balrog is from middle Earth after all!
Civic Mick King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard?
@@sierra3644 No, King Bazza and the Wazza Fazza
0:59 Zeppelin II was released in 1969, actually.
Good to see Camel getting some love.
One that Polyphonic overlooked - which admittedly is a little obscure - is an AMAZING early-70s concept album by Swedish multi-instrumentalist Bo Hansson, just called "Music Inspired By The Lord Of The Rings." If you're into prog rock and haven't heard it, it's well worth a listen. I absolutely fell in love the first time I heard it, and it's probably my favorite musical treatment of the books. Hansson creates an otherworldly atmosphere that a lot of other adaptations lack.
Even Camel's nimrodel is a love poem to Gandalf
>including the original mix of Stagnation with fucking blown out vocals
I appreciated that.
It goes beyond direct references, even. Rush's song By Tor and the Snow Dog was a prog song with a fantasy story line that is the sort of thing a Tolkien reader (Peart) would write. Dungeons & Dragons inspires people to write songs, too, which is an indirect Tolkien influence since Gygax basically emulated the whole world of Tolkien to build D&D. I think he even got sued by Tolkien's estate over it.
Polyphonic, I just started watching most of your videos and I might actually consider you one of my favorite you tubers. I’m not gonna say “oh you’re my biggest fan” or anything I just want to let you know (even though you might get this a lot) I really appreciate your work.
I feel like this channel is the best for aspiring musicians and also fans of songwriting, producing and composing.
Surprised you didn't mention Blind Guardian who did an awesome Middle-Earth themed album. My favorite song out of that album was Time Stand Still (at the Iron Hill), which imo perfectly captured the battle between Fingolfin and Morgoth. Ok, maybe it's technically melodic metal but you mentioned Amon Amarth.
There's also a black metal band called Carach Angren which takes it's name from one of the passes into Mordor. If you like that style of music, I'd highly recommend them.
Loving all your videos btw.
Loving all the interesting info,
all the topics you cover and loving all the work you put into your videos.
I’m quickly becoming a big fan.
👍🏻
LOTR has always been my favorite series, I need to start reading the rest of Tolkien's works
Nimrodel is one of my favorite songs
Always wanted this video! Loved it!
A little off topic but this is a detail I really like in Bill Burr's F is for family. In that show his son Kevin has a band and it is heavily influenced by Middle Earth. If fact Kevin's favorite band is called Shire of Frodo. :)
I almost didn't click on that first video I saw from this Channel about Pink Floyd's Echoes and I'm so glad I did cuz the content is just next level
Looked at the title of the video and before I even clicked on it I thought ''Ramble On themed video'', let's see if i'm right
Fly by Night was the first Rush Album a bought. I loved Rivendell so much I almost wore out the track.
great video just a little sad that you didnt mention Blind Guardian
at the past, songs gave references to novels, nowadays just references to some mainstream shit. I wish I was just born 30 years earlier
This youtube channel is awesome...No politics, no agenda...Just great info on the world of music...Great community also
D.j., that's an amazing idea! Bands such as Gwar, iron maiden and others had to know of his work.
Calling The Children of Hurin a tragedy might be an understatement. That book is brutal. It's so good though.
Really like how Cirith Ungol were mentioned. Underrated and epic band.
Came here after watching the ‘Tolkien’ trailer!! Looks good, can’t wait to see it.
In the void Eru Illúvatar creates the Ainur with song and then there combined song creates Eä
Terrific channel. Thank you so much 🕊
The children of Hurin is my favorite book ever
Perfect video once again.. Thank you
Awesome videos man!!
Was just listening to Mirage
Check out a wonderful less known psychedelic band called Greenleaf, I especially recommend their album Trails and passes.
Loving the videos bro.
Where did you left Blind Guardian, a band made by and for Tolkien's adventures?? great video, I love what you make!!
And ALSO the hermit figure that is like the Zeppelin thingy, I read in an interview that it was meant to be Gandalf, they used the Tarot of the Hermit but it was supposed to be interpreted as Gandalf
Awesome video... I always look forward to checking out your new videos... How about one on Jethro Tull?
Jethro Tull has one album all written in Tolkien runes, didnt made to the video sadly
You get extra credit for childeren of hurin. That book is devastatingly good
No mention of Blind Guardian : TRIGGERED!!!
Great stuff as always my dude
Couple of memories. First, Barclay James Harvest's second album has Galadriel, they even released a single under the pseudonym Bombadill. However there is a really major oversight. Earlier than any reference in the video, Joe Boyd ran the Middle earth club. Wonder where he got that name? Not to mention a band he managed, Pink Floyd. Definitely Tolkien in spirit, Folk rock subgenre, acid folk is full of hobbit forming references, from Mark Bolam to Shagrat. Great Tolkien name. My mates and I just listened to contemporary music in the late sixties/early seventies. Pigeon holes like classic rock came much later. P.S. Loved the video.
I was gonna write a song about middle earth then someone told me that like 400 bands made songs already I was like damn. Looks like imma have to rock that star wars chun.
Led zeppelin is so good man....
I'm a big fan of Tolkien and classic rock and I very loved the video but you should have talked more about stairway to heaven and the references in that
Misty mountain hop is more then a reference to a mountain range, it’s literally the story of the hobbit, it talks about the dwarfs coming for tea and more
My favorite Tolkien novel is "The Hobbit" .
Glass Prism Poe Through The Glass Prism and The Alan Parsons Project Tales Of Mystery And Imagination Edgar Allan Poe! And Phil Ochs, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, The Beatles and Queen all had a track or two based on Edgar Allan Poe!
Awesome video and analysis but i missed Blind guardian reference
The Children of Húrin is my favorite Tolkien book
"Music has always close ties
to literature..." Yet then only speaks of modern music. The statement is true and could have been used to show the connection long before rock and roll.
This is a great video. You make a lot of interesting points. However there is point that you touched on that I think can be expanded upon. That is Tolkien’s use of language and grammar in his descriptions. I don’t know if I’m just weird in this way but, when I read his works I notice that there is a certain rhythm to the narration even the characters speak in a poetic way which makes things seem sort of like a song. It’s just an observation I had when reading LotR.
cool video, Tolkien's work is awesome. What font did you use for the text in this video? and also what is the background music that's playing when not playing the band's songs (like here: 3:08)
I'm amazed but not at all surprised at how far Tolkien's influence spread through classic rock. The world he created is just too good to pass up
Pre-70s, Syd Barrett based "The Gnome" from Piper at the Gates of Dawn (Pink Floyd) off of the Hobbit
I'm surprised that Black Sabbath with Dio wasn't included for the song Neon Knights "circles and rings dragons and kings"
Not one mention of Shire of Frodo? Those guys were huge!!
I read and loved The Hobbit when I was about 12yrs old, then a couple of years later I heard Led Zeppelin 2 for the first time, which IMO is their best album. I couldn't get over how good the album was, and the fact that there was a reference to Tolkien's works made it even better. It was not long after this that I then went on to read The Lord of the Rings.
Only somewhat related, but people should go listen to "Trespass" by Genesis. It's a fairly rough album but nonetheless very good. In particular the last song "The Knife" is a genuinely incredible song, probably genesis' first great song.
Never before have I wanted a video to happen so much
Very nice work.
The only thing more godly than Zeppelin and Rush is Tolkien.
LBboarding b - and Black Sabbath is the Satan to that God. \m/
Too bad zeppelin stole most of their music....
@@devinmattson2070 dumbass.
AND Jack Bruce released the song 'To Isengard' in 1969
Was afraid you were going to miss Camel. You didn't! Very pleased
Always great!
Great post. You nailed it.
Also the first Pink Floyd with Barret. Maybe the actual first one
Do a video about Buzzcocks. Rip Pete Shelley
It was actually late 1969 when ramble on was released with Led Zeppelin II
Yet again. Another high quality video