# Was there a Girl in Mordor? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 18, 2003, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-a-girl-in-mordor/213904 "2003-11-18T14:47:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2003, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-a-girl-in-mordor/213904/1 "2003-11-18T14:47:14Z")
All facetiousness aside…I was listening to Led Zeppelin’s _ **Ramble On** _ this morning and was wondering … was there a girl in Mordor? He mentions a Girl in the song…is he eluding to the Ring as the Girl? or am I simply reading waay too much into the song. > [@](#): > > 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 of Mordor, I met a girl so fair. > But Gollum, and the evil one crept up and slipped away with her, her, her…yeah. I personally think he’s eluding to the ring. However, I don’t remember him (Robert Plant) writing about his girlfriend/wife at that time…Does anyone know any more about this song? ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Wright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Steve\_Wright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_Wright)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2003, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-a-girl-in-mordor/213904/2 "2003-11-18T15:08:59Z")
The only female resident of Mordor that I can recall offhand was Shelob. But my memory may be at fault. (Personally, I wouldn’t date Shelob. YMMV.) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2003, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-a-girl-in-mordor/213904/3 "2003-11-18T15:19:58Z")
> [@](#): > > (Personally, I wouldn’t date Shelob. YMMV.) “It became harder to find volunteers once word got around about what dinner with Sorhed’s ex actually entailed.” – **Bored of the Rings** ---
**Author:** ![Bakhesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@Bakhesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bakhesh)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2003, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-a-girl-in-mordor/213904/4 "2003-11-18T15:19:59Z")
There was Jennifer Hart as well. [max]When they met, it was Mordor[/max] 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Coffeeguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/958977/32.png) [@Coffeeguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coffeeguy)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2003, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-a-girl-in-mordor/213904/5 "2003-11-18T15:22:41Z")
I think the lads were _influenced_ by the Tolkein novel, but didn’t set out to make an audio version of it. Elements of The Rings are sprinkled throughout the album, but they don’t seem to exactly coincide with the book. –CoffeeGuy ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2003, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-a-girl-in-mordor/213904/6 "2003-11-18T17:07:05Z")
It’s based on Silmarillion, where an elven princess type person was captured and held in Mordor, she was saved by the hero type bloke as is standard Tolkein. A Tolkein expert may come allong with actual names etc. but otherwise just read Silmarillion it’s a great book. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2003, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-a-girl-in-mordor/213904/7 "2003-11-18T17:13:28Z")
I can imagine Sauron having a bitchy wife and that’s why he’s trying to take over Middle Earth. Just imagine: “All you do is lie around on the couch all day. Why don’t you ever get up and do something?” Etc., etc. I’m sure other people could make it far funnier than I did. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2003, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-a-girl-in-mordor/213904/8 "2003-11-18T17:56:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bippy the Beardless \* > \*\*It’s based on Silmarillion, where an elven princess type person was captured and held in Mordor, she was saved by the hero type bloke as is standard Tolkein. A Tolkein expert may come allong with actual names etc. but otherwise just read Silmarillion it’s a great book. \*\* If I recall correctly, Mordor didn’t exist during the period of time covered by the _Silmarillion_. It wasn’t created until after the geography of Middle-Earth was catestrophically changed after the Valar came and kicked Morgoth’s butt. See the _Atlas of Middle-Earth_ for details. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2003, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-a-girl-in-mordor/213904/9 "2003-11-18T19:11:08Z")
Sorry I was mistaken, I was thinking of the Story of Beren and Lúthien and their adventures with Morgoth . ---
**Author:** ![Orual](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/779978/32.png) [@Orual](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orual)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2003, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-a-girl-in-mordor/213904/10 "2003-11-18T19:34:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bippy the Beardless \* \*\*It’s based on Silmarillion, where an elven princess type person was captured and held in Mordor, she was saved by the hero type bloke as is standard Tolkein. … > Sorry I was mistaken, I was thinking of the Story of Beren and Lúthien and their adventures with Morgoth . \*\* A bit character-dyslexic, aren’t we **Bippy**? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![CaptEgo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@CaptEgo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptEgo)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2003, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-a-girl-in-mordor/213904/11 "2003-11-18T20:20:21Z")
The lads were _influenced_ by a number of other substances during the making of the album to boot! Frankly, I always found the hippy dippy nature of the dirigible boys ‘nods’ to Tolkien somewhat wince inducing. Not to mention the idea that Sauron is out slumming around Mordor with his good buddy Smeagol makes me bite my lip for self control. Clearly my Tolkien geekness outweighs any Led Zeppelin fan-ness ---
**Author:** ![teleute12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@teleute12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teleute12)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2003, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-a-girl-in-mordor/213904/12 "2003-11-18T23:48:04Z")
Well, if you checked [FF.net](http://FF.net), I’m sure you’d find all sorts of girls from, in, and around Mordor. Maybe Plant created the first Mary Sue? ---
**Author:** ![bughunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@bughunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bughunter)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2003, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-a-girl-in-mordor/213904/13 "2003-11-18T23:49:18Z")
There once was a young lass from Mordor Whose face was no match for her ardor Thence came poor Gollum And his terrible evil Wall, um Wait, there was no damned wall in LOTR! ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2003, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-a-girl-in-mordor/213904/14 "2003-11-18T23:56:42Z")
> [@](#): > > Sorry I was mistaken, I was thinking of the Story of Beren and Lúthien and their adventures with Morgoth . Except that there, it’s the other way around. Beren is held captive by Sauron (not yet settled in Mordor, at this point), and Luthien (with some doggy help) comes to rescue him. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2003, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-a-girl-in-mordor/213904/15 "2003-11-19T05:55:41Z")
There are references to Tolkien’s works in various Led Zeppelin songs, but there’s no coherence to any of them. They were thrown in randomly, and in general you can’t expect their references to Tolkien to make any sense. It’s like trying to find a single coherent story in the song _Stairway to Heaven_. Whatever else they were, Led Zeppelin weren’t creators of simple story-songs. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2003, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-a-girl-in-mordor/213904/16 "2003-11-19T14:01:03Z")
> [@](#): > > Whatever else they were, Led Zeppelin weren’t creators of simple story-songs. This is entirely accurate. When I cycle into teaching Psych Lit we often look at Led Zeppelin and other bands for their story telling acumen. There is often a plethora of good useful knowledge to be found in certain songs. Personally, I really like ‘Stairway to Heaven’ it reminds me of my journey out west for grad school -\> “…\…and when I look to the west my spirit is crying for leaving…” And again, I like the Tolkien refs in some of their songs…Misty mountain top etc…etc… ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2003, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-a-girl-in-mordor/213904/17 "2003-11-19T14:37:30Z")
I’m pretty sure my ex-wife came from Mordor. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2003, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-a-girl-in-mordor/213904/18 "2003-11-19T23:33:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Chronos \* > \*\*Except that there, it’s the other way around. Beren is held captive by Sauron (not yet settled in Mordor, at this point), and Luthien (with some doggy help) comes to rescue him. \*\* Luthien’s cool. She rescued her sweetie, defeated Sauron, then took on the Big Boss, and came away alive. Arwen is just _so_ lame compared to her great-great grandma! ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2003, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-a-girl-in-mordor/213904/19 "2003-11-19T23:40:24Z")
There was a young hooker from Mordor Who found her life there really bored her; She complained to Shelob That she hated her job, Because Sauron completely ignored her. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2003, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-a-girl-in-mordor/213904/20 "2003-11-19T23:56:57Z")
Nice one, **Dex**. You know, I was always a bit disappointed that JRRT’s The Lay of Lethian didn’t have more hot action! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-there-a-girl-in-mordor/213904.md?page=2)