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Fantasy literature is arguably one of the oldest genres of literature in history, with its roots tracing back to folktales and oral myths passed down from generation to generation. It is also one of the genres of literature with a sweeping breadth of diversity, intermixing as it does with mythology, horror, fairy tales as well as fables, among other genres.
Such diversity was especially seen in the wake of the release and subsequent popularity of Tolkien's seminal Lord of the Rings as well as the prequel The Hobbit, set in his Middle Earth mythos. Such mainstream popularity inspired a whole host of other fantasy works across popular media, including music.
Rock giants such as Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin contributed to this popularity of Fantasy-inspired music pieces, devoting songs and sometimes even entire albums to such works and making the genre a part of the pop cultural Zeitgeist of modern-day society. This article provides a brief overview of some of the more iconic works that paved the way for just that Zeitgeist.
10 Iconic songs inspired by fantasy novels explored
1) Ramble On by Led Zeppelin – Inspired by the Fantasy novel 'The Lord of the Rings' by J.R.R Tolkien
Ramble On, co-written by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, was a song released as part of the second Led Zeppelin album, Led Zeppelin II, on October 22, 1969. One of the earliest and most popular Fantasy inspired music pieces on this list, Ramble On features lyrics that directly allude to the seminal Tolkien work The Lord of the Rings:
"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/Ain't nothing I can do, no."
2) The Call of Ktulu by Metallica – Inspired by the works of H.P Lovecraft and the Cthulu mythos.
H.P Lovecraft inspired a new genre of Fantasy and horror, Lovecraftian horror, with his 1926 seminal work The Call of Cthulhu, published originally in the Weird Tales Pulp Magazine. The mix of cosmic dread and psychological horror that is the hallmark of the genre has since then gone on to inspire countless other narratives in the genre and this song by Metallica is no different.
Released as part of the second album of the band, Ride the Lightning, on July 27, 1984, the song’s title is a direct allusion to Cthulu, one of the Old Ones in Lovecraft’s work, both his original 1926 story as well as the sequels to it, particularly the 1931 novella The Shadow over Innsmouth.
3) Rivendell by Rush – Inspired by 'The Lord of the Rings' by J.R.R Tolkien
Another Tolkien-inspired song, this one is inspired by the titular hidden Elven valley in the Fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings, called Rivendell or Imladris, alluding to the tranquility and timelessness of the valley in its lyrics:
"Elfin songs and endless nights/Sweet wine and soft relaxing lights/Time will never touch you/Here in this enchanted place."
4) The Gnome by Pink Floyd - Inspired by 'The Wind in the Willows' by Kenneth Grahame
The Gnome is a single that was released as part of the band’s debut studio album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, which was inspired by The Wind in the Willows (1908) by Kenneth Grahame. The single itself alludes to the Fantasy race archetype Gnome and tells the tale from the perspective of one.
5) The Drowning Man by The Cure – Inspired by 'Gormenghast' novels by Mervyn Pyke.
The Drowning Man by The Cure is inspired by a series of novels by Mervyn Pyke titled Gormenghast, a gothic tale of the inhabitants of the titular Castle Gormenghast as well as the surrounding earldom also named the same.
6) Black Blade by Blüë Öystër Cült – inspired by 'Stormbringer' by Michael Moorcock
The progressive rock bands of the 1970s and the early 1980s were heavily inspired by both Science Fiction as well as Fantasy in their works, and Blue Oyster Cult was one of the bands that led the charge. Working alongside Michael Moorcock, the band brought to life the tale of the titular sword, which is wielded by the character of Elric of Melniboné in Moorcock’s works.
7) Stormbringer by Deep Purple – inspired by 'Stormbringer' by Michael Moorcock
Stormbringer is another collaboration between Michael Moorcock and a rock band, this time with Deep Purple. This song, like the Blue Oyster cult one, also refers to the titular sword wielded by Moorcock’s character Elric of Melniboné and was released on November 8, 1974.
8) Misty Mountain Hop by Led Zeppelin – Inspired by 'The Hobbit' by J.R.R Tolkien
Another song by Led Zeppelin inspired by the works of Tolkien, this song is a direct reference to the titular Misty Mountains found in the Fantasy novella The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien. The lyrics of the song allude to these mountains quite heavily:
"So I've decided what I'm gonna do now/So I'm packing my bags for the Misty Mountains/Where the spirits go now,/Over the hills where the spirits fly, ooh, I really don't know."
9) The Battle of Evermore by Led Zeppelin – Inspired by 'The Lord of the Rings' by J.R.R Tolkien
The Battle of Evermore, released as part of the untitled fourth studio album by the band, is the last song by the band inspired by Tolkien’s seminal Fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings. The track is a direct reference to the novel's characters, with the lyrics alluding to Galadriel as well as Aragorn, the heir to Isildur as well as the Dark Lord himself, Sauron.
The Queen of Light took her bow/ And then she turned to go/The Prince of Peace embraced the gloom/ And walked the night alone./ Oh, dance in the dark of night/Sing to the morning light/The dark Lord rides in force tonight/And time will tell us all.
10) Titus Groan by Aldous Harding – Inspired by 'Gormenghast' novels by Mervyn Pyke
This eclectic song by Aldous Harding was released as part of her eponymously titled debut album, Aldous Harding, released on April 9, 2014. The single’s title refers to the first novel in the Fantasy series by Mervyn Pyke as well as one of the characters and itself alludes to the fate of Titus Groan and the boy character, Steerpike, who rises from his station as a kitchen boy ruthlessly.
These songs mentioned above are just a hair's breadth of the debt popular music owes to Fantasy as a genre. Other notable musical acts who have drawn such inspiration include the band Blind Guardian, as well as Rainbow and Screamin' Jay Hawkins.
