Ramble On

First off, all artistic work is open to interpretation. Secondly artist’s do not uses literally or historic references without purpose. This literally concept is called allusion.

An allusion is a literary term, though the word also has come to encompass indirect references to any source, including allusions in film or the visual arts. In literature, allusion is used to link concepts that the reader already has knowledge of, with concepts discussed in the story. In the field of film criticism, a film-maker's intentionally unspoken visual reference to another film has come to be called an homage. It may even be sensed that real events have allusive overtones, when a previous event is inescapably recalled by a current one. "Allusion is bound up with a upon the ready stock of ideas or emotion already associated with a topic in a relatively short space. Thus, an allusion is understandable only to those with prior knowledge of the covert reference in question( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allusion).

The first verse of the song Planet says “Thanks to you, I'm much obliged for such a pleasant stay. But now it's time for me to go. The autumn moon lights my way. 

For now I smell the rain, and with it pain, and it's headed my way.” This refers to Planet’s many short relationships in his search for is soul mate and how he breaks them off before the become to serious. Plant’s reluctance to settle down is supported by the verse

“Got no time to for spreadin' roots, The time has come to be gone. And to' our health we drank a thousand times, it's time to Ramble On.”

The phrase “And to' our health we drank a thousand times” shows that he truly enjoyed his time with these woman. However, the need to settle down and fall in love again has alluded him and he may not even believe life is real anymore. Planet uses the line “magic filling the air” as a metaphor for the death of love.

The big controversy over the references to Mordor and Gollum in the song are allusions of Aragorn and Arwen’s relationship in LotR. 

“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”

Plant maybe referring to a past girlfriend he now sees as his soul mate that he met in a dark period of his life ‘Mordor’. Gollum refers to either Plant’s own pursuit of a personal task (possibly his music career) or another man who stole his soul mate from him. Plant also shows optimism towards his future with his soul mate through this reference as well. Aragorn and Arwen eventually reunite when Aragorn nears the completion of his task. In conclusion the song is a love song about Plant’s hopefully eventual reunion with his soul mate. Plant references Mordor and Gollum in the song only further enhance to depth of his story through the story of Aragorn and Arwen’s love in LotR.