"When we quit thinking primarily about ourselves and our own self-preservation, we undergo a truly heroic transformation of consciousness." (Campbell)
The Battle of Evermore is also from the Zeppelin IV album and was inspired by J.R.R Tolkien's Lord of the Rings series, the Scottish Border Wars with the Vikings, and the Celtic Mythology of King Arthur, all a huge influence on Robert Plant’s writing. The lyrics are about the continual battle between night and day, which can also be interpreted as the battle between good and evil (Songfacts). In the song there's a reference to the "ring wraiths" from Tolkien's series, as well as Avalon in Celtic mythology, the blissful otherworld of the dead. In medieval romance it was the island to which the mortally wounded King Arthur was taken, and from which it was expected he would someday return (Kastan). The line, "Bring it back, bring it back..." could be interpreted as Plant’s way of expressing the loss he feels of the fading ties between England and the magic of the past. "The pain of war cannot exceed. The woe of the aftermath. The drums will shake the castle walls. The ring wraiths ride in black. Ride on." (The Battle of Evermore, Plant). This represented the battle between the armies of Gondor and the armies of Mordor (good and evil). The wraiths are the servants of the dark lord Sauron and they are tasked to take the “one ring” from Frodo Baggins, whom all Middle Earth are relying on to prevent the evil forces of Sauron to take over the earth. The epic tale of good vs. evil ties this song closely to the first function of mythology, the mystical/metaphysical prospect, in which the myth is meant to make people experience the powerful feeling of the divine in their lives. “Waken and maintain in the individual an experience of awe, humility, and respect, in recognition of that ultimate mystery “(Campbell). The lyrics paired with just an acoustical guitar, a tambourine and a mandolin give the song a sense of traditional oral storytelling bringing a sense of history and nostalgia to the listener. In a sense it awakens the listener to ponder the mystery and wonder of divine intervention.