'Ramble On' was released in 1969 by legendary English rock band Led Zeppelin. Influenced by J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of The Rings, the song takes us on a journey and challenges us to think about what's important in life.

Activity Time: 30 min - 60 min

Handouts:

Activities:

Themes:

balance & changeproblem solvingstress & resilience

Ah, sometimes I grow so tired/But I know I’ve got one thing I got to do/Ramble on

Activity steps 
  1. Play Ramble on once, inviting those who feel comfortable to close their eyes
  2. Walk through the Ramble on handout and play the song again. 
  3. In small groups or pairs, discuss the questions below.
  4. Follow up with a debrief of the discussion and the art activity.
Reflect and discuss

Goals

Ah, sometimes I grow so tired/But I know I’ve got one thing I got to do/Ramble on
And now’s the time, the time is now/To sing my song
I’m goin’ ’round the world, I got to find my girl/On my way
I’ve been this way ten years to the day/Ramble on
Gotta find the queen of all my dreams

The singer describes a goal that has been important to him for 10 years.

  • How do you feel about the singer’s goal and approach to reaching it? What makes you say that?
  • On a scale of 1-10, how important is finding ‘the person of your dreams’? Why?
  • Do you think 10 years is a long time to pursue a goal? Explain.
  • What are some of your short- and long-term goals? 

Coping with disappointment

I met a girl so fair/But Gollum, and the evil one/Crept up and slipped away with her
Ain’t nothing I can do, no/I guess I keep on rambling

The singer seems to accept his loss and chooses to continue seeking his goal.

  • How do you feel about the singer’s way of dealing with disappointment? Why?
  • Have you ever experienced an obstacle to a goal? If so, how did you deal with it? If you could go back in time, would you deal with it the same way? Explain.

And through our health we drank a thousand times/It’s time to ramble on

The singer mentions using alcohol to cope with his disappointments. 

  • What are the pros and cons of using alcohol or other drugs to manage the ups and downs of life?
  • What are some things people can do to reduce the risks of using substances?
  • What are other ways to stay steady and motivated to pursue our goals?
Get creative!
  • Write, draw, film or use another art form to reflect your current goals and dreams. 
  • Identify and present a song of your choice that involves the themes of goals and coping.