A previous live rendition featured Led Zeppelin at the Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert on December 10, 2007. Staged at London’s O2 Arena, the reunion was the group’s first complete concert for nearly 30 years. The performance was later made available through the concert film Celebration Day.

“Ramble On” was among the songs played during the 2007 event. Despite the long interval since Led Zeppelin’s last full-length concert, the source describes the musicians as being in blistering form and Plant as sounding exceptional. That version captured the reunited band performing the track many years before the Saving Grace appearance on Colbert.

The original “Ramble On” occupies the seventh position on Led Zeppelin II, Led Zeppelin’s second studio record. Plant and guitarist Jimmy Page share the songwriting credit, while Page produced the track. Most of its lyrics came from Plant, whose work on them was influenced by J. R. R. Tolkien and his novel The Lord of the Rings.