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Stairway to Heaven
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Stairway to Heaven
By ROBIN TURNER Western Mail
11 April 2006
The Western Mail
27
English
On November 8, 1971, British rock group Led Zeppelin's fourth album went on sale and contained within it was a track which would become what is generally accepted to be the greatest rock song of all time. And Stairway to Heaven, the most played rock track on US and British radio, has its origins in Wales. At Bron yr Aur, in a stone cottage in South Snowdonia back in 1970, Zeppelin singer Robert Plant began writing the lyrics, a haunting tale about a woman who accumulates money, but finds out the hard way her life had no meaning and will not get her into heaven.
Plant had been influenced by a book he was reading at the time by the Scottish occult expert Lewis Spence called Magic Arts in Celtic Britain.
A few months later, in the more stately surroundings of Headley Grange in Worcester, Plant finished off the famous song with its co-author, guitar legend Jimmy Page.
The track was finally laid down at Island Studios in London in December 1970 and included on Led Zeppelin IV, an untitled album which became known as 'Sticks' because of the cover art work.
The album, featuring the group's earthy guitar and drum work with Plant's howling lyrics was a major success.
And the eight-minute Stairway to Heaven was a sensation in the world of rock.
The lyrics may have been difficult to understand, but they touched on myth and legend and coupled with the delicate, then furious fretwork of Jimmy Page, plus the deep, rich, soulful calls of singer Robert Plant, Stairway to Heaven won a place in the hearts of millions across the world.
It almost became a victim of its own success and even Robert Plant balked at playing it so often, referring to it as 'that damn wedding song'.
Music shops even banned youths from playing the song's well-worn riffs on test guitars with 'no Stairway' signs.
But familiarity failed to breed real contempt for the Zeppelin epic.
And just last month it won yet another poll, naming the track as having the ultimate guitar solo of all time.
Stairway beat off competition from Van Halen's Eruption and Guns 'n' Roses' Paradise City in the vote by almost 2,000 readers of British magazine Total Guitar.
The publication's editor Stephen Lawson said, 'I'm not surprised that Stairway to Heaven is number one - not only is Jimmy Page's solo incredible, ballsy and a bit flash, but also brilliantly structured.'
The song has not enjoyed universal popularity.
In 1982, a California State Assembly consumer protection committee hearing featured testimony from 'experts' who claimed that Stairway, when played backwards, contained the words, 'I sing because I live with Satan. The Lord turns me off... there's no escaping it. Here's to my sweet Satan, whose power is Satan.'
It was never proved.
On January 23, 1991, John Sebastian, owner and general manager of KLSK FM in Albuquerque, New Mexico, played the song for 24 solid hours to inaugurate a format change to classic rock.
It played more than 200 times, eliciting hundreds of angry calls and letters.
Police showed up with guns drawn, once after a listener reported that the DJ had apparently been killed.
Robin Turner The top 10 guitar solos according to Total Guitar are: 1. Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven (1971) 2. Van Halen - Eruption (1978) 3. Guns 'n' Roses - Paradise City (1987) 4. The Eagles - Hotel California (1976) 5. Metallica - Enter Sandman (1991) 6. Cream - Crossroads (1968) 7. Jimi Hendrix - Voodoo Child (Slight Return) (1968) 8. Ozzy Osbourne - Crazy Train (1980) 9. Free - All Right Now (1971) 10. Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody(1975).: Both Blair and Saddam were big fans:The lyrics of Stairway to Heaven took several months to complete and are on the lips of most 40-50 somethings who remember the song as youngsters. Rather uninspiring on paper, the 'Woe oh, oh, oh, oh, oh....she's buying a stairway to heaven' section has been sung over and over in bathroom mirrors across the land.
Quite why 'The piper will lead us to reason' and 'The forest will echo with laughter' has never really been established, even by lyric writer Robert Plant himself.
The song has a soft, slow acoustic guitar and recorder introduction followed by fast and furious rock guitar work.
Devoted fans of the song include people as diverse as former US presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, Nelson Mandela, Tony Blair and Saddam Hussein.
Stairway to Heaven
By ROBIN TURNER Western Mail
11 April 2006
The Western Mail
27
English
On November 8, 1971, British rock group Led Zeppelin's fourth album went on sale and contained within it was a track which would become what is generally accepted to be the greatest rock song of all time. And Stairway to Heaven, the most played rock track on US and British radio, has its origins in Wales. At Bron yr Aur, in a stone cottage in South Snowdonia back in 1970, Zeppelin singer Robert Plant began writing the lyrics, a haunting tale about a woman who accumulates money, but finds out the hard way her life had no meaning and will not get her into heaven.
Plant had been influenced by a book he was reading at the time by the Scottish occult expert Lewis Spence called Magic Arts in Celtic Britain.
A few months later, in the more stately surroundings of Headley Grange in Worcester, Plant finished off the famous song with its co-author, guitar legend Jimmy Page.
The track was finally laid down at Island Studios in London in December 1970 and included on Led Zeppelin IV, an untitled album which became known as 'Sticks' because of the cover art work.
The album, featuring the group's earthy guitar and drum work with Plant's howling lyrics was a major success.
And the eight-minute Stairway to Heaven was a sensation in the world of rock.
The lyrics may have been difficult to understand, but they touched on myth and legend and coupled with the delicate, then furious fretwork of Jimmy Page, plus the deep, rich, soulful calls of singer Robert Plant, Stairway to Heaven won a place in the hearts of millions across the world.
It almost became a victim of its own success and even Robert Plant balked at playing it so often, referring to it as 'that damn wedding song'.
Music shops even banned youths from playing the song's well-worn riffs on test guitars with 'no Stairway' signs.
But familiarity failed to breed real contempt for the Zeppelin epic.
And just last month it won yet another poll, naming the track as having the ultimate guitar solo of all time.
Stairway beat off competition from Van Halen's Eruption and Guns 'n' Roses' Paradise City in the vote by almost 2,000 readers of British magazine Total Guitar.
The publication's editor Stephen Lawson said, 'I'm not surprised that Stairway to Heaven is number one - not only is Jimmy Page's solo incredible, ballsy and a bit flash, but also brilliantly structured.'
The song has not enjoyed universal popularity.
In 1982, a California State Assembly consumer protection committee hearing featured testimony from 'experts' who claimed that Stairway, when played backwards, contained the words, 'I sing because I live with Satan. The Lord turns me off... there's no escaping it. Here's to my sweet Satan, whose power is Satan.'
It was never proved.
On January 23, 1991, John Sebastian, owner and general manager of KLSK FM in Albuquerque, New Mexico, played the song for 24 solid hours to inaugurate a format change to classic rock.
It played more than 200 times, eliciting hundreds of angry calls and letters.
Police showed up with guns drawn, once after a listener reported that the DJ had apparently been killed.
Robin Turner The top 10 guitar solos according to Total Guitar are: 1. Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven (1971) 2. Van Halen - Eruption (1978) 3. Guns 'n' Roses - Paradise City (1987) 4. The Eagles - Hotel California (1976) 5. Metallica - Enter Sandman (1991) 6. Cream - Crossroads (1968) 7. Jimi Hendrix - Voodoo Child (Slight Return) (1968) 8. Ozzy Osbourne - Crazy Train (1980) 9. Free - All Right Now (1971) 10. Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody(1975).: Both Blair and Saddam were big fans:The lyrics of Stairway to Heaven took several months to complete and are on the lips of most 40-50 somethings who remember the song as youngsters. Rather uninspiring on paper, the 'Woe oh, oh, oh, oh, oh....she's buying a stairway to heaven' section has been sung over and over in bathroom mirrors across the land.
Quite why 'The piper will lead us to reason' and 'The forest will echo with laughter' has never really been established, even by lyric writer Robert Plant himself.
The song has a soft, slow acoustic guitar and recorder introduction followed by fast and furious rock guitar work.
Devoted fans of the song include people as diverse as former US presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, Nelson Mandela, Tony Blair and Saddam Hussein.
Up here so high I start to shake, Up here so high the sky I scrape, I've no fear but for falling down, So look out below I am falling now, Falling down,...not staying down, Could’ve held me up, rather tear me down, Drown in the river
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PBM
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backwards.
14/09/06, 16/09/06, 17/09/06, 19/09/06, 20/09/06 ~ The Stone lookalike leg of the 2006 tour
18/06/07 - Amazing, just amazing
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Rockin' out to Creadles
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Pearl Jam Song Rankings
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- Antwerp '06, Nijmegen '07, Werchter '07
I agree with you one 100 percent. Musically and lyrically the Rain Song is superior. The rain song lacks a guitar solo i suppose but it doesn't need one.
to me it's always sounded like a giant wank.
they have better songs IMO.
take a good look
this could be the day
hold my hand
lie beside me
i just need to say
real shitty.
http://www.wishlistfoundation.org
Oh my, they dropped the leash.
Morgan Freeman/Clint Eastwood 08' for President!
"Make our day"
No Quarter is also better.
*nods*
and Houses of the Holy is better than IV even.
but lets' not go crazy, stairway is a great song..
http://www.wishlistfoundation.org
Oh my, they dropped the leash.
Morgan Freeman/Clint Eastwood 08' for President!
"Make our day"
No one is saying it's bad, just that there's better out there in terms of Zep songs.
---
1. Ten
2. Vs.
3. Pearl Jam
4. Binaural
5. No Code
6. Riot Act
7. Yield
8. Vitalogy
Pearl Jam Song Rankings
---
1. Black
2. Rearviewmirror
3. Light Years
4. Given to Fly
5. Severed Hand
Its close to a fact that Stairway is the greatest rock song ever recorded.
It's not my fave Zep tune. I dunno if I could pick.
amidst bombs bullets riots of the etc early 70s...
snot like that now of course!
♪ Juli ♪
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