“Stairway to Heaven”
Song by Led Zeppelin
Album	Led Zeppelin IV
Released	November 8, 1971
Recorded	December 1970 – March 1971
Genre	Hard rock, folk rock
Length	8:02
Label	Atlantic Records
Writer	Page/Plant
Producer	Jimmy Page
Led Zeppelin IV track listing
"The Battle of Evermore" (3) “Stairway to Heaven” (4) "Misty Mountain Hop" (5)
Audio sample
Info (help· info)

"Stairway to Heaven" is a rock song by the English rock group Led Zeppelin, composed by guitarist Jimmy Page and vocalist Robert Plant and recorded on their fourth studio album, (Led Zeppelin IV). It is the most requested^[1][2] and most played^[3] song on FM radio stations in the United States, despite never having been released as a single there. In November 2007, through download sales promoting their recent Mothership release, the song hit #37 on the UK Singles Chart ^[4] and #13 on the New Zealand Singles Chart ^[5]. Starway to Heaven can mean: Stairway to Heaven, the song by British rock group Led Zeppelin, Stairway to Heaven, the U.S. alternative title for the 1946 British film A Matter of Life and Death starring David Niven and directed by Michael Powell Stairway to Heaven was also the English... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... This article is about the musical composition. ... For the bands 1969 eponymous debut album, see Led Zeppelin (album). ... An album or record album is a collection of related audio or music tracks distributed to the public. ... The untitled fourth album of English rock band Led Zeppelin was released on November 8, 1971. ... is the 312th day of the year (313th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1971 Gregorian calendar, known as the year of cyclohexanol. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Hard Rock redirects here. ... Bob Dylans folk-rock album, Blonde on Blonde Folk-rock is a musical genre, combining elements of folk music and rock music. ... In the music industry, a record label can be a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. ... Atlantic Records (Atlantic Recording Corporation) is an American record label, and operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of Warner Music Group. ... A songwriter is someone who writes the lyrics to songs, the musical composition or melody to songs, or both. ... For the Scottish football (soccer) player, see Jimmy Page (footballer). ... Robert Anthony Plant (born August 20, 1948, West Bromwich, West Midlands, England), is an English rock singer and songwriter, famous for his membership in the rock band Led Zeppelin as the lead vocalist, as well as for his successful solo career. ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... For the Scottish football (soccer) player, see Jimmy Page (footballer). ... The untitled fourth album of English rock band Led Zeppelin was released on November 8, 1971. ... The Battle of Evermore is an acoustic guitar and mandolin song by English rock band Led Zeppelin, featured on their fourth album, Led Zeppelin IV, released in 1971. ... Misty Mountain Hop is a song from Led Zeppelins untitled fourth album. ... Image File history File links Stairway_to_Heaven_by_Led_Zeppelin. ... Image File history File links Stairway_to_Heaven_by_Led_Zeppelin. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... This article is about the genre. ... For the bands 1969 eponymous debut album, see Led Zeppelin (album). ... For the Scottish football (soccer) player, see Jimmy Page (footballer). ... Robert Anthony Plant (born August 20, 1948, West Bromwich, West Midlands, England), is an English rock singer and songwriter, famous for his membership in the rock band Led Zeppelin as the lead vocalist, as well as for his successful solo career. ... Image File history File links Zoso. ... The untitled fourth album of English rock band Led Zeppelin was released on November 8, 1971. ... FM radio is a broadcast technology invented by Edwin Howard Armstrong that uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. ... Mothership is a compilation album by English rock group Led Zeppelin, released by Atlantic Records and Rhino Entertainment on November 12, 2007 in the United Kingdom, and November 13, 2007 in the United States. ...

Song construction and release

The recording of "Stairway to Heaven" started in December 1970 at Island Records' new Basing Street Studios in London. The song was completed by the addition of lyrics by Plant during the sessions for Led Zeppelin IV at Headley Grange, Hampshire, in 1971.^[6] Page then returned to Island Studios to record his guitar solo.^[2] Island Records is a record label that was founded by British record producers in Jamaica. ... Sarm West Studios, orginally known as Basing Street Studios, were established by Chris Blackwell the founder of Island Records. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... The untitled fourth album of English rock band Led Zeppelin was released on November 8, 1971. ... A house in Headley, Hampshire, England, United Kingdom, which is perhaps most known for the music that was recorded there by bands such as Led Zeppelin and Genesis. ... For other uses, see Hampshire (disambiguation). ... Guitar solos are a melodic passage, section, or entire piece of music written for an electric guitar or an acoustic guitar. ...

The song's instrumentals were written by Page "over a long period, the first part coming at Bron-Yr-Aur one night".^[7] Page always kept a cassette recorder around, and the idea for "Stairway" came together from bits of taped music.^[8] The opening guitar cadence is said to have been influenced by an instrumental track called "Taurus" by the band Spirit with whom Led Zeppelin were acquainted in their opening days.^[7][9] Bron-Y-Aur, or Bron-Yr-Aur, is a small hamlet in Wales, on a hilltop overlooking the Dovey Valley, about 3 km north-west of Machynlleth. ... Sony reel-to-reel tape recorder. ... Spirit was an American jazz/hard rock/psychedelic band founded in 1967, based in Los Angeles, California. ...

The first attempts at lyrics, written by Led Zeppelin vocalist Robert Plant next to an evening log fire at Headley Grange, were partly spontaneously improvised and Page claimed, "a huge percentage of the lyrics were written there and then".^[8] Jimmy Page was strumming the chords and Robert Plant had a pencil and paper. Plant later said that suddenly, A house in Headley, Hampshire, England, United Kingdom, which is perhaps most known for the music that was recorded there by bands such as Led Zeppelin and Genesis. ...

The lyrics of the song reflected Plant's current reading. The singer had been poring through the works of the British antiquarian Lewis Spence, and later cited Spence's Magic Arts in Celtic Britain as one of the sources for the lyrics to the song.^[6] Lewis Spence (November 25, 1874 - March 3, 1955) was a Scottish journalist and writer. ...

In November 1970, Page dropped a hint of the new song's existence to a music journalist in London:

The complete studio recording was released on Led Zeppelin IV in November 1971. The band's recording label, Atlantic Records was keen to issue this track as a single, but the band's manager Peter Grant refused requests to do so in both 1972 and 1973. The upshot of that decision was that record buyers began to invest in the fourth album as it were a single.^[2] A handful of rare original seven inch promos were pressed at the time, accompanied by a humorous in-house memo (Atlantic LZ3), which are now extremely sought-after collectors items.^[2] Dazed and Confused is a song by folk singer Jake Holmes from his debut solo album The Above Ground Sound of Jake Holmes, released in June, 1967. ... The untitled fourth album of English rock band Led Zeppelin was released on November 8, 1971. ... Atlantic Records (Atlantic Recording Corporation) is an American record label, and operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of Warner Music Group. ... Peter Grant in 1973 Peter Grant, (April 5, 1935 – November 21, 1995) was a manager for The Yardbirds, Led Zeppelin and Bad Company, and a record executive for Swan Song Records. ... Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For the song by James Blunt, see 1973 (song). ...

Music

The song consists of several distinct sections, beginning with a quiet introduction on finger-picked acoustic guitar and three recorders^[11] (ending at 2:15) and gradually moving into a slow electric middle section (2:16-5:33), before the faster hard rock final section (5:34 to the end). Page stated that the song "speeds up like an adrenaline flow".^[1] A steel string acoustic guitar is a modern form of guitar descended from the classical guitar, but strung with steel strings for a brighter, louder sound. ... Various recorders The recorder is a woodwind musical instrument of the family known as fipple flutes or internal duct flutes — whistle-like instruments which include the tin whistle and ocarina. ... Hard Rock redirects here. ...

Written in the key of A minor and mainly in common time, the song opens with an arpeggiated, hybrid-picked guitar chord progression with a chromatic descending bassline A-G#-G-F#-F. John Paul Jones contributed overdubbed wooden bass recorders in the opening section (he used a Mellotron and, later, a Yamaha CP70B Grand Piano and Yamaha GX1 to synthesize this arrangement in live performances)^[10] and a Hohner Electra-Piano electric piano in the middle section. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The chromatic scale is a scale with twelve pitches, each a semitone or half step apart. ... John Paul Jones (born John Baldwin on January 3, 1946 in Sidcup, Kent) is an English multi-instrumentalist musician, and was known for being the bassist, the keyboardist and the mandolinist for rock band Led Zeppelin from its inception until the bands breakup following the death of John Bonham... Various recorders The recorder is a woodwind musical instrument of the family known as fipple flutes or internal duct flutes — whistle-like instruments which include the tin whistle and ocarina. ... The Mellotron is an electro-mechanical, polyphonic keyboard originally developed and built in Birmingham, England in the early 1960s. ... The Yamaha GX1, along with its predecessor, the Electone GX-707, was an analog polyphonic synthesizer developed by Yamaha as a test bed for later consumer synths. ... Hohner is a company specialising in the manufacture of musical instruments. ... An electric piano (e-piano) is an electric musical instrument whose popularity started in the late 1960s, was at its greatest during the 1970s and still is big today. ...

The sections build with more guitar layers, each complementary to the intro, with the drums entering at 4:18. The extended Jimmy Page guitar solo in the song's final section was played for the recording on a 1958 Fender Telecaster (an instrument he used extensively with the Yardbirds)^[10] plugged into a Supro amplifier, although in an interview he gave to Guitar World magazine, Page also claimed, "It could have been a Marshall, but I can't remember".^[8] Three different solos were recorded, with Page agonizing about deciding which to keep. The other guitar parts were played using a Harmony acoustic guitar and Fender Electric XII (12-string); these can be heard on the left and right recording channels respectively. For live versions, Page switched to a Heritage Cherry Gibson EDS-1275 6/12 Doubleneck guitar. The final progression is a i-VII-VI (natural minor) progression (Am-G-F), a mainstay of rock music. For the Scottish football (soccer) player, see Jimmy Page (footballer). ... The Fender Telecaster, also known as a Tele, is typically a dual-pickup, solid-body electric guitar made by Fender. ... For the British rock band of the same name, see Amplifier (band). ... Two issues of Guitar World featuring Jimmy Page, and Jimi Hendrix on the covers, and the accompanying CDs (May 2005, October 2005) Guitar World is a monthly music magazine devoted to guitarists. ... The Gibson EDS-1275 is a doubleneck Gibson guitar introduced in 1958. ... Steve Vai playing a twin-necked Ibanez A double neck guitar is a guitar that has two necks. ...

Sound engineer Andy Johns recalls the circumstances surrounding the recording of Page's famous solo: Andy Johns, younger brother of famous Olympic Studios engineer Glyn Johns and uncle of Kings of Leon and Ryan Adams producer Ethan Johns (son of Glyn Johns) is a prolific engineer and producer. ...

According to Page, "Stairway to Heaven"

Pete Townshend (born Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend on 19 May 1945 in Chiswick, London), is an award-winning English rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, composer, and writer. ... Alternate cover Deluxe edition cover Tommy is the first of The Whos two full-scale rock operas (the second being Quadrophenia), and the first musical work explicitly billed as a rock opera. ...

Live performances

The inaugural public performance of the song took place at Belfast's Ulster Hall on March 5, 1971.^[10] Bassist John Paul Jones recalls that the crowd was unimpressed: "They were all bored to tears waiting to hear something they knew".^[1] Bootleg recordings of this show, however, indicate that the Irish crowd gave a loud and long applause as soon as the last words were sung. Page stated about an early performance at the LA Forum that: This article is about the city in Northern Ireland. ... The Ulster Hall The Ulster Hall is a concert hall and grade B1 listed building in Belfast, Northern Ireland. ... John Paul Jones (born John Baldwin on January 3, 1946 in Sidcup, Kent) is an English multi-instrumentalist musician, and was known for being the bassist, the keyboardist and the mandolinist for rock band Led Zeppelin from its inception until the bands breakup following the death of John Bonham... English rock band Led Zeppelin were, throughout the decade of the 1970s, one of the worlds most frequently bootleged bands. ... The Forum, known for a time as the Great Western Forum, is an indoor arena in Inglewood, California owned by the Faithful Central Bible Church, which uses it for its Sunday morning service. ...

Following the first performance, "Stairway to Heaven" was performed at almost every Led Zeppelin concert until the band's breakup after drummer John Bonham's death in 1980. Some sources state that the song was performed at every single show from its debut at Ulster Hall,^[1] but this is incorrect. In their later concert tours, the band chose to perform the song as their final number (before encores), and on rare occasions their concerts were cut short before they could perform the song (as for example at Tampa Stadium in 1977, when a thunderstorm caused the band to leave the stage early). The band's final performance of the song was in Berlin on July 7, 1980, which was also their last concert for 27 years; the version was also one of the longest, lasting almost fifteen minutes. Poster for a Led Zeppelin concert at Oakland Coliseum, July 1977 Throughout the late 1960s and 1970s, English rock group Led Zeppelin was one of the worlds most popular live music attractions, making numerous concert tours of the United States, the United Kingdom and Europe in particular. ... John Henry Bonzo Bonham (May 31, 1948 – September 25, 1980) was an English drummer and member of the band Led Zeppelin. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... Houlihans Stadium in Tampa opened in 1967 as Tampa Stadium (later changed when the Glazers acquired the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and renamed the stadium after a family-owned restaurant), and saw a number of major sporting teams and events grace its fields over the years. ... This article is about the capital of Germany. ...

Live, filmed versions of the song are preserved on the band's concert film The Song Remains the Same, featuring a performance from Madison Square Garden in 1973, and on the Led Zeppelin DVD, featuring a performance from Earls Court Arena in 1975. Official audio versions are also available on The Song Remains the Same's accompanying soundtrack, on Led Zeppelin BBC Sessions (a performance from London's Paris Theatre in 1971) and on How the West Was Won (a performance from the Long Beach Arena in 1972). There are also hundreds of audio versions which can be found on unofficial Led Zeppelin bootleg recordings. The Song Remains the Same (also known as TSRTS) is a concert film by the English rock band Led Zeppelin. ... Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG, and known colloquially simply as The Garden, has been the name of four arenas in New York City. ... Led Zeppelin is a double digital versatile disc (DVD) set by the English rock band Led Zeppelin. ... The Earls Court Exhibition Centre (also known as Earls Court Arena or often simply Earls Court) is located in West London, England on the boundary between the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and Hammersmith and Fulham. ... This article is about the album. ... Led Zeppelin BBC Sessions is an album featuring, as the title suggests, BBC studio session and concert recordings of Led Zeppelin. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... How the West Was Won is a triple live album by English rock group Led Zeppelin, released by Atlantic Records on CD May 27, 2003 and DVD-Audio on October 20, 2003. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... English rock band Led Zeppelin were, throughout the decade of the 1970s, one of the worlds most frequently bootlegged performers. ...

When played live, the band would often extend the song to over ten minutes in length, with Page playing a lengthy guitar solo and Plant adding a number of lyrical ad-libs, such as "Does anybody remember laughter?" and "I hope so". For performing this song live, Page used a custom built Gibson EDS-1275 double neck guitar so he would not have to pause when switching from a six to a twelve string guitar (although, as mentioned above, the studio version had been recorded on a Fender Telecaster). The Gibson EDS-1275 is a doubleneck Gibson guitar introduced in 1958. ... Steve Vai playing a twin-necked Ibanez A double neck guitar is a guitar that has two necks. ... The twelve string guitar is an acoustic or electric guitar with twelve strings, which produces a richer, more ringing tone than a standard six string guitar. ...

By 1975, the song was installed at the finale of every Led Zeppelin concert. However, after their concert tour of the United States in 1977, Plant began to tire of "Stairway To Heaven": Led Zeppelins 1977 North American Tour was the eleventh and final concert tour of North America by the English rock band. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ...

The song was played again by the surviving members of Led Zeppelin at the Live Aid concert in 1985;^[10] at the Atlantic Records 40th anniversary party in 1988, with Jason Bonham on drums;^[16] and by Jimmy Page as an instrumental version on his solo tours. Teasingly, the first few bars were played alone during Page and Plant tours, in lieu of the final notes of "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You." However, in November 1994 Page and Plant performed an acoustic version of the song at a Tokyo news station for Japanese television. Ethiopia, as its borders were in 1985. ... This article is about the year. ... Atlantic Records (Atlantic Recording Corporation) is an American record label, and operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of Warner Music Group. ... Year 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar). ... Jason Bonham (born July 13, 1966) is an English drummer and son of legendary Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham. ... Page and Plant is the name that Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, both formerly of Led Zeppelin, recorded and toured under in the mid-1990s. ... Babe Im Gonna Leave You is a folk song written and recorded by Anne Bredon in the 1950s. ... For other uses, see Tokyo (disambiguation). ...

"Stairway to Heaven" was performed at Led Zeppelin's reunion show at the O2 Arena, London on December 10, 2007. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Millennium Dome. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... is the 344th day of the year (345th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ...

Plant cites the most unusual performance of the song ever as being that performed at Live Aid,

Duran Duran are an award-winning English rock band notable for a long series of popular singles and vivid music videos. ...

Success and influence

"Stairway to Heaven" continues to top radio lists of the greatest rock songs, as well as topping a recent Guitar World poll.^[3] On the 20th anniversary of the original release of the song, it was announced via U.S. radio sources that the song had logged up an estimated 2,874,000 radio plays - back to back that would run for 44 years solid.^[2] As of 2000, the song had been broadcast on radio over three million times.^[17] It is also the biggest-selling single piece of sheet music clocking up an average of 15,000 copies yearly.^[10] In total, over one million copies have been sold.^[17] Two issues of Guitar World featuring Jimmy Page, and Jimi Hendrix on the covers, and the accompanying CDs (May 2005, October 2005) Guitar World is a monthly music magazine devoted to guitarists. ... Sheet music is written representation of music. ...

The song's length precluded its release in full form as a single. Despite pressure from Atlantic Records the band would not authorize the editing of the song for single release, making "Stairway to Heaven" one of the most well-known and popular rock songs never to have been released as a single. It did, however, appear as a promotional disc in the United States, pressed as a 7:55 track on each side; on an Australian acoustic EP, and in the 1990s as a 20th anniversary promo book. A collection of various CD singles In music, a single is a short recording of one or more separate tracks. ... Atlantic Records (Atlantic Recording Corporation) is an American record label, and operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of Warner Music Group. ... For the band, see 1990s (band). ...

The group's recording of this song also appeared as the sole Led Zeppelin track in the 1977 Atlantic Records 2-LP promotional sampler album, "We've Got Your Music", marking the very first time that Led Zeppelin's "Stairway To Heaven" made its official debut appearance in an American-released various artists compilation collection.

In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine put it at #31 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. This article is about the magazine. ... ...

Taurus

Spirit-Taurus

Excerpt from "Taurus" - 226 kb

Problems listening to the file? See media help.

It has been suggested that the song's introduction bears a close resemblance to the 1968 instrumental "Taurus" by the group Spirit.^[7][18][19] In the liner notes to the 1996 reissue of Spirit's debut album, songwriter Randy California writes Year 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Spirit was an American jazz/hard rock/psychedelic band founded in 1967, based in Los Angeles, California. ... Randy California (born Randy Craig Wolfe; February 20, 1951 - January 2, 1997) was a guitarist, singer and songwriter and one of the original members of the rock group Spirit, formed in 1967. ...

Led Zeppelins 1968/1969 tour of North America was the first concert tour of North America by the English rock band. ...

Other versions

Covers

• Jimmy Page performed instrumental versions of the song on the ARMS series of concerts in 1983, as well as on his own Outrider tour in 1988.

• A few attempts at a straightforward cover have been made over the years, notably by glam metal band Great White. The supergroup Far Corporation was the first act to chart with a single release of the song, barely making the charts in the U.S., while becoming a top-10 hit in the UK in October 1985. Tiny Tim has a recorded version of the song, on his album Girl, where he is accompanied by the band Brave Combo, and it is played very jazzy and lounge, which is one of three times the song will be played as a lounge song. Frank Zappa recorded an original version of the song during his 1988 world tour, and it appeared on the 1991 live album The Best Band You Never Heard in Your Life. In 1993, the band Leningrad Cowboys collaborated with the Red Army Choir to perform a cover of the song.^[23] Jewish rock musician Dan Torres recorded an acoustic version on Dan Torres's Greatest Hits clocking in at 8:21, featuring louder, longer verses.

• The band Heart regularly performed this song in 1976 and a live version of this song by Heart appears as a bonus track on the CD release of 1976's Little Queen album

• Singer Dolly Parton recorded a country-bluegrass version on her 2002 album Halos & Horns. Parton also used the intro chord progression from the song in her own 1976 single "We Used To," which reached the Top 10 on the Billboard country charts. Pop singer Pat Boone chose it to close out his 1997 album of heavy metal covers In a Metal Mood: No More Mr. Nice Guy.

• Punk rock cover band Me First and the Gimme Gimmes covered this song on their 2004 album Ruin Jonny's Bar Mitzvah. Their version, which includes only the first three verses of the song, begins with a straightforward rendition and then kicks into an energetic 'punk' style.

• Native American singer Jana recorded an electronic cover of Stairway to Heaven which won the Native American Music Award (Nammy) for Best Song in 2002.

• The London Philharmonic Orchestra, under the direction of Peter Scholes, recorded an instrumental version of the song on the album Kashmir: The Symphonic Led Zeppelin. Jazz guitarist Stanley Jordan recorded an instrumental cover of Stairway to Heaven where he simultaneously played two independent parts on one guitar with no overdubs. Rodrigo y Gabriela recently recorded an instrumental cover of Stairway to Heaven for their self-titled album in 2006. An instrumental version has also appeared on the bluegrass album "Pickin' on Zeppelin: A Tribute".

• Many other covers are ironic or intentionally humorous, notably Led Zeppelin parody cover band Dread Zeppelin's reggae/Elvis-inspired version, Pat Boone's and Richard Cheese's lounge takes, and Rolf Harris's didgeridoo-and-wobble board interpretation (which reached number 7 in the UK charts in 1993). Rolf Harris's version was one of 25 different versions of the song that were performed live by guest stars on the early 1990s Australian chat show The Money or the Gun - each being a unique version of the song in the usually idiosyncratic style of performance of each guest star, following which the best 25 performances of the song were released on video tape for posterity (Rolf Harris' version would appear to be the only version that people are aware of). A compilation of these versions, titled Stairways to Heaven, was put out on the Atlantic label, featuring versions of the song by The Australian Doors Show, The Beatnix, John Paul Young, Kate Ceberano, Leonard Teale, Sandra Hahn and Michael Turkic (Grand Opera), The Ministry of Fun, Neil Pepper, Pardon Me Boys, Robyne Dunn, The Rock Lobsters, Rolf Harris, Vegimite Reggae, The Doug Anthony Allstars with Barry Crocker and others.

• Harris is said^{[attribution needed]} to have received death threats from fans of the song for his version of this iconic rock anthem. The Foo Fighters's lead singer Dave Grohl also performed a humorous version of the song on The Late Late Show With Craig Kilborn, where he pretended to forget the lyrics (Grohl is an avid Led Zeppelin fan and has numerous tattoos representing the band across his body) and proceeded to improvise the electric guitar solo vocally.^[24]

• The band Gregorian recorded a Gregorian chant cover of this song.

Outrider is an album by Jimmy Page, released by Geffen Records on June 19, 1988. ... Glam metal is a sub-genre of heavy metal music that arose in the late 1970s - early 1980s in the United States. ... Great White is an American blues-based rock and roll band. ... In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe music groups comprising members who had already achieved fame or respect in other groups or as individual artists. ... Famous for their cover of Stairway to Heaven, Far Corporation was comprised of Robin McAuley on Vocals and Simon Phillips on drums. ... This article is about the year. ... Herbert Buckingham Khaury (April 12, 1932 – 30 November 1996), better known by the stage name Tiny Tim, was an American singer, ukulele player, and musical archivist. ... Brave Combo is a polka/rock band based in Denton, Texas. ... Frank Vincent Zappa[1] (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American composer, musician, and film director. ... Year 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... A live album – commonly contrasted with a studio album – is a recording consisting of material (usually music) recorded during stage performances. ... The Best Band You Never Heard in Your Life is a double disc live album by Frank Zappa, released in 1991 (see 1991 in music). ... The band. ... The Red Army Choir (Choir Aleksandrov) is a performing ensemble that served as the official army choir of the former Soviet Unions Red Army. ... Dan Torress Greatest Hits is the first solo album from Dan Torres. ... For other uses, see Heart (disambiguation). ... Little Queen is the second album released by the band Heart. ... Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is a Grammy Award-winning country music singer/songwriter, author, actress and philanthropist. ... Country music is a blend of popular musical forms originally found in the Southern United States and the Appalachian Mountains. ... Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music. ... Halos & Horns was a 2002 Dolly Parton album. ... This article is about the genre of popular music. ... Charles Eugene Patrick Pat Boone (born June 1, 1934) is a singer whose smooth style made him a popular performer of the 1950s. ... Punk rock is an anti-establishment music movement beginning around 1976 (although precursors can be found several years earlier), exemplified and popularised by The Ramones, the Sex Pistols, The Clash and The Damned. ... Me First and the Gimme Gimmes is a punk rock cover band that formed in 1995. ... Ruin Jonnys Bar Mitzvah is a live album by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, released on October 19, 2004 on Fat Wreck Chords. ... This article is about the people indigenous to the United States. ... Jana Mashonee (better known by her stage name, Jana) is a GRAMMY Award nominated singer, songwriter and actress. ... For other uses, see Electronic music (disambiguation). ... The Native American Music Award, commonly known as The Nammy is an award given to outstanding musical performance by Native Americans. ... The London Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO), based in London, is one of the major orchestras of the United Kingdom. ... For the single by Mike Oldfield, see Magic Touch (song). ... Les Paul, a pioneer of multi-track recording. ... Rodrigo y Gabriela are a Mexican musical duo who specialize in playing fast, rhythmic acoustic guitars. ... Dread Zeppelin is an American band best known for covering the songs of Led Zeppelin in a reggae style sung by an Elvis Presley impersonator named Tortelvis, though their act now encompasses many other songs and other styles of music. ... Reggae is a music genre developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. ... Elvis redirects here. ... Charles Eugene Patrick Pat Boone (born June 1, 1934) is a singer whose smooth style made him a popular performer of the 1950s. ... Categories: Music stubs | American musical groups ... Rolf Harris, MBE (1968), OBE (1977), CBE (2006), AM (1989) (born 30 March 1930), is an Australian musician, composer, painter, and television host. ... A didgeridoo. ... For the fitness device, see Wobble board (exercise). ... “British Hit Singles” redirects here. ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ... The Money or the Gun was an Australian comedy / talk-show on the ABC network in 1989-1990, with occasional specials until 1994. ... John Paul Young John Paul Young (June 21, 1950–) is an Australian singer. ... Kate Ceberano, born 17 November 1966, is an award winning Australian pop vocalist entertainer, and Scientologist. ... Leonard Teale (born September 26, 1922 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia — died May 14, 1994 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), was a well-known Australian actor of radio, television and films. ... Grand Opera is a style of opera mainly characterized by many features on a grandiose scale. ... Rolf Harris, MBE (1968), OBE (1977), CBE (2006), AM (1989) (born 30 March 1930), is an Australian musician, composer, painter, and television host. ... Vegemite (pronounced VEH-gee-mite, SAMPA: [vEdZI%maIt]) is the registered brand name for a dark brown, salty food paste mainly used as a spread on sandwiches and toast, though occasionally used in cooking. ... Reggae is a music genre developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. ... Barry Crocker is an Australian singer who has been performing for decades. ... This article is about the band. ... David Eric Grohl (b. ... Gregorian is a German band, headed by Frank Peterson, performing Gregorian chant-inspired versions of modern pop and rock songs. ... Gregorian chant is the central tradition of Western plainchant, a form of monophonic, unaccompanied sacred song of the Roman Catholic Church. ...

Parodies

• A parody of "Stairway to Heaven" was recorded by ApologetiX, a Christian parody band. "Narrow Way to Heaven" depicts their interpretation of the Christian path to Heaven.

• Bob and Doug McKenzie recorded a parody titled "Elevator To Menswear."^{[citation needed]}

• Another parody by lampoonist Brockeim, "Stairway to Amazon," describes two book reviewers vying for the top spot at the popular online book retailer.

• A novelty song featuring the music and arrangement of the song combined with the lyrics to the "Theme from Gilligan's Island" (which has a similar chord progression)^{[citation needed]} was recorded by the San Francisco band Little Roger and the Goosebumps and often featured on the Dr. Demento radio program. Singer Robert Plant has described this as his favourite cover "version" of the song.^{[citation needed]}

• Perhaps more pun than parody, the Butthole Surfers 1988 release was entitled "Hairway to Steven".

• In 2007, Andrew Hansen from the Australian comedy show The Chasers War on Everything wrote and performed a parody of the song entitled "Stairway to Kevin", based around the 2007 Australian national election, in which opposition leader Kevin Rudd contested for Prime Minister and later won.

ApologetiX from left to right: Karl Messner, Keith Haynie, Bill Rieger, and J. Jackson. ... Great White North album cover with Bob (left) and Doug McKenzie (right) Bob and Doug McKenzie were a pair of fictional Canadian brothers who hosted The Great White North, a sketch which was introduced on SCTV for the shows third season when it moved to the CBC in 1980. ... For the NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) video game, see The Adventures of Gilligans Island. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... Little Roger and the Goosebumps is a pop/rock band from San Francisco active during the 1970s and early 1980s and resurrected in 2006. ... Dr. Demento is the stage name of Barret Eugene Hansen (born April 2, 1941),[1] a radio disc jockey specializing in novelty songs and pop music parodies. ... The Butthole Surfers are an American rock band founded in 1981 by Gibby Haynes and Paul Leary in San Antonio, Texas. ... Hairway to Steven is an album by the Butthole Surfers, released in 1988 (see 1988 in music). ... The Chasers War on Everything (often shortened to The War by The Chaser cast) is a satirical television comedy series broadcast on ABC TV in Australia. ... Kevin Michael Rudd (born 21 September 1957), is the leader of the federal Australian Labor Party and Leader of the Opposition in the Australian Parliament. ...

Live performances

During live performances of their song "Tribute", Tenacious D often plays the song with bits and pieces of guitar riffs and chord progressions from Stairway to Heaven. Also, they often sing the last few words of the song similarly to how the end of Stairway to Heaven is sung. On their HBO series version of Tribute, large chunks of the song use chord progressions and vocals reminiscent of Stairway to Heaven.^{[citation needed]} Tribute, or unofficially, A Tribute to the Best Song in the World is the first single of Tenacious Ds self-titled debut album. ... This article is about the band. ... For other uses, see HBO (disambiguation). ...

Backmasking controversy

Critics of rock and roll songs (and of Led Zeppelin in particular) have alleged^[25] that a backmasked message is recorded into "Stairway to Heaven." The message, which allegedly occurs during the middle section of the song ("If there's a bustle in your hedgerow, don't be alarmed now..."), is purported to contain Satanic references: Image File history File links STH_forwards. ... Image File history File links STH_reverse. ... Rock and roll (also spelled Rock n Roll, especially in its first decade), also called rock, is a form of popular music, usually featuring vocals (often with vocal harmony), electric guitars and a strong back beat; other instruments, such as the saxophone, are common in some styles. ... Backmasking (also known incorrectly as backward masking)[1] is a recording technique in which a sound or message is recorded backwards onto a track that is meant to be played forwards. ... This article is about the concept of Satan. ...

Oh here's to my sweet Satan.
The one whose little path would make me sad, whose power is Satan.
He will give those with him 666.
There was a little tool shed where he made us suffer, sad Satan.

– Most popular version of the lyrics to Stairway to Heaven played backwards^[25]

The controversy originated from a prominent Baptist, who, in 1982, preached on the radio that "Stairway to Heaven" contained subliminal backward messages.^[26] This theory was later primarily advanced by Michael Mills, Jacob Aranza, and Jeff Godwin, who offered detailed analyses of the hidden meanings of both the "backwards" and actual lyrics. In 1982, the Consumer Protection and Toxic Materials Committee of the California State Assembly held a hearing on backmasking in popular music, during which "Stairway to Heaven" was played backwards.^[27] William Yarroll, a self-identified neuroscientist, claimed that "Stairway to Heaven" contained a similar message when played backward.^[3] Various versions of the alleged message exist.^[28] Jeff Godwin is a Christian fundamentalist preacher and author from Bloomington, Indiana. ... The California State Assembly chamber California State Assembly Chamber in the State Capitol The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. ... Backmasking (also known incorrectly as backward masking)[1] is a recording technique in which a sound or message is recorded backwards onto a track that is meant to be played forwards. ...

Led Zeppelin has for the most part ignored such claims; for years the only comment came from Swan Song Records which issued the statement: "Our turntables only play in one direction—forwards". Led Zeppelin audio engineer Eddie Kramer confirmed this, calling the allegations "totally and utterly ridiculous. Why would they want to spend so much studio time doing something so dumb?"^[29] Robert Plant expressed frustration with the accusations in an interview: "To me it's very sad, because 'Stairway to Heaven' was written with every best intention, and as far as reversing tapes and putting messages on the end, that's not my idea of making music."^[30] Swan Song Records was a record label launched by Led Zeppelin on May 10, 1974. ... Eddie Kramer is an audio engineer and producer who has worked with Led Zeppelin, Kiss, Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Peter Frampton, Curtis Mayfield, Santana, Anthrax, Carly Simon and Robin Trower. ... Robert Anthony Plant (born August 20, 1948, West Bromwich, West Midlands, England), is an English rock singer and songwriter, famous for his membership in the rock band Led Zeppelin as the lead vocalist, as well as for his successful solo career. ...

An informal experiment by scientist Simon Singh suggested that listeners only hear the message after prompting.^[31] Simon Singh Simon Lehna Singh (born 1964) is an Indian-British author of Punjabi background with a doctorate in physics from Emmanuel College, Cambridge, who has specialized in writing about mathematical and scientific topics in an accessible manner. ...

See also

• Stairway to Heaven/Highway to Hell

Stairway to Heaven/Highway to Hell was a 1989 compilation album featuring bands that performed at the Moscow Music Peace Festival. ...

References

Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 40th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 158th day of the year (159th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 185th day of the year (186th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 15th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 158th day of the year (159th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Classic Rock Magazine, or simply Classic Rock is a magazine dedicated to the musical genre of classic rock Published by Future Publishing. ... Year 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 77th day of the year (78th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 311th day of the year (312th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... is the 193rd day of the year (194th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... CD may stand for: Compact Disc Canadian Forces Decoration Cash Dispenser (at least used in Japan) CD LPMud Driver Centrum-Demokraterne (Centre Democrats of Denmark) Certificate of Deposit České Dráhy (Czech Railways) Chad (NATO country code) Chalmers Datorförening (computer club of the Chalmers University of Technology) a 1960s... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 160th day of the year (161st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 172nd day of the year (173rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 158th day of the year (159th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 90th day of the year (91st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 139th day of the year (140th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Sources

• Led Zeppelin: Dazed and Confused: The Stories Behind Every Song, by Chris Welch, ISBN 1-56025-818-7
• The Complete Guide to the Music of Led Zeppelin, by Dave Lewis, ISBN 0-7119-3528-9

External links

• NPR Fresh Air audio interview with Robert Plant, who comments on various covers of the song, the lyrics and writing it.
• Sold on Song, "Stairway to Heaven" at BBC Radio 2
• Jimmy Page Audio Interview about the Gibson guitar used in Stairway to Heaven
• If Led Zeppelin reunites, will they play the song that almost destroyed them? - commentary from Slate online

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