Stairway to Heaven

Led Zeppelin

About Stairway to Heaven

"Stairway to Heaven" is a song by the English rock band Led Zeppelin, released in late 1971. It was composed by guitarist Jimmy Page and vocalist Robert Plant for the band's untitled fourth studio album (often called Led Zeppelin IV). It is often considered the best rock song and widely regarded by many as the greatest song of all time. The song has three sections, each one progressively increasing in tempo and volume. The song begins in a slow tempo with acoustic instruments (guitar and recorders) before introducing electric instruments. The final section is an uptempo hard rock arrangement highlighted by Page's intricate guitar solo (considered by many to be one of the greatest ever) accompanying Plant's vocals that end with the plaintive a cappella line: "And she's buying a stairway to heaven." "Stairway to Heaven" was voted number three in 2000 by VH1 on its list of the 100 Greatest Rock Songs, and was placed at number 31 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. It was the most requested song on FM radio stations in the United States in the 1970s, despite never having been commercially released as a single there. In November 2007, through download sales promoting Led Zeppelin's Mothership release, "Stairway to Heaven" hit number 37 on the UK Singles Chart. 


Year:
1971
8:02
152 
#4

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There's a lady who's sure
All that glitters is gold
And she's buying a stairway to heaven
When she gets there she knows
If the stores are all closed
With a word she can get what she came for
Oh oh oh oh and she's buying a stairway to heaven

There's a sign on the wall
But she wants to be sure
'Cause you know sometimes words have two meanings
In a tree by the brook
There's a songbird who sings
Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiving

Ooh, it makes me wonder
Ooh, it makes me wonder

There's a feeling I get
When I look to the west
And my spirit is crying for leaving
In my thoughts I have seen
Rings of smoke through the trees
And the voices of those who standing looking

Ooh, it makes me wonder
Ooh, it really makes me wonder

And it's whispered that soon, If we all call the tune
Then the piper will lead us to reason
And a new day will dawn
For those who stand long
And the forests will echo with laughter

If there's a bustle in your hedgerow
Don't be alarmed now
It's just a spring clean for the May queen
Yes, there are two paths you can go by
But in the long run
There's still time to change the road you're on
And it makes me wonder

Your head is humming and it won't go
In case you don't know
The piper's calling you to join him
Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow
And did you know
Your stairway lies on the whispering wind

And as we wind on down the road
Our shadows taller than our soul
There walks a lady we all know
Who shines white light and wants to show
How everything still turns to gold
And if you listen very hard
The tune will come to you at last
When all are one and one is all
To be a rock and not to roll
And she's buying the stairway to heaven

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Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin were an English rock band active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed as the New Yardbirds in 1968, the band consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. They are widely considered to be one of the most successful, innovative and influential rock groups in history. more »

30 fans

Written by: Jimmy Page, Robert Plant

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Recording Process
"Stairway to Heaven" was recorded in December 1970 and January 1971. It was completed at Island Studios and Olympic Studios in London, England.
Release Information
It was released as a part of the Led Zeppelin IV album on November 8, 1971, but interestingly, it was never released as a single.
Composition Skills
The song showcases Led Zeppelin's unique blend of rock, jazz, and folk music, and it's praised for its progressive build-up — starting with a slow acoustic beginning and leading into a hard rock finish.
Length and Structure
"Stairway to Heaven" runs for 8 minutes and 2 seconds, which is unusually long for a rock song but testifies to the artistic freedom enjoyed by Zeppelin.
Chart Performance
Even though the song was never released as a single, it has often been cited as the most requested song on FM radio stations in the U.S.
Sales Success
"Stairway to Heaven" played a huge role in Led Zeppelin IV becoming one of the best-selling albums in history. As of 2006, the song had been streamed over one billion times on Spotify.
Cultural Impact
The song is arguably Led Zeppelin's most recognized song, often being cited in popular culture, in movies and TV shows.
Controversies
A copyright infringement case was filed against Led Zeppelin, claiming that the intro was copied from "Taurus" by Spirit, but they later won it in court.
Legacy
"Stairway to Heaven" is considered one of the greatest rock songs ever. In 2003, VH1 named it the third greatest hard rock song, and Rolling Stone magazine placed it at number 31 on their list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".
Live Performances
Despite its popularity, the band started finding it difficult to perform live due to its length and complex structure. Robert Plant even once described the song as a "wedding song", expressing a somewhat negative sentiment towards it.

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