Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven

[CaaC (John)+]

Quote

'Stairway To Heaven’ at 50: The song that ushered in the era of the guitar hero

When Jimmy Page strapped on a double-necked guitar at Belfast Ulster Hall on 5 March 1971, the audience no doubt thought they were about to be bombarded with twice the rock. They’d already been savaged by the live debut of blues Cerberus “Black Dog”, their first taster from Led Zeppelin’s forthcoming fourth album, and we're eager for the world’s hottest hard rock band to keep the pedal to the formative heavy metal.

Then Page plucked out a pastoral arpeggio redolent of arcadian glades, medieval minstrels and all manner of nonny-nonnyness, a refrain crying out for classical recorder accompaniment. Robert Plant’s lyrics only enhanced its arcane air: “There’s a lady who’s sure all that glitters is gold/ And she’s buying a stairway to heaven…”

Eight minutes later, the song ended to polite applause. “They were all bored to tears waiting to hear something they knew,” said bassist John Paul Jones.

Fifty years ago this week, history passed the Union Hall crowd by on their way to the bar. By the end of that year, “Stairway To Heaven” was the most requested song ever on American radio and was proving itself crucial in sending Led Zeppelin IV (as the untitled 1971 album is commonly known) towards 37 million sales and Zeppelin themselves to the very peak of the Seventies rock pantheon. The song might have better been titled “Express Lift To Superstardom”.

FULL REPORT

 

[Machado]

Also the most over played song in music shops.

We should just make this the Led Zeppelin thread tbh.

[Spike]

wasn't a bunch of that song plagiarised

 

can't stand Zeppelin, and whathisname's terrible wailing voice

[Scouse_Mouse]

8 hours ago, Machado said:

Also the most over played song in music shops.

We should just make this the Led Zeppelin thread tbh.

I loved Led Zeppelin but could never stand that song.

[Machado]

You can't deny the meanest riff of all time

 

[Dr. Gonzo]

Personally, I love Zeppelin and both of those songs posted are quality imo.

[Mel81x+]

Yeah we should just make this a Led Zeppelin thread really. I'm sure theres a lot to talk about and how much of their music is influenced (post the early stuff) by a lot of what was going on in the American Blues scene.

[Devil-Dick Willie]

I think Stairway is hated by people who want to hate it. It's like Wonderwall X100. It has tones of universal appeal, but people pretend it's crap and say "their other stuffs better" 

Can't write a greatest songs of all time list without it imo. 

[Scouse_Mouse]

4 hours ago, Devil-Dick Willie said:

I think Stairway is hated by people who want to hate it. It's like Wonderwall X100. It has tones of universal appeal, but people pretend it's crap and say "their other stuffs better" 

Can't write a greatest songs of all time list without it imo. 

I didn't realize I'd been "pretending" to dislike Stairway.

 

 

[CaaC (John)+]

On 05/03/2021 at 12:08, Machado said:

Also the most overplayed song in music shops.

We should just make this the Led Zeppelin thread tbh.

Done. 

[Pugwash]

This from the O2 reunion. Brilliant track as are so many (not sure if I posted it in the Rock Thread     )

 

 

[Coma+]

On 09/03/2021 at 10:38, Pugwash said:

This from the O2 reunion. Brilliant track as are so many (not sure if I posted it in the Rock Thread     )

 

 

Physical Graffiti is my album of choice.  The Rover, In My Time of Dying, Ten Years Gone, The Wanton Song are all in my top 10 Zeppelin songs.

[Pugwash]

On 26/05/2021 at 12:21, Coma said:

Physical Graffiti is my album of choice

yeah, that's my favourite album also mate.