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==Song construction and release==
==Song construction and release==
⚫
The recording of "Stairway to Heaven" started in December 1970 at [[Island Records]]' new [[Sarm West Studios|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.<ref name=RS1985>{{cite journal |last=Davis |first=Stephen |title = Power, Mystery And The Hammer Of The Gods: The Rise and Fall of Led Zeppelin |journal = Rolling Stone |issue=451 |date=[[July 4]], [[1985]] |url =http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/ledzeppelin/articles/story/17537975/power_mystery_and_the_hammer_of_the_gods |accessdate=2008-01-15 }}</ref> The complete studio recording was released on ''[[Led Zeppelin IV]]'' in November 1971.

The song's instrumentals were written by Page "over a long period, the first part coming at [[Bron-Yr-Aur]] one night".<ref name="MOJO">Sutcliffe, Phil (April 2000). "Bustle in the Hedgerow". ''MOJO'', p.62</ref> Page always kept a [[tape recorder|cassette recorder]] around, and the idea for "Stairway" came together from bits of taped music.<ref name="Light">Tollinski, Brad and di Benedetto, Greg (January 1998). "Light and Shade: A Historic Look at the Entire Led Zeppelin Catalogue Through the Eyes of Guitarist/Producer/Mastermind Jimmy Page". ''Guitar World'', p. 100-104.</ref> The opening guitar cadence is said to have been influenced by an instrumental track called 'Taurus' by the band '[[Spirit (band)|Spirit]]' with whom Led Zeppelin were acquainted in their opening days.<ref name="MOJO" /><ref>Guitar World Magazine, April 1997: "California's most enduring legacy may well be the fingerpicked acoustic theme of the song "Taurus," which Jimmy Page lifted virtually note for note for the introduction to "Stairway to Heaven."</ref>
The song's instrumentals were written by Page "over a long period, the first part coming at [[Bron-Yr-Aur]] one night".<ref name="MOJO">Sutcliffe, Phil (April 2000). "Bustle in the Hedgerow". ''MOJO'', p.62</ref> Page always kept a [[tape recorder|cassette recorder]] around, and the idea for "Stairway" came together from bits of taped music.<ref name="Light">Tollinski, Brad and di Benedetto, Greg (January 1998). "Light and Shade: A Historic Look at the Entire Led Zeppelin Catalogue Through the Eyes of Guitarist/Producer/Mastermind Jimmy Page". ''Guitar World'', p. 100-104.</ref> The opening guitar cadence is said to have been influenced by an instrumental track called 'Taurus' by the band '[[Spirit (band)|Spirit]]' with whom Led Zeppelin were acquainted in their opening days.<ref name="MOJO" /><ref>Guitar World Magazine, April 1997: "California's most enduring legacy may well be the fingerpicked acoustic theme of the song "Taurus," which Jimmy Page lifted virtually note for note for the introduction to "Stairway to Heaven."</ref>


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".<ref name="Light" /> Jimmy Page was strumming the chords and Robert Plant had a pencil and paper. Plant later said that suddenly, "my hand was writing out the words, 'There's a lady who's sure, all that glitters is gold, and she's buying a stairway to heaven'. I just sat there and looked at them and almost leapt out of my seat." Plant's own explanation of the lyrics was that it "was some cynical aside about a woman getting everything she wanted all the time without giving back any thought or consideration. The first line begins with that cynical sweep of the hand ... and it softened up after that."<ref name="Total Guitar" />
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".<ref name="Light" /> Jimmy Page was strumming the chords and Robert Plant had a pencil and paper. Plant later said that suddenly, "my hand was writing out the words, 'There's a lady who's sure, all that glitters is gold, and she's buying a stairway to heaven'. I just sat there and looked at them and almost leapt out of my seat." Plant's own explanation of the lyrics was that it "was some cynical aside about a woman getting everything she wanted all the time without giving back any thought or consideration. The first line begins with that cynical sweep of the hand ... and it softened up after that."<ref name="Total Guitar" />

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.<ref name=RS1985>{{cite journal |last=Davis |first=Stephen |title = Power, Mystery And The Hammer Of The Gods: The Rise and Fall of Led Zeppelin |journal = Rolling Stone |issue=451 |date=[[July 4]], [[1985]] |url =http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/ledzeppelin/articles/story/17537975/power_mystery_and_the_hammer_of_the_gods |accessdate=2008-01-15 }}</ref>


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


{{cquote|It's an idea for a really long track.... You know how "[[Dazed and Confused]]" and songs like that were broken into sections? Well, we want to try something new with the organ and acoustic guitar building up and building up, and then the electric part starts.... It might be a fifteen-minute track.<ref name=RS1985>{{cite journal |last=Davis |first=Stephen |title = Power, Mystery And The Hammer Of The Gods: The Rise and Fall of Led Zeppelin |journal = Rolling Stone |issue=451 |date=[[July 4]], [[1985]] |url =http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/ledzeppelin/articles/story/17537975/power_mystery_and_the_hammer_of_the_gods |accessdate=2008-01-15 }}</ref>}}
{{cquote|It's an idea for a really long track.... You know how "[[Dazed and Confused]]" and songs like that were broken into sections? Well, we want to try something new with the organ and acoustic guitar building up and building up, and then the electric part starts.... It might be a fifteen-minute track.<ref name=RS1985>{{cite journal |last=Davis |first=Stephen |title = Power, Mystery And The Hammer Of The Gods: The Rise and Fall of Led Zeppelin |journal = Rolling Stone |issue=451 |date=[[July 4]], [[1985]] |url =http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/ledzeppelin/articles/story/17537975/power_mystery_and_the_hammer_of_the_gods |accessdate=2008-01-15 }}</ref>}}

⚫
The recording of "Stairway to Heaven" started in December 1970 at [[Island Records]]' new [[Sarm West Studios|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.{{Fact|date=July 2007}} The complete studio recording was released on ''[[Led Zeppelin IV]]'' in November 1971.


==Live performances==
==Live performances==

Revision as of 03:58, 18 January 2008

For other uses of "Stairway to Heaven", see Stairway to Heaven (disambiguation).
"Stairway to Heaven"
Song

"Stairway to Heaven" is a rock song by the

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 [3] and #13 on the New Zealand Singles Chart [4]
.

Song construction and release

The recording of "Stairway to Heaven" started in December 1970 at

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.[5] The complete studio recording was released on Led Zeppelin IV
in November 1971.

The song's instrumentals were written by Page "over a long period, the first part coming at Bron-Yr-Aur one night".[6] Page always kept a cassette recorder around, and the idea for "Stairway" came together from bits of taped music.[7] 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.[6][8]

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".[7] Jimmy Page was strumming the chords and Robert Plant had a pencil and paper. Plant later said that suddenly, "my hand was writing out the words, 'There's a lady who's sure, all that glitters is gold, and she's buying a stairway to heaven'. I just sat there and looked at them and almost leapt out of my seat." Plant's own explanation of the lyrics was that it "was some cynical aside about a woman getting everything she wanted all the time without giving back any thought or consideration. The first line begins with that cynical sweep of the hand ... and it softened up after that."[9]

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.[5]

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

It's an idea for a really long track.... You know how "Dazed and Confused" and songs like that were broken into sections? Well, we want to try something new with the organ and acoustic guitar building up and building up, and then the electric part starts.... It might be a fifteen-minute track.[5]

Live performances

The inaugural public performance of the song took place at

LA Forum
that:

I'm not saying the whole audience gave us a standing ovation - but there was this sizable standing ovation there. And I thought, 'This is incredible because no one's heard this number yet. This is the first time hearing it!' It obviously touched them, so I knew there was something with that one.[10]

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 the 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 at 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.

Live, filmed versions of the song are preserved on the band's concert film

Long Beach Arena in 1972). There are also hundreds of audio versions which can be found on unofficial Led Zeppelin bootleg recordings
.

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

twelve string guitar (although the studio version had been recorded on a Fender Telecaster
).

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":

There's only so many times you can sing it and mean it ... It just became sanctimonious.[11]

The song was played again by the surviving members of Led Zeppelin at the

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.

"Stairway to Heaven" was performed at

Led Zeppelin's reunion show at the O2 Arena, London on December 10, 2007
.

Plant cites the most unusual performance of the song ever as being that performed at Live Aid, "with two drummers while Duran Duran cried at the side of the stage - there was something quite surreal about that."[9]

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.[2] As of 2000, the song had been broadcast on radio over three million times.[13] It is also the biggest-selling single piece of sheet music clocking up an average of 15,000 copies yearly.[9] In total, over one million copies have been sold.[13]

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, on an Australian acoustic EP, and in the 1990s as a 20th anniversary promo book.

In 2004,

500 Greatest Songs of All Time
.

Music

The song begins with a quiet introduction finger-picked

acoustic guitar and three recorders[14] (ending at-2:15) gradually moves into a slow electric middle section (2:16-5:33), before the faster hard rock final section (5:34-end). Page stated that the song "speeds up like an adrenaline flow".[1]

Written in the key of A minor and mainly in common time the song opens with an arpeggiated,

Yamaha GX1 to synthesize this arrangement in live performances)[9] and a Hohner Electra-Piano electric piano
in the middle section.

The sections build with more guitar layers, each complementary to the intro with the drums entering at 4:17. The extended

Doubleneck
guitar. The final progression is a i-VII-VI (natural minor) progression (Am G F), a mainstay of rock music.

Taurus

It has been suggested that the song's introduction bears a close resemblance to the 1968

instrumental "

first American tour.[17][18][19]

Other versions

Covers

A few attempts at a straightforward cover have been made over the years, notably by

Red Army Choir to perform a cover of the song.[20] 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.

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

The

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".

File:The-Money-or-the-Gun.jpg
"The Money or the Gun"
"Stairways to Heaven" video tape
(25 versions of the song includes the well-known version by Rolf Harris)

Many other covers are ironic or intentionally humorous, notably Led Zeppelin parody cover band

The Doug Anthony Allstars with Barry Crocker
and others.

Harris is said[who?] 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. [21]

In Guitar Hero II, a loading screen with a message states "Remember, NO STAIRWAY!" in a reference to a scene in Wayne's World.

Parodies

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

Bob and Doug Mackenzie
recorded a parody titled "Elevator To Menswear."

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

Also popular on Dr. Demento's program was "7-Eleven", a parody based on the title of

Mark Jonathan Davis[22]
.

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 entited "Stairway to Kevin" based around the Australian national election in which opposition leader Kevin Rudd
contested for Prime Minister and won.

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]

Backmasking controversy

Template:Multi-listen start Template:Multi-listen item Template:Multi-listen item Template:Multi-listen end

Critics of rock and roll songs (and of Led Zeppelin in particular) have alleged[23] 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:

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 toolshed where he made us suffer, sad Satan.

— Most popular version of the lyrics to Stairway to Heaven played backwards[23]

The controversy originated from a prominent Baptist, who, in 1982, preached on the radio that "Stairway to Heaven" contained subliminal backward messages.[24] 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.[25] William Yarroll, a self-identified neuroscientist, claimed that "Stairway to Heaven," when played backward, contains a similar message: "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. He will give you 666. I live for Satan."[2] Other versions of the alleged message include "Here's to my sweet Satan, no other made a path. For it makes me sad. Whose power is Satan? Oh, my number, 666", and "Oh, here's to my sweet Satan. The One whose little path has made me sad. Whose power is Satan? Oh, my number, 666".[26]

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". Zeppelin producer 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?"[27] 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."[28]

An informal experiment by scientist Simon Singh suggested that listeners only hear the message after prompting.[29]

See also

References

  • 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
  1. ^ a b c d "Sold on Song, Stairway to Heaven". Retrieved 2006-02-09. {{cite web}}: Text "BBC radio 2" ignored (help)
  2. ^ a b c "" Stairway to Heaven: Is This the Greatest Song of All Time?"". Retrieved 2006-06-07.
  3. ^ http://uk.launch.yahoo.com/c/uk/single_charts.html
  4. ^ http://www.rianz.org.nz/rianz/chart.asp
  5. ^ a b c Davis, Stephen (July 4, 1985). "Power, Mystery And The Hammer Of The Gods: The Rise and Fall of Led Zeppelin". Rolling Stone (451). Retrieved 2008-01-15. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ a b c Sutcliffe, Phil (April 2000). "Bustle in the Hedgerow". MOJO, p.62
  7. ^ a b c Tollinski, Brad and di Benedetto, Greg (January 1998). "Light and Shade: A Historic Look at the Entire Led Zeppelin Catalogue Through the Eyes of Guitarist/Producer/Mastermind Jimmy Page". Guitar World, p. 100-104.
  8. ^ Guitar World Magazine, April 1997: "California's most enduring legacy may well be the fingerpicked acoustic theme of the song "Taurus," which Jimmy Page lifted virtually note for note for the introduction to "Stairway to Heaven."
  9. ^ a b c d e f g Llewellyn, Sian (December., 1998). "Stairway to Heaven". Total Guitar, p.61-62
  10. ^ Songfacts: Stairway to Heaven
  11. ^ Dave Lewis and Simon Pallett (1997) Led Zeppelin: The Concert File, London: Omnibus Press. ISBN 0-7119-5307-4, p. 58.
  12. ISBN 0711991952
    .
  13. ^ a b Australian Broadcasting Corporation website
  14. ^ Rolling Stone. "Stairway to Heaven". Retrieved 2006-06-07.
  15. ^ Guitar World Magazine, April 1997: "California's most enduring legacy may well be the fingerpicked acoustic theme of the song "Taurus," which Jimmy Page lifted virtually note for note for the introduction to "Stairway to Heaven."
  16. ^ Allmusic
  17. CD
    EPC 485175
  18. ^ The London Independent, January 17, 1997
  19. ^ 1968 Setlist
  20. ^ Leningrad Cowboys - Total Balalaika Show at amazon.com
  21. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqL-YNyxFd0
  22. ^ Template:Dlw
  23. ^ a b Milner, Jeff. "Jeff Milner's Backmasking Site". Retrieved 2006-06-09.
  24. ^ Oates, David John. "Reverse Speech - Stairway to Where?". Retrieved 2006-06-21.
  25. ISBN 0887388647
    .
  26. ISBN 0879307297. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: checksum (help
    )
  27. ^ Stephen Davis, The Hammer of the Gods, William Morrow and Company Inc., New York, 1985, p. 335. Cited in David Oates, Reverse Speech: Voices From The Unconscious
  28. ^ Considine, J.D. "Interviews". Retrieved 2006-06-07.
  29. ^ Tucker, William (2005-03-31). "Big Bang: Simon Singh Takes on the Cosmos". New York Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 2007-05-19. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

External links

Template:Led Zeppelin IV

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