anonymous December 1st, 2005 01:09AM  

It never ceases to amaze me how similar drug addicts are to the devoutly religious:

1. Maximum of a high school education (or, more than likely, equivalent)
2. No knowledge of probability/statistics, or literature
3. Belief that everything is about or related to the thing that is most important to them

It’s no different in this case. The drug addicts are all saying “yo, dude, it’s about druuuuugs, duuude.” And once again, the religious people are all saying “It’s all about Satan! Satan, Satan, Satan! No Rock and/or Roll music in this house!”

When will you people learn?

Ok, first things first. Stairway to Heaven is poetry: pretty words that sound good together that convey happy and good feelings – and in this case, no real or deep meaning. That’s it. That’s all Plant says it is. That’s all Page says it is. That’s about all that anyone can knowledgeably say it is.

DRUGS

One idiot wrote something like “duuuude, ‘buying a stairway to heaven’ means the chick is buying drugs, so she’s gonna die.” Ok, that’s fine and all, except you forgot one thing: THE REST OF THE FUCKING SONG. This accounts for exactly 2.5% of the song. So, duuuude, why will the “piper … lead us to reason”? Or, when will the new day dawn “for those who stand long”? And just what the hell does any of that have to do with buying drugs and dying?

SATAN, SATAN, SATAN

This one is always my favorite. EVERYTHING gets traced back to good ol’ Satan. In this case it’s like seeing the Virgin Mary on a grilled cheese sandwich (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4034787.stm): if you toast enough bread, eventually something’s gonna come up looking like something important to you or that you think about a lot. If you sit around and listen to any noise for 8 minutes and 3 seconds you’ll end up hearing something that sounds like whatever it is you happen to be looking for. This is also a lot like EVP (http://www.aaevp.com/). Anyone who made it through high school or college freshman level probability/statistics should understand this.

Another familiar religious story came up as well: [the love of] money is [the root of all] evil. Of course, religious leaders often remove the bracketed sections. So, one person wrote “She thinks she can buy her way into heaven, but then discovers her life is pointless and she goes to hell.”

What? What the hell does that even mean? Why is her life pointless? Is it because of the “forests echoing with laughter” perhaps? Or is it because she did not stand long, so a new day will, in fact, not be dawning for her? The last bit of the song would tend to lead one away from her being in hell anyway: “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.”

So, next time you hear Stairway to Heaven come on the radio think Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, or even Tolkien or Homer. Just don’t jump straight to Satan, or “it’s about druuugs, maaaan.” Put a little bit of thought into it.

anonymous December 3rd, 2005 03:52AM  

Great job there, FTR. You pointed out a song where Roger Waters recorded himself saying:

"Congratulations. You have discovered the secret message. Please send your answer to old pink, care of the funny farm. Chalfont."

reversed it, and then mixed it in.

I'm surprised you didn't point out the Weird Al song where he did the same thing with:

"Satan eats Cheez Whiz."

Note that in both of the above examples the artists recorded themselves saying the message very clearly. Reversed the recording, and mixed it into the track.

This is quite a bit different from a band figuring out a message that they wanted to say (not to mention the fact that the one claimed to exist in Stairway is completely nonsensical), play it backwards, figure out something that sounds like that. Then somehow mix that into the lyrics of the song in a place where it would make sense -- then sing it just right to where that message is there. Conceivably weeks, if not months, of work. And for what? A publicity stunt? Why not drive another motorcycle through a hotel?

I'm not saying it doesn't ever happen. It clearly does from time to time (i.e. Pink Floyd's and Weird Al's). What I'm saying is that most of them are conicidence. Stick a low quality tape recorder in front of a fan for an hour, then listen to that. I bet you'll hear several references to satan, god, drugs, weird al, or anything else you want to hear.

crutchead December 28th, 2005 12:08AM  

Hello it's me again CrutcHead, first off I'd like to say that its quite interesting to see that we're having a great discussion here regarding Zep's all-time great rock classic staple, Stairway To Heaven.

I guess to further clarify what we could find in this song, I suppose a line per line study of the lyrics should suffice. However before going to that, I'd like to state a few points if I may-- the phenomenon called 'Backmasking' (which is now being alleged as a dud by many these days - even by those who just do so out of what they're told, or its that they just don't like to look 'stupid' or be called as one by those around them mainly by their peers and its all a concern for that public image social stuff as for what is common) is a valid matter. And setting aside such preconceived ideas by approaching the said phenomena in an open-minded/unbiased perspective- the phenomenon is provable.
As I've stated from my previous review to the song, that when you 'memorize the said line heard backwards and record your own voice reciting the backward (it) line would emit the forward segment of that particular portion when one listens to his own voice recording played in reverse.'

The other matter which makes "alleged" backmask examples non-credible- is because of that some who presented them set out words that are not really there when heard backwards. Take for that matter the backward message found on Stairway- many claim that it says "the one who's middle path" , when what it truly state backwards is "the one who made a path, which always makes me sad who's power is satan" - because testing the former line would not emit the forward segment when reversed when using the method explained earlier. Hence, even with forward lyrics people would often have different ideas as well.

Furthermore to claim that a song is 'ABOUT DRUGS" is such an inane way to irresponsibly explain away the lyrics when it meant more than that- and this is the kind of interpretation you'd often get from a person who don't understand the lyrics to a certain song from certain bands such as U2, or Midnight Oil for that matter.

Thus to further amplify what there is to be found to our appreciation in the lyrics of Stairway To Heaven by LED ZEP (not the Neil Sedaka song just to clarify), here's a line by line 'exegesis' if you may call it as such of the song:

^There's a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold
And she's buying a stairway to heaven.^
the lady depicts the church - or to make it plainly the catholic church -- under a scope of reflecting to history REVELATION 17:5 talks about, a church which is supposed to be the bride of Christ, who went wanton and from her came forth daughters(sects) which also prostituted themselves with the ways of the world (a common biblical analogy from the old testament - check the book of Hosea).
The GOLD being spoken of in the song refers to what lasts forever - for that matter IMMORTALITY, thus the lady had a mindset that every seems that claim (glitters) to resemble what is religious could lead to ETERNAL LIFE/SALVATION, and thus she's trying to buy her way to get to heaven, peculiarly reflectively connected with Matthew 7:21 and Ephesians 2:9 which paints a picture that the woman/lady is indeed being foolish.

^When she gets there she knows, if the stores are all closed
With a word she can get what she came for.
Ooh, ooh, and she's buying a stairway to heaven.^
these lines which depicts the Lady going to the store (the common church) being closed and not being there in time to get 'the word that she can get' for which she came for thinking that those were what could lead/guide her to heaven - is such a very powerful and clear analogy regarding what the song is dealing about.

^There's a sign on the wall but she wants to be sure
'Cause you know sometimes words have two meanings.^
Being that 'GOD's WORD' could be mighty vague at times, the lady would even find her self in doubt at times

^In a tree by the brook, there's a songbird who sings,
Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiven.^ This line indicates Christ, who's hung/crucified at the cross - who's words are at times misgiven; a great and fine depiction about this is found on the Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice musical JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, in particular with the segment Simon Zealots/Poor Jerusalem tracks - wherein they have a different idea about what christ came here for, their idea of a messiah (saviour) is for political means, when Christ have something else (Spiritual) in mind ... So much for anything amidst the changes of the times

^Ooh, it makes me wonder,
Ooh, it makes me wonder.^
Plant's personal musings (see second post review)

^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 stand looking.
Ooh, it makes me wonder,
Ooh, it really makes me wonder^
Christianity originating from the East - its opposite would then be the west (even in occult knowledge it defines this same thing), hearken the lines indicate that the speaker is having thoughts of considering another path than the one which is being trod upon Christianity, as there are other 'voices' such as those of the athiests, the evolutionists, and even so-called satanists that offers other options than what is there regarding Christianity. Spilling the beans about the song -this is the whole idea of the song's lyrics and it would even be much more apparent as we move on.

^And it's whispered that soon if we all call the tune
Then the piper will lead us to reason.^
Here we have the first mention of the PIPER - who in folklore lead away the children by his music, would thus even come to imply here a certain stem about what sentiments there are within the time of the songs inceptions such as the whole gamut of mysticism and various 'spiritual' cults as those of the Maharishi's, and those of the 60's flower power movement.
The following line only expresses the Hope that could/may be found about straying away to another spiritual movement - thus as Plant stated before performing the track on what turned out to be their live recording that appeared on the flick The Song Remains The Same 'I Think This is a song of hope'
^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.^
What these lines appear to imply is that- some situations in our lives would at times come as to stump us, but as in the words to a HERMAN's HERMIT song 'This Door Swings Both Ways' - being pat of the season of our lives, so to speak.

And now we come to these lines where the "alleged" Backward message appeared:
^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. ^
Again right here, we hear about the 'path' - a term that is prominent even with occultists (as Jimmy Page is even well in delved with) regarding the study and practice of occultism - whence for every being, it is inevitable to choose a path for the way how you are to live your life, choosing your lifestyle so to speak, and to an occultist- the path of vying for occult knowledge is the 'Path' that they chose, and in that regard the sentiment to bring it upon as the way to spread what is Utopia-like into this world (also check out URIAH HEEP's The Wizard- who's fanbase hail as the only Heavy Metal acoustic song ever written above ZEP's Stairway)
Ironically though, being a believer of the Bible (and all things related with the hebrew-God YHWH, may I say so) myself, I found nothing wrong with the backward message in this song - I could say so its even a gospel-truth ... That is, satan gives you the bad ride of life (cf. JOHN 10:1 to 10)

^Your head is humming and it won't go, in case you don't know,
The piper's calling you to join him,^
It's that nagging feelings and thoughts that would like you to completely turn away from all that is holy

^Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow, and did you know
Your stairway lies on the whispering wind.^
ah the whispering wind, don't you realize that God's wizard Paul the Apostle stated in his knowledge that the spirits of those that are against God are of the air? (check Ephesians 2:1-2) Right now as I write I'm having second thoughts myself about the Angelic Evocation ritual from the Kabbalah that I'm studying to practice is kosher- as far as its evocations are really calling the Archangels of God , or of those that have fallen away with Lucifer/Satan are concerned () cf. EZEKIEL 28:12-19/REVELATION 12:7-9

^And as we wind on down the road
Our shadows taller than our soul.^
Accordingly- it is self-deceit and vain to follow the steps of religiosity, that ones self-opinion becomes more magnified than what is real, that is: one thinks he is okey when he is not, thus 'our shadow's taller than our souls'

^There walks a lady we all know
Who shines white light and wants to show
How everything still turns to gold.^
Organized Religion who claims to serve as the guide to the path of eternal life

^And if you listen very hard
The tune will come to you at last.
When all are one and one is all^
The song implies - that the answer lies actually in global unity, and thus is the very thing which REVELATION chapter 13 predicts - a global government lead by a single anti-christian figure or government, which is not far from reality, as statistics amongst UN Board members answered for the cure to all global problems: coyly they answered unanimously (and unknowing about it) = a one world government! (read sometime ago in NEWSWEEK 1989)
The Gospel According to Satan indeed!

^To be a rock and not to roll.^
Not to wander but to be formidable and sure
-- afterwards the song transits to the picture that we have of the foolish woman, still:
^And she's buying a stairway to heaven^
which I think is one of the wonderful elements to this song - its that it paves to paint a picture amidst its lyrics along with the narrative concerning the thoughts that we have discussed here mirrored by its lyrics, which would segue time and time again back to the travelling woman in the path which she believes to be that road that leads to Life.

All in all, despite of the arguments and everything - the song is one heck of a genius work indeed coming from LED ZEP's Robert Plant and Jimmy Page (the latter an avowed 'fan' of the self-proclaimed late british faggot/occult ecsentric Alister Crowley).

---Chris Banez lim
crutchead747@yahoo.com

anonymous December 28th, 2005 01:29AM  

Are you all arguing about rock and roll? I think you all really missed the point of this song... there isn't one. Plant says there isn't, Page says there isn't. But it sure sounds damn good. It's just poetry and music for the sould people. Relax and enjoy the wonder of the song.
-Frizzle Fry

anonymous December 28th, 2005 05:04AM  

Alright, this is an interpretation that I found on someone's personal/business site. This isn't my own interpretation (mine is similar to crutchead's and can be found further down) but it's good enough to contemplate. If you wanna see the site yourself, here's the link: http://sunsetwestproductions.com/forever/stairway.htm

The reason why I think it's such a good interpretation is because is so DIFFERENT from what's usually said about Led Zeppelin and Rock in general. In fact, this is downright controvertial. It's the COMPLETE OPPOSITE of what most people think. Also, it is thought out line by line, so whether or not the logic used is faulty, at least there was some logic used.

---------------------

Now, before I get into it, I'd like to thank crutchead for his WONDERFUL interpretation, specially since it resembles mine so much, and I'd like to emphasize the fact that we should think logically and thoroughly about things instead of allowing ourselves to be whisked away by the thoughts and reasonings of our peers.

Remember, just because someone smart whom you respect says something convincing doesn't mean that you should take it at face value. Look it up. Verify everything yourself and keep an open mind. This includes the things you find in books - even Holy Books. You can bet I've verified every Bible passage crutchead mentions.

---------------------

My own interpretation is also taken on a line by line basis but, for matters of brevity (as this post will be long enough without this), I will give an overall interpretation.

I believe that the song is about choice and, with that, hope. What LZ is trying to say is that we can find our Stairway to Heaven no matter where we look (no matter what religion or faith) we just have to listen ("And it's whispered that soon if we all call the tune Then the piper will lead us to reason" ALSO "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").

What do we have to listen to? Ourselves and whatever we believe god to be. We have a concience that tells us right and wrong. If we are doing the wrong thing we can change ("yes there are two paths you can go on but in the long run, there's still time to change the road you're on"). In either case, what we have to do is develop our concience, our morality, our hearts. When we do this, we'll realize that we believe in the existance of something greater than ourselves and that something will then help us along our path to good.

The lady, on the other hand, is looking everywhere in the outside, physcial world [instead of inside herself] for her stairway, but even if she doesn't find it ("if the stores are all closed") she's certain that her good works will get her there ("with a word she can get what she came for"). But good works aren't enough without SOME sort of faith.

---------------------

Ok, so on with that website's (read: NOT my own) interpretation. I have posted it the way they have: lyrics with a line by line interpretation. Things in brackets I have added, everything else is as it is on the person's site.

There's a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold
And she's buying a stairway to heaven.
(she is tithing)
When she gets there she knows, if the stores are all closed
With a word she can get what she came for.
(The bible is the word of God, with the bible, she can get into Heaven.) Revelation 3:8
Ooh, ooh, and she's buying a stairway to heaven.
(She is tithing and she she thinks that will get her into Heaven)

There's a sign on the wall but she wants to be sure
(points out the significance of the next line, hint hint)
'Cause you know sometimes words have two meanings.
(parables, which the bible is full of, and the words in this song have two meanings)
In a tree by the brook, there's a songbird who sings,
(reference to John the Baptist and Jesus)
Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiving.
Ooh, it makes me wonder, (think!)
Ooh, it makes me wonder.

There's a feeling I get when I look to the west,
(the anointing of the holy spirit's comforting, Christianity is the religion of western civilization)
And my spirit is crying for leaving.
(soul crying out to be saved)
In my thoughts I have seen rings of smoke through the trees,
(Revelation of Jesus Christ)
And the voices of those who standing looking.
Ooh, it makes me wonder,
Ooh, it really makes me wonder.

And it's whispered (Revealed by Jesus) that soon if we all call the tune
Then the piper
(Jesus, the one playing the woodwind instrument, the flute, which has a whispering tone) will lead us to reason. (Jesus' second coming, revelation 7:17)
And a new day will dawn for those who stand long (World after tribulation Revelation 3:12)
And the forests will echo with laughter.

Well I've got some good news!
(Gospel is the Greek word for good news)
If there's a bustle in your hedgerow, don't be alarmed now,
It's just a spring clean for the May queen.
(God pulling the weeds, the tare, reaping...)
Yes, there are two paths you can go by
(the Stairway to Heaven or the Highway to Hell), but in the long run,
There's still time to change the road you're on.
Well I hope so!
(There is always hope. It is never to late to be saved)
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, (Jesus said I will knock on the door... Rev 3:20)
Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow, (the word of Jesus) and did you know
Your stairway lies on the whispering wind.
(if you want to get to heaven you have to follow the piper, Jesus. Christians are saved by grace, not by their works.)

And as we wind on down the road
(Later in life, after a few wrong turns. There is a straight and narrow path to heaven, there is a long and winding road to hell)
Our shadows taller than our soul.
(late in the day, near the end of our life, we cast longer shadows, our soul is nothing with out Jesus)
There walks a lady we all know
Who shines white light and wants to show
How everything still turns to gold.
(Later in life after more and more sin we can still be saved. The new world after the tribulation will be made of gold.)
And if you listen very hard
The tune will come to you at last.
(if you accept Christ the holy spirit will come into your heart and you will be saved.)
When all are one and one is all
(in Heaven we are one with God)
To be a rock and not to roll.
(Jesus is the Rock, be strong with his foundation)

And she's buying a stairway to heaven................

Wintermut3 January 4th, 2006 05:26PM  

I defy anyone to put a SINGLE meaning to this song.

It's got several levels of allegory and symbol buried in it.

On one level, yes, it's about a woman with a lot of money who thinks that even spirituality can be bought, simular to Simon Magus who tried to buy the secrets of the Holy Spirit from the apostles (OK, that's the cliff notes version, but it's the gist of the whole story).

On another level, it may well be about drugs, god knows Zep probably did their share of them, and my share, and his share, and her share...

On the third level, there are numerous allusions to spiritual figures. The May Queen obviously. There's also the line "There stands the Lady we all know". I've had arguments with friends about that one. One of them thinks it stands for a woman they all 'know' in the biblical sense of 'knowing', IE a prostitute. I think it's more likely a reference to Mary, the woman we all 'know' in our hearts, in the religious sense.

As to the alleged 'backmasking' I DEFY anyone who has NOT been told the supposed hidden message to hear it, before someone tells you it's there and plants the suggestion your mind tries to make the sound match, it's nearly impossible to make out anything intelligible. People have done analysis of the phenomes and said, basically, that there may be a cursory resemblance to some words, but they don't form coherent sentances unless we're TRYING to make them.

It's an accident of language, a product of the fact that most english phenomes sound like other phenomes backwards.

TRUE backmasking is far more distinct and clear, like the backmasked line in Pink Floyd's "Empty Spaces" that tells you "congradulations, you've found the secret Message, send your answers to old Pink, care of the Funny Farm, Chalfront"

In this case it's probably one of the most unfortunate phenome accidents ever, but hardly intentional satanism.

Keep in mind if they wanted to be 'satanic' they could outright have done so, after all Black Sabbath wrote songs about Lucifer, Crowley and other 'satanic' themes not too much later.

anonymous January 4th, 2006 05:47PM  

bigmike24,

You wrote:

Page was in fact one of Aliester Crowlys biggest students and followed directly in his footsteps of witch craft.

However:

Crowley died in 1947
Jimmy Page was born in 1944


So, it seems to me that either

1. you made this up or mis-remembered.
2. Mr Friend's research (all of which is, of course, documented) sucks.


Anyway, Page bought Crowley's old castle. He also had "do what thou wilt" inscribed on the vinyl for III -- a crowley quote. So, it would seem that Page was at least a fan of Crowley. Perhaps he was even Crowley's student for the first three years (almost four) of his life. So what? Crowley wasn't even a satanist. He was a member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and later started Ordo Templi Orientis. He was definitely a free thinker and supposedly a "mystic" but not a satan worshiper. Secondly, what is so "satanic" or "evil" or whatever about stairway? The whole backmasking thing that FTR was so adamant about that made no sense?

I have a different theory: perhaps it was just a good song.

Imagine that. No other-worldly influence, no vast evil conspiracy, people liked stairway to heaven for no other reason that it happened to be a good song. It's also kinda timeless. Everyone likes it.

Let's look at some other songs that everyone is familiar with:

Stayin' Alive
Born To Be Wild
Jesus Loves the Little Children
Boot Scootin' Boogie
The Monster Mash

So these are popular too. Is that because Satan was the king of music? Probably not. They were the right song at the right time.

You wacky pseudo-Christian conspiracy people need to get a grip on life, probability and statistics, and what satanism even is.

anonymous January 4th, 2006 11:08PM  

Crutchead, I found your analysis of the song to be very fulfilling. However, I did not get to read any past your second response.

Perhaps, the lines about Satan that occurs when played backward is trying to say the woman who is disappointed in the church turns to Satanism? Or, as many others have said, there is no meaning at all in the song and we're over analyzing it.

anonymous January 5th, 2006 12:46PM  

It's about listening to the universe and the hidden messages and help you have that you have to find by listening, looking and sensing. Finding your chosen path, your destiny.

saladfingers January 9th, 2006 06:42PM  

OK, I agree with whoever said that this song has multiple layers of meaning, because it certainly does. I agree that you can find drugs, the woman with the money, and religion (Jesus AND Satan) in the song. I just wanted to add something I got out of this song that no one really touched on.

This song definitely talks about the woman who tries to buy salvation. but, I think the song may go further into the actual money itself, i.e. materialism and our dependence on money. you can't really find it in every line of the song, but there are a couple where it's pretty obvious.

There's a lady who's sure
All that glitters is gold
And she’s buying a stairway to heaven.

Well duh, this is about the woman buying salvation. But think about "buying salvation". That means that you depend on your money and its security maybe not to actually go to heaven, but maybe to lead your life the right way and be the best person you can. you can't actually buy the stairway to heaven (obviously), but you can try to buy into a better life with more direction, and THAT can get you into heaven. This lady represents the majority of people who are depending on their money.

There’s a feeling I get
When I look to the west,
And my spirit is crying for leaving.

Looking to the west, or at western culture, which is the center of reckless materialism and greed. The author notices this and wants to leave it.

And it’s whispered that soon
If we all call the tune
Then the piper will lead us to reason.

The materialism part does have to do with religion, because Jesus himself lived a nonmaterial life and gave up his possessions to spread the word of God. He even says in the book of Matthew (sorry, I don't remember exactly where) that dependence on money can interfere with your faith in God, and you have pick between the two. Anyway, in this part, I see it that Jesus (the piper) is offering to help us free ourselves from our money and our greed, but we are the ones who have to "call the tune", or get ourselves to realize that we are dependent on our possessions. This goes back to relying on your money to live your life well, because to get Jesus to help us to not depend on money, we have to be able to rely on human ability and learn by ourselves to live our lives without the money that will make it easier. comprende?

And a new day will dawn
For those who stand long
And the forests will echo with laughter.

Eventually, there will be a time when it will pay off to learn selflessness. These selfless people will hear the forests laughing. The forest is representing nature, which is the opposite of modern, urban civilization, which is in turn dependent on money. So nature is rejoicing that there are those who appreciate the god-given gifts in life, like nature, rather than the pleasures of money.

Maybe that's not right, but that's the way I see it.

avatar January 13th, 2006 03:50AM  

Dudes, enough, it has dawned on me that all the talk about different paths in this song can mean only one thing; to find your own meaning/rationalization. I love this song because it can be understood so differently, like a sonic rorscach test. Stop taking it as one absolute meaning, many of which are just moronic and poorly thought out and just LOVE THE MUSIC!!!

anonymous January 22nd, 2006 11:13AM  

The song is plain and simple "great" and all interpretations will not change it for the world!!! That's the bottom line.

SpikeRulesHell February 11th, 2006 01:15AM  

I agree that this song has many different interpretations. This is mine:

There's a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold
And she's buying a stairway to heaven.

This lady is rich and thinks that she has enough money to buy herself a free ticket to salvation. She thinks that $ can buy happiness. Reminds me of the people who go to church and are complete assholes mon-sat.


When she gets there she knows, if the stores are all closed
With a word she can get what she came for.

'When' she gets to heaven, she knows (thinks) that she will be rewarded.

Ooh, ooh, 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.

She wants to be sure to get her money's worth of... whatever. She doesn't trust the 'sign on the wall', which I assume is an analogy of some sort, but I dunno.


In a tree by the brook, there's a songbird who sings,
Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiven.

Sometimes we think that we are doing the right thing because we want to, or because we tell ourselves that we are.


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.

I agree with the theory that this is about his soul asking to be freed-to go to heaven.


In my thoughts I have seen rings of smoke through the trees,
And the voices of those who stand looking.

Some say this is a reference to Jesus. I don't have an opinion on it, really. Good line, either way.


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.

In legend/folklore the piper gives peace to those whose souls are filled with conflict. He will lead us to peace and understanding.


And a new day will dawn for those who stand long
And the forests will echo with laughter.

Everlasting Life???


If there's a bustle in your hedgerow, don't be alarmed now,
It's just a spring clean for the May queen.

Not quite sure, to be honest. I'm pretty certain that it isn't about a woman's period though...


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.

First of all, let me say that I completely disagree with the backwards message about satan and his toolshed or whatever. Like someone said, you can take any song and play it backwards and, sooner or later, there will be a bunch of people with ideas-all of them different-about it being satanic or about drugs. I believe that it is as simple as it sounds. We start out on the road to heaven or the road to hell, but we can always change that.


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,

I don't know why someone's head it humming, maybe something to do with death. The piper calling you, in my opinion, means you are dying.


Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow, and did you know
Your stairway lies on the whispering wind.

I can see why some think the wind is the word of God. Actually, I think that's a pretty good explanation.


And as we wind on down the road
Our shadows taller than our soul.

As we continue on the road of life, our shadows (bad deeds, evil thoughts) oughtweighing our soul (the humanity, the goodness in our hearts).


There walks a lady we all know
Who shines white light and wants to show
How everything still turns to gold.

The lady (same lady) has found the right path (shines white light) and wants to show that everything (in the afterlife) is pure, good, untainted-if we want it to be.


And if you listen very hard
The tune will come to you at last.

If you want to be led down the right path, you will be. If you listen for the right tune, it will eventually come to you.


When all are one and one is all
To be a rock and not to roll.

I like the idea that the rock is Jesus. However, I have an idea of my own. I think that 'to be a rock and not to roll' means to stand up to evil, not give in to it (the rock being a person, the rolling symbolyzing giving in to evil). I really don't know about the 'all are one and one is all' part.


And she's buying a stairway to heaven.

I think that this means that the cycle will start again, that there will always be some (rich) person who thinks that they can buy their way into heaven. Or, maybe it's just a line Zep threw in there.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm not trying to make this song sound religious. In fact, I've never read the Bible (criticize me later, I WILL read it). This is just my interpretation.

Someone mentioned Zep saying that there is no meaning to this song. I cannot believe that. Either they were trying not to cause a war over their song (lol) or they just didn't want the meaning known. I tend to agree with the latter. Is it really that hard to believe? Think about it, some bands refuse to allow their lyrics to be published. Why? Who knows? They just do. Maybe that's why they deny there being a hidden meaning.

On a biased(sp?) note, this is one of my favorite songs, besides Freebird, of course. Rock on.

PS: Just because many kids these days don't appreciate good rock and roll, don't steryotype us. I am 14 and I grew up listening to bands like Led Zeppelin, The Allman Bros, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Black Sabbath (there's a subject if you want to talk about satanic...), Pink Floyd, etc. Just remember that.

~SpIKe~

stublues February 17th, 2006 10:53AM  

Hey guys,
This is a bit of an aside, but I thought I'd add some notes on backward masking...
There are four typical ways that people say "secret messages" are put in music. The first is the most simple. You just record something at a much lower volume level than the ambiant tune. An example of this can be found in the song "Love Bites." If listened to carefully you can faintly hear the line "In the heat of the night, love bites" in the intro. Nothing too devious there, and not too hidden either.
The second method is also pretty straightforward. You record something, and then reverse it on the tape. There are quite a few examples of this, but one that springs to mind is in Cheap Trick's song "Voices" the Lords Prayer is played reversed (Satanic? Probably not. The band states "We certainly could have used something much worse..." In a black mass the Lords Prayer IS recited backward, but the words are said in reverse order, not the whole thing phonetically reversed. A small but significant difference) This type of reversal is pretty easy to pick out on a recording, and is usually done as a joke, for publicity, etc.
A third method would be to come up with a phrase that says something one way, but then something else when reversed. This is not as easy as one might think. When speech is reversed it doesn't keep the same structure as it had to begin with. There are different numbers of syllables, for example. Therefore if you read a phrase backward on to a tape and then reversed it, it wouldn't come out as the same phrase. Weird, but true. Try it... This fact makes these type of reversals interesting, but almost impossible to predict. Even though, there are tons of "examples" that people hear on recordings. Queen's "I like to smoke marijuana" in "Another One Bites the Dust," The Beatles' "Turn me on deadman" in "Revolution 9." All of these examples have one thing in common; They are not very clear and can actually be interpreted in several ways. The reason for this is that the human brain identifies patterns in order to make sense of stimuli- even if no patterns exist. Therefore most, if not all, of these examples are simply accidents.
The final way is kind of interesting. In this method a phrase is recorded and then reversed. The reversed phrase is then learned and rerecorded spoken (or sung) in that manner. Then THAT recording is played reversed. The result is a weird "otherworldly" sounding dialect that's pretty cool. I don't know of this being done on any music recordings, but the TV show "Twin Peaks" used it for a dream sequence to great effect.
By the way, the great conspiracy buffs notwithstanding, there is absolutely no evidence that backward messages can be understood by the unconscious mind (or conscious, for that matter)
SO, what we have is a tempist in a teapot. There probably never were any intentional backward messages in "Stairway," and even if there were they wouldn't affect anyone who heard them. End of story. Case closed. Let's all get on with our lives.

anonymous February 25th, 2006 12:03PM  

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.

If you play this bit backwards it says:
Oh here's to my sweet satan.
The one who's little path would make me sad,
whos power is satan.
He'll give you the 666.
There was a little tool shed where he made us suffer,
Sad Satan.

Listen to it at:
http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/stairway.php

anonymous March 8th, 2006 07:09PM  

I would just like to say that as a LZ fan from the time of birth, I think you are all crazy for trying to put a lable on the greatest rock band of all time. And I am also very insulted that you would go so far to try and explain it with the most un-proven piece of literature ever written- the Bible. I am not a religious person, but I think the effect this song has on a person when they hear it for the first or one hundreth time is beyond explaination of word or creed. If you want to preach, go to a church. Don't try to explain away the most natural of feelings with a large book of fairy tales.

This song is beyond interpretation. The reason the artists who wrote this song say it is about nothing, is because it is about nothing. Sometimes if you try to hard to make people understand things they become more confused. If you try to let them intrepret for themselves, they may get something entirely different from you. Which does NOT make them wrong by any means. This song can mean too many things for you to explain to someone else's ears what they just heard.

So, for the love of music and the indescribable things it can do to you, stop trying to explain this song, and let the song explain it's self.

EAD

SurferManHead March 9th, 2006 10:49PM  

This song was writtin in one night and that was it so how deep the meaning of this song goes is unknown. It is pretty much open for interpretation. I doubt that anyone knows what this song means because led has never released the true meaning and who knows if there ever was

anonymous March 12th, 2006 11:29PM  

"There's a lady who's sure
All that glitters is gold
And she's buying a stairway to heaven"

The song starts out about a lady, Erma Reese-Gywnn, who believes everything that dos not glitter is not valuable and she's buying a stairway to heaven. In Jimi P's castle, he was building a sun deck or a patio on the third story, which could be refered to as heaven, because of its height and beauty. In this song "buying"= building. They hired some lady contractor to build it. and when she brought in lumber, she caused damage and did not care of all the valuables she broke, hence "all that glitters is gold" (if it is not gold, its worthless) so she's building a stairway to heaven, heaven is the third story of jimmy's castle.

"When she gets there she knows
If the stores are all closed
With a word she can get what she came for"

in the town they were in, there was only one hardware shop and it was closed, the owner on vacation. and erma, the contractor, needed tools, so she threatened them with all types of stuff and they eventually opened up the store, hence "with a word she can get what she came for"

"There's a sign on the wall
But she wants to be sure
'cause you know sometimes words have two meanings"

to secure the sundeck she was building she had to enter jimmys guitar room, but there was a sign that said "stay the fuck out". without permission she went in. more than 95f his guitars were stolen in the room. The "sometimes words have to meanings" is robert plants sarcasm, because stay the fuck out means one thing....stay the fuck out!

"In a tree by the brook
There's a songbird who sings,
Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiven"

reportedly Jimmy was out on his property, singing in his favorite tree, when he saw Erma's helper hanging out the Guitar Room's window. His berserk ranting ("misgiven thoughts") could be heard in the next county

"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"


west of jimmy pages castle, was a coal buringp power plant. sulphur was just pouring everywhere, this pissed off robert plant because it was bad to the enviroment. He formed a protest group, but it soon was ended because there eyes were opened, they actually needed the power plant after all.

"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"

a choir for led zeppelin was to be formed, the zeppettes, and the new day for them would be singing careers, but they could not sign right, that's why he says a new day will dawn when we all call the tune, when they get it right they will get singing careers. They were laughed at by the neighbors, as the neighbors watched them rehearse from next door, hence the laughing forests.

"If there's a bustle in your hedgerow
Don't be alarmed now"

after some stupid parties that led zep attended, clothes were found in weird places. I guess it was a dress up party, after they all got drunk that is.

"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"

IT is the clothes scattered everywhere, may queen is a washing machine page bought. Therefor its a spring clean for may queen.when he bought the machine, he had 2 choices, return or keep. but he had a warranty, that's why he still had time to change the roads of keep or return.

"Your head is humming and it won't go
In case you don't know"

robert plants worst hangover

"The piper's calling you to join him",

John Paul Jones or John Baldwin, wanted Robert to go back to london with him

"Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow,
And did you know
Your stairway lies on the whispering wind"


this line is written to Erma Reese, the sundeck she made was torn down by a spring torrent that blew through that year, hence it lies on the wind".....she did a crappy job by the way, that's basically what it means

"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 ev'rything still turns to gold"

guess what, while the guys were driving down a road, turns out Erma dropped out the carpenter buisness, and she was waving a flashlight as she was trying to hitchhike. She promised them "everything still turns to gold. She got less than a dozen thousand pounds of earning from the sundeck job.

"And if you listen very hard
The tune will come to you at last.
When all are one and one is all"

it means, "hey zeppettes, keep practicing"

"To be a rock and not to roll.
And she's buying a stairway to heaven"

Plant decided to be a rock, and SIT at home, in one spot, as a rock does. and not roll around tours. He wanted to stay at home with his wife and be a father for a while. and she's buying a stairway to heaven....in this point of the song, heaven changes, heaven is no longer a metaphor for pages castle, but it is now the bahamas, the last they heard of her was, she was buying a ticket to the behamas, possibly from the money she earned off the sundeck.

this my friends, is the meaning of stairway to heaven, nothing with the devil, nothing about drugs. nothing about going to heaven, just the life of led zeppelin. lets keep it this way

Patrick March 20th, 2006 12:10PM  

It's about a woman who thinks everything that is represented or looks good will be good therefore she is buying the stairway to heaven but when she gets there it isn't what it was sold to be.

stublues March 21st, 2006 04:51PM  

Ok, I've never heard the whole "sundeck" thing, but in a way it makes a certain amount of sense...If viewed in the context that the song was written quickly in one sitting. The lyrics have always reminded me of "Stream of Consciousness" writing. In this method of writing, the writer simply sits and jots down the first things that come to mind, regardless if they make much sense. Usually one thought will lead to another, etc, much like dreaming. The result is...well, a heck of a lot like Stairway. In this type of writing, events going on in one's life naturally "creep in" to the lyrics. Therefore, it could well be that some of the lyrics had very much to do with what was going on in Plant's life at the time. If this is the case, then the song needs to be taken in that context. The lyrics have dreamlike imagery because that's sort of what they are. A wandering wakeful dream. By the way, this type of writing isn't very hard, but coming up with something that you'd actually want to publish can be a bit tricky.