Led Zeppelin: Stairway To Heaven Meaning
Stairway To Heaven Lyrics
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
Ooh ooh and she's buying a stairway to...
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I have read all of the posts above and it disturbs me to hear that some of you believe this song or this group for that matter are trying to preach the word of God or savlation through Christ. I suggest anyone who wants to know the real truth read the book "Fallen Angel: The Untold Story of Jimmy Page" by Tom Friend. You can find it at any christian bookstore or online. The author was previous desciple of Led Zeppelin but eventually found Christ and learned through massive amounts of research (all of which is documented) that Led Zeppelin is in fact servents of Satan. Page was in fact one of Aliester Crowlys biggest students and followed directly in his footsteps of witch craft. Led Zeppelins main goal was to stray as many people as possible away from Christ and to seek out Satan. I mean, shear logic would suggest seeing as how Satan was the head of all music in Heaven and once kicked out of Heaven was given free roam over all the earth. With that being said "Stairway" is the most requested song of all time to this day! Not a coincidence!! Also, God created man with a free will in the hopes that he would seek out Christ and serve him faithfully with all his heart, whereas Satan is the king of all deciet and lies and will use whatever trickery to lead people away from Christ.
Once again, go and read "Fallen Angel" by Tom Friend. Hopefully it will help change your life and save your soul, just as it did for myself. -
wtf
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This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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................ -
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 -
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.^
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^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 -
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I'm not sure about the rest of the song. But the part about " If there's a bustle in yuor hedgegrow, don't be alarmed now. It's just a spring clean for the may Queen" is just about a girl and her period, simply.
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This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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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. -
This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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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. -
This song is not about drugs, a rich lady, but about the devil. I think 'crutchhead' was correct on many levels, but let me go over some stuff.
At the time when this song was released Jimmy Page was into 'Magic', witchcraft in general. Instead of living in a mansion or a house, he actually bought himself a castle and lived in that instead.
If you were to listen to the part of the song where it goes "If there's a bustle in your hedgegrow-don't be alarmed now. Its just a springclean for the mayqueen. Yes there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run; there's still time to change the road your on" you would notice that the first two sentences don't make much sense. The second part clearly states something, but I think that Jimmy Page is attempting to throw the listener off. Now shockingly, this part, played backwards, says: " Oh here's to my sweet Satan. The one who's little path would make me sad who's power is Satan. He'll give you give you 666. There was a little toolshed where he made us suffer, sad Satan".
http://www.wimp.com/satanic
That link is a flash that proves what I have stated above.
I think that covers it. None the less, Stairway to Heaven continues to be the greatest rock song of all time. -
I believe it is about a lady who has large amounts of money. She can get anything she wants.. She thinks she can buy her way into heaven, but then discovers her life is pointless and she goes to hell.
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