Stairway to Heaven: the biggest hit of Led Zeppelin

Composition and release

The recording of "Stairway to Heaven" started in December 1970 in Basing Street studio of Island Records in London.And song was completed in 1971 when Plant added the lyrics during the recording for Led Zeppelin IV at Headley Grange studio in Hampshire. Page then returned to Island Studios to record his guitar solo.


The music was created in 1970 when Jimmy Page and Robert Plant were in Bron-Yr-Aur, a small residence located in Wales, after the fifth North American tour Led Zeppelin. According to Page, the instrumental was written by him for a long period, the first part appearing overnight in Bron-Yr-Aur. "Page always kept a cassette tape around the idea for" Stairway "came from fragments of recorded music.

John Paul Jones, Led Zeppelin bassist explained that, after its creation in Bron-Yr-Aur, the music was presented to him:

"[Page and Plant] return of the Welsh mountains with the introduction and the guitar riff. I literally heard in front of a fire in a cottage! I caught a bass flute and played a very simple riff that gave us an introduction, then went to a piano to the next section, following the guitars.

In a 1977 interview, Page said:

"I still have the original tape that was recording at the time we hit the 'Stairway To Heaven" complete with the band. I had already prepared everything the night before with John Paul Jones, noted the changes and things like that. At that time we were living in the same house and working together regularly then the next day, we started working on it. There was only one part where there was a small problem. For some unknown reason, Bonzo could not set the pace in part with the twelve string before the soil. But apart from that, everything worked very well. "

The arpeggios of the opening guitar music are very similar to the tune of music guitar instrumental "Taurus" by the American SPIRIT, for whom he opened a Led Zeppelin tour in 1968.

The first draft of the letter, written by vocalist Robert Plant next to a fire overnight in Headley Grange [N: the renowned English] was partially improvised and Page claimed that "much of the letter was written at that time." Jimmy Page was strumming the strings and Robert Plant were with pencil and paper. Plant said, suddenly,

"My hand was writing the words: 'There's a lady who is right, all that glitters is gold, and she's buying a stairway to heaven'. I just sat and looked at them and almost leapt from his chair. " The Plant's own explanation for the letters was that "it was a digression cynical about a woman who always got everything he wanted without giving it due thought or consideration. The first verse begins with that cynical hand movement ... that was after smoothing.

The lyrics reflected what Plant was reading at the moment. The singer was carefully studying the work of the British antiquarian Lewis Spence, and then quoted the book Magic Arts in Celtic Britain "[N: Magic Arts in Celtic Britain] Spence as one of the sources for the lyrics.

In November 1970, Page gave a hint about the existence of new music to a journalist in London:

"It's an idea for a really long track ... You know how 'Dazed and Confused' and other songs in this style were divided into sections? Well, we want to try something new with organ and guitar that gradually increase in intensity and then enter the electrical parts ... May be a full fifteen minutes.

The complete studio recording was released on Led Zeppelin IV in November 1971. The band's label, Atlantic Records, was very interested in lacing this track as a single, but the band's manager, Peter Grant, refused to do so in 1972 and 1973. The result of this decision was that people began to invest in fourth album as if it were a single. In the U.S., Atlantic released "Stairway to Heaven" as a promotional single 7 "in 1972.
Music

The music consists of several distinct sections, beginning with a gentle introduction with a 6-string guitar fingering and three flutes in the Renaissance style. (ending at 2:15) and gradually moving to a slow electric middle section (2:16-5:33), before the final section faster style hard rock (5:34 until the end). Page said that the song speeds up as an adrenaline rush.

Composed in A minor, the song opens with a progression of plucked string arpeggio on the guitar with a bass line descending chromatic AG #-GF #-F. John Paul Jones contributed the wooden flutes overdubbed in the opening section (he used a Mellotron and then CP70B a Yamaha Grand Piano and a Yamaha GX1 to synthesize this arrangement in live performances) and an electric piano Hohner Electra-Piano section intermediate.

The sections will be developed with more layers of guitars, each one complementing the introduction, and with the drums and bass going to 4:18. During the interlude before the guitar solo, the rhythm alternates between the common bar and several other bars: 3 / 4, 5 / 4 and finally 7 / 8. The extended solo by Jimmy Page in the final section of music was played on the recording with a 1958 Fender Telecaster (an instrument he used a lot when I was in the Yardbirds) plugged into a Supro amplifier, but in an interview given by him to Guitar World magazine, said that Page "It could have been a Marshall, but I do not remember." Three different soils were recorded improvised and Page struggled to decide which to keep. Page later revealed that "I had the first sentence and then was ready to sentence connection. I rehearsed with them before the tape roll. The other guitar parts were played with a Harmony Sovereign H1260 guitar and a Fender Electric XII (12 string), which can be heard in the recording channels left and right, respectively. Live, Page wore a Guitar Heritage Cherry Gibson EDS-1275 6 / 12 "doubleneck." The final progression is a progression i-VII-VI (natural minor) progression (Am-GF), widely used in the Rock.

Sound engineer Andy Johns recalls the circumstances surrounding the recording of the famous solo of Page:

"I remember that Jimmy had a little problem with the ground of 'Stairway to Heaven' ... He had not finished composing. Nowadays you sometimes spend a whole day doing one thing only. At that time, never did that. We never spent much time writing something. I remember sitting in the control room with Jimmy standing next to me making some gestures and we were not getting anywhere. I could see he was getting a little paranoid so I also was getting paranoid. I turned to him and said 'You're making me paranoid!' And he said 'No, you're making me paranoid! "It was a vicious circle of paranoia. And then bang! In the next shot he got.

According to Page, "Stairway to Heaven" crystallized the essence of the band. She had everything and showed the band at its best ... as a band, as a unit. I'm not just talking about land or things like that, she had everything. We were careful to never release it as a single. It was a milestone for us. Every musician wants to do something of lasting quality, something that remains relevant for a long time and I think we achieved that with 'Stairway'. [Pete] Townshend probably thought he got it with Tommy. I do not know if I have the ability to do it again. I have to work long before it could get close to these stages of complete and consistent brilliance. "
Live performances

The inaugural public performance of music occurred in the Ulster Hall in Belfast [N: Northern Ireland] on 5 March 1971. Bassist John Paul Jones points out that the audience was not impressed: "They were tired of waiting to hear something they knew." However, Page said that one of the first performances at the LA Forum [N: Los Angeles, California], even before the album's release, that:

"I'm not saying that the entire audience a standing ovation - but a good part yes. And I thought, 'This is amazing because no one has heard this song. This is the first time they are listening! "The music obviously thrilled, so I knew she had something special.

The debut of "Stairway to Heaven" on the radio was recorded in Paris Cinema [N.: Theater located in London] on 1 April 1971 to an audience and aired three days later by the BBC.

"Stairway to Heaven" was performed in almost every concert following the Led Zeppelin, it is omitted only on rare occasions, when shows were interrupted by curfews or technical problems. The last presentation of the band performing the song was in Berlin on 7 July 1980, which was also their last show for 27 years, the release also was one of the longest, lasting almost fifteen minutes.

When playing music apartment living, the band often extending for more than ten minutes, with Page playing a guitar solo and extended improvisations Plant adding some lyrics like "Does anyone remember laughter?", "Wait a minute!" and "I hope so." To play this song live, Page used a Gibson EDS-1275 "double neck" so he did not have to stop to change a guitar from six to a twelve-string.

By 1975, the song usually ended the shows by Led Zeppelin. However, after his tour in the U.S. in 1977, Plant began to tire of "Stairway to Heaven": "There is a limit to how many times you can sing it with enthusiasm ... After just turning hypocrisy.

The song was played again by the remaining members of Led Zeppelin at Live Aid concert in 1985 at the concert by the 40th anniversary of Atlantic Records in 1988 with Jason Bonham on drums, and Jimmy Page in instrumental version in his solo tour .

At the end of 80 years, Plant has made clear his negative impression of the music in interviews. In 1988, he said:

"I would get hives if I had to sing 'Stairway to Heaven' in all shows. I wrote that letter and thought that music would have some importance and consequence in 1971 but 17 years later, I do not know. It's just not for me. I sang at the concert for Atlantic Records because I'm sentimental and that was my way of saying thanks for the Atlantic, since I was with them for 20 years. But enough of 'Stairway to Heaven' for me. "

However, in the mid-90s, the view was apparently Plant milder. The first notes were played alone during the tours of Page and Plant in the place of final notes of "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" and in November 1994, Page and Plant performed an acoustic version of the song in a news station in Tokyo for Japanese television. "Stairway to Heaven" was also played on the reunion show of Led Zeppelin at the O2 Arena in London on December 10, 2007.

Plant says the most unusual play music that was Live Aid "... with two drummers while Duran Duran was crying beside the stage - there was something surreal in that. "

Video images of the music being played live have been preserved in the film "The Song Remains the Same," which shows a performance at Madison Square Garden in 1973, and the Led Zeppelin DVD, which shows a presentation at the Earls Court Arena in 1975. Official audio versions are also available on the soundtrack of "The Song Remains the Same", the "Led Zeppelin BBC Sessions" (a presentation at the Paris Theater in London in 1971) and "How the West Was Won" (a presentation in Long Beach Arena in 1972). There are also hundreds of audio versions that can be found in "bootleg" unofficial Led Zeppelin.
Success and Legacy

According to the journalist Stephen Davis, although the music was launched in 1971, took until 1973 for its popularity grow to the status of "anthem". As the Page recalls, "I knew it was good, but I did not know it would become almost an anthem ... But I knew that was the main album, for sure. "

"Stairway to Heaven" remains at the top of the lists of the greatest rock songs, and lead a recent survey by the magazine Guitar World. In the 20th anniversary of the first release of music, the stations in the U.S. announced that the song was played approximately 2874000 times - from start to finish, resulting in 44 years of implementation. By the year 2000, the song had been played on radio more than three million times. In 1990, a train from St Petersburg, Florida, began his exclusive programming of Led Zeppelin performing "Stairway to Heaven" 24 hours. She is also the best selling sheet music in rock history, registering an average of 15,000 copies annually. In total, more than one million copies were sold.

The duration of the music stopped as it's released in full version as a single. Despite pressure from Atlantic Records, the band did not allow the music was edited to be released as a single, making "Stairway to Heaven" one of the best known and popular rock music that were never released as a single. However, it even appeared as a promotional disc in the United States, pressed as bands of 7:55 on each side, in an Australian acoustic EP, and in 90 years as a promotional book for my birthday.

The recording of the music made by the group also appeared as a single band Led Zeppelin on the album's promotional 2 LPs for Atlantic Records, released in 1977 under the title "We've Got Your Music", and this is the first time that "Stairway To Heaven "appeared on a compilation of various artists released in the U.S..

In the 20th anniversary of the launch of music, Esquire magazine published an article about his unexpected success and his lasting influence. Karen Karbo wrote:

"It's hard to believe that someone knew that song would become the most popular rock musicians of all time. After all, she is eight minutes long and was never released as a single. 'Hey Jude' was shorter, was released on 45 rpm disc and had the benefits of having comprehensible words and a catchy chorus. But 'Hey Jude' is not the most requested song of all time in rock stations on FM. No one even used 'Hey Jude' as the promotional theme or the music played at weddings and funerals, as happened with 'Stairway'. But "Stairway" could not be successful now. Back in 1971, the DJs of the FMs were proud to exploit the albums best to find different songs and 'cult'. With its enormous length, sudden changes and letter 'head', the quasi-medieval hymn was the perfect choice. And still a favorite among listeners who are younger than the music itself; listeners that in some cases, were probably designed as the music played loud speakers in a car. "

In 2004, Rolling Stone put it in 31st place in its list of 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. An article in Guitar World magazine's January 29, 2009 described the guitar solo by Jimmy Page first on its list of 100 Best Guitar Solos in the history of Rock'N'Roll.

Erik Davis, a historian and cultural critic made the following comment on the huge success of the music, and its subsequent impact their eternal status of legend:

" 'Stairway to Heaven' is not the greatest rock song of 70 years, is the greatest spell of 70 years. Think about it: we are all sick of it but somehow enigmatic, it is still the number one. Everyone knows that ... Even our dislike and debauchery are ritualistic. The parodies idiots; folklore inspired by the movie "Wayne's World '[N:' Wayne's World '] on guitar stores demanding that customers do not touch, even the public rejection of Robert Plant - all this simply proves rule. 'Stairway to Heaven' is not only the number one. It's the One, the essence, the closer the AOR can take you into the absolute "
Other versions

This tune has been coverizada several times. The interpretation of Rolf Harris played with a type of flute Australian and his "wobble board" peaked at 7 in the UK charts in 1993. The version of Rolf Harris was one of the 25 versions that were performed live by guest artists in "talk show" Australian of the early 90 "The Money or the Gun" - all with unique versions of music on the idiosyncratic style of each guest artist . Dolly Parton released an acoustic cover simplified in 2002, Plant praised Parton's version, noting that he had a pleasant surprise to see the result of her version.

In 1977, Little Roger and the Goosebumps recorded a parody of the song where the lyrics of the theme song of the TV series' Gilligan's Island '[N:' The Island of Gilligan] was sung in place of the original lyrics. In less than five weeks, Led Zeppelin's lawyers threatened to sue them and demanded that all remaining copies of the recording were destroyed. However, during an interview with National Public Radio in 2005, Plant has referred to this version as his favorite cover of "Stairway to Heaven."

The comedy SCTV did a satire of the elaborate music in his album of parodies "Stairways to Heaven." This album, released in the style of K-tel, contains excerpts from various covers, supposedly from artists ranging from Slim Whitman to the group of parodies of the 50 "The Five Neat Guys," along with the original (although it has been reported as version). This project, due to copyright issues, has not been released on DVD for the series.

The London Symphony Orchestra recorded a version of Stairway to Heaven as part of its series Classic Rock in 1980, EMI Studio One, Abbey Road, London. It was also arranged and recorded by the Hampton String Quartet on their album "What if Mozart Wrote 'Born to be Wild."

A version of Far Corporation was launched in 1985 and reached the 8th place in the UK charts.

Frank Zappa arrangement created a "big band / reggae music as one of the highlights of their 1988 tour. This arrangement is included on the album "The Best Band You Never Heard In Your Life," contains a section in which Zappa's band plays the Jimmy Page solo with trumpets.

The physical and Australian composer Joe Wolfe wrote a set of variations of "Stairway to Heaven." This work, titled "The Stairway Suite" was composed for orchestra, big band, choir and SATB [N.: soprano, alto, tenor and bass]. Each variation follows the style of a famous composer: Franz Schubert, Gustav Holst, Glenn Miller, Gustav Mahler, Georges Bizet and Ludwig van Beethoven. For example, the change inspired by Schubert's Unfinished Symphony based on and inspired by Beethoven variation includes vocal soloists, chorus and recalls the Ninth Symphony. Wolfe posted the full score of this work on the Internet.

The blog WFMU radio contains a page with links to more than 100 versions of "Stairway to Heaven." This page contains mp3 files of each version.

The Romanian-Austrian singer Luminita Soare made a version of the song at the end of 2006.

In 2007, Rodrigo y Gabriela coverizou the song on the album "Rhythms del Mundo Classics" the Buena Vista Social Club.
Plagiarism of a song before?


It has been suggested that the introduction of music is very similar to the instrumental "Taurus", written in 1968 by the group SPIRIT. In the explanatory notes of the resumption of the 1996 debut album Spirit, the composer Randy California wrote:

Click here to listen to the words in a matter of "Taurus" the group Spirit

"People always ask me why 'Stairway to Heaven" sounds exactly like' Taurus' that was launched two years earlier. I know that Led Zeppelin also played 'Fresh Garbage' live. They opened for us in his first U.S. tour.
Allegations of "Backward Masking"

In the early '80s, some evangelists in the U.S. claimed that there were many hidden messages in rock songs popular through a technique called "backward masking." An example of such hidden messages that always was cited was "Stairway to Heaven." The alleged message appears during the middle section of the song ( "If there's a bustle in your hedgerow, do not be alarmed now ...") [N:" If there's a bustle in your hedgerow, do not be alarmed now ..."] which, when played on the contrary contains references to the alleged satanic "Here's to my sweet Satan" [N: We'll drink to my sweet Satan] and "I sing because I live with Satan" [N: I sing because live with Satan].

In 1982, the Committee for Consumer Protection and Hazardous Materials of the Legislative Assembly of California held a hearing on popular music, during which "Stairway to Heaven" was played backwards. During the hearing, William Yarroll, a self-titled neuroscience researcher "claimed that unlike messages could be deciphered by the human brain.

There are several versions of the alleged message. One of these interpretations says:

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 tool shed where he made us suffer, sad Satan

Oh, toast to my sweet Satan
He whose path makes me sad, whose power is Satan
He will give those who follow the 666
There was a small tool dropped where he made us suffer, sad Satan

The band itself, in most cases, ignored such claims; in response to the allegations, the Swan Song Records issued the following statement: "Our turntables only play in one direction - forward." The engineer of Led Zeppelin, Eddie Kramer said the allegations were "totally and completely ridiculous. Why would they want to spend so much time in the studio to do something so stupid? ". Robert Plant expressed frustration with the accusations in an interview in 1983 for Musician magazine: "For me it is very sad, because 'Stairway to Heaven' was written with the best of intentions and with respect to reverse the tape and post the end this is not my idea of how to make music. "