This CRYPTIC 70s Classic is THE STANDARD THAT EVERY Song is MEASURED Against | Professor Of Rock
Вставка
- Опубліковано 28 жов 2022
- How does one try to break down the Led Zeppelin standard Stairway to Heaven? It’s the constitution of Rock! It’s been talked about a million times. People have been trying to figure out what it means for ages.
A forbidden riff, an unknowable song… IT'S unparalleled. The track every rock song is judged against. , Jimmy Page came up with the chords, Robert Plant was inspired to write the mystical lyrics not long after. John Paul Jones and John Bonham’s contributions take it to a whole other lever. And although it was never released as a single, incredibly, it is the most-played song on Classic Rock radio... Ever. From its inception in the early 70s, it has captured the imagination of generations. Seriously every person who has even a passing interest in rock has a special connection to it. From the glorious 70s classic Led Zeppelin IV this is the story of the Holy Grail of music .
Feel great, do good! Explore BUBS Naturals Collagen Protein, MCT Oil Powder, and other other products designed to help you live a fuller life, and always giving 10% of profit to charity.
Click on this link to get BUBS Naturals: www.bubsnaturals.com
At checkout, enter the promo code PROFESSOR to receive a 20% discount off your order.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Check out my Hand Picked Selection Below
Professor's Store
- The 80s Collection amzn.to/3mAekOq
- 100 Best Selling Albums amzn.to/3h3qZX9
- Ultimate History of 80s Teen Movie amzn.to/3ifjdKQ
- 80s to 90s VHS Video Cover Art amzn.to/2QXzmIX
- Totally Awesome 80s A Lexicon amzn.to/3h4ilrk
- Best In Ear Headphones (I Use These Every Day) amzn.to/2ZcTlIl
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Executive Producer:
Brandon Fugal
Honorary Producers
Kevin Riley, Dan Tierney, Jason White, John Esser, Frank Kuna, Grand Illusion, Michael Badenbaugh, J Lee, Tom Malanga, Casey Gallegher, Ardashir Lea, James Smith
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Check Out The Professor of Rock Merch Store - bit.ly/ProfessorMerch
Access To Backstage Content
Become a Patron - bit.ly/ProfessorofRockVIPFan
Help out the Channel by purchasing your albums through our links! As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you, thank you for your support.
Click here for Premium Content: bit.ly/SignUpForPremiumContent
bit.ly/Facebook_Professor_of_...
bit.ly/Instagram_Professor_of...
#1970s #rock #vinylstory
Hey music junkies, Professor of Rock, always here to celebrate the greatest artists and the greatest songs of all time. If you know This is Spinal Tap by heart you will love this channel. music nostalgia overload. Make sure to subscribe below to get the stories straight from the legends. Also check us out on patreon for even more content.
So, it’s time for another edition of our series The New Standards. In this show we take an in-depth look at songs that transcend genre, decade, and trends - songs that have become universal touchstones in our culture and society. On previous episodes we have covered Time by Pink Floyd, Hey Jude by The Beatles, and Solsbury Hill by Peter Gabriel.
But today we are diving deep into an undeniable masterpiece, a song that many hail as Led Zeppelin’s greatest... Stairway to Heaven. Led Zeppelin’s untitled fourth album, commonly referred to as IV, but also Zoso or The Runes, is no doubt one of the greatest collections of rock ever put to vinyl. IV is one of the top selling albums in history, and as of 2021, it has sold over 24 million copies in the US alone. Worldwide it has sold over 30 million copies. Some even say 37 million.
We’ve covered the background of this album before in our episode about Black Dog, so I won’t repeat myself here. If you’re interested in that, I’ll put a link down below. But I will just briefly note that IV contains eight iconic songs, ranging from frenzied rock to tranquil ballad. Side One showcases one of the strongest front ends of all time, with Black Dog, Rock and Roll, Battle of Evermore, and of course Stairway to Heaven. Flip the record over and the epic journey continues with Misty Mountain Hop, Four Sticks, Going to California, and When the Levee Breaks.
Every track is worthy of its own in-depth breakdown, and we’ve got to a few already. I promise we’ll get to them all in time. But for now, it’s on upwards to Stairway. Although ‘Stairway to Heaven’ is ultimately the achievement of the entire band, the credit for the song’s premise goes to guitarist Jimmy Page. He started writing it in early 1970 after the band decided they needed a new song to replace ‘Dazed and Confused’ as their concert centerpiece. - Розваги
Poll: What is your pick for the most mystical song of the rock era?
Spill the wine by War with Eric Burdon.
"The End" by The Doors, perhaps?
The Macarena Los Del Rios. After four pints of lager.
Sara Fleetwood Mac
November Rain Guns and Roses
Hotel California The Eagles
Kansas - Dust In The Wind
All Along The Watchtower
Whiter Shade Of Pale - Procul Harum
Nights in White Satin - Moody Blues
That Heart performance was one of the greatest moments in the history of rock music. Legends honoring legends. That's powerful stuff.
I found out just today that Ann Wilson lives less than an hour drive from my house. I felt like I just got blessed.
It was great with the full orchestra and choir. Loved it. Very special.
Ann Wilson could be the only other artist who could have done the song justice! But RP, JP & JPJ's reaction to the Heart performance was the highlight of the show. The range of emotions they displayed was a great tribute to Heart.
Heart plays many LZ songs. At any given Heart concert, you can bet on them playing “Rock ‘n’ Roll” as an encore. I’ve also seen or heard them play "Immigrant Song”, “Battle of Evermore”, "Stairway…”, and many others. Even before their debut album, they were known to be good at playing Led Zeppelin.
The Kennedy Center performance, though-I can see why they were freaked out. Not only did they have the honor of playing it for the people who wrote it, but also the President and First Lady.
Check out Great White's cover of Babe I'm Gonna Leave You
Adam, you are the Casey Kasem of your generation. Your enthusiasm for music combined with your story-telling talent is second to none.
Ann Wilson cemented her legacy with that tribute. And Zeppelin too. What a moment.
My facorite story about the Heart version of Stairway at the Kennedy Center, was that the guys invited Jason Bonham to sit with them, and he declined, only telling them that he had a gig. Of course they all understood that "a gig is a gig", so that comes first. It wasn't until they saw him on stage that they found out what the gig was.
Yes my fav cover as well!!! Iconic!!!
After listening to "Stairway" for years, I went to my local record shop and bought the 12-string I'd been eyeing since they first got it. I worked there, so I made a deal with my boss to work for "free" until it was paid off. It didn't matter because I had so much fun working there. More money than I made went to support my record collection. I still have those LPs, including that life-changing Zeppelin album. As an aside, my guitar playing never amounted to much; but oh, what a beautiful sound from my $125 12-string.
I am 62 years old, and this song has been with me since I was a girl. I have never grown weary of this tune, and still today, the moment I hear, “There’s a lady who’s sure,” I’m taken back to the days of MY youth, and my heart remembers the hope, wonder and magic that I so completely believed in back then, to the depths of my soul. I still believe in that hope, magic and wonder, and I truly believe that this song is a big part of what has kept that part of me alive.
To quote a piece of Cameron Crow’s Sapphire, “To truly love some silly little piece of music, or some band, so much that it hurts.” That love and pain fills my soul as much at 62 as it did at 15. Thanks, guys. I will always love you.
I’m 55 and after my accident in 83 I listened to Comfortably Numb and Stairway to Heaven and they both brought me back to reality. I was so close to ending my life. They still settle me when I’m feeling depressed. Thanks for being you.
That performance by heart with Jason Bonham on drums gets me choked up and teary eyed every single time I watch it. The first time I saw it every hair on my body was standing on end and tingles went up and down my spine. And while Jimmi Page was smiling and laughing with JPJ like he was saying "look at these people paying us the homage we deserve", Robert Plant was clearly in awe and the gift being presented to them by the incredible musical talents on stage (Heart, Jason and and orchestra and choir included). The reverence and care, not to mention the spirit and passion all the performers put into his song were not lost on him.
As a general rule, I don't like many covers or live recordings. This one has to, at least for me, the greatest performance of a cover song EVER.
The crazy part about the first 4 albums is how frigging young they were. Stairway was recorded in December 1970. Bonham and Plant were only 22 at the time of the recording of the 4th album. Page and Jones were 25. Simply astonishing.
Great Point!!!
Agree. They were immersed in music and a music scene at the time that simply bred creativity. Those were magical days!
That’s an amazing observation. You’re 💯 correct.
beatles broke up before all were 30.. every beatles song was done while they were in their 20s...these bands all got started so early...love it because they all had that youthful energy
I make the same point about Lynyrd Skynyrd. They wrote Free Bird ages ranging from 18-23 in the band. And released all their albums/hits (before plane crash) before most of them were mid 20s
My father was a musician so I grew up listening to all the greats, and I too was caught listening to stairway on my father's stereo in the front room with the head phones on. My father snuck up on me ( I was NEVER to touch his stereo or equipment without asking) but instead of interrupting me he sat and watched how I was transfixed by the song, staring at the wall quietly tapping out the drums on my leg. Fast forward 30 years and I'm playing all the greats for my children to teach them what real music is. We get in the car one day for a road trip and my daughter starts to complain about the Stevie nicks cd I had on. I asked " you don't like Stevie?" She says " no ,I do, not but I want to hear the song with the pretty screaming." ( She is only 7 her sister 5)
I told her to give me more than that to go on and she replied " you know the pretty screaming about the golden staircase." I knew what she meant right away and for 55 miles we listened to stairway to heaven with both my extremely talkative children as transfixed as I was when my father caught me. Probably the quietest raod trip we have ever taken. The only words they spoke were to ask me to play it again when it was over.
They are now 3rd generation Zeppelin fans. And will no doubt pass it along to their kids.
Love this story! I also had the stereo on all day with tons of 45’s, and albums playing for my daughter. She knew at about age 10 she would be a Music Therapist, and she never faltered! She is now 56, and now working with foster care children for the state! My favorite memory is of her little student who couldn’t communicate with spoken words, so she used music, and sign language to help the handicapped child learn to converse. Your story touched me, and I saw many similarities to things I experienced! Thanks for sharing! 😊
@Jesse Arment
That’s such a great story. I can just picture those kids listening to that beautiful music. That must have been a very gratifying experience.
Awesome story ... Thank You for sharing! Music is transcendent ... touching people of all ages in their souls!
There is a deleted scene from Almost Famous where they do essentially the same thing, they just sit there and listen to Stairway To Heaven as it unfolds on the stereo.
❤
To see Robert Plant cry with Ann's singing of Stairway, gives me chills. Completely awesome respect.
I really bawled the first time I saw it on UA-cam. It’s still causes me to tear up. I think it’s possibly the greatest of all live performances of any song. And to know how much Ann and Nancy admired Led Zep made it even better. Ann got to induct their other favorite band, The Moody Blues, into the rock ‘n’ roll Hall of Fame. It’s so cool when a great band admires other great bands.
One of the greatest moments in music... it's hard not to have tears of joy...
He actually was tearing over Jason Bonham.. The son of his best friend who passed too soon. Robert always felt a deep pain over Bonzo's death. Seeing Jason wear the bolo hat and the performance overcame him.
As a teen in rural Louisiana, I had a transmitting tower a block away from my house broadcasting country music all day. II waited impatiently for the national anthem sign off for the local radio station. Then I was able to get reception for a rock station from Chicago, and was introduced to Stairway to Heaven. Mind blown, changed forever.
Probably WLS although possibly WCFL. That was the big midwest station. I once heard it in Montana,
Grew up in southern Louisiana and had the same experience!
I grew up in Kentucky, and I too waited for the National Anthem to play, for the same reason, I also got WLS in Cleveland Tenn, when i lived there
It had to be WLS. I;m in Rockford, IL - about an hour nw of Chicago. They were the biggest rock station of the era
Lived in Southern Illinois and got wls also
Oh gawd! I was in tears watching Nancy and Ann do Stairway. It was the most incredible rendition! I was amazed and so is everyone I know who saw it. So moving! I think Ann's most powerful moment.
The symphony certainly helped the rendition 😊
The entire production of that performance was spectacular too. It also brought me to tears. Beautiful from start to finish
I couldn't agree more. It brings me to tears every time. Especially seeing the expressions on the faces of the original band members... a timeless moment.
Not impressed. Female doing male's key. Had they have it in Dm then it's a different story.
I believe when Heart started they were a Zep cover band. Sincerest form of flattery. Robert had tears in his eyes as well, it was a very powerful tribute,
I get chills every time I see Heart honoring Led Zeppelin with their performance and the emotional reaction of Plant, Jones and Page. Their performance was sensational to say the least.
The Heart performance made me…I can’t even type it here. 😢
Heart was one of my favorite bands in the 70s--so much so that I have about a half dozen live bootleg albums. they were incredible live, as was zep. check out LZ's "Destroyer" recorded off of the mixing board during the concert (I was there) in '77.
Heart killed it at the Kennedy Center!
Me too! It makes me cry, tbh
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 I had to watch it again. Pure artistry! Seeing the bands faces and even the clip of Jason Bonham with his eyes closed how can you not feel the emotion! Epic!!!
The Kennedy Center performance by Heart deserves it's own feature! With Jon Bonhams son on the drums, the orchestra, the chorus (all in bowlers)- it was magical...
Hear, hear!
Wish I had been there!
AGREE
Oh yeah, I've re-watched that several times. Love when the cameras pan in on Plant and Page's faces - their expression and tears in their eyes.
YEAH!!!
The song is a song for the ages. It survies the test of time. This song says so much for and intertwines in the lives of people at so many times snd levels. It has the ablity to so relevant at so many points in peoples lives its impact on the person and the persons life is immedsurable. People can pinpoint specific moments in life snd history itsrlf when they would listen and think back. It servers for many as a shiny light that you begin to see as you approach a lomg journeys end.
It memorizes and hypnotized. Its one of thise songs thst just as soon as you think youve heard all you want and your getting ready to switch the dial your suddenly struck with the inablity to do so. You find your sellf listening till the last nite that Jimmy and Robert lend to this epic fabel. Its a song that not only registars mentally as you listen , but also physically. That by the end you get that sense of exhustion you might feel at rhe end of an epic adventure it leaces you spent has as you think back on what just had occured. Mentally its an onslought of possiblities and outcomes.
In the simplest terms Stairwsy to Heaven is a fabel or legend only prestebed to us in and with todays words snd terms. Its a telling story for all of us and is valid in its message at so many pounts in our lives. It tells of the stiry of life and the journey we all must undertake like ut ie not. It talks about the things we seek and how in the end they may not turn out be ad we saw them or that we nay not reach or find out we dont want to reach them. It talks of the adversities distractions and lies you may incounter along the way. It warns of prople and how there are those who's only goal is to stop disrupt or destroy as you try to procede.
More importantly if i were to be asked, its a story that has a real message a person should consider. In the simplest terns its asks us to ask outselves as to wether or not what we seek is really what we want or what we should want
It points out that in many points of our lifes journey some of the things we sought to aquire were in the end not the best things for us. Its a wsrming to all thst one should be careful in what we want and ask for. It forshadows that the paths we pick for ourselves can and do have a profound impact in what we are and become. In the end it says without saying it that maybe we facing a path on which to procede that we should value the things you have and those you know. That when s person becomes blind ny what ever the disteaction may be the out come may not be as you thought. That what you currentl have and wrr your at it may not be as bad ad you thought.
Its a fabel like the fabels from the past. It teaches and warns. Its a story that all people from all walks of life and upbringing may get a thing or to listeing to it.
True poetry
The song itself is like a stairway, getting higher and higher and leading to the climax.
Stairway to Heaven is like a "Led Zeppelin Sampler" of everything they had done prior to that track. Acoustic, gentle, mystical lyrics, electric, hard, powerful drums, masterful solo, intense vocal climax.... Stairway has it all.
The night I met my wife in 1974 I danced with her for the first time to Stairway ,and is 50 years later it is still one of my most cherished moments in my life.
It's awesome seeing how the remaining members of Led Zeppelin accepting the compliment of Heart performing Stairway of Heaven. song. That was great.
Best tribute to Stairway was by Heart at the Kennedy Center Honors when Zepplin was inducted. It was well conceived, well produced, well performed by everyone involved. I love Zepplin's original recording, but invariably after listening to it I dig up this performance and listen again.
They were stepping up to fill some huge shoes in front of some gods of rock and roll. The three surviving members looking down upon them. Backed up by Jason Bonham who was the last connection to their lost brother.
Yes!
Robert Plant was in tears! What a performance!!
They also did a great live cover of The Battle of Evermore, on Alive in Seattle and the Singles soundtrack.
@@StLProgressive That is probably the only performance of a zeppelin song that is actually better than Led Zeppelin’s. Kind of like Elton John doing Lucy in the sky with diamonds or the Pinball Wizard.
I still get goosebumps when I hear Stairway to Heaven after having heard it for almost all of my life. There's no other song that does that to me.
I'm no Heart fan but kudos where kudos are due ! They did pull off a great version of it.
Fair. I however, can't stand it 😬😬 as a zeppelin fan everyone plays it /just for me/ I have never been able to take it seriously, it's a Zeppelin cliché. It's the same with Charls Dickens's " a tale of two cities" I started to read it late in life and it started with " It was the best of times it was the worst of time"..... I felt like throwing the book out the window. The overuse in pop culture of these two masterpieces ruined them for me. I Feel bad about this.
Good but they riped all stuff off. Hear Spirit song. Not 1rst part but second. They riped it. Whole lota lovin' is Small Faces ,You Need Lovin' song. It's like when Beatles riped of Boch (a Lutheran) & his Arioso song. The Beatles just added an extra note at the beginning.
We played it at my o6 year old mother’s funeral’s. She adored Jimmy Page
96 year old
Hearts performance blew me away. Chills every time. Best cover
I truly enjoyed Anne and Nancy's rendition of "Stairway" awesome job though I think for all the people on stage it wasn't as powerful as when zep played it live.
I'm 80 and it rocked my world. I get chills every time and I've heard it hundreds of times. Zep is in a class by itself.
Adam, today you truly earned your "Professor of Rock" moniker, leading us listeners on the Stairway's journey for the um-teenth time, but with a few new sign posts provided by your patient, insightful commentary, and seasoned with details not well known, now cherished. Well done! Thank you!
Thanks Bill! Means a lot.
Amen to that!
I’ll 2nd that. Adam, this is one of your very best. Including your Heart tribute and the interaction story when your Dad discovered you listening to Stairway were the icing on the Cake! Beautifully written and recorded!
Understated perfectly! He was, as it turns out, worthy to talk on the subject of Stairway.
I recall getting Zeppelin IV when it was released in 1971. I was 13. I played Stairway over and over while reading the lyrics which were printed on the inside cover. I studied the artwork from the old man hauling sticks to the wizard holding a lantern atop the mountain. I'm recalling these things as I write and haven't seen a Zep IV album cover in years. Yes, Stairway holds a special place in my heart since the first time I heard it.
The most talented band in the stratosphere! Never to be equaled.
I'm 42. Born in 81. This song was already 10 years old when I was born, and it's been my favorite song of all time since I first heard it at about 16. I play it for my kids now. Long live the Big Led Balloon!
The most fascinating thing about Stairway to Heaven for me, is that it gets better every time I hear it, and continues to do long after I heard it a couple of hundred times. Starting out as a great song it became a spiritual experience to me at some point.
As celebrated as Stairway and Led Zep has been over the years, I still say they are underrated.
Good point.
They’re easily the greatest band of the 70s.
I agree..Their catalog is absolutely incredible! No other band has a catalog as loaded with absolutely instrumentally epic and creative songs as Zep. The Beatles catalog may match them in lyrical creativity but the Beatles aren’t in the same league with instrumental talent or creativity.
Gentle Giant is underrated. Buckethead is underrated. Zep was never underrated.
Great job, Professor. Yes, we’ve all heard it many times on the radio, the reason is simple. Imagery, composition, production, musicianship, the vocal, it really has it all. This song, and the musicians who created it are the standard without question. It’s as close to perfection as humanly possible. I agree the vagueness of the lyrics allow the listener to create their own story every time it’s heard, or just let Plant’s magical voice tell the story. I’d wager this song influenced more musicians and inspired more people to pick up a guitar than any other. There is this band, then all others, period.
Goosebumps every time, it never gets old. A timeless masterpiece. I've made sure to pass it to the next generation so they can understand what it is to listen to the hammer of the Gods!
I first heard this on the radio and I was completely enthralled. It made my spirit vibrate. None of my friends had heard it and would not for months. I told them over and over how good it was, but they were skeptical... until, one by one, they heard it for the first time and understood. The song is timeless and magical!
It is one of the greatest stone cold classics.
“It made my spirit vibrate”, what a beautiful, mystical and powerful way to describe it! That’s exactly how it makes me feel.
The lyrics are mysterious mystical sounding nonsense -don't get me wrong I LOVE IT - Bowie did the same thing - make it sound deep and meaningful (less) and let the audience decide - probably learned from Andy Warhol (talent free but famous)
As a die hard Zep fan, I’m wondering if my experience with Stairway to Heaven is common. Stairway was the song that got me into Led Zeppelin. I heard others talking about it, and when I finally heard it, I said “Yeah. This is a good song.” And I listened to it over and over. This got me into the fourth album, then the band. But I was new into Zeppelin, and, if asked, would definitely say Stairway was their best song.
Then I got deeper into Zeppelin’s discography, and I became more of a Zep aficionado. As a result, my Zep taste became more “sophisticated.” When asked if Stairway was their best song, my response was “definitely not.” It’s a great song and all; but now that I’m more of a Zeppelin expert, I’ve come to enjoy the more obscure songs better. I liked Battle of Evermore better than Stairway on the fourth album. Kashmir and Achilles Last Stand were better. That’s the Way, The Rain Song, and Ten Years Gone we’re all better. I was a sophisticated Zeppelin fan who was in the know.
Then, as my Zeppelin fanship matured to its proper level. I looked back at Stairway and realized how silly I’d been. I realized how great the song truly was. I realized why this song was the incredible anthem it was. And I humbly came to the logical conclusion that-yes-Stairway to Heaven really is Led Zeppelin’s best song, even though they have a myriad of others that are almost as good, even though it is “popular.” Yes, I’ve come full circle, back to Stairway because, as far as rock songs go, it is heaven.
Ramble On might be my favorite.
Sounds almost like my experience getting into Led Zep. A girl I really liked mentioned she liked "Stairway..." & my interest began.
Well said.
So glad you included my favorite Zeppelin song..."Rain Song". One thing is undeniable...they have created a RIDICULOUS amount of incredible music. Which is best is a matter of preference, obviously, but you have listed some great ones
My brother was 10 yrs my senior and a bit of a guitar player so I'd heard the main riff from Heartbreaker but, it was Stairway that really started things for me.
I related to your story almost right down to the song choices.
I'm a lifelong and die hard fan and I'll never get back that first experience with Stairway but, I started to avoid it after the 1st thousand times. Now once every 6 or 8 months I listen to it again.
Something just came up but, I could have written most of your comment myself with of course my own personal experiences with Zeppelin.
I never thought say "Ten Years Gone" was _better_ but, I did get sick of hearing it 5 times a day and _enjoyed_ some of the lesser known but, truly great songs .
Stairway though is ...ya know how movie critics say "A near perfect film" or "A perfect movie"
Once you've seen a movie enough times you want a new story right? Even if it's perfect
The arts can't be judged like a sporting event right?
Stairway resonates with _everyone_ .... it's magic. It's been played to death but it won't die .
Right now (I imagine) there's some kid out there hearing it for the first or 4th time that has never heard _anything_ like it and they will never be the same.
I still remember.
Now I gotta take a leak man 😂
✌️❤️🎸🎶🙏
I bet, anyone aged between 70 and 50, this song had an impact in their life. I am 66 and this song is almost mythical.
"mythical"...yup. 👍
I'm also 66, and I remember when this song came out, you could literally hear it on the radio every half hour. I think that's the reason why a lot of people can't stand the song, including Robert Plant himself. Same thing with Smells Like Teen Spirit, Kurt Cobain couldn't stand singing it anymore.
@@oldschoolhawking8191 I too, resolved to never listen to this song ever again, yet, the lady pulls me in to this day! Stairway To Heaven is the most complete, perfect, profound, eloquent, mystical piece of music genius to ever grace humanity, and I love it with a passion
@@ozvaleron
What's also cool about Stairway is, it becomes even more mystical when performed live.
No Quarter also, especially on the movie TSRTS.
Yep. .my first yr. In college. 1971
I always wonder if when they played their last notes, while recording Stairway, did they understand what they had done? Like, did they have goosebumps? Were they aware that they had created a song that would impact generations? Did they know they had just forged a masterpiece?
I think they were just thinking, "wow, this will sell and we'll be on tour, destroy hotel rooms, fuck those teenage groupies, get drunk and puke all over the hotel carpet, and go to another concert and start all over again." That's probably all they thought about.
@@Spo-Dee-O-Dee Most music was NOT left for others to complete in the mid 60's through the mid 90's and Jimmy Page produced every Led Zeppelin track that ever was...from start to finish. You could have Googled or Wikipedia the info on Zeppelin/Page if you cared. You are 100% mistaken...in fact it wasn't until the late 90's/2000's with the collapse of artist control of their music by the record companies and producers to get the Lion share of monies earned by the artists.
Probably not
@@Creamstp🥰👍
That has always been a prime question in my mind. At what point do you realize that you're holding pure Gold.
Can't argue with this. It's a song that really stirs one's soul. LZ had many one those, but this is probably the best.
Watching the Kennedy center tribute literally brought tears to my eyes, not so much the actual song but the guys reaction to it, i think they finally got to feel how the rest of us feel when we hear it, beautiful, just beautiful, not a word i often use being a metal head 👍
Yep, i just watched it again and seeing Jason playing his dads parts made me cry once again, dam it i should be head banging not wiping tears away 👍
Me too. Every time.
Robert Plant’s reaction just had me bawling, it was unstoppable!
Jack Black brought me to tears of laughter with his perfect homage to the band.
@@IronSikh44 Same.
Led Zeppelin is classic rock's most legendary band of the 70's and "Stairway To Heaven" is their signature song and masterpiece. Back in the 1980's, there was a local classic rock radio station that I listened to. Every Fourth Of July, they would put together a very special countdown called The Firecracker Top 500. It was a listener-voted survey. The listeners would vote and send in a list of their 3 favorite classic rock songs. The radio station would then compile the results which put together their Top 500. They did this annually. Many of the songs would change and their rankings on the countdown would also change. However, there was one constant that remained the same every year. "Stairway To Heaven" by Led Zeppelin finished #1 every year that they did the listener-voted Firecracker 500. That's why I've always said that "Stairway To Heaven" is classic rock's most classic song. Every year, that's how classic rock fans voted.
I’ve heard so many great things about the Firecracker Top 500. I agree with them. Stairway may be in the contender for Best Song of All Time.
WDVE in Pittsburgh for years has had a similar thing called the "Memorial Day 500", I haven't listened to it in years or checked the results but Stairway and Freebird were always #1 and #2 on their list.
Sorry I love Led Zeppelin but I am so sorry but I hate hearing that song it is so overplayed. Give me all of my love, immigrant song, for your life any day
Was that in the San Diego area? I seem to remember that countdown as a kid when I grew up in SD area.
@@dpjacobs28 No, I live in the New Jersey/New York Metropolitan area. However, I understand every city around the country had a classic rock radio station. So, I'm sure you had one in the San Diego area, too, doing a similar annual countdown.
My favourite band and yes! Stairway to heaven is the ultimate essence of Zeppelin! ❤
I listened to Stairway to Heaven while giving birth to my youngest child. It's always had a special place in my heart and soul.
I still believe it’s the greatest written, arranged, produced and recorded song ever. It has a magical draw that only those 4 guys could have achieved.
You may have explained to me why I still won't listen to Heart's version of Stairway.
I love Heart. I love the Wilson sisters. They are a force.
But somehow anyone doing certain Zeppelin songs, like Stairway, I can't deal with. and it is probably due to the magic these 4 guys conjured up with this song. With alot of their music. It would not sound right and left me unsettled
Greatest Rock Song no doubt. I've head that some old guy named "Mozart" wrote and arranged some good stuff but the original recordings are missing. 😉
'Magic'
@@dianelake7802 The Zepp guys even said that they WOULD have liked to perform Stairway the way Heart did, but they couldn't transport all the singers around with them on tour. It wasn't feasible (or affordable). They wanted a big crescendo in the middle-end, and the singers gave that added push! You have your own likes, but I love the Heart version.
@@exectar I absolutely love Heart. They have been a favorite for years. No one compares to the Wilson sisters. Pure talent.
I love Heart.
For me it is a matter of not wanting anything to redefine the song of my high school years.
So, please don't think I have anything against Heart. Or the music they do. and I am aware that many musicians are very generous with others doing their works - especially when they do a great cover.
I just prefer to leave this song in the hands of Led Zeppelin.
Only this one song.
Nobody could ever predict that one of the most biggest most iconic rock albums would have a picture of an old man with a bundle of sticks strapped to his back on the cover .. PRICELESS
One of the most iconic photos ever.
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 Yes it is and it draws you in when you fist look at it and makes you wonder what this album will sound like,, It was many many years back when I had that fresh thought ..
@@VIDSTORAGE Ahh…the days when album covers were so vivid…
These were the days when a new album would drop, and TOTALLY change your life FOREVER! So many! One after the other! A great time in music! People have NO IDEA these days! I’m just afraid they don’t really value music like we did back in the ‘70s!!
And NO title or text!
Stairway to Heaven is simply "The Masterpiece" of Rock - there it stands alone...
I'm 69 and I still get a lump in my throat whenever I hear it.....and I listen to it often. Same with Going to California, makes me feel so nostalgic.
What is fascinating to me personally is how clearly I remember hearing it for the first. In 1971 your friends just showed up without you expecting them. I heard an almost frantic knocking at the front door and two of my close friends we standing there with the album. “Jimmy, you’ve got to hear this!” My dad had a state of the art system in the living room. They insisted that I play it there rather than going to my room. It was almost life-altering.
James, this is an incredibly endearing recollection. And yes. We RODE OUR BIKES to our friends' houses. There were no scheduled play dates and no parental chauffeurs back then, partly because we had only one car and dad drove that to work. Also only one TV. I know lots of bad stuff happened back then, but it all seemed so much simpler. By the way, I'm aware of the irony of appearing on the Internet in order to decry it, so don't bother pointing that out. 🤨
@@juliehughes1258 I wouldn’t have pointed that out. We live the lives that work with the zeitgeist we find ourselves in. I am grateful that we were able to come of age when we did. I’m a historian so I might view it all a bit differently. I’m not certain that it was that things were simpler. I think we saw a lot of change. A lot of it was inspiring. I find myself somewhat jaded now. In my case, I have two older sisters and when they went to college, my parents seemed to think that their young son didn’t need the supervision the girls did. So, I miss the freedom I had.
FOr me, it's very different. Stairway came out at a particularly dark time of my life. I was in serious mental distress, the world was going to pot, and I was convinced life wasn't worth living. Stairway seeped into my consciousness, and kept me living, there was no "first time", it's always been with me, even before I heard it
Almost?
@@whitebeardskydaddy6756 Point taken
Hey Professor, first .. Thank You for all you do, my wife and I love your channel. My first experience with "Zeppelin 4" was on my 12th birthday, Oct 9, 1983. My step father was a very old-fashioned man, in every aspect life, including music. My Mother had the family and some of my friends over for my birthday. It was a Sunday I will never forget. My step father insisted that I open his present first. He was so proud of himself because he had shopped for this present on his own and he hated shopping for anything. I unwrapped the square package and I flipped out. It was Zeppelin 4! All kinds of emotions went through my body and mind. this man whom I thought despised me actually really knew and understood me. With a prideful grin he says out loud "Put it on, let's hear it" which blew me away because since I could ever remember he always called the music I listened to "Garbage" or "The Devils work" I slid the album out of the cover, placed it on my Mom's record player with the diamond tip needle with great anticipation. Within a second Robert Plant belts out "Hey Hey Momma said the way you move, gonna make you sweat, gonna make you grove" and before he could finish my step father jumped up out of his chair, yelled "WHAT IS THIS S**T" ran across the room, smacked the needle off the record, picked it up and snapped it in half. I ran out the door down the street to my uncles, angry and distraught. I told him what happened. He took me by the hand, walked me out to his '69 Cuda and put his Zeppelin 4 8-track in the player and left me alone to listen to it. When it got to Stairway I was overcome with emotions and broke down crying. As Levee started to play my Mother opened the drivers door, sat down and held my hand. When the album was over she said "I'll get you the cassette for your walkman. Your father has no taste in music now come home and have some cake. That album and my step father started a very long childish/teen rebellion that lasted for years and memories I will have for a lifetime! Thank you again for all you do and don't stop being you. Rob
Having had a stepson, I appologize for the emotional emptiness we exude.
@@halweilbrenner9926 no need to apologize. Over the years I've learned that he did the best he could with the tools he was given as child. I now have two sons and a step daughter and the tools he gave me have helped me create a phenomenal bond with all three kids.
Ontario Camp Couple
What a remarkable personality ! Wearing a " Proud Dad" shirt ? Can you talk under water ?
@@TNT-km2eg Well thank you. And yes, I do have a "Proud Dad" shirt. Both of my sons are remarkable, with one in University and the other well on his way in his career, both creating their own healthy and successful life. As for talking underwater, it is a skill I have yet to master, but do practice in the summer seson while out on expeditions.
So lucky to have grown up with the music of Led Zeppelin and Rush , the GOATS in rock music in my humble opinion
Well freakin’ done, man! Well freakin’ done. You did this majestic gift from the Gods of Rock the justice it deserves. Chills, man. You had me in tears upon sharing your deeply personal story about your dad. Somewhere in Heaven, he is watching you with that half-smile in approval. Rock on, brother! 🤘🎸🎤🥁🎹🤘
Professor, I know it's a long shot you'll read this given that it's 3 weeks after the video dropped, but this video included a particularly great moment for me, and I felt a connection to you in a very specific way. I'm sure many of your subscribers can probably relate.
I lost my Dad earlier this year, and the sting of his loss is still very present. He was very conservative during my childhood, although he lightened up quite a bit in his later years. While none of our stories would likely match in context, the emotion of those special moments like your dad's single word of understanding & confident approval do. So I thank you for every time you share stories about your father. On a deeply emotional level, they stir up happy memories of my own. I appreciate you for it, and I hope others do as well.
In 1970 this was just new rock and roll by a band with a catchy name. Now, it's a classic that is 50 plus years old. Hearing it again sends me back 50 years. I close my eyes and I'm 17 years old again for just a few minutes. (Other than various bones and muscles in my body telling me, wrong !!)
lol I hear you!
I am right there with you!
Man, you are an amazing storyteller. The retelling of your father knocking on the door and the one word - just magic. This whole video was fantastic. Thank you.
I must listened to this album a thousand times in the 70s. It never gets old and I'm still amazed by it.
I think that “The Rain Song” is one of the most underrated songs that Led Zeppelin ever recorded, and it is also one of their more mystical songs too.
I don’t recall you featuring “The Rain Song” before, unless I missed it.
Thank you for posting these videos!
Please have an excellent and awesome day! ☀️✨
Excellent shout there. The Rain Song is definitely in their top ten.
Rain Song and Tens Years Gone are my favorites
@@patriciasamora5600 Oh, Girl . . . I could not agree with you more! I will clarify further by saying this: "The Rain Song" is, BY FAR, my most favorite guitar piece ever composed. "Ten Years Gone" is THE BEST song ever written.
He did do one on The Rain Song saying George Harrison challenged Jimmy Page to write a ballad. Maybe he did it after this episode. Check it out.
I just turned 70 and saw The Beatles in concert. Led Zeppelin, is my all-time favorite. I had that album, don't know where it ended up, but I downloaded Stairway onto my phone and listen to it over and over with my headphones. I have watched The Kennedy Center Honors many times and still get goosebumps. I will stop meandering and put on my headphones. Peace !!!
The way they smoothly, gradually, unstoppably increase the tempo and earnestness of the song is unequaled by ANYTHING else in music. Pure inventiveness that draws you in and MAKES you part of it. It ALSO makes people interpret it how they wish.
I’m 41, and I am a competitive practitioner of Korean sword. In one of our events we are to create a routine with the option of setting it to music. I set my routine to this song. I won a world championship with it. The nuance of the song, helped bring out the nuance of the blade. And the two danced together while I watched from the end of my grip. It was surreal.
The Heart cover at the Kennedy Center is just fantastic. I still tear up when I watch it. And yes, Stairway IS the Holy Grail of Rock. One of your best presentations, Professor.
I spent years of my life trying to derive some deep meaning from this epic song. I have finally come to realize that the deep meaning for me has been the hours upon hours of pure musical joy this song has gifted me. Led Zeppelin was very important to me and building my musical tastes. Robert Plant is a true treasure to us all. Even if you hate the band and the sound of his voice they have influenced every aspect of modern music. Led Zeppelin has as big an impact on music as say Mozart or Beethoven, I know that is saying a lot but I personally think it is a fair statement. I can't express how watching someone who derives as much joy from this song as I do warms my heart. Thank you for this one Prof.
In truth they've been MORE influential and impactful than any classical composer
Reaching into your soul for meaning makes the song a success
It is timeless. It transcends time. It is like a classical piece of music. Bach or Handle.
I was 8 when i heard this. I've been a Zep fan ever since. The greatest song of all time from the greatest group of all time. Period. 👍❤
My sons were born in 76 & 79. They loved the music of the 60s & 70s. Were very seldom tuned in to music of their day. Thank You Jesus!
I remember waiting in the car for my Mum to come back from the grocery shop. I must have been 7 years old. She'd left the radio on & this song came on. I had never been so emotionally affected by one song on my 1st recalled listening. Mum got back to the car just as the song finished & I had tears in my eyes. It still hits me, & I'm happy I still don't know what it all means. ❤️
When you watch Heart's cover and with Jason Bonham on his father's kit, it felt like a religious experience. One version of that video, Jason is introduced and Plant is pointing at him like I see now. I heard that earlier Plant called him up and asked him to join them for his father and Jason told him that he couldn't because he had a prior engagement which was playing with Heart there but he didnt tell them that.
Classic! I totally believe it
I clearly remember when this came out and saw Zep live. Large impact, we were all on a journey across the country, whether spiritual or otherwise. Our heads were in a different space in time. 60’s and 70’s can never be duplicated. Great memories. Legendary!
I've had this album on vinyl, 8-track, cassette, cd and digital. Still my all time favorite.
I was a teenager in the 70's and heard this song daily, sometimes several times daily, and to this day I love it every time I hear it.
Sharing with next Gen... Daughters were teenagers in the mid 2000s. 9/11 had happened, Invasions, whole war on terror thing was going on. My wife and daughters were Country fans and I forget why but the car radio was on scan looking for a country station. My oldest say "STOP THERE!" I smiled, first bars of stairway had caught her ear and held her there, my normally chatty youngest was next to be grab by it. My Wife, who for the record knew the song and doesn't care for due to the loudness at the end, listened all the way quietly. I had a moment of Rock and roll heaven that I could share my country girls! Changed the girls listening habits just a little bit. Maybe dads music was not as bad as they thought.
Jd...I'm there right now.
No question the greatest song of all time. It’s my alarm wake up sound and I often listen to it daily on my commute. Fond memories of it being the last song to be played at school dances…or in a basement in the background playing spin the bottle.
It is the perfect song that has everything regardless of whatever meaning you interpret. So lucky to have been around these past 50+ years to enjoy it.
Comparing Led Zeppelin music to music in the last 40+ years! Nothing compares. So fortunate to have grown up in the 60s & 70s and listened as music evolved!
This album was my cure all when I was pregnant. I was sick all 9 months. Every time it was was so bad. I would put this cassette in and my baby would mellow as would my sickness. Have to say this album made that pregnancy bearable.
Boy or girl? 🍼
Your child is now blessed with quality music and hopefully carries it on to future genes.
Sorry you went through that. Pregnancy can be tough.
Beautiful story. Not the sickness of course.
The first album I ever bought. It was 1974 and I was 14 years old. My love for rock and roll began that day. Then I saw them at Madison Square Garden June 10, 1977. I thought I died and went to heaven.
We also bought it that year I was 12 and my brother 14 we played that album so often it wore out.
Being a Zep Head for over 50 yrs now, Zeppelin is more than just a great band, it is a spiritual thing for me. Being 61 now there were yrs and times on my life I didn't listen to much music, or like in the grunge yrs I didn't listen to much Zeppelin, but of course I still considered my self a Zep Head. A few yrs ago I met a fantastic musician that our paths had crossed before we met then to become the best of friends, I so value this guy and have much respect for him, he has filled void that has given me a new outlook on life and music had become a much needed importance again! Bands like Wet Leg, Amyl and the Sniffers etc. is fun to find new bands to show that rock isn't dead! And with vinyl coming back who knows what the future of rock and roll is going to be? All I know is I will always be a Zep Head, will listen to music and so glad I was born when I was! That new friend of mine has a Zeppelin cover band called Led Balloon it's 3 guys that kick ass, they are from the east of Sacramento, Folsom, Orangevale, fair oaks anyways I'm the roadie for band and what a honor! During the covid shit we have been living thru Kevin did a Zeppelin project a double CD 27 songs, he plays all of the instruments, vocals and recorded plus engineered all from his home studio and it is so great it blows me away, a true one man Zeppelin machine he is! I want to get a copy to any of the guys of zep but Kevin is scared it would get in trouble! I think not, I know they would be blown away and impressed for sure! My final comment is about one of my few regrets, I have one child and she is my everything, sadly after she was born my marriage to her mother started to go down hill! I was truly the primary care giver to that precious child, her mom was spoiled all of her life and is just a selfish douche! I too spoiled her and gave her all the attention and cow powed to her bullshit for many years. Anyways when we broke up, she had a affair, I lot everything she took me to the cleaners@ lising that child was devastating! My regret thou, which I have very few of, was not passing on my love of Zeppelin to her! Of course she is very aware of Zep, all if my zep t shirts have been given ti me by her and owns a couple of her own. But she just doesn't get it she's into rap, country that kind of shit! If I could do it all over again I would have made sure to listen to more Zeppelin when she was in the car when she was younger so that we could have had some moments in time that will be remembered always that have a Zeppelin like sound track in mind when her or myself think of a great time in our lives! She has stood by me, loved me and saved my life, for I wouldnt be writing this novel if it weren't for her! Been down some bad and dark roads and because of her love I'm still alive! She has given me a new reason to keep going, I've got a beautiful grandson, she has proven to be a great mom and the man that was the other half to that baby boy is a great man in his own right and looking forwards to being officially his father in law, he's already like the son I never had! I get to walk that wonderful daughter down the aisle this summer! I just wish the was a Zeppelin tune that could be a part of the caramony! Any ideas would be great and appreciated! Thanks for reading if you made it thru the whole thing!
“Thank You” from the 2nd album is a beautiful song for a wedding!
I'm probably late, either way GOD BLESS your daughter's union! 🎉
Who was NOT influenced by Led Zep? They really are the biggest influence of why I love rock music. Queen, Tom Petty, Heart…Blue Oyster Cult, Foreigner…Aerosmith. But Zeppelin was always my #1. And as a female rocker, I am so proud that Heart got to cover it that night. Yes, I did have a Zeppelin poster on the back of my bedroom door!
I suggest “all of my love” from In through the Out door. My daughter grew up with the Doors, black Sabbath, Cream, the who, yardbirds and later Zeppelin. Her band Combat Wombat Is HipHop, urban so early indoctrination is not the solution to musical taste. But she still knows all the zeppelin songs and can break out to Guns and Roses
It was January 1972, I was 18 and on my way to school when I first heard the song on the car radio. I was stunned at its magnificence as I still am today.
This song has a very special meaning for me in 9187 win I was 11my mom passed away. She wanted Stairway to Heaven played at her funeral. My sister and I told the adults but they did not do it. It has bothered me since.
I saw Heart in the early '80s... 'Stairway' was their encore! The crowd went crazy! It was the next best thing to seeing Zeppelin doing it! They rocked it.
Stairway To Heaven and Hotel California are the best mystical songs in my lifetime! Absolute classics. I love watching and listening to the stories on your videos!
I watched the tribute to Led Zeppelin at the Lincoln Center with Ann and Nancy Wilson's version of Stairway to Heaven was the best I have ever heard. With Ann starting with just voice and Nancy starts playing and they just keep adding instruments and voices. Bonham's son was playing drums. Brought tears to my eyes watching it.
David Letterman had them on his show after the tribute and it was amazing. JPJ stole the show with his humor and interaction with Letterman. It’s a must see.
The respect and love they showed for John Bonham by not going on without him further cemented their reputation and mystique. Bringing his son Jason on as the only person they would ever truly sit at his place on drums for Led Zeppelin is a testament to loyalty we rarely see evermore. ☮️☯️♎️♋️
That Kennedy Centre performance is utterly sublime and never fails to give me goosebumps.
I never get sick of hearing this song.
Likewise. I used to list en to Stairway on my way to work at 5:30 am
"Stairway" is a mind-blowing crescendo from soft medieval ballad to 1970's hard rock, that blows your mind every time, just like the first time, even if you're hearing it for the umpteenth time. Right up there with such classics as "Ravel's Bolero" 's crescendo. What it all means is up for grabs and I believe intentionally prone to many interpretations - "because you know, sometimes words have two meanings"...
The part of the lyrics to take in? - "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."
Kudos L.Z. the greatest rock band ever!
Stairway To Heaven....it still blows my mind...whenever I hear it. I'm 74 years old!!! I love your show, Professor! Thank you for telling the stories of the greatest music and musicians ever!
Normally, gushing over songs is overwrought and never matches the realty. In this case, this video is 100% on-point. It's been 40+ years since I first heard Stairway and it STILL gives me shivers.
I moved from rural Tennessee to Staten Island New York when I was 6, and the radio station played Stairway and Knights in White Satin every night as I was falling asleep. Considering the stress I was under at the time, I found these songs terrifying and hated them. As I grew older, I ignored them for the joys of 80's music. But coming back to Stairway as an adult, I can't help but be swept up and emotionally transformed every time I listen. It's a special experience, and one I seek out rarely to avoid cheapening it.
We were on vacation where there was no TV. I was playing music in the condo. "Something in the way" by Nirvana came on. My son who was 8 stopped what he was doing. grabbed a ukelele and sat quietly strumming the slow guitar part. and staring into the speaker. Those moments between father and son are priceless.
Such a profound and moving song impossible not to get swept up in it. For those who grew up with it it’ll always have that special place inside what it means to them. Anne Wilson’s rendition is spot on the most beautiful ever ❤
I remember hearing this for the first time with my dad when I was 7 or 8. It came on the radio on the classic rock station and we sat in the car in the parking lot of a grocery store and listened to the whole song. Even as a young kid I listened and never felt bored. Timeless classic
The intro’s “definite medieval feel” made me feel like the song has existed for a thousand years and Zeppelin just brought it up to date with electrified instruments.
Great Video! Seeing the guys with tears in their eyes while their song is played to them made me tear up too.
My brother had all three Zeppelin LP's , and I used to sneak in and listen to them when he was out of the house. It was the beginning of a life long infatuation for me. I was at the August 31'st 1971 Zeppelin concert at the Orlando Sports Stadium, and got a great preview of the 4th LP, when they played Black Dog and Stairway. It was so hot in there, and long before air conditioning was common, but I will never forget that night. Page was really on fire, and the band was tight. I listen to the soundboard of that night often. The music of that era was wonderful!
OMG! I lived in Orlando then and the arena was across the lake from our house. I wish I had been old enough to go to that. I was only 11 and no way were my parents going to let me go. I’m sure my brother, 10 years older than I am, went.
Just watched this. I graduated from high school in 1974 and Stairway To Heaven was our class song. Trying t find a band that could play it at our Senior Prom was a huge challenge. 😸 This song still pulls at my heart strings and I found myself tearing up one more time watching the part when Heart performed the song for Led Zeppelin at the Kennedy center. Thanks!
My parents couldn't stand hard rock or heavy metal. I was raised on top 40 radio, and I grew up loving all of the stuff they loved... and I eventually grew into loving everything, no matter the style. I had to discover bands like Led Zeppelin on my own. I took the music thing to a whole new level. My parents got me addicted to music. I blew it up from there. Stairway To Heaven is in my all-time top 25 songs, and rightfully so.
I branched out from EWF too when I was old enough to listen to my own Alexa in my bedroom.
While I was too young to have seen LZ live, I was fortunate enough to see Jimmy Page on his solo tour for Outrider in 1988. For the encore, he came out with the double-necked Gibson and said "we're gonna play this as long as you all sing it, deal?" And being in that hall with a few thousand people all on their feet and all singing every single word in unison remains one of my all time favorite concert memories of my life, if not my absolute favorite.
The massive choir all wearing Bonzo’s hat was what brought the massive recognition for the band that the fourth member is still with them and us all. Brilliant.
This is a great song of Led Zeppelin. Love this group.❤️👍
"The sound of rapture, the sound of adventure, the sound of magic ..... its like I found the key to happiness." a very vivid explanation indeed.
I know, right?
Sublime. That is the word. I can remember the first time I noodled the chords out on guitar. It just sounded, right. Then while listening with my Pioneer headphones, I was blown away by the drumming. Simply sublime. Every time I hear those opening notes, I realize I am smiling. Thanks guys.
Greatest song ever!... Just cried during this video in public!
Stairway was all of that to me, my first real intro to Zeppelin. It also has a special place in my heart. My father was a preacher in small town Oklahoma. I found out about Stairway from my brother and I would sit in my room and listen to it. As we all know, you can't turn down the music as it plays, it starts loud won't be denied. I was rocking out to the song and the flow of the music seems to have been timed just right to get on my father's nerves. He would come and open my door to tell me to turn down and music just as the music drops and the last line is sang. He would stand and listen for a moment and shake his head at me and go back to what he was doing. This had to have happened 4 or more times. I had many wonderful times with my father when he was alive and this is a great memory.
Stairway never gets old .. it is timeless
Well said... Stairway is truly the HOLY GRAIL of rock and roll. At 59 yrs, I don't know how many times I've listened to it, but I still get emotional with physical goose bumps. No other band's music moves me like the greatest in all history...the one and only Led Zeppelin!
In 1979 my parents had split up and my dad remarried to a ready made replacement family. I struggled with the decision to move in with my alcoholic mother and my grandma and the night I finally made that decision my stomach was in such knots that I actually threw up. As I was sitting alone in my uncles bedroom, I picked up his Zeppelin 4 album. I didn’t know it then but music would get me through that tough, tough time. Zeppelin was a huge part of that.