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Stairway To Heaven
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin 4
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Stairway To Heaven by Led Zeppelin Songfacts
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The most famous rock song of all time, "Stairway To Heaven" wasn't a chart hit because it was never released as a single to the general public. Radio stations received promotional singles which quickly became collector's items.
On Tuesday November 13, 2007, Led Zeppelin's entire back catalogue was made available as legal digital downloads, making all of their tracks eligible for the UK singles chart. As a result, at the end of that week the original version of "Stairway To Heaven" arrived in the UK singles charts for the first time. Previously, three covers had charted: the multinational studio band Far Corporation reached #8 with their version in 1985, then reggae tribute act Dread Zeppelin crawled to #62 in 1991 and finally Rolf Harris' reworking outdid the other two, peaking at #7 in 1993.
Robert Plant spent much of the '70s answering questions about the lyrics he wrote for "Stairway." When asked why the song was so popular, he said it could be its "abstraction," adding, "Depending on what day it is, I still interpret the song a different way - and I wrote the lyrics."
The lyrics take some pretty wild turns, but the beginning of the song is about a woman who accumulates money, only to find out the hard way her life had no meaning and will not get her into heaven. This is the only part Plant would really explain, as he said it was "a woman getting everything she wanted without giving anything back."
Led Zeppelin started planning "Stairway" in early 1970, when they decided to create a new, epic song to replace "
Dazed And Confused
" as the centerpiece of their concerts. Jimmy Page would work on the song in an 8-track studio he had installed in his boathouse, trying out different sections on guitar. By April, he was telling journalists that their new song might be 15-minutes long, and described it as something that would "build towards a climax" with John Bonham's drums not coming in for some time. In October 1970, after about 18 months of near constant touring, the song took shape. Page and Plant explained that they started working on it at a 250-year-old Welsh cottage called Bron-yr-Aur, where they wrote the songs for
Led Zeppelin III
. Page sometimes told a story of the pair sitting by a fire at the cabin as they composed it, a tale that gives the song a mystical origin story, as there could have been spirits at play within those walls.
Page told a different story under oath: When he was called to the stand in 2016 as part of a plagiarism trial over this song, he said that he wrote the music on his own and first played it for his bandmates at Headley Grange in Liphook Road, Headley, Hampshire, where they recorded it using a mobile studio owned by The Rolling Stones. Plant corroborated the story in his testimony.
Headley Grange may not be as enchanting as Bron-yr-Aur, but the place had some character: It was a huge, old, dusty mansion with no electricity but great acoustics. Bands would go there to get some privacy and focus on songwriting, as the biggest distractions were the sheep and other wildlife.
Robert Plant recalled writing the lyrics in a flash of inspiration. Said Plant: "I was holding a pencil and paper, and for some reason I was in a very bad mood. Then all of a sudden my hand was writing out the words, 'There's a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold/And she's buying a stairway to heaven.' I just sat there and looked at the words and then I almost leapt out of my seat."
Plant's implication that something else was moving his pencil for him led to speculation that it was Satan who was dictating the words, and along with the backward messages and Page's Aleister Crowley connection, there was enough evidence for many listeners that the devil had some role in creating this song.
This is rumored to contain backward satanic messages, as if Led Zeppelin sold their souls to the devil in exchange for "Stairway To Heaven." Supporting this theory is the fact that Jimmy Page bought Aleister Crowley's house in Scotland, known as Boleskine House. In his books, Crowley advocated that his followers learn to read and speak backwards.
Robert Plant addressed the issue in an interview with
magazine: "'Stairway To Heaven' was written with every best intention, and as far as reversing tapes and putting messages on the end, that's not my idea of making music. It's really sad. The first time I heard it was early in the morning when I was living at home, and I heard it on a news program. I was absolutely drained all day. I walked around, and I couldn't actually believe, I couldn't take people seriously who could come up with sketches like that. There are a lot of people who are making money there, and if that's the way they need to do it, then do it without my lyrics. I cherish them far too much."
Suggestion credit
Rob - Easton, PA and Tolga - Naples, FL
This runs 8:03, but still became one of the most-played songs on American radio, proving that people wouldn't tune out just because a song was long. It was a perfect fit for FM radio, which was a newer format challenging the established AM with better sound quality and more variety. "Stairway" fit nicely into what was called the "Album Oriented Rock" (AOR) format, and later became a staple of Classic Rock. By most measures, it is the most-played song in the history of American FM radio. It has also sold more sheet music than any other rock song - about 10,000 to 15,000 copies a year, and more than one million total.
Jimmy Page has a strong affinity for this song, and felt Robert Plant's lyrics were his best yet. He had him write all of Zeppelin's lyrics from then on.
In an interview with
Rolling Stone
magazine (March 13, 1975) the interviewer, Cameron Crowe, asked Jimmy Page how important "Stairway To Heaven" was to him. Page replied: "To me, I thought 'Stairway' crystallized the essence of the band. It had everything there and showed the band at its best... as a band, as a unit. Not talking about solos or anything, it had everything there. We were careful never to release it as a single. It was a milestone for us. Every musician wants to do something of lasting quality, something which will hold up for a long time and I guess we did it with 'Stairway.' Townshend probably thought that he got it with
. I don't know whether I have the ability to come up with more. I have to do a lot of hard work before I can get anywhere near those stages of consistent, total brilliance."
This was the only song whose lyrics were printed on the album's inner sleeve.
Many novice guitarists try to learn this song, and most end up messing it up. In the movie
Wayne's World
, it is banned in the guitar shop where Wayne (Mike Myers) starts playing it. If you saw the movie in theaters, you heard Wayne play the first few notes of the song before being scolded and pointed to a sign that says "NO Stairway To Heaven" (Wayne: "No Stairway. Denied."). Because of legal issues - apparently even a few notes of "Stairway To Heaven" have to be cleared, and good luck with that - the video and TV releases of the movie were changed so Wayne plays something incomprehensible. This novice guitar Stairway cliché later showed up on an episode of
South Park
when the character Towelie tries to play the song in a talent show and screws it up.
Zeppelin bass player John Paul Jones decided not to use a bass on this because it sounded like a folk song. Instead, he added a string section, keyboards and flutes. He also played wooden recorders that were used on the intro. Bonham's drums do not come in until 4:18.
Robert Plant is a great admirer of all things mystic, the old English legends and lore and the writings of the Celts. He was immersed in the books
Magic Arts in Celtic Britain
by Lewis Spence and
The Lord Of The Rings
by J.R.R. Tolkien. The Tolkien inspiration can be heard in the phrase, "In my thoughts I have seen rings of smoke through the trees," which could be a reference to the smoke rings blown by the wizard Gandalf. There is also a correlation between the lady in the song and the character from the book, Lady Galadriel, the Queen of Elves who lives in the golden forest of Lothlorien. In the book, all that glittered around her was in fact gold, as the leaves of the trees in the forest of Lothlorien were golden.
Suggestion credit
Shannon - Tacoma, WA
Dolly Parton covered this on her 2002 album
Halos and Horns
- Robert Plant said he liked her version. Other artists to cover this include U2, Jimmy Castor, Frank Zappa, The Foo Fighters, Dave Matthews Band, Sisters of Mercy, Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart,
Zakk Wylde
, Elkie Brooks, Pardon Me Boys, White Flag, Jana, Great White, Stanley Jordan, Far Corporation, Dixie Power Trio, Justin Hayward, Leningrad Cowboys, Dread Zeppelin, Tiny Tim, piano virtuoso Richard Abel, and Monte Montgomery. Neil Sedaka had
an unrelated Top 10 hit with the same title
in 1960.
Suggestion credit
Brett - Edmonton, Canada
Many critics trashed this song when it came out: Lester Bangs described it as "a thicket of misbegotten mush, and the British music magazine
said it induced "first boredom and then catatonia."
Led Zeppelin played this for the first time in Belfast on March 5, 1971 - Northern Ireland was a war zone at the time and there was rioting in nearby streets. John Paul Jones said in an audio documentary that when they played it, the audience was not that impressed. They wanted to hear something they knew - like "
Whole Lotta Love
The song got a better reception when the band started the US leg of their tour. In an excerpt from
Led Zeppelin; The Definitive Biography
by Ritchie Yorke, Jimmy Page said of playing the song at an August 1971 show at the Los Angeles Forum: "I'm not saying the whole audience gave us a standing ovation - but there was this sizable standing ovation there. And I thought, 'This is incredible because no one's heard this number yet. This is the first time hearing it!' It obviously touched them, so I knew there was something with that one."
Suggestion credit
Adrian - Wilmington, DE
Jimmy Page considers this a masterpiece, but Robert Plant does not share his fondness for the song. Plant has referred to it as a "wedding song" and insists that his favorite Led Zeppelin song is "
." After the band broke up, Plant refused to sing it except on rare occasions, including Live Aid.
This was the last song the remaining members of Led Zeppelin performed when they reunited for Live Aid in 1985. Bob Geldof organized the event, and did his best to get many famous bands to play even if they had broken up. Unlike The Who, Geldof had an easy time convincing Plant, Page, and Jones to play the show. They played the Philadelphia stage with Tony Thompson and Phil Collins sitting in on drums.
The acoustic, fingerpicking intro is very similar to the song "
" from the band Spirit, who toured with Led Zeppelin when they first played the US. "Taurus" is a guitar instrumental written by the group's guitarist, Randy California, and included on their debut album in 1968. It was part of the band's set and Jimmy Page admitted that he owned the album.
Randy California never took any legal action against Led Zeppelin or sought compensation from them. A mercurial man who drowned in 1997 at age 45, he was described by his bandmate Mark Andes as "kind of a pathetic, tortured genius."
The "Stairway" connection is just a small piece of the Spirit story. California was guitar prodigy, and when he was 15 he joined Jimi Hendrix in the group Jimmy James And The Blue Flames. Three months later, Hendrix went to England. He wanted to take California with him, but Randy's age made it impossible.
Randy played with future Steely Dan founder Walter Becker in the Long Island band Tangerine Puppets, then moved to Los Angeles where he formed Spirit with three friends and his step-father, Ed Cassidy, who played drums. They got some gigs at the Whisky a Go Go, and Lou Adler signed them to his label, Ode Records. Their first album was a modest success, but mustered just one minor hit: "Mechanical World." Written by band members Mark Andes and Jay Ferguson, it stalled at #123 US. California set out to write a hit for their second album,
The Family That Plays Together
(1969) and came up with "I Got A Line On You," which made #25.
It would be their biggest hit: the band declined an invitation to Woodstock and fractured in 1972, with California's already volatile mental health ravaged by drug use. The band reunited from time to time, but never got their due. By the time of California's death, few remembered "Taurus" and its connection to "Stairway To Heaven," but in 1999 Songfacts went online and the discussion was revived.
In 2002, a former music journalist named Michael Skidmore came into control of California's estate, and 2014 he began proceedings against Led Zeppelin. In 2016, Jimmy Page testified in the case and said that the first time he heard of the controversy when a few years earlier when his son-in-law told him that a debate had been brewing online. Page insisted he had never heard "Taurus" before, and that it was "totally alien" to him.
The jury didn't buy the argument that Page never heard "Taurus," but ruled in favor of Led Zeppelin, deciding that the chord progression in "Taurus" was common to many other songs dating back decades, and therefore, in the public domain. Here's a
timeline of the case
Pat Boone released an unlikely cover on his album In a
In a Metal Mood
. Boone wanted to see how it would turn out as a jazz waltz, and it opened and closed the song with soft flute playing. In a subtle reference to his Christian faith, Boone changed the line "All in one is all and all" to "Three in one is all and all" - a reference to the Christian Trinity (the Father, Son, Holy Spirit).
Another notable cover was by an Australian performer called Rolf Harris, who used a wobbleboard (piece of quite floppy wood, held at both sides, arched slightly and wobbled so the arch would continually invert) and changed the line "And it makes me wonder" to "Does it make you wonder."
Suggestion credit
Iain - Edinburgh, Scotland
In the '90s, Australian TV host Andrew Denton had a show on which various artists were asked to perform their version of this song. Their versions were released on an album called
The Money or the Gun: Stairways to Heaven
. Artists performing it included Australian Doors Show, The Beatnix, Kate Ceberano and the Ministry of Fun, Robyne Dunn, Etcetera Theatre Company, The Fargone Beauties, Sandra Hahn and Michael Turkic, Rolf Harris, Pardon Me Boys, Neil Pepper, The Rock Lobsters, Leonard Teale, Toys Went Berserk, Vegimite Reggae, The Whipper Snappers, and John Paul Young. In reply to Rolf Harris' version, Page and Plant performed his song "Sun Arise" at the end of another Denton TV show.
Suggestion credit
Graham - Australia
In January 1990, this song was added to the Muzak playlist in a solo harp version. Unlike the original, the Muzak version, arranged and recorded to provide an "uplifting, productive atmosphere" and "counteract the worker-fatigue curve in the office environment," did not do so well, as even this sanitized version drew a lot of attention to the song, thus undermining the intention of the Muzak programming.
Suggestion credit
Bertrand - Paris, France
The band performed this at the Atlantic Records 40th anniversary concert in 1988 with Jason Bonham sitting in on drums for his late father. Plant did not want to play it, but was convinced at the last minute. It was sloppy and Plant forgot some of the words. This was not the case when Jason joined them again in 2007 for a benefit show to raise money for the Ahmet Ertegun education fund. They performed this song and 15 others, earning rave reviews from fans and critics.
Zeppelin's longest ever performance of this song was their last gig in Berlin in 1980. It clocked in around 15 minutes long.
Suggestion credit
Marshall - Gallatin, TN
Gordon Roy of Wishaw, Scotland had all of the lyrics to this song tattooed on his back. He did it as a tribute to a friend who died in a car accident.
In the late '90s, the radio trade magazine
Monday Morning Replay
reported that "Stairway" was still played 4,203 times a year by the 67 largest AOR (album-oriented rock) radio stations in the US. ASCAP, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, refuses to release exact figures on how many times it has been played since its release, but figure that on each AOR station in America, the song was played five times a day during its first three months of existence; twice a day for the next nine months; once a day for the next four years; and two to three times a week for the next 15 years. There are roughly 600 AOR and Classic Rock stations in the US, which means that "Stairway" has been broadcast a minimum of 2,874 times. At 8 minutes per spin, roughly 23 million minutes - almost 44 years - have been devoted to the song. So far.
On January 23, 1991, under the direction of owner and general manager John Sebastian, the radio station KLSK (104.1 FM) in Albuquerque, New Mexico played this song over and over for 24 hours, confounding listeners who weren't used to hearing Led Zeppelin on the station. The song played over 200 times, with many listeners tuning in to find out when it would end. It turned out to be publicity stunt, as the station was switching to a Classic Rock format.
Explaining his guitar setup for the solo, Jimmy Page told
Guitar Player
magazine in 1977: "I was using the Supro amp for the first album, and I still use it. The 'Stairway to Heaven' solo was done when I pulled out the Telecaster, which I hadn't used for a long time, plugged it into the Supro, and away it went again. That's a different sound entirely from the rest of the first album. It was a good, versatile setup."
The Foo Fighters did a mock cover of this song, and their version was to say that nobody should try to cover the song because they will screw it up. Dave Grohl intentionally carried the intro on way too long, asked his drummer and audience for lyrics, and when it came time for the guitar solo, he sang Jimmy Page's part. This was done purely as a joke, and to tell people not to cover the song, as Grohl is a huge Zeppelin fan, and lists Zeppelin's John Bonham as a major influence.
Suggestion credit
Bert - Pueblo, NM
Rolling Stone
magazine asked Jimmy Page how much of the guitar solo was composed before he recorded it. He replied: "It wasn't structured at all [laughs]. I had a start. I knew where and how I was going to begin. And I just did it. There was an amplifier [in the studio] that I was trying out. It sounded good, so I thought, "OK, take a deep breath, and play." I did three takes and chose one of them. They were all different. The solo sounds constructed - and it is, sort of, but purely of the moment. For me, a solo is something where you just fly, but within the context of the song."
Mary J. Blige recorded this in 2010 backed by Travis Barker, Randy Jackson,
Steve Vai
and Orianthi. Blige told MTV: "Once you get lost in the rock-and-roll moment of it, all you can do is scream to the top of your lungs or go as low as you need to go. It's not a head thing - it's a spirit thing." She added: "I am a Led Zeppelin fan. I've listened to their music since I was a child, and it's always moved me, especially 'Stairway To Heaven.' I make songs my own by going deep inside myself and translating them to 'what would Mary do.'" The song is included as a bonus track on the UK re-issue of her album
Stronger With Each Tear
and made available for download. Blige performed the song on the April 21, 2010 episode of
American Idol
Suggestion credit
Bertrand - Paris, France
In solo work or with other groups, Jimmy Page would not let anyone but Robert Plant sing this, but he did play it as an instrumental on occasion.
The ending of this song is distinctive in that is closes out with just Robert Plant's voice. According to Jimmy Page, he wrote a guitar part to end the song, but decided to leave it off since the vocal at the end had such an impact.
Jimmy Page often called "
In The Light
" from
Physical Graffiti
a follow-up to this song.
Regarding the composition of the track, Jimmy Page told
Rolling Stone
: "I was trying things at home, shunting this piece up with that piece. I had the idea of the verses, the link into the solo and the last part. It was this idea of something that would keep building and building."
More songs from Led Zeppelin
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Comments: 906
If Led Zeppelin really did sell their souls to the devil for Stairway, I feel it was a worthy trade.
Joshua Todd - Auckland, New Zealand
Hi Music lovers,
I think Robert, the writer of the lyrics of this song, wrote the lyrics by choose the death of Janis Joplin in Oct. 1970. Because what he wrote shows us that some ideas of Janis. Take a look at the lyrics. It says that 'There is a lady who's sure all that gillters is gold and she's buying a stairway to heaven.' I think that's enough to understand that the lirics shows about Janis'. Because the image of Janis was that she seemed to wear accessories a lot shining like gold on her at that time and she passed away. I hope it makes sense, too.
Kawa - Tokyo, Japan
Hi Music lovers,
There were two tragedies happened in 1970 before the song was released in 1971. Two big tragedies! First was a death of Jimi Hendrix, Sep. 1970. The other one was Janis Joplin, Oct. 1970. What if that the press wrote a headline that says 'The Day The Music Die' and that two young men knew about this tragedies and thought they wanted to write a song about this each other. Then Don Mclean wrote a song 'American Pie' and Robert wrote a song 'Stairway To Heaven'.
To be continued,
Kawa - Tokyo, Japan
Hi Music lovers,
As I wrote it below last time, thes song 'Stairway' AND 'American Pie' were written by the same idea happening in 1970. Then what's happening in 1970 ANYWAY? There must be some hints in the lyrics oft the song 'Stairway'. Because the traces remain! How about the first three lines above from the beginning of the song that saying 'There's a lady who sure All the glitters is gold and she's buying a stairway to heaven'. I think that these hints are enough to understand where the idea of the song came from.' So forget about the rest of the lyrics of the song, okey!
The key words of these likes are 'A lady' or 'All the glitters' or 'Gold'. Who do you think SHE WAS in 1970 anyway? Or 'she's buying a stairway to heaven' MEANS she actually died at that time! So that does make sense, anyway !
Good luck.
To be continued.
Kawa - Tokyo, Japan
Hi Music Lovers,
I think that the idea of the lyrics of the song came from the same idea of being written as the lyrics of the song called 'American Pie' in 1971 by Don McLean. I mean Both songs 'Stairway To Heaven' and 'Ameican Pie' were happened to released almost the same time in the end of 1971. If you are interested in the idea of the writing of the song 'American Pie', please look into it on this blog, Songfacts.
At first, I thought the song writer of the song 'Stairway', Robert Plant, heard the song 'American Pie' in 1971 and he wrote the song 'Stairway' but both songs were released almost the same period of time in late 1971. That means it was impossible to write and record and release it in late 1971. then I think that they happened to get the same idea of the writing of the lyrics of the song. But what still puzzled me was that there were some key words on the lyrics of the songs on that album released by Led Zeppelin in 1971. For example, the word 'Book of love' on the song 'Rock n Roll', or the last song of the album 'When levee Breaks'. Because there were same words on the song 'American Pie', too. What does that mean? I still don't get it. If it happened coincidence, it was possible. But possibility was very rare, I think.
To be continued...
Kawa - Tokyo, Japan
PLEASE READ!! A stairway to heaven is a pyramid. The ancients called them that. And this song is about the NEW WORLD ORDER and new age/shift in consciousness: rise of the anti Christ. It's clearly about that!
Connor - British Columbia
I have a deep respect for music in general and this song in particular. I'd like to offer some overall perspective from the 50.000 foot level.
Music, and its meaning, is to some degree a mirror, which reflects the listener's current state of mind at the time they hear a performance or read the lyrics, their attitude about life, and their past experience.
Likewise, music reflects the consciousness of its Creator(s) at the time it was created, along with their past experience and their intention, as expressed in the lyrics or performance.
So, in some sense, this song means something different to everyone. Our lives reflect what we continually think about, all the things we take in, such as food, TV, ideas, beliefs, habits, people.
This thread is full of people with different backgrounds and mindsets. One thing you have in common, in greater or lesser degree, is a degree of interest. You are thinking and engaged in the composition and possible meanings.
That being said, some meanings embedded in this song became obvious to me in the mid 1970s. Surprisingly, the comments do not address some metaphorical or metaphysical aspects, and do not consider important cultural movements that were contemporaneous during the time of the initial creation and release of Stairway to Heaven.
To reiterate - the meaning of this song lies in your life experience, your day to day mindset, and your degree of intentional attention directed at this song.
In my humble opinion, YES, Stairway to Heaven is a masterpiece, with deep and enduring meanings, as well as offering practical advice for improving your life. And, as Robert Plant once expressed to a concert audience, STH is truly "A Song of Hope."
Tdl - Usa
The words to this Led Zepplin song, "Stairway To Heaven" has always been shrouded in mystery and that for several generations. The first time I heard it, I was thought it pretty cool, but didn't understand it. It sounded as if a lady who had money wanted to buy her way into heaven -- with that said, that's about all I understood of the song that seemed rather dark at the seams, with it's mystical, ambiguous language, all the while speaking about "heaven".
Led Zepplin became popular when I still in high school and I was rather off put by their lyrics and their on stage persona...I liked rock n roll as much as the next kid did, but their lyrics seemed overtly sexual in nature. At 16 I was still a virgin and I found them to be just a little too in your face. Interestingly enough, I heard an interview with the group, "Heart" (the Wilson sisters) and it was funny because they said they attended a Led Zep concert in their youth and experienced the same reaction I had! They too were repelled by certain Zepplin's lyrics.
At the same time, I instinctively knew that these guys were hugely unique and talented. They were going to set a trend in music and they did. Robert Plant had an uncanny voice with unearthly range and Jimmy Page played like no other. The four of them together created a hauntingly, uncharted, wild and amazing sound. My fave of theirs was "Kashmir" and "Immigrant"
Now all this talk about the occult and back masking may sound very weird and possibly a boat load of silliness, however, one can not be attracted to the likes of Alleister Crowley (like Jimmy Page was) and not be drawn in to the darkness he lived within. Read about Mr. Crowley and the things he did. Do the research. Page was so taken with Alleister Crowley he bought his home! With that said there is no mistaking the symbolism embedded in Zep's albums. Words and things have meaning and both Page and Plant meant them to have meaning. I'm not saying that Plant consciously understood that he was being influenced, but he was just the same. It is not coincidental listening to "Stairway" backwards that the name of "Satan" surfaces 6 times. I don't believe it was either Robert Plant's or Page's intention to glorify Satan, but the dark side seems to always reveal itself in unexpected, shadowy ways.
Just as an aside, Robert Plant's reaction to Heart playing "Stairway To Heaven" at the Kennedy Center, in the band's honor, was probably more of discomfort and pain. Many felt that he was deeply touched by all the performances in their honor, but when Heart got up to sing, "Stairway" Robert Plant appeared very uncomfortable -- almost horrified. Yes, he was deeply moved, but I believe it was unsettling for him and he may or may not understand WHY, although I think he understands. (Of course, this is conjecture on my part - but I found Plant's reaction to hearing the song just a little odd - even though he did manage an eye tear for it, overwhelmed at the sheer magnitude of effort that was put in to the performing presentation.) From all I've gathered and read concerning this song and the way it came about, I don't believe Robert Plant is comfortable with it and would rather not have to remember the song that ironically made them famous.
Jesus said that Satan is the "prince of this world" and so it is. Sadly, both Plant, Page and Bonham paid a dear and painful price for what they permitted themselves to be influenced by (whether consciously or unconsciously), thus their fame and fortune -- because the angel of light will always demand some form of collateral exchange.
Led Zepplin will go down in history as the most amazingly talented song writers and bands ever! They truly put out memorable music that changed an entire generation of musicians and song writers as they were the Pied Pipers who led many a young soul to the beautiful side of the occult and paganism.
Jeanie - Carmichael, Ca.
I watched DVD The Song Remains The Same for the first time in January 2016. I got chills seeing the pre-9/11 Twin Towers/World Trade Center in the film just before Stairway To Heaven is performed. I remember the day the Towers were destroyed like it was yesterday, and seeing them still standing just before a moving song is about to be played breaks my heart all over again.
Lisa - Usa
On January 1st 1990, radio station WKRL in Clearwater, Florida began playing Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" for twenty-four hours straight, and thus the station started featuring nothing but Led Zeppelin songs...
The experiment last for two weeks and then the station started to mix in other classic rock tunes*...
At the time the quartet's three record LP 'Led Zeppelin Remasters' was at #21 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart; it would peak at #10 and on July 11th, 1993 it reached #1 on the Australian ARIA Albums Chart...
* The first non-Zeppelin song the station aired was "Hells Bells" by AC/DC.
Barry - Sauquoit, Ny
I love Christian rock mostly but this song is genius.
Mike - New Haven, Ct
As for me, I don't like this song... I just looked this up as I am curious of how many people really love it. Here in Philippines, lots of people who were young when this was released love it until now.
Shandroise De Laeken - Davao City, Philippines
One person told me this song was about a prostitute getting ready to kill herself.
Don - Sevierville, Tn
This song is very inspired / in-spirit. Many writers, oh hell, many humans are inspired with wisdom that they themselves sometimes don't even know the significance of, at least not when first inspired.
Are the words satanic? I'd say not. Are they occult? Could very well be. But most people wrongly associate the occult with satanism.
The meaning of the occult has been lost to most people, as has the word origin / the true vibration of many words. Human language, along with many other part of human life had gotten corrupted over time. Some would say occult means "that which is hidden." Well, it did indeed become hidden because there were power hungry people who did indeed want to use the power of the occult but don't want others to do so. So, they wanted to hide it away for themselves and they would literally kill anyone else who knew of it, so that was plenty enough reason for everyone else to hide it away.
But the origin of the word "occult" means the "cult / culture" of "oc / ak". Occult means the culture of light.
And even Life itself tends to reserve the disclosure of occult meaning only to those who truly want it. They may not even think of the culture of light as going by that word "occult" but if people truly desire and intend to get to the truth of life and this world and beyond, then such will over time be revealed to them.
But if someone does not truly desire to know and understand, then not even the truth knocking at their door or provided on a silver platter will get through to them.
We are in a world of duality and this song flat says it itself - two paths to take - so either you are moving towards the light or away from it. One way to think of light is knowingness and not necessarily in a logical sort of way (although not denying that either) but more in an intuitive knowingness. And the complement would be darkness, which could be interpreted as ignorance, which ultimately results in disempowerment.
So, with this as a back drop. I'll interpret these song lyrics.
There's a lady who's sure 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 heaven.
In this context "gold" refers to materialism. This lady is trying to buy her way into heaven, basically trying to buy her happiness and joy through material things and lots of them.
There's a sign on the wall but she wants to be sure
'Cause you know sometimes words have two meanings.
When it comes right down to it, these lines are as much for the listener of the song as for the character in the song. They tell you that that is exactly what is going on here - same words having two meanings. And the lady of the song knows this too - is the "sign" she is seeing telling her one thing or something completely different, is she interpreting the "signs", the subtle divine guidance, correctly?
In a tree by the brook, there's a songbird who sings,
Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiven.
In this world of illusion and darkness / ignorance / unknowingness, it's easy to have doubt and apprehension.
There's a feeling I get when I look to the west,
And my spirit is crying for leaving.
The west is associated with endings or death, "my spirit" is crying to leave this world. This is not the spirit's natural world but is an illusion for the sake of experience.
In my thoughts I have seen rings of smoke through the trees,
And the voices of those who stand looking.
I'll say I'm not sure of exactly how to interpret these lines but I'll go ahead and say that the divine has many ways to send you messages and I've often joked that for those who refuse to "see" the signs, who deny the guidance, I'll say, "How many more ways can the message get sent to you? What is left? Smoke signals?"
And it's whispered that soon, if we all call the tune,
Then the piper will lead us to reason.
If we ask for guidance, we will get it. "Ask and ye shall receive."
And a new day will dawn for those who stand long,
And the forests will echo with laughter.
A new day, a new creation will indeed manifest for those who commit themselves to its creation, then there will indeed be much joyous laughter.
If there's a bustle in your hedgerow, don't be alarmed now,
It's just a spring clean for the May queen.
If there is a stirring beneath the surface, inside you, it's a chance to clean and purify yourself. Flow with it.
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.
In this world of duality, a free-will realm, you can move to the light or away from the light, but even if you've chosen darkness, albeit perhaps unconsciously, you can always choose again and turn back to the light.
Your head is humming and it won't go, in case you don't know,
The piper's calling you to join him,
When you catch the "spark", when you get some clue of the divine message, you just can't shake it, it does indeed make your head hum and the divine is calling you to follow its guidance.
Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow, and did you know
Your stairway lies on the whispering wind?
The divine guidance is often subtle. Are you tuned in to catch that subtle guidance?
And as we wind on down the road
Our shadows taller than our soul.
Sometimes as we move through our earthly lives, we move further into darkness / ignorance / disempowerment and further away from our conscious awareness of our souls.
There walks a lady we all know
Who shines white light and wants to show
How everything still turns to gold.
But someone / something / the divine / life itself wants to shine the light for you and show you... gold! And in this case, here is a word already used in this song, which now has a different meaning, just like the lyrics told you some words have. Early in the lyrics it meant money and materialism, but now it's more to do with alchemy, with turning lead into gold, which is a metaphor for changing a mundane level human into a god, which is their true essence. And "Hu" was a god and hence "hu-man" means "god-man".
And if you listen very hard
The tune will come to you at last.
If you learn to recognize the divine's subtle guidance you will indeed hear it.
When all are one and one is all
When you again realize your own personal wholeness and unity, then also see your unity with all else, but this order is significant - unify all parts of your own individuation first - recognize and reconnect with your soul and your creative powers - then you can truly unify with other beings.
To be a rock and not to roll.
Be committed, firm, diligent in knowing the truth, in knowing your true divine and powerful self, be a rock...and in not getting caught back up into the world of illusion and distraction that wants to keep you from being your powerful and divine self, do not roll back into ignorance and disempowerment and separation from the divine / spirit / your soul.
And she's buying a stairway to heaven.
And that is the true way to heaven.
Rick - Heaven
Jimmy had already recorded some demos of the acoustic introduction in October 1970, during their second stay at Bron-yr-Aur. Part of the track already existed before the band went to Headley Grange to prepare and record the album, but the final composition (notably Plant's lyrics) and the arrangements were completed in Headley.
Although Jimmy's famous guitar solo for the studio version of the song was done on his Fender Telecaster, in order to be able to play this masterpiece in concert, he bought what was to become one of the icons of the band, namely the famous Gibson (EDS-1275 Doubleneck), featuring 12 strings on the upper neck and 6 on the other (the 6-string neck was used for the arpeggio in the introduction and the solo, the 12-string neck for the rest of the song), which was a heavy equipment to carry in concert. Contrary to what is often read, Jimmy Page didn't have this model made to measure for himself: it has been in Gibson's catalogue since 1958, but it had remained distributed on a confidential basis until Jimmy made it famous. John McLaughlin, for instance, had used it before him.
There are no satanist hidden messages neither in "Stairway To Heaven," nor in "Hotel California" by the Eagles or other songs 'accused' of containing hidden messages when played backwards (even if some deliberated cases do exist, such as "Empty Spaces" by Pink Floyd and "Fire On a High" by Electric Light Orchestra). These rumors were launched in California by a committee of puritan parents and religious leaders who wanted to show that rock 'n' roll was leading children to satanism. They listened to dozen and dozen of tracks backwards (!) , hoping to find evidence in line with the above.
The line "all that glitters is gold" is a reference to Lord of The Rings,
"All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost."
Alloowishus - The Moon
I love this song. I think that music and any other kind of art doesn't have (need) to be original, I mean, I don't think originality ever existed. Many people along the centuries had made many works of art too much similar, if it had some difference it depended to the culture of each people in world. So to finish, I don't care. And about these "occultism references", I don't understand any kind of those things. But what I think it's interesting, that many european people enjoy (can I put this word?) the occultism and it's like a taboo etc. I would to understand what makes them to turn to the occult side, not only about this song, but to many more.
Roberta Trevisan Marques De Souza - Sao Paulo
This song I hate with a passion, drones on for 10 minutes it was a staple of parties in the 70's and early 80's ranks alongside Freebird for atmosphere depressant.
Brian Foley - Tasmania
I used to love these guys for their music but after learning of how much music they stole from others and assigned to themselves, I just hate them!
Frige - Vancouver, Bc
Enough with the Satan crap, God is better btw, go to church. It is a good song!
Zachary - Blythewood, Sc
A demon channeled song about satanism. It says that the are two paths to go by, but clearly going to Satan is the better choice.
Carlos - San Juan, Puerto Rico
This is a theory that the song is basically one big tarot card reading: http://www.theweeklings.com/golear/2014/03/03/song-beneath-the-song-stairway-to-heaven-by-led-zeppelin/
Skip - New York, Ny
This song is played a whole step lower in Celebration Day compared to its studio version to accommodate Plant's lower voice.
Anthony - Westbury, Ny
The lyrics of this song are simply littered with veiled references to Satanism, such as changing from the Stairway To Heaven and going along a different route, and actually contain clues that there is a backward message on the song. What about 'If you listen very hard, the tune will come to you at last', for instance? Also, the numerous references to whispering in the song are also probably meant to indicate that there has been a backward message whispered onto it. And another thing what about the 'Four Symbols' on the album cover? What are they supposed to represent? It is a known fact that Rush, who received much of their musical inspiration from Led Zeppelin, feature a Pentagram, or Satanic symbol, on some of their album covers.
Philip - Manchester, United Kingdom
We 're sure that Robert Plant grow up with a lot of poems. I suppose he inspired by "Twelve Lays of a Gypsy" wrote by Kostes Palamas , a greek poet. In this poem Palamas describes a gypsy woman who knows everything about the future. [basically she can tell you everything if you pay her with gold -There's a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold..Who shines white light and wants to show how everything still turns to gold]
The poem starts with this :
"Though the interwoven shadows
Crept an evanescent gleam
Mingled still with night
And it was my mind's own dawning
Of the light"
In Greek language ιt is clear that it talks about a lady , describes her as a "gleam"
But the most important part of this poem is below [unfortunately I couldn't find a translated English book for this]
"The love of God will regrets you,
and a new dawn will come,
[And a new day will dawn for those who stand long]
and the redemption will call you
[The piper's calling you to join him]
Οh soul beaten by the pity,
[my spirit is crying for leaving]
and you will hear the saviors' calling
[The tune will come to you at last]
you will undress the cloth of sin,
[Our shadows taller than our soul]
and again, ruled and free,
you will loiter like grass, like the birds,
[tree by the brook, there's a songbird who sings,etc]
like a woman's stature, like a wave,
you don't have another stair (rung) below
you will roll too deep
[To be a rock and not to roll]
on the stair of bad
and climbing again calls you,
you will feel your wings to grow
The wings that you first used to have,
the big ones."
Flora - Thessaloniki, Greece
A highly addictive song... one of the best ever.
Sameer - Bangalore, India
Even if this song was pro-Satan (which I don't think it is) it's ultimately YOU and YOU alone who has a choice. If you choose to follow God or Satan that's up to you. God gave you free will. You can listen to this song all you want but it can't influence you. (That's assuming it's even a Satanic song)
BTW - I believe that Satan works for God and vice-versa, but that's just me...
Zero - Nowhere, Nj
Just thought I'd say that I do not believe the "back masking" thing. Some people are just full of crap.
Thomas - Roswell, Nm
A couple of thoughts about "Stairway," which I have enjoyed ever since I first heard it. Yes, Page was into Crowley and all that occultist nonsense. He purchased his mansion and even took up his unfortunate heroin addiction. But here is the important point people seem to overlook: PLANT WROTE THE LYRICS! Even if you want to buy the "backward masking" theory -- which both Plant and Page (who produced the album) swear up and down did NOT occur -- the author of the lyrics had nothing to do with Satanism. Full stop.
Secondly, for the definitive cover version of "Stairway," look no further than Frank Zappa's 1988 band, which features a note-for-note rendition of Page's solo by a full horn section! Trust me, you will not be disappointed.
Kwami - Washington Dc, Dc
In a broadcast of the 35th annual Kennedy Center Honors (December 2012), Robert Plant got teary when Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart paid tribute to his band Led Zeppelin, with Ann Wilson singing "Stairway to Heaven" and Nancy on acoustic guitar. An amazing vocal performance by Ann...check it out on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JK_DOJa99oo
Camille - Toronto, Oh
There is no backward message in this song. People who believe there is are deluded.
Geoff - London, United Kingdom
What baffles me about this song is that so many people say this song is "Satanic" because some one listened to this song backwards and thought that it sounded SIMILAR to some Satanic message. What I have to say about all of this is that the song wasn't recorded to be played and interpreted backwards. It almost ruins the song completely. I think that it shows stupidity in full frontal view. Don't get me wrong, this song is definitely one of if not the greatest song to ever be recorded, but don't come to me saying, " Led Zeppelin and similar bands ( Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, etc.) are Satanic.", because it is just simple an over-examination of the bands and their material. Why don't we all just listen to the greatest band of all time without making false claims made with little to no evidence of the accusations. Please reply if you think along the same lines or if you wish to attempt to prove me wrong. Thanks
Seth - Ingleside, Tx
..Re: If played backwards, the line "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" goes as follows: "My sweet Satan, the one will be the sad one, who makes me sad, who's power is Satan." So Robert Plant later states "To me it's very sad, because 'Stairway to Heaven' was written with every best intention" The one who planted the backwards lyrics (path) is the one (Page) who makes Robert sad. Robert's forward lyrics are on the other path; his power is not Satan -its the reverse direction up the stairway.. Common knowledge Page was following Satan at the time. He planted the backwards stuff. "My sweet satan" is how God might say it, as satan was Gods favorite angel. When connected in extreme clarity, one can sense some depth of Gods beautiful amazing universe and satans negative pull and alluring force against that...to minimize and turn our direction down the stairs, in our limited perception that what glitters is gold, etc. What glitters most is on the forward path.
Steve - Austin, Tx
In a Tree by the brook there's a songbird who sings, Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiven. The songbird is singing the song called Stairway to heaven, his name is Robert. In lore the willow growing on a riverbank with its cascading leaves falling over the water is a familiar one, evoking the concept of life, death and rebirth. Misgiven means a myriad of things, here as a purposeful effort "to impart fear to; to make irresolute". Cause you know words have two (note just two) meanings indicates two directions.
Steve - Austin, Tx
I love the song, but at one point I imagined it might be intimating a different meaning than the whole satanic thing and maybe a little of the religious stuff. I think we can agree that "sometimes words have two meanins" refers to buying/bying. As she is either getting closer or purchasing the stairway to heaven. "with a word she can get what she came for, she is buying what she came for. Now here is the stretch, Zepplelin were not innocents, by that I mean they probably partied a bit. I knew Innocent myself, but I would imagine that they all experience their youth much more than I. So, I had friend in college that would just go to nature for a few days and just hang out. Smoke some bud and camp. "See the rings of smoke through the woods" so to speak. So it occurs to me that the figurative "stairway to heaven" is the act of getting high and "she" can buy it with a "word".
John - Florence, Ky
so many versions are put into writing. what is the answer. does anyone really know. the words have to be rediscovered.
Kimberly - Landing, Nj
I LOVE this song. I hate it when people tell me to play backwards, they're always telling that I'm gonna go to hell because of the backwards messages. MUSIC ISN"T SUPPOSED TO BE BACKWARDS!
Grayson - New Orleans, La
The stairs resume like a spiral staircase, all that glitters is gold.
she gets what she wants, she doesnt realize the spiral stairs that is , somewhat sad.
makes us all wonder where r spirit is
the voices show us the way.
if we all listen to the nature in its form .
if there s two roads follow ur soul.
if u can hear it, stop n pause n listen.
Kimberly - Landing, Nj
when will people stop hearing backwards lyrics as satanic? I have always loved Fire on High because they make fun of all you idiots.
Peter - Bcc, Az
I believe their talking about the May Day Festivals..."The May Queen is a girl (usually a teenage girl from a specific school year) who is selected to ride or walk at the front of a parade for May Day celebrations. She wears a white gown to symbolise purity and usually a tiara or crown. Her duty is to begin the May Day celebrations. She is generally crowned by flowers and makes a speech before the dancing begins. Certain age groups dance round a Maypole celebrating youth and the spring time.
According to popular British folklore, the tradition once had a sinister twist, in that the May Queen was put to death once the festivities were over. The veracity of this belief is difficult to establish, but while in truth it might just be an example of anti-pagan propaganda, frequent associations between May Day rituals, the occult and human sacrifice are still to be found in popular culture today. The Wicker Man, a cult horror film starring Christopher Lee, is a prominent example of these associations." -Wikipedia
Now, i think he's talking of the innocent female that they sacrifce, his thoughts on why she would do it, and the unliying fact that they she believes in HER FAITH that she will go to heaven at the end of this Evil/Satanic festival/ritual. SHe's a Rock and stands on her beliefs instead of ROLLing along with this rest of their evil ways. Maybe she'd rather announce her faith and die for it to get away from such a nasty society of people. They can take her virtue and her life but they cant take her faith nor her spot in heaven. The Piper is the Devil. The smoke rings are a cry for help, "my spirits crying 4 leaving" he thinks about leaving this hell hole too. "can u hear the wind blow..." means dont u know their gonna murder u? theirs so many clues. "words have 2 meanings" is a clue. etc... I think The band wasnt gona reveal the truth in fear of their own lives or maybe to protect the satanic secret society. Well thats I think guys. Thanks.
Tawny - Kansas City, Mo
There's been no end for this "satanic backmasking" debate, because it all comes down some people believe in it, some don't, but real problem is the misconception of what Satanic means.
You see, almost all people who posted have a visual idea that Satan followers are dark, murky, shadowy creatures who entertain by sacrificing children in late hours of night, drinking blood, performing sexual magic, or any other stereotype, and they visualise Satan as some red skinned pointy tailed horny demon that has his fun in Hell.
But all that is illusion.
You don't have to be evil to follow the will of Satan, because if Satan exist, he is a glorious angel, much more smarter, better looking and intelligent than any other being on earth, and he doesn't want to hurt people, he wants to be revered and worshipped. If he wanted to make a song that could praise him by being played backwards and forwards, he could compose it without breaking sweat. He would only have to influence some poor human to sing it in correct way, record it and that's all. Those humans even don't have to believe or worship Satan as deity, they would only have to let themselves be inspired by some powerful force. And if you look at the different arts, some of the most compelling poems and stories have been done through such inspiration ("the pen just started writing in my hand") also known as channeling.
And the magnificence of Stairway to Heaven is just in that fact, that the song performance as recorded on LZIV couldn't be repeated live or by other artists to get consistent backward message. Therefore most praised song in the history shouldn't be credited to mere mortals, bacause they haven't got ability, mental capacity or the artistic skill to create such backward/forward masterpiece on purpose. Therefore Plant and Page are telling the truth, it wasn't their intention to do backmasking.
But just because Satan influenced them to make this song doesn't make LZ or Stairway evil per se.
For believers it is also a fact that our world is ruled by Satan, so why wouldn't ANYother popular mainstream music be created by his inspiration? He is after all, greatest artist of entire universe.
Gordon - Ljubljana, Slovenia
Perhaps humankind's evolution of consciousness is this ballad's subject of shared appeal, resonating with our deep-rooted desires to transcend the material world and return to the spiritual experience of oneness. The lyrics allude to a variety of esoteric topics – from the ancient Mystery Traditions, Druidic magic and alchemy, to recent literary works and the coming age of spiritual enlightenment – to arrive at the lady's rediscovery of her own divinity and a message of hope for all.
Travis - Obelisk, Dc
Lets try & settle this Satanic crap once & for all. I grew up in the turn table age & yes like many easily influnenced teens I bought into the backward messages. We removed the belt drive from our turn table & spun the record,(Zeppelin Four, Stairway to Heaven) backwards. Once we had the correct speed we heard clear as day exactly what we were told we were going to here,(sic) My sweet Satan, etc etc. Shocked & blown away we all believed that our beloved Zeppelin had sold their sould to the devil. After throwing out all of our Zeppelin Lp's, tee shirts, posters & God knows what else, we as a group of young music fans turned off the Zeppelin for waht we thought would be forever. The year was 1980 & as living proof to their Satanic ways, John Bohnham dies...at Jimmy Pages house no less. There it was, confirmation that the boys from Zeppelin were in fact Satan worshipers. Then...to the great delight of missinformed Zeppelin fans the world wide, this ridiculous mtyh was put to bed for good. I don't recall the name, but I can swear to you, even on a stack of Bibles, that this is true, a music professor from a university in I think Lethbridge Alberta Canada, demonstrated that the idea of backwwards messaging was achieved by the power of suggestive thinking. On National Television, he played a sample of some song I had never heard before. He played 45 seconds of the song in the normal forward manner, then he played the exact same 45 seconds backwards. He asked his TV audieince if they could make out any words when the song was played backwards, I think I recall maybe hearing a word or two, but nothing that jumped out. Then he looked right in the camera & said, "listen very closely & you are going to hear, Mary had a little lamb". Well he plays the sample backward & just as clear as day, I, & every other person watching & listening that night heard, very clearly, Mary had a little lamb. The professor went on to say that if he were to suggest that we DO NOT picture a purple elelphant in a sink, we would automaticly picture it. The same rule applies for Stairway to Heaven, had we not been told what o listen for, we would not have heard the so called backward Satanic messages. Want further proof? Take any cover version of Stairway, in fact grab the least likley two versions tp contain Satanic messages, Tiny Tim & Dolly Parton's versions, & play them backwards at the exact same spots you think you can hear t& whata ya know..you hear the same freaking thing !! Its a great song written by great musicians, period !! Good day. I said Good day !!
Brent - Kamloops, Bc
FYI - I'm listening to a vinyl album I bought in the early 80's. It's a collection of recordings of Zeppelin working specifically on Black Dog, Stairway, and No Quarter. When I say working on them... different words and humming to Stairway.... wrote 90% the first time? Not sure about that. This album has been supported through some research, titled "and IV to go"...and for crying out loud, when you listen, you know it's them. They discuss how to put parts of stairway together.... missed timing.... pretty amazing....... Robert is just learning... John Paul is just learning.... the last track has a more consistent version, but robert is singing La, La, La, La, La at one point (around 4:55 or 5:00).... I'll email a few if interested....
Mike - Laramie, Wy
There is a claim made that the intro of "Stairway to Heaven" was influenced by Spirit's "Taurus". OTOH there is evidence that Spirit themselves nicked their song from Davey Graham's acoustic version of "Cry Me a River". Graham's song was issued in 1958, ten years before "Taurus" came out. The video clip for "Cry Me a River" can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWeejHJxGjs It is quite clear that large sections of "Taurus" was taken from Graham's song without credit.
P - Lakewood, Oh
In London in the late 70s/early 80s, "Little" Nicky Horne run the Friday Night Rock Show on Capital 95.8 FM radio. Each week, there was a phone vote for a favourite track of the week that Nicky would play during the show if it got the most votes. After a few weeks, Nicky would say, "We WILL play Stairway To Heaven. I GUARANTEE we will play Stairway To Heaven. Now please vote for which OTHER track you'd like played!"
Jon - Cambridge, United Kingdom
There are two conflicting facts at the top of this page. One says they first played this song in Ireland in 71 and then a few comments down it quotes Page as saying they played it first at LA Forum. Which is it?
Editor's note: The first time they played it was Belfast. Page was probably talking about the first time they played it at the Forum.
Jesse - Gaffney, Sc
This song is no more about communing Satan than is amazing grace. Through our lives we are conditioned into an egoist state of mind where we view ourselves as somehow separate from the rest of the world but at the same time the center of it. It is an illusionary state in which we identify with a set of concepts, feelings, opinions, and judgments about past experiences. Then wrap it all into a big ball convince ourselves that our big ball of nothingness is a rock solid substantial thing, it is our own little shadow "reality" in which we root our identity, and we name it "ME". Then we protect our shadow reality "ME" from the other seven billion shadow reality "ME's" that have been imagined up. Our "ME" becomes our eyes and ears and it begins to think and react based on the rules of its own little reality. We feed our "ME" more ideas, concepts, opinions and judgments to make them seem even more "substantially" separate. "ME" can only perceive existence from a you vs. me, outside vs. inside, up vs. down, good vs. evil, white vs. black, good vs. bad, allies vs. enemies, boys vs. girls, rich vs. poor, heaven vs. hell… and therefore it lives in constant fear of opposing forces, yet at the same time it counts on opposing forces to bring it happiness. To attain happiness it depends on external concepts such as wealth, friends, family… and when these things disappoint it reacts with suspicion, anger, violence, hatred…. We know deep down that this is not reality so we are unsatisfied with our "me", we long for true happiness. What the "me" doesn't realize is that happiness or "heaven" is laid out right before our eyes and that every moment is perfection we just have to stop trying to see it through the conceptual, opinionated, judgmental, egocentric, eyes of ego. This song is conveying a message that shedding the conjured "me" or "ego" and coming back to reality, that understanding the oneness of the universe and that nothing is really separate and the idea of opposing forces is all in our heads, is a direct path to attaining true happiness.
Tallismortallic - St George , Ut
This song has been such a heated topic on if it is Satanic or not. Robert Plant today tours with his Band of Joy and I will let you know that He sings a song called "Satan Your Kingdom Must Come Down!" also he performs songs in his live show that are out of the Psalms. If you do not believe this then go to YouTube. Stairway to Heaven is "A song of Hope" You can hear Robert say this in one the the vintage live performances even today on YouTube. Whatever the reason people feel the need to project fear into listening to this song they are misguided and if you truly have Christ in your heart no song will change that. I grew up in High School the year this song was released and I can tell you that NO one I ever knew listened to this song backwards. This was a publicity stunt to get people inflamed and that is all!
Ladysensei - Charleston, Sc
Theres nothing satanic about this song, OK? What is it with Christians and Rock Music? We can't be christian and listen to rock music? Its better to listen to something with heart and meaning, then some trashy pop crap like Lady Gaga!
Zach - Tallahassee, Fl
I've heard various cover versions of this song some of them not much different to Led Zeppelins version surely if all were played back in reverse it could be proved whether or not there is a message in it and what do the other artists who covered this song think? I think that too many people have been watch that film crossroads played by the guy who starred
in back to the future, Do you remember it? I think that these theories are a load of rubbish and bunkum
The persons who know the answer to the Satanist theory's have already been asked, Robert Plant said
the following; Robert Plant addressed the issue in an interview with Musician magazine: "'Stairway To Heaven' was written with every best intention, and as far as reversing tapes and putting messages on the end, that's not my idea of making music. It's really sad. the first time I heard it was early in the morning when I was living at home, and I heard it on a news program. I was absolutely drained all day. I walked around, and I couldn't actually believe, I couldn't take people seriously who could come up with sketches like that. There are a lot of people who are making money there, and if that's the way they need to do it, then do it without my lyrics. I cherish them far too much. Unquote. Why oh why do people have to look
for something that's not there, This is a beautiful song and full of meaning this has been proven by the amount
of times that it's been covered, It is an all time classic and let us enjoy it as such,
Joseph - Atherstone, United Kingdom
It really annoys me to see all these people who believe there are satanic messages in the song. It's foolish, just foolish. If you listen to something already listening for some satanic message, your mind is being primed to hear a message even if there's nothing meaningful there! You're going to make meaning out of nonsense!
It's a psychological fact that has been proven! If you're given a sample of meaningless sound, you listen to it and cannot define anything special about it, that's what it is! However, if someone beforehand tells you to listen for a certain phrase or message that's in the meaningless sound, you're going to think you heard some meaningful sound! It's exactly what's happening here and it's a shame that so many are fooled by other people priming them would to think.
Colin - Glen Rock, Nj
(sorry, hit 'send' before I finished my 'origins og the title' lecture).
Anyway, locals have called Hatton locks the Stiarway to Heaven for a long time, so I assume Robert Plant would be familiar with the place. Interestingly, it is in example of an early industrial feature encroaching into an area of great rural beauty, a theme also explored by Tolkein in Lord of the rings, who also grew up in the same area...
Neil - Solihull, United Kingdom
I've read everything that's been written about this song, but I think I can add something that's never been suggested before - where the title may come from.
I've seen only two suggestions as to where it might derive from - either an earlier Neil sedaka song of the same name, or from some (vaguely) similar lyrics from an earlier Procul Harum song. both theories having been denied by Zeppelin themselves.
However, my theory (and it is only a theory) stems from the fact that Robet Plant grew up in, and has always lived in, the same part of England - namely the Worcestershire /Warwickshire region south of Birmingham - a fact confirmed by the landlord of one of his local pubs only 2 days ago. Now, only a few miles from there is a part of the Grand Union Canal (a famous waterway built in the Industrial Revolution in England) where there is a flight of 21 locks which stretches over 2 miles - and has been known as the 'Stairway to Heaven
Neil - Solihull, United Kingdom
In my opinion, one of the best solos of all time.
Quinn - Girouxville, Ab
That Christian Parody Band, Apologetix, parodizes it with "The Narrow Way To Heaven".
Mike - Norwalk, Ct
Does anyone else think it says something about people who get all hot and bothered about the supposed presence of references to "satan" when Stairway is played backwards, and they don't even know how to spell it? ;-) "Satin" is a kind of fabric, guys. Have you perhaps got Stairway confused with the jazz standard "Satin Doll"?
Richard - Tigard, Or
One of the masterpieces of music, one of my five all time greatest popular music songs
James - Dublin, Ireland
Is it just me or can anybody else see a reference to the movie "Wicker Man" here?
Bmn - Hisuan, Argentina
If you play the record album backwards after the verse - "If there's a bussel in your hedgegrove don't be alarmed now it's just a sprinkling for the may queen, yes there are two paths you can go by but in the long run there's still time to change the road your on" (forgive me if I don't have all the lyrics right) - you'll here definite and obvious references to satan ("satan is the one," etc. etc.). I'm not joking, I grew up during the era of record albums and we used to play it backwards all the time, unfortunately you can't do it with CD's, but if you get the record album and a turntable you'll hear it, it's very clear. Now whether this makes them satanists or it was just some marketing thing by the record company I don't know, but it's definitely there.
Larry - Sacramento, Ca
I believe that Jimmy Page made the backwards messages on purpose. I don't think he made them to be a Satan follower, however. I think he made the messages so people would hear about the messages and go out and buy the album. And that's also why they didn't release it as a single, so people had to buy the whole album! And BTW i think that everything Jimmy from Boleskin House, UK, said was true. But when you get to the end of it, read his name again. LOL.
Mike - Luvshuck, Pa
This song is about his love for satin. I have no respect for a man who hides behind a organization of cowards. What a waste of none talent. what a disappointment. There is a message in his songs that you are getting rather you want it or not. Up to you how you live you life and that will determine the strong minded from the weak minded
Illuminati Spam - Kentucky, Ky
Stairway To Heaven has earned over $500,000,000.00 all by itself. More than any other single rock song in history.
Ron - East Aurora, Ny
Robert Plant said he wrote this for new things to come like when he says if theres a bustle in your hedegrow dont be alarmed now it is just a springclean for the may queen. It means that if there is a problem in your way the mayqueen will get it out of the way. The mayqueen is something that is good in your life. That is what Robert Plant said. ALso he stated that the song meant for new things cause i guess teeanagers wanted new things back then
Ty - Wyoming, Mi
It was either Robert Plant or Jimmy Page who was obsessed with the Lord of the Rings books and the lyrics reflect that. Actually quite a few of Zep's songs contain references to Tolkien. Now as far as this so called "back masking" garbage. People give it a break. I have played some of these songs backwards via software on my laptop computer and you know what? I have never heard a single "satanic" message. Yes there are anomolies sometimes but that is all it is. People can believe whatever they think just don't post your opinions as fact unless you have hard evidence. Thank you.
Joe - Boston, Ma
All these posts made me decide once and for all where I stand in the debate about hidden Satanic messages: I just don't care. Forward it's a great song, leave it at that.
Tim - Springfield, Ma
i remember this one bit in Wayne's World where Wayne and his friend are at a guitar shop and there's a sign on the wall that says;
'no Stairway To Heaven'
I found that really funny because i am a huge Led Zeppelin fan. but, i wonder happens if they did play 'Stairway To Heaven'. i know one question;
they be expelled from the building.
thanks for the safety
Karl - Ingatestone, United Kingdom
great song, espcially the accoustic beginning . 9/10
Ivy - Springfield, Ne
Here we have people that write garbage that some moron sent them in their email, and they believe every freaking word of it. Satanist? The lyrics cited by these idiots don't come close to what they say it does when heard backwards. I'm sure you're too scared to try it. No, they did not find bones of giants in the middle east. You people are silly.
This song is great!
Chris - Reno, Nv
This is one of my favourite songs ever!
Ivy - Springfield, Ne
Perhaps occultists wrote "Here's to my sweet Satan... with that sound Satan" etc. and disguised it w/ backmasking, & Led Zeppelin expanded with a heavenly message, knowing absolutely nothing of the backmasking. Maybe that's a chink in Led Zep armor that occultists find to abuse Led Zep's work. Or maybe, just maybe, it was coincidence & someone played it backwards & wrote down Satanic lyrics as a joke, for the sole sake of giving Led Zep a hard time. I personally know nothing of Led Zep's beliefs. That's between Led Zep and God.
Drew - B\'ham, Al
Not going to write a thesis on whether or not this song is satanic or not satanic. If all you have to do all day is write a freakin book on a post about a song, then you do indeed have a sad, sad life. I don't particularly like Stairway to Heaven. It's largely over-rated.
Ken - Pittsburgh, Pa
mary j blige did a horrible version of this just recently.When will people understand there are just certain songs you should NEVER EVER try to redo.....this is the one that should be banned to play by others,kinda like in "Waynes World." It will be interesting to see if Jason Bonham's band will be playing the song; as they are going out on tour as a tribute to Led Zeppelin in summer 2010.
Lisa - Blountville , Tn
first i would like to say i love this band and song, second, there are no messages in this song referring to satin, seriously, it was the 60s and 70s when they were around, all drugs all the time, do you really think that they would do such a thing, instaed of being crittacl about a song you dont even know what its about, listen to the beauty of the song, listen to what it really means,its such a great song instrumentally and vocally, i am a freshman and at my school people who dont even know who led zeppelin are and say stuff about this song. before you start judging a work of art, listen to it and let it into your soul and understand thats its beautiful and meaningful. and jean, led zeppelin is a great band,a nd so seriously shut up with the negitive comments.
Sara - Kenosha, United Kingdom
LED ZEPPELIN's Zoso (pronounced Sozo) album has a hierglyphic which is a stylized 666. Led Zeppelin is satanic to the
core. The band introduced personal occult symbols on one of their albums. Guitarist Jimmy Page of Zeppelin is a devout
follower of Satanist, Aleister Crowley, who proclaimed himself as "The Beast 666." Aleister Crowley was also a 33rd and 97th
Degree Freemason and is recognized as the master Satanist of the 20th century. In 1971, guitarist Jimmy Page bought
Crowley's Boleskine House on the shore of Loch Ness where Crowley practiced his hellish, satanic sex-magick rituals,
including human sacrifices. Guitarist Jimmy Page actually performed Crowley magical rituals during their concerts. Their
song "Stairway to Heaven" carries the reference "May Queen," which is the name of a hideous poem by Crowley. Page
had inscribed in the vinyl of their album Led Zeppelin III, Crowley's famous "Do what thou wilt. So mete it Be.' Page and
Robert Plant claim some of Zeppelins' songs came via occultic "automatic handwriting," including their popular "Stairway
to Heaven." Stephen Davis in the Hammer of the Gods, details the occult inspiration of "Stairway to Heaven." "Robert described
the 'automatic' nature of the lyric: 'I was just sitting there with Pagey in front of a fire at Headley Grange. Pagey had written the
chords and played them for me. I was holding a paper and pencil, and for some reason, I was in a very bad mood. Then all of a
sudden my hand was writing out words. 'There's a lady who's sure, all that glitters is gold, and she's buying a stairway to heaven.'
I just sat there and looked at the words and then I almost leaped out of my seat.'" (Stephen Davis, Hammer of the Gods, p. 164).
One line of the song, says, "you know sometimes words have TWO MEANINGS." They should know -- the song is
drenched in satanic backmasking! One part when played forward, says: "Yes, their are two paths you can go by, but in the long
run there's still time to change the road you're on." But when played backwards, you clearly hear: There's no escaping it, oh it's
my sweet Satan, the one whose path makes me sad, whose power is Satan." Oh I will sing because I live with Satan."
Some of the words, typical of witch language, having a double-meaning. The line: "And when you wind on down the road, the
shadow's taller than your soul," means that Satan is supposed to be stronger than us. Page said it was taken from the writings of
a Druid priest, hundreds of years ago. Other parts of the song, when played in reverse, say: "I live for Satan," "The Lord turns me
off," "Here is to my sweet Satan," "There's power in Satan," and "Take the 666."
This is the number one song in rock history! Just a coincidence -- not hardly!
Roy - Redondo Beach, Ca
Hi All,
In an interview with Led Zepplin, a couple of them stated that Stairway to Heaven was NOT a negative song and that most people get bogged down with the first few lines. Listen to all of the lyrics and quit projecting!
Mona - Burnaby, Bc
I really don't understand why people would butcher a wonderful song by playing it backwards it's a real waste. If you really listen to the lyrics there is A LOT of references to the bible and Jesus, even is you don't believe in God it still makes you feel like you were climbing a stairway to heaven yourself. People just like to find ways to complain about everything.
Kyl - Mesa, Az
honestly i hate how people are saying this is a satanic song if any thing this is a religous song people should honestly shut up about it because its a great song people are reading way to much into it if robert plant and jimmy paige heard about this they would probably be like oh wow are record is satanic???haha i mean come on they were probably stoned when the wrote it ol!!!X]
Livvie - Fresno, Ca
@ ben, west bend, Afghanistan
That's not really true, I have that recording, and i cant hear any unsatisfied people...
I have lots of recordings frome the 1971 tour, where they played this song before it was released on album, and the public is actually very quiet at the beginning, and roaring at the end...
Gerwin - Amsterdam, Netherlands
Many good comments and stuff i never heard before.
Skid Row do an excellent version of this find it on youtube. Listening to the Great White version now. The Song remains the same version, also live, is so much better even from a production standpoint but it is nice to hear different versions. Search Amazon and there are hundreds of version of this song but many are doubles.
Musically i believe it is the best song ever recorded. If it was not for the Page solo then it would still be a good song. The solo just puts it in a league of its own. Its the perfect guitar solo. Favorite version has always been 'The Song Remains The Same' live one from i think around '73-'75. Jimmy Page sounds fantastic, some parts are cut between the different nights but its all live.
I dont think its all that deep lyrically. But they are definitely cool lyrics. The backwards masking is weird but i think its coincidence. The song is called stairway to heaven.
Marcesco - Brooklyn, Ny
Skid Row do an excellent version of this, listening to the Great White version now. The Song remains the same version, also live, is so much better even from a production standpoint but it is nice to hear different versions. Search Amazon and there are hundreds of version of this song but many are doubles.
Musically i believe it is the best song ever recorded. If it was not for the Page solo then it would still be a good song. The solo just puts it in a league of its own. Its the perfect guitar solo. Favorite version has always been 'The Song Remains The Same' live one from i think around '73-'75. Jimmy Page sounds fantastic, some parts are cut between the different nights but its all live.
I dont think its all that deep lyrically. But they are definitely cool lyrics. The backwards masking is weird but i think its coincidence. The song is called stairway to heaven. LOL...
Marcesco - Brooklyn, Ny
Who cares if it has so called "santanic messages". Why don't you people saying that listen to Highway to Hell. That'll get your panties in a wad.
Tyler - Greeneville, Tn
That thing about Aliester Crowley's house and Page is so overdone and misleading. Crowley is actually quite misunderstood. He was really experimenting with expanding his own spiritual horizons, and thought that the way to do it was by summoning dark spirits and trying to convert them to respect goodness. He thought that this would give him a reward and lead to his finding his own higher spiritual self - what some people refer to as a "Spirit Guide". Look it up - that's what he was about. I don't follow Crowley personally, but he's not the big bad wolf people make him out to be. Maybe just a little eccentric. Because Jimmy Page bought the house formerly owned by Aleister Crowley doesn't mean anything in my opinion. All that garbage about Page and Stairway being played backwards is so unfortunate. I think Page really bought Boleskine House for the view of the Loch if you ask me. I am a big student of Page's music, and I see him as a kind and gentle man, who broadened all of our horizons with his timeless music and songwriting. Nobody writes or plays like Page does, regardless of where people say he parked his car in the 80's. And who wouldn't take the chance to record at Headley Grange? Apparently the acoustics are fabulous! If you listen to the song "Bad Company" The whole Led Zeppelin IV album and Fleetwood Mac's "Rumors", you can hear that there is a special quality to recordings made there. I love stairway To Heaven - and I tend to see it as a positive and bright song rather than a negative one. Personally, I don't see where that other perception comes from.
Bill - Bound Brook, Nj
I dunno you guys, but I always found the lyrics strangely similar to Like a Rolling Stone from dylan.I mean this woman who thinks that by having money she can have anything she wants, but suddenly she himself finds at some point of her life where all those sort of things she thought were important lost it's value, and she doesn't know what to do in order to ''survive'' without those things.
This makes a lot sense in THAT final lines ''And if you listen very hard
The truth will come to you at last
When all are one and one is all
To be a rock and not to roll ''
Jimmy - Galicia, Spain
I saw Led Zeppelin twice in Rochester, New York...and I will never forget it!!!
John - Hamlin, Ny
Well, first off, the song is very real, both forwards and backwards. That does not make this song a satanically inspired song though. Perhaps the opposite is true. Let's look at the deeper meanings which the artists are depicting to uncover the realities in the song. We notice is speaks of a lady or nation, dressed in Jewels whom has glorified herself in her wealth. She has glorified herself so much that she thinks she can buy her way into heaven with her wealth. Only to find out that heaven on earth or the millennial reign of the Messiah will not allow her to purchase her way out, all the stores are closed for her. Her wealth means nothing how. With all her magicians and soothsayers, she attempts to read the signs on the wall through ancient Babylonian druidic rituals, but they fail her as she can not interpret the dual meanings of the lyrics in the music and mysteries of the signs. However a song bird sings of all our collective thoughts. As they look to the West, towards America, Mystery, Babylon, the lady dressed in Jewels, our spirits cry to leave us, for dread of the horror she brings on the earth. In the thoughts of each other we have see rings of smoke in the trees representing the voices of those whom stand on watch. The whispers come out to call us all in tune, and harmony. The someday for those who stand long, the piper will lead us all to reason. When that day arrives, and the woman is not allowed to buy her way into heaven on earth, the forest will echo with our laughter. If there is a bustle in your hedgerow or normal routine on earth, don't be alarmed. It is just a spring clean for the May queen whom comes to purify the earth of all the Satanic forces. Yes, there are always two paths you can go by, but there is time still to change from the bad one you may be on. Yes people, your head is humming and you won't go, because you don't know the master piper is calling you to join him. Dear lady of wealth can hear the wind blow, as she carries you every which way but right. You don't know, because your stairway lies on the whispering wind, which does not go to heaven. You can not buy your way in. The truth has now come to us, now that we are all one. We know who the lady is now, collectively, America in the West. So the message here is do not follow the Babylonian Harlot, America, whom is steep Babylonian rituals trying to read the signs on the wall as ancient druids did.
When we play it backwards we see the other half of the story. There is an entire poem enclosed in the song from beginning to end also, very incredible. These men must be masters of some ancient elder group which rarely appears on earth. We see hints of it in Kashmir as we read these lyrics they can make us understand. Oh let the sun beat down upon my face
With stars to fill my dream.
I am a traveler of both time and space
To be where I have been.
To sit with elders of a gentle race
This world has seldom seen.
They talk of days for which they sit and wait
When all will be revealed.
All is revealed when the wealthy Lady whom has glorified herself in her wealth finds she can not buy her way into the eternal kingdom on earth, soon to come. The forest will echo with laughter as those whom have stood long have waited for their time to come...Backwards we can look at the famous part for times sake. If there's a bustle in your hedgerow
Don't be alarmed now
It's just a spring clean
For the May queen
Yes, there are two paths you can go by
But in the long run
There's still time to change
The road you're on
Backwards this reads, So, Here's to my sweet Satan. There was a little child born who made me sad who's power is faith. He'll (Satan not the child) will give to those with him six, six, six. There was a little toolshed where he made us, (combined with the child) suffer, sad, sad Satan, stating mocking Satan. Apparently, the child is a child and Satan was a man when this suffering in the tool shed took place. The tool shed is a depiction of them being forged by the master's hand that allowed Satan to bring suffering to them and the child. Most likely as the apokolypcia rolls in, Satan will make many believe the child or younger is Satan and that he is the Christ. The child will not claim God Status by will merely be a prophet. If one reads the entire backward story, this is pretty much the message conveyed. The beginning of the backward song has this in it, which is the end of the forward song, Plaaaay backwards,
Hear why its sung here, oppositioner..
Allll on track, all arriving
They all sing, and they are one.
Shall I loathe you now, parishoner?
Oh hear Him, Christian within me.
It stirs my sin; the river,
Oh, she swells with our lousiness.
All my life will end for him?
We're all out of signs,
I know I'm sorta shocked
To hear The Lord,
My God now will save me!
Oh I will n'er be saved,
Because I live with Satan..
One wish today;
That you'll all pray for
Three who will make it here late.
Pray now and you'll see..
The 'Lord' turned me on,
But, oh, I was the shaggy fool..
Clothed in agony,
Lost at a height.
There's no escaping it,
Nor his woes..
So here's to my Sweet Satan
The end of the backward song or poem ends as such,
He, who say the lords
Thoth have our laws,
Maat must be superb. Mass is ended..
Over there,
He who should learn thee.
Any moot that serves by my sworn music,
I wish it with snow be shushed,
All for my mass's sake.
Hear why its sung,
here, oppositioner, Ohh..
He who should show
May make his show worthy,
To look, for us, odd.. sickly,
There's one chance - take his show.
Hold thy head,
Hear why its sung here. oppositioner.
Who owns this earth built below?
Oh sweet Israel...
The poem backwards is much wordier than forwads. This is only about half of the poem backwards. It seems to carry a rather Godly meaning, hidden by men whom you would least expect to possess it. These men are masters of an elder race which seldom appears on earth. They are a collective group of chosen people whom have the same experiences, desires, pursuits, and preferences. They are in unison and synchronicity. In the end, they will be victorious over Satan and six, six, six as they have stood long to be where they will be. They are gentle elders of all time and space whom seldom appear. In their songs, they talk of days for which they sit and wait, when all will be revealed. That is scary stuff; I do not think I would want to mess with these guys or their God or prophet of whom they speak, whom Satan apposes as well as he apposes Israel.
Victor - Chicago, Il
def in the top 10 of greatest songs of all time, no matter your religious views. on a political comedy show in Australia, the team that did the show performed "Stairway to Kevin" just before Kevin Rudd was elected Prime Minister. One of the funniest things i have seen in ages.
Emma - Adelaide, Australia
As a singer,musician, and songwriter I have learned to play this song and do believe the composition and progression of the music is absolutely brilliant. However, as much as I love the song, I do know for a fact there are hidden subliminal messages in the song. I experimented with many records and found that the messages really are there in this song, and many other songs including Beatles Revolution #9, and Revelation #9 by Marilyn Manson. Backmasking is an easy recording technique that has been experimented with since the 50's. You can learn more at: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backmasking) If you play this song backwards,your only going to hear jibberish if you don't do it right. You have play it backwards right at the part in the song that says: ''If there's a bustle in your hedgegrow don't be alarmed now. It's just spring cleening for the May Queen. Yes, there are two paths you can go by, but in the longrun, there's still time to change the road you're on.''
Why would Led Zep put subliminal messages in a song? Not sure. Artist have always experimented with all types of new ideas and new techniques in music. Do backward messages effect you even though you can't hear it? The near-consensus among research psychologists is that subliminal messages do not produce a powerful, enduring effect on behavior; and that laboratory research reveals little effect beyond a subtle, fleeting effect on thinking.(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subliminal_message) Another words, there are not long term effects caused from the messages, but there may be some short term effects on thinking. However,that is when the song is played once. There hasn't been any research on the effects after listening to a song thousands of times. It's my personal belief that it could possibly effect your thinking significantly after thousands of plays. I'm not going to chance it. I don't listen to this song anymore. It is a beautiful song though. I love to play this on my guitar.
Rob - Dallas, Tx
Well...that Athesit guy has to consider one thing...if there wasn't a god, we'd all still be sitting around wearing peace medals and listening to Disco. God save Rock and Roll!
Squigle - Columbus, Oh
This has been my favorite since the '70's, it's in my yearbook of '74 as such and still heads the top of my list! Too bad they're not still a team.
Karen, B.C., Canada
Karen - Prince George, Bc
If you look at it from a religius view the May Queen could very well be Mary the mother of Jesus because although the month of the immaculate conception( a holiday celebrated by Christians which commemerates the conception of Mary) is in december May is considered the month of Mary and Mary is somewhat considered the queen of heaven.
Ryan - Grand Rapids, Mi
"this is for the guy at the top about the satanic messages" first off man, when i read you whole shindig about the ~message~ i got relly upset and tryed not to get @#$@#$ off about it. do you relize how much proof their is on how unreal the devil and god are, myself i do not belive but i will if i get a damn good sigh there is an god"
or "satan" other than that you people with your funny nonsence lies, and wasting half of your life in a room with fifty other people being talked to about how to be a good person and not go to "hell" you should be a good person and not worrie about whats going to happen to you when you die, besides all that lets not even think about dieing and think about you family and music and all that jazz till then, later.
Eugean - Claremore, Ok
Ok,ok, OK!!! Good People Regarding The Devil in Music:"Backwards Masking" is a Technical way to add subliminal, as in the case of ELO, "messages" into music tracks.
After years of tripping on this Stairway story I have come to the grand conclusion that aside from Jimmy Page, the band, Eddie Kramer, or Peter Grant did not intentionally add the 6 references to "Satan" in the song. I believe this is a natural occurrence of a very dark forces at work here. The conscious motor hears things in a forward motion while the subconscious hears things in a reverse motion. You can hear many clear examples of this with audible words coming forth whilst played backwards. The fact that Stairway has at least 6 "Satans" audible in it--all produced from Different words sung forwards discludes the idea of a certain word reversed. Example: the word Natas. The odds of 6 "Satans" occurring are ASTRONOMICAL which lead me to believe they were attached to Plant via a demonic force--not unlike a temporary possession. Yes, people can be parasitically attached to, unfortunately, by evil meanies. The fact that at that time, Crowley's backward discovery was well known to Pagey, who we all know was literally a young man swimming, proficiently i might add, in a great sea of dark forces. Even David Bowie was, for a time in the early seventies, quoted as such, "to record things backward". Little children can be recorded forward and meaningful sentences can present themselves backwards. It's just part of our complex communication process that is only recently being delved into and discovered. Of course Robert Plant wasn't singing about Christianity's "Devil" Satan, the "light bearer closest angel to "God"--but in reverse you can clearly(that's open to your definition of clarity and experience listening in reverse) hear the word "Satan" and also "he will give you 666" as well as a few other complete sentences. The actual deep lorists believe the entire song is a complete piece of demonic messages coming through from some dark force. As is claimed also to "Battle of Evermore". Why is 666 so important??? Because my children, 666= The Chip that is already here and waiting to be put into you-your physical body! by Big Pharma world wide via nano technology. Why do children get 20-25 shots by the age of 6 these days? BECAUSE, they, The New World Order evil meanies, have plans for all of us in the order of enslavement thru computer tech, etc. It's not about money, they already control that. It's about power..control, of us!
Stairway To Heaven was heard, over and over and over again by an entire generation..getting into our minds to accept the chip..or 666. I know this suggests i am a nut..but I'm not. If you have an old turntable, simply take out the belt and manually-using your finger or a pencil-turn the album backwards right around the lyric, "it's just a sprinkling for the May Queen" and continue along to hear, at different speeds, a wall in harmony of demonic voices all crying out to their Satan who will give you 666. Another way to hear this on a PC is to use the Sound Recorder built into Windows Accessories and pull up your studio version of Stairway.mp3. You can play it backwards at a steady speed and hear much of it. Remember, many of the messages or sentences are like listening to words being spoken with very varying speed changes so it takes a little time to actually hear alot of it. "Here's to my sweet Satan", does tho, literally jump out at you so don't freak out, ok? Again, i think this is natural evil-not using tech devices to do it-that got onto the song backwards, through Plant's voice, from Page's direct connection and heavy involvement with evil meanies. I, myself, am Not a big bible guy, i see and feel and connect with Diety, the God Force, the faces of God as Joseph Campbell would say, in nature, positive vibrations, and good intent from good hearts, dogs included. i think we all, all of us living things, rocks included!, have an eternal connection with "God" so I'm not really worried the "Devil" is going to get my soul n spirit, my life force. I Do Believe, tho, that there is an ongoing agenda, brought forth in an infinite number of ways, specifically designed to "get me". So i am wary of VeriChip and any other company that wants to eventually enslave me. As a guitarist, i can't help but dig on Led Zep, forwards!! but as a seeker and longtime observer, and indeed longtime participant, in many things deemed "occult"(hidden or unknown) I do see Black Arts written all over anything Jimmy Page touches so i have to ask myself why? Why was Stairway the Most Heard Song of it's time? Why does it tell us that "he will give you 666"?? Don't be a shallow putz and write me off without examining this thoroughly yourself before responding from your heart. The fodder i have seen over the years regarding people's opinions of Stairway, Zep, and backwards messages have led me to believe that Many will take the chip as planned. Next week's children will be getting them directly thru their dr.s via nano-tech shots to prevent H1N1 etc., etc. OK, I've pointed you in the right direction..maybe do a little further investigation on your own, take care, fear only fear itself, and be good to each other, enjoy thy journey!
I'm off for some chocolate chunk..
Aleister - Faraway, Ca
The song brings back so many memories. Best song ever.
I drove to Buffalo the day it was released from Toronto. Does anyone know the exact American release date?
Paul, Kingston, Ontario
Paul - Kingston, On
I'm a Christian and yes I know Jimmy Page bought Aleisteir Crowley's old house but was Crowley Satanic? Some guy said he was a thelemite, I also read that his Christian mother called him the beast 666 and that he adapted to the nickname I guess to teach people a lesson. Isn't the may queen a term he used in one of his poems? Oh so Robert Plant didn't feel possessed.
James - Newark, , Nj
This song gives me chill when i hear it i mean really just sit and listen. You feel the gradual cressendos. It is amazing! Best song in the world. All hail the legends!!!!!
"Satan can go to hell as far as i'm concerned.
- Buzz, Towntown, MI"
I agree with him btw.
Israel - Laredo, Tx
In my opinion this was the greatest song ever recorded...of course it's in my top songs of all time list and I apppreciate hearing it everytime I get the chance...I have never heard anything like it in my life..the opening guitar work is so recognizable and everyone whose heard it knows the song virtually on the very first chord of the song! Through the years when radio stations play their year end songs of all time, this one is always in the top two....even if the lists change from year to year, this song always endures at least the runner up position if not in the number one slot...thank you!
Peter Steele - Medicine Hat Ab, Ab
If you want to SEE music as a human term, Them watch Led Zeppelin play Stairway To Heaven...
There is not a single person on this earth who gets tired of this music, and if there is, he or she has no rights to live...
Michael - Dubai, Italy
I've found the satanic message in the song on Youtube. The lyrics are:
''If there's a bustle in your hedgegrow don't be alarmed now. It's just spring cleening for the May Queen. Yes, there are two paths you can go by, but in the longrun, there's still time to change the road you're on.''
in the first paragraph it talks about a tool shed. THIS SCARES THE s--t OUT OF ME!!!!!!!!!!
You'll know why...
These are those same lyrics played backwards...
''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 those with him 666. There was a little tool shed where he made us suffer. Sad Satan.''
Doug - B, Ia
this song released in 1971 is absolutely great.
BUT... it is partially a copy... of RAMBLE TAMBLE from CCR, releases in 1970.
listen to it when it comes slow in the middle.
Respect to Fogerty!
Toutoune - Paris, France
It is a fact that this is the best solo ever,..... I'm serious.
David - Los Angeles , Ca
Great Song PERIOD.
Reese - Somewhere In Texas, Tx
Although several other Zeppelin songs draw their inspiration more directly from Lord of the Rings, I believe there is at least one line in Stairway that draws from that work.
Specifically, I believe the line, "There's a feeling I get, when I look to the west, and my spirit is crying for leaving," refers to the Elves. As I recall, they all have some level of desire to travel over the sea to the lands in the west, leaving behind middle earth.
I'm sure plenty of people have noticed this, but I seldom see Lord of the Rings referenced when it comes to this song.
I remember well a period of about 20 years, from the mid 70's to the mid 80's when this was easily the most played song on FM radio. I never grow tired of hearing it, and in particular, hearing Page's greatest ever solo. The greatest song on what is possibly the greatest-ever album.
Andy - Las Vegas, Nv
People are going to have differnt views. To me this is one of the most beatiful songs ever written. Yea it tells the truth. When someone speaks that they speak one way and think the other,as in a forked toungue. We all look between the lines for a hidden meaning. I think the song does represent a lady that struggles for just that, and the man has the answer he thinks! But she will climb higher to get to where she belongs,in a stairway to heaven, to escape the boundaries that were set on her by her master. Whether it be a man or a spirtual entity! Sometimes she cannot trust either,but the wisdom she may find in herself,yet they may try to seek.
Shirley - Lynchburg,va, Va
to Chloe, st. louis..
ofcourse it's ok to cover any song, you'll need to be very careful when covering stairway to heaven though.. it's illegal to call it a cover unless you change the vibe completely, as me and two dudes figured in a haze the other week, the VIBE is the song.. so make your own vibe and it can never be wrong.. listen to Frank Zappas version, a great tribute to a great band and his version is a great song on it's own with a whole new vibe that fits every part of the song.. and it's obvious he's not trying to outdo led zep..
Jonas - Gothenburg, Sweden
Ok, why would they make a "satanic" song backwards that had such a pure and good message forward for everyone to hear?? If it would be true it would only make the song even more brilliant.. "sometimes words have two meanings" it's a song about the choice between good and evil, and the song would in this way have both sides.. Everyone should make up their own mind, but even if this was true, i wouldn't see it as a tribute to satan rather then just a song with satan incorporated in it..
GREATEST SONG OF ALL TIMES ALL CATEGORIES, it has everything, greatest lyric, greatest guitar solo, greatest bassline, so sophisticated how all the different parts go so perfectly together, it has the really quiet calm first, folky part.. it slowly morphs into a smooth rock ballad and climaxes in an awesomely rythmic guitarriff with kickass rock n roll drums with a bit of a military vibe to it.. every part is unique, intelligent and seem so obvious like all good songs do, this time it's without beeing simple..
Jonas - Gothenburg, Sweden
Led Zeppelin are not satanists. If they were, would they deny it? If Robert Plant was a satanist, why would he get upset that people are saying Stairway To Heaven has satanic messages? Wouldn't he be more flattered? Why would he dismiss being a satanist if he really was? The fact that he says he is not a satanist means he is not. They wouldn't lie about that. Plus, I have that Stairway To Heaven was inspired by The Lord of the Rings, and I have heard this more than the "satanic message" thing. By the way, Stairway to Heaven is a beautiful and great song, inspiring and epic.
Margie - St. Louis, Mo
To Ben in West Bend afghanistan....sorry to hear that Led Zeppelin was booed when they played Stairway. way back in 1975, I saw them in Long Beach California. They dedicated Stairway to those sitting in the 3rd balcony. LUCKY me! I was sitting in the 3rd balcony. These guys played like they were on fire! One of the best concerts I have ever been to. They gave 1000% of themselves.
Valerie - Eureka, Ca
To Billy in Nederland Texas. Christian song? stairway to Heaven? I don't think so. The Piper is from Pagan beliefs such as Pan for example. The May queen is from May Day celebration which is a fertility festival. As for the verse about rings of smoke thru the trees, to me it is still pagan and/or wiccan references. Being of wiccan belief, I find a lot of wiccan references in the song. It was one of the MOST evil thought of songs when it first came out. It was believed to have satanic messages in it....lol, lol how funny. The song is fantastic. I have loved this song since I was a teenager...oooh, this is painful but that has been a long time ago. I am 60 yrs old. I felt a twinge when I typed that. Lol, lol.
Valerie - Eureka, Ca
As I said Before a million times I LOVE this song. Jimmy Page IS THE MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He is one of the main reasons I play guitar. I've been playing 6,7 months now, and I can play some of the intro. This week my guitar teacher is teaching me the rest of the intro, and the riff of "Heartbreaker." Awesome!
Billy - Nederland , Tx
fun little fact: the first time led zeppelin played stairway to heaven in concert, they were booed by the audiance because thats not the song they wanted to hear
Ben - West Bend, Afghanistan
Rule of Life Number 1- It will never be okay to cover Stairway to Heaven. Ever.
Chloe - St. Louis, Mo
i think the song is pretty straightforward.. its all about ambiguity in our convictions beliefs.etc... is how we come to crossraods all the time.. within our hearts and heads
i only have one question , the only line that i could not actually determine.. is the last one to be a rock and not to roll
i mean do they see it in the pesimistic way.. like that the rock should be rolling .. and not be deprived of it... or the way around?
Aris - Larnaca, Cyprus
Amazing song....pretty fun to play on guitar as well.....can't get the solo down yet.
Laurice - Aurora, Co
Who cares if its about satin, god, drugs, gays, WHATEVER!
Its a beautifull song that makes me cry, and thats good enoughf.
Nick - Seattle, Albania
I agree with the most famous rock song of all time. Led Zeppelin is another one of my favorite artists and this, of course, would be my favorite Zeppelin song.
Jj - Washington, Dc
Did you read that part at the top? THE most famous rock song of all time. WOO LED ZEPPELIN!!! After 2 years of guitar playing, i can finally play the intro and chords of the song. Solo is tricky but i'll get there. And i recommend anyone who has only heard this song should hear their others, most likely: Bron-Y-Aur Stomp, Immigrant song, Friends, Dazed And Confused, Black Dog, Rock n' Roll, Whole Lotta Love, The battle of Evermore, Kashmir, Bron-Ya-Aur, The Song Remains The Same, and...well just hear them all if you got time.
Nick - Cairns, Australia
I believe page sold his sole to the devil out of pure devotion to his music and fans.. It is not humanly possible for some1 to be as good at the guitar as he is.. At least thats what i like to think..
Sean - Germantown, Ny
the song is actually constructed as a stairway, it rises its intensity as it goes.
Karl - Havana, Cuba
Greatest Song of all times. The "baby boomers" relate in a total different perspective. The "Satan" issue is a little over exagerated, as HE is only a bad role in a fairy tale. The song rocks, the legendary Zeppelin is immortal.
Tarahlou - Joplin, Mo
Its strange people always say you know grundge killed hair metal and hair metal killed classic rock and heavy metal but think about it after hair metal killed classic rock and heavy metal it came back strong pretty strong and now after grundge killed hair metal it is still popular and all the best bands are touring so in my opinion one type of music has to esscentially die out after awhile then come back so to all those people who say there will never be another band anything like them agian just wait you never know....
Jasmine - Allentown, Pa
This is a great song, i love it, no doubt, but it is kinda over rated.
Luke - Dayton, Oh
Just adding some more info. "Stiarway to Heaven" is a Christian song. People the title's third word is "Heaven". And the lyrics, "yes there are two paths you can go by(Heaven or Heck)but in the long run you can change the road you're on"(you can change your sinful ways) The "piper" in the song is probaly an angel.I'm just saying.
Billy - Nederland , Tx
This is my 2nd post for this song.As I said earlier I LOVE THIS SONG. I was born in the 90's but, pretty much all I listen to is music from the 80's or before that.People, the Satanic backwards messages is bull!Listen to frontwards, the way your supposed to.
Billy - Nederland , Tx
Rahul, the only thing about it was they borrowed the opening riff from "taurus" by spirit. nontheless, I am with you all the way
Matt - Houston, Tx
defnitely the best rock song of all time.... and a breathtaking solo to top it off.... woow.... jimmy page, u rule.... n yeah plant too....lol
Rahul - Chennai, India
This is the "Classic Rock Song" of all times. IMO
Toni - Jeffersonville, In
I had to rate this song a 5, for lack of a 286,374...
Adrian - Gettysburg, Pa
when the satanic message issue comes up, i say that i believe some weirdo made that up just to get attention because if you listen to it backwards without what is supposedly says, if its really a backwards message you should be able to hear it, all u hear is random jibberish.
Bob - Owen Sound, On
I thought I heard somewhere that it was also partially influenced by the poem "The Lady of Shalott." I think it was off of a t.v. show(maybe vh1 classic, or mtv) but I can't remember, any confirmation to this?
Stephen - Tahlequah, Ok
Um...I could go on and on about this song...I LOVE IT TO DEATH
William - Pheonix, Az
In my opinion, Led Zeppelin is the greatest rock band to have ever graced the earth with their presense. They have influenced countless bands, and inspired people to get into music. I myself first got into Rock from the 60's and 70's because of Led Zeppelin. Their music contained a passions that you just don't get from todays version of Rock except from a few exceptions (such as the Foo Fighters, Tool and others like them.). Now for this song itself, being a HUGE Led Zeppelin fan, i can tell you that this is definantly one of the greatest rock songs of all time, however, it is not Led Zeppelin's greatest song, nor is it THE greatest song of all time. Stairway to Heaven is one of those songs that everyone knows and is THAT song that people know the band for, like Rob Zombie's Dragula, or The Eagle's Hotel California. While the solo in this song is very good, those in "Since I've Been Loving You" and the live 18 minute version of "Dazed and Confused" are much better. I suggest any new Led Zeppelin fan checks out these songs and hopefully delves deeper into the magic that is Led Zeppelin's Discography
Jason - Glen Rock, Nj
I get filled with joy whenever i hear this song! It deffinetly is Led Zeppelin's best song!
Jessy - Boston, Ma
This is me and my boyfriends song! I know its not about love or anything but just the fact its slow and beautiful!
Jessy - Boston, Ma
The backmasking thing in this song is a load of B.S. You can only hear it if you have lyrics in front of you, and you can also hear the 'messages' if you sing it YOURSELF and play it backwards with lyrics. And Jimmy Page was not a satanist, he might have just owned his house and read some of his books... but he never joined the satanist church. And now he has separated himself from all that stuff.
Matt - San Jose, Ca
i am one of those people who will listen to almost anything and i do and this song is number five on my greatest songs ever and that includes the genres metal, punk, classic rock, and grundge so that says alot
Jasmine - Allentown, Pa
led zepplen will always be the best rock and roll band ever as i had the pleasure to see them 6 times and they got better with age. the song stairway to heaven was voted the song of the century back in 1999.
Tom - Missoula, Mt
I'm gonna have to agree with Garrett, I don't know what to think it is impossible to have that many backwards messages in on recurring verse; just improbable. The unnamed album, little eerie don't you think and yes I never noticed, Stairway is number 13. And yes he bought Mr.Cowley's house, and he was involved in black magic and he was interested in that kind of stuff. Never-the-less, they are, will be, and ever have been the greatest rock band eva and that will remain the greatest song ever, no matter what you say. I agree though, I, personally, went through a phase for a week and a half of being obsessed with backmasking... LISTEN TO THE MUSIC FOR WHAT IT IS MAN!!!!!!!!!! I just think secrets are interesting, ZEP LIVES ON!!!
Mike - Pittsburgh, Pa
First of all, I am a HUGE zep fan. Many people do not know what to think because it may be a coincedence, it may not be. Personally, I am one of those people. I question what people say about there not being satanic messages, I don't know where to go because there are so many references back to the subject in the controversial 5th verse that it can't possibly be a coinsodence. I do though think that Page was a satanist but kept it from the public. What about the mysterious "unamed album" that the track first appeared on, that the show a very odd photo of an old man on the front, or did anyone referback to the current days, what about when they produced Mothership, the song was unlucky number 13. Definately, satanic message or no, the song was made to cause some hype about history's greatest rock band.
Garrett - Pittsburgh, Pa
On the 20th anniversary of the original release of the song, it was announced via U.S. radio sources that the song had logged up an estimated 2,874,000 radio plays - back to back, that would run for 44 years solid. As of 2000, the song had been broadcast on radio over three million times. It is also the biggest-selling single piece of sheet music clocking up an average of 15,000 copies yearly. In total, over one million copies have been sold
Austin - Smallsville, New England
Guitar World readers voted Jimmy Paige's solo as the greatest guitar solo ever
Austin - Smallsville, New England
Who could deny the greatness of this song. It has all been said before. However, is it the best offering from LZ. Not in my opinion. I agree with Robert Plant that LZ's greatest song is Kashmire (sp). This song goes beyond the bounds of anything before or after. (IMHO)
Paige - Crestline, Ca
well look if we are talking about deeper meaning, yeah ill go for the beatles and radiohead and what not but with led zeppelin the rock is so pure and blues oriented i never can get enough of that stuff. Communication breakdown though? Damn....lmao
Ryan - Morganville, Nj
Ryan I hear you man but from one die hard zeppelin fan to another that is just my opinion.Besides I tend to listen to deeper stuff with bigger meanings, so I kinda make an exception for lz.I put communication breakdown there because I have had people make me feel like dirt and it felt sorta like an anthem for people like me to rise above.Stairway to heaven is no doubt the best song ever [with kashmir] but it is not my favorite.plus it was hard to choose as i also wanted to include rock and roll,dazed and confused,black dog, the lemon song ,trampeld underfoot etc.
Matt - Houston, Tx
look matt hear me out man, look Im only nineteen but comeon....communication breakdown at number 2? Bro the list has to go in this order: Stairway to heaven, Kashmir, In my time of Dying, dazed and confused, since ive been loving you. Ok maybe not since ive been loving you at number 5, but ill be gentle with it. Theres no way you could have zeppelin without stairway at the top. the amazing colab between paige and plant....bro the solo on stairway makes me feel as though i could be 19 forever. And the lyrics are pretty decent, they stick to a understandable story line and honestly f--k all these idiots with the devil music they dont know anything about rock and roll or music for that matter at all. These are the same communists who thought paul was dead all this time. :D Communists
Ryan - Morganville, Nj
top 5 zeppelin songs
2.communication breakdown
3.stairway to heaven
4.whole lotta love
5.achilles' last stand
Matt - Houston, Tx
It's one of the most researched songs on songfacts.
Austin - Smallsville, New England
I feel so bad for poor Page and Plant. All they did was write a song, and a spectacular song that is considered the best of all time. But instead of being loved by everyone on this planet like they should, some moron is saying they worship the devil and that they are evil. This song is beautiful and can have many meanings to many different people but you should just listen to it for what it is and not try to find any secret messages.
Marley - Springfield, Nj
Eternal Loving God, I thank You for allowing Led Z. to compose this song. I like this song. The musical background is beautiful with the sound of the guitar and the other instruments. It's one of the best song I have heard. In my opinion, the lyrics are also beautiful, with words like Heaven, stairway, May Queen, rings of smoke, piper, 2 meanings, thoughts are misgiven. There are challenging lyrics for me. Whether it is good or bad song, I feel the challenge to love it more than to hate it; to love the composer rather than to hate him. I firmly believe that love is more powerful than hatred. Who am I to judge my Bro. Jimmy Page or other members of the Led Zeppelin? Some of the greatest saints were actually sinners before they became saints. Let's keep on rocking with the Holy Spirit through Led Z. Amen.
Oscar - Bellflower, Ca
The backwards messages are not real, you need the words in front of you to think there's a message. I know this is true because I tried it on my friend without the words and he thought Robert Plant was calling random things sexy lol. This is a great song and I will never tire of it.
Marley - Springfield, Nj
I interpret this song as plain beautiful - just aspiring to greater things. I enjoy it. If we don't climb then we won't know.
Excell - Sydney, Australia
What a truly magnificent song. Will aways be right up there. No music these days can match to this. =]
Elena - Paradise City, Australia, --
For everyone talking about the Satanic message thing, it has been pointed out on numerous occasions that the word "there" sounds a lot like "satan" when played backward. If you look at the "hedgerow" verse played backward, "there" and "satan" line up perfectly together. This trend could also be seen in other classic rock songs such as the Doors' Break on Through or the Eagles' Hotel California.
Moral of the story: There = Satan! It's a coincidence. Sorry to burst the bubble.
Frank - New York, Ny
Guys, let the whole "backwards messages" go. If anyone can explain to me HOW exactly they would make it so that if you played fully understandable lyrics backwards and get a satanic message, or WHY they would do that, then I might believe that its in the song. But even if it IS in the song, why would that matter at all? Backwards messages don't work subconsciously, because you can't hear them conciously. So even if they did exist, which they DONT, (yes, i've heard it myself, you can't tell what they're saying if you dont have the words infront of you) then it shouldn't matter. Just listen to the damn song and enjoy it's brilliance, don't ponder about what it means if you play your record backwards. And as "me, why should I tell u?" said, Jimmy Page wasn't Satanic, he just studied the occult.
Cati - Atlanta, Ga
Jeez, some of you should try out for "South Park" or Beevis & Butthead" Zep is the best band ever. I kinda agree with Mick from Las Vegas, pretty damn close to right. Should "Hard Rock Park" reopen in Myrtle Beach, put your faith in your God and jump on the "Stairway to Heaven" and see how you come out. Don't forget to wave at Kenny in that first big Dip!
Wayne - Mauldin, Sc
The Magical thing about this song is that it reflects a lot of mystical aura when you listen to it. Its the kind of song I will listen to when I like to stay alone and reminiscing what possibly could Led Zeppelin could be doing to write a song like this. This is pure genius. This song always flashes a déjà vu illusion evertime I listen. This song has far more depth than any song I could possibly heard. Led Zeppelin is a legendary band.
Visnu - Bangalore, India
I like Metallica's version better and I am not saying i do not like the original work
Scott - Lewisburg , Tn
When my hedgerow bustles it most certainly is NOT the May Queen.
Chris - Tulsa, Ok
Jimmy, Boleskin house, United Kingdom- What an excellent well thought out argument. I don't agree with all of it, but it was well done. I almost never read the long posts. Most people can't stay on topic for that long, but I really enjoyed your effort. Thanx mate!
Mark - Worcester, Mi
Go to www.reversespeech.com and go to examples. Go to the very bottom of the page, click on "many more examples of reversals can be heard here", and then go to music reversals page. At the very bottom, you'll see Stairway to Heaven. When reversed, it says "Play backwards. Hear words sung" and "Its my sweet Satan. The one whose little path would make me sad whose power is fake (indeterminate gibberish - some people claim this says, He gives you 666) There was a little toolshed where he made us suffer, sad Satan." This is crazy!! Many other songs are reversed like "Help!" "Hotel California", "We Will Rock You", and "Here Comes the Sun"
Bob - Dumbsville, Belarus
This song is about going crazy from getting syphillis because the girl was a slut.
"Your head is humming and it won't go, in case you don't know,
The piper's calling you to join him" - That's about going crazy, when else does your head hum? Piper = Syd Barrett
"To be a rock and not to roll." - Plant was telling the stupid hoe to be a rock and not to roll like a rolling stone. The rock symbolizes staying with one guy, the rolling part symbolizes not to stray and screw other guys because you will catch a disease.
"And she's buying a stairway to heaven." - Now she's either buying AIDS cream from the pharmacy along with painkillers or she died, went to Hell and is trying to buy her way out of it. She can't and she suffers in Hell probably getting mutilated like in those Saw movies.
Shyguy - Super Mario Land, Afghanistan
this is beleve it or not a Chirstan song
the backward message is more than my sweet satain
thats only the first line if you lisen to the whole backmasked message it's a anti satain message
go here http://www.sunsetwestproductions.com/forever/stairway.htm
Alec - Coulmbus, Oh
this is beleve it or not a Chirstan song
the backward message is more than my sweet satain
thats only the first line if you lisen to the whole backmasked message it's a anti satain message
go here http://www.sunsetwestproductions.com/forever/stairway.htm
Alec - Coulmbus, Oh
As an old school DJ I only spun LP's and at radio stations turntables moved counter and clockwise to cue up a song cut, so I checked for myself "My sweet satan" is clearly hidden behind "Theres still time" (to change the road your on)clear as a bell so go get some vinyl and see for yourself. Its no different then the production done for later Beatles like Abby Road. Page is a satanist which IS a religion like it or not and he produced all of Zeps albums sooooo, blame him. Robert is a spiritualist studying and practicing many religions, he wouldnt have any part of that but it wasnt his choice and so I think he just stays in denial.
By the way this song is about our journey through life. One of the philisophical "paths" is the accumulation of worldy goods but it doesnt say that is a bad thing. The references to JRR TOLKEIN are there because Plant loved this author and of course words like bustle, hedgerow and may queen are English which, wow-wee so are the bsand members! Its a lovely etherial mix of fantasy and philosophy..too much attention to satanic refrences that the youth focus on when they listen to this song. I suggest a nice hit of acid and then see what you think...
Susie - Mpls, Mn
How many comments???????? Just goes to show how popular the song is. But of course you get the few people, like Jean, who will openly dislike Led Zep and their songs!
Blake - London, United Kingdom
the only way to hear some secret message is to have smoke some pot before you listen to it. anyway one of the greatest songs ever.
Joe - Norristown, Pa
This song is the biggest seller of sheet music in the United States.
Austin - Smallsville,new England, --
Jean this song is more than two chords. It is Aminor,G,F,d,c,bminor or something like that.
Austin - Smallsville,new England, --
During live versions of this song Robert Plant will say "does anybody rember laughter". Also when they play this live Jimmy Paige extends his guitar solo.
Austin - Smallsville,new England, --
I think that this was one of the greatset songs ever. I think that this song was made for everybody to have different opinions about it. I would like to see if someone on tv did do an investigation about this song and got some fact together
John - Boca Raton, Fl
It seems you all know some things about song than I do. Do I need to say something? Look at my name:)
Yeah! Scared huh?:) Now go find and hold your Bible and read my following notes.
The words have two meanings:
but yes, it seems the obscured passage might be truthful of individual idea, but it does not mean that individual holds the truth, so what if I said something while my favorite band was recording this song, but does it means I tell the truth? Messenger does deliver the message, but only his master knows understands the truth meaning, and sometimes I don't even know what my doing. But I love this song, and I don't like to hear it the forward way, but remember I never tell truth:)))
Forward: Stairway To Heaven you go.
Backmasking: Come down and Join the Party.
Sincerely 666,
Cursed Satan:)
Satan - New York, Ny
Man I hate to say it but the controversy on the whole satanic messages may be true although I get the feeling someone tampered with it! if you are looking into this just type in "stairway to heaven backwards" at google go to the seventh one from the top and click on it. It will play the message forward and backward. wierdest thing i have ever heard. Led Zeppelin still rules!!!!!
Blake - Tahlequah, Ok
Jean from Paris: You made a HUGE mistake in insulting one of the influential bands ever in Zeppelin and the greatest rock ballad evr in Stairway. I love Jimmy Page's guitar solo on this great song. Thanks Zeppelin for all the great years of in-your-face rock n roll!!!
Bob - Dumbsville, Belarus
Who is this Jean character a few comments down? Led Zeppelin is incredible. Just because a song has only a few chords does not make it bad. Simplicity can work, if it's meant to be that way. Take Hey There, Delilah. Yes, I'm sorry to be comparing Plain White T's to Led Zeppelin. However, it is important to note that that song is also very simple, in fact more so, because it has basically a guitar and that's it (well, for most of the song) with three chords. Does that make it a bad song? No.
Plus, is the whole solo in the middle of Stairway simple? It doesn't sound like it thank you very much. It requires skill to be able to play that little piece of music.
Sam - Richland, Wa
It's humorous that every great song has to do with drug addictions and Satan. Half of Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and Eagles songs fall into this group.
Andrew Mahalingappa - Bethesda, Md
The only way this could possibly be a satanist song when you play it backwards is because the reverse of it is for materialism and money, which is bad enough to be called that. That's a joke, by the way.
Sibella - Pretoria, South Africa
To eliminate the confusion
Júlía - Reykjavík, Iceland
I've read only one comment that came halfway close to a statement made by Robert Plant, recorded during a live concert.
And I quote:"This is a Song of Hope for America!"
When Led Zeppelin first came to the United States of America, there was virtually no press, and no interviews, for several years. And with no STH single, it took about nine months for the hard partying rock & rollers to stay awake all the way through the album and get to know Stairway To Heaven.
I've learned to play this song, revised my style to fit better as time has gone by, memorized the lyrics and played this at a North Georgia Christmas party whilst drunk rock & roll rednecks on one side telling me if I screwed up they'd kick my ass, and a born-again Christian couple(wonderful folks though) on the other side telling me the song worshipped Satan(he was called Lucifer in the beginning), at the same time...now that was fun!
I joined their church, and played Dobro in the church orchestra later on.
I never get tired of Jimmy Page on his trusty D-18 Martin Guitar intro, and the totally amped Les Paul solo at the break. The only performing artist to ever come close to covering this song, was Frank Zappa.
I know there is probably one opinion of what this song means for every person who ever heard it. But I don't think Led Zeppelin would ever appreciate some of the rude comments made to people who are only expressing their opinions right or wrong, of this masterpiece song "STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN!"
Allencj - Cookeville, Tn
My boss. a mad rock fan, swares that it's about a a heroin addict and she trying to buy her way into heaven.
Mama - Sims, Nc
i tried to discover the truth to the so-called "satan messages" myself. i played the song backwards to 10 people who i TOLD what the alleged satanistic lyrics were. and all of them but 1 claimed to hear the satan message. then i played it backwards to 10 people who i DIDNT tell what the satanistic lyrics were and ALL of them said they heard nothing but wierd sounds and nonsense. which doesnt prove but provides good evidence to what we already know is true!!!
LED ZEPPELIN IS NOT WORKING FOR THE DEVIL and people only hear these messages because they are focused on hearing them
Jacko - Atlanta, Ga
you would think that if it did have a message backwards, they would admitt it. it makes no sence to go through all the work to put it there just to deny it. its not like they kept any of their other religious belifs and stuff secret. i guess you could say they wanted people to figure it out on their own, but still they did deny it. and no offence or anything but how did 'jimmy' have time to type that whole thing! gosh it took me ten minuites to READ it! :)
Noved - Pittsburg, Pa
This song has always been one of my favorites; Although, it is has been the center of many controvercial debates. Most of the arguments about Stairway have been over what exactly the song is about or what exactly is the message that Zeppelin is trying to send through. Well, I think this is one of those songs that take different meanings for different people. If you listen to the song very closely, you can understand how the song can be about a woman commiting suicide. I beleive that the message Zeppelin was trying to get through was that a woman comes into a lot of money, but doesn't find out until it's too late that money cannot buy everything and definately cannot buy her into heaven. But again I think that this song can take on several different meanings, depending on how you want to, for lack of a better word, DECODE the lyrics. But that is my opinion and I am not trying to force my ideas on anyone, i just thought i would throw that out as a theory for everyone to ponder for a while.
Shayla - Mountain View, Mo
great song by one of the greatest rock bands every to play on the face of this earth
Taylor - Chinook, Mt
I personally think they leave the lyrics vauge so everyone can take it as they will so pretty much whatever you think the meaning is, it's right and jean from paris without zeppelin 90% of the bands out there today wouldn't be there
Henry - Marion, Mt
First I want to make it clear...
I am not a religious person, I do not attend church, nor do I have a bible I thump.
I do not believe in the personification of a deity called "Satan". So I do not have a religious agenda to push. My interest in Pages satanic backwards messages in Stairway to Heaven, is purely from a desire to expose the truth.
Whether Page believes in satan, or worships this fictional deity, I do not know,
nor do I really care. What I am more interested in is the elaborate deception.
Some have suggested that the phrases found in this song, when played backward, are
coincidence, or things people wish to hear. I reject this hypothesis because, though
it might have been easy to dismiss one or two such bits, when collected together,
they stay within a consistent theme. One of these phrases consists of eight words
that form a coherent sentence that fits this theme. The bits are:
1) My sweet satan
2) The one whose little path would make me sad, whose power is Satan.
3) He will give those with him 666.
4) There was a little tool shed where he made us suffer, sad Satan.
5) We shall all fall if we lose feathers
Statistically speaking, there is no way that the word satan could appear so many
times in one song by accident. Statistically speaking, having phrases that are coherent,
consisting of 8-13 words backwards, by accident, is impossible... period. The fact
that they all are also part of a coherent theme, makes it undeniably intentional.
Now Page had already pioneered backwards masking, a technique where you physically
cut the tape and re-insert it flipped backwards. So he was more than familiar with
the concept.
But here is the deal... when you flip something backwards it is easily picked up by
our ears/brain as being backwards. Example, the backwards clip on Pink Floyd's "The
Wall", which mentions a contest to enter if you find the secret backwards message.
Page and Plant have denied that there is backward masking on Stairway, and they
are telling the truth. The messages were not placed there using backwards masking,
that would have been obvious and easy to recognize. The technique Page used was
far more creative and devious. First Page played around with phrases he wanted to
include, recorded them forwards, then played them backwards to hear what they sounded
most like. After determining what words worked both forwards and backwards, he reconstructed
the sentences to be dual purpose. Hence, there is no backwards masking.
Having edited sound professionally for over 20 years, I have done experiments to prove this method, it's not hard to do.
Further more, Page wanted people to look for these messages, and included instructions,
in the forward lyrics.
"There's a sign on the wall, but she wants to be sure, because you know
sometimes words have two meanings."
This is a clear declaration that the words have two meanings.
The song itself, which is very melancholy, is about making the choice between good
and evil,
"Yes there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run, there's still
time to change the road your on."
And in the climactic finale, the lyrics reveal their chosen path:
"And as we wind on down the road, our shadows taller than our souls.."
Suggesting that their sinful deeds have eclipsed their souls.
Again, I have no religious agenda, I do not believe in satan.
Personally, I believe that these messages were placed in the song to create hype
and controversy, which is exactly what they did. Page made a concerted effort, from
the design of the album, including references to the occult and astrology/tarot,
and the enigmatic symbols representing the band members, to the careful crafting
of the song Stairway including it's double meanings, to create something mysterious
and magical. Something that would stir emotion and imagination for generations.
A quote from Page: "Every musician wants to do something of lasting quality, something
which will hold up for a long time and I guess we did it with "Stairway".
Clearly Page put more thought and engineering into Stairway, than any other song.
I think Page succeeded in his goal, but I think it is important that people have
the opportunity to see the truth as well.
Some facts to consider:
1) Jimmy Page owned an occult bookstore in England. Where he sold Crowley's books.
2) Page was a devote follower of Alistair Crowley.
3) Page purchased and lived in the Boleskin house, Crowley's former residence.
4) The scene in Song Remains the Same, where Jimmy Page (With glowing red eyes)
is sitting and cranking out music on a tiny music box, was shot behind the Boleskin
Any one item by themselves, may seem ridiculous, but when they are all brought together,
the pattern is undeniable. Whether because Page actually believes in satan, or whether
it was all an elaborate hoax, the intent was genuine and carefully calculated.
It has also been suggested that listeners hear what they are prompted to hear. While
this theory may hold some truth, after all, the power of suggestion can be strong.
When I first spun my old vinyl album backwards, the only phrase that had been suggested
to me at the time, was the "My sweet satan". The rest was just obvious to my ears,
and I think it is no coincidence that it syncs with the overall general consensus
of the backwards messages.
Today bands that want to include satanic themes into their music, do it directly,
in-your-face. But back then, in 1971, it was still too controversial to take the
direct approach. In my humble opinion, adding mystique to a body of work, is usually
a great thing, it adds more dimension to the work and makes the audience bring their
own imagination into the mix. Many bands of the day did it, some more successfully
than others.
What I object to is the deception and the lies.
In a clip presented here, a DJ takes a caller, who asks Page about the Crowley home
rumors. However, the caller makes two mistakes, he refers to Crowley's Castle in
England. Page dodges this question adeptly, as it is incorrect, he answers that
Crowley never had one, and he never lived in one. This is true, because the Boleskin
House, though it may have been a "Castle" to Crowley, was not a proper castle in
any sense of the word, and it was located in Scotland, not England.
But what is more interesting is that Page didn't point this out. He was content
to dodge the question and make the caller look like a fool. What does Page have
to hide? If he is not a follower of the occult, so obsessed with Crowley that he
had to buy and live in the house he owned... then why not admit to the truth?
I still listen to Led Zeppelin, but when I listen to Stairway, I keep in mind that
"..you know sometimes words have two meanings."
Jimmy - Boleskin House, United Kingdom
This song is a nightmare, close with Hotel California and Knockin' on Heaven's Door (Guns N' Roses version of course). Anywhere in the world, when someone knows two guitar chords, what is he going to play ? Stupid song, stupid band, stupid fans.
Jean - Paris, France
Some people think that "Buying the stairway to heaven" means she's dying from taking drugs.
Lorelei - Ellsworth, Me
I remember a point where i was somewhat anti-stairway. At this point i was in love with LZ I & LZ II, and the blues, and unbelievable energy, then i finally bought LZ Zoso/IV, and i listened to the whole album, and i fell in love with it, but still did not believe that stairway was the best. Now, after owning all of early Zep's albums(because that is when they were at thier best IMO, but damn, thier later music is sooo great too) i gotta say the song grew greatly on me. I, now, can say it might be the best song i've heard from them, it is truely unbelievable how insanely good it is. the build-up, the drums, the vocals, the flutes, the solo, the ending, all amazing.
Bob - Somewhere, Or
The best version of this classic can be found on the live album The Song Remains the Same, mostly for the wonderfully impromptu, and imortal question from Robert Plant, "DOES ANYBODY REMEMBER LAUGHTER?" following the line 'the forests will echo with laughter'. Of course, the answer then, as now, would be, no, but who cares when the music is this good.
John - London, United Kingdom
There are a thousand meanings to this song and they can be all correct interpretations because it is mystical in nature, it is not a math problem that has only one correct answer. Here is one of many different interpretations.
Remember, a song is a poem put to music. "It is the immediate influence of the Holy Spirit that causes words such as these to stream from the tongue of the poets, the significance of which they themselves are oftentimes unable to apprehend." "Dawn Breakers" Nabil's Narrative pg 258
Remember, a song is a poem put to music. First, let's look at the concepts that run through the song.
"With a word..."
"... sometimes words..."
"... there is a sign..."
"... who sings..."
"... spirit is crying..."
"... my thoughts ..."
"... voices of those..."
"... it's whispered..."
"... can you hear..."
"...did you know"
The holy books of the world tell us these same things. In America we are most familiar with the Bible which speaks about the "word" of God. The Bible says, be on guard, watch, look, listen, ye now not the hour. Sounds like; words, signs, sings, thoughts, voices, whispered, hear, know.
Also note this imagery
"... the piper..."
"... new day ..."
"... laughter ..."
"... clean ..."
"... change ..."
"... calling you ..."
"... can you hear ..."
"... did you know ..."
Calls to mind references to the holy books in the world. The Promised One ( the piper ) who will come to unite the world, the kingdom of God on earth, the New Jerusalem. A new day that will not be followed by night, etc...
Now let's take it verse by verse
First verse: Wealthy women in the West that expend their wealth to help spread the devine teachings of the Promised One. Despite their wealth they did not let it come between them and their creator. They know the word, the "new name", so will you also learn it. Upon him that overcometh I will write upon him a "new name".
Second verse: The religious leaders of the world claim to know, yet every time a Prophet comes to the world they are the first to persecute him. Yet illiterate fishermen accept him and so it is in this day. This is the double standard, the two meanings. Listen with your heart not your head.
Third verse, this dispensation is being spread from the West not from the East. So powerful of this revelation your soul yearns for it, even as this song speaks to our souls. The world has never seen a day like this day. We went from horse and carraige to man on the moon in one life time. Something extraordinary has happened to the world.
Fourth verse, the tune that whispers of the oneness of humanity, of religion and of God. Then will the world enter into the Great Peace promised to us in the worlds holy books.
Fifth verse, don't be alarmed at all the trouble the world is going through, the wars and rumor of wars, neither desease or famine because it it the birth pangs of world peace to come. Work for building the new world order, the old world order will be crushed by it's own weight.
Sixth verse, we will not find tranquility until we find the Promised One who is calling us. We will find him in the most subtle of places.
Seventh verse, as we go down the road of life towards our death we cast a shadow of our deeds and actions that will effect our soul in the spirit world. "The Lady", not the burning bush, not the dove, not the angel Gabriel, "The Lady" standing on a pillar of light. She will guide us to the Promised one. We will recognize the tune, like the flock will recognize the voice of the devine shepard. World Peace.
This is my first and final comment on the song. If you like it then I wish you well on your spiritual journey. If you purify your spirit and strive with all your might then you will be led to that "sacred snow white spot".
If you do not like this commentary then I apologize for wasting your time.
Tim - Austin, Tx
This IS the greatest record of all time
Anna - Myrtle Beach, Sc
Alot of you guys are idiots trying to make up meanings for this song that doesnt exist. This is by far one of the greatest records ever and will be remembered for a long time.
This song is about a woman who accumulates money, but finds out the hard way her life had no meaning and will not get her into heaven. And its also about the most important question of all: Do we go to Heaven? Hell? Or do we just rot in the ground? "oh it makes me wonder"
Jacko - Atlanta, Ga
A few things. First steve from chicago is now a proven lunatic. now to the song, it's amazing finest song writting ever. Zep, in my opinion, is the greatest band ever by far. Page clearly was into black magic, crowley, creepy thing, ect. But, he was, in my opinion, the greatest guitarist ever by far. The song itself I do not believe to be satanic. Double check this if u wish but many english words played backwards do sound lie satan. The rest our minds can fill in. The only problem I have with the song is it's WAYYY overplayed. I think some people believe Zep to be 1 hit wonders because this is all they hear. Zep will never be appreciated for all their great hits because they hide behind this one. I personally love every song they made i know most by heart and I'd love for everyone else to be able to do the same. Thank you for reading
Jimmy - Somewhere, Va
My two cents. When I was about 12 a friend of mine had a record player that had a neutral speed, allowing one to spin the record backwards. So we gave it a try. I remember making out "satan" pretty clearly several times. As I recall, right where the line "and there's still time to change the road you're on," is a backwards line of, "We sing for Satan."
It sounds more dubbed in than an actual backwards sound of the forward lyric, but I have no idea.
I'm not sure what any of this means, I am just saying that it is there and not just, "people hearing things," or "hearing what they want to hear."
My record player had no way of playing records backward.
If they did it to get people talking about their song for years to come it succeeeded but, as it turns out, the song was plenty good to be appreciated for years anyway.
Frank - Lexington, Ky
I have some old recordings of Page in the studio with the Yardbirds, after Beck quit the band, but before Led Zeppelin was formed. In the background between actual songs you can hare Page playing the intro to Stairway, not exactly as it was recorded 10 years later, but is was Stairway, no question about it. Which leads me to beleave that this was Jimmy's baby many years before Plant had the voice and the lyrics for it.
Michael - Houston, Tx
listen and enjoy. period. let's not rip it apart for our own amusement. we are not up to that task. besides, we would all be wrong. it's just beauty, that's it. old ways. and we are all one, or should be
Janet - Lynchburg, Va
Let's get past the silly assigning of our thoughts to the song. I believe Robert Plant said very simply that the song was a 'return to the old ways' - nature. it's a beautiful dream to return to our old roots, no religion at all except for ALL IS ONE and ONE IS ALL. all of us (people) and nature. beautiful
Janet - Lynchburg, Va
Led Zeppelin is the best ever. No one will ever be as good. Ever.
Seamus - Sligo, Ireland
This song is amazing. Definitely Led Zeppelins finest moment because it showcases them at their hardest and at their softest. The entire song is just buildup after buildup with Plant's cryptic lyrics and Jones' orchestra, and each verse a little something new is added. And then you have the guitar solo, which is THE guitar solo! It climaxes like 3 different times. Then Robert Plant just comes in shrieking in the most intense verse of any song ever....it's simply one of the greatest songs ever.
Corey - San Leandro, Ca
see this song played by "Rodrigo y Gabriela". after i saw them covering it in this way i had a terrible attraction for gabriela i wish god makes me her Lover in next lifetime
Zubin - Mumbai, India
Actually according to Christian demonology there are loads and loads of demon or devil references in Stairway to Heaven. Christians don't like pagans, right? So they steal their holidays and make up stuff about their beliefs. Personally I don't like paganism or christianity but onto the subject.
The piper: Could be interpreted as the pied piper, the old german tale of the man hired by a town to remove rats with a magical flute and when the town doesn't pay him, he uses the flute on the children! The people end up believing he is the devil and all that etc.
Okay, now another road of thought on the piper: Greek mythology. You have Pan, a flute playing GOATMAN. Pan also appears in pagan beliefs (not as Pan but generally goat people are in paganism). Now christians don't really like goatmen right? Because they're all pagan and evil so guess what? They get an old pagan symbol and draw and goat man head in it! Ta da! A christian pentagram representing their devil and a lot of angry pagans.
So that's how satanic the song is but there are also drug references which would piss off prissy christian family groups as well!
I believe this song is about a journey to enlightenment (Even if that journey involves illegal substances), ever seen the artwork? Old man at the top of the ledge above a town? What is he carrying with him? A lantern and what is in that lantern? The STAR OF DAVID! And where is that star from? Jews! And what do Jews like? Jews like knowledge, they like lots of knowledge and wisdom so they can make up for pissing off God too much. There you go knowledge and enLIGHTenment.
Oh and one thing I forgot to add, the bright light also refers to Lucifer if you're like really, really clever or watch supernatural, so you know another christian teeth sinker.
Mitchell - Adelaide, Australia
about the message in the back ground of the song. it is the words not a fancy studio work. How i know this is me and my roommate sang the lyrics where the message is and we reversed the track and we heard the message and we did not have fancy recording equipment
George - Waynesburg, Ky
You know the old saying, "you only hear what you want to hear." This is why, with all the ambiguity in the lyrics, you can have one group of christians say the song is satanic and another say its an evangelical song. Both are ridiculous. Robert Plant was no christian, so why would he write his defining lyric about jesus? And there are no references to satan in the lyrics either. I'm sure you could pick a d.c. talk song or any song by some lame christian group at random and play their music backwards and find subliminal messages about satan. Its all just random garbage that sometimes sounds like something. The fact of the matter is, the song isn't really about any one thing. You would have to be Robert Plant at the moment he wrote it to really know what its about. Most of the lyrics are really just vague lines that go together well. The lyrics were mostly an exercise in stream of conscience writing, as he pretty much just wrote the first thing to pop in his head. Thats why 'sometimes words have two meanings', as there have been many guesses as to what the song is about. There are a lot of what could certainly be references to Lady Galadriel, and this makes sense because Plant was a big fan of Lord of the Rings and referenced the books in a few other songs as well. In that case, the 'heaven' he is referring to is Valinor where the undying souls reside in the Tolkein tale. It doesn't hurt that this 'heaven' is west ('there's a feeling I get/when I look to the west/and my spirit is crying for leaving') of the Misty Mountains (another song from the same album, Misty Mountain Hop). Also, the May Queen is a mythological reference to the queen of the elves. May Queen was also the name of a poem by Aleister Crowley. It is a quite common misconception that Crowley was a satanist, when he was nothing of the sort. Christians like to say religious beliefs that are 'weird' or occult must therefore be satanic, and that's just wrong. Not to cause any alarm with that reference, yes the members of Led Zeppelin were interested in the occult, but that doesn't make them satanists. I'm interested in reading about such things, and I don't even believe satan exists. I'm also interested in the history of christianity and where the writers of the bible found their influences in other religions, and I don't believe jesus exists other than as a man who was the David Koresh of his time. Its just interesting to read about. And if you take all song lyrics literally, listen to 'hey, hey what can I do' where Plant sings about going to church on Sunday and there's plenty of singing about jesus in 'in my time of dying'. There, he's a satanist and a christian.
Jeremey - Bellingham, Wa
I heard that if you play this song backwards while watching the Wizard of Oz and listening to Another One Bites the dust it makes Salmon flavored poptarts pop out of toasters in hell.
Tac - Providence, Ri
If you download the newest version the backmask is MUCH clearer. I don't think that it was put there on backwards. I think It is God speaking in the voice of Led Zeppelin. What is God...Goodness.
What is the opposite of good? Evil. What is pure evil? Satan. Satan oppositioner of God. So the backwards song of god is the song of Satan.
That is my religious opinion of this song, unfortunately i have beliefs that don't match any religion i have ever heard of.
Andy - Elizabethtown, Ky
I'm always a bit cynical of 'satantic messages' when you play songs backwards - why not just put it in the song? What got me though is how clear the message sounds, and when Robert Plant sings 'cause you know sometimes words have two meanings' is kind of a hint. Who knows, it is unlikely but sure does make it more interesting.
Cat - Glasgow, United Kingdom
This song means so much to me..... I love it and the way Plant sings it...It reminds me of someone... And just one thing - Mike from Clinton, Plant's voice CAN SING ballads and he ROCKS !!!!!!!! oooo!! and yes, Stairway To Heaven is not,and I quote weak pop ballad
Wish - Rijeka, Croatia
This is no doubt one of the best songs in the history of time. Both Beautiful (Because of sound) and Chaotic (because of the idiots out there who CREATE the chaos by assigning means and political and religious stand points to the song) Just because someone backmasks does not make them Satanic. My english teacher trys talking backwards all the time, and he's a pastor at a local church (Not a satanic one either.) I've listened to it backwards, and while, theoretically you can hear satanic messages, they are garbled. The whole reason one hears satanic messages is because some stupid Disc Jockey found the right formula of speed and rotation to apply in order to make them clearer. We have been told the messages are satanic, so we expect to hear satanic messages, and therefore we do hear satanic messages. If you were skilled enough you could make them sound like they were talking about anything, satanism was conveniant though because Page had an occult bookstore, even though he has long since sold it and denyed any affiliation with Satanism. For Goodness sakes people he gives money to charity! He trys to make the world a better place. So to all you people out there who are too fixated on Religious conspiracys and trying to destroy everything that true rockers hold dear, get a life, and follow God like God wants to be followed, through love, not hate and conspiracy theorys.
Sam Fredrickson - Meridian, Id
Wow, I think that was the longest thread I've ever read. For my two cents on this one, "Seek and ye shall find," - whether you are seeking God, Satan, LOTR, Celtic Mythology, Janis Joplin or production company hypocracy. I always keep in mind the fact that my interpretation is all about me and usually has very little to do with the author's original intent - especially if he/she is good at their job. Ambiguity is the hallmark of great art because it leaves the listener/viewer able to place their own perspective on the subject, while still sharing common human experiences of beauty, wonder, pain, etc.,(that's why we're all still talking about the Mona Lisa's smile centuries later - she's sure got much better looking competition in recorded artistic history, and yet she is the most famous). Based on the impassioned, widely varied responses in this thread, I would say the guys have done top notch work - musically and lyrically. Personally, I thank God I got to be born into a world where not only were JRR Tolkein and Led Zep possible to experience at the same time, I got to do so while drinking homemade elderberry wine ;-)
G - Erie, Pa
One of the greatest songs ever written and will always be a favorite of mine.
Amber - San Francisco, Ca
This song makes me cry like a little school girl whenever John Bonham(RIP Bonzo, September 25, 1980) plays near the end. The raw, untamed emotion being let out and knowing he will never ever play again...Regarding the Satanic message, if Jimmy Page worships Satan, mabye Satan isn't all that bad...Personally I think it's all stupid, that "secret message" crap...but then again, it did actually help Led Zeppelin in a way, more publicity...It also sounds so cool backwards; the drums make that inside out sound, truly amazing song either played correctly or backwards, period.
Bruce - Conyers, Ga
The best part of the song is eiather the beginning folk solo or the almost ending rock solo. No matter what, Page rules
Henry - Baltimore, Md
I just realized this but Tolken wrote a poem saYing "All that is gold does not gliter" and in this song they say "there's a lady who shure all that gliters is gold." There is a resembleance
Zachbon - Okemos, Mi
Wow! I read all the comments and what a diverse interpretation of the music there is! I did go to the backmasking web-site, that is referred to in some of the posts, and listened to "Stairway to Heaven" played backwards and IT IS eerie! I was always kind of freaked out to hear certain songs played backward. I know when I first graduated from high school, and got my first job back in 1977, there was a radio station in Atlanta that was looking back at the "Paul is Dead" Beatle's controversy, and the way that you could play backwards certain Beatle's songs and hear a message saying "Paul is Dead" and other strange and eerie statements. I guess the Beatle's did it for a publicity stunt or something, but it sure sounded scary and it is also on that same web-site. I wanted to add to the discussion by saying that in Cameron Crowe's wonderful movie "Almost Famous," Stairway to Heaven plays a wonderful role, but in a deleted scene no less. If you have a copy of the DVD, you might have seen this scene. When the teenage boy (the main subject of the film) gets offered a writing job with Rolling Stone magazine, his mother is totally against it because he is only 15, is an honor student, and she is way over-protective. He brings one of his high school teachers, his counselor, and his sister's boyfriend to try and convince his mother to let him go out and write a piece on Led Zepplin for the magazine. She refuses at first, but then he plays Stairway To Heaven for her, and she finally gives him permission to go, but with a set of rules attached. It is very funny, and although the song was not "cleared" by Led Zepplin for use in the film, Cameron Crowe did an interesting thing by stopping the film at the point where YOU the VIEWER should go and get your copy (album - vinyl - is preferable, but CD will do) and he tells you when to start it up. Then the movie continues with a very funny scene of this boy, his support group, and his mother listening to Stairway to Heaven. In the boy's introduction to the song, he tells his Mother that Stairway to Heaven was inspired by and is about J.J. Tolkeins "Lord of the Rings," which, he tells her, is a literary masterpiece and a very inspirational book. I don't know if that is actually so or not, but in the SONG FACTS at the top of the page, one person does say that it IS about Lord of the Rings. I would like to think that is so! The boy goes on to say that the Lady in the song is actually the Elf Queen (who was played in the Lord of the Rings by Cate Blanchett). Anyway, I loved the movie "Almost Famous," and I recommend it to anyone with a genuine love of movies, and of 70's music. This song is a classic, and has always been a favorite of mine. It bring back my high school years definitely, and what a lovely and heady time that was!
Kate - Marietta, Ga
I always put this song when walking up hills or stairs, it kind of fits the mood.
I have a very long and boring interpretation of this song, I'm not going to post it though, just briefly though, its asking a lady to follow a paganistic goatman which was later considered in christianity to be the devil.
Mitchell - Adelaide, Australia
This is my second-favorite song of all time (nothing beats Bohemian Rhapsody). There's something strange about it. It's both simple and complex, short and long, plain and elegant, sad and happy. Though, I don't think this song ever ought to be analyzed too deeply. I did that with Bohemian Rhapsody and almost ruined it for myself. Therefore, I don't try to understand what the words are about. All I know is that there's a journey, and a piper, and a lady who tries to buy a stairway to heaven but can't. Other than that, I must admit that I can't tell what else the song is about. I don't want to know. If there's a hidden meaning behind it, then I don't care. I have heard this song backwards, but it didn't do much for me. I doubt they really meant it that way. Oddly enough, my friends all assosiate me with this song because I did it three times for talent shows. It's incredible. Led Zeppelin is amazing. Favorite Zeppelin song ever.
Pippin - Rhye, Ca
Madison should get a Nobel Prize for humour, man!
Sibella - Pretoria, --
one of their greatest songs.stop looking for meanings,enjoy what ur hearing,this is what they want !!!!
Rose - Philadelphia, Pa
Okay, Here's a message for Lisa Denison. Aleister
Crawley wrote "The Book of the Law". A lot of his book is used in the Satanists' bible. Now YOU CANNOT tell me that that man wasn't demon possessed. And as far as Led Zeppelin, AC-DC, Brittany Spears, Jay Z, Snoop Dogg, N-SYNC, Madonna, THE BEATLES!!!, etc., goes, they all backmask, and they all follow Aleister Crawley, who is without a doubt Satanist. See, I've done it myself with 2 computers and their music, and let me tell ya, as scary as it is, it's true. Ya'll are all in denial because it's too difficult for you to accept the fact that you're wrong, and you don't want to give up your music. The music that you're listening to though, is actually controlling you. Music can be used as a drug because it releases endorphines in your brain that causes you to get high. That's why you crave music. For example, that's why listening to fast music pumps you up or why listening to slow music relaxes you. You all need a reality check and realize that there are people who'd do things like backmasking. THEY'RE SATANISTS! THEY DO IT ON PURPOSE! Jimmy Page, if I'm not mistaken, admitted that when he got on-stage that there was a demonic force controlling and pushing him. I have a 3 CD collection of a man named Nathan Barrett who taught me all of this. He actually did the backmasking himself and researched many different artists. Some of them confessed in magazines. And Jay Dundalk, Christians don't cuss.
Madison - Moscow, Malaysia
Its a good song i guess..Hell its a great song. Kashmir is a better and more clever arrangment i feel. As for the backwards messages, Plant didn't even know he'd done it, thats how good he is. I think his mind was possesed and 15minutes later the lyrics were written!!..Also, its the best guitar solo ever written along with Thin Lizzy's I'm still in Love with you.
Luke Taylor - Manchester, United Kingdom
My friend had this song played at his funeral...it is such a emotional song....and led zeppelin sings it so you know that can only make it better =)
Amber - Houston, Tx
In my opinion, a true classic, certainly a favourite of mine, and along with Black Dog and Rock and Roll make for an awesome first side to the vinyl record. (Recently had the pleasure of hearing Robert Plant sing Black Dog and Rock and Roll at a charity concert for the local childrens hospital, he lives quite close, so his appearance was not a great surprise, but the song choice was a very pleasant one, he was excellent).
As for this satanist rubbish, I can't believe how guillable people are. What kind of idiot has nothing better to do than play records backwards anyway? Get a life!!! Yet another good reason to be grateful for CDs I guess too.
Andy - Halesowen, West Midlands, United Kingdom
For those who don't think Page is a Satanist here a fact for you. Page currently lives in a house that was owned by Alister Crowley who "By now Crowley was fast becoming infamous as a Black magician and Satanist, he openly identified himself with the number 666, the biblical number for the antichrist." Also here's a link to Jeff Milner's site on that has a great reveal of the prayer to Satan back masked in the "If there's a bustle in your hedgerow" verse. Just listen honestly, it's pretty blatant.
God Bless in Jesus Christ,
Manchester, CT
James - Manchester, Ct
In the verse when the drums come into play "yes there are two paths you can go by but in the long run, there's still time to change the road your on" is where the back masking is. You hear "here's to my sweet satin" and satin again is said. Just convert the song to wav, use windows sound recorder and clip that verse of the song. Then click the reverse tab under effects and you hear it.
Weather this was meant to be put there or not it is clearly there. It probably means nothing and I could care less if it does but some people find it interesting. It really adds to the mystique of the song thats for sure.
Jason, Sunrise, Fl
Jason - Plantation, Fl
I think this song is about defying certain laws of nature, perhaps to appear as someone who is treated like somewhat of a god, my stab at it
Brian - Vancouver, Canada
Zep had the greatest drummer of all time and he doesn't appear in this song until about 4&1/2 minutes... That's how good this song is...
Dean - Sydney,
Jimmy Page: the song "crystallized the essence of the band. It had everything there and showed the band at its best.... as a band, as a unit.... It was a milestone for us. Every musician wants to do something of lasting quality, something which will hold up for a long time, and I guess we did it with 'Stairway.' "
Mark - Worcester, Mi
8:03 minutes of Musical brilliance!
Robert - Calgary, Canada, Ab
Zep is one of my favorite bands right bhind mettallica and all this satanic message stuff is a whole bunch of bull!!! this is my favorite song and Leo or anyone tell me why it wouldnt say lucifer if it was about lucifer?? its a great song with a great message: you cant buy youre way into heaven. So if anyone thinks that it being what it is backwards thats a whole load of crap because it would take years and years to write two songs out of one!! this is a great song and shouldnt be scarred with accusations of satanic referances!!
Beef - Quahog, Ri
This song is one of the master-pieces of rock. I just don't know why some people WANT to find satanic messages listening the song backwards.
Tomislav - Zagreb, Croatia
I just listened to this song backwords again and i reconised about 10 words only 10! backwards sinicality in stairway is just like global warming or the therory of evolution, IT'S A PEICE OF SH*T!!!!!
Zachbon - Okemos, Mi
First the song don't say enough to make a substantly clame of backwards sinicality but this is Cristian I have a friend that his parents only let im realy do religion stuff and read narnia and LOTR (best story ever!) and they still let him listen to stairway, It's Cristian
Zachbon - Okemos, Mi
This song is great but still only holds third place in my book:
1) Like a Rolling Stone - Bob Dylan
2) Sympathy for the Devil - Rolling Stones
3) Stairway to Heaven - Led Zeppelin
Then after that I dont know what should come next... Purple Haze? Baba O' Riley? Light my Fire? Dazed and Confused?
I cant make up my mind!
Justin - St. Louis, Mo
In this tune I find the best guitar work Jimmy Page ever played, before or since. In my opinion, (I know, I know), he is the sloppiest guitar player in Rock and Roll history. Inconsistent and loose in his performances. And sometimes even off key. Of all the songs this band ever recorded, this one is the best. Which ain't saying much. I think the best song I will ever hear Zeppelin play will be the last one I hear before I die. Then I won't have to listen to their garbage anymore. Hell for me would be attending one of their concerts.
Michael - Summerdale, Al
jesse- people usually edit those clips before they post them on youtube... that way they can trick people.. so it isnt the real thing backwards
Carlota - Ankara, Turkey
one thing ive seen thats pretty strange is how the videos ive seen on youtube each word that plant says backwards is said perfectly and seriously who could make a song that makes sense fowards and backwards and who would even know how to say satan backwards?
Jesse - Philly, Pa
Personally I believe this song is about the end of time..because it says:
And it's whispered that soon if we all call the tune
Then the piper will lead us to reason.
And a new day will dawn for those who stand long
And the forests will echo with laughter.- which I think piper means gabriel and his horn and new day is self-explanatory, and the forests will echo with laughter meaning nomore pain for the faithful.
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.- meaning the path of light or dark but in life you can give yourself over to god.
Your head is humming and it won't go, in case you don't know,
The piper's calling you to join him,- meaning you know it will happen but some people choose to ignore it.
How everything still turns to gold.
And if you listen very hard
The tune will come to you at last.
When all are one and one is all- when everything is made perfect in heaven and you hear finally hear the angels sing and you are one with everyone else.
thats just my opinion
Brandon Floyd - Gruetli-laager, Tn
"I think this is a song of hope" I want to thank Jimmy Page and Robert Plant for this song. It is a beautiful illustration of rock and its peak. The lyrics are genius and the melody sooths the depths of the soul. This song has moved me and in several instances changed my life. To all those who say this song has satanic back masking just shut up and listen to the song! If you cant appreciate the song for the masterpiece it is you obviously cannot hear talent and need to crawl back into the hole you came from and stay there!! When it's all said and done it doesn't matter if the song has back masking or what the meaning of the lyrics are the only thing that matters is does the song move you?
Christopher - Rome, Ga
What was really funny to me was years after the religious controversy about this song, I had bought a commentary on the Book of Revelation written by a respectable seminary prof in which he noted that the ancient Babylonian astronomical ziggaruts were referred to as STAIRWAYS TO THE HEAVENS. And in the 60s some young people used to say that Bob Dylan could not carry a tune-I saw it on PBS! Am I getting old!
Tony - Toledo, Oh
ok this is my personal opinion and plz dont give me crap about it.. i belive that this song is about the apocalpse (i know i spelled that wrong). the reason why is because of certain parts of the song. such as when he says "may queen" the virgin mary is also known as the queen of may and if u read the book of revalations it says that there is a woman and has a child born. this is probably mary. another part is how plant says theres two paths and u can change which one ur on doesnt have to be between god and satan it could just mean being a hardcore chirstian or catholic or being a sinner. it is in the bible that god will always forgive us. make sense? for the piper that could be anything there are tons of ppl that could resemble the piper. it could be a prophet that is saying wats gonna happen. also the part when it says the forest well echo with laughter could be ppl happy with jesus christ coming to earth and joining everlasting life in heaven. now im not a religious fanatic or some priest ok im just someone who has an open mind for things. for the messages relax guys cause if satan wanted anything it wouldnt be a song. another thing why do u ppl have conspicies about songs. music is about expressing ur self. i think thats enough said.
Jesse - Philly, Pa
From reading all of these comments, I guess that the song has multiple meanings... I guess it can mean what you want it to be... it is practically unknown. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and I think that your opinion will help you decide what "Stairway to Heaven" means.
Carlota - Ankara, Turkey
Tone, when speaking things as if they're fact at least come close to getting them right. Christian fundamentalists didn't know what the meaning of the song was at all. Their objection was that it was a very popular rock song and that is it. The reason they play things backwards is because some dope decided this is how Satan is "corrupting the youth" through rock music and the rest followed. It was all hysterical paranoia, which the fundamentalist christians are famous for. As an actual christian who reads the bible, I know there is more of a religious meaning to the song than you imply.
Jesse - Portage, In
The only people to find backwards messages in songs - and to actually look for them in the first place! - are religious (usually christian) fundamentalists and their objection to this song is that it is about finding the true nature of ourselves and in the process; of realising, understanding, KNOWING that we are ALL ONE with the Universe - One is All & All is One. The material world is NOT all there is to conscious experience... Ask yourself who is listening to this song when you hear it.
Tone - Nottingham, England
This song is, hands down, the greatest ever written and recorded!
Jd - Seattle, Wa
Guys... music is music. Whatever you may believe of the song or what you think this band ... I suppose it's really up to the meaning you attach to things. I personally am a huge fan of Led Zeppelin and I'm also Roman Catholic. If you think this has secret meanings... try to cope well my friends but I don't think Page or Plant or anyone would waste time doing this. Many songs if you play them backwards would say something but what doesn't? Try recording conversations (wouldn't advise it) and listen to them backwards... All in all it's what you believe. Don't waste your time thinking such things thoughts. They're a great band. Don't disrespect and throw away their hard work and dedication. If you are still very superstitious think of it this way. You have two paths. What do you choose? Forward or Backwards? (Don't waste your time on this anymore)
Fidel - Chicago, Il
I lost a lot of respect for Led Zeppelin of the last five years after finding out that so many of their songs are a rip off of blues from the south. They even tried to claim the credit for writing them. They are definitely a good band, and Page is the man on the guitar, but they are not the best band ever or anything!
Casey - Moscow, Tn
About 5:30 into the song, if you play it backwards, the song has a Subliminal Message. The message being about Satan, and such. Not saying Crowly worshiped satan or anything... Good song though
Adam - Boston, Ma
*pokes head in* I seem to have been called out. Sweet! Acknowledgement! And I wonder what I'd sound like backwards... hmmmm.
.lla uoy snwp gniklat sdrawkcab yM
Mickey - Mars, Pa
If you feel you want a true meaning for this song this is it.
Stairway To Heaven
words and music by Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and Led Zeppelin.
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) (it's usually about now that I feel the spirit! -jk)
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 puling 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................
Clint - Mount Vernon, Mo
I agree. Anyone playing songs backwards to find hidden meanings really should put the joint down. Christians who give the rest of us Christians a bad name, started this dumb "search for Satan" decades ago to say rock and roll was infiltrated by the subtleties of Satan. And even today obviously there are people are still doing it. I think the inventor of that was the Church Lady from SNL. Blows my mind. First there was pig-latin, now there's "peyote-latin".
Jesse - Portage, In
If you relly want to appreciate this song, try playing it (well) on guitar while singing the lyrics - there is nothing that compares to the Page/Plant brilliance in this masterpiece. Truly a song that no-one can reproduce the way Zep did.
Mossie - Cape Town, South Africa
Ok, once and for all THERE ARE NO SATANIC MESSAGES IN THIS SONG!!!
I believe it is quite DISRESPECTFUL towards one of the greatest bands ever, to ruin their masterpiece with these rumours! I've listened to it played backwards several times, and honstly, it sounds like...any song would sound beeing played backwards, irregular
Alina - Karlstad, Sweden
This song is what happens when you combine great musicians with great drugs. Spectacular!!!
Mick - Des Moines, Ia
Mickey, you can get a big kick out of my reference to verses in the Bible all you want, but if you read the lyrics and know the Bible, there is clearly more than just a connection. If you can't see them, then you're blind. Are the references to verses necessary? We're talking about the meaning, are we not? Anyone who thinks this song has to be played backwards to understand the meaning really should find something else to do with their time. No one can purposely sing a song to have something understood when playing backwards. Record yourselves talking, play it backwards and let your peyote-induced thoughts hear what you want to hear. "Whoa dude, it sounded like I said 'birds in Waziristan'! What does that mean, maaan?"
Jesse - Portage, In
ROFLMAO!!! I love the people pulling scripture verses up while commenting. It's a good song, a beautiful song. It does have a semi-religious deeper meaning, but are the verses really necessary? XD
Mickey - Mars, Pa
Here's my 2 cents on the backmasking. In the book "Hammer of the Gods", they admit to doing it, I have a Tascam 4-track recorder, you can find one for under $90. But on the lyrics "There's still time to change the road you're on." You have to record it on a new tape, flip the tape over at those lyrics and hit play after rewinding. I could make out " Here's to my sweet Satan mmmmmmm Satan." You can hear Robert go nyaaa before the line.I think it was Jimmy Page's way of keeping people arguing about stupid s--t forever. What a genius! Some interpretations made my brain hurt!
Alan - Cleveland, Oh
Tom, I think your interpretation is too allegorical. Plant does say "rings of smoke through the trees". Pipesmoking isn't going to create that kind of smoke. Plant isn't wanting to leave America for materialism, seriously. His spirit is crying for leaving because of something bad he saw in his thoughts. This is easy. Her buying a stairway to heaven is her doing good deeds and realizing when she dies that she can have anything she wants. Closed stores will be open for her. But doing good deeds for this woman isn't enough, because God is calling her to join him. As it says in the Bible, some people will be called by God. Considering how Plant and Page lived their lives, the last thing Plant would be talking about is materialism. The rock that does not roll is Plant's suggestion that we don't roll. He often said that in his concerts. "Don't you roll!" Being a rock is to be firm and to stand strong. For someone being so allegorical with his interpretation, I can't believe that one got by you so badly. When you overthink, you can turn this song into anything. He clearly made biblical references, just twisted the words with a celtic tone. And I don't want to get into a whole religious debate with you, but Mary isn't the Mother of God. She was the mother of his human flesh only. Jesus put her in her place in the gospels which let her know she was only the mother of his flesh, not spirit. She was a great woman and was chosen for a reason, but she isn't a deity. How did Mary give birth to the Creator of the universe?
Jesse - Portage, In
Satanic messages ? Backwards, it is more gibberish than something else...
Frank - Montreal, Canada
the most overplayed song in the history of music!and im azepp fan but if ever hear this song again i will hurl!
Wes - Sherwood, Ar
Thanks. Isaiah 18 says "Woe to the land shadowing with wings..." From all I've read, and I've read intently, this is the only time America was mentioned. We are shadowing with wings because our national symbol is the Bald Eagle. There are other things in the first few verses that point to that country being the United States. Being this is the only time America is mentioned in the Bible, and 9/11 wasn't mentioned, what will happen must be a lot worse. This is what Plant said he saw in his thoughts.
Jesse - Portage, In
The greatest songs, like good poetry, contain many meanings which reveal themselves in different ways. That is, in essence, the purpose of art.
To say that this song is about Janis, LOTR, religion, materialism, or whatever, is correct. To me, the most obvious meaning is that of a cautionary message to America. Jack in Mesa came close to this interpretation as well. As I read the lyrics today, I find them to be more chillingly relevant than ever.
Brad - Indianapolis, In
To all the people who say that this song is some sort of Satanic chant, I have a suggestion for you...all of you kindly retreat to your bomb shelters, listen to some old Gospel recorded in a graveyard in 1923, and watch your recorded reruns of the 700 Club, and stop trashing good music. Chad has it right...you'll only hear the Satanic message if you are told it's there. The other day, my friend told me that in the song "More Human Than Human" by White Zombie, Rob Zombie was really chanting, "Paul Newman, thank you, man", and I listened to the song three times and that's all I would hear. The message doesn't exist unless you think it does. This is one of the definitive classic rock songs (along with "Free Bird" and "Layla.") Just enjoy it on it's own merits, and stop trying to turn it into something it's not.
Rob - Detroit , Mi
There's a couple of things you left out of the meaning of Stairway. That woman in the song is being called by the Piper, hence God. The Bible talks about people being called. The time Plant was setting this scene in is right before the fall of America in Isaiah 18 and the Tribulation period spoken of in Revelation. "There's a feeling I get when I look to the West..." is America. In Isaiah 18, the US is the country that raises a sign in the mountains (Mount Rushmore)and beyond the rivers of Ethiopia (Ethiopia was in a different place then... was the farthest western country in Africa) which the whole world will pay attention to. Iraq is the country with the spoiling rivers and will most likely be split into three. Many things Plant said are things like Jesus said. "If there's a bustle in your hedgerow, don't be alarmed now. It's just a Spring clean for the May Queen" is basically what Jesus said in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 when he says "when all these things come to pass, let your heart not be troubled, for they must first come to pass" before his return. The last set of verses in Stairway is Plant saying no matter how bad things may get to hold your ground and do what's right. There's still time to change for the good.
Jesse - Portage, In
This song can be whatever you want it to be.
Tha ranges from a devil worshipping chant , till a hymn praising the Judeo-christian God , and it can go much further.The fact that this song's lyrics are so hard to figure and that they can be given multiple meanings is a crucial factor in making it a legend and hailing it eitherways ,because few people seem to curse it as 'bad'.
My small contribution
Nik - Athen, Greece
Hell yeah, you can't deny the fact that the guitarplay, oh so beautyfull is the same as the lyrics played backward.
Hear why it's sung here, opposisner equals
e c e a , f#/c c e c played so sweet. the piper reverse the the wellknown whistle of the guy with the funny leggs.
Rqpon - Den Helder, Netherlands
okay, for those of you who said this song 'got killed by a radio play' are derranged. this song is not only classic rock, but it is LED ZEPPELIN. classic rock (especially led zeppelin) can NOT be killed by being overplayed. Otherwise it wouldn't be called CLASSIC ROCK. the only stuff thats good and could get killed by being overplayed is stuff like...Hey There Delilah. this song is amazing. i hate when people try to turn it into something 'satanic' why cant you guys just appreciate true art? ughhh!
Michelle - Scranton, Pa
Always played last at school dances "way back when", trotted out by clasic rock stations regularly, destroyed by novice guitarists and, judging by some of these posts, the song that tried to burn down the remote village you grew up in (Yes "Fanatic Obsessives", I'm talking to you)...it's "Stairway to Heaven"!!
Here's one for the folks that are reading far too much into the song:
Get yourself a copy of Zep IV on vinyl.
Hold the record jacket out in front of you.
Turn it 90 degrees, clockwise.
You'll find that the record falls out...hahahaha
Satan? The boogeyman? No, just four English gents that made excellent music.
Sean - Ottawa, Canada
I dont understand anything now that i've listened to this song.
I don't understand how people can compare this song to kashmir. I dont understand how people say kimi hendrix is tthe greatest guitarist of all time, since he may be good, but it takes more than just shredding and burning your guitar to be great. I don't get how people think eruption has a better solo, or how people i know dont FEEL it when they listen to this song; they only HEAR it.
Led Zeppelin has some of the most talented people in it. Robert Plant isnt freddie mercury, jimmy page isnt yngwie malmsteem, Joe Bonham isnt Neil Peart and John Paul Jones isn't Geddy Lee, but they're all pretty damn close.
It stinks I'll never be able to see Led Zep in concert though, since i was born into a world of crappy music as a teenager. But no matter how far we burry ourselves in this wretched music world this song will always live on.
They should play it at my funeral.
Ozzy - Fresno, Ca
Back in high school in 1975, my guitar teacher transcribed for me a version of STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN which I learned after only 5 months of guitar lessons. I used to play that for people when I would play my guitar for them. I really had a laugh when I saw the movie WAYNE'S WORLD for the first time on TV in 1995 and at the guitar shop there was this giant sign on the wall that said NO STAIRWAY! That gave me a pretty good laugh as I used to check out the better guitars at the guitar store on Saturdays at the mall and see what a better guitar would sound like. I used to play for myself, STAIRWAY, HIDEAWAY or SUNFLOWER SLOW DRAG. But I am not a Led Zepplin fan. I simply wanted to learn that song for myself. It sure beat CARCASSI'S CLASSICAL GUITAR METHOD. But I ain't played since 1980. I am happy to just be a consumer of music!
Tony - Toledo, Oh
If it had have been released as a single it would have been edited as it is 8 minutes it would have been cut down to 4 or 5 minutes probally it would have deffinately got to number 1 though for at least 10 weeks maybe 12
Jesus Of Suburbia - Frinton On Sea, Al
Leo, it saddens me to read your description of the song. Page had been working with the riffs for a while, while Bonham would help with the rhythm during down times. They presented it to Plant, he sat with it for a while, and it flowed out nicely. He has been quoted as saying it is one of his proudest moments in life, and saddens him when people make a reference as you did. The world is a big place Leo, larger than you or I could understand. Let the band rest in peace without defining the song as you have. You are wrong. It's meaning and symbolism comes from the Celtic culture; I only make this comment for you to take with an open mind. It would help the world greatly if you could contribute something positive to the world today, instead of frowning upon that which you do not understand. God bless you Leo
Craig - Boise, Id
Flamenco guitar duo "Rodrigo y Gabriela" cover this song. It's pretty cool.
Ramon - Long Beach, Ca
Totally overplayed but Stairway never gets old! I love this song. And I am really sick of hearing that it is satanic... if you are looking for that you will find it, but it is really not there and I absolutely don't beleive it was intended, if anything remotely sounds like satanic messages. Really, who listens to music backwards?
Melanie - Seattle, Wa
For: Leo, Millersville, MD & Mick, Las Vegas, NV
There are many bands associated with Crowley and the Occult. During this period, many received great money and fame from embracing Satan. See The Beatles and Sargent Pepper's Album cover at yaeljardin.spaces.live.com.
Blog: Sargent Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - CrossTV- They Sold Their Soul For Rock and Roll
Blog: G-d Perfecting Souls and the Phallus People Illumination
Yael - Alexandria, Va
Okay Leo. Thanks for sharing. Now someone will get you a valium and you can rest for awhile. Doesn't rest sound nice Leo? That's right...be a good boy and put your keyboard away.
Mark - Worcester, Mi
This song is about lucifer the fallen angels and their servants going to Hell for all of eternity and not about a woman, the "lady" is Lucifer. This is reveled at the end of the song.
Jimmy Page as well as Robert plant both have a deep knowledge of the symbolisms and meanings the satanic.Jimmy page is still a satanist. Robert and John were best friends growing up and John P was a studio musician jimmy knew.When Jimmy Page wanted to make his band he picked 19 and 18 yr olds named Robert and John.Robert insisting that is home town best friend be the drummer. Jimmy Page then taught them these things being a satanist, older wealthy and a star for his day, and because of the mass delusion resulting form lucifer's deception of impersonating God and substituting its worship ie. drinking blood and eating flesh of the first born child sacrifice on the day of the sun, telling the lie that the human race is to blame for the original sin while in fact it was lucifer and the fallen angels, Robert and John and John P fell in to it too and became quite adept with the
symbolic and esoteric meanings of these things.
And as all satanist know fool you are fool you shall be lucifer goes in hell at the end and has no power but lies and deception and is not God.And only a Fool would serve satan.
Robert did put LOTR references in some songs but the meaning here is not about LOTR just like in "The Battle Of Evermore" he uses them to weave a mysterious picture into the lyrics.The LOTR's books meanings are a subject in it's self.
As for listening to it backwards you hardly have to if you know the symbolic meanings.There are some very interesting things that people have discovered but lets look at it forewords.
Also there s are wordings and pronunciations that are also said at the same time the lyrics are these are not any type of masking but Roberts own voice and soul. I will point these out* in the real explanation and truthful meaning of "Stairway To Heaven"
And There's a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold and she's buying a stairway to heaven. (lucifer hiding behind a woman like a coward it is ) When she gets there she knows, if the stores are all closed with a word she can get what she came for. (Heaven is blocked from lucifer/but with lies or words or wind/lucfer can decive) There's a sign on the wall but she wants to be sure 'cause you know sometimes words have two meanings. (The writing is on the wall/prophecy/lucifer impersonates God/meaning of God in your minds eyes/also two meanings for words appears later) In a tree by the brook, there's a songbird who sings, Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiven. (Earth /nature/beauty/times interface/flowing engergy in this dimension/lucifers deception of God resulting in spiritual confusion) Ooh, it makes me wonder, (searching for complete truth/also the deception makes him get lost) There's a feeling I get when I look to the west, and my spirit is crying for leaving. (The sun is the symbol of lucifer as is light lucifer being the angel of light or appearing as the angel of light also know as the light bearer/the sun sets in the west therefore lucifer descends to hell/Roberts soul wants to be free knowing lucifers fate) In my thoughts I have seen rings of smoke through the trees,And the voices of those who stand looking. (seeing/hearing the presence of the fallen angels/watchers/those who are hidden and exist but do not wish to be known) And it's whispered that soon if we all call the tune (wind/words/if listen and follow lucifer and repeat its lies) Then the piper will lead us to reason. (lucfer will mislead all having impersonated God and already falsely passed its shame onto the innocent will then try to appear to be a liberator) And a new day will dawn for those who stand long (sun rise/lucifer's false ascension/ aleister crowleys "order of the golden dawn') And the forests will echo with laughter. (the fallen angels lucifer/watchers/laugh at the foolish) If there's a bustle in your hedgerow, don't be alarmed now, It's just a spring clean for the May queen. (if you see the truth lucifer will try and lure you in to a false sense of complacency having impersonated God/May 1st is the most satanic day of the year called grand climax/may queen is a reference to a fertility ritual also where lucifer the coward deceiver hides behind sexuality and women/*note Robert also says Law-man at the same time as alarmed) Yes, there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run (good-evil/truth-lies) There's still time to change the road you're on. (free will) Your head is humming and it won't go, in case you don't know,(lucifer and the fallen angels are real they exist,there is only one true God is real nothing in world or all of the lies or time will change that) The piper's calling you to join him, (lucifer is springing the trap of the deception having lied and impersonated God now wants to mislead you in the end) Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow, and did you know your stairway lies on the whispering wind. (lucifer in disguise did you know words sometimes have to meanings and that lies will never get you heaven and all the lies in the world are not worth one word of truth) And as we wind on down the road (time/curving path/the end ) Our shadows taller than our soul. (the sun is setting/lucifer is falling to hell/*Robert also says all shadows stolen then are sold) There walks a lady we all know (the world leaders are satanists) Who shines white light and wants to show (She shines white light because it is not a woman the lady is lucifer the angel of light the light bearer) How everything still turns to gold. (and to the last day lucifer will still be what is is worthless and false) And if you listen very hard The tune will come to you at last.(lucifer is the great deceiver the false god and is going to hell with all of the fallen angels and all those who served it*Robert also says the truth will come to you as lies) When all are one and one is all (the end of time/final judgment ) To be a rock and not to roll. (lucifer the fallen angels and all souls that have served are in hell for all of eternity suffering with out end for all the pain misery and suffering they have caused since Babylon and before. *Robers also says Auwa Rot during the saying of "a rock". And shes buying the stairway to heaven (you can not but the stairway to heaven).
Leo - Millersville, Md
"I Love to read all your comments, would like to say, Jim never meant it to be satanic song.."
- Robert Plant, Kashmir, India
I love acoustic guitar. I was always more creative just sitting around a fire drinking whiskey and writing songs.
- Jimmy Page, Heston, - -
Wow, Robert and Jimmy both posted for this song? That's really awesome. The fact that either of you would take the time to actually post here is cool.
Peter Griffin - Quahog, Ri
Actually, Dustin, I think this song was probably written by a sober Plant, as it was written in Headley Grange, which means the band was probably trying to stay focused on songwriting. I, of course, don't know for a fact, though.
Jon - West Bend, Ia
at first this song talks about a girl who thinks her happiness lies in money, and she's convinced that money and material possesion are a path to true happiness. She thinks it will buy her a stairway to heaven. the beggining of he song tells us that many people are trapped in this sort of logic and worse still their whole thinking revolves around it ex. (hm.. im rich but not happy, oh! i know i need more, hm... i got more still not happy, oh! i know, they say you need friends to be happy so ill get some friends, since i'm rich it wont be hard and when i get friends and have met that requirement then ill proceed to get richer and thus feel happier) this is an example of all this persons thoughts being misleading (as is mentioned in the song) they try to seek the other things that people say are necessary for happiness but they do it in the wrong context, in the context of getting richer in this case. then the song goes on about the piper and us calling the tune and basically it talks about finding true happiness and purpose and how we seem to be on the verge of a major shift in consciousness which will allow this.
Rodney Tavares - Montreal, Canada
'It makes me wonder' I like. Children wonder. I always thought the lady was the lady in Revelation 12 who is clothed in the sun and has the moon uner he feet. And wears a crown of 12 stars -- dumb me. It would be good if it was though. Because the lady in question is all our prayers answered -- the lady symbollic for a tiny bit of essential truth that would make an enormous difference in many lives.
Raymond - Sydney , Australia
there is more of the song that has messages is it. I have a entire binder full of the song history theres a message in there songs, possibley all of them have a backwards message.
Chris - Jax, Fl
The great "Stairway To Heaven" debate is getting very very old and boring. Let it die already. The song is immortal and will live on for generations as having THE greatest guitar solo of all time. Period! The lyrics are not unlike many many Robert Plant/Zeppelin lyrics. Unless you are him and can get inside his head, only then MAYBE you'll know what he was thinking. BUT , now in 2007 and with Robert being 59 yrs old, even he probably can't remember what he was thinking. The Beatles had many lyrical mysteries in their music after they moved out of their 'early bubble gummy pop love songs'. That's what drugs will do to ya.
Elyssa - Ny, Ny
its about the story of beren and luthien in tolkein's the silmarillion
buying a stairway to heaven refers to luthien traveling back to the western continent to convince mandos/manwe to allow beren to live another lifetime with her
all that glitters with gold might refer to the silmaril jewel she has in her possesion
stairway to heaven refers to either how she made herself mortal(thus allowing her to go to heaven with the rest of humans), or how she retrieved beren from this heaven
with a word she can get what she came for refers to the song of sorrow she sang to convince manwe to let beren come back
manwe offered to erase her of the pain of losing beren, or allow her to become mortal and die with him(two paths)
and two paths also refers to the two paths that the children of illuvatar can choose, and how luthien chose the mortal path of men rather than her natural elven path of immortality
the songbird in the song refers to luthien's translation in the elven language, "nightengale", and beren first met luthien because of her singing and dancing in the forest
the 3rd verse looks like its about how beren stayed in Mandos's halls when he was supposed to depart for heaven, and how he remembers his trip to morgoth's keep
the 4th verse refers to luthien singing her song at mandos(which was sung there for the rest of eternity) and how mandos (the piper of spirits) allowed beren's spirit to be released because of lluthiens sorrow in the song. after they come back, they live in the forests of ossiriand
the may queen thing might be referring to yavanna, but im not sure what that would have to do with the story
and I've already explained the two path thing in the verse after that
the verse after that explains again how she sang the song, and how manwe (the wind) allowed her to change her fate
There walks a lady we all know refers to the fact that she was widely known to be the most beautiful being to ever live, and the silmaril shone white light, and the last part of this verse is admiration at the fact that luthien didnt just give up and say this is my fate
Bob - Bobland, China
when you play this song backwards the satanic message is:
heres to my sweet satan
the one whos little path would make me sad,
whos power is satan
he will give those with him 666
there was a little toolshed where he made us suffer, sad satan
and in the end of the song, the last verse says shes buying a stairway to heaven. backwards it says, play backwards, hear words sung
Jer - Round Lake, Il
jimmy page made a deal with the devil that this would be the one of the best songs of all time, (thats why when played backwards ass all theat mumbo jumbo) but for the rest of his life he had to be chinese
Brendan - Calgary, Canada
this is without a doubt the greatest song ever, i have played it over and over and i can never get sick of it. i cant believe jimmy didnt get the best solo for it, and now its being tied with killer queen-queen. whhich i dont think is right, jimmy page is the greatest ever.
Nick - Bozeman, Mt
This WAS released as a single in Australia. The song was split in half!
Craig - Melbourne, Australia
How many times has Stairway been on the top 10? Has a week ever gone by without this song being displayed in the top ten? It's a good song, yeah, but somewhat overrated. I like it, but I don't think it's Zeppelin's best. The guitar solo at the end definitely kicks a##, but (in my opinion) they've done better songs. Also, the whole satanist/backmasking thing- I THINK IT'S A BUNCH OF BULL! Like someone earlier said, "who the hell would play it backwards to begin with!?" (J, Dundalk, MD)
Ramon - Long Beach, Ca
This song has been in debate for the next PS3 game Guitar Hero III: Legends Of Rock. After a huge demand for Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Free Bird" made its mark in GH2, there are talks of it making an appearance...that is if they BEG on their HANDS AND KNEES like Jack Black did for "Immigrant Song" in "School Of Rock."
I heartily agree, "Stairway" is a CLASSIC!!!
Robert - Chicago, Il
All I know is that song is so good, that I have NEVER gotten tired of it in all my years! I am 42 years old and still play it quite a bit!!
Lori - Richardson, Tx
Led Zeppelin is one of the greatest rock bands EVER!!!! I don't believe for even a second that they would put satanic messages in a song. And anyway, Stairway to Heaven is THE GREATEST rock song ever recorded. I am sick of hearing about "satanic messages". The only thing you would hear if you tried to play the song backwards is the cries of outrage as you ruin a perfectly good record.
Greg - Mohnton, Pa
What can be said that hasn't already? It's the epitomy of rock music anthems. Zep rules.
Dj - Minneapolis, Mn
The best song on earth and any other demension but i am a little sick of it still kicks alot of a** though
Bill - Topeka, Ks
Its a bit creepy backwards, but i think its more about LOTR's than satan
Ashley - Leeds, England
On a lighter note: Have any of you heard "Stairway to Gilligan's Island"?
Musicmama - New York, Ny
I like any piece of creative work, whether it's a rock'n'roll song, a sculpture, a rap or a sonnet, to leave me in a different place--whether mentally, spiritually or emotionally--from the one I was in before I experienced this. Stairway to Heaven accomplishes this beautifully. You have to accept that songs, and other such works don't follow the logic of A to B to C. Rather, their logic is more like that of dreams. And that's why, if they're really good, they "work," even if they're not "supposed to."
Yes, this is a very spiritual song. It's not a piece of the performer's ego laced with Native American or Buddhist or whatever motifs, as so many songs by Jim Morrison and others were.
For all of you who knock 'Zep' because you think they were Satanists, think of what English poet William Blake said about John Milton, author of "Paradise Lost" and the greatest English-language poet besides Shakespeare and Bob Marley: "He was of the Devil's party without knowing it"
Musicmama - New York, Ny
May I say... Even though I'm only eighteen, I've had many experiences. Out of all of those, nothing has hit me quite leke stairway to heaven. Led Zeppelin is untouchable. I love them. Let me know if you agree, young or old, feelin' "IT" or not!!
Timmy - Boulder, Co
This and "Achilles last stand" are high onmy list of most face melting songs of all time along with Rush's "YYZ"
This Dude - Philla, Pa
I'd like to record an album, just to put some backward message in it. They would be messages like "f*** you all people", "haven't you anything better to do?", "Hey idiot, the future is forward", "Application error: backward messages are only available if you walk upside down". I'd try to figure out the listener's face :-) Out of the joke, it's a really great song, rightfully listed among the greatest of all times. The whole untitled album is one of the greatest of all times.
Stefano - Rome, Italy
yesterday i was talkin to some guys and they said they thought 'disturbed' was a better band then the beatles and led zeppelin. i asked them if they had ever even heard this song and they said no. >.< god.....
Ozzy - Fresno, Ca
hi.. this is one of the most spritual songs i have heard in my life....i m just nuts after this song...and i have become a greater fan of this song after reading the lord of the rings..i feel that the comments about this song being satanic and bla bla bla is all a bullsh*t....in the song the line that i like the most.. is:
The tune will come to you at last.
When all are one and one is all
To be a rock and not to roll.
its very imp to b the rock and the roll...i feel most of the rockstars today r merely rolls and not rocks.........................
-Siddhartha Dabhi (India, Ahmedabad).
Siddhartha - Ahmedabad, India
Normally Page would record 3 solo's for a song and pick what he felt was the best one. In this case he got the best one the first time straight thru. A one off with a guitar gifted to him by his friend Jeff Beck.
Mr. - New York, Ny
Greatest Song Of All Time Especially the Guitar solo
Jorge - Manchester, England
Even though this song came out like 26 years ago.. everyone knows the intro on the guitar. It's like Free Bird. Everyone knows this song.
Chris - Columbus , Oh
It is a great song but it has satanic messages if you listend it backwards.After all the whole song when you listend it backwards is about satan.
'to be rock not to roll'-'all on track all arriving'.Who is arriving???
Ivana - -, Czech Republic
OK...1...It's not CROSLEY, it's Crowley. 2. Crowley wasn't Satanic - as in, he did not worship Satan. He was a self-proclaimed magician, he attempted, and if you believe the hype, possibly succeeded, in conujuring up entities, but he wasn't trying to call demons, he was trying to call angels but he sucked at it. Crowley didn't believe in Satan per se - in fact, for the most part, only Judeo-Christians do, most other religions do not. (not to say he wasn't into some wierd stuff, becuase he was...) 3. Buying Crowley's house doesn't make anyone Satanic anymore than a Buddhist buying a church makes him a Christian....Stop listening to what people TELL you something is and investigate it for yourself. I've never listened to it backwards, so I don't know if it says something or not. But I'd consider myself sad and lead astray if I took everything the media or a preacher or my cousin's great aunt Sally told me and accepted it as fact without checking it out for myself....Lisa, Dallas, TX
Lisa - Denison, Tx
Led Zeppelin = Greatest Band of all time
5 greatest songs = The Song Remains The Same, D'yer Mak'er, Immigrant song, Stairway to heavon, and the battle of evermore.
People who think this song is satainic and robert plant is a satinist = F*cked up son of a bitch stoners who know absoulutely nothing! if theres any message in this song its to teach people to live a Christian life, look at the beatitudes and compare it to this song, you'll se what i'm talkin about
T. - Sydney, Australia
This is the ONE. I remember skating to this tune as a kid in 1976 as it came up as the number one song (was always that - number one). I figured it out on guitar. Sometimes, and rarely, do these things come our way. These are the times when Heaven reaches down and takes the pen and writes the words. This is among the classics of ALL TIMES including Mozart and any song ever written. Lord Hear Our Prayers.
Scott - Granger, In
dude you guys got it all wrong this song is all about choosing your path in life. "yes there are two paths you can go by ,but in the long run there's still time to change the road your on" those words have forever touched me and gotten me through the hardest times in my life. It simply means its never to late to change.
Joey - Yourmomsville, Ma
To Basil, Skylark Sound City, MT- MAYBE the backward lyrics theory is true, but all that backwards stuff YOU say they did-----Give me a frickin break! Dude, you need to get into a rehab program. Your name is an herb, and you're obviously burned out on the "herb" and are heavy into the psychadelics.
Bobpape - Austin, Tx
This song, and its meaning is sealed. We will never be able to pick out its infused meaning because unfortunately either, we are too neurotic, or the writer was writing this on some heavvvvy sh*t. But this is why it was made so popular, the sheer mystery.
But, because the big picture and details or disoriented, that leaves us with the plain message, and what that leaves us is our imagination.
Domenic - Antioch, Il
wats up. I think this song is one of the greatest songs ever made and i do believe in the backmasking within the song. How they did it i don know. I ran a program called Audacity and was able to backmask that part of the song and the words i found were very clear. I do think page and plant were satanic , and i forget which one but one of them bought the house of Crosley i think his name was. Crosley was a satan worshipper. Alot of led zeppelins songs show satan in them not only this one. Although sometimes i am confused because this song i think can be taken two ways. The piper in the song could either be the devil or it could be god. The fallen angel which is a symbol of led zeppelin represents Lucifer. Also the knot was used much by Crosley and if you put three of the knots together u can see 666. Also the May Queen was a poem written by Crosley which was also satanic. Dont get me wrong i love this song and led zeppelin and i am also a christian.
Joe - Bellerose, Ny
best jimmy page solos: 5=whole lotta love, 4= since I`ve been loving you, 3= heartbreaker, 2= Achilles last stand, 1= Stairway to Heaven
Jose - Guanacaste, South America
forget about the backwards thing and listen to that SOLO!
Echo - Normalville, Ma
ok, first if any of you out there don`t know that Jonh Bonham was the one who past away, you can`t call yourselves Zeppelin fans(since it`s an unwritten law for fans to know that).Also, you`ve all being discusing whether Stairway is satanic or not, but you have to know that you`re missing the point of music because you are fracmenting the song, and music is about apreciating the music. Still, if there were a message in the song, it would`n be satanic because if talks about how satan made us feel bad, it is not supporting him. also, it is the greatest song of all times (at least it is to me)and has the greatest guitar solo ever.
Jose - Guanacaste, South America
Stairway to me is a cry for hope. The "lady" has been a greedy person all her life but soon tries to repent and get her way to heaven.
Also, it's not a hard song to learn note for note - it takes practice to play the song at the right tempo. The solo is extremely fast and can only be accomplished on an electric guitar.
Brian - Springfield, Va
this is the greatest song ever, and i have heard lots. its just... magical. and then the solo... man, this is just the best song in history, and will be forever.
Cam - Melbourne, Al
this song has a lot of spiritual meaning =====>
This song does have a lot of christian meaning
- Ben, Portrush, Ireland
all roads lead to the same home, people just keep taking different turns and calling it the only way
Robin - Pittsburgh, Pa
This song to me means a person goin through life only caring about the material things in life and then passing on to the after life and realizng she cannot bring anything with her. thats only the first verse though i feel lik the rest of the song has a completley different meaning
Jordan - New York, Ny
I love acoustic guitar. I was always more creative just sitting around a fire drinking whiskey and writing songs.
Jimmy Page - Heston
Has anyone heard about how the ocean, going to california, and this are like one big story??????
Stephen - Claymont, De
They didn't put a "backwards message" in the song.
I tried singing the phrase "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" using my microphone on my computer back in 1998 and played it backwards. Sure enough, it sounds like it says "oh my sweet Satan". Just a coincidence. No backmasking dude.
I tried the same with "Another One Bites The Dust", singing it into my mic and played it backwards... again, it sounded like I said "decide to smoke marijuana".
Paul - Iowa City, Ia
there are no subliminal messages these 'messages' however seem to talk about hell and satan. But it's not true i have played it backwards over and over and over it's not true.
Mike R - Methuen, Ma
"Stairway to Heaven" is number 6 (correct ranking) in the list called "Sounds at the Speed of Music: 50 Rock Anthems at 100 kph"
Street Strategist - Hong Kong, Hong Kong
"Stairway to Heaven" is number 5 in the list called "Sounds at the Speed of Music: 50 Rock Anthems at 100 kph"
Street Strategist - Hong Kong, Hong Kong
hey ppl , im kinda new 2 this "place" . i was looking 4 the subliminal message in stairway to heaven and i ended up here . 2 day mi friend told me about subliminal messages in songs and disney movies . but a lot of these posts say there is no subliminal message in stairway to heaven . i dont have anything that plays songs backwards . so i cant find out 4 myself . can anyone tell me the truth about stairway to heaven .
Justin - Oshawa, Canada
How come there are no bannister references in Stairway to Heaven?
Lynex - Warrington, England
First of all, Zeppelin, although good, isn't nearly as good as my top 3 favorite bands. (The Who, Doors, and Yardbirds) and for the whole satanic messages thing, theres like a small paragraph of "satanic" lyrics when you play the middle backwards. BULLSH*T! How dumb do you have to be to accuse this masterpeice of something satanic. Nuff Sed.
Joe - Bellingham, Wa
Perhaps I might put it more plainly. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Without standing in judgement then of those who search: heaven or hell can be found, either, by any person looking for -either. What leads and informs one's search matters most.
Those who are looking for back-masking will find it, and sometimes, it is meant to be there. However, the following might leaven this whole discussion:
Take the time for a, 'trip,' outside of your own headphones and visit a few other places in life as you assess this one. For instance, take my 1997 trip to France, where I purposefully arrived on New Year's Eve.
Following a $550 dinner in the shadow of 'Le Tour Eiffel', on New Year's Eve, my wife and I shook off the champagne and used our purposefully planned, next, New Year's 'day-off' in France to visit the American Cemetary at Omaha Beach, followed by a round of Bernard Montgomery's British monument nearby. There was something in all of those marble crosses, stars, et. al., in the light of the sun setting over the English Channel, 60MPH gales and with Taps dutifully trumpeted. My perspective grew regrding heaven, hell, sacrifice and defeat of the truly demonic, if you will.
Follow that by a tour of L' Mussee Dorsay and The Louvre. Now then, having done all of the above, ask yourself about where heaven and hell reside. Ask yourself if you see the same thing in Renoir's work as the next person. Ask yourself if the Mona Lisa is not stil interpreted differently by every person who views her 500+ years later. Ask my wife why the Coat of Hammurabi meant as much as Michelangelo's slaves did to me. Ask her why Monet's Lillies at the L'orangerie, down the promenade of dead-winter's gardens from the Louvre, meant as much to her.
Art, letter, music and war are history the minute they are done. Each is left to the ages for understanding, and we will find whatever meaning we either desire or need in all of them. That having been said, then, if you find demons in the back-masking - that is your thruth - but yours alone.
It is an ontological question - What vessel or being holds the real truth for you? For certain, the ages hold some of it: time, people and the earth thereupon tread. So, tread as much as you can, body, mind and soul. 'The truth will come to you at last. . .'
The truth lies in that Being that fully holds your body, mind and soul. Whoever that be, let it be something bigger and better than you alone. Then you can find 'Quarter,' in your wanderings.
If you are alone and untraveled in your back-masking treck, what you DO find will lack the Hope of the, "two paths you can go by. . . and the [time, still], to change the road you're on." Evil and demonic quirks exist, and finding those is fine. Try to avoid searching them out alone and/or without perspective. What you don't know can hurt.
Dean - Houston, Tx
What else might one say about Rock's most famous song? Well, let's give it up to the most talented, spirit-driven, four musicians ever on stage and thank them. They took yesterday's pain and relieve today's. Let's remember not to be afraid of the spirituality.
Most recently reminded by Bonnie Raitt, I call the tune - 'Religion is for those afraid of going to hell. Spirituality is for those who have already been there and back.' Leave Satan out and follow your spirit - that 'Lady still believes all things. . . .' I don't. Those four men left a gift to the ages. Leave Satan out and allow for some mysticism - you might find your 'soul is taller than your shadow', and you might find your freedom.
Dean - Houston, Tx
I have listened to the lyrics backwards myself and I don't believe there is anything intentional there. I have played with recording things myself and then listening to them backwards and often you can hear things the you never intended. For instance, uses the recorder function in windows and record yourself saying f*** you! and play in backwards; it sounds like you are saying "wake up".
Nique - Dallas, Tx
Ok question tht has been on my mind forever---in many classic rock songs they speak of a green see for example they say as we sailed to the green sea in yellow submarine and in paint it black he talks about it also.....WTH is the green sea
Stephen - Claymont , De
this song is amazing, i think the wholr bakmasking satan messages is total fake
Jimi - Marshamellow, Va
Whoa Cody. The people that say there aren't any satanic messages are just voicing their opinion. Maybe they really just didn't hear them or you are imagining them. People often think they hear stuff when they don't so its possible that it happened to you.
Page - London, Canada
i love that song! it gets me all happy and energized! not ''scared, angry or satanic''!
this is one of the greatest songs ever, for me the song ''different world'' by iron maiden is the greatest, tough this song makes a good second place.
i think its a lot of bull '' satanic messages''.
cuz if this song is based on a sermon the how the hell could it be satanic? ever seen satanic messages in the bible?!?!?!?!
satan is a idiot really being so mean and stuff...
greetings from holland robert!
btw:holland is better than america AND britain bcuz we smell like flowers and honey but yankees stink. :P
Wessel - Dedemsvaart, Netherlands
hey if u say the backwards messages arent true they are. even the original records i have the original records. and they say more than that is documented that they say
Cody - Defiance, Mo
On alot of the Stairway To Heaven songs when you play them back words you will them talk about satan but those are not the original songs when you play it back words on records there is nothing about satan.
Ricky - Pittsburgh, Pa
Ok question tht has been on my mind forever---in many classic rock songs they speak of a green see for example they say as we sailed to the green sea in yellow submarine and in paint it black he talks about it also.....WTH is the green sea
Stephen - Claymont, De
A liitle something from a John Paul Jones interview: "Question: What influenced you in writing the keyboard part for Stairway to Heaven? John P Zep: Really, a reaction to what Jimmy was playing on acoustic guitar I think he had already started writing it with robert when they were away in their cottage in Wales and Jimmy had lots of different part of it which we put together, the two of us at Hedley Grange"
Mark - Worcester, Mi
You notice "they" did the same thing to the Beatles and said there were messages that Paul was dead played backwards in Sargent Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and the album cover had hidden messages, etc. etc. All hokey. Led Zeppelin was not a media and press favorite. Successful and famous people have legendary rumours follow them all the time. As far as satanic dabbling by Jimmy Page??? Has he ever admitted it? He looks pretty harmless now doesn't he at age 62. Stairway to Heaven can be played all the time for all I care......Jimmy Page's guitar still gives me goose bumps when I hear it.
Elyssa - Ny, Ny
Whichever people made up the rumours about satanic messages in Stairway (or any song)were probably label owners or radio D.J's that wanted the public to buy their record. I mean, you either think thats a totally amazing idea and decide to go buy the song to hear it for yourself, or you think its the stewpidest rumour and you want to proove whoever made it up wrong. Either way, you buy the song and the label owners make more money. Not only do these rumours make a tremendous cash grab, but they make the public want to hear the song all the time so the band (in this case Led Zeppelin) become even more popular if they're weren't already. The song starts getting played all over the radio because the listeners want to hear it, and D.J's end up getting more money for playing that particular song. It's all an elaborate plan to make more money. Then, once we've all bought and listened to the song backwards we start aruing with eachother about what the hidden messages really ment. Almost 40 years later and we're still picking at Stairway trying to figure out what the band was trying to say to us, the devoted fans, because we would love to know what our idols were telling us through secret messages. The higher- ups made big money, the band gets better known and the fans have something to talk about in later years to come. Brilliant idea once you really think about it.
Page - London, Canada
Does anyone hear no about the whole conspiracy that ............ the ocean.......going to California..........and stairway to heaven........go together???
Stephen - Claymont , De
Stephen - Claymont , De
Hey Kirsty from Australia: I know about the tempest but, and im sorry to have to tell you this, I dont think that they are in anyway related!
)-: sorry
Strong Bad - London, England
I think the whole backmasking thing is just fake...or a coincidence...and if it is real its probably not intentional. Some of it is, like in Empty Spaces bye Pink Floyd, which crearly was put in there bye the band becuase the message is: Congratulations. You have found the secret message. Please send your answer to old pink, care of the funny farm. Chalfont.~ but this song is definately NOT about Satan and even if it is~ IT STILL ROCKS!
Strong Bad - London, England
Elysia Hamilton: What????
Aleister - Disneyland, Ca
hey all! im in year 12 and i am doing 'The Tempest' for my advanced english study! i need to relate "the stairway to heaven" to "the tempest" and i wouldnt have a clue how! so if anybody knows about "the tempest" and can help me with this that would be great
Kirsty - Sydney, Australia
Religous people make me uncomfortable. "Let's talk about Jesus" Let's not OK?
Mike - Petersham, Ma
Our minister mentioned "Stairway to Heaven" in a sermon about Jacob's Ladder during which I started thinking about the lyrics. Afterwards, I told him I thought his sermon's message was perfectly captured in "Stairway". He agreed and of course added, "God works in mysterious ways".
Peter - Rochester, Ny
led zeppelin is greatness you have to love them
Andrew - Long Island, Ny
My second favorite song of all time behind "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" by Blue Oyster Cult. I have listened to both songs for over 30 years and have never grown tired of either one. They are both masterpieces of rock 'n' roll. In fact both songs still give me cold chills. That's staying power!
Larry B.-Newton, NC
Larry - Newton, Nc
The the person that made this post "There are roughly 600 AOR and Classic Rock stations in the US, which means that "Stairway" has been broadcast a minimum of 2,874 times. At 8 minutes per spin, roughly 23 million minutes - almost 44 years - have been devoted to the song. So far."
Perhaps you should do your math again. If STH has been broadcast a minimum of 2,874 times at 8 minutes per spin, thats only 22,992 minutes. Not 23 million minutes. Thats only 16 days played consecutively.
Now I'm pretty sure that its been played more times than you listed, but in order for a 36 year old song that have been played for the equivalent of 44 years, the song would have to be being played at some point every minute, of every day since its release, and it would still be 8 years short.
John - Broken Arrow, Ok
In some private schools back when this issue of satanic messages in rock songs first appeared, many principals played the questionable exerpts of this song on the overcom and then told the students why rock music is devilish.
Glen - Charlotte, Nc
I personally think led zeppelin is one of the worst bands ever, except their "immigrant song". no, i dont think they, or their songs, are satanic. it was pure coincidence that their songs sound like that backwards (i feel sorry for the people who actually have the time to/ actually thought to listen to it backwards). it was just a way for them to get media attention with their music. no more, no less. and if you want to hear it backwards, go on youtube.com and type "led zepplin" in the search bar (as opposed to led zeppelin - just take out the 2nd "e" in zeppelin)
Billy - A Place, Al
Actually if you record yourself and play it backwards you can hear the messages. John Pual Jones is not dead like some idiot said on this page. You cannot write a song that accidentally has messages in EVERY verse so quit being stubborn because the messages are there, just don't take them too seriously.
Zach - Darlington, Sc
This is the best song from the classic rock era. I listened to it everyday for four months straight before I moved on to other songs.
Ameer - La, Ca
Another great song killed by radio program managers. Brian VA USA
Brian - Burke, Va
This song is one of the best of LED ZEPPELIN.
The most famous Rock song of all time,my best of the best.
Sabin - Bhaktapur, Other
Actually, I heard from my dad that the "Stairway to Heaven" was supposed to represent Jacobs Ladder in the bible. He also told me that Plant was very saddened when he heard the news about the "backwards satanic messages". So compare: Jacobs Ladder in the bible, or satanic messages... hmmmm. PLUS! Page was the one included in all the occult stuff. Plant writes the lyrics im pretty sure... And im a drummer, and John Bonham is FRICKEN AWESOME! When i was younger it took me forever to figure out how he played Kashmir. But now i have it down. 7 years of drumming can do that for you!
Ortie - Chaska, Mn
This is one of my favorite songs and a classic that will last a long time.
Mike - Quakertown, Pa
It was released by plant like ten years ago that there was no way that the devil was controlling him that was some crazy thing that the critics made up to take them down.
Plant declared that the lyrics were about his personal life not to long ago.
Stephen - Claymont , De
Ok basically... these are the backwards lyrics...
I don't think they are exact but its as close as it can be... i'd say about 90%... there may be 3 words out of the whole thing that i couldn't understand, and it was mostly cause it was fast and i didn't fallow. but when you read this and play it backwards, it's unmistakable.
well here it is.
Plaaaay backwards,
Hear why its sung here, oppositioner..
Allll on track, all arriving
They all sing, and they are one.
Shall I loathe you now, parishoner?
Oh hear Him, Christian within me.
It stirs my sin; the river,
Oh, she swells with our lousiness.
All my life will end for him?
We?re all out of signs,
I know I?m sorta shocked
To hear The Lord,
My God now will save me!
Oh I will n?er be saved,
Because I live with Satan..
One wish today;
That you?ll all pray for
Three who will make it here late.
Pray now and you?ll see..
The ?Lord? turned me on,
But, oh, I was the shaggy fool..
Clothed in agony,
Lost at a height.
There?s no escaping it,
Nor his woes..
So here?s to my Sweet Satan.
The one who?s little path
Would make me sad,
Whose power is faith.
He?ll give those with him 666.
there was a little toolshed,
where he made
us suffer sad Satan.
?Family won?t get loose,
They?re offered me?
Always soothes the worker.
Always will be as we know now
?I see ruins,? said he,
?the world they offered me?
Who wished the Lord?s fall?
If we lose feather,
Say you?ll save me!
And no wimps can bend the rules..
And no wimps can do..
Hunt next to the shore,
?Cause they see all from there,
See here?s the news,
Who walks with mute grief!
Perhaps no-one found thee...
?Heavy, lift me out,?
Spake the Reve,
?Someday, failed, we?ll lose one line-up,
They?ve gotta leave forsaken?
And no wimps can do..
And no wimps can do...
He, who say the lords
Thoth have our laws,
Maat must be superb. Mass is ended..
Over there,
He who should learn thee.
Any moot that serves by my sworn music,
I wish it with snow be shushed, All for my mass?s sake.
Hear why its sung,
here, oppositioner, Ohh..
He who should show
May make his show worthy,
To look, for us, odd.. sickly,
There?s one chance - take his show.
Hold thy head,
Hear why its sung here. oppositioner.
Who owns this earth built below?
Oh sweet Israel?
In case you don't know how to hear it backwards. use sound recorder (for windows) hit recored then play the song. then effects, then reverse. if you have better lyrics, feel free to mail @ email@example.com
Justafan - Elkton, Md
by the way I think it is totaly cool that Rob or any artist gives feedback about any of there songs that have a fanbase. Thanks Rob.
Joe - Ep, Mn
cool song. the lyric were writen in 15 minnets i dont think there is a message either way you play it.
Joe - Ep, Mn
I Love to read all your comments, would like to say, Jim never meant it to be satanic song..
Robert Plant - Kashmir, India
This song is ok but if you want to hear a great rock song listen to Ramble Tamble by CCR. Very unkown and VERY underrated song.
Mike - Hueytown , Al
This is a great song, and my favorite. There are no satanic messages... I hate that myth. It's literally impossible to speak backwards. On the websites that have it played backwards, if you don't read the lyrics then it just sounds like random sounds.
Gina - Woodbury Heights, Nj
this song is way overhyped! for me, it's decent at best. I really don't know what everyone means when tehy say this is the greatest song ever written. it ranks about 542 on my 1,000 favorite songs list.
Joe - Bellingham, Wa
Dan - Chicago, Il
Haha, well i wonder if anyone will ever read this comment after they get through all the other ones... this is officially the greatest song of all time... it's got over bohemian rhapsody and darkside of the moon.
robert plant is the bomb
Zac - Sydney, Australia
well, i dont really think there are any satanic messages ..... and i dont even care if there are ..... this is one of the most awsome songs and one of my favourites
Nikhil - Rome, Italy
I think that if there is a "Satanic Message" then it is purely coincidental to be honest. Who would waste their time writing a song and then playing it backwards? Crazy.
Rachel - London, England
i think this is a good song and i really dont care if there are satanic messages when its played backward. I dont think it matters what the song means and i think that people are looking for deep messages when there are none.
Guy - Summerville, Sc
um, ok this is the first time i've ever commented this song, and i think your retarded
Danielle - New York City, Ny
first of all LED ZEPPELIN IS THE GREATEST BAND IN THE ENTIRE DAMN WORLD!!!!!!!!! stairway to heaven is without a question the most beautiful, life changing song ever to be written, there are no satanic messages in this song, such beautiful words could only have come from divine inspiration, from something bigger than us, bigger than life, it's perfect. Jimmy Page has the true soul of a poet. It gives a great message to evryone no matter how old you are, this song is like an anthem to me. It is every prayer everyone has ever said, ever real kiss ever given, every life ever sacraficed to love, every meaningful tear ever shed. It is the explanation, of life, and love.the essence of compassion.
Danielle - New York City, Ny
this is a very beautiful song but it creeps me out a bit because of the whole Satan thing which i don't know whether or not its true.... but how could someone know what their song will sound like played backwards, I think its just a coincidence...but what's the deal with the "Piper"?
Ever notice how everyone who plays guitar makes it a point to be able to play stairway to heaven?
Hayley - Nowhereland, United States
This is the best song eva. Led Zeppelin rocks!!!!
Chrissy - Long Island, Ny
with the whole satanic messages thing i have taken the song, myself, and reversed it. it does,coincidentally, say satan and the rest of the message does say what sounds like words. i also tried recording myself just saying the lyrics forward and reversing them but it wasnt at all the same. my conclusion is that Combined with Plants extraordinary note range and coincidentally the words of the song there are eligable words when you play the song backwards
Blake - Watertown, Sd
I think this song is one of the best songs ever!
Josh - Boce Raton, Fl
I the youtube version that i saw he says does anybody rememeber laughter
Brandon - Sterling, Va
BTW if the message is really there its about the pain satan caused not that he is good
Brandon - Sterling, Va
Ha Ha. Duh it's overrated. Without ever listening to the track I could've told you it was overrated just because it's the biggest song in the world! lol
Also... NOT supporting the backward satanic message crap... but there are some other songs that could be considered satanic Dundalk. Maybe not hidden. Houses of the Holy for example. He's talking about this holy perfect place where the devil's daughter apparenlty lives in... and he even says "Satan and Man" lol
Craig - Springfield, Or
how the hell is it possible to put a satanic message in a song. i think stairway to heaven is the greatest song written
Jordache - National City, Ca
"Stairway to Gilligan's Island" was released in the 1970's by "Little Roger and the Goosebumps" on a real 45. You can listen to it at http://www.gilligansisle.com/stairway.html
and someone may a video out of it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTCYLbFxTpI
Steven - Sunnyvale, Ca
yes, this song is quite overrated. no one song can be the greatest song ever, it's the person's opinion. i can think of dozen's of other song's that i'd class as one of the greatest ever, which their not, cuz that's just my opinion.
Brandon - Saskatoon, Canada
This and Free Bird are the two greatest songs ever written. I don't think they had the technology to put a backwards message in. Why would they? They're aren't satanic. I'm a Christian. Why wouldn't they have satanic messages in other songs? It doesn't make sense. WHO THE HELL WOULD PLAY IT BACKWARDS TO BEGIN WITH!!!?? Forward it is the greatest song ever by the greatest Rock band ever.
J - Dundalk, Md
My favorite song of all time. I learned to play the cover version then the live one, but I still need some work on the solo.
Chris - Savona, Ny
Yeah, Robert Plant was so uspest when he heard that people though his music had satanic messages...poor guy.
Emmie - Long Island, Ny
I don't care about satanic messages, I think it's one of the best songs in music history ever!
Nathan - Bruges, Belgium
I believe this song is Overrated.
Corey - Madison, Nc
Heh...last year in Health I wrote the lyrics to it on the back of my binder. That was a lot more fun than the food pyramid! Anyway, this is a beautiful song. If you think about it, only Led Zeppelin could make this. If I think about the Who or the Beatles singing this, it's pretty funny. Whenever I hear the opening notes, I get the chills. My favorite part, though, is "Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow/and did you know/your stairway lies on the whisperin wind" since that's the part right before the solo and pretty much the only part I remember from hearing it for the first time.
Emmie - Long Island, Ny
Stairway to Heaven was Shelby H.S. Class of 2006's Senior Song.
Personally, I voted for Freebird, but they are both wonderful choices...
Jc - Shelby, Oh
England is blatantly better than America! that's all i've got to say, but i'm warning you now... i can be very rude if manipulated! but then again, what i dont see dont hurt... so lick me!
Jon - Newcastle, England
I can't believe someone had the balls to say that they think this song sucks.
Sam - Portsmouth, Va
i think this whole "satanic messages" is bull. and so what if it really says that backwards? does it matter? all that matters that its a damn good of a song, and as far as i know, nobody i know has listened to this song and gone evil. i just wish everyone would leave this topic alone, because its stupid. stairway to heaven is one of the greatest songs ive ever heard, and probably will ever hear. can we leave it as just that??
Ellen - San Mateo, Ca
Satan can go to hell as far as i'm concerned.
Buzz - Towntown, Mi
May Queen was a poem written by Aleister Crowley, pure genius by Plant!!
Jeff - Adelaide, Australia
This is the greatest ballad EVER!!!! I just learned how to play the intro and it is amazing. But I do thiink that some people should get a life (wink wink john) and not take it too seriously.
Sam - Portsmouth, Va
yes in stairway to heaven are backward satanic message...everybody on this planet are slave to satan and nobody know it...we're all in a game for the ones on top... make search about it on google ... don't trust me if you want but i know what i'm talking about and there's no way escaping it
John - St-gabriel, Canada
In a time, in a place. Sometimes averything just come together.This is true of many songs;American Pie...Free Bird....the album Rumors.This was their time and their song.The greatest song ever? I'm not sure, music is too subjective but probably the most recognizable rock and roll song of all time.And also my personal favorite.House parties in the late seventies and first romances.This song has it all. Give it it's due.Michael,Montreal
Michael - Montreal,que., Canada
really nobody know what we're going on next years... nobody :(
John - St-gabriel, Canada
Problably the best song ever made.
Culley - Greenwood, In
Most overrated song of all time.
Ray - Memphis, Tn
actually the song is about Janis Joplin and how she bought to many drugs and was "buying the stariway to heaven" it has nothing to do with any satanic subjects
Cheira - Alpharetta, Ga
after listning to it backwards one more time, i realised that the backwards messages are true, but as sombody pointed out earlier, the message isn't with satan its against him. why would a satanic message include things like "the one that makes me sad" or "the one that makes me suffer" its against satan. listen to it yourself at: http://jeffmilner.com/backmasking.htm
Ledzeppelinledzeppel - Sydney, Australia
Stairway to Heaven is my favorite song of all time. i only just decided to play it backwards and all this satan stuff is all wrong, except for a word that kind of sounds like satan. Since i liked stairway to heaven i became a christian, to me it made me want to be a christian, not a satanist.
Ledzeppelinledzeppel - Sydney, Australia
I read somewhere that the song might have been about or inspired by janis Joplin.
Stefanie - Rock Hill, Sc
As some of you have said the message doesn't seem to be supporting Satan. Doesn't a satanic message have to support Satan?
Stefanie - Rock Hill, Sc
As a Christian the backwards message stuff really bothers me. Smack our wives after three martinis? Social issue. Turn around and yank our kids arm when pissed off? Social issue. Listen to Stairway? DEVIL IN HIM. Just ridiculous. It makes me as Christian just seem irrelevant and maybe that?s the devil?s victory.
Mark - Worcester, Mi
The lyrics are truly amazing. I'm not sure any other song has ever caused such discussion. What I see in the Song is many meanings. One could say that the lady is on the wrong path and Jesus is the piper. Others could say that She is on the right path and the piper is leading her away. The thing is that there is so many powerful yet uncertain lines in this song that it cannot be made clear which is right. The song really lends itself to interpretation. I think that's what I take from the song most. We cannot always be sure if we are right. "Cause you know words sometimes have two meanings", "Sometimes all our thoughts are misgiven", and you know "It makes me wonder." hahaha
Bender - Spring Field, Nd
Has anyone ever had a over powering urge to do something evil/satanic after hearing this song? Has anyone noticed that the so called "backwards lyrics" are nt a salute to the devil? They actually seem oposing. Which is why I don't get why people think it's "satanic" "There was a tool shed where he mad us suffer, sad satan" Does that really sound like they are saying worship the devil? NO! It sounds more like stay away. I really don't believe that the lyrics are there but even if they were it is not a salute to satan. BTW dog backwards is god. and lived backwards is the devil :O Oh no!
Mike - Kitchener, Canada
brilliant song. but not the best led zeppelin song in my opinion
David - Merseyside, England
This song has its own meaning to me.1999 My cousin "Sarah" lost her mother "Sally"in a car accident,her mothers friend had been drinking and ran off the road.Sarah was 23,recentley married.Sarah was my bestfriend,I was the one partied hard and Sarah never smoked or drank.Until 2003 Sarah started having bad headaches and got adiccted to pain pills.Then,took up smoking cigs.She became very depressed.Lost her good job and her marriage was failing after 12 years total with her husband.He could not watch her slowly kill herself.Sarah had a younger brother"jacob"who was 17 at the time of the car accident.He was also battling depression.Then,he over dosed 11/6/2005(23yrs).I was there for Sarah as much as I could.I was dealing with my loss of my other best cousin on the other side of the family "Tara(24)"who was murdered 4/22/2005(it made nation wide news)You can read about it www.wfie14.com (Tara Jenkins).I had to be the strong one.Sarah divorced her husband (who was abit boring but a good family man).Then,got involved with a looser(Danny) who did alot of drugs.He was there in the begining.Then found someone else to mooch off of.Sarah was found dead 4/10/2006.She had layed there in her apartment for 48hrs.We still dont know if she over dosed on accident.She always wanted to be with her mom and brother.Stairway to Heaven was our all time favorite song.I now have different meaning to the song and it helps me through everything.It was meant for this to be our song cause even if it wasnt accidental I know shes in heaven.Robert Plant said in the "in concert and beyond the song remains the same"this is a song of hope.
Melissa - Evansville, In
The funny thing is, the forward version of STH is the backward version. That's how spot-on this band was. They went to the studio that day (instead of night) all wearing their clothes turned inside out. Beforehand, instead of eating, they puked. They switched instruments, nailing them to the ceiling, Bonham with picks played the drums in his pajamas while on the phone with his mom. He usually called his dad.
Instead of sweating during the session, they collectively became a kind of dragon pants de-humidifier. But to keep the song in rhythm etc. they decided to first NOT keep it in rhythm and so when they began it was still, indeed, the backward or opposite version.
Basil - Skylark Sound City, Mt
Jon from London, the guy that said there was a secret message OWNED a copy of Stairway to Heaven and a live Zeppelin tour album.
I dont think he was a Zeppelin hating reverend.
Bob - Rio Vista, Ca
Sorry if I offended you guys.
BUT, listen to the record or CD: Not out of poor quality, but you can hear hissing in the background.
You guys are half right: It is very unlikely there is a message, but when listening to it in the studio, a brief Satanic message was heard. They were amazed and shocked by it. The "lyric editing" some of you are talking about was done in the studio to complete the message.
Also, I hate to say it, but putting in the secret message being done in a singing voice and the verse forwards done in singing voice is absolutely brilliant.
So there, I'm done.
Bob - Rio Vista, Ca
Stairway isn't the best Zep song...Personally I like Heartbreaker, the Ocean, Royal Orleans or Misty Moutain Hop the most. And Neil Peart is a better drummer than Bonham. Keith Moon from the Who was too... but hey, that's just my opinion.
Jon - London, England
Bob from Rio Vista... if it so "CLEARLY" says that, then why are there different versions of the "message"? It obviously can't be that lucid if people are hearing different things.
Jon - London, England
Guys, perhaps you didnt read what I said.
Play the song backwards, write down what you hear and read it like ph=f, not ph=puh-huh
Bob - Rio Vista, Ca
Suggestion is very powerful guys. People are going to beleive the message exists, if someone tells them to look for it, and if that person tells them what it's supposed to say.
Stefanie - Rock Hill, Sc
Look, there's no message in this. It was some stupid reverend who didn't like Zeppelin's music. You know how many people could have edited the song backwards? And only one would have been needed to circulate through the internet and to have stupid gullable people believe in this. Plant said in an interview "To me it's very sad, because 'Stairway To Heaven' was written with every best intention, and as far as reversing tapes and putting messages on the end, that's not my idea of making music." Plant wasn't into the occult and satanism... he was a spiritualist. He was the one who wrote the lyrics, not Page. Bonham and Jones were also not into satanism. How can you believe it?
Jon - London, England
You can only hear the "message" if you look at the lyrics first me and all of my friends did it and we could only hear it after we looked at the lyrics.
Kaitlyn - Jackson, Nj
I think the song has references to Lord of The Rings but is not all about Lord of The Rings. I don't think the song has backwards messaging, is about drugs, or about satan. Jimmy Page one of the best guitarists ever isn't sadistic. Just because he lives in Aleister Crowley's old house doesn't make him sadistic. John Bonham one of the world's best drummers isn't sadistic either. Led Zeppelin is one of the best bands ever.That's a fact not opinion, their not sadistic and even in the slight possibility that it has backward messaging it has nothing to do with satan. Like i said with Hotel California, Led Zeppelin won't tell people what the song means because it wouldn't be talked about and played as much.
Ray - Stockton, Nj
Okay one more quick comment.
You all dont understand.
Just because someone isnt Satanic doesnt mean that they couldnt have backmasked it.
Also, the backmasking was done on purpose.
ALSO, your mind doesnt recieve backward messages if there is music in the way.
Also, it must be played at a high frequency and speed to even REGISTER in your brain.
Bob - Rio Vista, Ca
Mick, thats a good interpertation until Lord of the Rings and the Piper being Satan.
The LOTR cross-reference is unneccessary, and the Piper tries to help the lady.
Also, you messed up the whole thing because Satan did not give Eve the apple.
Bob - Rio Vista, Ca
Guys, you need to learn the difference between "subliminal messaging" and "secret messaging".
Subliminal Messaging is used for advertising and politics. It can be done through not only backmasking, but also propaganda. Subliminal messaging is always done on purpose.
Songs like Stairway to Heaven use Secret Messaging, which is fun to figure out but does not give you the urge to do what you are told is in the backmasked song. It is usually on purpose.
Bob - Rio Vista, Ca
if u go to www.jeffmilner.com/backmasking u can hear Stairway to Heaven backwards and hear its subliminal messages which is a bunch of Satanic stuff
Bryan - Parlier, Ca
If you listen to the lyics backwards, you have way too much time on your hands. But I guess so do I if I have time to comment on this song.
Michael - Chicago, Il
The Music was inspired by a Song called Taurus by the 60,s band called Spirit who had a few hit songs like Mr Skin and I got a line on you
Tom - Mishawaka, In
The lady is America, with its materialism, wrongly leading the Western world away from nature (symbolized by the "songbird who sings"). She (America) is headed toward destruction of herself or the ecology ("rings of smoke through the trees"), unless she listens to the Piper and joins the rest of the world in a back-to-nature union ("all are one and one is all")...
Jack - Mesa, Az
For thoes of you wondering, when played backwards and by removing the sounds that interfere it almost CLEARLY says:
Oh, here's to my sweet Satan. The one whose little path would make me sad whose power is Satan. He'll give those with him 666, there was a little toolshed where he made us suffer, sad Satan.
Also, if you listen to it and don't understand it, write down what you hear. Don't read it like ph=pu huh, but like ph=fuh.
There, you may figure out the secret message.
Bob - Rio Vista, Ca
My interpretation:
There's a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold and she's buying a stairway to heaven. (Materialism)
When she gets there she knows, if the stores are all closed with a word she can get what she came for. (Gluttony/Materialism)
There's a sign on the wall but she wants to be sure 'cause you know sometimes words have two meanings. (you could think that you are right, but misinterpret something important and be wrong)
In a tree by the brook, there's a songbird who sings,
Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiven. (We should be focusing on God's creations, which are more valuable than gold)
Ooh, it makes me wonder, (Am I doing the right thing?)
There's a feeling I get when I look to the west, and my spirit is crying for leaving. (Bilbo/Frodo's journey was to the west in LOTR. Can also be a metaphor for growing up and not being able to go back to the innocence of youth in which we are free from sin)
In my thoughts I have seen rings of smoke through the trees, (Reference to Gandolf - who symbolized wisdoms, goodness, and truth in LOTR - Speaks of faith - you can't see him but you want to believe that he (God/Gandolf) is there)
And the voices of those who stand looking. (LOTHR - Elves live all around us, but we rarely see them - could insert angels for elves)
And it's whispered that soon if we all call the tune (follow Satan - i.e. "The Piper"=Satan)
Then the piper will lead us to reason. (Satan gave Eve the apple, which has been associated with reason and knowledge (i.e. the original sin))
And a new day will dawn for those who stand long (i.e. those that don't follow the piper)
And the forests will echo with laughter. (i.e. you could be in Heaven)
If there's a bustle in your hedgerow, don't be alarmed now,
It's just a spring clean for the May queen. (if something comes to "shake up" your belief/faith, don't let it distract you)
Yes, there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run (good/evil)
There's still time to change the road you're on. (You can always repent for your sins or become a sinner)
Your head is humming and it won't go, in case you don't know, (your head is "humming" with all of the noise (distractions created to lead you astray))
The piper's calling you to join him, (i.e. Satan is whispering pleasing words)
Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow, and did you know your stairway lies on the whispering wind. (The true path to Heaven is "silent" i.e., no distractions from the Piper)
And as we wind on down the road (the story teller has chosen a path)
Our shadows taller than our soul. (Oops, what happened to our soul?)
There walks a lady we all know (the materialist from the first verse in on our path....uh oh!)
Who shines white light and wants to show (she has not realized where she is)
How everything still turns to gold. (whe won't give up her "worship" of material items (i.e. false idols))
And if you listen very hard
The tune will come to you at last. (you realize what has happened, you are "lost" and cast into hell)
When all are one and one is all (all angles are one in heaven and all sinners are one in hell)
To be a rock and not to roll. (you are no longer able to move (i.e. roll) - you are stuck forever).
This is just an interpretation.
Mick - Las Vegas, Nv
Ok. Led Zeppelin were not satantists, are not satanists and probably never will be. The song is about materialism and (non satanic!!) spirituality. There is a woman who thinks all that glitters is gold, i.e. that all that's good in life is money and material possesions. The song is about taking the 'spiritual' path as opposed to the path of materialist Western society ("there's a feeling I get when I look to the west, and my spirit is crying for leaving"). The band were intrigued by ancient British culture, and it's demise to the modern world. The May Queen is an example of this - she was a 'goddess' who bought the spring, and along with it hope and happiness. To sum up the song, the lady finds that she cannot be truly happy, and cannot enter heaven. In my opinion, the "two paths" are greed and materialism, and spirituality and love. If we choose the right path then a new day will dawn and the forests will echo with laughter. But no one will ever truly understand the true meaning and refereces of the entire song, probably even Plant.
Dave - London, England
Many is a word that only leaves you guessing
Guessing 'bout a thing you really ought to know, ooh! You really ought to know
Mark - Worcester, Mi
Can someone tell me why my comments almost always display twice even though I only posted them once?
Beth - Milpitas, Ca
If you hear about people selling their souls to the devil, it will always be a rumor. It's just my opinion, but we really don't know if the devil exists or God for that matter. Just because Jimmy Page baught Mr. Crowley's house, doesn't mean he was a satanist. He was just interested in that stuff though.
Stefanie - Rock Hill, Sc
this song is awesome dude but it is there greatest song by not the best song... the best song by the praised led zeppelin is a three way tie between the immigrant song, dazed and confused, or kashmir
John - Philly, Nj
to jake, robert plant isn't dead, however john bohnam (their drummer for those of you who did'nt know) is dead.
Chris - Conshohocken, Pa
WOW a great song and i cant say anymore about it than u fine poeople have! it is a great song i even made a list of my top 30 songs and this one was #1 it is very good. my friend says he get tried of the guitar solo but i will never and jimiy page and robert plant great i love how soft it starts out and as it goes on gets louder and louder it is great! it is the one of the best songs ever made! but what pisses is when people say there are satanic messages if u play it backward i got some words for u guys that think that ok "well how the (deleted) goes and plays songs backward and even if u do why the (deleted) would u tell anyone i say that u are satanic and u dont have to blame one of the best songs that even has the word heaven in it to have satanic messages in it u (deleted)" that is all for the people that think there are satanic messages in Stair way to heaven! well it is such a great song!!!!! i love it and well listen to it till i die. jimiy page and robert plant are gods and may robert plant rest in piece!
Jake - Little Rock, Ar
Jimmy Page (the greatest guitar player of all time) wasn't satanic. He was into magic and it led him into darker stuff but he wasn't satanic. And so what if he bought a satanists house? If u bought a clown's house would that make u a clown?
and notice on other songs like "In My Time of Dying" they refer to JESUS and HEAVEN!
Me - Why Should I Tell U?, Ga
ok for the people that asked if pink floyd was a part in this song because of the keyboard in it their wrong. and it is definatly not about lord of the rings if u think tht u are mistaking this song with The Battle Of Evermore and for those people that beleive that ther are satanic messages there arent any actual intentional backtracking or whatever you want ot call it however on a styx record i beleive hey put some latin in it because they figured if people wanted to hear secret messages let them ...... and only the four members of led zeppelin will ever know the true meaning of Stairway to heaven.
Josh - Shediac, Canada
Another Lord of the Rings reference ,
"If there's a bustle in your hedgerow
Don't be alarmed now
It's just a spring clean for the May Queen "
There was a celebrated Hedgerow in LOTR, East of Buckland and the Shire was the old forest, and the border between was a hedgerow, called the Hedge. A bustling in the Old Forest would be alarming if caused by anything but the master, Tom Bombadil. And in LOTR Bombadil did make a bustling, getting water lillies for his pretty lady, Goldberry. This did take place in the fall, but when it rained while they hobbits were with Tom and Goldberry, they called it her cleaning day. It really does fit pretty well wit the lyrics, but not with Galadriel, and i think that this song is definatley about her.
Charlie - Fargo, Nd
Oh my. What a large bunch of comments! Well, I'd like to put in my two cents. First of all. . .when did someone get bored enough to play the record backward in the first place? Second, how many times would you have to listen to it to get a message from satan? Lastly. . .how do you play a record backwards? just a few things to think about. . .
Kit - Here, Mi
Okay, this song is great and I listen to it at times, more then once. But he HAS admitted that there IS a satanic message in it. I've seen it when I've searched led Zeppelin and the satanic messages came up on blacksheep or whatever. It's during "If theres a bustle in your hedgerow". Im not sure if the whole song has messages in them or not or if another piece just has it. Near the end it also says: "And if you listen very hard, the tune will come to you at last." That probaby supports the theory that there are satanic messages in it. Anyway, for all the people who think "What the HELL?" It's apparently about a girl that sould her soul to the devil to go to heaven which makea NO sense (sorry for spelling, I nkow I porbably spelled sense worng) to me at all. But I still think it's an awesome song.
Nick - Portland, Or
I don't think this is their best song. The Battle Of Evermore tops Stairway to Heaven anyday IMO.
Jeremy - Swarthmore, Pa
For all of you people saying that the Led Zeppelin members weren't satanic, stop saying things. Jimmy Page WAS a satanist. This is a fact. RUMOR has it he sold his soul to the devil and that is why they are the most popular rock band of all time, but it is a FACT that he worshipped satan. Even so, this song is a piece of musical genious. to be honest, the lyrics doen't make that much sense, but if you want good lyrics listen to Pink Floyd.
Steve - Chicago, Il
When I listen to the solo it makes me think of a person trapped in a circular maze. i dont know why. Its weird.
Jude - To, Canada
So if this song was about satan, shouldn't the title have been "stairwell to hell"?
Jude - To, Canada
This song is about a women who wants money, actually a lot of money and she has to figure out the hard way that she cant always get what she wants and she won't get to heaven.
Marc - Chatham, Ma
Adrian from Wilmington DE I too am originally from Wilmington De the banking capital small wonder and all that I have a lot of my own ideas about stairway to heaven that i discussed at Conrad High School when i attended in 1977 and we held open disscussions in a class on Led Zep facts and fiction. I wrote it all out 10 pages and made A on my final term paper as it was quite a different view... more later my man wants to use the puter to email some friends now CYA..
Mary - St Petersburg, Fl
I read on a different website, a different interpretation. someone on this other website said that they read that this song is about Janice Joplin. Could that be possible?
Stefanie - Rock Hill, Sc
If you play this song backwards, you get a sweet recipe for fried chicken. No joke. And something about Satan.
Lany - Somwhere Near Boston..., Ma
This song sucks. Very overrated theres a couple reasons why its so overrate people dont cherish the song normal so they play it backwards to make stupid conspiracy theories jimmy page is a satanist...bull! You guys should stop ranting about stuff that happened way before your age! You guys should stop talking about it this is the most posted song on songfacts i think and it shouldnt and notice its always the bad songs that have a lot of posts...this song,Revolution 9 which i for one hate the rants there so dumb grow up people!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Billy - Chicago, Il
What a song..... I'm not a fan of the Zep (In fact i can't stand them) but this song just blew my mind away. And those "subliminal messages"? What a load of crap. most likely some Jehovah Witness heard this whilst on pot and watching Rocky Horror Picture Show. Good song.
Andrew - Wimauma, Fl
too many people claim to be led zeppelin fans because the know how the intro to this song goes. They migh tbe able to crack the immigrant song too. all the same. it's shameful, this is a perfectly delightful song, but so many other zeppelin songs are better, like over the hills and far away.
Kika - Nyc, Ny
led zpepeiln is the sconed graetset bnad of all tmie. (Pnik Foyld bineng the bset) And if you cnaont raed tihs tehn you cleraly are not a led zpepeiln fan. And if you aern't a fan, tehn you sohlud get a lfie
Jude - To, Canada
Tom from East Lyme your out of your mind...Brian Johnson better than Bon Scott? You've gotta be kidding me. Johnson is great and an excellent replacement for Bon Scott...but no one compares to Bon Scott. You could ask Brian Johnson himself. Anyway were supposed to be talking about Zeppelin. Stairway To Heaven is the greatest song ever. I don't believe any of this satanic message crap and I find it amazing how many people are taken in by it.
Derek - Sarnia, Canada
To the last true rocker: The reason AC/DC was better when Brian Jonhson joined is that he was better than Bon Scott. There is no one better than John Bonham, but I've always wanted to see Led Zeppelin reunite with Neil Peart, he's the only one close to worthy of Bonham's throne!
Tom - East Lyme, Ct
You guys will never ever beleive this! check this out! if you play the entire song backwards you can actually hear... (some words and sentences dont make any sense, but i will explain why at the end.) " To heaven he walks honey i oxy snu. oooooooo, not now, all right you. Hey ya, high yu, little wimble world. All alone in my wish na. Ooo, here in Vancilla where we met. The sirs must leave the river. I wish the snow in valley would not snow. All ah all lying in the "elephoriam". Ahh, lets start a new horseshoe nation. Little road where my Donna and I with them met." *Then solo comes in--backwards* Now i am sure if you by any chance have a way to play this song backwards you will not here those words. But since i wrote what I heard them, you will make your brain think you actually heard what I heard. This is the same with the satanic stuff. If you were the first person to listen to it backwards, you wouldnt be able to hear it. However, since rumours are being spreaded, it is telling your brain to hear what you want it to. (And come on, the words like "elephoriam, and vancilla" etc aren't real words.)
Jude - To, Canada
Its too bad Bonham died, Led Zeppelin would have been even better. It would've worked out if like when 7 months earlier, AC/DC's Bon Scott died and they came back with Back in Black. So after Bonham died, they could've come back and been better. No offense Led Zeppelin fans, I like Led Zeppelin, but AC/DC had a simmilar thing happen so I thought I'd Bring it up.
I'll be back,
The Last True Rocker
The Last True Rocker - Phoenix, Ar
I would think the answer is because they are subliminally messaging the "satan" lyrics. Its because people want to know if it was done on purpose or not
James - Toronto, Canada
Well, Satanic messages do exist all over this song, but that does not once change my views. Led zeppelin is still one of my most favorite bands. Why don't people complain about Houses of The holy (which I'm listening to right now) which says Satan forwards in the lyrics. Why don't peopel complain about American Pie? That says satan forewards. Why don't we just stop acknowledging the backwards messages for a while and listen to music how it's meant to be heard--forwards.
Jt - Tullahoma, Tn
This song was written in about 15 mins, also something that people should know, stairway to heaven or led zeppelin, didn't send satanic messages in their lyrics because, for one,Zep wasn't satanic, and two, pretty much all rockstars from the good ole days are too stupid to do so,
Greg - Tucson, Az
This song will be remembered forever and in the far distant future and will be compared to the greatest songs of all time. Unique and compelling lyrics and not a cookie cutter song.
When it is played today it still is as popular as it was when it first was released.
This band and Song set the touchtone for many future artists in the music industry to create more creative lyrics and music.
Being a teenager when this was releasd was an honor and most teens today have no idea what it was like back then.
I wonder if it were released today would they RAP it??? So sad there is not anything out today that talented.
Ladysensei - Charleston, Sc
Jimmy Page is a not santanist. Subliminal Messages like the one, in hear is all of what your mind thinks, if someone said something about it being used to sell more copies then that what your mind would think and hear for. If you were to never hear someone put satanic lyrics to it, it would sound like a bunch of garbled mess
Mike - Temecula, Ca
Stephanie and Xavier: I've listened to Spirit's 'Taurus', and the opening notes of Stairway are definitely taken from it.... almost exactly the same, but the slight differences give the tune a very different character. Taurus is a beautiful piece of music, very haunting, but very different from Stairway, apart from those notes. Here's an interesting take on it by Fredrik Tydal, posting on George Starostin's review site----'What was Page thinking - that nobody would ever notice it? "Hey, Bob - remember those Californian guys with the bald drummer we used to open for back in '68?" "Eh, no...?" "Good, neither will anyone else." '---- Very funny, I thought.
Jamal - Delhi, India
Just because the Beatles did songs that made no sense,mdoesn't mean the lyrics in these songs were satanic.
Stefanie - Rock Hill, Sc
Probably the most overratd rock song of all time, "Stairway to Heaven" is a good, solid song but not the classic that it is made out to be. Try "The Last Resort" by the Eagles for greatest song of all time.
Apb - Farmington, Ct
I do think it has satanic messages, because if you look at the lyrics of stairway to heaven, you will find it doesnt make no sense at all...its just random words...except the lady buying a stairway to heaven....nothing else makes sense!
Vadim - Antelope, Ca
Ok, to set things straight, even if there was a message incrypted into the song, what do you think Robert Plant was more concerned about: convincing people to become an occult member and follow the road to the devil or writing lyrics to accompany one of the greatest songs ever written? And why are you guys even worrying about this who message issue, besides, its cutting into your zeppelin listening time!!
Hassan - Sarnia, Canada
to have a huge page of people all over the country debating the meaning of a song written 35 years ago truly shows a remarkable band
Scott - Montgomery, Al
Same here Stef, i too, tried to download Taurus by Spirit,but couldnt find it anywhere :(.... I found a Dolly Parton version of Stairway to heaven though. Its a Bluegrass Country version, and its pretty good too. I recommend it to all u music lovers...
P.S. Can anyone help me with the Taurus download???
Xavier - Pune, India
Well i actually think they meant both. Both about jesus/bible and the meaning of the backwards message. Think of it, they make perfect sense regardless of which one you choose. I'm still confused about the fact that whenever robert plant says "there's" forwards, it comes out satan backwards (if there's; yes there;and there's)
James - Toronto, Canada
One of the best songs out there, then and still today!
Zodiac910 - Tucson, Az
I'm sick of people talking about the "backwards meaning". There is NO backwards meaning!
I hope that clears up any confusion.
John - Detroit, Mi
The epitome of Page's "Light and Shade" concept. Babe I'm going to Leave You and Over the Hills and Far Away were masterful hints as to the band's direction, which led to Stairway. Amazing.
David - Monrovia, Ca
Maybe Plant was unconsius about the lyric he wrote. The lyric may have backward messages but was not writen there conscius. Plant said he felt a spirit or somthing wrote for him. But this does not mean it was a good spirit. It could have been a evil spirit. Plant him self was not aware of it so we can not accuse him for it. I belive he felt insolted when they accused him to be satanist. Plant himself just wanted to write a poetic song.
Per Persson , Stockholm
Per Persson - Stockholm, Sweden
The part that Led Zeppelin barrowed from is toward the end in the Spirit song. It's similar to the intro on Stairway to Heaven.
Stefanie - Rock Hill, Sc
I just checked and I think the Spirit son Led Zeppelin borrowed from is called Taurus. Is there anyone who is familiar with this song?
Stefanie - Rock Hill, Sc
There IS a backward message, and you can hear it at http://jeffmilner.com/backmasking.htm
Dorian - Pontefract, England
scripturally,Jacob had a dream and init saw angels descending and ascending a ladder from heaven to earth.
Hannam - Auckland, New Zealand
Rolf Harris,the great Australian painter/artist/singer covered it as well.
Hannam - Auckland, New Zealand
I think zeppelin said they were all satanic and stuff but they probly did it for publicicty and even if they did who cares they are still the best band of all time but it is pretty sad that some people would actualy do this
Evan - No, La
Does it matter if they put satanic messages in it it's the best song of all time led zeppelin is the best group ever better then the beatles elvis anyone led zeppelin is like the only group that has four members that are perfect at what they did I mean plant on vocals bonham R.I.P. on drums the best drum player there ever has been jones on bass and the best gutartist ever jimmy page every ones try to play like page but no one will ever be able to.
Cody - Hagerstown, Md
Alright, So i got on this web site to find out if the backwards thing about stairway (one of the all time greatest songs written) was really true or not. And sadley enough I STill have no frickin clue? Okay so its true with out seeing the lyrics right there in front of you its lil tuff at first to hear word for word what he is saying. But still you can get the jist. I dont know. . . If any one Knows any real facts to almost prove it i would love to hear what you have to say. And By the way Why is music not as good as this anymore?
John Edwards - Lebanon, Ct
hey did anybody ever think that this could be a godly song? it is called stairway to heaven, and just because page was a satanisticthing doesnt mean the rest of the band couldnt have thought there was another world out their like heaven, and also all the things that ur saying mean like a satinstic path could also mean to follow jeaus? but then again i have attended a catholic school forever
Mckenzie - Indy, In
when i first heard this song i was listening to the part where it goes "if theres a bustle...." . And I said to myself "wow, why is he saying stuff so weirdly?" For example if you listen to the end of that part where it goes "theres still time to change the road your on" (at the end of that part)he actually says "theres still" like "en Dere's steewll..." So i just thought is was part of the song, done on purpose, but not TO HAVE any purpose. But I'm pretty sure when one of my friends told me to listen to that part backwards, that I was wrong. "Here's to my sweet satan..." was not very clear, but since i already knew what the voice was going to say, i could just barely make out what he was saying.
James - Toronto, Canada
To be honest.....I NEVER hear this on the radio, only like once or twice total
Tom - East Lyme, Ct
its so stupid that people keep saying that it has satanic messages when its played backwards! If they were trying to put subliminal messages in their songs they would have put "BUY AS MANY COPIES OF OUR ALBUM THAT YOU CAN!"
Jen - Ontario, Canada
Interesting comment from Mike from MA and one of the reasons a lot of people don't get what Zeppelin was about. Contrary to popular belief, they weren't a heavy metal band, per se, but they helped lay the foundation. They weren't even a hard rock band, although they could kick ass better than anyone. Zeppelin was a fusion of blues, English traditional folk, funk, some country and then... rock. The fact of the matter is that few bands have the range to play everything well and Zeppelin did. Stick to ACEC, Mike. I and and few others on this page prefer Zep.
Cw - Vancouver, Canada
This is EASIlY the greatest song of all time. If Robert Plant says it's just a wedding song, then I believe him. But the myth that when it's played backwards there are evil messages, well that's bull.
Mitchell - Redding, Ca
Mmmm Robert Plant wrote 90% of the lyrics. But he "wrote" the backwards message part.
Tony - Albany, Ny
One of the most groessly overrated, boring and wimpy songs ever written. I like Zep until I heard thier third album, they sold out to pop and ballads. Thier hard rock songs vanished and became weak pop ballads that Plant's horrid voice can't sing. If you play rock, then rock.
Mike - Clinton, Ma
There is a disagreement about the backwards messages in the song stairway to heaven. The big argument is are the messages done on purpose, or done completely by accident?
A PERSON WHO BELEIVES IN THE SUBLIMINAL MESSAGING WOULD SAY: I think that these messages are done are purpose for 1 main reason. 1) I think there is no way you can possibly make a message when you play the song backwards, unless you were writing the lyrics like that on purpose. Page could've wrote other lyrics instead of
"If there's a bustle in your hedgerow
Don't be alarmed now
It's just a spring clean for the May Queen
Yes there are two paths you can go by
but in the long run
There's still time to change the road you're on"
But he chose those words because he knew they would make a special message, somehow.
I do not beleive in the satanic messages because it is just a rumour that has been spread. If you were the first one to listen to the song backwards, you would not hear the words
"Heres to my sweet satan. the one whose little path would make me sad, whose power is satan. He'll give you 666"....and so on
You would just hear fuzzy static.
Either way, stairway to heaven is always going to be the best song ever (Even if it is a little overplayed)
James M - Earth, Greece
That is so true chad from NJ, i do that with my friends, mumble something incoherent then tell them im saying "I love satan" or something, and then they saw "Oh yea i can hear that"....it proves a point, oh yea and i see jesus in my toast everyday, theres nothing wrong with that :D
Tom - East Lyme, Ct
The "Satanic" messages are a psychological illusion called pareidolia. When you are interacting with something very vague, for example an image, or in this case a sound, people are generally in a state of increased suggestability. So if you are told there is a "Satanic" message hidden in a barely audible sound, then you hear it, your mind will make things fit and you will really believe it. Very simply, you are hearing what you want to hear. Another popular example of pareidolia is people seeing images of Jesus in their toast. Vague images being misinterpreted.
Chad - South Orange, Nj
This is the first song to ever be recorded with two diffrent genres in the song
Nathaniel - Pittsburgh, Pa
"The guitar solo, now considered a classic that most aspiring lead guitarists try to learn note-for-note, was never actually played that way in the studio. It was pieced together out of several different takes by Jimmy Page, who then learned the solo after the fact to be able to perform it live. If you listen closely on the album, you can hear the "punch-ins," places where the recording engineer, Eddie Kramer, edited the tracks. (thanks, Dan - Montreal, Canada)"
Wrong! Jimmy recorded the solo in 1 take. Normally he would make 3 and pick the best. It was a one shot deal using Jeff becks 58 telecaster.
Zoso - New York, Ny
sully you have some good ideas regarding the meaning of this song and spiritual reform and whatnot, but it doesn't necessarily mean that satan is involved with it. the piper is also a character from ancient greek mythology that was more focused on nature, so i see no reason this song couldn't just be about how people want to go back to a more simplistic lifestyle in tune with nature. not that i'm disregarding my theory that plant was just stoned.
Jeanette - Irvine, Ca
You honestly don't need to look for backwards hidden messages in Led Zeppelin songs, especially this one, as it already has a satanic message forwards.
"If we all call the tune/ Then the piper will lead us to reason..." the piper being Lucifer the Piper and the 'tune' being the ways of the occult. "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" is saying there are two paths in existence--through God or through Satan and it's never too late to change sides. "Your head is humming and it won't go/ In case you don't know/ The piper's calling you to join him..." Listen to this song stoned and this lyric will be completely clear to you. I'm not wrong.
"I think that any group can hit you differently when you're stoned. You can listen to a group when you're straight and it feels one way, and you can listen to it while stoned and it becomes more intense. You're able to pick out more of what the group is trying to show you"
-- Robert Plant
..."And if you listen very hard/ The tune will come to you at last."
Sully - Boston, Ma
OK there is no satanic message it sounds more like a bunch of gibberish when played backwards
has anybody noticed that hidden messages discovered by backmasking mostly appear in classic rock ex. Another One Bites The Dust - Queen , Empty Spaces - Pink Floyd (which I think was put in as a joke to listeners) , Stairway to heaven - Led Zepplin, I'm soo tired - Beatles (i think the message on that was not put there by intention but it created a little scam for them) , Revolution 9 - Beatles (another message but put in by intention for the "Paul is dead " scam),and Imagine - John Lennon (what kind of idiot would think that " Imagine all the people" sounds like "the people war beside me ") Other hidden messages are found in My name is - Eminem (i think put in by intention letting you know that he did the song and not another rapper) , Nature To Hell - Weird Al ("Satan Eats Cheeze Whiz " sounds like something weird al) , and the un-noticed Safety Dance message Forwards:Is it safe to dance , yes its safe to dance , oh its safe to dance. Backwards:Smack Stefan smack Chris too Smack Chris (sounds very clear Stefan was the Men Without hats guitarist and Chris was a record producer who i think produced an album before Rythm of youth) .
Nathan - L-burg, Ky
Haywood from Hartford.......how in god's name is LED ZEPPELIN'S stairway to heaven about LSD in the slightest?!?!?!!?
Tom - East Lyme, Ct
"Aleister Crowley (and Eliphas Levi before him) presented the word ?Reason? as meaning, Absolute Truth. The lyrics tell the student of Aleister Crowley that if people seek the ?tune,? i.e., the music?s hidden message, then Lucifer will lead them to Absolute Truth. This, in turn, will cause a new day to dawn (spiritual rebirth) which will cause the forests to echo with laughter. Ritchie Yorke, a personal friend of the band, wrote about this spiritual rebirth in his book, ?Led Zeppelin ? The Definitive Biography?:
?The appeal of ?Stairway to Heaven? as a musical piece is self-evident: its lyrics seemed to embody the individual?s prevailing quest for a spiritual rebirth.?5
In his biography of Led Zeppelin, ?Hammer of the Gods ? The Led Zeppelin Saga,? Steven Davis also wrote of the spiritual regeneration implicit in the lyrics to Stairway to Heaven:
?With its starkly pagan imagery of trees and brooks, pipers and the May Queen, shining white light and the forest echoing with laughter, ?Stairway to Heaven? seemed like an invitation to abandon the new traditions and follow the old gods. It expressed an ineffable yearning for spiritual transformation deep in the hearts of the generation for which it was intended. In time, it became their anthem.?
Sully - Boston, Ma
"Aleister Crowley (and Eliphas Levi before him) presented the word "Reason" as meaning, Absolute Truth. The lyrics tell the student of Aleister Crowley that if people seek the "tune," i.e., the music's hidden message, then Lucifer will lead them to Absolute Truth. This, in turn, will cause a new day to dawn (spiritual rebirth) which will cause the forests to echo with laughter. Ritchie Yorke, a personal friend of the band, wrote about this spiritual rebirth in his book, "Led Zeppelin " The Definitive Biography":
"The appeal of 'Stairway to Heaven' as a musical piece is self-evident: its lyrics seemed to embody the individual?s prevailing quest for a spiritual rebirth."5
In his biography of Led Zeppelin, "Hammer of the Gods " The Led Zeppelin Saga," Steven Davis also wrote of the spiritual regeneration implicit in the lyrics to Stairway to Heaven:
"With its starkly pagan imagery of trees and brooks, pipers and the May Queen, shining white light and the forest echoing with laughter, "Stairway to Heaven" seemed like an invitation to abandon the new traditions and follow the old gods. It expressed an ineffable yearning for spiritual transformation deep in the hearts of the generation for which it was intended. In time, it became their anthem."
Sully - Boston, Ma
Take this verse, "There's a feeling I get when I look to the west and my spirit is crying for leaving". In the Lord of the Rings, the West meant Valinor, or the Undying Lands where all the elves were leaving to. When the elves saw the Sea, they had a longing to go to Accross to Valinor. So... there could be a connection there.
Arana - El Paso, Tx
there are no hidden messages. this song is about LSD
Haywood Jablomey - Hartford, Ct
aw, come on, hendrix would be the obvious answer, but as far as i'm concerned, even if he is technically a better musician, he wrote nothing along the lines of what page could write. hendrix songs are okay, but hes no page. thats what i think anyway. and anyway, whether hendrix or page is a better guitarist is a pretty subjective argument anyway.
Jeanette - Irvine, Ca
I hve heard the Spirit song in question, and the passage that Led Zeppelin used is very similar to one in the song I heard. I don't know the titlek, but it comes at the end of the song and is repeated several times. It's on Spirit's greatest hits cd. I think as a bonus track, but I'm really not sure.
Stefanie - Rock Hill, Sc
The line "And my Spirit is crying for leaving" may be a vague reference to the band Spirit, who Robert Plant said inspired much of the music in this song.
Fremont - Concord, Nh
I gotta say, this is probably one of my favorite songs by zeppelin, but to Tom, Hendrix is a better guitarist that Page, but he's in second.
Scott - Redding, Ct
wasn't plant pretty much the only hippie in the band? but yeah good point hah.
Jeanette - Irvine, Ca
This is one of the immortal songs that will remain for a long time...the 1st sentence reminds me of a personal experience (theres a lady..gold)where many ppl are wowed by surface of things and desire everything..Its a greedy world
Ame - Dubai, Other
the backmasked message is unententinal.it is not completely clear and i think if they wanted it in there they would have made clear and it also says i wish it would snow very very clear.but page did confes to doing witch craft but only after it was recorded
Zach - West Liberty, Ky
great, great, great, great, awesome song, i don't think there is a message backwards, casue i meant, who ever heard of a SATANIC HIPPIE?
Tom - Dosen't Matter, Ct
This song is one of my favorites. Both the music and the lyrics are great. I don't think it matters whether or not it has Satanic subliminal messages in it. If it does, then great, but I doubt Led Zeppelin is a bunch of Satanists. I think it has a good message to it also.
Grace - Fairfax Station, Va
This is the greatest song ever made by man!!!
Sam Warren - Morristown, In
one of the greatest rock songs of all time. Jimmy Page can play anything with strings on it. I don't know how people can think that Zep is overrated. that just pissses me off when they say that.
Devon - Westerville, Oh
There's a big backward secton (with backward lyrics) at http://jeffmilner.com/backmasking.htm
Stig - Southern Alberta, Canada
the end of this song always leaves me in shock
Rick - Humboldt, Ia
This was supposed to be used in the Simpsons episode were Bart sells his soul to Milhouse instead of "In-Da-Gadda-Da-Vida" or whatever, but they couldn't get the rights to the song
Tom - Dosen't Matter, Ct
does anyone know what happened to John (Bonzo) Bonhams earthquake fill in the versoin on "The Song Remains The Same" and "How the West Was Won" CD!!!! That was one of the best fills out there...WHERE DID IT GO!!!!!
Tom - Dosen't Matter, Ct
To the people that believe in the message that is in the song, its not true. Bored fans just like you made that up. There are also fake hidden messages in Another One Bites the Dust by Queen, and some stupid britney spears song too.
Galina - New London, Ct
This is the greatest song in history. Starts out with acoustic and in the end on electric, Led Zeppelin is the greatest band of all time.
Brian - Hyde Park, Ny
I heard that the members of Led Zepplin were having a garage sale for new instruments and they got some old lady to believe that this replica stairway from a play was actually a stairway to heaven so they felt bad but took her money and wrote this song to tribute her.
Randy - Lexington, Ky
The all-time great adaptation of Stairway was the one that applied the lyrics of Gilligan's Island to it. They fit perfectly. Western culture is not likely to ever get any better.
Dirk - Nashville, Tn
does anyone actually wanna comment on the SONG ITSELF and not just on the satanic message rumor?
Jordan - Shokan, Ny
To Nathan in Canada who is second to last on the comment line, my friend bobby can play it perfectly on his twelve stringed guitar!
Galina - New London, Ct
I've heard the "Satanic message" Its nothing but a bunch of gibberish. Great song, great band. (I prefer Queen though)
Amy - Dallas, Tx
Great song, but Achilles Last Stand is better, it just has that extra touch, also about this hidden message thing, it's only a hidden message if you can understand it without anybody telling you or without any "lyrics" in front of you like "Empty Spaces" by Pink Floyd, clearly a hidden message, so THERE Stairway=No hidden message.........P.S. Jimmy Page>>>>>(is way greater then) Jimmi Hendrix, face the facts
Tom - Dosen't Matter, Ct
This is truthfully a great song weather or not it actually has a santanic message is not really the point. If they want to worship the devil on their own to who really cares its a song
Garrett - Clermont, Fl
if they really wanted the song to be about satin, they would have written it frontwards that way. this is an amazing song and you all should get over yourselves! some entire beatles' albums have been accused of being satanistic, but that doesn't mean we have to believe it. listen to music the way it was recorded, none of this backwards crap.
Amber - Durango, Co
how about checking out this flash document to prove there's subliminal messages everywhere...
I promise you'll love it.
Ryan - Christchurch, New Zealand
Whoever has the insane idea of that message crap is insane,they say the pokemon theme has messages in it.Really,c'mon get real.This is a good song just because backwards it has "stuff" doesnt mean anything.They wrote a song.They didn't mean this crap.
Dalton - Columbus, Ga
My sister listened to it backwards, and she said the message was extremely blurred. I talked with her about it, and she also think she wouldn't have found the message, if she hadn't read the supposed lyrics first.
Stefanie - Rock Hill, Sc
and one more thing everyone: i had to know...so in spite of my vow not to worry about it i listened to stairway backwards and although i heard a couple things that sounded like satan, i've heard all about what it's supposed to say so i made my friend who'd never heard of this whole stairway backwards thing listen to it (with no lyrics you could see) and tell me what she heard and sure enough she didn't hear anything. so now i agree with those that say it was clearly unintentional.
Jeanette - Irvine, Ca
david thats a pretty good list. i'd replace a couple and tie pink floyd with led zeppelin but...great list. and i just got how the west was won from my friend for christmas...oh my god i watched it for like 4 hours straight until my parents made me go outside and remember what the sun looked like. it was SO GOOD.
Jeanette - Irvine, Ca
This song has also provoked more responces that most songs on SongFacts.com, personaly I think thats a fairly big achievment!
Nick - Cambridge, England
You guys, who even cares if there is a message or not, its Zeppelin for god's sake. Its a beautiful song that rocks the hardest, and is probaby the greatest rock song ever. Just enjoy it and it wouldn't matter if its a message or a song, just enjoy the rocking out.
Phil - Dallas, Tx
Dude just go to this link to listen to Stairway backwards. http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/stairway.php. Anyways I totally agree with anyone who says the Satanic message crap is BS.
Dan - Lee, Nh
Here's something for all those in firm beleif on stairway to heaven telling messages backwards.
Damian - Melbourne, Australia
I don't like Stairway to Heaven as much as I probably should. It's a brilliant song, but it's not Zep's best work. The problem with LZ is that most people are unfamiliar with their body of work because Zep chose not to release singles. I think they would be even a bigger band than they were if they had released singles and that's saying something since there are just a handful of bands as successful (Beatles, Rolling Stones, U2... can't think of anyone else). Zep's true strength was was the amazing combination of John Bonham on drums (arguably the best rock drummer of all time)with John Paul Jones' on bass (with the exception of Red Hot Chilly Pepper's Flea, I can't think of a better bassist) and then Jimmy Page, who in spite of what John Dylan of Blah, MS
wrote earlier, produced some of the most memorable rock riffs of all time. Jimi Hendrix was a better guitarist, but no one in rock history has created better riffs than Jimmy Page -- no one. Even Eric Clapton can't boast of better riffs, although he's a terrific guitarist and technically better than Page. Listen to "Good Times, Bad Times" on Led Zeppelin I and "Moby Dick" on Led Zeppelin II if you want to hear some of Bonham's great drumming. I can't even begin to mention Page's amazing kickass riffs, but "Bring it on Home" on Led Zeppelin II is a good start. Listen to both the guitar riff and the drums if you want to be blown away. Now, that said, I never liked Plant as much as guys like Jagger and Jim Morrison. On the other hand, I prefer him to Geddy Lee of Rush, or Brian Johnson of ACDC. Get the DVD if you want to get blown away.
Cw - Vancouver, Canada
I must say that i have seen some very ridiculous coments made on this on both sides of the "satan" issue. before u start listening to websites that play the backwards track, listen to the song and learn something about the band. im a big fan of STH and of Led Zeppelin but i still advise that u learn about the negative aspects and positive aspects of the band and thier lyrics. everyone is open to their opinions, however they should have some well researched facts before they go off bashing the other side or defending thiers. the members that were there each have thier own opinion on the song and its lyrics. the song cna be interpreted anyway it wants by whoever wants to listen to it. if u dont like it, change the f*ckin track, if u do... rock on!
Alex - Greenville, Nc
Am I the only one that realizes it would be next to impossible to figure out exactly how to say the message backwards in a way that is at all understandable? I mean honestly, to be able to write a song in a way that played backwards it actually means something, theres no way. I admit there are songs with obvious intentional backmasking, like Empty Spaces by Pink Floyd, but songs like that have a message that was recorded and reversed when put into the song.
Chris - Bradenton, Fl
The facts backing up this "satanic message phenomenon" are very reasonable and legitement!!! It's not like anyone is making stuff up! So damnit,will everyone stop with the immature insults?!
Joe - North Arlington, Nj
ok who ever believes the satanic stuff is really stupid, because even if the words do sound like an ode to satan, they are really messed up, and the grammar is horrible
Hunter - Evans, Ga
By the way, I'm sorry if anyone was offended by my post, I just tend to get frustrated when the opinion of satanic messages is continuosly bashed.
Joe - North Arlington, Nj
Ok, apparently my previuos posts have fallen on deaf ears, on those with selective hearing, or the down-right ignorant.So here are some facts to think about.
1. I've spoken with former drug abusers, and a majority of them have told stories that their drug abuse "opened" doors to evil. This affect seems to be related with alot of murders, some famous ones being the Manson and Defeo murders.
2. Jimmy Page WAS INTERESTED in Crowley's teachings. Aleister Crowley had admitted to being anti-christian, a drug user. There have also been instinces where Crowley has been seen and heard conjurring demons and taking part in other such rituals (and wow Page Crowley and all of Led Zeppelin were drug abusers. what a coincidence!)
3. Now, with the facts that are listed above, I definately wouldn't rule out satanic messages in this song.
4. I do listen to zeppelin's music every-so-often, so I don't want to be perceived as anti zeppelin; but I do personally believe that there are satanic messages in this song. If you'd like to research this, here are a couple of my sources:http://skepdic.com/crowley.html
Joe - North Arlington, Nj
The satanic messages thign is bogus. IF you look hard enough of course your going to find something. It's like looking at sky and finding shapes in the clouds.
Trenton - Minneapolis , Mn
Pheonix. Page was the one fascinated with Crowley not Plant.
Stefanie - Rock Hill, Sc
Ok, let's dispell the "satan" BS now. So Plant was into Crowley and other pagan/occult stuff. Beginning with Crowley... Alister Crowly was a lot of things, a chess master, mountain climber, sexual revolutionist, pagan (including Hermetic, Eqyptian [Thelmic] and combined with Buddism, Tantra, Freemasonry and Yoga to name a few), drug addict (heroin prescribe for his asthma and bronchitis) but he was NEVER a satanist. He was pagan. Pagans DO NOT beleive in an entity called "satan". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alister_Crowley
As for the "backwards message baloney" - it's just that . . . baloney. People who spend time thinking up and "exposing" such things are trying to get something for themselves (fame, fortune, notariety) or destroy and hurt someone else. C'mon folks - use your brains.
Phoenix - Raleigh, Nc
Actually, I think Jimmy Page sold Crowley's house some time in the 1990's guys.
Stefanie - Rock Hill, Sc
Wow it never ends..... The satanic messeges and the "they just threw together lyrics" stuff is really getting old. Yes Jimmy Page lives in Mr. Crowleys house but theres more evidence of meaning in the frontwards version. I heard that some sited this book called "Mystic (something) in Celtic Britian" and the LOTR thing isnt too farfetched either. Does it have a depper meaning? I dont know... It seems to be about self-purification...but this is just my theory. But the satanic bull is pretty rediculas. I could listen to the Backstreet Boys backwards and probably find some dark message or the word "satan". You guys only find it because you are looking for it.
Donald - Festus, Mo
i don't believe there are satanic messages in this song and i've heard it backwards (only when i read the supposedly backwards lyrics and then listen to the song did i hear the 'message' which shows that it is all in people's head, which many people here have said), the main reason why i don't believe this is because if you listen to it live on the song remains the same robert plant says before it is played, and i quote: 'this is a song of hope'
Andy - Manchester, England
By it I mean the message in this song. There is one apparently in a song by the Beatles called "Rain" and there's also one in a Pink Floyd song called "Empty Spaces." There's apparently one in some Sticks song, which I can't remember the name of, but they did it to make fun of the fact that people were all up in arms about backwards messages.
Stefanie - Rock Hill, Sc
I didn't know about the backwards message until I became a website member. Backwards messages it seems like would be hard to do, how could anyone do it quickly, even if they are Jimmy Page? I don't think it exists and I never have. Plus, the supposed "He made us suffer" part doesn't make it seem like the message is in support of Satan. Isn't that the key?
Stefanie - Rock Hill, Sc
If there was a top 40 of backmasked songs, then "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin would be at the top. This song contains many backward messages. Here is one of them that occurs right at the very end of the song when Plant sings "And She's Buying a Stairway, To Heaven" It says: "Play backwards. Hear words sung." You have to listen realy carefully and play it slowly. It realy sounds like it is supposed to be there where as a conversation may be choppy or hard to comprehend this is acctualy very simple to find like somone would try to sing it there like that.
However, by far the most controversial backward messages on the song can be found in the following soundtrack. They say backwards just about where Plant sings: "If there's a bustle in your hedgerow,Don't be alarmed now, It's just a spring clean for the May queen,Yes there are two paths you can go by, But in the long run, There's still time to change the road you're on" From the word "on" at the end of that line play backwards and it will play like this "la la Its my sweet Satan. The one whose little! path would make me sad whose power is, fake! He gives you 666, there-was-a little toolshed where he made us suffer, sad Satan!" Try listening at a slower speed if you can't here it. It is definatly supposed to be there. Although Page reportedly said that the writing of this song was all Sincere we have forgotten that it was John Paul Jones who suggested "Try listening to Stairway To Heaven backwards, Robbert hid some little easter eggs in there."
Pete Townshend - Sussex, England, United States
okay, here we go again...
this is very important to everyone, especially newcommers to the zepplin phenomena.
research has shown that there actually is no message in the song. GET THAT?!?! NO MESSAGE *NONE* **NADDA** ***ZIP***!!!!!
here is the explaination: the reason you hear the message, is you have been "tricked" into hearing it, by your own mind. When you read the supposed lyrics, your subconcious associates them with the sounds being played backwards. in actuallity, it's nothing but giberish. but when you read the lyrics that are associated with the sounds, lo and behold, a satanic message. Suffice to say, if you listen to the backwards lyrics BEFORE reading them you will hear some vaugly robert-plant-like gibberish. if you listen to them AFTER reading the lyrics then, and only then, will you hear the message.
Allen - Coquitlam, Canada
What's with all the fuss about satanic lyrics and backwards messages?
do you know the skill it takes in ANY language to be able to write a song that actually has a meaning both front and back? No one, not even plant, could do oit on the spot, staring into a fire.
Allen - Coquitlam, Canada
This is by far the best song ever... nothing else is even close except maybe Bohemian Rhapsody but thats about it
Matt - Brandon, Canada
go here its actually amusing
Matt - Millbrae, Ca
okay that last fact...erm...dunno if i believe it but thats hilarious if its true. 24 straight hours to elicit a change to classic rock? as for the whole saddam hussein thing...thats just weird.
Jeanette - Irvine, Ca
I also think that this song was inspired by The Lord of the Rings. When the song sais "theres a feeling I get when I look to the west, and my spirit is crying for leaving." The elves in middle earth always have a longing to sail across the sea into the uttermost west to be with there kindred who have already sailed. they do this because they are WEARY OF THE WORLD. this could be what Robert was talking about.
Tyler - Pontotoc, Ms
Actually I like classic rock, The Beatles, Dylan, ect. I like musicians who actually know how to play, compose, and write. Page often sounds like he is playing just a bit over his skill level and he never wrote an interesting or memorable chord arrangement. If you want to hear someone play the guitar check out Tommy Emmanuel. As to modern music I think creativity died with innovation once formulaic bands like Zeppelin started the down fall of music in to hair metal and the like.
John Dylan - Blah, Ms
Whats the big deal about this song. Jimmy page writes a pretentious song with the worlds most asinine picking pattern around three chords, wow. Then he plays the most overused chord cycle in rock music (Am G F G:) and improvises in an A-minor Pentatonic scale for way to long. To be fair though the music sounds almost good when compared to Plants attempt(failed) at a dramatic bluesy vocal. He sounds like someone put a beartrap on his testicles a few minutes before the session. I won't even get into the crappy lyrics or Jones shot at a walking bassline. The song doesn't suck as much as a lot of other songs, but the problem is that it is shoved down in our ears like so much unwanted elk penis.
John Dylan - Blah, Ms
achilles last stand, rain song, stairway to heaven, heartbreaker, dazed and confused in no particular order.
Jeanette - Irvine, Ca
I see STH talks about drug abuse, mostly eroin, paranoia (sonsecuence of drugs, lsd ... ) and abstinence. It is know a typical christian phrase "there is only one way to haven and it nos a stairway" the woman of the song is taking the wrong way to what she sees as heaven, a stairway to heaven(drugs), it can be also be seen as the easy way to a false haven. I think that the idea of how drugs turn the most important thing in a person´s life is also present in the song, not only in the physical dependence so as in the way thinking.
Heskid - Santander, Spain
5. Achilles Last Stand (Long Song with Great Layerd sound, but the solo still rocks.)
4. You Shook Me (Very Bluesy guitar sound and some pretty sweet Keyboards to back up the guitar.)
3. In The Light (Such and underated song with a great riff, how can you not like playing the guitar with a violen thingy?)
2. Stairway To Heaven (Monumental song with a great solo plus there are some mystical lyrics to keep the song from dragging on.)
1. Heartbreaker (The studio version is good the live versions are next to perfect.)
Dan - Lee, Nh
everybody rank their top 5 jimmy page guitar solos.
Tanner - Charlotte, Nc
I think this song might have been writen as a personal consolation for their extensive drug use. But I don't know any details and it's just a thounght so hopefully everyone won't try to slaughter me like on some of the other pages.
Dan - Lee, Nh
Jimmy Page was very much involved in all sorts of Satanic ,Thelemic , mystical teachings and practices.He was a student of Crowleys teachings.
Does this mean he worshiped(s) the devil?
Of course not.Satanism does not neccesarilly entail the worship of Satan.
Page also was originally to do the score for filmmaker Kenneth Angers "Lucifer Rising" ( a movie about a Satanic ritual) another student of Crowleys teachings and practicing Magus.
Read up on it here for yourself:
Try to learn and understand things before condemning them,dont always buy into myths and hear-say about others beliefs and practices, its a much healthier approach towards things in life.
p.s.- Emily, what part of the United States is Winnipeg in?
John - Marion, Il
If you people care about satanic messages, it would really surprise any Americans to know that 10 percent of your population is atheist and shock rocker and satanist minister Marilyn Manson is AMERICAN!!!!!!
Emily - Winnipeg, United States
I thought the may queen was a character in some kind of folklore. Maybe English. I have no idea though.
Stefanie - Rock Hill, Sc
At the part of the song when plant says "It's just a spring clean for the may queen," the May Queen was a laundry matt that was in page's welsh castle. This whole song is about Bron-Yr-Aur. I dont think that the whole stupid thing about the satanic messages are true. I've played my zeppelin IV record backwords, and the satanic message's were not purposly put on there. Stairway is no my favorite song, but I cant stand it when people say its over rated. IT ISNT AT ALL! this song wasnt even a single. Only Whole Lotta Love, and Dy'er Ma'ker where.
Luke - Calgary, Canada
Robert Plant clearly sad this is about a girl who doesn't know the meaning of money so inorder to go to heaven she has to buy a stairway.
Music Natzi - Albany, Ny
I completely agree with Sarah From San Fran. I mean why would they write a song thats so beutifully written and played with a satanic message tied to it somehow. And listening to Led Zeppelin got me into playing the guitar too because they were the first and the best rock band i had ever listened to and they still are the best.
p.s. Rest in peace John Paul Jones
Evan - Arroyo Grande, Ca
This song is great! There's no doubt about that, but it's way too pverplayed.!
Stefanie - Rock Hill, Sc
There is no satanic message in Stairway to Heaven, what you hear is garbled and could be interpreted as anything.
To the previous comment about 'empty spaces', you can hear the message backwards and at normal spped forwards.
Erik - Cherry Valley, Il
The lyrica are simply filler for the music. They may sound deep and meaningful, but they are really just there for the sake of having lyrics. I love Led Zeppelin and all, but this song really gets old after being played on the radio 24/7.
Ontario - Ft Lauderdale, Fl
This song does have a lot of christian meaning
Ben - Portrush, Ireland
I think the piper is like God - He gave Adam a perfect world but he spoiled it by eating the apple and so there is now a punishment, SIN. When the song then says about the two paths you can go by it means that if you trust Jesus you will go to heaven.
Whether these guys were christians or not, a lot of their songs link to christian meanings.
BTW the number of the beast is 666 look in Revelation and see for yourself
Ben - Portrush, Ireland
Matty: anyone who didn't read the words of the message on a website wouldn't even know it existed most likely. I didn't know about the story of the message, until I registered here. Part of the reason I don't believe in the message is because most songs that are said to contain them don't. The only ones that seem to actually contain backwards messages are "Rain" by the Beatles and "Empty Spaces" by Pink Floyd. Others are harder to prove.
Stefanie - Rock Hill, Sc
I can't remember who said this but the guy certainly hit a bullseye with this quote: "Stairway to Heaven is such an amazing song played forward, why the f@*# would anyone want to play it backward".
David - Orlando, Fl
I have Led Zeppelin 4 on vinyl, yes the original version. I also have two turn tables because well they give such better sound. So to all you people saying there is not a satanic message suck it up, cause there is. I have turned them backwards many a time and heard it, its the same one you can find on the web on many sites.
If you are going to state that it is not there please test it for your self. And also it will not work if you yourself sing it, it was done in editing (ive heard it was done by Jimmy real quick before it was released).
Matty - Port Royal, Canada
Bryan from Brunswick, Georgia:
You and I are ONE man! EVERYTHING you just said is the Gospel TRUTH. Must be our age (I just turned 44 this year). I like your passage there from Ten Years Gone (one of my personal all-time favourite Zepp tunes! I once lost a love, and that will be HER song forever.) By the way, Bryan, I have spent MANY YEARS pondering the lyrics to Stairway to Heaven, and I have to say that I have AT LAST!!! figured out the meaning of the lyrics. If you send me an email to: firstname.lastname@example.com I will send you my Word file, complete with illustrations. If you read it, you will KNOW that my interpretation is PERFECT. That offer goes for anyone out there who wants to UNDERSTAND Stairway to Heaven. God bless, and remember PAGE is the MASTER!
Ray - Waterloo
Page has it right-A Masterpiece.
Quite simply the best song ever written.
Jeffrey - New York, Ny
The grastest song ever written would have to be Led Zepplin Stairway To Heaven!!I love sth!!!
Hailey - New York, Ny
One thing!!! I have been a zep fan as long as i lived.While this song does have meaning, also relize stuff does happen. queen exmp. Many songs have so called messages.pink floyed and Ozzy. I do belive Zep has had an so called 'encounter' please read the book called 'Hammer Of the Gods; it's about zep
Alex - Ft. Wane, In
also in battle of evermore there is a line which states ' There is a isle that he lies", also there is many other reconizeable lines in the song. Such as "in the dream stae lies an answer"
- alex Moore , In, usa
Alex - Ft. Wane, In
this song would be around regardless of the messages. thats kind of an interesting theory about the indulgences...i still think this song was written when they were high (that explains the whole "there was a pencil writing for me" thing) and the song doesn't mean anything. although indulgences makes the most sense so far. good job sean.
Jeanette - Irvine, Ca
I sure didn't think of it Sean but the song could fit that scenario.
Stefanie - Rock Hill, Sc
This song is the single most awesome song ever. Me and my dad sometimes drive around rocking out to this song. For all who have not heard it, do so immediately.
~~And it makes me wonder...
**Pablo, Rhode Island
By the way, backmasking is interesting, but almost never intentional.
Pablo - North Providence, Ri
I just downloaded it backwardds and heard the messages even though i dont want to believe it
Harry - Sydney, Australia
The satanic message is really there. And like plant said. "It was like somthing was moving the pencil for me." Im usualy not a believer in this but with the things I have read about Zeppelin. they did some wierd stuff. And this whole thing seems to go together. Its wierd. they may have done it just to keep the song around. Plant and Page lived the song and they may have done this to make people talk about it years from them. So it wouldn't have been forgotten. But I don't know what to believe.
Sean - Phily, Pa
Now I have no Idea if this has been posted yet b/c Im to lazy to read all that but Heres a question. I think that this song could have somthing to do with the old idea that was out of the catholic church selling "indulgences." These were papers sold by the pope to make money and were often called "A persons STAIRWAY INTO HEAVEN." Allowing you to pass your waiting years and go right to heaven. Maybe its about a women who spent lost of money on these and then when they stopped selling them she found out that they were useless. And she was trying to buy herself into heaven. May be dumb but thats an idea I had like 10 seconds ago while listening to swth. Post thoughts Thanks.
Sean - Phily, Pa
yah really...i've given up. this song has poetic mysterious lyrics that don't mean anything special. its OUR job as fans to interpret them how we want.
Jeanette - Irvine, Ca
Ya, definitely read an interview in guitar world magazine, and plant said that the song was about nothing. He just put words in there that would make people think.
Jason - Leesburg, Va
I have heard that satan and lucifer are two differen Demons from hell, lucifer is the most important one, satan is the Demon of warlocks, he is so important, his name became used instead of lucifers sometimes, but other then that, there different things. The backplaying says nothihg about Lucifer, but does have words that sound like "Satan" i think this is the biggest coincidence ever expecially with the Aleister Crowley referances, SUPER big coincidence, i dont know much about led zeppelin, and this is the only song he made that i know of. by the way at the time of the song there was no way to hear this "message" people say thats in it. If it was there on Purpose , i think he was paid or it was a bet or something like that. and las thing i think this is a good song with good influnce on people and rock(i mean when played forewards),
Dillan - Toronto, Canada
Who thinks "Stairway To Heaven" is played way too much on the radio? Anyone?
Stefanie Magura - Rock Hill, Sc
im sorry i just looked at the lyrics and it could be about a drug addiction i stand corrected sorry
Nick - Houlton, Me
It does sound to have some kind of satanic message
Ashley Jade - Cleveland, Ga
Ashley Jade uuummmm... what's your point? These songpages are for people to lern and discuss, and that means posting comments.
Stefanie Magura - Rock Hill, Sc
i have heard the song backwards it is true
Bob - Fresno, Ca
i agree though....all the greatest songs are the hard ones...sigh.
Jeanette - Irvine, Ca
That great Jeanette. The great songs are the hardest to figure out anyway for the most part. Songs like "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "Hotel California."
Stefanie Magura - Rock Hill, Sc
I think it could be about an addiction, but we're never going to know what it's about most likely. I think there are many possible interpretations.
Stefanie Magura - Rock Hill, Sc
nick they didn't say it was about drugs they said it was about page's wife's addiction which is different. somehow i don't really believe that either though. i stand by my random assortment of mysterious poetry and ideas theory.
Jeanette - Irvine, Ca
the song isn't about drugs, every late 60 or early 70s song isnt always about drugs! but you poeple always take it that its about! dont say anything if you dont know it! ok
Nick - Houlton, Me
I get it now. Sorry about that. It's just when you said "It's your problem," it sounded worse thn it actually was. I wanted to help clear up any misunderstandings there might have been and avoid any problems.
Stefanie Magura - Rock Hill, Sc
the satan comment wasn't directed at stormy, sorry if there was any misunderstanding. like i said i agree with what stormy said. except the part about hearing what other people have to say. o yeah, and when i say "if you think it's about satan that's your problem" i don't mean that you have a problem, it very well could be about satan. i mean that it's a problem for you when you are forced to miss out on the greatest song of all time because you think it's satanic.
Jeanette - Irvine, Ca
By the way Jeanette, stormy said "I personally think it's about drug addiction." There wasn't any mension of Satan in that comment.
Stefanie Magura - Rock Hill, Sc
"That's your opinion" would be another way to say it Jeanette. I get what you're saying and I don't think it's about Satan either, but we're all aloud to have our own opinions whether people agree with us or not. I'm sorry but that one comment made you sound a bit snobbish. I'm sure that wasn't you're intention though.
Stefanie Magura - Rock Hill, Sc
to stormy: i agree with most of what you're saying, but can make it more meaningful or at least interesting to know what other people think. at least for me. i agree that for this particular song i doubt there was a huge meaning the writers were trying to get across, it comes out as more of a scrambled jumble of mysterious and cool phrases than anything, but all the better for us we can make it what we feel like! i don't think theres a wrong meaning to this song, except possibly satan. but hey if you think it's about satan, thats your problem.
Jeanette - Irvine, Ca
I don't think there's a backwards message but that's just my personal opinion. I personally think it's about materialism, but it could fefinitely be ablur drug addiction.
Stefanie Magura - Rock Hill, Sc
no one is going to agree what this song means cause there is no right answer. Like all songs we take the meaning that satisfies ourselves. You either like a song or you don't. Does what other people think it means make the song any less meaningful????? I personally think the song is a about drug addiction.
Stormy - Melbourne, Australia
Jurriaan: this was my message earlier and here it is again: they didn't want it to be the most famous song of all time, they don't even like it that much. well they probably like it, but not enough to try to make it special. why wouldn't they do that with a song like kashmir? that's what they considered their best work. when they made the song they didn't know it would be the most famous. i can see the satanic argument but i don't understand what you're getting at. when "and she's buying the stairway to heaven" is played backwards what do they say?
Jeanette - Irvine, Ca
you guys its obvious! therees a backwards messgae, but does that nessiceraly mean its satanic? have you maybe heatd the WHOLE song backwards? maybe thn you would undersand, the whole rest of the song is a christian messgae not satanic, and they obviously did it on purpose because if you listen to the very end where it goes, and shes buuuuyyyyyingggg a
stairrrrrwayyyyy to heavean
when you listen to that backwards it says, when played backwards heeear words sung
ok so its very obvious, the most famous song ever pretty much, they obviously wanted it to be special
Jurriaan - Rosendal, Netherlands
wow elysia we think alike...you rock!
Jeanette - Irvine, Ca
Yeah I agree with your comments Jeanette, artists like this are so good they can make a song have a different meaning for millions of different people - that's pretty amazing. I reckon those guys who wrote the book try to make out Pink Floyd and Sabbath, etc. are evil - because it takes people to a spiritual place that is alot higher than any religion can fathom. They can't handle the fact that music is that deep, and that these artists that are outside their religion, have accessed the eternal magic that it really is! Cowardly bastards, you should read the book, it's quite funny, they end up trying to convert you after dissing the greatest songs of all time!..
Elysia - Hamilton, New Zealand
o yeah and if the people at the bottom are correct, plant said that he was too doped to remember what this song is about. so i guess we have to find our own meaning. if thats true. even if its not true i stand by that everyone can (and should) find their own private meaning to this song since its so vague.
Jeanette - Irvine, Ca
all right the name black sabbath is not exactly religiously great, but um what about the others?
Jeanette - Irvine, Ca
how are pink floyd, queen or sabbath evil??
Jeanette - Irvine, Ca
hey elysia! you listen to awesome music! well i don't listen to sabbath that much but still they're pretty good! anyway yeah thats basically what i was saying.
Jeanette - Irvine, Ca
Jeanette: I didn't say this song is evil, I said it has been PORTRAYED
Elysia - Hamilton, New Zealand
elysia: i don't mind that you think stairway has satanic messages backwards thing, lots of people do, what i do mind is that you assume that just because this particular song could be satanic (which i'm not sure is) all rock and roll is evil. Even if this is possibly THE greatest rock song of all time, its not a definition of ALL rock, so rock as a genre is not evil just like cuz of this song. TO EVERYONE WHO THINKS THIS SONG IS ABOUT SATAN: i love this song, i find it a part of my life, but i am nowhere near worshipping satan. this song (whether intended to be or not by zeppelin) is not evil to me. its everyones personal choice whether this song is evil to them, with a song this good, mysterious and popular, even led zeppelin themselves no longer control the meaning. at least how we interpret the meaning. so my point is: its your choice whether this song is evil. if you think it is thats great for you if you choose to interpret it a different way your meaning is just as legitimate.
Jeanette - Irvine, Ca
okay now i am starting to believe that zeppelin just threw a bunch of random stuff together and were like 'interpret THAT!' or something. theres so many theories.
Jeanette - Irvine, Ca
It's best to view the film "Staiway to Heaven" by Luis Bunuel.
Watch "O Brother where art thou" ending scene before the flood. Cop tells brothers before they're about to get hung, "Stairway to Heaven Boys." An old reference for death or dying.
Salvatore - Los Angeles, Ca
STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN means your dead. To my understand, STH the song is about lady who married a man of wealth a now wants him dead. A contract kill. Buyin a Stairway to Heaven. Adapted from in the stories of Pages wife on Cocaine and covered in Plants version of LOTR a great song is created. As far as the backward messages are concerned with Satan, well, Led Zeppelin without the influence of fantasy and the occult is like lemonade without sugar. Sour.
Salvatore - Los Angeles, Ca
John MD - Read the book called: 'Backmasking, the messages beneath the words' by two Christian brothers (don't remember their names) and you will see why I came to this conclusion. Hey, you may be right, but the religious people definitely milked the backmasking thing to turn people against rock music and portray it as evil.
Elysia - Hamilton, New Zealand
come to think of it... there are some ways its kind of like cocaine. like "rings of smoke through the trees" although thats still pretty vague and i don't really think thats what the song is about. can someone else clarify why they think its about his wifes addiction or whatever?
Jeanette - Irvine, Ca
personally i don't get how its about cocaine...then again i've never really taken cocaine. how is it about that though? i get the whole lady trying to buy her way into heaven thing a lot more. thanks for someone getting us back on the stairway comments it was getting pretty far off and insane!
Jeanette - Irvine, Ca
If it's about Cocaine, then that makes a lot of sense. It could be about a lot of other things though too. For instance, it could be about materialsim.
Stefanie Magura - Rock Hill, Sc
Still can't believe this went as low as 31 on RS's list of the greatest songs ever and I hate to say it but Like A Rolling Stone and Imagine top this, but nuthin' else.
Dan - Lee, Nh
It's said that the song is based on one of the band members wifes coccaine addiction
Edan - Melbourne, Australia
by the way: if that was stephanie that was genius, if that was jaron you are chronically insane, and if that was someone else you're just weird. and yes i noticed the NY new york difference i was just too lazy to figure out why it was like that so i just forgot about it. so yeah i fell for it. although i was confused...as you can tell by my earlier post. so i'm not a COMPLETE moron.
Jeanette - Irvine, Ca
o my god! i totally noticed that one of them said NY, NY and one of them said new york, NY but i still believed! i am such an idiot sometimes...but hey was that actually stephanie or jaron or some other crazy person?
Jeanette - Irvine, Ca
words can have two meanings?...there are two paths you can go by...?
I think this is an awesome song but, to me the forward lyrics make less sense than the backwards lyrics. But, anyway an awesome song.
If you want to hear the backwards more clearly, you have to lower the pitch or tempo as well as reversing it.
You can pretty clearly hear some odd stuff.
Whether it's a big coincidence or not, I dunno.
Also, I would point out that LOTR was pretty much the story of Jesus Christ.
Richard - Chicago, Il
Two words: Zeppelin rule!
John - Kalgoorlie, Australia
Jaron. I think those of us who are commenting on this page believes the wame way you do about the backwards messages. Frankly, I don't think they're there, and I think people who do are pretty crazy to say the least.
Stefanie Magura - Rock Hill, Sc
Hey Bryant that's awesome that you're going to see Robert plant. He hasn't been to Charlotte yet, and that's the closest place I can go to see a concert. i mean charlotte as in Charlotte north Carolina. Anyway, I hope you get to go backstage.
Stefanie Magura - Rock Hill, Sc
bryant you are sooooo lucky! 3 years ago my whole family saw robert plant in concert except me and my mom cuz she hates music and said i was too young to go see it! i was so mad! i am still mad! i will wait until he tours in my area again and then i will go see him! at least i hope that happens. it would be AWESOME if you got backstage somehow please post it if you do (and add HOW you did it...)
Jeanette - Irvine, Ca
thought id let you all know im going to see robert plant later today (Sept 10). Should be pretty sweet, we're gonna try to get back stage somehow, that'd be pretty sweet. anyways thought i'd share that
Bryant - Ottawa, Canada
Duh. I know people are weird. And Jaron that was pretty funny. You're not the first person tosay that. Ha ha ha!!!!!!
Stefanie Magura - Rock Hill, Sc
The theramin solo section of "whole lotta love" from "the song remains the same" video has got to be the wackiest, illest, yet also the coolest thing ever recorded in rock concert history!! WHAT GENIUS!!!
Ray - Funkytown, United States
i'm still not going to say whether or not it is satanic backwards because i haven't listened to it, but whatever i doubt led zeppelin sat down one day and were like "haha it would be fun to put messages about satan for those who listen to stairway to heaven backwards" and then they just did. another thing, if they were gonna put satanic messages they would put it on a song that would be a huge hit because otherwise no one would listen to it backwards. they didn't even think stairway would be a hit but satanic messages appear coincidentally on what would be the number one song on the radio! that to me sounds more like something someone would try to figure out AFTER it became a hit, which puts led zeppelin out of the picture! so basically even though i said i was just gonna ignore whether or not there are satanic references, now i am kind of taking sides with those who say there aren't. From now on can we please focus of the meaning of songs FORWARDS instead of BACKWARDS?.
Jeanette - Irvine, Ca
Miachel from seattle your weird. The guitar solo doesn't really symbolize the woman falling down the stairway, does it?
Stefanie Magura - Rock Hill, Sc
At least I think the live version is on "The How The West Was Won" DVD. Btw, Jeanett watching the DVD is probably the best way to get people to listen to, [pay attention to, and maybe to like Led Zeppelin.
Stefanie Magura - Rock Hill, Sc
There's a live version of "stairway To heaven" that is played completely on electric guitar. I think it's on the 'How The West was Won DVD". You guys should check it out, if youi haven't seen it! It's awesome!
Stefanie Magura - Rock Hill, Sc
That's very well put Ben. I completely agree.
Stefanie Magura - Rock Hill, Sc
Jaron.. you are right, and everyone here with half a mind for music knows it.. everyone else doesnt matter, they are wrong and people like you and me, and kent,cary,NC can close the program and walk away from the computer, knowing that we are right, and people like "isaac, sd, CA" and "mike, winnipeg, Canada" are wrong. and truthfully I think ALL OF YOU SHOULD READ THIS!!!
Stairway says in the final verse "when all are one, and one is all, to be a rock and not to roll" this means to us "when everyone around you is acting like eachother (by arguing about this), be a "rock" not a pushover" THEREFOR who cares what everyone else on this board thinks, dont change what you believe..
Zeppelin told us in this song not to argue about things like this! hehheh.. yes that'll do
Bryant - Ottawa, Canada
-Ben, Perth, Canada
Bravo.. well put.. you are a good man
Bryant - Ottawa, Canada
Thanks for the comments Jeanette. I've teen all of the lOtr movies, but haven't read the books. That's helps me get some of the references. About kent's essay, this is a long ccomments page. maybe i skipped over it by accident. It's pretty funny how many comments there are on this page!
Stefanie Magura - Rock Hill, Sc
kents essay is still there its just waaaaaay down. its pretty long so to summarize it just basically says: 1.stairway to heaven does not have satanic references backwards. (that is 3/4 of his essay) 2. stairway IS the number one song on the radio.(half of whats left) 3. he wants to hear a full version of stairway on a radio station because it is hard to find. (until the end) with a few more details thrown in. so yes it is a good essay but it is incredibly long so anyone interested might just want to read my summary.
Jeanette - Irvine, Ca
read lord of the rings! its so good! i just got a first edition lord of the rings hardback in great condition because my grandma works for her library's bookstore and she gets half prices on 100 copies of books! anyway read the books. if you've seen the movies the books seem a little more boring but still read them they are not only worthwhile to read by themselves but they help you understand led zeppelin songs! anyway... um stairway to heaven is a great song...
Jeanette - Irvine, Ca
Btw, ican see why there would be LOTR references in the song. I don't know what they are, because I haven't read the books, but it makes a lot of sense why they would be there.
Stefanie Magura - Rock Hill, Sc
Take 2. Is Kent from North carolina's essay on the comennt page. I think it was deleted, because I havent' found it yet. btw, Jaron you need to chill out. all you guys are making idiots of yourselves.
Stefanie Magura - Rock Hill, Sc
Is Kent from Norh carolina' essay on the comment page. I think it was deleteed. I haven't found. Btw, Jaron you need to chill out.
Stefanie Magura - Rock Hill, Sc
'Theres a feeling i get when i look to the west' is a reference to the devil that you can hear without playing it backwards. The west has long been associated with Satan in the the sun sets in the west. 'The piper will lead us to reason.' is another example.
Lauren - London, England
jaron from new york i disagree. its not just a bunch of mysterious lyrics thrown together. well part of it is, but it does have several backbones of actual stuff. it has its sinning woman trying to buy her way into heaven, its LOTR, its reflection of our own sins, etc. i think the hard part is figuring out how that all ties together. maybe it doesn't but i bet it does. by the way if anyone thinks they know how it might even partially tie together please please please tell me! its been bugging me forever! somehow i don't think led zeppelin (plant anyway) would leave us completely hanging by having TOTALLY messed up lyrics. maybe they would maybe not but we should at least TRY to figure it out!
Jeanette - Irvine, Ca
uhhh E...people usually only get really defensive if there is some truth to the accusation. I openly admit to taking offense to your original post because I KNOW my post was really long. Probably the longest one, and by this deduction, I took a wild guess that you were directing your comment at me. I'll try to keep this one a little shorter to accomodate your attention span. YOU DON'T HAVE TO READ ANYTHING YOU DON'T WANT TO! That's the beauty of it, isn't it? And if you quit posting here "years ago" because you didn't want to read about people over-analyzing Stairway, then why are you here now? What else are people on a message board to discuss a song going to post? "Hey man, I love that song"...or "This song rocks" and that's it? What would be the point of that? And if you think I am the only one to analyze a song lyric by lyric, you are sadly mistaken. Go visit the "Hotel California" page for instance. And there was ONLY one reference to my poetry, not a whole diatribe on my "hobbies". If you read it all, like your complaint suggests, you would have realized that. Which goes back to my original point: People get the most defensive when there is some truth to the accusation. OK, so maybe you aren't illiterate, but you obviously have some reading comprehension, spelling, and vocabulary problems.
Shawnee - Tampa, Fl
does ANYONE out there have a theory as to how the lord of the rings references fit in with the song? does anyone know what the song is completely about? (please don't tell me something about a woman buying her way into heaven i have already heard it a million times, but do tell me if you think you figured out how LOTR fits in and ESPECIALLY don't say anything if you are going to mention the word "satan" in your post) please help me i am confused and strive to learn the true meaning of the song!
Jeanette - Irvine, Ca
Nate form chicago. I coulldn't agree sith you more. even though the discussions over satanic messages may be very interesting, but it shouldn't influence whether reple listen to the song how it was meant to be listened to... forwards. Plus, if people don't know what to listen for, they'll probably hear nonsense I haven't listened to it backwards, but I highly doubt that there are satanic messages.
Stefanie Magura - Rock Hill, Sc
well when i first heard about the "stairway to hell" fact, that some parts are weird messeages backwards, i had a program on my computer that lets u edit audio. so i took that piece of stairway to heaven and reversed it on the program. and the websites dont lie. i took the raw material and listened to it backwards, and it is clear when it says, "If theres a butsle in ur hedgerow, dont be alarmed now, its just a spring clean for the may queen, yes there are 2 pathst u can go on, but in the long rung, theres still time to change the road ur on." WHICH BACKWARDS IS "Oh heres to my sweet satan, the 1 who little path would make me sad whose power is satan, We would promise him 666, there was a little toolshed where he made us suffer sad satan" WELL, that is no lie. AND IF U DONT BELIEVE ME, GO TO AUDACITY.COM and DL THE SOFTWARE< ITS FREE i really dont beleive zepplin meant much by it, but it wasnt a coincidence that that happened. It was on purpose, how IN ALL WAYS COULD SOME1 SAY 5 SENTENCES IN A ROW ABOUT THE SAME TOPIC, ON ACCIDENT?? so its clearly on purpose they supposedly bought this mansion somewhere in europe and it was "haunted". It had spooky incidents with satan, or just freaky things happen there. And the owners had installed a tooleshed near it, so thats what plant or page meant by the toolshed part of the backwards verse THATS ALL
- isaac, sd, CA
i agree with issac now, at first i thought it was humbo jumbo, but i tried it and it is in therr well i cant hear this partWe would promise him 666
but there rest is in there, and if you notice, unless you get the official lyrics you cant really understand what hes saying even when its forwards, maybe its just a joke, a mystry but led zeppelin is definetly not stainic
Jurriaan - Rosendal, Netherlands
ok here is how it really is. i am aware of the fact that jimmy page(the greatest musician to ever pick up a guitar) did in fact buy that one aleister guys house in scotland and he was kind of a weird guy like how he did heroine in '68 (not cocaine!). BUT music isnt about "oh im not listening to ledzep anymore they have satanic messages takes away from music. music is all about expression!!! if u interperet some song in one way to another its about what YOU GET OUT OF IT!! Plan t was an amazing poet to come up with such DEEP lyrics. viva la zeppelin! rock on!!
Nate - Chicago, Il
After reading through the bazillion threads pertaining to STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN, maybe it was 'Sweet Satan's' influence, I'm not sure'I was compelled (maybe possessed) to add my very open-ended, meditative, thought provoking, sarcastic, modest view. Truth is, music, as art and beauty, is all about interpretation. I write poetry, and I do not speak in the same manner as I write. I use different words to either be metaphoric, or simply because they sound good. People don't always get the same point I was meaning when I wrote it. It's actually interesting and insightful to hear others interpretations. Sometimes I sit back and read what I wrote and think, 'Where the hell did that come from?'. Maybe I become possessed by a 'Muse', but certainly not a 'Satan'. Perhaps it is the same with songwriters, like Robert Plant. Once in the 'zone', things just come as they will, which in my opinion, many times results in the most beautiful and thought provoking songs. The lyrics to this song have always inspired me, since my cousin tried to teach me to play it on guitar when I was 10 (Is there anyone who doesn't know how to play this?).
As for the Satanic message some seem to find in the lyrics, forwards and backwards, try to follow this scenario. The year is 1970. Woodstock has everyone up in arms thinking the youth are going to hell in a little hand basket and Rock and Roll is to blame. People are actually thinking for themselves, and feeling empowered by much of the music of the time, which of course to many conservatives is rebellious, disrespectful and down-right dangerous.
So here we go'just picture any Televangelist, let's say Pat Roberts for example, screaming the following:
Evil Rock band sells soul to Satan to attain material riches'in turn, as members of Satan's legion, band must seduce the masses (especially young virgins'would make a great horror movie) with back-masked lyrics ('Ha ha'the fools won't even realize they are being converted since this is all subliminal'), promoting the worship of the aforementioned Evil Stereotype and whipping everyone into 'tool sheds' (A. Crowely reference) practicing black masses, and of course, wild orgies. Now, for you disbelieving heretics (vein popping out of head, sweat on brow), here's the 'proof'! (State the following as fact, not mere speculation or rumor, of course)'Robert Plant, after sacrificing a black goat to his master, channels the spiritually ambiguous lyrics, using automatic writing, while staring into a fire (representing the flames of hell)'meanwhile, far away in the haunted mansion (or Satanic Church referenced as 'The Toolhouse/shed') formerly owned by Satanist-extraordinaire Aleister Crowley, Jimmy Page pieces together guitar riffs to hypnotize the listener with a lilting, soothing intro. Magically, the lyrics match the music perfectly. And if this isn't proof enough, you nay sayers, Satan would want all of you debating whether the song is about Heaven or Hell, because Lucifer comes as the bearer of light to 'mask' his darkness. And as we all know, knowledge (or seeking, as in the Occult studies attributed to Page) is DANGEROUS and can certainly lead to temptation, which in turn leads to following Satan's tune, which of course leads your immortal soul to perish in the fiery flames. The great thing is, all the lonely, depressed teenagers smoking pot will get bored (and hungry) and decide to do something unspeakable'like play the record backwards'and that's where he GETS YA! 'Ha Ha, Sucker! You're mine now! Play this little ditty for all your friends'spend hours deciphering if I said 'My sweet Satan' or 'Might be hatin'!'
Sweet Satan! I could go on for hours! We could debate on the whole backmasking phenomena, but as I am certainly no expert, my thoughts would only be speculative and a matter of opinion. However, seeing as the lyrics played forward have caused as much debate, I will add my two (or ten) cents worth with my personal interpretation of the lyrics, that for some reason, have everyone grabbing their children's ears and running to their nearest church.
DISCLAIMER: I am in no way implying that my interpretation is what Plant/Page had in mind when writing this song.
There's a lady who's sure-All that glitters is gold-And she's buying a stairway to heaven.
~The optimistic naïvet� of youth-thinks happiness is a commodity easily attained. The 'lady' is simply a metaphor or ideal, not a 'real lady' necessarily. The beginning of the journey.
When she gets there she knows-If the stores are all closed-With a word she can get what she came for.
~No longer naïve, has learned that happiness is not bought and sold, but you can manipulate yourself into perceiving happiness. Naively believing one has 'found what they're looking for'.
There's a sign on the wall-But she wants to be sure-'cause you know sometimes words have two meanings.
~No longer believing all at first glance-knowing things aren't always what they seem-experience is the great teacher
In a tree by the brook-There's a songbird who sings,-Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiven.- Ooh, it makes me wonder
~Pondering existence-Conscience-judgment of deed and thought-the songbird being the 'little voice inside your head'-hindsight
There's a feeling I get-When I look to the west,-And my spirit is crying for leaving.
~Looking back on past experience with regret-possibly a feeling of 'guilt'-beating yourself up-remorse and regret
In my thoughts I have seen-Rings of smoke through the trees,-And the voices of those who standing looking.-Ooh, it makes me wonder
~Feeling judged by others, when really we judge ourselves most harshly. The 'smoke' being the deception in this belief.
And it's whispered that soon-If we all call the tune-Then the piper will lead us to reason.
~'Seek and you shall find'-Spiritual self-discovery (The search for truth)
And a new day will dawn-For those who stand long-And the forests will echo with laughter
~Happiness is only attained once peace is made with self-once truth is found-A reawakening
If there's a bustle in your hedgerow-Don't be alarmed now,-It's just a spring clean for the May Queen.
~OK'here is where so many of the posts went awry'Here is my American version of 'bustle in your hedgerow''literally a 'rustling in the bushes''figuratively, a change of thinking, a slight state of confusion, a disorder of thoughts, upheaval or chaos that comes with change'don't be afraid of the reordering of the 'chaos''the May Queen being either the 'lady' herself or a concept of a higher Spiritual being (like Goddess or God, take your pick).
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.
~There are always two choices: the one you chose and the one you don't. No matter how many options, there are only two choices-'what you do' and all else falls under the category of 'what you don't'. It's never too late-Choices aren't always end-all be-all. You are allowed to change you're mind. You can take the next exit. You can do a U-Turn. You can change your 'destiny'. You are in control on this journey we call 'life'.
Your head is humming and it won't go-In case you don't know,-The piper's calling you to join him
~Negative thoughts-being drawn back to the chaos-Not literally a 'him' being the Piper, or Satan'an ideal of addiction or longing'the thought of 'it's too late to change', like time has passed you by.
Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow,-And did you know-Your stairway lies on the whispering wind
~Don't listen to the static ('humming'-negativity we sell ourselves)-focus on the beauty (the wind blow)'you are in control of your journey towards truth (your 'stairway' on the 'wind')
And as we wind on down the road-Our shadows taller than our soul.
~Wind on down the road = live and experience'shadows taller than our souls = our 'baggage' we accumulate along the way (during our 'journey')
There walks a lady we all know-Who shines white light and wants to show-How everything still turns to gold.
~The 'lady' is an ideal: we've all 'been there' ' the 'lady' we ALL know'There is redemption and peace, and eventually happiness at the end of your journey'the gold referring to the innocence and naïvet� (beauty?) of the beginning verse.
And if you listen very hard-The tune will come to you at last.
~Searching inside yourself for the answers- the 'tune' being truth = happiness
When all are one and one is all-To be a rock and not to roll.
~In a Spiritual sense-we are all the same-with each other-with nature-with the Universe-with Spirit (or the human consciousness). Be a rock = Be strong. Not to roll = Accept only your truth
And she's buying a stairway to heaven
~Next stop: Happiness. Mission accomplished.
Shawnee - Tampa, Fl
Ok, the Audacity software does work, I tried it and got the same results as I did way back when when my friends and I tried spinning the LP backwards on a turntable... those verses, when played backwards do sound like they are saying something. HOWEVER, I also downloaded about 5 different versions of the song, live versions by Plant, live versions by other bands feat. Plant as well as a couple of versions sung by other vocalists. I then performed the same operation, clipped that part of the song out and reversed it. The result is that when these lyrics are sung, in almost any context and by almost anyone, then recorded and played backwards, they sound like they are voicing the alleged satanic messages. As the final test I recorded myself singing the lyrics without music (no I won't be posting that one) and then played it backwards - and you guessed it, hidden satanic messages in my own recording. So what's the conclusion? The "hidden" messages were not somehow added to recording by the studio as a subliminal gimick.. the trick or coincidence is in the lyrics themselves, so if this were planned it means that Plant had to initally write them knowing how they would sound when sung/recorded/played backwards. Yea right! I consider Plant/Page and the gang to be geniuses but I simply don't credit them with the ability to pull this off... Still not convinced? Then give it a try. Think of your subliminal message, then record it and play it backwards. Now you just have to think of lyrics that can be sung to sound like your message played backwards.. theoretically once your lyrics are reversed they will sound like your hidden message.. but remember that the lyrics have to make sense and be in the context of your song.I am willing to bet that even today, with computers and easy to use software this feat of acoustical manipulation can't be replicated..
Ryan - Cary, Nc
e. from Vancouver, if you like, try to read my earlier posting (about a fifth of the way down the page) for the explanation of what the May Queen is in English folklore. Peace.
Eloise - London, England
Good God almighty...you people with this obsession with the "satanic messages". It would be sad if it wasn't so funny. This song was written over 30 years ago.Why do you imagine the satanic messages are there? For what purpose? Do you deludely imagine Plant and Co were trying to subliminally influence people who heard them and turn them on to satanism? If I put out a record with the hidden lyric "Drop your pants when you hear this and then join The Mormons" you'd think I was bonkers, you wouldn't be on here discussing the "hidden meaning". I've been listening to this album since I first bought it in about 1972; I've heard Stairway thousands of times - it's a great song but it hasn't made me weird or satanic (well, except for the human sacrifice maybe)
Eloise - London, England
first of all.. all of you are quoting the same part of the song and then saying that it says different things backwards... and also backmasking is completely out due to the fact that there is not jibberish in the forward version, so the only way a message is there is if it was written to be there. Now as most of you know plant wrote most of this song on the spot, and i find it very unlikely that he could have written it both ways at the same time in such a short period of time. Some of you believe that "If there's a bustle in your hedgerow ect.." was written later by page. it wasn't. And i'd like to hear your sources (i challenge you to prove that they exist).
Bryant - Ottawa, Canada
listening to a record backwards is like looking at static on a tv screen (when the channel doesnt come in). If you look at it expecting to see something, you will. My freind told a bunch of us that he could see swastika if he looked at a staticy screen.. those who believed him could see it, the ones who didnt looked and saw nothing... If you listen to stairway backwards after reading or hearing what people say it says you will hear it because your mind will subconciously alter the sounds as you hear them to match what you think it'll say. To those of us able to keep reality straight in our minds, or to those who listen to it backwards without ever hearing these rumours, it is nothing but a great song being destroyed. Any song backwards sounds like a couple random words. Some anti-zeppelin loser in the 70s heard 1 or 2 words and build a "satanic message" around it.. anyone who hears this message is A:a slave to their sub concious or B:Clinicly insane
Bryant - Ottawa, Canada
just wondering how you people can turn this song around to be a devil mesg.LOL what i get out of the song is anything but that it's a song about a lady that thinks she can buy anything even a stairway to heaven and there trying to tell her she is on the wroung road and it's not to late to change that road and there trying to guyed her to the right road befor it's to late Shadowman!
Shadow - Lady Lake, Fl
"Alright... where to begin? To those of you who actually believe that there is a satanic message in stairway to heaven... what is wrong with you? Do you honestly think that Plant (or page as some of you believe) sat down and wrote a song that was a best seller forwards and a satanic prayer backwards? Page did research and believe aleister crowleys teachings, but he didnt worship satan. His friends, bandmates and family have said so, his ex girlfriends have said so, and most importantly, he has said so. Now if you want to believe that there is a hidden satanic message, go right ahead.... But never can you consider yourself an expert on Led Zeppelin."
And you can't either. There is obviously a message in there. Any "expert" should know that there is a message in thier. I don't belive I know that there is one. I don't know if it was intentional or not. But everyone said it wasn't. But on the facts part it said that Robert Plant said in an interview that ti felt like he wasn't writing but his hand was writing for him.
Also what it says
"Oh herre's to me sweet Satan. The one who's little path would make me sad who's power si satan. He'll give you give you 666. There was a little tool shed where he made us suffer. Sad Satan"
Agian the bad grammer "he'll give you give you 666" could be because it was not intentional or that it was hard to find something to say it straight and make sence. But for it to fit in the song and say something like that backwards is flabbergasting. If it is intentional or not. And fi ti was intentional it doesn't mean it means anything. It could just be Led Zeppling proving that they can "master" the music.
Mike - Winnipeg, Canada
this is not the only song with so called "satanic messages n them. pokemson song, "gotta catch em all"!== i love satan. and another bites the dust by queen and hotel california and a few others have a few message but i dont think they are satanic, or bad songs, i like them, but they are for sure intentinaily put in
Isaac - Sd, Ca
well when i first heard about the "stairway to hell" fact, that some parts are weird messeages backwards, i had a program on my computer that lets u edit audio. so i took that piece of stairway to heaven and reversed it on the program. and the websites dont lie. i took the raw material and listened to it backwards, and it is clear when it says, "If theres a butsle in ur hedgerow, dont be alarmed now, its just a spring clean for the may queen, yes there are 2 pathst u can go on, but in the long rung, theres still time to change the road ur on." WHICH BACKWARDS IS "Oh heres to my sweet satan, the 1 who little path would make me sad whose power is satan, We would promise him 666, there was a little toolshed where he made us suffer sad satan" WELL, that is no lie. AND IF U DONT BELIEVE ME, GO TO AUDACITY.COM and DL THE SOFTWARE< ITS FREE
i really dont beleive zepplin meant much by it, but it wasnt a coincidence that that happened. It was on purpose, how IN ALL WAYS COULD SOME1 SAY 5 SENTENCES IN A ROW ABOUT THE SAME TOPIC, ON ACCIDENT?? so its clearly on purpose
they supposedly bought this mansion somewhere in europe and it was "haunted". It had spooky incidents with satan, or just freaky things happen there. And the owners had installed a tooleshed near it, so thats what plant or page meant by the toolshed part of the backwards verse
Isaac - Sd, Ca
so this song is about a woman who sins and then tries to buy a stairway to heaven? and theres definitely Lord of the Rings references... how do those work in? anyone have any unusual ways they interpret the song? and did Led Zeppelin actually say the solo was supposed to be a fat woman falling on the stairs? this song is soooo good and i just want to know what everyone thinks of it. its one of those songs that can mean a different thing to everyone and i just want to know what they mean to you guys!
Jeanette - Irvine, Ca
For all you people out there that think there are satanic messages hidden in Stairway to Heaven let me tell you first that music is NOT supposed be heard backwards, some guys with nothing better to do started doing this and found out that 'Paul is dead' in Abbey Road. When you write a song it's not possible to know how it's going to sound backwards, our mind doesn't work that way, it can't be done. If you want you can give it a try, just record something and play it backwards, it all sounds 'satanic', even holy music.
If you think you are hearing some message it's nothing more than a big coincidence.
If Stairway to Heaven was recorded now days, no one would now about this 'messages' because you can't play cd's backwards, in fact, since they started making cds in the 80's nobody found new 'messages' in rock songs.
Jorge - San Jose, South America
A little known fact is that the woman was VERY fat and as she was climbing her stairway she fell down. This sound is what the solo is.
Michael - Seattle, Wa
First of all, this song has two meanings... hence the line "and you know sometimes words have no meanings." The first meaning is about a sinner. She thinks she can buy her way to heaven. She thinks that the only thing worth living for is what she can buy or own and the money she uses to get them. She is wrong as told in the lyrics, "Sometimes all oof our thoughts are misgiven." The singer is also trying to convince the sinner to repent, hence, "yes there are two paths you can go back, but in the long run, there's still time to change the road you're on."
Finally the last reference is about how as we live, the darker parts of ourselves (the bad deeds we've done) begin to outweigh the purity of ourselves when we're born. The song says, "And as we wind on down the road, our shadows taller than our souls."
I also believe there to be some hidden LOTR references in this as well, although I'm not positive but given LZ's track record w/ LOTR, I'd say its pretty likely. The following two lines have reference to both the Grey Havens and the Lady Galadriel....
"There's a feeling I get when I look to the west, and my spirit is crying for leaving." AND "There is a lady we all know who shines white light."
Not fact, just my opinion.
Justin - Pittsgrove, Nj
i think this song has got many meanings to it...its something special to this song that i am so into it...till this second i am wondering what would the band members of led zeppelin have in their minds when they wrote this songs..i really would want to know this...WHAT IS THE REAL MEANING TO THIS SONG....it keep me thinking...i always tell my self that i was born in the wrong era!!!i wish i was around back then to get the feel of the led zeppelin concerts....i could imagine how awesome it would have been...till this second when i listen to songs from led zeppelin,it makes my hair stand....i could imagine how it would feel to in that live concerts...led zeppelin....they actually gave life to rock n roll.......
Sabbath - Selangor, Malaysia
This song is so awesome! I swear, this song will be heard by people for hundreds of years! You know, like those mozart or bach songs we always hear even though they were from hundreds of years ago. I think in the far future people will still listen to Stairway to Heaven because it was one of the most awesome songs ever written and so many people agree!
Jeanette - Irvine, Ca
All right everyone! What are your interpretations on what this song is about! I don't exactly get it, and every time I listen to it I think of something different! Can someone please tell me what they think it's about?
Jeanette - Irvine, Ca
Alright... where to begin? To those of you who actually believe that there is a satanic message in stairway to heaven... what is wrong with you? Do you honestly think that Plant (or page as some of you believe) sat down and wrote a song that was a best seller forwards and a satanic prayer backwards? Page did research and believe aleister crowleys teachings, but he didnt worship satan. His friends, bandmates and family have said so, his ex girlfriends have said so, and most importantly, he has said so. Now if you want to believe that there is a hidden satanic message, go right ahead.... But never can you consider yourself an expert on Led Zeppelin.
Bryant - Ottawa, Canada
aleister crowleys teachings about satan are in this song. and its just coincidence that theres a verse where satanic messges are heard backwardS? this verse was added by jimmy page, and not in the song when robert plant wrote it
Joseph - California, Dc
the lyrics are to straight forward to be an accident and i think they make the song better contrasting forwards being heaven and backwards being hell
Mitchell Hewes - Sydney, Australia
what is a May Queen??
E - Vancouver, Canada
WOW! This song is AMAZING. Without a single doubt,this song is the most fantastic song ever written and produced. I do not believe that Satanic messages were put in this song on purpose. Robert Plant and Jimmy Page are just too brilliant. But I love this song.
Becca - Hamilton, Canada
Surpringly, Dolly Parton does a pretty sweet cover of Stairway. Puts a nice female voice / country spin on it, even changing some of the lyrics to something less ambigious:
"Stairway to heaven, stairway to heaven.
You can't buy it, you can't borrow.
You've got to walk it straight and narrow.
Stairway to heaven, stairway to heaven, stairway to heaven.
And as we walk on down the road,
Our shadows longer than our souls.
All that glitters is not gold.
Wanna be a rock and not a roll.
Oh, the great almighty dollar leaves you lonely, lost and hollow.
You can't fool yourself forever,
You gotta work to get to heaven.
Stairway to heaven.
If we listen and hold fast,
To every question that we asked,
The truth will come to us at last.
And she's buying a stairway to heaven."
- Check it out if you can, definitely worth a listen. It is, by no means better than the original though - but that is true with almost any cover.
Jonathan - Nahant, Ma
ok people...i certainly believe that the backmasking on this song was done purposely for the following reasons.
First of all, in the book 'Led Zeppelin . A Celeberation' By Dave Lewis, it states that when the lyrics were written by plant by a the fire as everyone should know, that the verse of 'If there's a bustle in you're hedgerow, don't be alarmed now...' etc. had not been written at the time, and that it had been in fact added into the song by Jimmy Page. Jimmy Page was deep into the teachings of Aleister Crowley and you may think that this is a one off coincidence that the lyrics backwards have satanic messages.
But there are two more sections of lyrics in Stairway that are influenced by Aleister Crowley's teachings:
i). ''There's a lady we all know, who shines white light and wants to show'' - this is referring to Lucifer, ''The bearer of light'' - Satan, but in his female consort. This was a teaching of Crowley's that was used in the lyrics.
ii). ''Then the piper will lead us to reason '' - This is referring to Pan the Piper - Greek God of the forests, who is presented by Crowley as Lucifer the piper, the maker of music.
These are two paragraphs of lyrics that are in fact satanic messages influenced by the teachings of Aleister Crowley, and the Satanic Message heard when playing ''If there's a bustle in your hedgerow..'' backwards was obviously put in the song for the specific purpose of the song having multiple satanic messages.
Hopefully most of you readers can see my point, and that you will all look more into about the lyrics of this song, for people jump straight to conclusions about this song's lyrics and to understand them it requires alot more in-depth research and understanding.
Joseph - California, Dc
I hate these idiots that go on about backmasking. Any song will have some random words when played backwards and it is almost ALWAYS pure coincidence. Me and my mates played some songs we wrote backwards and we heard stuff like 'i rode a banana' and 'the silly cheese.' These things are just coincidence cos i sure as hell didnt want to put any hidden meanings about riding fruits or silly dairy products when i wrote the songs.
Danny - Chester, England
The backmasking being found is not the result of some religious conspiracy...people played records backwards! Goodness, they did it to Weird Al! Does the Church have a secret mission to destroy him?
The Satanic Message may be a...very...coincidental occurance. It is a LOT to be there, and I promise everyone that it DOES sound rather incriminating. However, when observed forwards, the reason the words come out are understandable--the question is about intention.
Personally, while this song is good, it and Led Zeppelin are far, far overrated. In fact, I don't like Zeppelin.
Despite this, I would rather listen to them (if it isn't satanic) than something that sounds good and is...music is all about expression. What a song stands for is just as important as how it goes about standing for it.
John - Millersville, Md
stairway ROCKS!!!!! best song ever. and it doesnt have any satanic messages, and even if the .1% chance that it does who gives a crap. not like it will make u evil, hell i musta listened to this song 9,000,000 times and i still wouldnt mind giving evil a kick in the nuts
Danny - Vancouver, United States
Personally I find the How The West Was Won version of Stairway to be better than the studio version.
E - Vancouver, Canada
Ok heres the deal read above and u see that Jimmy bought Aleister Crowleys house which was also called the toolhouse....now when u listen to stairway to heaven backwards he says there was a toolshed where he made us suffer..it couldve ment the toolhouse seeing as Aleister opened the gates of hell and never got to close him and he always preformed rituals and stuff.
Jake - Grand Forks, Nd
They say anything to turn us against what scares them. The religious powers hated rock because it represents and breeds freedom of thought, without having to follow. They saw the significance in this song and it scared them, so they tried to scare us. That's probably how the supposed backmasking was discovered, I dunno if it's there or not, but what I get out of this song is irrelevant to what I'm told. That's what I'd imagine rock artists want their listeners to do - think for ourselves.
Elysia - Hamilton, New Zealand
Ok, I wanna ask U guys, has Pink Floyd performed this song with Led Zep? Coz i have heard it before, I have the file, it seems like Plant is singing but there are many of Floyd's trademark, like the haunting keyboards, and background vocals...Help me out guys!Thanks
Edrian - Kl, Malaysia
I Beilive This is About a Girls Cocaine Addiction
"buying a stairway to heaven"-result of Cocaine
"All That Glitters is Gold"-Result of 'high'
no clue what the rest is about Page must have had is own Cocaine Addiction
David - Port Hawkesbury, Canada
Oh dearie me. I've just spent about an hour reading all the posts here and I just wanna tie up a few salient points. "Hedgerows" and "bustle" are very commonly used words in England where Led Zep are from, and many of the other images the song conjures up are to do with ancient English folk rituals, the most obvious being The May Queen, ie the woman chosen as Queen of the May Fayre in the pagan ritual (still carried on in rural England today. It celebrates the coming of summer and the villagers' hopes for a fruitful harvest.People dress up as animals, wear clothes made of straw, leaves and flowers, dance traditional dances to old English folk songs passed down the generations. None of this is (including paganism) either satanic or scary - it's just an ancient part of English country life and Led Zep were simply tuning into the Zeitgeist of the 60's and 70's and choosing to write songs about it. In those days we didn't angst so much about "hidden meanings" all the time, I don't think. The 60's and 70's were full of new freedoms and our music reflected that; we celebrated being young, Life, Nature, expanded concsiousness (yep, drugs) and everything else that the previous decades of war, prejudice, sexism and urbanisation had suppressed. The 60's and 70's were the liberation that allowed music to flourish and become the medium of youth expression that it is today. Until then, music was something your Mum played on the radio while she was doing the ironing.
Eloise - London, England
This song is always on the radio. It is being played by some station somewhere all time. Only Yesterday by the Beatles has been played more on the radio
Eric - Detroit, Mi
Although I'm of realtively young age and wasn't born when Zep still played, I'd have to agree with alot of the people on here. Stairway to Heaven is truly one of the best songs ever written. The intro is poetically brilliant, and just downright awesome. Not too mention the solo at the end is totally kick ass for sure. As for the Satanic messages I don't really believe in all that crap too much, I believe anyone who sits in there basment at 4am playing records backwards will be able to find some sort or "Satanic Message". But honestly, people who think that Robert Plante sat their and INTENTIONALLY wrote these deep and meaningful lyrics and at the same time made a backward message, is absoloutly insane. I really did enjoy reading all of your thoughts and opinions though guys, intersting stuff. Keep on Rocking. LONG LIVE LED ZEPPELIN.
Derek - Toronto, Canada
Led Zeppelin is clearly satanic. That doesn't mean that every time you listen to them, your paying homage to satan. Music is all about interpertation. If people want to ruin a great song, by playing it backwards then thats their fault, but if people wanna listen to a great song, just listen to stairway to heaven the right way.
Sam - Chicago, Il
wow this song tis fabulous, anyone know where to get guitar tabs 4 it??? and does anyone else love screeching along with robert plant at the end bit???
Emu - Paradise City, Other
I have to say, this song is overrated. I used to really like it, but now, whenever I hear it on the radio I turn to another station for the next eight minutes. It'd be better if they played it less often and made it more of a treat to hear when you're driving or lounging in the backyard with a radio, but instead they've made a great song into a nuisance.
Jon - Regina, Canada
My friends and I have been trying to figure out the message stairway gives having nothing better to do with our time. We have thought it means: suicide, dying, drugs, sex, a 3 stage life or they were just really stoned. But now we think it means whatever you want it to mean, we can interpret it as many different things, it is just the meaning we want it to be is what we think. Many people think it is about drugs. It makes sense. But so does sex and suicide, too! The satin message when played backwards are STUPID! Nobody would know that if not heard the words first! Then you know what they are going to say, then you pick it out. Truthfully, when I listened to it backwards, the only thing I made out clearly was 666, which is just tiny. It is just like the song "I am the Walrus" by the Beatles! People think they hear "I buried Paul." But is Paul still alive today? YES! so how can you possibly have buried him and he still be alive? My point. EVERY song will probably have some weird word or sentence sound like it shouldn't be there! DEAL WITH IT. Stairway is still the best song and it always will be.
Sarah - Destin, Fl
Who cares if the backmasking is intentional or not? Who is afraid of a fairy-tale creature like satan anyway? What truly matters is that this is a masterpiece, probobly the best song ever made.
Martin - Ã?stersund, Sweden
Stop debating people, the title of the song is Stairway to Heaven. (If you want to go deeper the main line is "she's buying the Stairway to Heaven") in other words SUICIDE! That's the end of that conversation.
Lauren - Morrisville, Mo
From what ive heard, well read. Jimmy Page did backmasking to stairway to heaven, which meant him and plant recorded some "satanic" stuff aka when u play stairway bakwards u play the satanic lines forwards. But i have got the backwards version and from what ive heard. Jimmy Page did it as a joke it meant nothing, and didnt even expect people to even know it was more of a in-joke with the band.
SOme of the lines are "Oh my lord sweet satan, true lord of israel" but remember Robert Plant and Page are not satanic, there into mystic stuff and this was a joke after all.
Descent - Melbourne, Australia
I think it's stupid people think there are "Satanic messages" in this song. There was a rumor that John Lennon's song, Strawberryfields Forever had a message saying,"I buried Paul."When he said"Cranberrysauce." That wuz the message. People thought rock was evil then anyway. The still do,wich is really freakin stupid. Starway to Heaven is a masterpiece. Zeppelin kix ass!
Marilynn - Winchester, Va
yea theres nothing more terrifying than satans little toolshed... give me a break
James - Johnson City, Tn
This has got to be one of the most ordinary songs of all time and im not surprised the genius that is Led Zepplin h8 the song to. It is lyricaly boring. A great song needs to tell a story with enough ambiguity as to have the lyrics have a different meaning to everyone who listens to it. The title stairway to hevan offers so many possibilities and we get some bull about a chick from middle earth???
it was probobly the first rap song as well... as we all know the main riff in the middle wasnt actually written by Led Zepplin but it was put together from discards of lead riffs that didnt work. They had to listen to it and learn it after the fact!!!
im sorry - LZ were fantastic but i just could never understand wy my parents would say "stairway to hevan will be no. 1" 2 songs into a top 1000 of all time countdown. Top 200 maby but not no. 1...
perhaps if i didnt hear it every day on the radio... overkill!!!!
Rob - Perth, Australia
Although this is probably said (I'm too lazy to read through all of these posts) Stairway to Heaven didn't have an offical meaning (it was just written, or is so said to be). The song seems to have multiple meanings though and change through out the song. The ideas I've heard are that it's about having too many material possesions and stuff and about a woman trying to buy her way intp heaven. It could also be about chosing which rode to take in life, such as being a good person and going to heaven, or being a bad person and going to hell (where the backwards message would fit in). The backwards message (very Satanic, kind of funny though) could also just be put in there as a joke, as ironic (a song about Heaven with a backwards message about satan). Finally, the song could be about heroin (the stairway to heaven resembling heroin, and a person buying heroin when no one is looking or around and then getting high. I think that the materialism is the best guess. It was written in front of a fire in a house with almost no electronics, but now I'm thinking that the satanic message part [forward] doesn't have a meaning (it's just there for the message). The facts that are posted above about it being made actually by the devil are kinda creepy. "Supporting this theory is the fact that Jimmy Page bought Aleister Crowley's house in Scotland, which had become a well known Satanic church and was known as "The Toolhouse." In his books, Crowley advocated that his followers learn to read and speak backwards. (thanks, Tolga - naples, FL)"
David - Botson, Ma
the first time i listened to the second album i was blown away i thought finnaly a band that plays the same music thats been rattling around in my head as far as their best song goes there,s many to choose from but the ones that stick out the most are THE LEMMON SONG the bass line in that one is awesome ACHILLES LAST STAND that should be what every other band should strive for one of the hardest rocking songs i,ve ever heard
David - Ottawa, Canada
hey everyone. listen, learn, love it. cant make it any simpler. for those who feel defiant, dont listen to the damn song. i dont have a problem debating over the fact that the song might have messages beyond our understandings or any human understanding at that. but we may be overlooking a very importnat fact here: this song is one of the greatest made and will influence many years to follow. if page and plant deny having anything to do with the messages believe it. besides it is really easy to mask tracks with 'backward messages' there are entire websites explaining this phenomena but remember this song might be doing to us exactly what its intended. i love this song
Eli - Los Angeles , Ca
Pink Floyd joined withLed Zeppelin to play this once, and it sounds smashing.
Vincent - St. Davids, England
http://jeffmilner.com/backmasking.htm Subliminal messages?? its true... thats for all you non-believers. check it out.
Sean - Alexandria, Ky
the backwards masking more then likely doesnt exist anyway, its like looking for objects in clouds.... your brain sees what it wants to see. all the pastors that thought up the scam WANTED to hear it, because of their hate of the band.
i bet i could get the star spangled banner, play it backwards, and my mind could find the phraise "God save the Taliban". you follow?
Nick - Baton Rouge, La
First off Stairway to Heaven is the all time gr8ist song EVER i dont care what you say its the best Second at the part where plant says "if theres a bussle in your hedge row dont be alarmed now" just play that whole section backwords and it says : Yes my sweet satan, the one whose little path would make me sad,whose power is satan, he'll give you 666, there was a little tool shed where he made us suffer, sad satan. I got the lyric's from this web site: http://unoriginal.co.uk/stairwaytoheaven.html and just two be safe I played it in reverse on my own computer and it was a little bit fuzzy but there was no denyin I could make out yes my sweet satan. Third its all a coincidence its just those words in that order I recorded myself say the lines and then played them backwords and still made out the words sweet satan so its no special zeppelin thing it just a chance happening love 2 the world
R.I.P. John Bonham
Jb - Beaver, Pa
These stupid satanic comments seem fake because when you go on a website and listen to it backwards its there but if you try to look at the lyrics backwards you can't see it at all so I don't see how this works.
Vuk - Toronto, Canada
led zeppelin rocks
Zach - Calgary, Canada
okay, western folx, descendants of Lord Brahma and brahmanas caste(class),
I do absolutely agree with the songfacts of this masterpiece;
As i many times stated "Stairway to Heaven" is the greatest song of all time in the history of the commercial music(Led Zep are beyond commerialism tho') BECAUSE THIS HAS AN INSPIRATION OF THE SUPREME PERSONALITY -LORD KRISHNA(KRSNA)!
Okay, Jimmy Page(Chronos, Shiva#1), the Zep main inspirator, thinks is #1 for Zep, and he is right. Robert Plant(VIVAswan, Surya, Rahma-Chandra)considers the song as 'wedding'. And he is right. As it is stated in Srimad Bhagavatam -"Love between man and a woman in this matterial world is but a perverted reflection of the pure and perfect love between Lord Krsna, the Absolute Truth, and His eternal consort- Srimathi Raddha-raani."
As I stated many times, people who are concentrated of the consequence and NOT on the reason, are doomed to degradation, not-understanding, ignorance or "TAMAs"(sanskrit)!
Okay, the song is about a woman who enjoyes only the senses. But it is said that this is a symbolic for the matterilist. Cos we are equal because have immortal soul(jiva-atma) and NOT equal, according to the matterial degradtion(subtle and gross)matter. That why all pseudo-christians(democrats, socialist, liberals)fail- because they fall into ignorance of shiva-maya adoring 'habiru'(hebrew).They have the bodily concept of man, god and existence itself. This this the cult to Lord Shiva(Shua) and his eternal consort-maya(skakti)- "Hexagram", "M-RAj swastika", "iAn-in", etc.
The songs starts with a peaceful heaven, which is supposed to be the TRANSCEDENTAL world of Lord Krishna and Lady Raddha. The more sould descents into the matter, the more it is trapped into the claws of maya(Shiva's wife). When you hear the flute(John Paul Jones)"mellowthrone" you are immediately sent to Go-local Brindabana(VRAja-bhu, BIR-age, VIRage or a local higher than the 'Golden age' of mankind - SATya yuga, the Upper Astra of Lord Brahma, the first emanation of Krsna in the matterial world....
....then if you have read the VEDAs and the books of "Bhaktivedanta Book Trust" you will associate all the lyrics by Plant with the realms of Lord Krsna and Brahma...
As the songs goes on the intensity, tranquility and loudness enhances......It is a beacon of devolution and desending of the soul to the lower worlds...the realm(heaven) of Lord Shiva(jewish 'Ye-shua').Then at the end the dilemma is between Lord Krsna and lady maya to chose from...
We know form the VEDA that maya will murder his husband Lord Shiva, just as jews crucified their avatar "Ye-Shua Krsta"...
..........can you follow me?....
Rumen - Varna, Bulgaria
The funny part is whether u hate this song or love this song. The very fact that you take time out of your "busy" life to write something about it, after manye years after it was released should prove to u just how important this song is.
Mike - Kitchener, Canada
This is #30 in Rolling Stone's list of 500 greatest songs.
Ross - Independence, Mo
get over it people, this song is not that good, led has a bunch of songs better than this one look at good times bad time when the levee breaks and ramble on, the first 6 and half minutes of this song are worthless, overrated
Zola - Dublin, Oh
just yall record the part of the track and play it backwords its on their but their not satanic tho its just their stairway to hell/stairway to heaven actualy if you think about it its genius
Arno - Averbode, Belgium
I got the normal album version on my pc i believed it first neither about the satanic stuf so i plugged my mic in played that part of the song just in the microsoft record thing played it backwords and i heard it its on their but i beleive what Pat, (Burlington, Canada ) said
>"About all this Satan stuff, here's what I think and heard. I did look into it, find myself I good backwards track and listen to it. Nothing. Tried again with the lyrics, and there's something (blurry, and impssoible to hear if you don't have a copy of the "lyrics") there. Is it pro-Satan? No. Seems much more to be about the misleadings of Satan ie: "Whose power is Satan" means Satan has no real power, just himself, "The one whose little path would make me sad" following Satan only means sadness and despair, "He'll give those with him 666" at the end of the world, judgement day, all you'll be left with is a number on your forehead. Now, this might just be coincidence, the sounds are random and varying in pitch, and it likely is. And if not, you have the satisfaction of knowing that they purposely put stuff about the misleadings of Satan in there"
Arno - Averbode, Belgium
listen Led Zeppelin is a great band and if they sing a song called stairway to heaven...sing with Pink Floyd on Knocking on Heavens Door and on his new album a song called Dancing in Heaven i doubt all 3 of those have satanic meanings plus...i went to a website and listened to it back and forth for a long time...i heard no connection between the 2 sets of lyrics so everybody stop rippin on Zeppelin Robert Plant is my hero and it makes me sad when everyones sayin Plants satanic just leave a kid and his hero alone you jerks
Dustin - Racine, Wi
on er'uoy daor eht egnahc ot emit llits s'ereht nur gnol eht ni tub yb og nac uoy shtap owt era ereht sey neeuq yam eht rof naelc gnirps a tsuj s'ti won demrala eb t'nod worgegdeh ruoy ni eltsub a s'ereht fi. If you just read all of that then you should've heard the evil backmasking words but if you didn't then it is pretty stupid idea don't you think i mean how about you record these words and see if when played backwards they say
If there's a bustle in your hedgerow
Don't be alarmed now
It's just a spring clean for the May queen
Yes there are two paths you can go by
But in the long run
There's still time to change the road you're on
Mitch - Adelaide, Australia
Stairway to Heaven played backwards is not the message in the song. The guys have been heard saying it is whatever people believe it is. SO people who can hear the backwards lyrics in the song a believe it is the true message are wrong. And people who believe it is anything else are also wrong because its meaning is different to each individual person. And if you do find the true meaning which i am urging everyone to find it will still be wrong to other people. Stop arguing over it and eventually the tune will come to you at last when all is one and one is all to be a rock and not to roll.
Mitch - Adelaide, Australia
Led Zeppelin is the best band ever who ever says different is a loser
Cody - South Amherst, Oh
666is not satans number its 616 but the shwastica means good luck in asia it just what it represent read Revalation "last bookin the BIBLE" it the scarist book ever
Nic Farese - Pleasent Vally, Ny
Google stairway to heaven backwords
click on first linck you will hear the satanic lyricks ITS AWSOME
Nic Farese - Pleasent Vally, Ny
We all know that the people who say that they played it backwards didn't really play it. The went online and listened to it on websites that have a edited version of it. The sites are not actually using the real song. Stairway to Heaven is not Satanic. Matter of fact, people who say it is satanic are Satanic themselves. So all you Satanists are wrong. Suckers. You just got pwnt by a 16 year old. If you read some of my post here backwards, you'll find something special. Have fun!
Shadow - Springifeld, Va
Just so all you Americans know, or any else infact the true "Number of the Beast" is not 666 but in fact 616, if any of you have taken the time to actually research it and not believe what other people tell you, I wouldnt of have had to make this comment. Plus the backmasking thing is bs and you all know it... LED ZEPPELIN RULE, STAIRYWAY IS THE BEST SONG EVER
Matthew - Barrow-in-furness, England
Stairway to Heaven is clean guys. I've recorded it sung, played it backwards nothing. I've even sang it with my God-awful voice, still NOTHING, came back, this song is about LotR without a doubt in my mind about "The Lady of the Forest" Galadriel. Yes, Jimmy PAge was into magic, NO Page didnt' worship the devil, also for those of you who said Plant was the satanist...CONGRADULATIONS, you have the IQ of a rock, Plant admitted to working LotR into his songs.Example:Babe I'm Gonna Leave you..Instant classic, it's about Aragorn taking his ride from Arwen, please, it was a burden on my back for a long time then i came to a conclusion, BACKMASKING IS PUT THERE BY YOUR MINDS....don't believe me, go to a backmasking site, and without reading the reversed lyrics listen to it, write down what you hear, then read their lyrics, listen to it, and see what you here, it's all subconscious...LED ZEPPELIN RULES!! by the way..... you just got told by a 14 yr old
Keith Retherford - Moulton, Al
Though you can hear things being said backwards THEY ARE NOT INTENTIONAL!! I have reversed numerous live recordings and heard the same exact thing. And no members of Led Zeppelin were Satanists. Jimmy Page was very interested in magic but did not worship the devil. This song is a great song but not one of my top 10 Zeppelin songs. It is probably around 20th on my list.
Chad - Reading, Pa
I examined the track a couple of time and this is the words i can hear:
Here's to my sweet satan
the one whose little path would make me sad, whose power is satan
He'll give those with him 666
and all the evil fools they know he made us suffer sadly
and almost in the end he says:
And if you listen very hard
The tune will come to you at last that's a little bit weird, is it not?
Aa - Aa, Sweden
Stairway To Heaven is such a simple song with mostly instruments playing the enitre time. Also this song shows that back in the 70's unlike today you can have a really long song and it still be great. I don't think any artist today could've done something like this.
Drew - Bethalto, Il
listen. I played stairway to heaven on a sound recorder then i heard the message. But whenever i sing it, the message is still the same. So what the hell is the point in playing all these songs backwards. Sing the bustle in your hedgerow part on a sound recorder. Then play your voice backwards. It will sound like the message.
Ash - Cary, Nc
As for the song! I love this song. Not the best song or band in my eyes (I'd say the best band is The Beatles). But this is definatly a classic. I think it's a lovely song. In fact, (some of you will hate me for this) it's the only song of there's that I like (of the songs I've heard).
Sadie - Pendleton, Or
Ha, yeah. For the last few days I've been completely engrosed in these backmasking things. But, I mean... seriously people. I do not beleive they are intensional. I recorded my friend and I talking for eight minutes, then reversed it. I found that Rita had said, "Mark is gay" on the reversed... I don't know a Mark. My point is that if you record anything for an amount of time, you will find "hidden messages". As for this song's supposed backmasking: You totally need the "lyrics" of it backwards to make it out. Then it's really clear. Of course, I'm sure if I had anything reversed and took time, I could make a complete set of lyrics for it that, if you listened hard enough, you could make out. Even though they were complete rubbish that I had made up. Even if it were there (highly unlikely) then it is saying that Satan makes you suffer. Honestly, just because you hear "Satan" doesn't mean they are cheering him on.
Sadie - Pendleton, Or
It is about America (the Lady) in the Vietnam era, using LOTR as the literary analogy. Read the lyrics again and think about it.
Brad - Indianapolis, In
I have found something else on this backwards masking thing. If you take teh word Lived and spell it backwards you get the word Devil. This means that the person who invented teh word lived was demonic. Sounds stupid right? OF COURSE IT DOES! I mean how the hell can you fall for such a stupid rumour. Oh and BTW I bet the Pope named the Dog a Dog because backwards it spells God. No wonder they are mans best friend.
Mike - Kitchener, Canada
ok people need to losen up a little bit about the so called ''secret messages'' i have heard them and i dont believe it at all u will hear what your mind wants to hear when you listen to them as long as lyrics are right there your mind will fall for it i advise you listen to it without the lyrics then with them and compare what you hear i played it for a girl at school and it scared her and i told her about how its all bologna
Dustin - My Home, In
Jimmy Page said that " To me, I thought 'Stairway' crystallised the essence of the band. It had everything there and showed the band at its best ... as a band, as a unit. Not talking about solos or anything, it had everything there. We were careful never to release it as a single. It was a milestone for us. Every musician wants do to something of lasting quality, something that will hold up for a long time and i guess we did it with 'Stairway'. Townshend probably thought that he got it with Tommy. I don't know wether i have the ability to come up with more. I have to do alot of hard work before i can get anywhere near those stages of consistent, total brilliance "
Jack - Birmingham, England
The "evil message" doesnt make sense, what its saying, it all seems weird
Phil - Niagara Falls, Canada
Nileppez Del is a great band. I tried listening to "Stairway to Heaven" backwards once; and I ran into the wall. Then, I tried listening to it in reverse; but, I hit a telephone pole. How do you do that without a minor accidents or SERIOUS vehicle damage, anyway? Maybe I'll just ry turning the tape upside-down and see if that works...
Irwin - L.a., Ca
(WARNING: This is another message about the 'back masking' in Stairway. Skip if you're bored of this already!)
If I hadn't read a 'transcript' while playing this infamous section of Stairway backwards, I don't think I would have interpreted it as anything.
While members of Led Zeppelin were apparently into runes, Celtic lore, astrology, the occult, and novels by J.R.R.Tolkein, I think if they were actually into 'Devil worship' we would see more hints or references to Satanism than one single section of song which played backwards can be 'heard' to say something about the Devil.
This was just a band who knew how to rock hard like few other groups of musicians in the history of music. I think Dewey Finn would agree that rocking out hard to this kind of music puts it to the Man. ;) As long as there are still albums by bands the likes of Led Zeppelin to listen to, fewer people will feel inclined to find temporary satisfaction in shopping malls, SUVs, and Ikea home catalgoues.
Nick - Tokyo, Japan
To be honest, I almost like the song better when you play it backwards.
Aj - Cleveland, Ga
To James from Edwardsville, IL: I agree with you for the most part, but it does work sometimes. For instance, Ozzy's 'Crazy Train' played backwards sound uncannily like the Bulgarian National Anthem. I don't know how he did it (I didn't even know Ozzy was Bulgarian) but it's great.
Mickey - Langley, Va
guys, i hate to burst your bubbles, but there are no backwards lyrics, i thought i explained this in my previous comment. if you think about it, making lyrics sound good forward AND backwards is near impossible, there are very few words that sound good backwords.
James - Edwardsville, Il
Yes, there are backwards lyrics, but they're not about satan. The backward lyric that sounds like "sweet satan," is actually "sweet sixteen." And the lyric "six, six, six," is not the number of the beast, but 6+6+6=18. The backward lyrics are about being in love with an underage (16 yeard old) girl, and wishing she was 18. "And it makes me wonder," in the forward lyrics, are Plant thinking about what it will be like when she comes of age.
Mickey - Langley, Va
Laughing... Donny Osmond's 70's sensation "Puppy Love" played backwards can be heard as 'satanic messages'... *barf*
Kelly - Smalltown, Ar
I hate to throw a spanner in the works and maybe someone with the album cover / lyric sheet can clarify this but... I heard Rolf Harris (of Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport fame) wrote this. Is this true???
Carmen - Palmerston North, New Zealand
People are so easily brainwashed! If you hear someone say: oh my gosh! there are satanic messages in this song!! then when you listen to it yourself, you automatically believe that this is true, as you make yourself hear it and believe it...guys, this is nonsense!!!
Lucy - Hertfordshire, England
i got really sick of reading all this bs about satanic messages so i decided to take a much more scientific aproach to this subject. rather than play the song backwards and try to figure out what is being said, i manually wrote out what the song would sound like. for this example i wrote the verse of: if there's a bustle in your hedgerow... well when u reverse that it sounds like this: (if your having troube trying to figure out what the word is, just sound it out. i wrote the words just like they sound) neewk aim eth roaf neelc gnirps a tsuhj sti wown dmrala eeb tnoad. i didn't continue writing anymore, for my point had been proven. i don't get how anybody can look at that and see satanic messages. or the reverse lyrics that say "666" forwards that would be skiss skiss skiss, or even kiss kiss kiss if you really want to stretch it. no words are even close to that in the forward lyrics.
James - Edwardsville, Il
why are we still talking ablut the supposed hidden messages in "stairway"/ You don't automatically write something forwards, and then write lyrics backwards! for one thing, if the lyrics were in the song at all, thebn allyou would hear if you played it forward would be jibberish. For instance, The beatles recorded a song called "Rain" in it you can hear some lyrics thatsound like jibberish forwards. But if you listen to it backwards it's supposed to sound like there saying "sunshine". now I haven't listened to "Stairway" backwards, but I don't think they were put there intensionally.
Stefanie Magura - Rock Hill, Sc
This is a great song, Led Zeppelin is pretty good
Michael - Fair Lawn, Nj
I believe tht Pagey was very involved with the occult and a huge alister crowley fan but im not too sure that the song was given to them by satan or even inspired by him. But you can never be sure.
just maybe
Tom - New Oxford, Pa
That's all I have to say about this song.
Go read the Divine Comedy, and the song, the album, the poster, it makes a whole helluva lot of sense.
Line by line, you will be enlightened to Zeppelin and to life.
Lisa - Buffalo, Ny
Listen to Stairway To Heaven for what you hear when you press play on your iPod, or computer, or cd player, or what have you. If it takes recording and listening to again and again, just to hear him say a word that sounds a bit like 'satan' is it worth it? If you truely believe this, then record yourself talking backwords for 8 minutes. Who knows, you might just be a satan worshiper.
Devan - Centerville, Ut
em guys i have bad news ... today i have listend to this song backwords and the lyrics 'hears to my sweet satan' come out clear . i am the biggist zep fan but it is a song about satan sorry
Niall - Dublin, Ireland
1) This is a beautiful song. It's so uplifting. Nevertheless, it is very overrated, and I wouldn't have had the idea to play the record backwards. I don't usually become that bored.
2) There are just about as many backwards lyrics in Stairway as in any other song. You can find supposed hidden messages in anything...especially if you expect them to be there.
3) Even if the supposed backmasked lyrics were actually there, I'm not sure Plant would or could have written them in intentionally. Correct me if I'm wrong, but that isn't too easy to do...especially not if you take the time to write beautiful poetic forwards lyrics.
4) Suppose it was on purpose. Shouldn't we be commending instead of condemning? Like I said, that's quite an achievement.
4) Who cares which castle Page bought? Maybe he got a good deal.
5) In conclusion, I don't think there are any lyrics hidden among this excellent music. And even if there were, so what? The song rocks!
Aylin - Montreal, Canada
My dad has always told me that the song IS about a girl who does drugs, (shes buying a stairway to heaven). It talks about how sometimes even though we know how bad some things are for us we go ahead and do them anyways because we want to "be sure", like drugs (theres a sign on the wall, but she wants to be sure, cause you know sometimes words have two meanings). It also talkes about the way the girl feels when she is on drugs, (theres a feeling I get when I look to the west, and my spirit is crying for leaving...it makes me wonder). It also talks about even if youve made mistakes its never too late to "change the road youre on", (yes, there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run, theres still time to change the road youre on). And even though you might change the way you lived youre life, the things you have done will always be there, (and as we wind on down the road, our shadows taller than our soul). And as you grow older you will realize that just being yourself is what truly matters and to be strong and not "roll" along with what everyone tells you, (and if you listen very hard, the tune will come to you at last, where all are one and one is all..to be a rock and not to roll).
Grace - Palm Springs, Ca
Backmasking is definately real (ex. Congradulations. You have found the secret message. Send your answer to Old Pink. etc)
but Led Zeppelin didn't do that on purpose. I've been raised a Christian but I don't think an 'evil force' put those lyrics there. My grandfather played and sang this song with his band. I recorded it and played it backwards and it sounds exactly the same.
Brad - Pittsburgh, Pa
Ok...I kno I'm only 13 but I have some things to say...I love led zepplin...they are a great band....stairway to heaven is definately one of the greatest songs ever made!! I loved it...up until a couple days ago. I had read all this stuff about the "satanic messages" and i just figured people had way to much time on there hands...but I finally submitted and tried it. I went to many websites and even did it myself...then i was shocked. That definately was no mistake. THere are more then one subliminal messages and at the end of the song it even tells you to play it backwards. I've also been raised a christian so my parents don't really like me listening to them...i now see why. Lol now i'm constantly freaked out whenever i think about it. Thnx to the @$$holes who took the time to tell everyone about a song thats so great and turn it in to satanic messages. What a bunch of crap....I still cant believe they would say the messages or w.e...The britney spears thing is hilarious!! haha
Kent - Monroe, Mi
If this wasn't titled "Stairway to Heaven", wasn't a really, really great song, would there be all this? No. Thank you very much. I have played the song backwards and it sounds like any song backwards. This song is up there with "Another Brick in the Wall Pt. 2" and "Behind Blue Eyes."
James - Beverly, Ma
Stairway To Heaven is about The queen Galadriel In The Lord Of the Rings trilogy. If you dont believe me read the book and then listen to the song carfully he refers to the west like in lotr and smoke also loke in lotr
Don - Lockport, Ny
To this day, my mother still swears this song is about the death of Janis Joplin.
Chris - Columbus, Oh
This is what I think. I haven't yet played the song backwards myself, but I intend to one of these days. I think the backmasking is real. However, when I here what Jimmy Page had to say about I don't think they put it in on purpose. Other options? Satan. I'm a Chrisitan (who, incidently, doesn't believe this song has a Christian message) and I believe there is a Force in this world which actively works for evil (I don't believe, as some people do, that just 'cause you here this song you're going to Hell). I think the song is good and I think the fact that is was written so fast (and almost without thinking) backs up the point that Satan inspired it and put in the right words so that when played backwards their Satanic. Robert Plant himself once said that he and Jimmy Page seemed to just be "channles" for music. I don't believe they were Chrisitan's either. Jimmy Page had a satanic room in the castle he bought from Aleister Crowley (who, other have already said, was a famous satanist).
Frank (not) - Bidslo (nonexistant), De
Sumner, I haven't done any research on this yet but, I HIGHLY doubt that any of the Led Zeppelin band members were Christian (especially Jimmy Page who bought perhaps the most widely known satanist's castle); at least when they made Stairway to Heaven. Now if there are any Christians out there, than you all know that you cannot buy yourway into heaven by taking an alternate stairway that bypasses the "main enterance" if you will. This song is definately the farthest thing from Christian!
Joe - North Arlington, Nj
If you record yourself singing it and reverse it it sounds pretty much the same so it has nothing to do with the guitar but as for Led Zeppelin putting it there on purpose I Doubt that, it's just a very odd coinsidense. I don't care, still one of my favorite songs of all time
Mike - Yorktown Heights, Ny
Frankly, I don't know what to think. It is a great song though.
Stefanie Magura - Rock Hill, Sc
Hey Nicole ur friends funny and by the way stairway 2 heaven is the greatest song ever
Bob - Mccloud, Ca
it is a shame that a band as great as Zeppelin did not properly credit writers of their songs. I question whether it was for money or for ego. It would not have tarnished their reputation one bit if they gave proper credit to songwriters. For great coverage of this read a very interesting article by Will Shade about how Led Zeppelin "borrowed" alot of their work without giving proper credit to its original writers. The article can be accessed on line
Tom - New York, Ny
In response to Michael, Temple City, CA, I doubt the piper was intended to be evil. He'd just gotten ripped off by a bunch of people, so he figured he'd give them what they deserved. This fits into the song, as the woman talked about expects everything for free and never gives anything in payment, much like the townsfolk in the Pied Piper of Hamelin. The piper isn't the devil, but a symbolism for the fact that she'll get what she deserves.
Kieran - Charlestown, Ma
This song rocked... and that sums it all up. Too many people make copies of it but whatever. The one by Lep Zepplin is awesome!
Michael - Buenos Aires, Argentina
You're welcome Josh. Stairway to Heaven is so awesome, I've listened to it hundreds of times and it never gets old. And every Led Zeppelin obsessed person needs to get their hands on the Led Zeppelin biography written by Richard Cole. It's called Stairway to Heaven, lol, and its amazing. I can't put it down.
Danielle - Swanton, Oh
"If [backward masking] worked, every record would have the backward message 'BUY THIS RECORD' in it!" - Robert Plant
Nick - Baton Rouge, La
When I first heard this song, I never expected to love it so much. It is one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard, and makes my chest rise every time I hear it. I have fond memories since I first heard the song in the summertime, one of the greatest summertimes ever. This Satanic crap is BS, I don't believe one bit of it. Its a beautiful song that goes with the Christian faith and has a true moral to it. I think that all the zealots who accuse musicians and entertainers and the arts of being evil give Christians a bad name, and I don't think any song can get more Christian than this without dropping the words "Jesus" and "God." I love this song, and always will.
Sumner - Paragould, Ak
I have listened to the backwards lyrics and yes that it is creepy! But if it was some message from satan wouldnt it appear in the live version also? Someone put it there intentionally. Perhaps to boost enthusiam for the song or what not who knows? Why is it that it is only on the studio recorded version? come on! Its a joke! I even listened to a couple other ones - for instance: Queen - Another One Bites The Dust (in the chorus, played backwards you can hear smoking marijuana is fun); Britney Spears - Hit Me Baby One More Time (in the chorus, played backwards you can hear sleep with me im not that young). This all just seems to be for fun and games and it does not nessecarily mean anything! These bands are just trying to get a rise outta ya! I was brought up around this music and heard alot about this sort of thing! Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath, The Rolling Stones, The Beetles, and Zeppelin are all said to have these hidden messages! and there are many others im sure! There is an irony to this song, the title "Stairway to Heaven" then the hidden satanio messages. If you pay close attention there are many poetic references, irony being one of them. I believe it has some biblical reference and also poetic. This is a beautifully written song if you pay close attention. The word flow is just so artistic and poetic. That is only one reason why it is such a great song besides all the instrumental. Maybe, they are just trying to get you all to think? Obviously it worked! It is just a song! A song cannot possess anyone to do anything! And if you actually think that, then you are crazy! A song may put you in the mood for something. For instance if you feel like getting on, you might listen to some love making music to set the mood just right (ex. Lets Get It On - Marvin Gaye); If you are getting ready for a sporting event you may listen to certain songs to get you pumped up (ex. We Will Rock You - Queen). If you feel like dancing you will listen to some dance music to get you in that mood. If you feel like rocking you will listen to some zeppelin or some metallica to get you in that mood.. It just depends.. People blaming music for their actions is pure stupidity! It is just an excuse so that they don't take responsibility for their actions so they have to pin it on someone else. Just like the Columbine kids listening to Marilyn Manson supposibly made them go out on their killing rampage! That is BS!! Dont get me wrong, it probaly most likely set the mood for it but its not like he sent a hidden message saying KILL KILL KILL. Come on now people! Let the musicians be musicians! Just leave well enough alone. This is just a publicity stunt, one used to make more money and sell more records. They probaly figured it would reach other listeners and would make a killing off of record sells because all the silly people will look for the hidden messages! If you listened to Zeppelin or not, it probaly still made you curious to see what this craze was that people were talking about it. They just did it to sell some records!!! Just like BLACK SABBATH, THE ROLLING STONES, PINK FLOYD, etc....
Jessi - Roseville, Mi
Hey everyone..Im a huge classic rock fan and love many bands that grace this site,but this bull about messages in Stairway isnt right.I went to this site(http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/stairway.php)And I only only heard those lyrics went I read the lyrics and the 666 parts sounds like sick sick sick to me.And if this was a pro satan song it would be like,''Follow him to the fire,be a wearer of 666 or some thing.This is anti-satan.It says he makes u suffer so if this was true it would be leading you away from Hell instead of into it.But I cant hear them.And yes I follow Christian beliefs and I dont see anything bad with this song.
Brandon - Morristown, Tn
Whoever thinks this song has satanic messages when played backwards is either stupid or nuts. I personally recorded and played it backwards and found NOTHING. I did however find that a Robert Plant song- Shine It All Around- says "Brad's so ugly, he's a loser..." It honestly says this.
Ashley - Moncton, Canada
trust me, iI'm not defending it for it's melody, but we're cool.
Josh - Las Vegas, Nv
Josh, It wasn't my intention to say that any of you don't feel things from music, I was trying to say that it appears that some of you are just mindlessly defending this song for it's melody and sound, and not for the true potential that this song and pretty much every other song has. And also Josh, I think it's great that this song has had such a positive impact on your life and it's great if you get positve things out of this song.
Joe - North Arlington, Nj
what can you say? sounds good, good to play, just brill!
Rob - St Davids, Wales
Led is not stranic . There the best band that ever walked the earth!!
Swaman - St Louis, Mo
This is a great song and I think that it reflects our society in many ways. Ummm... AWESOME song, but Kashmir is better. :)
Maureen - Prospect, Va
ok i love this song, played backwards is pretty insane, take the whole song convert to wav and play in sound recorder, use effects reverse and in the beggining you hear "play backwards...hear words sung" further along you hear a whole paragraph pretty clear, i dont kno if it was planted on purpose but its clear as day, and its a paragraph so even if it was a misteak like thats a big one! haha, but it is a great song, good if ur depressed or with a loved one.
Jordan - Victoria, Canada
Joe, don't accuse me of mot feeling anything from music, because this very song has saved me from suicide before
Josh - Las Vegas, Nv
What can you say? It's just the best song ever.. The beginning is so f*cking beautiful and the solo in the end is crazy. Truly one of the best song ever made.
Hildur - Reykjavik, Iceland
Why can't any of you understand that there is more to music than a nice melody. Wheather you like it or not there is power in music, I'm not necessarily saying that you're going to listen to a song and all of a sudden become possessed by a demon or anything like that, but a song that may not be remotely "sad sounding" *might* change your mood or the way you do things or the way you act etc. The reason for this change might be in the lyrics, a part of the song, or quite possibly even satanic messages. Now this apparently isn't true with any of you, but I've known many people where this has been the case.
Joe - North Arlington, Nj
I played this song backwards once. All I heard was, "You're ruining your record, stupid..."
- Leanne, San Francisco-ish, CA
I just saw that that's awesome :)
Josh - Las Vegas, Nv
this is a sweet song its obviously the greatest song of all time. And the thing i love about it is when page plays it he makes it look so easy but its relly hard!!
Nathan - Ohsweken, Canada
You Forgot Me First and the Gimme Gimmes have covered this as well. N e ways it is in my opinion the greatest song ever written
Luke - Maple Grove, Mn
Did anybody ever think that the satanic messages might be an editiong joke? If Led Zeppelin doesn't worship satan, it must be a joke. There's just too many satanic references for it too be coincidence. Also, I HEARD(!!) that page sold his soul, but if it isn't true, it's a nasty rumor.
James - Sarasota, Fl
The flute sounds in the intro are either partly or completely played on a mellotron, which was an early type of sampling instrument that back in the late 60s could play string, flute, and choir sounds. The mellotron flute sound is very distinctive (and notoriously badly used in a lot of pop music), it can also be heard in 'Strawberry Fields Forever'.
In one video clip recorded back then, Jimmy Page played this on a double-necked Gibson guitar. Whenever you see one of those guitars, you know there's gonna be some serious rock'n'roll.
Liquid Len - Ottawa, Canada
Is it not a symptom of schizophrenia to hear voices that aren't really there? John Lennon considered people who thought his songs were personal messages to them, or had some deeply-hidden secret, to be nearly as sick as Manson, 'just a matter of degree'.
Liquid Len - Ottawa, Canada
I too have played this song backwards on both an mp3 player and a record player, and take it from someone with no imagination... there are evil messages. And whose to say that Plant was exxagerating? Granted, there must be millions of people who have used such exxagerations, but how many of these people were involved in the occult. I have heard of people who after taking drugs felt an evil prescence within themselves that never went away not even after the drug was supposed to have worn off; now all of the Led Zeppelin band members are known substance abusers. Now, it doesn't take a Rocket Scientist to put 2 and 2 together.And for anyone who may or may not be interested in my interpretation on this song here it is: A woman lives her life not according to the Bible, or any other holy text for that matter, but by her own rules and when she finds out that she's an evil heethan and has no chance of getting into Heaven(eternal bliss and happiness) but only the certainty of being sent to Hell(eternal suffering and pain), she tries to buy her way into Heaven; which by the way ,for any disbelievers out there, is not the way to get into Heaven.
P.S. It is not my intention to turn this into a debate about religion or religious ethics.
Joe - North Arlington, Nj
When robert plant said that something else seemed to move the pencil for him he was saying in exaggeration that the song came to him so easy and it flowed so easy on to the paper..now the whole backmasking thing..i listened to it backwards for real..not off a website or some gay thing like that..i played the song over the speakers and recorded the "sweet satan" part of the song then clicked on effects and played it backwards..there was only one thing i thought i heard during the time it was playing backwards..it did sound like plant said play backwards in the beginning but i listened to the rest and it would take someone with a very active imagination to pick up these words out of the song, i belive the song is about NOTHING.. just some very creative words, my second theory is of course the idea that it is about a woman who accumulates a large amount of money, i also checked into the rumor that the line in battle of evermore that said the pain of war cannot exceed the woe of aftermath..sounds nothing like I am the bible spit on me..so if u have any questions just post them and i will clear everything up for you.
Aaron - Kenova, Wv
Ok, Vash, if that's what makes your boat float, there are satanic messages in STH. Just wondering, have you heard any other messages from Satan in other songs? Maybe some antidepressants might clear that up.
Liquid Len - Ottawa, Canada
I'm not going to re-post anything I've already posted, but IF you have done any research on the subject, I don't think you would be so quick to judge.
Joe - North Arlington, Nj
All about the satanic messages are crap. All led zeppelin songs have very strange lyrics, and thats their style. Its an awesome song but i dont think it represents the Led zeppelin greatness... Jimmy Page is the best guitarist and not jimi hendrix! also Plant have a great voice, john p jones is great too, but very underrated. Bonzo was one of the best drummers ever.
Dino - Athens, Greece
this is the greatest rock song of all time hands down no contest!!!by the way everyone who picks up a guitar cant play a song that is as hard as this one
Nathan - Ohsweken, Canada
hello, i like a few of zeppelin's songs, this is one of the best.! i think i'ts a beautiful song, if anyone has all the backward lyrics, email me at email@example.com. thanks, i'm glad i joined this site.!
Jon-michael - Augusta, Georgia, Ga
It is a great song and, I still listen to it every so often.
Joe - North Arlington, Nj
Yes I know you all think that there are hidden messages, well can you please just get past that and think of how great this song is?
Tressa - Eaton Rapids, Mi
Hey Liquid Len, Ottawa, Canada You are wron there are lots of satanic messages in this song if you get the record and wait till they say "..change the road your on" and begin to spin it back ward he says "oh heres to my sweet satan whos power is satan he will give you give you 666 there was a little toolshed wher he made us suffer sad satan" and there are others in in random places. He also says "Cuz i live with satan" so if you have doubts but the record and try.
Vash - Reno, Nv
Ah dammit! Now my band is gonna have to find a new name. Stupid band who played on the Andrew Denton show! Go back in time and steal our name will you? Grrr.
Matt - Brisbane, Australia
I'm sure you would hear some backward "messages" if you recorded yourself talking and reversed it, but if you visited the site I listed below, and listened to all of the available "messages", you would see that a few of these "messages" are rather unclear, except for the two done by none other than Led Zeppelin and The Beatles who coincidentaly have been involved with the satanist/occultist Aleister Crowley's teachings and books. And besides who would want to own a house where satanic rituals took place, I mean there has to be AT LEAST one other castle/house in scotland with some history.
Joe - North Arlington, Nj
Sorry to burst anyone's fundo-brainwashed bubble, but there are no satanic messages in this song either. How gullible are people to believe this nonsense? "There was a little toolshed" indeed. Here's something to try : record a conversation in a room using your PC's soundcard and desktop mike. Now reverse that conversation. How many 'words' and 'messages' can you find there? It's like the inkblot test - the 'messages' you discover say more about yourself than anything else. The song has no particular deep meaning, it just uses imagery from Lord Of the Rings (there's a feeling I get when I look to the West), folk tales (Pied Piper) and different mythologies, it can mean whatever you want it to mean. Vaguely antimaterialistic I guess you could say.
Liquid Len - Ottawa, Canada
All the band was in to reading J.R.R. Tolkien, they rented a castle that had some history to it, and began writing and recording there. Plant lost his child about that time so they all became even more spiritual. Satanic is not what I would call it. They experimented with different English dictions in many of their songs and the backwards tracking was done to mix the vocals and guitars in unison. Nothing satanic there. Just people who didn't know of " Lord Of The Rings " accused them of it. They did research some occult traditions but only as it was related to the Druids and some of there musical instruments.
" The Piper " is an old story. Not much different than Confuscious or Aesop came up with.
Matt - Miami, Fl
i love this song, how it builds up to the grand finallie, the guitar solo is amazing as with the rest of the song,it means alot to me
Dexter - Cape Broyle, Canada
According to a website called http://homepage.mac.com/caroledanforth/robertplant/quotes/#sect, Robert Plant says that the song is about the beginning of spring and the birds are making their nests and hope for the new year that just began. Then he says stuff that is kind of a slam aobut the women he was with at the time. How she thought she could get everything she wanted without ever giving anything in return. And then she decides she wants the stairway to heaven because she can get anything she wants, but when she gets to the stairway to heaven she doesnt know anything she is clueless. But then she knows.
Ashley - Bloomington, Il
Drew from fremont- the piper could also be Christ, calling u to follow him, and the hummin in ur head could be the struggle against evil, the tune could be the side of rightenous
Nick - Chicago, Il
With the whole backawrds message thing, even if (whihc i dont think it doe) exist, the lyrics imply he followed satan, and how he realized it was wrong
"Oh, here is to my sweet Satan. The one who's little path will 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."
Nick - Chicago, Il
Actually, I've seen a video where members of Led Zeppelin have admitted to bing strongly involved in the occult. You should check this out it might interest you.
If you check this site, remember to turn on the "visual lyrics" so you can clearly understand what is being said.
Joe - North Arlington, Nj
i personally love zeppelin, i first heard stairway to heaven cause my bro said that it was really good, (he got me into rock, i used to like country) i listened to it and thought, yeah it was good, then a few days later i decided to listen to it again, and again untill i loved it and i knew all the words. i decieded to listen to some other zepp songs, i fell in love with their creativity and their skill, and the way that it seems that when they play together they all think together, it sounds amazing, live on led zeppelin
Nattie - Churchville, Pa
when i first listen to this song backwards on the Sound effects thing (on macs) all i understood was blah blah blah 666 blah blah sad satan.. so people who say u need the lyrics to know what it says are wrong, u can make out some of the words without the lyrics.. I still agree with my earlier statemant about this being a great marketing song..
Matt Sangster - Niantic, Ct
hey - drew, fremont, NE are you satanic?? seems to me you know WAY Too much about satananism (someone tell if thats a word)
Matt Sangster - Niantic, Ct
What the in the sane world would make anyone think there is hiden messages about the devil in any of Zeppelin's song Especially Stair Way To Heavn? HELLO! get a life instead of sitting in a dark basement and trying to hear thing that are not there get a life and please and stop offending GREATNESS.
Erica - Hampstead, Nc
What i've read has really freaked me out, but it doesn't change the fact that the song is awesome, so keep rockin the LED PeAcE!
Matt H. - Niantic, Ct
seriously, what i think is that Led Zeppelin is/are marketing geniuses.. They release a song about buying a stairway to heaven, put in a hidden message about "satan".. (probably) release the rumor about the message.. so now everyone goes out and buys the albumn and plays it on their record player, plays it backwards, ruins the record, and is forced to buy a new album.. ect ect.. this song is great... don't beef with it..
Matt Sangster - Niantic, Ct
Stairway to Heaven is a incredibly good song. I must admit i got kind of tired of it after hearing it so much. The guitar solo on the album version is somewhat over rated as is the song compared to other of zeppelin's best. However live versions in which Plant Adlibs lyrics and Page extends certain parts of the solo are amazing like at the earl's court performance on the Led Zeppelin DVD
Danny - Tallahassee, Fl
Personally, I can not stand this song. In my opinion, it is one of the most overplayed, overhyped, over rewarded (in terms of song countdowns, guitar solos etc) songs ever written.
Scott - Nyc, Ny
There IS a backwards message in Stairway to Heaven. First, write down every 6th letter from the lyrics. Now, assign each letter a number, a=1, b=2, c=3 (a classic Willie Dixon algorithm). Take the numbers in sets of 6, adding the first five and dividing by the 6th. Now add all those numbers up. If you change the font to 'Dingbats', it will now read 'Boobless in the toolshed'. Nuff said.
Liquid Len - Ottawa, Canada
in response to tom that said this is easily the greatest song ever written, i disagree. its just a bumch of nonsense that sounds deep. its an amazing song, but there are so many songs with lyrics like that. i think you should listen to crash into me by dave matthews band. it was written so beautifully and the words can be interpreted differently, but i think it is the best song ever written in my opinion. so check it out. Crash Into Me- Dave Matthew's Band
Izzie - Lala, Hi
what on earth?! how can playing a song backwards make those words? would it just be the sound of the words backwards? i dont understand. whatever. that's weird. well theres a part of the song that goes "sometimes words have 2 meanings." could that have anyhting to do with the satan thing or am i wrong? anyways its a really pretty song that i sometimes listen to when i go to sleep.
Izzie - Lala, Hi
There is a lot of ignorance out there! While I only have an theory regarding the backward masking I think it is a good one. I have heard the recording and believe that it talks about Satan. Now my theory: Page was instrumental in engineering the recordings on many Zep albums, the song " When the Levee Breaks" has a harmonica solo recorded backward added to the song and that is fact, Page was clearly into the occult, final conclusion... Page added the backward masking without the other band members knowledge and while Plant would never admit to its existence he knows its on there and that is why he doesn't really like to play the song anymore.
Brent - Sac., Ca
A friend told me that this song was about a prostitute. Now that I listen to it again, it could be...anyone else think so? or is it just about a regular person trying to buy her way out of life..not nessesary prostitute..ism.
Eric - Springfield, Mo
It was the only song that went from a soft, ballad to a hard rock song that well....that the fact that it blended so amazingly well is incredible, plus the lyrics, are something that everyone ponders and are facinated by the fact that words so creative, could be written and performed well in such a short time....where has all this talent gone now days..
Alex - Poughkeepsie, Ny
There is no backwards masking. I said into my mic on my computer the lyrics, then reversed them, and it said the satanic message. I have many records of them and i spun the song backwards with my finger ( doign it best as i could to the speed) and it said the satanic lyrics. I have TSRTS on vynal "IT IS LIVE" i spun that backwards with my finger and it said the satanic message. I believe that this was not patched people. I am only 15 so you people can think what you want though. Its weird because the song is very satanic if you kow the true meaning... and many people call Led Zeppelin 4 ZOSO after Pages symbol. When in fact his symbol has a very satanic meaning. The Z is for jimmy's sun sign Capricorn... and OSO means 666. I have the reason but im to tired to type it out for ya all. But like i said, im only 15 so you can think what ya want about my answer. (hmmmm, caugh* caugh*, IM RIGHT, caugh caugh* hmmm )
Nick - Citrus Heights, Ca
No matter your stance on the backwards lyrics idea, it seems to be a wierd coincidence that it is extremely rare to find songs with phrases that are even semi-coherent much less an entire verse. Not to mention that no other verse in the song appears to be coherent backwards, except the one. The idea of backwards lyrics is extremely interesting and I plan on trying to find the technique for doing it.
Chris - Ann Arbor, Mi
Am I the only one who doesn't like this song? Its just kinda boring. I mean, the lyrics are good but its just long and not that interesting.
Maddie - Knoxville, Tn
Some people claim that this song was about a girl who gets addicted to drugs, (follows the piper etc) and takes the wrong road.
Furthermore people who believe the above statement feel that Led Zep were making a statement that its not too late to rehabilitate. (its not too late to change the road your on).
Other people say that the song was an establishment on a poem in lord of the rings.
Other people (yes there are quite a few) people think that Plant was making a statement of how satan and evil provide temptation (the pipers calling you to join him etc [possibly the piper from stories leading rats to their death is allegorical])to the human race. Plant according to this understanding of 'stairway to heaven' is trying to say that its never too late to change the road your on and take the stairway to heaven.
Possibly the backmasking and the actual song is representing the two roads talked about in this song. 1 being the worship of satan, the other (i suppose) the other maybe resisting satanism.
^^ not sure if all my stuff has been said already (can't be bothered to read all the stuff above). Anyway, just some rough thoughts on possible meanings.
Craig - Sydney, Australia
Hi, I saw this song STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN sing it 2black guys. It is RAP genre, it is a great song and version. I have searched for it for a long time,,, please any body know it just tell me.... email@example.com
Faris - Buraydah, Saudi Arabia
After reading all of the speculation on Stairway, I'll offer my 2 cents. I am 43, been listening to Zepp(THE GREATEST BAND EVER) since 1970. I've ruined several copies of LZ4 on turntables trying to hear the backward masking. Being a Radio DJ for the last 20 years in rock radio and having this conversation several times. I will ALWAYS say, the backwards thing DOES NOT EXIST. Zepps Aura amd Mystique lives on for a reason. Music and their Passion for it. The cosmos came together for 4 Awesome Musical talents and will live Forever. Period. Nothing we say as mere mortals(Christian or not) matters. History such as Zeppelins will never be duplicated. Nuff Said on that. A couple of shots though----As much as I love Zep--Stairway is not their best. No way-No How. The guitar solo was not pieced together. The genius of if was the fact that it was done as a 1 time take. That's talent and gift coinciding as a solid unit to show us mere mortals what can be achieved. I suggest we all enjoy the Extremely awesome Zeppelin catalogue and one more thing--if I ever met Jimmy Page- I would show him the respect he deserves and kneel at the feet of TRUE BRITSH ROYALTY. Remember this and live long lives everyone----Though the course may change sometimes--Rivers always reach the Sea. Have a Nice Day.
Bryan - Brunswick, Ga
I think Stairway to Heaven is one of the best songs ever, when I heard about the backward messages, I decided to listen to it without being influenced by any lyrics, I did. I after looked for the backward lyrics, and it is infact what I heard. I decided to do some research on the whole controversy, and I have been doing so for about a year, the most interesting thing I found was here: http://reversespeech.com/framestairway.htm
I recommend this link. It is in the site "www.reversespeech.com" where they say that reverse speech is an unconcious function of the human brain, in this site there are numerous examples of speech reversals, go and take a look, decide for your self.
Steve - Washington Dc, Dc
I was so intrigued by the idea of messages in a song when played backwards that I actually did it myself. What I found was that Led Zeppelin's Stairway to heaven DOES have messages in it. And more than one. Using an audio MP3 ripper called Wave Creator 3; I flipped the song and played it backwards. Simply using the rewind button is too fast, obviously. If you cut out the background noise and reduce the static, and of course; listen with devotion, (I used headphones for optimal perception....but it did freak me out) you will hear definite phrases. I was able to distinguish messages throughout the entire song, not just places. At the very end of the song, which becomes the beginning, it says "plaaaaay backwards...hear words sung" and then goes on continuously. I will admitt that some parts required multiple listenings to distinguish phrases, nevertheless, I was shocked to find myself with a complete set of lyrics in reverse.I do beleive that The Stairway to Heaven is an exceptional song and even the knowledge of thopse alternative lyrics do not keep me from enjoying it. Later......MB
Marybeth - Here, Nc
I love this song and is my favorite Zep song ever . I bought the book Stairway to heaven and it tells all about Led Zeppelin
Michael Picard - Lapwai, Id
OKAY a song is just like a poem when i read it and then someone else reads it, we in turn will probably get something completley different out of it. When we hear a song it's the same thing and that is why music is so great. TO one person they may see the devil inuendos and to another there is none. As for me i don't think there is, and we should take Plant's word that if there is any satanic underlying messages than that is strictly accedental!
Chad - Edmonton, Canada
Ok look, I've read over half of the comments on this extremely long page. This is for all those sceptics that don't know or understand. Backmasking is recording music and words forwards and then layering a second set of words backwards over the music. The backward message is mixed in with the forward spoken lyrics and is indistinguistable by the human ear alone, this process is most definately intention and takes time to do.
I personally listened to the music backward on a loop machine that I have which allows me to listen and record music backwards. This is what I heard.
"Oh here's to my sweet Satan. The one whose
little path would make me sad, whose power
is Satan. He'll give you give you 666.
There was a little toolshed* where he made us
suffer, sad Satan."
*The 'toolshed' refers to the satanic church that Jimmy Page purchased.
These words are clear as a bell and are in no way accidental.
Here's a site where you can listen to it and others. http://www3.telus.net/jefmil/stairwaybackwards.htm
*It is in no way a fake it is the actual recording*
Taylor - Jacksonville, Fl
now im in to emo/goth rock myself BUT THIS SONG IS A GOD TO ME i love it and i could really care less if it has satanic messages in it i mean metaphors could mean anything just because you don't understand it that doesn't mean that someone else knows exactly what he's talking about I love stairway to heaven......god rest john bohnam
Tim - Lincoln, Nh
I am 14 and i do not belive the satanic messages in stairway to heaven are intentional.The beatles death rumors started all of this. I am a devout mormon and led zeppelin is a great band.This song has the greatest lyrics ever!!!!1
Sam - Provo, Vt
i listened to it backwards once, and i wouldnt have been able to hear ANYTHING about satan if i hadnt known to listen for it.
Carrie - Somewhere, Wa
Okay, I have something to tell all of you... My friend has a Stairway to Heaven live version. He reversed it and we listened.
It's coincidence. It was hard to understand with the irritating audience screams and whatnot but we heard the message they apparently put in the studio version.
If you have a recorder at home, say the lyrics, then reverse. You'll hear the message somewhat.
It's kind of like Another One Bites the Dust by Queen. "It's fun to smoke marijuna" was supposively put into the song when played backwards but it just sounds like so when you reverse yourself speaking the words "another one bites the dust".
Patrick - Saskatoon, Canada
the song is no way based on the bhagvad gita because the gitais a set of instructions krsna gave on the battle feild....but yes it might be based on the life of lord krsna on earth as a shepherd.
Arvind - Mumbai, India
"Stairway to Heaven" is song dedicated to Lord Krsna:
"And it's whispered(Bhagavad Vita) that soon if we all call the tune(Bhagavad Vita)
Then the Piper(Krsna) will lead us to reason.
And a new day(Satya/Krita) yuga will dawn for those who stand long
And the forests will echo with laughter.
The Piper's(Krsna) calling you to join Him.."
you wanna more proof?...
Bhakta U-ra - Varna, Bulgaria
I loved STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN from first listen, I have to say iv gotten bored of it but I still listen to it from time to time and there is no doubt the lyrics and the guitair and everyhting is just genius. As for the satanic messages they are there but if Plant says he didn't mean to put them in I think we should take that as gospel Im sure if they wanted to talk about Satan they would just say it. Plus, it doesnt support Satan it says 'There was a little tool shed where he made us suffer'. That doesnt really support Satan at all. It is always nice to think there is more to a song this amazing. Especially as Plant said himself 'The penicil seemed to write itself'. Also the lyrics forwards are pretty random 'its just a spring clean for the May Queen' So weather its ghosts or just coincidence Im pretty sure they did not intentionally put in Satanic messages, Iv listened to the song loads and im no closer to worshipping Satan!
As for the meaning they have said it doesnt really have a meaning, at first I really didn't want to hear that, I wanted it to have a really deep meaning but really if it did it probably wouldnt be anything like mine so Id just be dissappointed. The song is just a series of image envoking lyrics and its brilliant.
Oli - Andover, England
To Kent, with the 10 page rant. I just want to point out that I have heard the full-length version of SWTH (~8 minutes) many times on my local radio stations in Michigan, and out side of the 11 pm to 6 am time frame. I'm not sure where you got the information that the full-length version is almost never played during the day.
Jeff - Detroit, Mi
Oh, i forgot that the "May Queen" also is a famous poem, not by Crowley but Alfred Tennyson, also known as a romantic poet: Here are some exerpt:
YOU must wake and call me early, call me early, mother dear;
To-morrow 'ill be the happiest time of all the glad New-year;
Of all the glad New-year, mother, the maddest merriest day,
For I'm to be Queen o' the May, mother, I'm to be Queen o' the May.
Henry - Oslo, Norway
To "- L, Fayetteville, AR "
You where stating that "This (pictured in the cover) man is the man represented as death on tarrot cards." This is totally wrong it represents "The Hermit" which is a symbol in many religions for a sage that seeks the loneliness, like Jesus Christ, Muhammed and Sidderharta Gautama did when they searched for higher meaning in the life and became prophets or "illuminated".
He just leave this world to be alone for meditation. The history of early christianity are filled with stories of hollow men that became Hermits in Syria and the "holly land" and also the hindu religions are filled with stories of holy men that choose to leave this world for meditation and serch for higher meaning. How "satanic" can this be?
The light "The Hermit" are bearing is just a symbol of enlightenment and wisdom he have reached trough his lonesome search for the truth.
The piper, have of course nothing to do with "satanism", but was first a reference to the greek god of the woods wich played beautifully on his flute:
The attributes or symbols associated with Pan are woods, pastures, and the syrinx -- a flute. Pan is depicted with goat's feet and two horns, and wearing a lynx-pelt. Many a british romantic poets like P.B. Shelley, Byron, William Blake, etc, etc uses the "piper" as references to the "god of woods" wichy by no means has any thing to do with "satanism".
And who is "Tha May Qeen"? Perhaps Queen Marie-JosÃ? of Italy (b.1907)?
Surprising, non-conformist, original and above all royal. Her Majesty Queen Marie-JosÃ? of Italy has not changed. Installed for some years now at her villa in Cuernavaca, Mexico, the former Italian sovereign demonstrates today the same curiosity that has characterized her throughout life. Her white villa and the surrounding garden, vibrant with bougainvilleas and exotic vegetation, are filled with charm.
Henry - Oslo, Norway
Its not a bad song really, although it could have done with another couple of minutes(not!)
Badge - Dublin, Ireland
If all of the posts by people posting the BS rumors they "heard" or "read" somewhere were removed, this page would be 1/10 its current ridiculously bloated size. I just read through this entire thing and I have seen so many idiots posting completely erroneous information as fact. They believe it because someone told them, and that's that. Of course, their recollection of what was said is less than accurate (and usually just plain wrong) So before I point out a few of the more hilarious fact butcherings, I beg of ALL of you, not just here, -ANYWHERE- to follow this common-sense rule. UNTIL YOU CAN VERIFY SOMETHING TO BE FACTUAL BASED ON YOUR PERSONAL RESEARCH *AND* CORROBORATION OF ALLEGED FACTS FROM *MULTIPLE REPUTABLE SOURCES* DO NOT PRESUME TO BE SOME KIND OF AUTHORITY POSTING INFO TO GET ATTENTION OR STRENGTHEN YOUR POINT. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE FOR CRAP YOU "HEARD OR READ SOMEWHERE"
Until the tidbit of info you kno is either a verified fact, or likely fact based on multiple (preferably redundant) reputable sources, you're only spreading rumors, and in this case, misinformed, uninformed, ignorant and just plain stupid ones. So, without further ado...
L, Robert Plant did not buy Aleister Crowley's house. Jimmy Page did. This wasn't some big satanic church. It was one of numerous Crowley residences. Jimmy bought it because a) he liked the architecture, location, and because the rumors surrounding it scared off people that would have otherwise snooped around. Ask any celebrity, the less of that they can get, the happier they are. b) Jimmy thought the latent natural energies, mood and aura still lingering there from its previous owner would make it a good place to songwrite. And as any good songwriter knows, ambient mood is critical to helping the creative process.
Various - Neither Robert Plant *nor* Jimmy Page were Satanic priests. Nor were they into satanism, per se. Robert was actually more intrigued in Native American spirituality and Celtic Mythology than the occult. (hence his son's name Karac- loosely Celtic word for Celtic soldier, I believe) In earlier years, Robert had a fascination with in occult/pagan arts, just like anyone else would. His exposure was limited to conversations with Page and the band, and as casual observer during some of Page's studies into various occult practices. Think about it. You're in a band. You spend most of your time away from home with these people. You have lots of down time. You get bored. However, Plant was frequently quoted as saying that he found Jimmy's occult dabblings "a little creepy" and became more opposed to them the more bad luck visited the band. After tragedy after tragedy, they were all tired, hurt and full of grief. Plant asked Page to basically chill out on the occult stuff. Not because he believed it was the cause of the misfortune, but merely because after so many tragedies, better not to push their luck any more than they had to. That's not satanism, that's Superstition.
I suspect a lot of the misinformation comes from these popular (yet incredibly stupid) assumptions.
1. Occult = Satanic. If you study or dabble in the occult, you are a satanist. Wrong. Go look up the definition. Apples/Oranges. Occult = Of, relating to, or dealing with supernatural influences, agencies, or phenomena. That is a very generalized definition, but nowhere in any of the definition I've seen is Satan, Lucifer, The Dark One *whatever* ever mentioned. Learn what the terms mean that you people fling around so confidently, before you misinform, and make yourselves look like complete morons in the process.
2. Backward masking lyrics in a song is ALWAYS done by a satanic band trying to sing the praises of Satan. - Wrong. And once again, learn your terms. What you hear in Stairway to Heaven is a REVERSE SPEECH phenomenon. Where what you say, played in reverse, sounds like something else.
Backward masking is not a tool of the devil. It's an old studio trick where you record a track (Track A), then basically either dub in another track (Track B). There's 2 ways to do that. One, Track A is played forward while Track B is played backward, and recorded that way onto a new track, (Track C) which is a mix of forward-playing Track A and backward-playing Track B. The second way is the exact opposite. Track A is played backward and a new clip is recorded Track B, and mixed to new Track C. It's the same thing, just differing in which track is flipped. The thing about this process though, is that anyone with even modest hearing WILL clearly hear this backward part as gibberish on the final mixed track. Inside the mix, you will catch that unmistakable sound of something being played backward that everyone has heard before in some context. Thus, for people wishing to "hide" a message in a recording. Backward masking is a really stupid way of doing it, since it's so noticeable.
People are so quick to attach nefarious intentions to backwards messages in recordings, but you only hear about the wildly blown-out-of-proportion Satan crap. What's overlooked on the evening news is that for a lot of these early artists & bands, they were continually exploring new technology and trying new things. Many had never had access to such (then) state-of-the-art recording gear. Trying to see what all it can do is a natural curiosity of any sound engineer. Plus, many bands wanted to put messages in to either get crucial publicity and sell more records, or leave a little something as a "thank you" to their most devoted fans. And, in the case of one Pink Floyd song, Boredom, or to merely make fun of the entire debacle. "Congratulations. You have found the secret message". I can't remember the song that's in, but its well-known, and this example was done by mixing a quiet track of Roger Waters speaking the aforementioned line into a studio master tape which was being played backwards.
I think it's stupid to assume that there are all these major bands of the last 50 years deliberately embedding messages in their music with the intent of mentioning Satan, much less praising him. Of those few that did, a good percentage also released the rumor of such messages with their album to create controversy, and as a result, publicity. Why? cos they knew what they were relasing was such a pile of crap, it needed a controversy to sell. Anyone who doesn't believe stuff like that happens, no only doesn't know a damn thing about the music business, they're also not very grounded in reality, either.
Another thing: And this one makes me both furious and a little ashamed to be an American. To the girl who was mentioning the 'altered' pronunciation Plant used on the lines in question. Among the many amusing things she said, she also said this: "I've never even HEARD the word "Hedgerow" used, much less with a "bustle"!" And she used that, along with the curious pronunciation of Plant's words as an arument that he was trying to form the backward message by adjusting the pronouncement, accent, tibmre, etc.. of his *real* vocals.. To her I ask.. ARE YOU FREAKING HIGH?!! God, I live in a country of idiots. This chick obviously didn't know that Plant, just like the rest of the damn band, was BRITISH. No, you probably *won't EVER* hear the word "Hedgerow" spoken in Eula Mae's Kwik Stop & Feed in Lard-Ass Creek, West Virginny. But hop "across the pond" and go to that country 76% of US High School Seniors in 2001 couldn't find on a map, and someone will be GLAD to show you what a frickin' hedgerow is!!
AND, for those of you who said Stairway to Heaven wasn't the all-time most played song, umm.. Please check your facts again. THIS time with your head *outside* of your ass. (one guy even said it wasn't even in the top 100.. wtf?! Kids, that is a prime example of why crack is a Bad Thing.) I don't recall radio ever being limited solely to the freaking USA. Believe it or not, there are other industrialized nations out there (the ones 85% of us can't find on maps). The statistic I do believe was taking into account worldwide radio play. American-only? Who knows? You can't define what constitutes an American station. Like, what about English-speaking military radio for the troops in Europe? or, stations in the Virgin Islands. They're our territories, so, why not them too? You can't accurately report that. Yes, if you limit it to the 50 US states, in recent years, that damn Righteous Brothers cover has taken over. But when the stat that everyone knows was released, it was before Top Gun and everything else that kept that song going strong. Plus, just *try* to find a station in the last 10 years that will play Stairway in its entirety. If you do, try to get them to play it outside of the hours of 11pm-6am. It's damn near impossible. Too long, and they have to pay a premium in royalties because the song is longer than ~6 minutes. So, it's only natural that over time a smooth, radio-friendly ~3 minute love song that is always pulled out of the grave and stuck in movies, ads, and whatnot would take over the throne held by any 8minute hard rock controversy..
All in all, this entire thread is just a sad example of a lot of people trying to be self-important to the point of blabbing what they hear, whether it has any validity or not. They do so and drown out the legitimate fan discussion of what so many consider to be a classic, if not a mainstay of rock 'n roll. And we, the ever faithful (to Music and the freedom to make it any way you damn well please - NOT to Satan, mind you) try to battle these legions of idiot know-it-alls who base their entire opinion on *maybe* hearing the song once (but minus the attention span to listen to over 30 seconds) that Flash tool to play Stairway forward and backward (with handy lyrics before your eyes to influence what you ultimately hear) And the randomly absorbed, fuzzy remembrances of those "Hey, guess what I heard?!" drinking stories of years past.
And yeah, the history, artistry and musicianship that Stairway was all about does get trampled in this neverending cacophony. And that's the real shame of it. Yet, by the very fact that the song's still being debated here, years since it's birth, is evidence enough that no matter what your opinion on the reverse speech phenomena throughout the song, magic definitely exists within it, no matter which way it floats you boat to play it.
Thanks for enduring my rant. Please direct any subsequent flames to ME. Don't bother this already overcrowded forum with 'em. Corrections, always welcomed. In a mind dump this big, there are no doubt quite a few.
-Kelani Z
Kent - Cary, Nc
I played this song backwards once. All I heard was, "You're ruining your record, stupid..."
Leanne - San Francisco-ish, Ca
Several of you are asking what is "May Queen"? "May Queen" is a poem written by Aleister Crowley, who is also the author of The Book of the Law (of Satan), whose house Robert Plant purchased. Also, the picture of the lady climbing towards the top of the hill towards a man is interesting. This man is the man represented as death on tarrot cards. The piper is a reference to satan and "your head is humming" is a reference to an altered state of mind in which satan speaks to you. "Your head is humming and it won't go incase you don't know, the piper's (satan) calling you to join him. Dear lady can you hear the wind blow (piper's flutes--satan) and did you know, your stairway lies on the whispering wind (satan's path)". This song may mean nothing to lots of listeners, but the song has references to satan and to hell from the writers-and their motive within the song is what matters.
L - Fayetteville, Ar
rest in peace John Henry Bonham 9/25/80
Michael - Greenville, Ms
I flipping love this song, sometimes I listen to it on repeat for hours
Julia - Newark, De
I can't believe people are still stuck up upon the notion that stairway to heaven contains some intentional satanic messages if played backwards and the lyrics were intentionally written that way by Robert and Jimmy. Yes, if you do play the song backwards, it sound like plant is saying something about the devil, but it's just a coincidence. There are a lot of songs that give some sort of messages when played backwards; like Britney Spears ' Hit me baby one more time, John Lennon ' Imagine, Eminem ' My name is', Queen ' Another one bites the dust, Etc. This is nothing but a coincidence. Some people feel that this is too much of a coincidence and the chances of a coincidence is one in millions, if you consider there have been hundreds of millions of songs written in every possible language in the last fifty years, probability wise, there have to be some songs that sound different when played backwards. Stairway to heaven is a great song and people should not try to destroy it by some weird coincidence.
Aj - Ahmedabad, United States
I love this song and yes it's by far the best rock and roll song of all time and it's very respected by all my friends. i disagree with Alan White because the "mumblings" are supposed to show Led Zeppelin's mysteriousness and it's supposed to make you think. and if u play it backwards they scare you with things about the devil. hahaha i love the brittney spears backwards one though..HAHA god whata whore lol
Sophie - St. Louis, Mo
Beautiful song, a true and utter classic. Also, Metallica have done a pretty good live cover of this.
Lexie - London, England
having heard stairway to heaven and imagine by john lennon backwards i conclude that the whole reverse messages theory is rubbish. it produces unclear noises, which can be interpretted as certain words if you want to. however the 'hit me baby one more time' one was quite funny, it apparently says 'sleep with me, im not too young'
Alanwhite - Macclesfield, England
robert plant is an amazing lyricist right? yes, and stairway to heaven is a damn good song, its hard to match lyric-wise, except maybe bob dylan or someone. There is no possible way someone can write a song that great and make it say something specific backwards. Its not possible, i bet there is no one in this room posting things that could write a simple sentance that says something when played backwards, much less a ledgendary songs...anyways it was page who was interested in crowley, not plant who wrote the song.
Kyle - Rochester, Ny
If you want to know the true meaning of the song read the lyrics. Over half the things they talk about include the devil and hell. They even talk about the backward messages that are in the song, IN THE LYRICS!!!! part of the lyrics of the song say "your head is humming and it won't go because you don't know the piper's calling you to join him." They are talking about your subconscious, your brain knows what the words are forward but your subconscious knows what the words say backward, but you don't know only your subconscious knows. The piper in this phrase is the devil, and the backward messages that only your subconscious knows what there saying, are santanic. Which means that the messages aren't just an accident they are there on purpose. There is another phrase in the song "And if you listen very hard the tune will come to you at last." Also supports my theory. Some people wonder why they would do something like this the reason is they worshiped satan. On one of the pictures on their CD that has The Stairway to Heaven, the picture has a man holding a lantern that has the satanic star in it. The same picture also has a small goat in the bottom left corner, they sacrifice goats at satanic masses. Next to the goat there is a man looking up at the priest, this is jesus, he's looking up at the man because the man is satan, and the picture is trying to show satan as being above jesus.
Drew - Fremont, Ne
This song is the best song in the world. I Beleive this is the best example of music. Zeppelin, man I think Them Hedrix and the Beatles gave us all the music we love or hate. If this offends anyone i'm sorry, but This song is the best example of an orgasim through music. just the way it is played and written is excellent nothing can caompare to it. I love You Zeppelin. Man, this is weird but i think i would die for this song. Peace to all of you
Kevin - Minneapolis, Mn
First of all, the whole backwards thing is about 99% immagination. I heave heard it backwards with many reocridings, the the word there bacward is the one that sound lik satan, it is scetchy enough know people who heard here to my sweet Savior. and any, the supposed messages start with sweet satan, but seem to go on about how he is tricking you.
Nick - -----, Nv
Just as an added comment, I'd like to say that yes, I do believe the "satanic messages" were interntionaly put in, but do I care? No. I think whoever figured this out has too much time on their hands. Secondly, it's not necissarily satanic "messages". It's simply words that have to do with satan. it could be any message depending on how you interpret it. But if it were a message, I'd say the point is that destiny can be backwards/forwards (hence the 'messages'), negative/positive, dark/light, hell/heaven, etc. etc. etc. I personally just want to listen to the song rather than analyze it like a specimen in a bottle. If any of you need to know how to listen to a song, there might me a print-out instruction booklet somewhere on the internet. Good luck with that.
Margaux - Carpinteria, Ca
I love this song. As a recent convert to Hare Krishna, I see that there is a message of Krishna Consiousness. "When she gets there she knows
If the stores are all closed
With a word she can get what she came for." As a Krishna devotee we beleive that if you say Krishna as you are leaving this world, you will reach Heaven. "When all are one and one is all" means that in Heaven we are all the same - no discrimination whatsoever.
Nick Das - Dallas, Tx
You guys should check the link out below... Stairway To Heaven is the #1 song...
http://classicrock.about.com/library/misc/bltop500j2.htm (html)
http://classicrock.about.com/library/misc/ptop500.htm (print friendly)
Joey - Seattle, Wa
Any song played backwards (even Britney Spears and Pop bands songs ) sound weird and our brain could conclude any message !!!!!
Jimmy - Byblos Lebanon, Other
The live song remains the same version is kick ass, but you guys should also check the one at earls court on the zep dvd. It's got a rockin solo. Page employs some really wicked chords in the middle I wish i knew what they were.
Dave - Winnipeg, Canada
I am not Catholic or Christian or a Muslim or a Jew. I am actually from a rather lesser known religion called Jainism (similar to Buddhism). I would encourage all of you to think outside the box for a minute. We live in the 21st century and I think it would be pretentious to assume that "Stairway To Heaven" has anything to do with Satan. Secondly let's say Plant and/or Page did sell their souls to get their hands on "Stairway To Heaven", well... the damage is done might as well enjoy the song. I'm sure you can find some Satanic messages even in Jessica Simpson's songs. When your mind gets obsessed with something, you will find it everywhere. Lastly, I worship Led Zeppelin.
Kunal - Bombay, India
I have played "Stairway to Heaven" backwards on my computer by playing the song then using the sound recorder to play it backwards and it does have those satanic messages. If I didn't know what i was supposed to hear i woulndt have realised that i was listening to those messages so i think it was just my brain creating what i was supposed to hear because when i listened to the song i used to think that part of the song said "if there is a muscle in your head youll move along now" and i would hear that when i would play the song until i read the lyrics and saw that it says "if theres a bustle in your hedgerow dont be alarmed now" my brain was creating it because it sounded like it just like the satanic messages backwards
Sully - Clinton, Ma
Once a classic rock station decided that as an opening day gimmic, they would play the song 24hrs straight !!!
At one point the police burst into the studio after someone called saying that the DJ must have had a heart attack as the music had kept on repeating.
Lazer - Buffalo, Ny
Just take the song for what it is, forwards, or backwards. Yes, it is true, backwards some parts sounds like they are talking about satan, great, whether it was intentionaly or not is unknown to the general public. This song is a pretty good song, but it is very overrated compared to their other works, though the lyrics are very good, and if the backwards message was intentional, then cheers to that, thats pretty good if the words make sense forwards and backwards.
Dan - Morristown, Nj
Lets take everyones posts and play em backwards. If we find any words that even sound remotely like Satan, their satanic. Sounds dumb right? Well thats what people are doing to this song.
Dasdf - Saba, Nv
although this kind of contradicts what i previously said, this link contains the bustle verse forwards and backwards (as well as a couple of other well known songs). I still go by what i said, no matter what it says backwards, this is the best song of all time
Sam - Sydney, Australia
Look, about this backwards satan stuff is not necessarily crap, but it would be quite strange if the entire 'bustle in your hedgerow' verse (which might i add, makes perfect sense) played backwards made another verse that might make a bit less sense, but is in english nevertheless. if so, then page/plant are the most skilled people in english phonetics to walk this earth. no matter what it possibly reads backwards, this is the best song ever and it is likely that it will never be stripped of that title.
Sam - Sydney, Australia
What's this song about? Just about anything you can think of.
The line about "all that glitters is gold" could be somewhat of a reference to something Gandalf says in "The Hobbit" about how not everything that glitters is gold. Plant was a huge Tolkien fan.
The chorus and several verses could be about materialism in our present culture. The woman Plant sings about could be an actual person, trying to buy her way into heaven (whatever your interpretation of heaven is) or she could be a metaphor.
The references to rings of smoke, the piper and hedgegrows are meant to sound very Celtic which is probably what Page was trying to achieve with the words.
If there's a bustle in your hedgerow
Don't be alarmed now
It's just a spring clean for the May queen
This verse could refer to a girl's first period.
And as we wind on down the road
Our shadows taller than our souls
There walks a lady we all know
Who shines white light and wants to show
Sounds vaguely like Galadriel from "The Fellowship of The Ring". Then again it could be anybody.
People spend way too much time analyzing song lyrics.
Mr. Fugu - Springfield, United States
This song was recorded on three different guitars 1. the intro & main riffs was done on a 6 sting acustic 2. the power chords where done on a 12 string electric 3. the AWESOME solo was done on a 6 string electric (of course) Fender Strat.
Tim - Ny , Ny
I read somehere that 'May Queen' was the brand name of Robert Plant's washer + drier set. He was upset that they didnt work properly. I assume the washer and drier were suposed to make his clothes 'spring clean', resulting in the line 'It's just a spring clean for May queen'. If this song is about cheating your way into heaven, this line might be referring to the company cheeting him cuz the washer + drier didn't work. Sounds silly hehehe Im probably wrong but who knows...
Elliot - Toronto, Canada
This whole demonic thing-who cares? I mean, maybe the "satanic message" is there and maybe it isn't. I don't know nor do I care. What I do know is that it's an absolutely incredible song when played forwards, and nothing can change that.
Katie - New York, Ny
Stairway to heaven is more than it seems, Jimmy page came up with song at the crowly mansion, while, at the same time robert plant was 1000 miles away and began to write the lyrics, as soon as page finished robert called him and told him he had lyrics for a new song. When they met the song and lyrics mysteriously fit creating stairway to heaven. I beleive that page and plant had been sent this song by satan. Page did black magic and put a hex on led zeppelin to be successful, he claimed himself to be a wizard for the press in the 70's and plant admited to being afraid of page for a time because of his involvement with the occult. Stairway to heaven speaks of how people waste their life away on money and forget that there is a god in heaven and money wont get you there. They stairway to heaven the lady is buying is a stairway to hell by buying it with selling her soul to satan as did jimmy page and robert plant. The piper in the song refers to satan, the deceiver, who lures you away from god with music and leads you to doom, just like the pied piper and the rats, Satan is calling you to join him to lead you to reason, which is his reason to have you do what thou wilt. Those who stand long in the end will start a new day, a day of suffering in hell for all eternity for rejecting god. Satan wont go down alone. He'll take as many of us as he can. The may queen is a poem by crowley, who is the founder of the church of satan. If you start to see the light this poem will bring you back to the dark. Dear people can you hear the wind blow and did you know our stairway lies on the whispering wind. Its whispered that if you call satan he will come to you. The piper walks on the whispering wind as does the lady. The stairway in the picture she walks up doesnt lead to light but to a dark figure which is the hermit from the death tarot card. There are two paths you can go by. The path to heaven or hell. And in the longrun you can repent from your evil ways and turn to light or you can reject it and go to the dark with satan and go to hell and suffer for all eternity. As we wind on down that dark road, shadows taller and ruling our souls we will see people we know like the lady, she poses as light but is really dark. And that you can trade your soul for gold like she did. And if you listen and look for satan and his tune, you WILL find it. And you will be with satan once and for all once you hand over your soul. When all is one and one is all. You will be a rock with a hardened heart not able to return to the light, for you reject god by selling yourself. You will be a rock and cant roll to the other path. And you will have bought a stairway to heaven. That's what i really honestly thing that stairway to heven is about. You can laugh at me but I'm the biggest zep fan and i have researched and i go to church so i hear the bible and what it says and this is what i have compiled.
Jason - Lahaina, Hi
Anybody that's ever done any recording on a multitrack recorder (particularly an analogue one) knows the backmasking stuff is crap. There's no way to record a track backward so that it would be inaudible forward. If there were "backmasked" tracks in the tune, they would be heard throughout the song played forward, in backward form....basically, there would be all sorts of incoherent gibberish throughout the song.
Examples of artists really backmasking things would be Prince-"Darling Nikki" and Ozzy-"Bloodbath in Paradise"...both of those can clearly be heard on the forward versions of the song as gibberish. This is not so on Stairway.
I'm suprised people are dumb enough to believe this crap....
Steve - Louisville, Ky
A 'hedgerow' is a long hedge that lines a field i.e. a row of hedges. There are a lot of them in England. But it's not the sort of word that slips into general conversation is it? 'Oh that hedgerow looks nice, don't you think?'
Tom - Trowbridge, England
Sorry about that rant, that's what reading all this crap for an hour and a half at 3 am will do to you. Satanic and LOTR messages aside, if you listen to the How the West Was Won version of Stairway, when Plant sings "and the voices of those who stand looking" he follows the lyric with an address to the audience of "that's you" which leads me to believe that the entire verse about "looking to the west", though deffinitely a LOTR refference, may also be a metaphor for going on tour. Anyone else notice this?
Clay - Saugus, Ma
Stairway to Heaven: Greatest Christian allegory ever written, however unintentionally. Assuming the backmasking is there, this metaphor for Christianity is evident by the concept, and the content of the song. The idea of not being able to buy your way to heaven, or happiness, is evident, as well as the idea of "two roads" by which to travel. Looking at this from a Christian point of view, the line "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" is a refference to the fact that it is never too late to repent. Also, the lyric "if there's a bustle in your hedgerow, don't be alarmed" which many of you feel is out of place, could very easily be a call to not get discouraged when things go wrong (the mayqueen crap i have NO idea what that's about). My biggest argument, however, for the divine intervention that may have resulted in the writing of this song lies in my belief that the back masking is not only there, but completely intentional, be it by Plant, or some...one...else, for it expresses one of the most important aspects of believing in the Christian God-- the idea of freewill, and being able to choose what, or whom, you believe in. It is probably no coincidence that the dark, 'evil influenced' message is so comparitivly creepy and unnerving to the uplifting and triumphant nature of the song when played correctly. So assuming that there is a satanic message on the underbelly of the greatest song ever written, it fits only too well, for there can not be light without darkness. All of this, to me, just intesifies my belief that Rock N'Roll is not the Devil's music, it is the music of God, and, more specifically, if the Bible had a soundtrack, it'd be Zeppelin. Why else would the greatest Christian Allegory be expressed through the greatest song from the greatest band ever?
Now, i'm not trying to preach, and i'm not saying Plant was doing this on purpose. You're free to disagree with me, and believe what ever you want; you have your own opinion.
I Also, I think Jesus was really pissed that he wasn't Elvis.
Clay - Saugus, Ma
1. You will only ever hear what you want to hear. E.g: I listened to "Golden Brown" for about a week, and saw singing along, and I thought that the line after "Texture like sun" was "Lays me down with my match heros" but it's actualy "lays me down;with my mind she runs". I beleived that I knew what I had heard, but I was wrong.
2. Plant one said, and I quote: "I was too druged up to remember what it was about, make your own mind up" If he were trying to spread the word about satanism, don't you think he might have been a little more enigmatic and saidd somthing like; "The whole world is Backwards" or somthing like that?
Nick - Cambridge, England
Contrary to the fact above, when Zeppelin first played this song the crowd was absolutely silent after the played it for about 30 seconds. Then they went crazy. Plant first thought they hated it and made a comment about leaving it off the album. Once they heard the crowd, however, they realized they were wrong and wound up playing it again.
Blackdog - New Milford, Nj
Interestingly enough, the first time that I saw "Gothica", when Halle Berry's charecter came to that shed where her husband locked her up, my first thoguht was that line from the backwards version, "and he keeps us in a toolshed where he is cruel to us", and thats exactly what was going on, and this was the first time i had seen the movie. It was very freaky.
Brian - Mayfield Heights, Oh
If anyone wants to clearly hear a song about the devil, listen to the Rolling Stones "Sympathy for the Devil" FORWARDS. You'll hear a song that's almost as great as "Stairway to Heaven." Go home and try it. I really don't believe that Satanic messages are hidden in the song backwards, but even if they are, it is only the bands beliefs. No where in the alleged messages does it tell people that the devil will rule the world, conquer God, or even trying to convince people to convert to be a Satanist. If anything it sounds more like they made a mistake and praised satan and now they are trying to fight their way back to God. But what I strongly recommend to people is to listen to the song forwards, and nothing but.
Spencer - South Kingstown, Ri
This goes out to all the people in the middle of the section that think Led Zeppelin based this song on Shakesphere or the Tower of Babel or any of that sort. I would under stand Lord of the Ring because that is a classic novel, but I do not think that they read the bible or a little section of Shakesphere out of the hundreds and hundreds of lines just to write a song. It was probably Lord of the Rings, personal experiences or the bible. I would say it wasn't the devil or Jimmy Pages cult friend or whatever. And to all the people who argue about if this song is satanic or not, just stop and let the song be. It was made to be enjoyed not to dispute about.
Andrew - La, Ca
For 'Stairway' completists: Check out the uniquely odd musical juxtaposition "Stairway to Gilligan's Island" by Little Roger & the Goosebumps. It's available free on the web at www.gilligansisle.com/stairway.html and elsewhere (also on the CD "Laguna Tunes" [2000 Blackheart Records] a hodgepodge compilation of unknown stuff produced by Joan Jett's manager Kenny Laguna). I haven't tried playing "Stairway to Gilligan..." backwards (that is just too scary).
Don - Sebastopol, Ca
As Bart Simpson said "All the best bands are affliated with the devil". Also in the Simpsons, the scene when Bart is hit by Mr Burns's car and goes to hell, when the devil sends him back to earth he reminds Bart to "cheat, steal and listen to heavy metal music".
I have yet to hear of a rock band that has not been branded consorts of satan at one time or another in their careers...look at The Rolling Stones, Kiss, Black Sabbath, etc.
For me, satan never even comes into it. It's all about the music, man.
Katie - Australia
I am 14. I want everyone to know my opinion about this song. Ok all this backmasking stuff is crap. Stairway to Heaven is the one of the best songs ever written by the best band ever. The lyrics are amzing and the music is too. It took a lot of talent just to right this song forward, and I don't think Plant would have taken the time to add backwards stuff to such a good song. And for the people who still believe the backmasking real, it would be in in no way satanic. Also, someone earlier wrote the small Christian Minority Hates it. I am a christian, the grandson of a pastor, i go to church twice a week and I strongly believe in Jesus. I am even considering become a pastor when I get older. And i think Stairway to Heaven is one of the greatest songs ever and i know a lot of people from my church and school who are devoted Christians and think Led Zeppelin is the coolest band ever. Anyways... thats what its all about. Listening to this song forward, the way it was meant to be played.
Josh - Orange County, Ca
It surprises me on how uninformed most people are and try to persuade without any evidence, i mean, anyone get actual facts about the group?
It is interesting to note that one of the artists (Jimmy Page) bought Aleister Crowley's house in Scotland which had become a well known Satanic church and was known amongst them as 'The Toolhouse'. Crowley had advocated in his books that his followers should learn to read and speak backwards
Makes sense, If you take the stairway to heaven backwards, you end up in hell.
Intentional? Makes you wonder......
Still a great song.
Tolga - Naples, Fl
A short-lived collective of accomplished session musicians known as the Far Corporation (which featured members of another, longer-lived act, Toto), made the UK Top 10 in 1985 with a cover of "Stairway To Heaven" - it was the Far Corporation's only hit, and, admittedly, it did not hold a candle to the original, but it was this cover version that alerted a whole new generation of fans in the UK to this classic rock track in time for Led Zeppelin's majestic performance of the song at Live Aid.
Dave - Cardiff, Wales
I really like the song, the only question that I have is why people like to play this at funerals? I had a friend who died in a car wreck, and it really caught me off gaurd that this was played by a friend on his guitar at the burial.
On an epsiode of south park (606) the kids try to find a replacement friend and they have a talent show. towelie tries to play stairway to heaven but he is to stoned to remember
Adam - Woodinville, Wa
The Lord of the Rings is NOT an allegory for the Bible. It's not an allegory for anything! Read any number of essays by Tolkien, and you'll see that he "detests allegory."
Matt - Atascadero, Ca
This is like the Pink Floyd DSotM and Wizard of Oz thing, and like my mom said about it (My mom saw Led Zeppelin I think before they were really big, in the late 60's I'm pretty sure) and my mom said "They couldn't have done this on purpose, They're too stupid". How the hell can four stoners sync all this up on their own? Hmm? Most stoners can't even drive a car when they're high much more make phonetically sound words played forwards and backwards.
Conrad - Los Angeles, Ca
Ok first things first... none of you seemed to bring up the Piper in this song. "The Piper is calling you to join him" "The Piper will lead us to reason." The story of the Piper is a very old German legend. Basically it is about mid 1200's in a german town that is over-run with rats. The piper comes and plays his flute and all the rats run out of the town. He was supposed to get paid for this, but didn't, so soon after he lead 130 children into a forest by playing his flute and they were never seen again. A popular theory of the piper is that he is the DEVIL HIMSELF. And it also ties in with the flute playing at the begining of the song. If you don't believe me type "The History of the Piper" in google search. AND it is no secret that Led Zeppelin is known to be satanic. A awesome song instrumentally though.
Michael - Temple City, Ca
You know, Jimmy claims to have played the Tele for the lead break. Incredible sound for a Telecaster. Also on the master there are three different leads, but Jimmy says the one on the record is the best
Jim - Bethlehem, Pa
Ok, first of all, subliminal messages in music effects only weak minded people. For those who think that any rock song contains these messages must be weak minded to be "afraid" of a song. And secondly, most of the people who claim that certain songs contain subliminal messages are those "religious fanatics." To them I say: take a look at some of the passages in the bible...I'm sure if you read them backwards they too will have subliminal messages such as: "Here's to my sweet Satan. May Satan rule all. Satan is the only God," or other such NONSENSE!!! Anything can have a hidden message if you look hard enough. And as for some unknown power moving Robert Plant's hand to write the lyrics....ever hear of a "muse?!" Muses' are angels not DEMONS! And besides...there is no such thing as Satan anyway. Satan is simply a fallen angel that has NO POWER compared to God. Satan is just an excuse people use for commiting the sins of gluttony, greed, sloth, envy, wrath, pride, and lust.
Susan - Clearwater, Fl
I have researched led zepplins history and music very deeply. stairway to heaven is clearly demonic! Jimmy page's ties with the occult will prove that led zepplin is not at all as innocent as some would like to believe. Plant states that when "he wrote" the song something was moving his pencil! what do you think that meant? i have also actually heard the recording backwards and it is horrific. Please understand the significance of this song and if you do not believe me research it your self it is quite obvious. "seek and you shall find."
Greg - Abbeville, Sc
Upon further investigation of the "backmasking" thing, I heard the words "Here's to my sweet Satan. The one whose little path would make me sad, whose power is satan. He'll give you 666, there was a little toolshed where he made us suffer, sad Satan." appeared when I played it backwards. Who knows if it's deliberate or not? I don't care, it's still one of the best songs of all time.
Tom - Westerville, Oh
There is something that you seem to be overlooking, John C: That "My sweet Satan" statement that you and a number of televangelists have found makes no sense. What is it saying, exactly? That a mythical character from the Christian and the Islamic belief systems makes Plant sad? I seriously doubt that this was intentional, or that it was even on there.
Jeff - Haltom City, Tx
If played backwards, the line "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" goes as follows: "My sweet Satan, the one will be the sad one, who makes me sad, who's power is Satan." Discovered this one spooky night with my friend Howard M. on an old turntable.
John C - Ft Lauderdale, Fl
Like a lot of other Zeppelin songs, there were several references to J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, of which Robert was a big enough fan that he named his dog "Strider." The references here are much more obscure than those of songs like "Ramble On" and "Misty Mountain Hop" and include the lines about a "bustle in your hedgerow", "rings of smoke through the trees", and "there's a feeling I get when I look to the West." Some people vigorously deny these are references to LOTR, but it would be incredibly coincidental if they were not.
Thomas - Pittsburgh, Pa
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