165 replies to this topic

[SunChild]

Much as I love 'Achilles Last Stand' to death (especially live at Knebworth), I found myself trying to choose just between 'Kashmir' and 'Stairway To Heaven'. It's an agonizing thing to decide because I love those two songs equal amounts to each other. After an excruciating pause, I hesitantly clicked 'Kashmir'. When I think of all the punk bands calling Zeppelin a dinosaur, I figure their roar sounds something like 'Kashmir'; fierce, epic and eclectic. 'Stairway', even though it's an enormous songwriting/performance feat, is just a mirage of what Zeppelin is, even if it's pretty. 'Kashmir' is the real thing. It's what Led Zeppelin is anyway: ENORMOUS.

Nice post, I love what you say.

For me it was a near thing between ALS and STH. Achilles is such a great piece, also enormous as you say, espically wow - Knebworth! Never makes me fail to sit there with my mouth open in astonishment.

Stairway gets the nod because it's got so many layers of meaning, and musically sums up what the band means to me. It travels from the pastoral to the industrial, from the lyrical to driving rock; it's spiritual and it's sexual; it's light and shade. They all give it everything they've got until by the end anybody who doesn't understand the value of passionate music is just not listening. It's a musical call to our better angels.

[Blue_Soul]

Stairway To Heaven for me but the other two are my favorites after that. All of them are great masterpieces.

[Christophe]

I chose ALS, Page puts alot of emotion in the solo.
Kashmir is pretty good but I doesn't satisfie me so much as ALS or STH

Stairway to heaven is the "brand" of Led Zeppelin, they are "marked" by that song...
=> STH is overrated BUT I still love it Especially the version they brought in Earls' Court ('74)


~Christophe

[MadScreamingGallery]

Much as I love 'Achilles Last Stand' to death (especially live at Knebworth), I found myself trying to choose just between 'Kashmir' and 'Stairway To Heaven'. It's an agonizing thing to decide because I love those two songs equal amounts to each other. After an excruciating pause, I hesitantly clicked 'Kashmir'. When I think of all the punk bands calling Zeppelin a dinosaur, I figure their roar sounds something like 'Kashmir'; fierce, epic and eclectic. 'Stairway', even though it's an enormous songwriting/performance feat, is just a mirage of what Zeppelin is, even if it's pretty. 'Kashmir' is the real thing. It's what Led Zeppelin is anyway: ENORMOUS.

Kashmir...but STH is a close second! Kashmir just brings up more memories to me than Stairway. I love the lyrics, the guitar...Rob's voice in it is just amazing. I also chose Kashmir because its my dad's favourite. Its the song he played the most when I was young and its the first Zeppelin song that I could remember when I was 6. It's carved in my mind since early childhood.

But I also love STH. There is a mystique about it. Its a trully beautiful and unique song for sure.

Nice post, I love what you say.

For me it was a near thing between ALS and STH. Achilles is such a great piece, also enormous as you say, espically wow - Knebworth! Never makes me fail to sit there with my mouth open in astonishment.

Stairway gets the nod because it's got so many layers of meaning, and musically sums up what the band means to me. It travels from the pastoral to the industrial, from the lyrical to driving rock; it's spiritual and it's sexual; it's light and shade. They all give it everything they've got until by the end anybody who doesn't understand the value of passionate music is just not listening. It's a musical call to our better angels.

I love what each of you wrote. I didn't vote as I couldn't decide. The choices are extremely interesting as each has a very special meaning for me. STH and Kashmir are bookends to my Zep experiences. ALS is connected to my post-Zep experiences, when I met the love of my life. The three choices instantaneously evoke other sensory experiences that will forever be associated with those particular songs. It is probably for that reason that I have been accused of being the only person who never tires of listening to STH. I am not just listening to the song; I am reliving some of the best experiences of my life.

[Blue_Soul]

^ Indeed very beautiful posts, I love what you said too and agree completely.

[MadScreamingGallery]

Stairway To Heaven for me but the other two are my favorites after that. All of them are great masterpieces.

^ Indeed very beautiful posts, I love what you said too and agree completely.

They are masterpieces! There is just something incredible about STH, though.

[Blue_Soul]

Yeah I had a hard time deciding as well. They're all great.

To divide it up even further, we should consider the studio recording versus the live performances, because I think if you think about it that way, a lot of people's minds may change.

Studio Ranking:
1. Stairway
2. Achilles
3. Kashmir

Concert Ranking:
1. Kashmir
2. Stairway
3. Achilles

That would be exactly my ranking as well.

[Ramci]

I know i should be a hc fan and pick something else than STH.

But when you compare STH to Achilles Last Stand and Kashmir... Well STH and ALS is really close combatants. Unfortunately, STH has overally better and more compact song structure and some may consider ALS bit too long guitar festive (i don't - but i'm just a crazy fan so who knows) so STH gets my score.

[redeyedrichard]

I voted Stairway because it is the song that got me into Zeppelin properly. But my mood generally shifts so my favour sometimes falls with the likes of Kashmir and Achilles. At the moment it is Stairway!

[RainSongWoman]

I voted for ALS... Over the past year I have been drawn to it more than ever. I think it is one of JHB finesest efforts... and given the condition Robert was in at the time of the taping...(wheelchair from the accident) and the fact that it was recorded in one take( except for the voice bubs) It's epic...



RSW

[Thee Mormegil]

We all know Led Zeppelin had some amazing songs. but these 3 songs, which people over the years listed as their best, really captivate Led Zeppelin's overall capability to be the greatest rock and roll band ever. out of these songs, which do you think captivates Led Zeppelin the best?

In 1976 I was !6 and Presence was the first album that I bought at the school store. ALS immediately caught my attention. I knew most of LZ's repetoire, and ALS was a continuation of the magnitude and magnificance of LZ's musical mastery. They could have been publicized more or been sold to the media, but they were COOL. By this time other genres of music were crowding for the dollars that popularity brought. However, they sought the cheap sluts of the music industry and hyped and marketed their sound. Punk and disco were born. The majority always follow the mundane (ie. the average). LZ never sold out. In 1976, being a zeppelin disciple was beginnig to lose it's appeal to the mass produced. They bit and swallowed the new shit like starved left-wingers, and the eighties opened up with music for the ugly and unimpressive. The uncool had bought themselves a niche.
If John Bonham had lived, who knows? Commerciality has always been the sleazy characteristic of modern music; Zeppelin was an elite above it. They would have likely ignored the lameness of aerosmith's digression to cozy up to the new sound, and over the long haul, not decended to the political wimpness of the new band then, U2. ALS surmizes this mentality that eclipses the zombi attitude of the time; and it has never left me.

[Buddie]

I voted for Achilles Last Stand.

[guitarmy]

I voted for Stairway, as mentioned before.

I just read this article found by tyedye

The interviewer asks Jimmy how important Stairway is to him:

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."

The article can be found here in its online context:
http://www.rollingst...le_led_zeppelin

Of course this article looks like it was written in March of 75 or 76. (writing on cover is too small to read)

It means that Kashmir is at least released at this time (Feb 75).

Achilles was recorded in late 75.

So basically it's possible that Jimmy is aware of all 3 of these songs at this time and thinks Stairway represents the group the best.

But things and people change, as Jimmy mentions in the article, so who knows what he thinks today!

Edited by guitarmy, 29 November 2007 - 04:07 AM.

[Chicken]

Of the three, Achilles Last Stand is my favourite.

[ZTex]

When I saw Zep they did not play Kashmir or Achilles Last Stand, however, I truly love both of those songs. I chose STH because I was so amazed that they could reproduce in concert what I had heard on the album. I will never forget the solo Page played that day in Mobile, Ala. STH was (is) just a great song.

[JimmyPageZoSo56]

well, its a close tie between "Stairway to Heaven" and "Achilles Last Stand"

[Jacob wolf]

yes but kashmir is a very easy tune to follow and whats up with the STH thing people saying stairway to hell?
they cant be for sure its got satan writen all in it! but my brother did some research and played it backwards..i need someone to tell me why this is like this and why page has allowed it!

[Bonham]

I feel Kashmir best fits the role of their most defining song. The way the chord progresses replicates that of their whole career, soaring, steadily above normal heights.

[Rodneyd]

All I know is that I am going to go nuts when I hear the first note of Stairway to Heaven. Kashmier is my second favorite Zep song, but it will be hard to beat the version when Page and Plante had the Egytian percussion group playing a few years ago.

[KairiUzeniba]

Out of those three, I chose Stairway. Just cuz. I know it's become an uber steriotype and everything, but I still thing it was Stairway. But don't get me wrong, I love every Led Zeppelin song ever!
One of my favorite songs is Misty Mountain Hop. It makes me think about Macu Picchu. Go figure.