>Stairway To Heaven lovers<

[Blue_Soul]

After reading some posts I notice that some of you are not really too fond of Stairway To Heaven, which is perfectly okay of course because everyone has other preferences. But as I am totally in love with that song and it is by far my favorite Led Zeppelin song and one of my all-time favorites I'm curious if some other people here feel the same way. Stairway To Heaven was the song that made me curious about them, to be exact it was the rumors about the backwards lyrics, I got interested in that stuff and during "investigating" I realized how beautiful this song is. I think it's amazing how it starts totally calm and then during the song when the guitar and the drums enter later it becomes more and more energetic. Not to mention the guitar solo and the end, just stunning! Anyone else?

[GetTheLedOut]

It's a very good song. I think it's one of their best and while I have no problems with those who dislike it, I do have a problem when people dislike it based on the idea they're supposed to not like it as Zep fans. You've met the time, the kind that find it offensive to be a big Zep fan and like Stairway at the same time. If you don't like it because of how it sounds, fine, but I think the other reason is merely for vanity and therefore is a bad reason.

[ZoSo88]

I agree with you, it is also my favorite Zeppelin song, and my favorite song of all time. In some ways i like the live version from TSRTS a little more because as Jimmy said, they expanded their music in concert. Its beautiful, as far as lyrical content, musical brilliance, and everything, its untouchable. I think to some Zepp fans, its been played out too much for them, for me, its too brilliant to get played out, you dont want it to get stale so i find a balance, but i still probably listen to it at least once a day! As far as the backmasking...It wasn't years untill i caught wind of it, and then it became an obsession almost. It still blows my mind. I've done my best to decipher all of it, and i wrote a term paper on it. If you want to know more, maybe we can share takes, just let me know.

[Blue_Soul]

Yeah that's what I think, too. Why should someone dislike it just because being a fan and loving this song doesn't go together Just because it's their most famous song doesn't mean it has to be the worst. However, if people really think it's poorly written or whatever it's their opinion and of course okay

About the backmasking: There is a video with backward lyrics for the whole song on youtube. But it is indeed very interesting, I guess some fans may hate people like me who are interested in this (at least people who say they find it interesting on youtube without even saying that they think they're satanists are often attacked ). I definitely don't think they're satanists but I still find the backward lyrics interesting. What did you find out in your paper?

Edited November 21, 2007 by Blue_Soul

[nemos9]

That argument is bullsh*t i'm a life long long fan and I have no problem with the song. Is it overplayed?? Hell yes. Is it my fav?? Hell no. But that takes nothing away from it. They made worse.

[ZoSo88]

Im gonna say in advance that i dont mean to offend anyone because i do not know who on this forum does not like the song. Hey...its their greatest and most famous song for a reason. Where this logic comes in that Zeppelin fans liking the song doesnt fit? How does that work. Is it so odd to like your favorite bands most famous song.

As far as people knocking its lyrical content..I think thats just a sad attempt by people who do not understand it. I think because the song is so deep, it escapes people and people get frustrated with not being able to make sense of it, so they dismiss it as jibberish basically. I do believe the backwards content reflects the forwards and gives alot of insight into it. I'll make a new thread covering that directly.

[lzfan715]

I don't think that anyone here doesn't like it but after awhile the people that post about it start to get to them. (Not you but the rumors that surround it.) It's my favorite song but I don't listen to it very often.

Edited November 21, 2007 by lzfan715

[GetTheLedOut]

I agree with you, it is also my favorite Zeppelin song, and my favorite song of all time. In some ways i like the live version from TSRTS a little more because as Jimmy said, they expanded their music in concert. Its beautiful, as far as lyrical content, musical brilliance, and everything, its untouchable. I think to some Zepp fans, its been played out too much for them, for me, its too brilliant to get played out, you dont want it to get stale so i find a balance, but i still probably listen to it at least once a day! As far as the backmasking...It wasn't years untill i caught wind of it, and then it became an obsession almost. It still blows my mind. I've done my best to decipher all of it, and i wrote a term paper on it. If you want to know more, maybe we can share takes, just let me know.

The TSRTS version has the best "ending" of the song (piece right after the solo) from what I've heard. Robert's voice sounds so powerful there.

[JoeZep]

Maybe I am old fashion but I think Stairway is the greatest. Being the most played song in the history of FM radio says it all.

[Blue_Soul]

I can imagine that it must be annoying for a die-hard fan to hear about the backward lyrics and especially about the accusations that they're satanists all the time and that some people have nothing else to tell about this song than that. To clear things up, I don't want to offend anybody with it, just wanted to state how I got into them and for me it was through the backmasking thing. But there's a lot more behind this song than just those accusations.

[ZoSo88]

I agree that the outro from TSRTS is the best, and Robert is quite powerfull, its amazing! I'll touch more on the accusations and satanist stuff in the post i put up.

[lzfan715]

Not trying to cause problems because I don't think it's true, but how many people here actually believe that the stuff is there? None of them were Satanists, Jimmy believed in Thelma. Where is Evster when you need him?

[daviebhoy]

Stairway is a wonderful song but it isn't my fav zep song.In fact I don't think I've got a fav they are all of equal stature and each has it's own place in my history of listening to zep.As for the backward lyrics well in my opinion it's bulls**t.

[Blue_Soul]

As I said I don't believe they're satanists. However, perhaps we can leave the backward and "satanist" stuff in the designated thread and just post about our love for the song here so we don't end up having two threads about the same topic? Just a suggestion

[guitarmy]

I don't think that anyone here doesn't like it but after awhile the people that post about it start to get to them. (Not you but the rumors that surround it.) It's my favorite song but I don't listen to it very often.

Yeah good point, which can be even be extended beyond the forum.

Take for instance when I tell someone I'm a fan of Led Zeppelin, they might say something like "oh yeah...how about that 'Stairway to Heaven', huh?"

I'm sure just about every longtime Led Zeppelin fan has encountered this phenomenon, and it probably happens with other bands too.

And if we as fans can't stand that sort of thing then think about what the band members must do when introduced to someone who only knows about them through Stairway!

So yeah, I think everyone here probably likes the song.

I would also think that most people here don't like the fact that Stairway is singled out so often by those who haven't heard any other Led Zeppelin stuff. But then again, this is really the result and the testament to their heightened popularity.

I think the audio quotes in the discography section for IV probably put the song into the best perspective.

[lzfan715]

I love this song, as I said before. I even have the t-shirt with the lyrics. But people see me where that and assume that I have no idea who they are, and that is anything but true.

[Bonham]

The TSRTS version has the best "ending" of the song (piece right after the solo) from what I've heard. Robert's voice sounds so powerful there.

I actually prefer the HTWWW version. It's so powerful and enigmatic, much more than the studio version, and Plant's voice on that whole album is fantastic - in his prime.

[Soccerzubs]

I love the song and it will always be #1 for me, but they have tons of other great songs, but most fans do not like to say that Stairway is their favorite song because of all of those other people who claim they are Zeppelin "fans", but in reality they only like Stairway To Heaven.

[Bonham]

It's like 'Smells Like Teen Spirit', exact same situation.

It's like when a Nirvana fan asks a kid who their favourite band is, they reply with "Nirvana" and then when asked which is their favourite song, they reply "Smells Like Teen Spirit". They will be dismissed as not a fan purely because they favour the most popular song, thanks to the media. Doesn't mean the song isn't good.

[desirezep]

It holds very special memories for me.

[Blue_Soul]

In my opinion this "dismissing as a fan" for liking the band's most popular song best is insulting. I guess some people who favor the band's favorite song are greater fans than those who dismiss those people. Because a true fan doesn't need to question other fans' loyality imo.

[Soccerzubs]

In my opinion this "dismissing as a fan" for liking the band's most popular song best is insulting. I guess some people who favor the band's favorite song are greater fans than those who dismiss those people. Because a true fan doesn't need to question other fans' loyality imo.

No, it can go both ways, it is my favorite song, but that doesn't mean I do not like other songs they have, but as far as other "fans" go, they only/ like STH and no other song, which doesn't really make them a fan.

[guitarmy]

In my opinion this "dismissing as a fan" for liking the band's most popular song best is insulting. I guess some people who favor the band's favorite song are greater fans than those who dismiss those people. Because a true fan doesn't need to question other fans' loyality imo.

Yeah I guess what I forgot to mention about when someone mentions 'Stairway', I certainly tell them about another Led Zeppelin song they might like to draw them in a little more.

I don't blow everyone off for mentioning the song, but really just use it as a springboard into other Led Zeppelin tunes.

[obscured]

STH is the first song I've heard from LZ. It got me interested, so I discovered more and loved their other songs even more.

I thank STH because it introduced me to Led Zeppelin and other bands from the 60s and 70s!

[chef free]

Stairway is definitly NOT my favorite Zeppelin song. It may have something to do with being a teen in the '70's. It was on the radio all the time, kinda like Freebird of Hotel California, all excellent music but jeez how many more times?