500 Greatest Songs of All Time
Led Zeppelin, 'Stairway to Heaven'
Writers: Jimmy Page, Robert Plant
Producer: Page
Released: Nov. '71, Atlantic
Non-single
All epic anthems must measure themselves against "Stairway to Heaven," the cornerstone of Led Zeppelin IV. The acoustic intro sounds positively Elizabethan, thanks to John Paul Jones' recorder solo and Plant's fanciful lyrics, which were partly inspired by Lewis Spence's historical tome Magic Arts in Celtic Britain. Over eight minutes, the song morphs into a furious Page solo that storms heaven's gate. Page said the song "crystallized the essence of the band. It had everything there and showed us at our best. It was a milestone. Every musician wants to do something of lasting quality, something which will hold up for a long time. We did it with 'Stairway.'"
Appears on: Led Zeppelin IV (Atlantic)
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• 500 Greatest Albums of All Time: Led Zeppelin IV
• The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time: Jimmy Page
• The 100 Greatest Singers of All Time: Robert Plant
• Classic Led Zeppelin: Onstage and Behind the Scenes 1969-1985
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