LED ZEPPELIN - STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN

"This is a song of hope"

It's almost beyond comprehension that Stairway To Heaven is more than 48 years old. Like so many of us of a certain age, from a particular era, I can't quite pinpoint the time I first heard it, or more to the point the moment when the enormity and significance became clear. It comes from a time of great positivity, when artists could truly express themselves, be courageous and daring, when THEY were the most important thing in the business. The very fact Led Zeppelin got their way with an LP with no name, no title, no hint, no branding as it would be today, bears strong testament to that. 

But what brought Led Zeppelin to this point, this zenith of creativity? For that we need to go back to their birth, the inception of Jimmy's dream, his master plan. Even before they'd played a note, hell, even before the band was assembled he had THE grand vision. He spoke about deciding whether to pursue a hard, blues based direction or a soft, West Coast influenced way citing The Incredible String Band and their ilk by way of example. Choosing the more bombastic, direct style was ultimately the perfect choice. 

From the moment a shy Robert Plant shuffled nervously into Jimmy's World in Pangbourne and contemplated the suggestion of Babe I'm Gonna Leave You with its' light and shade blueprint and endless procreated possibilities and adventures, Jimmy knew if he chose wisely and that his new buddies were as capable as he hoped, then he could have both. 

Despite the dazzling array of styles and moods prevalent on 'Led Zeppelin', when it came to their onstage direction it was certainly a case of power, bombast and every inch of their love. Creating a storm and fearsome reputation left little room and onstage time for subtleties aside from the light and shade dictum played with and stretched during improvised moments. It was really with 'II' that their songwriting and musical prowess came to the fore. What Is And What Should Never Be, Thank You and Ramble On already showed the speed with which Led Zeppelin were evolving. 

By 'III' Jimmy knew the sky (and beyond) was indeed the limit. He has always said that each LP was a signpost, an indication of where they were at that particular time, and on 'III' we heard an amazing maturity and confidence, a bright shining sound, more focused than before and more accomplished too. This wasn't a band dazzled by their success, nor one under enormous record company pressure to deliver the 'son of Whole Lotta Love' or Zeppelin II part II. This was four extremely talented and confident musicians with a free rein who went their own way into the unknown. Robert's lyrics were becoming more confident and distinct. Bonzo and Jonesy had that incredible empathy and syncopation most bands dream of down to a tee and Jimmy was weaving textures, moods and the guitar army as he really began casting his spell.

The confidence and quiet assurance of the songs on III is very noticeable. Jimmy is bringing the guitar army into the frame with some wonderfully understated and lyrical overdubs and textures on Celebration Day, pieced together like an aural jigsaw. The solo itself leans towards his muse on Stairway, very lyrical if much more succinct. Two sides of Robert's growing lyricism stand out too, the thunderous tale of Immigrant Song which is juxtaposed by the simple yet beautiful innocence of That's The Way. And if the swagger of Out On The Tiles shows the latent power of Zeppelin is always there, Gallows Pole is almost a mini blueprint for the idea of Stairway forming in Jimmy's musical mind. Both Bonzo and Jonesy are outstanding, effortlessly managing to drive Robert's tale of impending doom with a muscular and melodic swagger and at the same time sounding near hysterical and completely in control. Less is more, even as it soars into the distance.

After the 6th US Tour the immediate response to III by a largely surly and negative press led to Jimmy pushing Led Zeppelin harder than ever. The remarkable fragments of rehearsal tapes from Headley Grange show a band working hard, enjoying every moment and high on confidence. Amid the new ideas - electric, acoustic, eclectic and traditional - came a lovely studied acoustic theme. Traditional, even centuries old (Spirit's ambulance chasing lawyers should be ashamed...) it was certainly different. Listening now, there's a relaxed beauty, a studied calm that pervades the introduction. Jonesy's ear for harmony shines with his double recorder melody before the tone is set for Robert.

His vocals are sublime, nervous and innocent, almost hushed. The theme and expectation is almost overwhelming, and one of Led Zeppelin's greatest strengths makes it so. As Jonesy once said 'listen to a song and it tells you what to do'. They resist the temptation to overplay or to rush. Their green light to make music without outside pressure certainly helped, and Jimmy let the music flow. Over the 8 minutes they created a masterpiece. An anthem for the ages. Lyrically it has all the innocence and optimism a 22 year old could gather, and as the song hits its' stride you can hear Robert's confidence and pride growing line by line. Again, Jimmy brings the guitar army into play with a subtle but perfect mix of electric and acoustic, 6 and 12 string themes and chimes.

By the time Bonzo enters it's almost a relief and the expectation changes to smiles as the journey gets into gear. Robert once said he felt something 'almost unnatural' was pushing his pen in front of that roaring fire in Headley Grange. It does almost seem too natural the way the song takes on a life and mind of it's own as it strives forward, grows and expands. By the time we reach the fanfare pause, the song has taken on a whole new feel and you hold your breath in anticipation of what your brain tells you is coming next. 

The A to G to F sequence is rolling, positive and full of smiles. Then Jimmy get's into THAT solo. It's almost too perfect. Over the years and decades it's been analysed, studied, annotated, criticized and much much more. Compared to the dazzling and frenetic guitar athletes that have grown up in the wake of the greats - Hendrix, Beck, Clapton, Green, Gibbons, Guy, Les Paul, Allman etc  - it's been to my mind unfairly derided. For me the mood, the feel, the style is so important. It's full of emotion, something Jimmy is particular keen on dealing in. It works so so well and his added harmony slides are the icing on the cake. 

The final verse, with Robert at full throttle and Bonzo powerful yet completely controlled, is again something else. As the new companion disc mix shows, Jimmy layers guitar upon guitar building towards the inevitable climax, brilliantly underplayed with just Robert once again nervously whispering the final words. Alone. Perfect.

As Robert's final words fade, we're left with that silent resonance, that feeling of wow. It doesn't fade out, it has a definite length and sense of complete structure and composition. The decision of track order on the fourth elpee is bold yet to me perfect. Side one seems giant, almost an untouchable monolith of power and groove. The way the tracks and mood unfold is stunning, and to end that with Stairway is almost too much to take! 

Sadly side two is overlooked, yet in hindsight you can see so much that makes the LP complete and the landmark it truly was and is. The variety and widescreen confidence of Led Zeppelin as 1971 unfolded is truly something to behold. All of the 8 released tracks would be performed live by the band, some much more successfully than others it has to be said! For me it's fitting that the track order gives us two sides of remarkable music, with the second side taking us from the optimistic strut of Misty Mountain Hop through to the delicious groove of Levee. But enough of the rest of the elpee, you'll find my words and thoughts on those elsewhere. This is all about one song, for many THE song.

Once recorded, Peter and the band resisted the avalanche of demands to release a single, an edited one at that. As with Whole Lotta Love the answer was the same - you want the track, you buy the album. Simple. It's not a teaser, a leading track. However great we think it is, however big it's become, it is still part of a much bigger thing. The record, the momentum, the continual maturing and development of Led Zeppelin. Another milestone along the way for the greatest band of them all, rewriting musical history and expanding the boundaries as they went. The doors of perception were truly blown off. 

And now we come to what happens next. As THE track picked and played by FM stations across the globe, it simply had to be performed live. This was a big challenge. The studio version was (and is) unique, meaning a live arrangement had to be thought out, flushed out and rocked out. The first thought was Jimmy's guitar. Obviously to be performed on electric guitar onstage, he thought of the then defunct Gibson 6 & 12 string twin neck guitar, favoured by blues and country players in the 50's and 60's but long out of production. He contacted Gibson and they recommissioned it, presenting him with a cherry red model, serial number 911117. It was to breathe life into the song (and others) onstage. 

After intense rehearsals, STH was introduced into the set for the 'Return To The Clubs' Tour. It was first heard at Belfast's Ulster Hall on March 5th 1971. Thankfully we have a recording of this show, where 3 other tracks are also previewed. STH is tentative with some lyric anomalies but already a monster live song. It would still be 8 months before the studio version would be released and live it was initially greeted with an expectant hush. For these 14 shows it was placed 5th in the set, after initial blast of Immigrant Song/Heartbreaker, the intense blues of Since I've Been Loving you and the new strident syncopation of Black Dog. We only have 3 recordings from the tour, the most famous the BBC live set from April 1st where it sounds really fragile and intimate. You can hear every tiny nuance of Jimmy's playing, even the switching of necks when the 12" string first rings out.

It would become a set staple from that first performance on, performed at every complete show over the next 9 years. Like the 'Clubs' Tour, we have very little aural evidence of the summer European gigs. In fact, we only have compelling evidence of 6 gigs and only 2 bootlegs plus a fragment of a 3rd, the infamous Milan Riot show. For these gigs Stairway was moved back in the set, now to be performed an hour or so in, after the initial burst and a by now up to 30 minute Dazed And Confused. The 7th North American tour saw it becoming a live tour de force, more confident night after night with Robert comfortably adding his first vocal ad libs and Jimmy extending the solo gig by gig. Audience reaction was already building, possibly thanks to press reports and even bootlegs of the BBC show trading among the faithful before Zeppelin hit your town. Celebration Day would follow, meaning Jimmy would not have to change guitars and play it on the twin neck too before they sat down for a long acoustic set. The last recorded show on the tour - captured brilliantly on the legendary 'Going To California' bootleg - includes a wonderful Stairway, still a couple of months from release but sounding more and more like one of THE set highlights.

Through the Japanese Tour it was a highlight, and even more so along the winter UK shows where it was played for the first time to audiences that actually heard and more than likely owned the record! Once again it was extended, Jimmy's solo beginning to twist and turn more, and it maintained it's position in the middle of a set that was juggled a fair bit as they strode around the country. In Australia it really was a revelation, with the already ecstatic audiences treated to wonderfully evocative performances. Interestingly, Robert's throat problems saw the final verse sung in a lower register on more than one occasion. 

The summer of '72 was when Zeppelin hit an incredible height as a live attraction with some long, unique performances. Of course, we have How The West Was Won as testament to that time, and as with most of the shows Stairway was an absolute killer. By the 2nd Japanese dates it was moved to penultimate place in the set as the arrangement was stretched to allow Jimmy even more room to change mood and momentum in the solo. The real peak as a live number would ultimately be the 1973 US 'two tours' as Robert put it. Elevated to an anthem by fans and FM Radio across the States, it was a moment of high drama complete with extended solo that included a 'tango' section for Jimmy to pour out an endless solo and countless vocal ad libs punctuating the lyrics 20,000+ would sing by heart night after night. Even Robert's tambourine sketch was now de rigeur!

After that the weight of the show would sometimes fall on Stairway. As superstars with huge stadiums full of adoring fans it was now the climax of a 2 1/2 hour plus spectacular. Some nights it saved the show. Others it elevated the show even higher. Despite the pressure of expectation it was usually a joyous, uplifting part of the set. But, as time the wheel rolled on it became a bit of a millstone for Robert in particular. 

In 1977 on a good night it was spectacular. If the show was great it could once again be even greater, but on a poor night it was perfunctory, tired even. 

The final shows in '79 and '80 ranged from a low ebb for the song to somewhat of a renaissance and Jimmy in particular is relishing the challenge to end the new slimline set with wonderfully constructed, dramatic solo's at some of the final shows including Hannover, Zurich, Frankfurt and Mannheim, even if the final performance in Berlin is less dramatic than those that have gone before and is more jazzy and calm. 

Post Zeppelin it was and is obviously a song Jimmy would want to play and proudly celebrate, but not Robert. It was in September '83, on the 20th & 21st that Jimmy would close his short 20 minute slot at the ARMS benefit shows at the Royal Albert Hall with an emotional instrumental performance. Nervous and 3 years off the road, it was rusty but ultimately uplifting and inspiring. On the second night Clapton & Beck added to the fun, backing Jimmy's solo. For the 9 ARMS US shows it grew longer and was the unofficial climax to the shows. 

In '88 Jimmy revived the instrumental arrangement and Stairway was the final encore on all the Outrider tour dates. The 5 shows I saw were all excellent and Jimmy was much more confident and proficient too, making the final song of the night both an emotional and musical highlight.

The next performance would be the most bizarre. On November 10th '94 Jimmy & Robert appeared on Japanese TV and performed a truncated acoustic version, very delicately and reverential. 

And, of course, the 3 main 'reunion' performances would all feature the song. Live Aid, Atlantic's 40th Birthday and the Ahmet Ertegun tribute, where it was now in the middle part of the set and performed the closest to the original studio version as it ever was. 

Stairway To Heaven is a triumph. A song I've loved for a long time, now an old and cherished friend. A milestone in popular music, and one of the pieces of original music that helps to elevate Led Zeppelin up to the status they so richly deserve to hold to this day. A great source of pride for Jimmy Page in particular, it does everything just right. At 8 minutes it has no fat, no flannel. 

Of course, the calls from Atlantic to release it as a single, to have an edited version for radio, were deafening. And ignored. Quite rightly so. It has of course snuck out in a few versions. In Australia we had the 'Acoustically' 3 track 7" EP. There was a US Promo mono/stereo 7" in a cloth bag. This was also bootlegged on green vinyl, and there's a 7" picture disc (2 versions, one with 2 different pictures, the other with the same 1977 live shot) with Hey Hey What Can I Do on the flip. In The Philippines it was issued as a promo 7" spread over the two sides! South Africa issued a promo 7" of the full version with Going To California on the flip. 'Little LP's' also produced a 3 track 7" with a reduced version of the album artwork where it sits along with Rock And Roll and Black Dog.

When Remasters came out it's featured on the 4 track long box CD promo, the lovely 10" vinyl promo and there's a US 'pop up' CD + 7" that opens up to reveal the lyrics and the old man with the sticks and a zeppelin origami style. There's the 2 versions of the UK 'Jukebox' 7" where it's coupled with Whole Lotta Love. The rare promo comes with a record company letter and the easier to find centre punched issue. 

Classic Records pressed a 1-sided 'test' 12" to go with a box set of the first 4 elpees, there's a Brazilian and Venezualen 12" with some strange edits and occasional 'test tone'. Russia and Poland have issued postcards with the opening 3 or so minutes on too. And so it goes on. Of course we have officially 3 live versions on audio (4 including the O2) and 3 on film. Unofficially on film there are numerous cine clips as early as LA Forum 22/8/71, Houston 25/8/71, San Bernardino 22/6/72 and the middle night of the movie at The Garden on July 28th. From then on cine film is much more common if still fragmentary and usually silent with dubbed sound. We do have moments or more of Stairway To Heaven from the following 1975 shows - Dallas 4/3, Seattle 17/3, Seattle 21/3 and all 3 LA Forum shows 24, 25 & 27/3. There are the last 2 Earls' Court performances pro shot, the 25/5 show on the official 2DVD. 

Come 1977, there's footage from Madison Square 14/6, LA Forum 23/6 and the Pro-shot Seattle 17/7. From '79 we have both Knebworth shows pro-shot, and from the final Over Europe '80 trek cine from Cologne 18/6, Rotterdam 21/6 and Munich 5/7. Doubtless there is more both audience and pro shot......

So there we have it. Now, go and dig out Atlantic/Polydor LP 2401 012 in whatever incarnation you have it and play side 1 , track 4.