Stairway to Heaven Lyrics

How to Format Lyrics:

  • Type out all lyrics, even repeating song parts like the chorus
  • Lyrics should be broken down into individual lines
  • Use section headers above different song parts like [Verse], [Chorus], etc.
  • Use italics (<i>lyric</i>) and bold (<b>lyric</b>) to distinguish between different vocalists in the same song part
  • If you don’t understand a lyric, use [?]

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About

Genius Annotation

“Stairway to Heaven” is one of Led Zeppelin’s most famous recordings, with many considering it the greatest rock song of all time. It tells the story of a greedy woman who is overly optimistic about her unpromising future.

The song resonated with young listeners, opening up a door to a different realm of spirituality and transporting them into a more mystical view of life. The vagueness of the lyrics also allows listeners to interpret the song in their own way, adding to the magic and mystery of the track.

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

What did Led Zeppelin say about "Stairway to Heaven"?
Genius Answer

Jimmy Page stated that:

[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.’

He later told Rolling Stone in 2012:

[The intro riff] was written on an acoustic guitar. 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. I didn’t have any of Robert’s lyrics, only a sort of melody that related to the guitar parts I had. […] Originally, there was another guitar part that I had done for the ending. It was like the opening, a bit different. But I never tagged it on. The statement was there.

How long did it take to write "Stairway to Heaven"?
Genius Answer

Jimmy Page started writing the music in May 1970. Robert Plant wrote 80% of the lyrics a few weeks later. Recording for the song began in December, and finished in the New Year.

What has the band said about the lyrics?
Genius Answer

In a March 2018 interview with the Australian talk show The Project, Robert Plant said the conjecture around “Stairway To Heaven” is “hysterical” due to the abstract nature of the song, adding “I didn’t think anything was going to be that big.”

Plant also revealed that back in the ‘70s he could never remember the lyrics for “Stairway To Heaven.” To help him out, the band’s manager would hold up cards with the words during their performances.

I know it’s a long song, okay? I also know I had a little bit of trouble remembering lyrics, back in ’72, ’73. Our manager, who was quite a formidable personality…He’d come to the front of the stage in the middle of it all and he’d have the lyrics just going…Anyway, it was very funny. I can’t remember what verse goes where. I know there’s something about ‘bustle in the hedgerow’ and then all that stuff.

He also compared the scenario to the video for Bob Dylan’s 1965 song “Subterranean Homesick Blues,” in which Dylan holds up cue cards with key song phrases.

What has the media said about the song?
Which font did they use for the original print of the lyrics?
Credits
Produced By
Mixing Engineer
Mastering Engineer
Bass Guitar
Lead Vocals
Acoustic Guitar
Electric Piano
Executive Production
Digital Remastering
Engineering
Recorded At
Headley Grange, England, UK; Island Studios, London
Release Date
November 8, 1971
Stairway to Heaven Covers
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