Yes, there are two paths you can go by/
But in the long run/
There’s still time to change the road you’re on.

Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” might be one of the most enigmatic songs ever. Everyone tries to determine what it’s meaning. In general, it is about two characters: The Lady and The Piper and their thoughts on how to live and the path to heaven. Lady is materialistic. She’ll live life how she wants. If she gets to heaven and it turns out her way of living didn’t get her in, she’ll buy her way in (so she thinks). The piper seems to believe that a live of valuing non-materialistic things like reason and spirituality will lead to bliss.

Even if we have been living life one way, we can still change today. Plant suggests that the way of the piper is the way to go (Dear Lady can you hear the wind blow? And did you know/ Your stairway lies on the whispering wind). However, as the song closes, we find that Lady has not changed her ways. She’s still trying to buy her way into heaven.

Stairway to Heaven has the most iconic guitar intro of all-time and it still sounds fresh. The guitar work throughout is amazing. When I was younger, my local guitar shop had a sign that said (jokingly) “You will be asked to leave if you play ‘Stairway to Heaven’”. Apparently, that is the first song everyone wanted to learn. I like that the song has great acoustic and electric parts. The flute that plays throughout makes the song sound eerie. It is a great effect. Plant’s vocal shows incredible range: both in style and in normal terms.

Stairway To Heaven Lyrics

There’s a lady who’s sure
All that glitters is gold
And she’s buying a stairway to Heaven
When she gets there she knows
If the stores are all closed
With a word she can get what she came for
Oh oh oh oh and she’s buying a stairway to Heaven

There’s a sign on the wall
But she wants to be sure
‘Cause you know sometimes words have two meanings
In a tree by the brook
There’s a songbird who sings
Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiving

Ooh, it makes me wonder
Ooh, it makes me wonder

There’s a feeling I get
When I look to the west
And my spirit is crying for leaving
In my thoughts I have seen
Rings of smoke through the trees
And the voices of those who standing looking

Ooh, it makes me wonder
Ooh, it really makes me wonder

And it’s whispered that soon, If we all call the tune
Then the piper will lead us to reason
And a new day will dawn
For those who stand long
And the forests will echo with laughter

If there’s a bustle in your hedgerow
Don’t be alarmed now
It’s just a spring clean for the May queen
Yes, there are two paths you can go by
But in the long run
There’s still time to change the road you’re on
And it makes me wonder

Your head is humming and it won’t go
In case you don’t know
The piper’s calling you to join him
Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow?
And did you know
Your stairway lies on the whispering wind?

And as we wind on down the road
Our shadows taller than our soul
There walks a lady we all know
Who shines white light and wants to show
How everything still turns to gold
And if you listen very hard
The tune will come to you at last
When all are one and one is all
To be a rock and not to roll
And she’s buying a stairway to Heaven.