Everyone has that one song that affects you in a way that
no other can: it makes you laugh - it uplifts you, giving you a kind of
adrenaline rush that makes you feel as if you can take on the world; or it
makes you cry - maybe your heart has been broken, or maybe for no reason at
all, but for three, four, five minutes, you can listen to that song and believe
that someone, somewhere, understands exactly how you are feeling and has
somehow channelled it into music. For me, Led Zeppelin's 'Stairway To Heaven' is a curious mix of all of this. It is, quite
simply, a beautiful song. Whenever, wherever I hear it, it sends shivers down
my spine. It is heart rendering: not in a heartbreaking, kill-me-now kind of
way, but in a quiet, uplifting, curiously eerie and wonderfully odd kind of
way.
Released in November 1971, 'Stairway To Heaven' threads into 8 minutes everything that a great
rock song should be. The haunting acoustic folksy start plays out into an electric
instrumental; the final section could be described as 'hard rock', with Jimmy
Page's genuinely brilliant guitar solo and his and Robert Plant's powerful
vocals. The closing a capella line 'And
she's buying a stairway to heaven' ensures that, no matter who you are, the
song stays with you long after it finishes.
My Dad being a 70s/80s rock fan, I grew up with the likes
of Led Zeppelin as a background soundtrack. However, it wasn't until I was
sixteen and exposed to that long post-GCSE summer that I really began to
appreciate this music myself. I will admit that I became kind of obsessed with
this song: I bought the Led Zeppelin t-shirt that I am (coincidentally) wearing
as I write this (although it is buried beneath two hoodies and a blanket
because, let's face it, September is here and it is practically winter); I
planned to get certain, at the time, particularly relevant lyrics tattooed
across my back the second I turned eighteen (I am now nineteen, and, although I
have not ruled out the idea, my back remains tattoo-less - for now). The beauty
of this song is that it is one of those rare creations that suits all moods.
Back to that summer: it started on a high, and the song was relevant; it ended
with a bit of nose-dive, and 'Stairway To
Heaven' still had a place on my daily playlist. Three years later, I, like
everyone, have had my ups and downs. But each time this song comes on 'shuffle'
on my iPod, I listen, and it takes on a new meaning every time.
I will repeat what I said at the very start: 'Stairway To Heaven' is, quite simply, a
beautiful song. I'll leave you with my favourite lyrics - interpret them how
you will:
"And
it's whispered that soon, if we all call the tune,
Then
the Piper will lead us to reason."
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