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Stairway to Heaven one of probably the top five songs ever written in the history of rock ‘n’ roll. There are a lot of really interesting things about this song. This is of course written by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant in early 1970 when they were hanging out at a Welsh…they got a cottage that they used as a vacation spot. And they did a lot of composing there especially for this album and a lot of earlier stuff too. A lot of the acoustic stuff from Led Zeppelin III. And again it was just a very creative place for them.

Stairway to Heaven is a very interesting song in terms of its creativity since there is so much going on with it from a musical perspective. One of the most amazing things occurring within its sound in the multipart arrangement since it would seem that five separate parts of the song could be made into a unique or individual song on its own. Within the song there is an amazing construction of a brilliant acoustical beginning part that is known for its amazing descending baseline. There is a minor key found at the beginning that is not unlike the song Taurus. Taurus is found on Randy California’s band Spirit’s first album. Debuting in 1968, this album featured a number of psychedelic rock and progressive rock style tunes. Frequently, this type of sound is called “proto prog.” Much of the instrumental sound the band was known for would emerge out of this type of sound. A great deal of experimentation went into this particular album which is why it is so well known for being somewhat “spacey.” Again, the song Taurus featured a rather identical baseline that was played in a somewhat different manner. The songs sound the same and then switched gears from a D minor chord and back to an A Minor. This is not to infer that Jimmy Page stole material from Randy California. Many songs share similarities. You will commonly see similar progressions in a variety of songs. A similar descending baseline, for example, can be found in The Beatles song “Michelle” by Paul McCartney.

As such, the common complaint that Jimmy Page appropriated Taurus is not a very valid statement. However, there are similarities among the songs. Another interesting fact here is that Page and the rest of the band first heard the song live because during the band’s very early days had opened for Spirit. Yes, the very first tour that Led Zep appeared on in America was as the opening act for Spirit. It is no secret that Jimmy Page learned a great deal from Randy California since California was quite an inspiration on Page. For example, Randy California was an innovator in terms of his use of a Theremin. This is the same instrument used by the Beach Boys in the song Good Vibrations. What is a Theremin? Basically, this is a very early version of a synthesizer. It generally was employed as a means of modifying radio waves to produce an original sound. Some have called the sound voodoo due to its uniqueness. Yes, it can have a weird sound but it is also a brilliant sound as well.

There are many different components to the song which make it somewhat of a suite. There is a descending base found in Section A which can be considered the official introduction to the song. There are recorders which contribute to the medieval sound the song is known to present. When the guitars start to kick in, we are treated to a more folk inspired sound. Picking through the chords will reveal such a notion. When Robert Plants’ lyrics start to kick in, we experience a song that is spiritual and philosophical. This all creates the amazing aura of the song.

Among the most amazing aspects of the song is that the intensity builds within it. Each section becomes louder and more vibrant. We can hear a 12 string guitar and it plays things in a much more powerful form that other guitars. The drums do come in at one point when we hear the “bustle in your hedgerow” line. All of this leads to a truly spectacular ending that is forever memorable. We also have the drumming part and then the improvisational electric guitar comes into play. This is a rather abstract solo. All of this plays out of time in a somewhat intentional manner. Also within this component is a very confusing set of beats which then turn into an ending which is clearly among the very best ever produced. The A minor, G, and F chord progression is about as simple as you can get but it works brilliantly since Page is able to make the entire sound work brilliantly.

Now I know Jimmy Page cut a lot of leads. He really had pretty much what I played there. He already had worked out as that’s how he wanted it to start. He didn’t exactly know where it was going to go from there. A lot of it was improvised. But I know he did quite a few takes on it and was not really happy with them. And they were ready to just toss it.

It is important to point out that in the late 1960s, it was not common to spend months editing guitar solos or spending significant time rearranging the songs. Such a production process would eventually come about at a much later date. Those that enjoy the work of Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour may be surprised to discover many of his greatest solos are patchwork affairs. Jimmy Page was not a fan of this type of approach. He was known for coming up with original and spectacular solos as evidenced on Led Zeppelin II’s Heartbreaker.

Regarding improvised lead solos, Heartbreaker remains one of the all-time greatest. Generally, the solos heard on most albums/CDs are not improvised. They are well worked out with a few nuances and changes presented from time to time. With Heartbreaker, the sound was just a very raw one. His unaccompanied solos truly do make for some amazing sounds. This is why his material is frequently thought of as some of the most brilliant ever devised.

This notion about Stairway to Heaven’s live performances being different needs to be explored. As most will note, the song suffers quite a bit when played live. This is often the result of the solos being delayed. This is due to the fact the rhythm needed to be delayed and, eventually, established first. That means the chords needed to be played several times since there was no rhythm guitar player. Such a role could have been played by Robert Plant but he opted against it.

If you enjoy Led Zeppelin and play the guitar watch all your online guitar lessons at TotallyGuitars.com. They also have the Stairway To Heaven guitar lesson.