Hayward was born in Dean Street, Swindon, Wiltshire, England, and educated at Shrivenham School in Berkshire and the Commonweal School in Swindon. He was playing in several bands as early as age 15 when he bought his Gibson 335, a guitar that appears on nearly all of his records throughout his career, and a Vox AC30 amplifier. All previous guitars were "unsatisfactory" and required modification. He performed with local Swindon groups in clubs and dance halls playing mostly Buddy Holly songs. One of Hayward's early groups was All Things Bright, which opened for The Hollies and Brian Poole and the Tremeloes. At age 17, he signed an eight-year publishing contract as a songwriter with the skiffle artist and record producer Lonnie Donegan, a move Hayward later regretted, as it meant the rights to all his songs written before 1974 would always be owned by Donegan's Tyler Music. In 1965 he answered an advertisement in Melody Maker and auditioned as guitarist for Marty Wilde and he went on to work with Wilde and his wife in The Wilde Three.
For the most part, Hayward has used a red Gibson ES-335, though he also uses other guitars in both performing and recording, including a 1955 Martin D-28 "Dreadnought", a James Olson six-string acoustic, a black Guild acoustic, a Squier Stratocaster (essentially an inexpensive Fender Stratocaster, as Squier is a subsidiary of Fender), a Fender Telecaster, a blonde Guild 12-string acoustic (tuned to "open C" for "Question"), and in 1967 a black Gibson Les Paul. Between 1965 and 1968, he was without his Gibson 335 and relied on other instruments, most notably a 1964 Fender Telecaster and a hand-built 12-string guitar he had renovated for Donegan (he eventually bought this guitar from Donegan's widow). However, in an interview included on the Lovely to See You concert DVD (2005), Hayward says the 1963 Gibson 335 has been with him since 1967. Recently, he has played a Collings D3 on stage and on recordings. Among other instruments, Hayward also played mandolin on A Question of Balance and sitar on In Search of the Lost Chord.
Written at the end of one love affair and the beginning of another, the song "Nights in White Satin" was, according to Hayward, "in adoration of all women". Hayward married model Ann Marie Guirron on 19 December 1970. His daughter Doremi, who sings on the track "Raised on Love" on Hayward's 1977 album Songwriter, was born on 3 December 1972.
In 2013, Hayward spoke of his learning Transcendental Meditation in 1967, along with other members of the Moody Blues.
Stairway To Heaven
Justin Hayward Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All that glitters is gold
And she's buying the 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
Ooh, ooh, and she's buying the stairway to heaven
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 misgiven
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 stand 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 ev'rything 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 the stairway to heaven
The lyrics to Justin Hayward's song "Stairway to Heaven" are layered, and can be interpreted in many different ways. At the surface level, it seems to be about a woman who is seeking something, and is willing to buy her way to get there. She believes that all that glitters is gold, and that by buying this "stairway to heaven", she will fulfill her desire. However, the song also delves into deeper themes of duality, misgivings, and the search for meaning. The woman in the song is unsure of the meanings behind the words she hears, and wonders at the feeling of something being just out of her reach.
The second verse brings in a deeper sense of longing and loss. The singer feels a deep connection to the west, and the idea of leaving. However, they are also tied to the present, hearing voices of others who are looking on. The chorus returns, bringing with it the idea that the piper will lead them to reason, and that they will find their way to a new dawn. The final verse seems to turn towards the idea of listening, and the importance of what we hear. The piper is calling out to the world, and the song returns to the woman at the beginning, suggesting that her stairway is part of the whispering wind.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a lady who's sure
There is a woman who is confident in her decision
All that glitters is gold
She believes in the saying that things that shine often have great worth
And she's buying the stairway to heaven
She is determined to achieve her goals and reach a higher level
When she gets there she knows
She is already expecting to succeed in her quest
If the stores are all closed
Even if things don't go as planned, she remains hopeful
With a word she can get what she came for
She knows how to achieve her goals effortlessly
There's a sign on the wall
There is some form of warning, a message to consider
But she wants to be sure
She is curious and wants to know what awaits her
'Cause you know sometimes words have two meanings
She is aware that things are not always as they seem, that words can be misleading
In a tree by the brook
Nature plays a central role in her journey
There's a songbird who sings
The bird represents hope and the possibility of experiencing beauty on the way to her goal
Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiven
Our thoughts can often be incorrect and misguided
Ooh, it makes me wonder...
There is a sense of curiosity and intrigue, a desire to know more
There's a feeling I get
She experiences a particular sensation
When I look to the west
The direction is significant and represents a new beginning
And my spirit is crying for leaving
She is ready to move on an embark on a new journey
In my thoughts I have seen
Her thoughts and imagination play an important role in her journey
Rings of smoke through the trees
The image of smoke in nature could have different meanings depending on interpretation
And the voices of those who stand looking
The voices represent thoughts and opinions of others that she has to consider
Ooh, it makes me wonder
Curiosity and ambiguity about the journey continues
And it's whispered that soon
There is an element of secrecy in the events to come
If we all call the tune
If we work together in unity, we can create our journey and future
Then the piper will lead us to reason
Leadership is required to lead us to the best possible destination
And a new day will dawn
A brighter and hopeful future awaits us
For those who stand long
Those who are patient and persistent will be rewarded
And the forests will echo with laughter
Nature will celebrate our success
If there's a bustle in your hedgerow
If there's something going on that's worrying you
Don't be alarmed now
Remain calm and composed
It's just a spring clean for the May queen
It's a time for renewal and fresh starts
Yes, there are two paths you can go by
There are multiple options to consider in the journey to come
But in the long run
In the grand scheme of things
There's still time to change the road you're on
We always have the power to change direction and choose a new path
And it makes me wonder
Uncertainty and doubt continue to play a role
Your head is humming and it won't go
There is a sense of confusion and unease
In case you don't know
In the event you're not aware
The piper's calling you to join him
The leader is inviting you to follow
Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow
She is being called to use her senses to guide her to her goal
And did you know
There is something she may not be aware of
Your stairway lies on the whispering wind
Her journey will be guided by forces beyond herself
And as we wind on down the road
As we make our way towards our destination
Our shadows taller than our soul
Our doubts and fears loom larger than our inner strengths
There walks a lady we all know
The woman continues to be central to the story
Who shines white light and wants to show
She radiates some form of light that inspires others to follow her
How ev'rything still turns to gold
No matter what, there is always value in the journey
And if you listen very hard
The call to action becomes clearer if one focuses their attention
The tune will come to you at last
The path that should be taken will become obvious over time
When all are one and one is all
When we work together as a cohesive unit, we can achieve greatness
To be a rock and not to roll
To stand firm and not fall to the pressure of others
And she's buying the stairway to heaven
The woman continues to remain focused on her goal, despite the challenges that lie ahead
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Debbie Thomas
I got goosebump the moment Justin started singing. I haven't heard this version before and, while I think the original is unbeatable, this runs it a very close second for me. His voice brings something to it that really adds to it, although he is rather drowned out in the climax, but I love the guitars on the Led Zep version.
bobbie hartley
I love deep songs like this one..beautified by one of the best male vocalists of all time...
filsgreen
Let's not forget Mike Batt's contribution to this classic track.
John Nelson
Justin Hayward how many more superlatives can be printed about this man!!!!!!!!!
Directioner P
Gosto muito desta versao parabens pela interpretacao Justin Hayward!👍👍👍
Kkangas1
Love this version and Justin Hayward's voice...one of the best!!!!
Sid Clark
Fantastic version of a classic song. Never heard this version by Justin before. Many thanks Paul F Brown for posting.
mauricio loyacono
MARAVILHOSO MEU AMIGO! JUSTIN HAYWARD É UMA DAS MAIS LINDAS VOZES DO REINO UNIDO POR NÃO DIZER DO MUNDO. NESTA MUSICA DO LED ZEPPELIN PERCEBEMOS TODA A SENSIBILIDADE QUE O GRANDE VOCALISTA DOS THE MOODY BLUES LEGA AS PESSOAS QUE TEM BOM GOSTO PELA ARTE MUSICAL. PARABÉNS.
shannara11
Beautiful video, redbaron. Such beautiful scenery and I love Justin's soothing voice. You do such wonderful videos and they are appreciated so much. Thanks.
Rog Rabbit
Justin hayward has now been added to my very short list of admired Rock & Roll singers of all time.