Alternatively, see The London Philharmonic Orchestra.
Stairway to Heaven
London Philharmonic Orchestra Lyrics
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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.
Ooh ooh and she's buying a stairway to heaven.
There's a sign on the wall
'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 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 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 a stairway to heaven.
The lyrics of Stairway to Heaven can be interpreted in many different ways, but one common interpretation is that they describe a woman who believes that she can buy her way to heaven. The opening lines set the scene, describing a woman who believes that everything that glitters is gold and is buying a stairway to heaven. When she gets to heaven, she believes that she can get whatever she wants with a word, as if she can simply buy her way into paradise.
As the song continues, the references to misinterpretation and misunderstanding suggest that the singer is skeptical of this woman's belief. The song suggests that there may be more than one interpretation of the world around us, and that we should be careful not to take things at face value. The references to smoking rings and misgiven thoughts add a note of surrealism to the song, suggesting that things are not always what they seem.
As the song draws to a close, the references to the piper leading us to reason suggest that there may be a path to enlightenment, but that it is not necessarily the one that the woman in the opening lines is following. The references to a spring clean for the May queen suggest that there may be a need for renewal, but that this renewal should be approached with caution. Ultimately, the song ends on an ambiguous note, with a suggestion that there may be a path to heaven, but that this path may require us to listen closely and be willing to change our ways.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a lady who's sure
There is a woman who is confident in her path
All that glitters is gold
She believes that what is shiny and attractive is valuable
And she's buying a stairway to heaven.
She is pursuing something that she believes will lead her to a better place
When she gets there she knows
Once she achieves her goal, she is certain
If the stores are all closed
If the usual paths are blocked
With a word she can get what she came for.
She is confident her persistence will pay off
Ooh ooh and she's buying a stairway to heaven.
She's driven and determined to obtain her lofty goal
There's a sign on the wall
There is a warning or message present
But she wants to be sure
She is cautious and thorough
'Cause you know sometimes words have two meanings.
She's aware of the complexities of language and meaning
In a tree by the brook
In nature
There's a songbird who sings,
There is beauty and joy in the world
Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiven.
We don't always see things clearly
Ooh, it makes me wonder,
This observation provokes a sense of curiosity
Ooh, it makes me wonder.
The singer is still mulling this over
There's a feeling I get
I experience a sensation
When I look to the west,
When I look towards the future
And my spirit is crying for leaving.
I feel an internal pull to change or explore
In my thoughts I have seen
In my imagination
Rings of smoke through the trees,
I witness beauty and magic in the world
And the voices of those who standing looking.
I hear the voices of others observing like me
Ooh, it makes me wonder,
This scene provokes a strong sense of curiosity
Ooh, it really makes me wonder.
The feeling lingers strongly
And it's whispered that soon, If we all call the tune
There is a notion being passed around
Then the piper will lead us to reason.
If we can work together, we can find purpose
And a new day will dawn
There will be a new era
For those who stand long
For those who are patient and persistent
And the forests will echo with laughter.
There will be joy and celebration in the world
If there's a bustle in your hedgerow,
If there is unexpected excitement in your routine
Don't be alarmed now,
Don't panic
It's just a spring clean for the May queen.
It's just a necessary task in preparing for a new season
Yes, there are two paths you can go by
There are different options available
But in the long run
Looking ahead into the future
There's still time to change the road you're on.
It's never too late to change course
And it makes me wonder.
This is a strong thought that remains in the singer's mind
Your head is humming and it won't go
You can't stop overthinking
In case you don't know,
In case you're unaware
The piper's calling you to join him,
There is a call to be part of something bigger
Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow,
Are you listening for signs to guide you?
And did you know
Were you aware
Your stairway lies on the whispering wind.
Your path towards your goal is already present
And as we wind on down the road
As we continue our journey
Our shadows taller than our soul.
Our weaknesses loom large despite our best efforts
There walks a lady we all know
There is a prominent figure in our midst
Who shines white light and wants to show
Who embodies goodness and wants to share it with others
How ev'rything still turns to gold.
There is still hope and beauty in the world
And if you listen very hard
If you pay close attention
The tune will come to you at last.
The answer or solution will become clear
When all are one and one is all
When we unite and work together
To be a rock and not to roll.
To have a strong foundation and not get lost in the chaos
And she's buying a stairway to heaven.
The woman is still on her journey towards her goal
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JIMMY PAGE, ROBERT PLANT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind