Stairway to Heaven
Zakk Wylde Lyrics

There's a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold
The lady is confident and believes that everything that looks shiny and bright is valuable and worth possessing in life.

And she's buying a stairway to Heaven
She is taking action to pursue the path to heaven, which she imagines as a stairway that can be purchased or attained by material means.

When she gets there, she knows if the stores are all closed
She assumes that there are stores or markets at the path’s end which she may acquire treasures or fantasies. She foresees a probable barrier to meeting with her expectations.

With a word she can get what she came for
The lady believes that her desires can be granted by her mere utterance of a single ‘word’ and she will gain the things that she came for. She thinks of herself as immensely powerful.

There's a sign on the wall, but she wants to be sure
There is a warning or signal visible to her, but she is unsure what it means. She is not willing to take a chance and thus needs assurance to avoid failures.

'Cause you know sometimes words have two meanings
The singer acknowledges that there are times when words have more than one interpretation and in certain situations, the meaning of words can be tricky and confusing.

In a tree by the brook there's a songbird who sings
There is a songbird living in a tree beside the stream that creates beautiful sounds. The singer is describing an idyllic environment where nature is rich and pristine.

Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiven
Our thoughts and assumptions can sometimes be misguided, and we could be living with wrong beliefs or perceptions due to uncertainty or misinterpretation.

Ooh it makes me wonder
The vocalist is expressing a degree of awe or bewilderment and is wondering about the true meaning of the context.

There's a feeling I get when I look to the west
The singer experiences a certain feeling when gazing to the west. A contemplative, nostalgic feeling where the vastness of nature stimulates an emotional reaction.

And my spirit is crying for leaving
The musician is feeling the urge to let go of a situation and move on to other ventures. He has a soulful desire to progress positively.

In my thoughts I have seen rings of smoke through the trees
The artist has imagined visually dreamy images that are born in his mind. The stunning spectacle is an effect most probably of a campfire or possibly a place of contemplation.

And the voices of those who stand looking
The spirits of those who passed away or are absent from a particular location can send their voices into the place, which may be audible to someone standing there. The person who can hear may sense wisdom or inspiration from the message conveyed.

And it's whispered that soon, if we all call the tune,
There is a whisper suggesting that if everyone were to agree about a particular issue or matter, a positive outcome would occur, and the future would appear bright.

Then the piper will lead us to reason
The Pipers are symbols of leadership and are able to guide people towards rational and sensible ways of behaviour. They help others to do the right thing.

And a new day will dawn for those who stand long
An era of progress, prosperity, and success is set to come to those who wait and stand long. A new era with renewed potential and meaning would result.

And the forests will echo with laughter
Once balance and happiness are restored, the environment will resonate with new life and exude sounds of happiness and joy.

If there's a bustle in your hedgerow, don't be alarmed now
The singer says that one should not worry if there is disturbance or disorder in their immediate environment. One should not be alarmed by the commotion or upheaval.

It's just a spring clean for the May Queen
It is a ritual cleansing event, particularly for the Queen of May. The cleansing is symbolic for the arrival of prosperity and abundance in the imminent future.

Yes, there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run
There are two fundamental paths available to take in life. However, what one takes will determine one's long-term fate and destiny.

There's still time to change the road you're on
It is not too late to alter the current path, choices or patterns of behaviour that you are heading towards. It’s never too late to break from a negative cycle and take a turn at something more positive.

Your head is humming and it won't go, in case you don't know
You are anxious, worried, and have a lot racing through your mind, and you cannot get rid of these pressing thoughts. It’s crucial to be aware in case you can't comprehend why things are worrying you.

The piper's calling you to join him
The Piper is making an invitation or request to anyone who would like to join him to follow some path or activity. It is not clear if the path chosen by the Piper is positive or negative.

Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow? And did you know
The person addressing the lady is asking her whether she can hear the sound of the wind. The phrase inquires whether the lady is connected to or paying attention to the environment around her.

Your stairway lies on the whispering wind
The pathway to heaven may be so obscure that it’s barely noticeable or visible, but the context suggests that the lady hearing the voice of the wind hints that she is navigating in the right direction.

And as we wind on down the road
As we journey along our path or walk towards a destination, the lyrics convey the idea of both physical road and a metaphorical path or journey in life.

Our shadow's taller than our soul
We are not as noble, good, or wealthy as we aspire to be. We are shadows of our best selves or seem to pretend to be something different than what we are.

There walks a lady we all know
There's a lady walking the path that is familiar to everybody. The lady is on a journey of life that we all share.

Who shines white light and wants to show
The lady is becoming brighter and more radiant as she progresses but lacks direction. The lady wants to make clear that there is a specific path that can be followed.

How everything still turns to gold
The lady realizes that everything surrounding her can turn into gold, meaning that anything has value, as long as seen from the right perspective or capacity of the individual.

And if you listen very hard
If you listen to the surrounding environment very carefully, you might be able to find something that is not so evident, known or traditional.

The tune will come to you at last
The lyrics hint that if one searches long enough, they will eventually find the sound or tune that they were looking for, and it's worth the fight.

When all are one and one is all, yeah
The lyrics suggest that when people are united and come together as one, conflicts disappear, and everyone can expect to achieve success, prosperity and happiness.

To be a rock and not to roll
To be strong, firm and unwavering against obstacles and not swayed by outside forces to wander or move is the expectation. Life is about remaining sturdy and steady rather than being dynamic and unfocused.

And she's buying a stairway to Heaven
The final line reasserts the image of the lady, who is using material possessions to attain entry to heaven, as earlier depicted in the song.