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by ... on March 22nd, 2005

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What's the meaning of "Stairway to Heaven?"

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Answers. 24 helpful answers below.

  • by malek256 on October 4th, 2006

    malek256

    Drugs - Not at all. This song is about extreme materialism of the mega wealthy. The mythical woman in the song is fabulously wealthy and the world caters to her. Thus, she believes that God will respect her status and she is certain to simply pay the price of admission.

    It is satirical and meant as a slap in the face of the ultra rich.

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  • by WEE-man on October 20th, 2008

    WEE-man

    i personally think its about a girl doin heroin for the first time

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  • by sweetaspie on November 11th, 2007

    sweetaspie

    i think it is about how ppl think that thier wealth is going to secure them a place in heaven, kinda like a buying your way in...

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  • by AnaContessa on November 11th, 2007

    AnaContessa

    Years ago I heard that 'the lady' was the United States.

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  • by Schroeder on January 9th, 2009

    Schroeder

    There's a meaning?

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  • by Lemonyellow Di Vintage on December 9th, 2008

    Lemonyellow Di Vintage

    Satan, of course.

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  • by Takei-Shihan on December 9th, 2008

    Takei-Shihan

    ... the attempts of the wealthy to merge capitalism and spiritualism by just buying "goodness" and just paying the price of admission into heaven ... and then buying the stairway so only THEY can allow only certain others to have access ...

    ... it is an insulting statement aimed at the vast majority of the super rich and shows that even the poorest person can "afford" the price of heaven, while those with too much "bought and paid for" arrogance can not make the needed payment to gain access to heaven ...

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  • by branciforte3241 on December 9th, 2008

    branciforte3241

    According to Robert Plant, it's not about anything in particular. The lyrics were a stream of consciousness thing that just came to him one night in front of the fireplace.

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  • by chiism1 is gone 4 good on December 9th, 2008

    chiism1 is gone 4 good

    Drugs maybe

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  • by gtravels loves her life penguin on December 9th, 2008

    gtravels loves her life penguin

    I think you'll find some answers here:
    http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/18192

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  • by Anonymous on December 4th, 2008

    Anonymous

    The drug answers are just dumb... The song really is a religious meaning and has to do with materialism and fake christtians

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  • by tjatherton on September 1st, 2006

    tjatherton

    There's a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold
    And she's buying a stairway to heaven
    And when she gets there she knows if the stores are closed
    With a word she can get what she came for


    Woe oh oh oh oh oh
    And she's buying a stairway to heaven

    There's a sign on the wall but she wants to be sure
    And you know sometimes words have two meanings
    In the tree by the brook there's a songbird who sings
    Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiven

    Woe oh oh oh oh oh
    And she's buying a stairway to heaven

    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

    Woe oh oh oh oh oh
    And she's buying a stairway to heaven

    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 forest will echo with laughter

    And it makes me wonder

    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

    Your head is humming and it won't go because you don't know
    The piper's calling you to join him
    Dear lady can't 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 souls
    There walks a lady we all know
    Who shines white light and wants to show
    How everything 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
    Woe oh oh oh oh oh
    And she's buying a stairway to heaven

    There's a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold
    And she's buying a stairway to heaven
    And when she gets there she knows if the stores are closed
    With a word she can get what she came for


    And she's buying a stairway to heaven, uh uh uh.


    I think it means that our way to heaven can't be bought, it has to be asked for... and there are many signs in life that tell us how to acheive the right way to find heaven. The steps to heaven are not given by gold or material things, but merely by asking for it.

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  • by charny211 on June 19th, 2006

    charny211

    I'm pretty sure the songs about a girl who's buying drugs and each time she dose them she adds an other step to the stairway lus buying a stairway to heaven

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  • by vamptra on July 14th, 2009

    vamptra

    I have no idea... sometimes I think its about buying you way into heaven but near the end where it says

    There walks a lady we all know
    Who shines white light and wants to show
    How everything still turns to gold

    It sounds like she isnt really trying to buy her way into heaven but is showing people something.

    lol this song always reminds me of Marry Poppins when she climbs the stairway made of chimney smoke.

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  • by foivos on October 24th, 2008

    foivos

    stairway to heaven is the apocalypse in 1 song it has some difficult meanings but here is an explantaion from http://www.sunsetwestproductions.com/forever/stairway.htm

    There's a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold
    And she's buying a stairway to heaven. (she is tithing)
    When she gets there she knows, if the stores are all closed
    With a word she can get what she came for. (The bible is the word of God, with the bible, she can get into Heaven.) Revelation 3:8
    Ooh, ooh, and she's buying a stairway to heaven. (She is tithing and she she thinks that will get her into Heaven)

    There's a sign on the wall but she wants to be sure (points out the significance of the next line, hint hint)
    'Cause you know sometimes words have two meanings. (parables, which the bible is full of, and the words in this song have two meanings)
    In a tree by the brook, there's a songbird who sings, (reference to John the Baptist and Jesus)
    Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiving.
    Ooh, it makes me wonder, (think!)
    Ooh, it makes me wonder.

    There's a feeling I get when I look to the west, (the anointing of the holy spirit's comforting, Christianity is the religion of western civilization) (it's usually about now that I feel the spirit! -jk)
    And my spirit is crying for leaving. (soul crying out to be saved)
    In my thoughts I have seen rings of smoke through the trees, (Revelation of Jesus Christ)
    And the voices of those who standing looking.
    Ooh, it makes me wonder,
    Ooh, it really makes me wonder.

    And it's whispered (Revealed by Jesus) that soon if we all call the tune
    Then the piper (Jesus, the one playing the woodwind instrument, the flute, which has a whispering tone) will lead us to reason. (Jesus' second coming, revelation 7:17)
    And a new day will dawn for those who stand long (World after tribulation) Revelation 3:12
    And the forests will echo with laughter.

    Well I've got some good news! (Gospel is the Greek word for good news)
    If there's a bustle in your hedgerow, don't be alarmed now,
    It's just a spring clean for the May queen. (God puling the weeds, the tare, reaping...)
    Yes, there are two paths you can go by (the Stairway to Heaven or the Highway to Hell), but in the long run,
    There's still time to change the road you're on.
    Well I hope so! (There is always hope. It is never to late to be saved)
    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, (Jesus said I will knock on the door...) Rev 3:20
    Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow, (the word of Jesus) and did you know
    Your stairway lies on the whispering wind. (if you want to get to heaven you have to follow the piper, Jesus. Christians are saved by grace, not by their works.)

    And as we wind on down the road (Later in life, after a few wrong turns. There is a straight and narrow path to heaven, there is a long and winding road to hell. )
    Our shadows taller than our soul. (late in the day (near the end of our life) we cast longer shadows, our soul is nothing with out Jesus)
    There walks a lady we all know
    Who shines white light and wants to show
    How everything still turns to gold. (Later in life after more and more sin we can still be saved. The new world after the tribulation will be made of gold.)
    And if you listen very hard
    The tune will come to you at last. (if you accept Christ the holy spirit will come into your heart and you will be saved.)
    When all are one and one is all (in Heaven we are one with God)
    To be a rock and not to roll. (Jesus is the Rock, be strong with his foundation)

    And she's buying a stairway to heaven................

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  • by marrferr on February 17th, 2008

    marrferr

    The song is about the irony of christians hipocracy that man was created in the image of god and that no matter what we do our stairway to heaven has been bought 'not earned' by the the lady (jesus who died on the cross for our sins) she sure all that glitters is gold.. humanity...(we all shine) "and as we walk on down the road" (of life) "our shadows taller than our souls" (doin more bad than good in our lifetime)"there goes the lady we all know" (jesus) "who shines white light an wants it shown" (preach the gospel)"to be a rock and not to roll" (stay firm in your beliefs) dont be tainted by foolish beliefs!!!!...Yes there is a GOD by hes not was not and will never be a MAN! our god is an entity not a human and for sure not of this earth.

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  • by Anonymous on January 24th, 2008

    Anonymous

    it's about Babylon the Great

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  • by Ullyses on October 2nd, 2006

    Ullyses

    TJ put all the words, which makes it easier.

    Jimmy Paige wrote "Yes there are two paths you can go by...". He meant that for those who have power they buy their way to heaven through the church and its corrupt leaders. This is why the lady believes that she can have what she wants. Her gold will see to that. The corruption of the church preaches giving money in return for being saved, and those with more money are more saved. The other road is that of a much lder religion. "It's just a spring clean for the May Queen" harks back to the Pagan religion and it is much more of the earth. Money is useless here, but kindness to the world around you is what will get you to heaven. He exhorts us to break down the corruption "If we all call the tune" and create our own paradise on earth. The final refrain shows the futility of it, though as she is still "buying a stairway to heaven".

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  • by Scott D - ex-QnA on December 9th, 2008

    Scott D - ex-QnA

    Here's the entire story, including the controversy over the "stolen" guitar line (ex. "Taurus" by Spirit).

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stairway_to_Heaven

    (I spent a little time hanging with both bands in my misspent youth.)

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  • by foivos on January 8th, 2009

    foivos

    multi-meaning
    it has to do about the mega wealthy who want to buy a place to heaven but they can't
    it says too that you cant buy the stairway you can ask for it and gain it by understanding your mistakes and do not do them again
    it has some parts of revelation too...

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  • by Greeny on March 20th, 2009

    Greeny

    Its about a rich lady who tried to buy her way into heaven, instead she went to hell. now she tries to show people who are going to hell that there is still hope.

    Theres a lady whos sure All that glitters is gold= rich lady
    And shes buying a stairway to heaven= buying her way into heaven
    When she gets there she knows If the stores are all closed=if there's no other way
    With a word she can get what she came for.= please

    Ooh, ooh, and shes buying a stairway to heaven.

    Theres a sign on the wall But she wants to be sure= the says how to get to heaven
    cause you know sometimes words have two meanings.= she's not sure if its real
    In a tree by the brook Theres a songbird who sings,
    Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiven= she is mistaken you cant buy your way into heaven

    Ooh, it makes me wonder,
    Ooh, it makes me wonder.
    now its a prophet saying the true way into heaven

    Theres a feeling I get When I look to the west,= heaven
    And my spirit is crying for leaving.= He wants to go there
    In my thoughts I have seen= in his dreams
    Rings of smoke through the trees,= rituals/ sacrifices
    And the voices of those who stand looking= god/ gods

    Ooh, it makes me wonder,
    Ooh, it really makes me wonder.

    And its whispered that soon= god tells him
    If we all call the tune Then the piper will lead us to reason if you ask= if you call for jesus/ god he will come
    And a new day will daw= a new world will emerge
    For those who stand long= for those who stay with god
    And the forests will echo with laughter.

    If theres a bustle in your hedgerow= if your life is disrupted
    Dont be alarmed now,
    Its just a spring clean for the may queen.= god is cleaning the earth
    Yes, there are two paths you can go by= heaven and hell
    But in the long run
    Theres still time to change the road youre on.= you can change where your going

    And it makes me wonder.= if it can happen

    Your head is humming and it wont go= your life will always be a mess
    In case you dont know,
    The pipers calling you to join him,= unless you join the piper/ jesus
    Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow,= lady cant you hear what i'm seeing
    And did you know
    Your stairway lies on the whispering wind.= the stairway doesn't exist

    And as we wind on down the road= as life moves on
    Our shadows taller than our soul.= our sins outdo our achievements
    There walks a lady we all know= the lady
    Who shines white light and wants to show=erases our shadows/sins withher light
    How evrything still turns to gold.= you can save yourself
    And if you listen very hard- if you don't want to come to hell
    The tune will come to you at last= you will find jesus/god at last
    When all are one and one is all= when we all band together
    To be a rock and not to roll.= you must stay the course and stay with one religon

    And shes buying a stairway to heaven.= she's wasting her time/ life. she's buying something that doesn't exist

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  • by Colt COAT of Justice on January 9th, 2009

    Colt COAT of Justice

    The path to enlightenment!

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  • by Shavale is very happy on January 8th, 2009

    Shavale is very happy

    I always thought that it was about a (possibly suicidal) cult. The "piper(s)" being the one(s) who are leading and/or recruiting people and they all believe that this will lead them to heaven or to the completion of some grand goal.

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  • by krittybug on August 29th, 2010

    krittybug

    it's simple "stairway" was not ment to have a meaning but to make people make there own meaning. this song can mean diffrent things to everyone, like alot of people think it's about god , or drugs, or money . led zepplin were a great band and jimmy paige had great lyrics to everything Plant played. they had there own voice and they are giving us our chance to have a voice in what we want this song to mean , so in this case everyone is right it is about god, drugs, money , or even sex if you will. the only way you are gunna really know what this is song means is if you ask jimmy paige yourself and you'll only do that if you climb the stairway to heaven !

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