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

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.

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".

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.

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

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...

it's about Babylon the Great

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.

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

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................

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

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

Drugs maybe

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.

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.)

... 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 ...

Satan, of course.

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...

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.

The path to enlightenment!

There's a meaning?

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

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.